Stephanie's books

Clockwork Angel
Eragon
City of Bones
Twilight
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Golden Compass
Night World, No. 2
Thirst No. 2: Phantom, Evil Thirst, and Creatures of Forever
Thirst No. 3: The Eternal Dawn
The Iron Daughter
The Iron King
Nightshade
Divergent
A Discovery of Witches
A Great and Terrible Beauty
The Hunger Games
The Host
City of Glass
Memoirs of a Geisha
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo


Stephanie's favorite books »

Thursday 29 November 2012

The Star Dwellers (The Dwellers 2)

The Star Dwellers (The Dwellers 2)
by David Estes 
Rating: 5/5
Summary:
     After rescuing her father and younger sister, Adele is forced to leave her family and Tristan behind to find her mother in the cruel and dangerous realm of the star dwellers. 
    Amidst blossoming feelings for Adele, Tristan must cast his feelings aside and let her find her own way amongst the star dwellers, while he accompanies Adele's father to meet with the leaders of the moon dwellers and decide the fate of the Tri-Realms.
      Will Adele be able to rescue her mother and make it back to the Moon Realm before the President and the sun dweller soldiers destroy her family?
       Can Tristan convince the moon dweller puppets of the error of their ways?
Was Adele's lost kiss with Tristan her one and only chance at love?
       In her world there's only one rule: Someone must die.

My Review:
        Be warned I will not be able to control myself and this review will contain spoilers!!
   I received this book free from the author after being one of the first five to review book one in a read to review, I loved the first book and could not stop reading which worked in my favor getting me this fantastic read. The second installment of the series was just as good if not better than the first, I want to thank the author for giving me this book and encourage anyone to go out and get this series as it will be well worth your while. This is a wonderful story with beautiful writing and the most lovable characters, it is at the top of my list for recommended reads.
   Just when Adele and Tristan are together with her father and sister, Adele must leave to save the last member of her family...her mother and Tristan must go and try to unite the star and moon realms against his evil father. Both on totally different paths yet working towards the same goal. This lead to so many revelations I didn't think my brain could handle it. Her parents were leaders of the rebellion which was supposed to be gone, her mother is now a general in the star dweller army and so much more, there were so many WHAT THE WHAT?? moments I just had to keep reading and find out what would could possibly be next and I was never disappointed.
  So many new and interesting people I understood Adele's hesitant nature it was hard to know who to trust. I never saw the Brody thing coming and Trevor seemed off for a long time but I am glad to see that him and Ram are supporting then on their mission, I know Tristan will be able to prove himself to Ram and he will be a valuable asset.
   Lots of great complex characters on both sides. Although of course the evil ones are just that pure evil and I hope the president gets whats coming to him what a sick man. On the other hand the "Good Guys" is a fantastic group each with their own strengths and weaknesses who have been through so much together in such a short time they now how to be there for each other  and lean on one another for support. Elsey was by far my favorite she is wise beyond her years yet was still able to hold onto innocence enough to keep things light when it seemed they could not get any darker, her ability to charm everyone she meets was so adorable and I know it was her choice of words that won everyone over, she is a girl after my own heart with her love of the old world and her eternal optimism even in the toughest times of their journey.
  After reading these two wonderful books I fell like I know the characters and I can not wait to read the next one and find out the fate that awaits them and I hope they all get the revenge they seek. Thanks again David Estes for the wonderful read and again I say..GO GET THESE BOOKS AND GET READING! 
Happy Reading Friends!!!!
   

Tuesday 20 November 2012

The Moon Dwellers (The Dwellers 1)

The Moon Dwellers (The Dwellers 1)
by David Estes
Rating: 5/5
Summary:
In a desperate attempt to escape destruction decades earlier, humankind was forced underground, into the depths of the earth, creating a new society called the Tri-Realms. 

After her parents and sister are abducted by the Enforcers, seventeen-year-old Adele, a member of the middle-class moon dwellers, is unjustly sentenced to life in prison for her parents' crimes of treason.

