Have you ever wondered what your dreams mean? Well, Janie does, because her life is one huge dream after the other.

Except the dreams aren’t her own.

Janie is gifted – or cursed, depending on which way you look at it – and has the ability to step into other people’s dreams. Its something she can’t control, though, and she often finds herself being ripped out of her own consciousness only to be sucked into the dreams of those sleeping around her. And it seems that everyone around her hides their deepest, darkest secrets in their dreamland. She knows things about the kids around her that no one else does, but she can’t tell anyone because everyone would just think she’s crazy, right?

Wrong.

Cabel doesn’t think Janie is crazy, but he does know that something is quite right with her. Although she tells him nothing initially, he seems to understand that there is, in fact, something to tell. Cabel starts looking out for Janie and eventually, he finds himself in a bit of a predicament. You see, Cabel has some secrets of his own – secrets, which, if they were to be revealed, could destroy everything he has worked for.

That’s the pesky thing about love, though. It always seems to pop up at the most inopportune times. Often, it forces people to make very hard choices indeed. But Cabel isn’t having it, not this time. He wants the best of both worlds and does everything in his power to ensure that he can have a future with Janie. The question is, will Janie let him in?

She’s scared of her powers, and because she has spent her whole life shutting people out, including someone like Cabel in her life is going to take a bit of work. But as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that Janie can’t do this for much longer alone, and she’s actually a much more valuable player than she ever expected to be – in anything.

Wake is a short, punchy read that will have your head spinning from the very first page. It’s a unique story idea, and the narrator’s voice is raw, edgy and above all – it’s real. Wake is full of characters that remind me of teenagers found out in the real world. The people in Wake (for the most part) are doing things that kids everywhere are doing, too. Lisa McMann should be commended on her bravery, as she leaves nothing to the imagination. In an age where so many young adult novels are sugar-coated, McMann chooses an honest approach, instead.

Wake is a diamond in a sea of broken glass. I can only hope its brilliance is repeated in the upcoming sequel, Fade.

For those of you that are interested, we’ve been reading Wake in our bookclub on the forum this month. Click here to join the discussion.

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If you’ve been living under a rock somewhere, you might not have heard of this book. In case you haven’t, Frostbite is the second installment in the Vampire Academy series – a very popular series by Richelle Mead.

Those that have been following the site will be aware that I did not enjoy the first Vampire Academy book. Although I didn’t think my review was overly harsh, the vast majority of visitors that read it did. Nearly everyone disagreed with me, and some not so politely, either. So I made it my New Year’s resolution to read the rest, just to appease you guys – and I’m so glad I did. I picked up Frostbite yesterday afternoon and I read it all in about five hours.

Before I move on, I’d just like to say that I stand by my original review of Vampire Academy. The characters were shallow, and being inside Rose’s head was annoying. However, reading Frostbite changed my opinion of Rose and reading her narration was an enjoyable experience, rather than a tedious one.

The sexual tension that was more than evident between Dimitri and Rose in Vampire Academy kicks up a few gears in this installment. Rose has it bad for Dimitri and pines for him through most of the novel. Alas, Dimitri is still her mentor and – as people tend not to age backwards – is still much older than her. Would you defy everything, and everyone, for love? And at seventeen, is it really possible that Rose loves Dimitri in a ‘for life’ kind of way? Rose is a reckless girl, and clearly, is a bit of a slave to her emotions. And let’s be honest here – teenage hormones can get a little crazed at times. As the novel goes on, although readers never get the chance to step inside Dimitri’s head, it becomes clear that these are the kinds of questions he’s asking himself. So, in order to move on with his life and get over Rose he starts acting out a contingency plan and receives a very tempting offer from a very attractive royal. They hit if off immediately and things for Dimitri look prosperous. Accepting such an offer, however, will mean turning his back on Rose forever – in his capacity as her mentor, co-worker and any possibility – no matter how small – that they might become lovers.

So will he, or wont he?

All I’m going to tell you is that Rose does a pretty spectacular job of sabotaging any chance of them ever getting their problems sorted out. When it comes to Dimitri, Rose is her own worst enemy.

While the tension between Rose and Dimitri takes up a huge chunk of the story, its not the entire tale. I mean, this is a vampire novel, after all, so there has to be some kind of vamp action, right?

Right.

