Review: Cold Kiss, Amy Garvey

Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 304 (Hardcover)
Genre: YA, paranormal romance
Release: September 2011
Source: Book Expo America
Good to know: This is Garvey's first book for teens. It is a standalone, and not the first book in a series.

It was a beautiful, warm summer day, the day Danny died.Suddenly Wren was alone and shattered. In a heartbroken fury, armed with dark incantations and a secret power, Wren decides that what she wants—what she must do—is to bring Danny back.But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy Wren fell in love with. His touch is icy; his skin, smooth and stiff as marble; his chest, cruelly silent when Wren rests her head against it.Wren must keep Danny a secret, hiding him away, visiting him at night, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school, and Wren realizes that somehow, inexplicably, he can sense the powers that lie within her—and that he knows what she has done. And now Gabriel wants to help make things right.But Wren alone has to undo what she has wrought—even if it means breaking her heart all over again.

Beautiful and gripping

Cold Kiss can be described as a cross between Pet Sematary and Shiver.


Wren loves Danny with all her heart, and her world falls to pieces the day Danny dies in a car accident. She cannot live without Danny, and decides to use her special powers to bring him back to life. But things does not play out the way Wren planned. Danny is not acting like he used to before the accident. There is also a new boy at Wren's school, and suddenly she begins to doubt her feelings for Danny. She regrets bringing Danny back to life, but there is to late for regret now...

I wanted him back. I wanted him back so much I couldn't think about anything else. Everywhere I looked was suddenly somewhere Danny wasn't. My hands were empy because Danny wasn't holding them. My room echoed with quiet because Danny wasn't there whispering ridiculous things to make me laugh, or make me shiver.  (...)Danny was mine, I was his, and that wasn't going to work if he was dead. So I would make him not dead...

Garvey writes about something most of us can relate too; how it feels like to loose someone we love. I know that I have thought many times that I wish I could spend some more time with loved ones that have passed. Wren acts out on this longing, she brings the love of her life back from the dead. But soon Wren realise that it is not safe to mess with nature.

I am the kid who sticks her finger in the light socket. I am the person who doesn't check the expiration date on the milk. I am the idiot who has never looked before she leaped. I am the girl who is falling apart, right now.

Cold Kiss also deal with darker issues; the love Wren feels for Danny turns to a form of obsession after he dies. She wants to be with him no matter what. She does not reflect upon how it must be for Danny to be brought back to life, a life where he is hidden from everyone he once knew, aside from Wren. Danny exists only for Wren, it is all about her feelings.

I wrote that the book is a cross between Pet Sematary and Shiver. As with Pet Sematary, Cold Kiss is also about what happens when you bring someone back from the dead, and the person brought back is not the same person you knew before. When I mention Shiver, it is because Garvey has a writing pretty similar to that of Maggie Stiefvater. She has some beautiful quotes and passages.

I  liked some parts of the story, and the fact that the book is seeping with emotion. But I thought the story was too slow paced, nothing really happens until the second half of the book. The first half is all about how Wren regrets bringing Danny back, and it is not intereresting to read only about that from chapter to chapter. But when Wren talks more with Gabriel, things really kick off.

It wasn't love right away, because nothing ever is, no matter what the songs say, but it was the start of it. A beginning in one way, and the end in another. I think that might always be true of love.

I love that some authors still writes paranormal novels that are not part of a series, that in itself is a good reason to read this book. I have not read a lot about zombies before either, and that was also refreshing. Cold kiss is a beautiful written book that will appeal to those who like a slowpaced book that grips you.

Other reviews:
The Book Smugglers
Book Briefs
The Diary of a Bookworm

Amy Garvey is on Goodreads and has her own website here.

Review: Shiver, Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 434
Format: Paperback
Released: October 2009





















Grace and Sam share a kinship so close they could be lovers or siblings. But they also share a problem. When the temperature slips towards freezing, Sam reverts to his wolf identity and must retreat into the woods to protect his pack. He worries that eventually his human side will fade away and he will left howling alone at the lonely moon. A stirring supernatural teen romance.