Against all odds, Adele must escape from the Pen and find her family, while being hunted by a deranged, killing machine named Rivet, who works for the President. She is helped by two other inmates, Tawni and Cole, each of whom have dark secrets that are better left undiscovered. Other than her friends, the only thing she has going for her is a wicked roundhouse kick and two fists that have been well-trained for combat by her father.

At the other end of the social spectrum is Tristan, the son of the President and a sun dweller. His mother is gone. He hates his father. Backed by only his servant and best friend, Roc, he leaves his lavish lifestyle in the Sun Realm, seeking to make something good out of his troubled life.

When a war breaks out within the Tri-Realms, Tristan is thrust into the middle of a conflict that seems to mysteriously follow Adele as she seeks to find her family and uncover her parents true past.

In their world, someone must die.

My Review:
  I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review and I am so happy I got to read this book it was just simply great and I want to thank David Estes for letting me read this great story and I cannot wait for more.
  I loved this book it was exciting and fresh. I loved the world that was created for these characters it was full of surprises and adventure and I can not wait to see what happens next. I liked that it was told from the two points of view giving you insight to how much these two really are alike, even after growing up in very different worlds Adele a poor moon dweller sentenced to the pen and Tristen son of the president sentenced to a life he hates. they flee only to find each other and suffer many heartaches and victories.
 I enjoyed these characters and I was heartbroken for them when they suffered so much in a short amount of time and I hope that the next adventures hold as much excitement but also a bit more triumph.
  Tristen and Adele's first meeting was a perfect fit for this book and I had a laugh out loud moment thinking he kinda had it coming sneaking up on her like that hahaha.
  I finished this book rather quickly as I just had to find out what happened next I loved the fast pace and I just could not get enough. Thank you again to the author for the opportunity to read this awesome books and I would recommend it to any one who wants to read a fun adventure.
Happy Reading Friends!!! 

Sunday 18 November 2012

For the Love of a Vampire (Blood Like Poison 1)

For the Love of a Vampire (Blood Like Poison 1)
by M. Leighton
Rating: 3.5 /5

Summary:
  Like most seventeen year olds, Ridley Heller thought she had her future all planned out. What she wanted most in life was to get out of small town Harker. Her only goal was to keep her mouth shut and her grades high so she could win a cheerleading scholarship to Stanford. But that was before she met Bo. 
  In Ridley’s wildest dreams, she could never have planned for someone like Bo, for a love so intense it left her breathless. No human girl could.
  A haunting stranger that watched her from afar, Bo stole Ridley’s heart from the moment she laid eyes on him. But he has secrets. Bo’s a vampire. Both his past and his present are a danger to Ridley, but the biggest threat is not her blood; it’s her heart. He’s feeding a thirst for revenge that will cost him his life, and it may already be too late. 
  The more darkness Ridley uncovers, the more she realizes that her life will never be the same—with or without Bo. Can she sacrifice her future and her heart for someone who has a death wish?

My Review:
  I got this book free on amazon and I found the summary interesting and I thought I would give it a try it felt like a while since I had read a vampire book. I almost stopped reading a few times in the beginning mostly because it was so much like twilight I was having trouble getting over it. that being said once I got into it I noticed the similarities were few and far between and the book was fairly enjoyable.
 I really liked that Ridley grew and developed throughout the story. She started off damaged and a little self serving, but meeting Bo changed the course of her life allowing her to become the person she never knew she had the potential to be but Bo knew was there all along. I think my favorite part was when she stood up to that bitch Trinity.
  The origin story of the vampire's, how they are made and how they die was original and interesting and with the addition of poison (I won't tell you when, were, why ect. in case you want to give it a read) it made things mysterious and kept me reading. 
  The cliffhanger at the end was intense and it changed everything for me I did not see it coming at all, I really want to find out what happens next, I have so many questions and I will be on the lookout for book 2 (Destined for a Vampire).
Happy Reading friends!!

Wednesday 14 November 2012

Blood Red Road (Dustlands 1)

Blood Red Road (Dustlands 1)
by Moira Young
Rating: 4.5 /5

Summary:
Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when four cloaked horsemen capture Lugh, Saba's world is shattered, and she embarks on a quest to get him back. 