The Strigoi are at it again, causing havoc and embarking on killing sprees. Only this time, it looks as if the Strigoi are teaming up with an unsuspecting partner, and suddenly Rose and her friends find themselves in more trouble than they know what to do with. Lives are lost, friendships are broken, and new ones are made. The action in Frostbite is gripping enough that I actually found myself yelling at my book. Emotions were definitely running high.

My favourite thing about this novel is the way in which Rose’s character develops. She manages to grow up a whole lot without losing her edge, her rebellious nature. She makes a few mistakes, sure, but this time she actually learns from them. Lissa still remains her number one priority, but this time around, the novel isn’t entirely focussed on keeping Lissa alive. Perhaps that is another reason that I liked this one much more than Vampire Academy. In both Vampire Academy and in Frostbite, Lissa presents as a very self-centred character. She’s shallow, spoilt and bratty. She’s supposed to be Rose’s best friend, yet their friendship seems awfully one sided. The sections of the novel where Rose steps inside Lissa’s head are definitely my least favourite moments. I was happy to learn that there seemed to be a whole lot less of them this time around.

Frostbite is a sharp, engaging read that tantalizes the senses. Although it’s categorized as a vampire novel, it’s really a story about love, friendship and finding your place in the world – the vamp action just gives it that little extra kick!

I’m proud to say that you’ve made a convert out of me. Richelle Mead, I heart you!

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Bit of a thrill junkie? Then you’re going to love this one. I suggest you hold on to your seats, folks, because you’re in for one hell of a ride. Skeleton Creek is an anomaly. And a very, very good one at that! Patrick Carman calls it “cross platform storytelling” because it incorporates both the traditional use of text, as well as video footage to tell the story.

A terrible accident occurs one night when Ryan and Sarah are messing around at the local closed down dredge. In the darkness, Ryan falls over – or maybe someone pushes him *gasp* you’ll have to read it yourself to find out – and he tumbles through the support barrier, knocking him unconscious and shattering his leg. He winds up in the hospital, and both Ryan and Sarah’s parents forbid them from seeing each other anymore.

On the night of the accident, Sarah had her video camera and caught the whole thing on tape. When she watches it back, something shows up on the tape that has her bones rattling inside her body. She secretly sends the video to Ryan, who is equally freaked by the image on the tape, and the two start an investigation behind their parents’ backs.

You wont believe what they uncover …

Ryan’s part of the story is delivered via his journal. While he’s cooped up in bed recovering from his fall, writing absolutely everything down is the only thing that stops him from going insane. Sarah’s part is delivered entirely through video. She blogs messages to Ryan, and she also uses her camera to document her investigative findings.

The video sections make Skeleton Creek. It would still be a great story without them, but they add a new level of interaction with the characters that you just don’t get from ordinary books. Although most of the information is delivered through Ryan’s journal, several key pieces come from Sarah’s footage. I found myself reading as fast as I could in order to get to the next password quicker (videos are posted on a website and the passwords given in the text are required to access them). The pieces of the footage taken at the dredge are actually really creepy, and they give the story authenticity. The whole thing has a real Blair Witch feel about it, but in its own unique (and supremely good) way. The last scene (delivered by video) had me sitting on the edge of my seat, and as the picture on screen faded into blackness I clapped both of my hands over my mouth to muffle my scream. There was no part of me – not even a tiny subconscious part – that saw that one coming. It’s definitely a strong contender for the Best Cliffhanger of 2009 award.

Oh why must you torture us so, Patrick? WHY, WHY, WHY?

The good news is, though, that the sequel is out in the summer of 2009 (the American summer, that is), so interested parties wont have to wait too long.

Skeleton Creek is not suitable for those with heart conditions as reading/viewing may cause hot flushes, and excess pounding of the myocardium. Other side effects include interrupted breathing patterns, sweaty palms, and nervous behaviours such as excessive foot tapping, nail biting and grinding of the teeth. If symptoms persist upon completion of reading, you can email Patrick at fanmail@patrickcarman.com as I’m sure he’d love to hear all about it!

A fly by the seat of your pants read that will captivate both male and female audiences.

Available February 10, 2009

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This is the fifth installment in the Morganville Vampire series. Here’s what it says on the back of the cover:

In the college town of Morganville, vampires and humans coexist in (relatively) bloodless harmony. Then comes Bishop, the master vampire who threatens to abolish all order, revive the forces of the evil dead, and let chaos rule. But Bishop isn’t the only threat.