A beautiful paranormal romance

Maggie Stiefvater has written a haunting, chilling, but above all beautiful novel about love, loss and longing.

When Grace was a little girl, she was attacked by wolves. She survived the attack, and ever since that day she has felt a special bond to the wolf that saved her. When she discovers that her wolf is actually a werewolf, her fight to make him stay human begins.

I have read countless ravings about this book online, and I understand why. Shiver is captivating from the first page on.

The story has some similarities with Twilight: Girl meets boy, eh wolf. Girl discovers that boy is a supernatual creature. Girl and boy longs to be together, but it seems like that is not an option. Girl dreams about becoming a wolf in order to stay with boy/wolf forever.

But if the story is a like, the writing is not. I am no fond of Stephenie Meyer's writing, which I think is pretty poor. Stiefvater on the other hand really knows her way around words. She uses them to make beautiful pictures. Sometimes it feels like your are reading a poem.

I was a leaking womb bulging with the promise of conscious thoughts: the frozen woods far behind me, the girl on the tyre swing, the sound of fingers on metal strings. The future and the past, both the same, snow and then summer and then snow again.

The main focus of this story is the relationship between Sam and Grace, and we hear the character's thoughs as the chapters are divided between them. One chapter is from Sam's point of view, the other from Grace's. This ensures that all the feelings they both experience is well described, and the reader feels for them both.

I loved this story, and can't wait to continue with Linger. If you like great lovestories with a supernatural twist, this is the book for you.


Other reviews:
The Reading Zone
The Book Smugglers
Linus's Blanket

Website for Maggie Stiefvater
Maggie Stiefvater on Goodreads
Fanpage for the trilogy

Watch the book trailer:

Review: Wildthorn ( Possible spoiler)

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Pages: 368
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Release date: February 6th 2009















" Seventeen-year-old Louisa Cosgrove longs to break free from her respectable life as a Victorian doctor's daughter. But her dreams become a nightmare when Louisa is sent to Wildthorn Hall: labeled a lunatic, deprived of her liberty and even her real name. As she unravels the betrayals that led to her incarceration, she realizes there are many kinds of prison. She must be honest with herself - and others - in order to be set free. And love may be the key... "

Background:
"Wildthorn is written by Jane Eagland, a former English teacher who quit her job to take her writing seriously. Eagland had her debut in 2005 with the book "Second best", an illustrated children's book. "Wildthorn" came out in 2009, and in 2010 Eagland published "Whisper my name". "Wildthorn" is inspired by a true story.

The story:
Louisa Cosgrove thinks she is on her way to a family called the Woodvilles, to be a companion to their eldest daughter, when she instead is taken to an asyluk: Wildthorn. The people working here insists that her name is not Louise Cosgrove, but Lucy Childs. There is no explanation as to why she has been brought to Wildthorn and not to the estate of the Woodvilles. The story is set in the Victorian era.

Main Character:
Louisa Cosgrove is not a typical Victorian girl. Almost every Victorian girl dreamed about marrying, that was their ambition in life: be married to a wealthy man. Louisa on the other hand dreams about being a doctor and her father, who is a doctor, starts to educate her. Louisa is curious, has a great mind and is often misunderstood by her mother. Her brother Tom is jealous of her, I think it is because she is a daddy's child.

The Book:
I picked up this book mainly because of two reasons:
1) The cover is gorgeous'
2) The novel is set in the Victorian era

I was instantly brought into the story. The book is an easy read, and there is always something happening. You can easily finish it in one of two sittings ( I did)

The book is written in present tense. I must admit that I am not particulary fond of that, but lucky it didn't ruin the story this time. There is a lot of mystery going on: why has Louisa been brought to Wildthorn? Is there some kind om mistake? I had to keep on reading.

The way the people were treated in the asylums of the day, are horrendous. They were subjected to all kinds of brutality and Louisa gets to experience this first hand.

As the story unfolds, we are offered glimps into Louisa's past that may shed a light on the mystery in this book and why she has been brought to "Wildthorn". I had not read a lot about this book before, so a lot of the things that are revealed came as a big surprise to me. The book reminded me of Sarah Water's books, if you like her stories you will love Wildthorn.