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the outside world, Saba discovers she is a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba’s unrelenting search for Lugh stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization. 

My Review:
  I don't know what it is about this cover but as soon as I saw it at the store I was drawn to it and I picked it up only to have it sit on the shelf at home for a while, Finally being given the chance when my monthly challenge called for books starting with B,K or T and it caught my eye all over again and I am glad it did. I would have given this a full 5 stars as the story was really fantastic but the writing style really threw me off, there were no quotation marks and the spelling was awful to prove I guess that the characters were in another place and time, it had me struggling at first but when the story took off I was able to overlook it and really enjoy the story.
 There were lots of great characters in this book. Saba strong and determined to find her brother is so reluctant to let anyone help her that she almost misses out on the great friends she finds in the free hawks and almost pushes Jack away, good thing no one including Emmi (Saba's sister) was willing to give up on her and all had a hand in helping her through the journey to find her brother.
  I thought I had the whole story figured out and then the Pinches arrived and everything changed. I thought the Collosseum was an awesome addition to the story it brought lots of excitement and struggle and well as new characters and new information. I was sad Saba and Emmi had to go through it but I think they both needed to be hardened a bit before going out on the road.
  The journey to freedom fields was very well done, a lot of obstacles to overcome and even enough time for Saba to realize Emmi isn't all  that bad and bring her and Jack closer together which I think was done very well. I can't mention Jack and Saba without saying the song that Jack sang to Saba was my favorite part of the whole book, it was funny and heartfelt at the same time and if he sang it to me I would be putty in his hands lol.
 I can't wait to see what adventures they will go on next. Overall fantastic story with terrible grammar.
Happy Reading Friends!!!!

Sunday 4 November 2012

Short Stories

Over the past couple of weeks I have read a few short stories and since they are short there is not much to say usually so I thought I would put a few together her goes:

Before (Heven and Hell 0.5)
by Cambria Hebert
Rating: 4/5
Summary:
What if your life was charmed and everything in it was perfect…
Before.
This is the story of my past. Of what things were like for me when everything was normal. Of what every teenager’s life is like. Clothes. Parties. Boys and summer vacation. What’s so wrong with that? I liked it. I was happy. 
Until things changed. I changed.
I didn’t know that lies and secrets were about to take over my existence. I didn’t know there was someone out there, someone meant just for me. I didn’t know that I was about to go on a journey, a journey that would lead me to the girl I am today.
This is the beginning of the worst year of my life. Would I go back and change things? Erase everything that has happened to go back into these moments?
Not a chance.
This is a story of before.
My Review:
  This is short story part of the Heven and Hell series, I did not know that when I got it free I just wanted a free book lol but I was pleasantly surprised when I decided to give it a go. It was full of secret love and loyalty and I was pulled in to find out more and on my next trip for new books this series has moved itself up to the top with this short story.

A Darker Shade Of Grey
by S.E. Holmes
Rating: 3/5
Summary:
After three trying months, Jace must get through one last week of work with elder twin brothers, both on parole for burglary, both total jerks. And then he's free of the family who've held him down for seventeen years. On arrival at the eerie locale of their final contract, a young girl with a crippled body warns him off Grey Manor, insisting no-one enter the abandoned mansion. But a lost cameo worth two million dollars is hidden inside and Jace faces the impossible task of keeping his greedy brothers out. When he witnesses a grisly death at the hands of the supposedly missing Lady Grey, Jace learns the girl's words are not easily dismissed, forced to unravel the mystery before it unravels him. Leaving has never been harder and the only one with answers is a comatose girl trapped by an entity whose vengeance knows no bounds
My Review:
  I am not much for ghost stories and as another free read I thought I would give it a try. It was okay not great but not terrible either it was an interesting story and had a bit of excitement but I was not wowed and that is that.