Violent black cyclone clouds hover, promising a storm of devastating proportions as student Claire Danvers and her friends prepare to defend Morganville against elements both natural and unnatural.

Honestly, I don’t think the blurb does the book justice. Not even close. I’ve tried to write my review a few times already, and failed miserably. My delete button has been getting quite a workout over the past week or so. See, I’m afraid to leave out anything crucial, but the problem with that is, everything that happens in this novel is important. Every single sentence, every single word has some greater significance.

See my conundrum?

So I’ve decided, that instead of giving a summary, in a rare moment of weakness I’m going to let my inner fan girl out. I usually try and keep that part of my personality out of my reviews, but the Morganville books  have some kind of hold over me, and i’m incapable of being calm. So, I’ll be writing a number of reviews of Lord of Misrule, each on focusing on a particular aspect of the novel. I’ve just got so much to say, and the book is so good, that I think it is totally warranted.

For this particular review, the winner is … drum roll please …

Shane and Claire.

*cue fan girl screams here*

The book opens exactly where Feast of Fools left off. Amelie is rounding everyone up, assigning people jobs and preparing her ‘army’ against Bishop. Evidently, everyone is saying goodbye because Amelie split up all four members of the Glass House. It’s a tense moment because all four of them know that there is a huge chance that some, or all, may not return alive. In a very public display of affection that stuns Eve into action, Michael tells her that he loves her before running out. When Shane and Claire say goodbye to each other I was sitting on the edge of my seat, fully expecting him to do the same. But much to my annoyance, he doesn’t. And, neither does Claire. Frustration maximus.

*cue sad violin music now*

But fear not Shane and Claire fans. Although the scenes between the couple are so good that readers are tortured almost to boiling point, we do get a little pay off, and Shane eventually tells Claire that he loves her.

Finally!

Hallelujah!

Praise the Vampire Lord!

The whole scene is very Shane-esque, but its still super sweet and my heart made a whole lot of little thumpa thumpa noises while I was reading it. As soon as it was over I went straight back to the beginning (twice) and read it again before moving on. What I liked most about the scene is not the fact that he Shane finally admits that he’s in love with Claire (which of course, is what we’ve all been waiting for), but the fact that his character isn’t lost in amongst all the lovey-dovey goo. I find that’s a common problem with mushy scenes like this in YA books. When they’re being written, because the target audience is so often female, writers really ham up the love-mush, and male characters end up doing and saying a whole bunch of things that seem out of place just to appease the female readership. Shane Collins, however, is anything but mushy and this is reflected supremely well in this scene. His character remains firmly in-tact and true to himself. He’s quite direct about it all, actually, but Rachel Caine (being the goddess that she is) has weaved a tiny sprinkling of mushy love-goo in amongst Shane’s brashness which should have hearts beating, and girls swooning, all over the world.

All I have to say is, move over Edward Cullen, you’re about to lose your crown – to a vampire hating human!

There are many other Claire and Shane moments that really touched my heart throughout the novel, but I don’t want to give everything away. Needless to say, I’m stoked with the way their relationship is growing throughout the series. Their characters are evolving, and their relationship is progressing the way a lot of adolescent relationships do. Vampire problems aside, they’re believable in every way – something which I think is kind of rare in fiction for teens today.

Readers of Lord of Misrule are given just enough of Shane and Claire to temporarily satiate their hunger. But thats the thing about an appetite, it doesn’t stay satisfied for long. After just a couple of reads through, I guarantee you’ll be begging and screaming for more.

I’m sure the question on everyone’s lips is, do they, or don’t they? Their relationship comes a long way in this installment, and after you tell someone you love them, what else is there to do? I bet you’d like to know, right? Well, I’m not going to tell you. You’re just going to have to read it for yourself to find out.
Till next time, over and out!

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I’ve always been into the supernatural, and I love the urban fantasy stuff that has been circulating lately. Vampires, werewolves, ghosts – you name it, I’ll read it. But give me something about zombies and I’m more likely to make fun of it . For some reason, zombies and I don’t mesh. They’re the one fictional construct that I just can’t digest. I know it’s irrational (I mean, come on, I like vampires) and honestly, I can’t pinpoint exactly why I feel like this, but its always been this way and I never thought I’d change.