All in all this was a great read, which I highly recommend. I would love to read more from this author.


Visit the author's website here!

Other reviews for this book:
Escape in a Book
A Trillian Books
Smexy Books

Interview with Lauren Kate ( Author of "Fallen" & "Torment")

Today it is an honor to welcome Lauren Kate to both my blogs.

Lauren Kate is an American author and she writes full-time. She grew up in Dallas, and is currently living in Los Angeles with her husband and their dog. Her debut novel, "The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove", was released in 2009 and is a re-telling of MacBeth, but it was her second novel that was going to be her big break-through.

"Fallen" was also released in 2009, and is the first book in a planned series about angels.



We meet seventeen year old Lucinda Price, who is sent to a reform school after the boy she likes is tragically killed in a fire, and she is believed to have had something to do with it.

"Fallen" became an instante hit, and was named nummer 4 on The New York Times best seller list in December the same year. I absolutely loved the novel.



The second book in the series, "Torment", is released in the UK today.


Lauren Kate's books are beautifully written, full of mythology, romance, suspense, mysteries and thrills. And they all have covers that are like candy for the eyes. They are among my favorite reads.












Want to get to know Lauren better? Here is an interview I did with her, when I was awaiting the release of "Torment":

Thank you so much for accepting this interview, Lauren Kate. Book number 2, in the Fallen series, "Torment", is out in the UK today. Can you tell us a little about this book?

I am so excited about "Torment". It picks up right where Fallen left off, though Luce is in a new place, with a whole new cast of characters. She’s looking forward to a future with Daniel—but of course, it’s not going to be that easy! First she has to look deep into their past together, and what she finds there will surprise her.

How many books have you planned for this series?

There will be four books in total. I’ve just started writing the third book, "Passion", which is a prequel that will trace Luce and Daniel’s past relationships in detail across history. It’s quite a task, but I’m having fun with it!

Wow, that sounds great. Where did you get the idea for the story initially, and why exactly did you want to write about angels?

The idea began when I came across a line in Genesis that talked about a group of fallen angels who were kicked out of heaven because they lusted after mortal women. I started thinking about what it would be like to be normal girl--suddenly the object of an angel’s affection. All the excitement and the challenges that would naturally spring from that. As someone who's been writing love stories my whole life, this angel angle seemed like the perfect way for me to up the ante and tell a really BIG love story, one that brought in questions about trust and betrayal, and preconceived notions good and evil.

You must have done a lot of research on mythology and angels in particular and learned a great deal about them. Did you learn anything that surprised you?

When I started researching, I was interested in the way good and evil intersected in various theologies. My reading took me back to Zoroastrianism, the earliest known dualistic religion (meaning there are two opposite sides). Good and evil are twin brothers, two parts of a whole, and born of the same place. In Judaism, God is both merciful (“good”) and just (occasionally punishing or distant). He is, of course, never described as “evil,” but many scholars make the case that the Hebrew god contains some of the same dualities as the pair of Zoroastrian gods. A hard side, and a soft side. In Christianity, there’s Satan. We all know about him. The fact that all three of these foundational religions have strong dualistic roots fascinated me. Can the lines dividing them really be that clean and that stark? No, in fact good and evil can rely on each other. And even if they are on paper—or in Heaven—what happens when you throw humans and their free will into the mess? What was black and white becomes grey.
How is a normal writing day for you, and when and where do you write?

I write at home, at a desk facing a large window that looks out on Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles. I like to go for a run in the morning to clear my head. I usually have sketched out a rough paragraph of what I’m going to write the day before and after an hour or so of procrastination in the morning—emails, twitter, playing with the dog—I sit down and focus on writing. I write hard for about four hours straight (which usually gets me about seven or eight pages), then I am usually completely catatonic! I take a break for about an hour, maybe take a walk or read a magazine. Then I go back and revise, expand, and edit my work, and begin to sketch out the paragraph synopsis for what I’ll write the next day.