The Vampire Hunter's Daughter Part 1
by Jennifer Malone Wright
Rating: 5/5
Summary:
Fourteen-year-old Chloe witnesses her mother’s murder at the hands of a vampire. Before the vampire can kidnap her, there is an unexpected rescue by a group of vampire hunters. Overwhelmed by the feeling of safety, Chloe passes out and they whisk her away to their small community.
When Chloe wakes, she comes face to face with the only other living relative, besides her mother, whom she has ever met: her grandfather. Chloe’s mother kept her hidden from the family; now, Chloe tries to unveil the family secrets.
Through her grandfather, she learns her mother was a vampire hunter. In fact, her entire family is descended from the powerful bloodlines of vampire hunters. Chloe agrees to join the family she has never known for one reason only: Chloe vows to kill the vampire responsible for her mother’s murder.
With vengeance in her soul, Chloe is even more determined to follow through on her vow when she discovers the true identity of her enemy and how he is connected to her.
My Review:
 This was a fantastic short read and my only regret is that I do not have more parts of this short story series. The idea behind this story was very cool and I can not wait to learn more about Chloe and the journey she will face to learn her new place in the world and avenge her mothers death. Very very good writing I loved it.


Well those are my short stories Happy Reading Friends!!!!



Beautiful Demons (Peachville High Demons 1)

Beautiful Demons (Peachville High Demons 1)
by Sarra Cannon
Rating: 5/5

Summary:
Harper Madison isn't like other girls. She has extraordinary powers, but her inability to control them has gotten her kicked from so many foster homes she's lost count. Shadowford Home is her last chance, and she hopes Peachville High will be the fresh start she needs. But when evidence ties her to the gruesome murder of a Demons cheerleader, Harper discovers this small town has a big secret.

My Review:
  I had this on my Kobo for a while but the November book challenge was to read books that start with B,K or T and it gave me the perfect excuse to get reading, The mystery and suspense of the new town, new people and Harper's past had me instantly pulled in and I found myself looking for any excuse to read this book.
 I really hope that Harper gets her memory back and she fights for what she wants I feel bad that her losing her memory meant that her and Jackson never really got a chance I really liked him and although Drake seems nice I think there is something up with him and I am worried about what will happen if she gets to close.
  I think this book was a great start to what I think will be an awesome series I will definatly be reading the next ones so many questions I need answered. The killer was not who I expected and I was impressed with the misdirection I was way off. SO excited for whats next!
Happy Reading Friends!!!!!

Friday 2 November 2012

Mark Of The Princess (The Kingdom Chronicles 1)

Mark Of The Princess (The Kingdom Chronicles 1)
by B.C. Morin
Rating: 5/5

Summary:
The feisty and determined faerie Princess Alannah is many things, but she never thought she would be the key to her people’s destruction.

Kidnapped for a power she does not yet possess, Alannah finds herself in the clutches of the most malevolent sorcerer of her time. Maligo. Alannah escapes her prison with help from the handsome and stalwart warrior faerie, Brennus.

Now she must cross mountains and forests fraught with rogue faeries, vicious Fae-hating trolls, dangerous shape-shifters, and more to reach the only ones that can help her control her incoming powers. The Elder Faeries.

With Brennus by her side, Alannah is determined to reach the Elder Faeries and save her people. Maligo is just as determined she never makes it that far.

My Review:
  The rave reviews for this book were everywhere and I had high expectations going in and I was not disappointed instantly swept into an amazing story of Love, Dark magic, Secrets and dangerous forest adventures. The flow from one point of view to another was written so seamlessly I didn't even notice at first. I was very impressed with the writing it was so well done I just loved it.
  There was so much drama and excitement right off the bat and it continued at a fantastic pace throughout the whole book, weaving friendship and love with dark magic and curious creatures of the forest. I just cant boast enough about the wonderful writing in this book.
   I was very pleased with how the love triangle was written and how Alannah handled herself in the situation. Brennus the strong warrior fae and Kaleb the handsome prince are very different and she knows it I was glad she was honest with them both but I must say I am a sucker for a bad boy every time and the twist at the end left me very curious about how it will affect many different things so so so so excited for the next book I cant wait to get more answers.
  Every character big and small were fantastic and the wonderful land of fae was to full of fantasy and folklore I just could not get enough I felt like I lived there and I never wanted to leave. I would recommend this book to anyone I know I absolutely loved everything about it so get yourself a copy and get reading.
  Happy Reading Friends!!!