Do you have the details in the story planned beforehand, or do you develop the story as you are writing it?

Both. Because the scope of the series is so big and so complicated, I had to map out the books in detail or I don’t think I could have known what I was writing about. So I typed it all up: character arcs, long synopses for each books, a map of the chapter for the first book, cliffhanger endings, the whole deal. Once I was comfortable with the shape of the story, I plunged. I had the outline to fall back on, but the freedom to stray from it when my writing momentum took me someplace else..
Have you always wanted to become an author?
When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a ballerina. When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a writer. Now that I’m working full-time as I writer, I want go to culinary school and become a chef. (While still writing books, of course!)

Is there any authors or books that have influenced you in your writing?

I’ve always loved to read. Growing up I adored anything by Roald Dahl and read all of his books over and over again. I love Lois Lowry, Patricia MacLachlan, Judy Blume, Phillip Pullman, and Suzanne Collins. My favorite “adult” authors are William Faulkner, Don DeLillo, Virginia Woolf, Charles Dickens, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Right now I’m reading The Master and Margarita by a fantastic Russian author named Bulgacov.

The book covers for the Fallen - series are amazing. I guess you must be very pleased with them. Who designs them?

The cover art comes from a Brazilian artist named Fernanda Brussi Goncalves. We’ve emailed a few times and she’s incredibly warm and talented. I will be forever endebted to her for her beautiful beautiful work, which has really brought the books to life.
What do you associate with Norway? Ever been here?

Beautiful fjords, waterfalls, and Per Peterson, whose work I absolutely adore. "Out Stealing Horses"was one of the most incredible books I have ever read.

I would LOVE to visit. Maybe someday I could do to book signing trip!

Oh yes, I really hope you can one day. Anything else you would like to add?

Thank you so much for reaching out to me. It’s so exciting to have a chance to connect with readers across the world!

Thank you, Lauren Kate. Her book "Torment" is out in the UK today, and if you have not read her books before I would strongly suggest that you do so. The Fallen - series are among my favorite books, way better than Twilight I think.

Here is the final trailer for "Torment":



And here is the trailer for "Fallen":



You can find Lauren Kate' s website here!

My review for "Torment" will be published on saturday, but I can already say this much: You do not want to miss out on that book.

Review: Kisses from Hell

Publisher: HarperCollins UK
Format: Paperback
Pages: 262
Source: Review copy





















" From a fugitive vampire forced to trust a boy who might work for the group bent on destroying her, to the legendary romance of two immortals whose love compels them to risk everything, this exciting, heart-pounding collection brings new meaning to the words "love you forever." Whether you're into romances that are dark and moody or light and fun, these stories will quench that insatiable thirst for enchanting tales of the beautiful undead." ( Description from Amazon.co.uk)


Background:
"Kisses from Hell" is an anthology consisting of five short stories from Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy), Alyson Noël (The Immortals), Kristin Cast ( House of Night - series), Kelley Armstrong ( Darkest Powers - series) and Francesca Lia Block (Pretty Dead). All the stories revolve around love and vampires. Harper Collins has earlier published "Prom Nights from Hell" and "Love is Hell".

The Book:
"Kisses from Hell" starts with "Sunshine", written by Richelle Mead. The story is part of the universe Mead has created in the "Vampire Academy - series", and focuses on the romance between Eric and Rhea Dragomir, Lissa's parents. The story is well written, but for me it was a bit boring. I never got into it, and my mind kept dwelling on other things than the story I was reading. I suspect that I would have gotten more out of the story if I had read the Vampire Academy - series prior to it, and I will try to read the story again, when I have done that.

The next story is "Bring me to Life" by Alyson Noël. Danika, an American girl, is attending Sunderland Manor Art Academy in England, but the school is not quite what she expects. I am a big fan of Noël's writing and she didn't dissappoint me with "Bring me to Life" either. I loved the story and the atmosphere she creates in it. It is obvious that she is inspired by "Dracula" and "Wuthering Heights", two of my favorite novels. You have characters with names such as Bram and Earnshaw. I read this story late at night when the rain was pooring down outside, and that just added to the atmosphere in the story. I wish "Bring me to Life" was a whole novel, and not just a short story. I would really like to get to know Danika better.

"Above" is the name of Kristin Cast's story, and I have only one word for it: OMG! The story simply blew me away. It is dark, disturbing, bizarre, suspenseful, mysterious and depressing. But also poetic with some glimmers of light and hope. It reads like a poem, and you have to read between the lines to really understand what's going on. I have read the first book in the House of Night - series, but this was nothing like that. This story was spectacular. I want more. The best short story in this book and a story you either love or hate, I suppose.

Kelley Armstrong has written "Hunting Kat", about Katiana from the Darkest Powers series. I read this story while trying to decide if I should put the book away or not. I have the Darkest Powers - series on my shelf, but I have not read it yet and I am afraid this novel had some spoilers. Again, I think this is a read that is best suited for those who know Katiana's story from other books.

"Lilith" by Francesca Lia Block is the last story in the book. A dark tale about Paul Michael, who do not fit in at school and escapes into an imaginary world. One day, a new girl attends school. Her name is Lilith. This was a cute, and at the same time, dark story. I thought it was a bit short, even for a short story. I wanted to read more about Paul Michael and Lilith, and get to know them better. I didn't feel I got under their skin, so to speak.

I have mixed emotions about "Kisses from Hell". I loved two of the stories, but the others didn't appeal to me, but again I think that is because I do not know the series they are part of. I also would have liked the publisher to state that, for example, "Hunting Kat", is based upon another series by Kelley Armstrong so I could have avoided spoilers.

If the anthology only contained the stories by Noël and Cast, it would have gotten full score. But since I only liked two out of three stories, I am giving it 3 books.

Review: Dark Touch: Shadows by Amy Meredith

Publisher: Red Fox
Format: Paperback
Pages: 240
Source: Book received for review.













" Fifteen-year-old Eve Evergold is cute, sassy and enjoying a busy social life. What she doesn't know yet is that someone close to her is an evil demon that only she has the supernatural power to defeat. She needs to work out who it is - and fast! Because although there's something very attractive about the dark side...dating a demon? Pure hell!"
(Description from Amazon.co.uk)

Background:
This is the first book in a new series aimed at the pre-Twilight age group. The author, Amy Meredith, lives in California, but she has also lived and worked in New York and the Hamptons where the main characters in the Dark Touch - series are from. She has always been fascinated by the supernatural.

Story:
The summer is over, and it is time to get back to school for Eve Evergold and her best friend Jess, in the town of Deepdene. And this autumn, two new boys are also attending school with them. Luke Thompson is the son of the new minister in town, and he is cute and very flirtatious. And there is Mal, smouldering and mysterious Mal, who have just moved into "The Razor place" - a mansion which used to belong to a rockstar and which is said to be haunted. And school has just started, when mysterious things starts to happen in town. Many girls freak out and are sent to psyciatric institutions. There are talk of demons appearing in people's nightmares, and soon Eve must figure out who she can or cannot trust and look into the town's dark history.

Main Character:
Eve Evergold is fifteen years old, and like most teenagers she has a very busy social life. She loves to shop and look at boys and enjoys a comfortable life. But even though her parents has a lot of money, she does not come across as a spoiled brat. She is quite likeable, and I became more and more fascinated by her as the story progressed. The author has managed to make her evolve throughout the story, and from being a carefree and happy girl you can actually see how the events in this book affect her. I love it, when authors manage to do just that. I am looking forward to get to know her better in future books in this series. Eve is a person I would have loved to have as a friend in real life; I am sure she would have made me laugh a lot.

The Book:
Dark Touch, The Shadows is a witty and spooky read. From the opening scene you are thrust into a story full of gothic atmosphere combined with glamorous surroundings. There is romance, riddles, suspense and dramatic events. I got more and more engaged in the book as the story progressed.

The friendship between Jess and Eve are so well described, you have no problem understanding why these two are best friends. They seem to be having so much fun together. "The shoe scale", their weapon for describing how hot a boy is, is hilarious. And there is also a great deal of trust here. Eve would do anything for Jess and Jess would do anything for Eve. They confide in each other and support each other. That's true friendship.

I also like how the author has portrayed Luke and Mal. They are both a bit mysterious and I kept on reading to get to know them better. I am sure they would appeal to the target group of this series.

The book does not require a lot of energy to get into. It is an easy and atmospheric read and I had no problem figuring out some of the riddles in the book. But despite all that, I enjoyed it. Sometimes it is refreshing to read something that does not require a lot of thinking.

Dark Touch, the Shadows is for readers who love the supernatural combined with lighthearted chick lit. A perfect book if you want to relax, get spooked and get in a good mood all at once.

The publisher has also created a beautiful and eye-catching cover that really captures the atmosphere in this book: gothic glamour.

Here are some other reviews you can check out:
So Many Books, So Little Time
Book Chick City
I Was a Teenage Book Geek

The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason

Publisher: Signet
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 368
Source: Bought from BookDepository

" Beneath the glitter of dazzling 19th-century London Society lurks a bloodthirsty evil... . Vampires have always lived among them, quietly attacking unsuspecting debutantes and dandified lords as well as hackney drivers and Bond Street milliners. If not for the vampire slayers of the Gardella family, these immortal creatures would have long taken over the world. In every generation, a Gardella is called to accept the family legacy, and this time, Victoria Gardella Grantworth is chosen, on the eve of her debut, to carry the stake. But as she moves between the crush of ballrooms and dangerous, moonlit streets, Victoria's heart is torn between London's most eligible bachelor, the Marquess of Rockley, and her enigmatic ally, Sebastian Vioget. And when she comes face to face with the most powerful vampire in history, Victoria must ultimately make the choice between duty and love."
(From the author's webpage)

Background:
"The Rest Falls Away" is the first book in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles, a series consisting of a total of 5 books. The book was actually the ninth novel Colleen Gleason wrote, but the very first to earn her a contract with a publisher. Some people have described the Gardella - series as "Buffy meets Jane Austen", and Gleason have admitted to being inspired by Buffy.
- what would it be like if Buffy had been living during the times of balls and chaperones and the ton? And thus The Gardella Legacy was born, says Gleason on her website.

Story:
Victoria Gardella Grantworth is ready for her big introduction into the upper - class society in 19th century England. But soon she is introduced to much more sinister events than worrying about who she will dance with at the balls. She is chosen to become a "venator" - a vampire hunter. Victoria is torn between responsibility and desires, between love and thrilling suspense. And not everything is entirely as it seems.

Main Character:
Colleen Gleason has done a great job bringing Victoria Gardella to life. She is both tough and vulnerable, as a heroine in a story like this ought to be. It is easy to sympathize with her and you want to get to know her better. She is full of initiative, but also a descent Victorian girl who knows her manners. In the right situations, she takes responsibility and glows.

The Book:
This was such a refreshing and joyful read. "The Rest Falls Away" literally has everything: Romance, suspense, mysteries, thrilling scenes, handsome guys and some erotic scenes. But there isn’t a lot of sex. The few erotic scenes comes as a natural part of the story.

The book differs from a lot of the other typical vampire stories that are out there. And to me it is a big incentive that the author placed the story in 19th century London , this gives the book a very special atmosphere. And I am a sucker for Victorian tales. Besides, being a female vampire hunter in a society and a time where women were chaperoned by their men and couldn’t go anywhere alone, makes for some interesting and suspenseful situations in the book.

A lot of the characters are somewhat draped in mystery. You can’t tell by first glance who’s evil and who’s good, and I like that. Maximillian and Sebastian have won my curiosity and I can’t wait to read more about them.

I had a great time reading this book and will definitely read the next installment in the series.


Want to know more about this book? You can read an excerpt on Colleen Gleason's webpage here.

Here are some other reviews:
Sara's Urban Fantasy Blog
Romance Rookie
Lesley's Book Nook
Sarah's Book Reviews
Two Motives