Until now.

Christopher Golden’s Soulless was so much better than I thought it was going to be. Admittedly, when I picked it up I didn’t really know it was a novel about zombies, so I probably didn’t approach it with the same prejudice that I would if I’d had that information. Silly me didn’t read the blurb properly before I bought it, and I walked out of the store thinking it was a novel about ghosts. I’m happy to report, however, that I’m not sorry I made that mistake.

Written in third person, Soulless is one of those novels that follows a whole bunch of different characters through their experiences until they all meet up and cross paths at the end. It starts with Phoenix, the daughter of a renowned Medium who is appearing on the local breakfast news show for a major séance with other known Mediums. No one, not in their wildest dreams, expected that they’d wake the dead for real. Chaos falls upon New York City and quickly spreads to neighbouring communities. Suddenly, America is locked in the biggest stand off of all time: the dead versus the living.

What I liked most about this novel was not the zombie, supernatural elements, but the way the characters changed and adjusted to the circumstances around them. What would you do to survive? If it came down to killing just a few innocent people to save several dozen more, could you do it? What exactly would it take to turn you into a murderer? The majority of the novel follows everyone as they run away from trouble, but when they decide to turn around and face trouble head on, these were the questions I found myself thinking. Not surprisingly, some of the characters deliberately put themselves in situations that offered me some answers. And I can’t say I was happy about all of them, either.

Fast-paced and action-packed, I could see this making a really great movie. Golden does a superb job of creating a very clear picture of the chaos. And while it was closed off nice and clean, I have to ponder whether there will be a sequel.

Soulless wasn’t one of those jaw-dropping, life changing reads, but its definitely worth a go. As long as you’re not too put off by the violence, I reckon everyone will get a little kick out of this one!

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As far as covers go, The Devouring is pretty spectacular. In fact, it’s so good that I picked it up off the shelf in the store and decided I was going to buy it even before I looked at the blurb. Apart from being visually stimulating, it manages to capture the real essence of the story without giving too much away.

The blurb is pretty enticing as well. Check this out:

Vours:
Evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice.

This isn’t how the horror ended for us –
This is how it began.

When Reggie reads about the Vours in a mysterious old journal, she assumes they are just the musings of an anonymous lunatic. But when her little brother, Henry, begins to act strangely, it’s clear that these creatures exist beyond a madwoman’s imagination, and Reggie finds out what happens when fears come to life. To save the people she loves, Reggie must learn to survive in a world of nightmares. Can she devour her own fears before they devour her?

The Devouring is an engrossing tale of terror that will have you wondering: what if your worst fears became your living nightmare?

Sounds awesome, right? Well, I thought so anyway. Unfortunately, now that I’ve finished reading it, I’m not quite sure what to think. Firstly, let me just say that I didn’t think it was bad. Not at all. But there is just something about it that isn’t sitting right with me.

The characters are all likable enough, yet they don’t seem individual enough, there is not a whole lot that separate them from each other in my mind. For me to consider a book astonishing, the characters really need to jump off the page and present themselves as independent, unique individuals. That doesn’t really happen for me with The Devouring. However, I’m not prepared to say that I don’t like the characters, because I do. Or maybe it’s just that there isn’t anything exceptionally unlikable about them, I can’t quite tell. Either way, they didn’t leave a huge impression.

Everything happens pretty fast, too. There isn’t a whole lot of build up, which for some, might be a good thing. I, however, am a big fan of the build up. I love anticipation and surprise. Although it’s not predictable, per se, The Devouring didn’t have me sitting on the edge of my seat. Yet, at the same time, I didn’t want to put it down.

Can you see what I’m saying here? It wasn’t bad, not by a long shot, but it wasn’t outstanding either, you know? I do think that it would make a really awesome film, however. Visually, I think it would be a real creeper. But as words, well, it falls a little short of creepy.

Give it a go. I’m interested in your thoughts!

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The teen vampire genre is enjoying a good run at the moment. It seems every time I walk into a bookstore, a new author has released a vampire novel of some kind. So when I picked up Vampire Academy, I did so with hesitation. And as it turns out, my hesitation wasn’t exactly unwarranted.

Vampire Academy is the first novel in an ongoing series and is narrated through the eyes of Rose Hathaway. She’s a Guardian-in-training and it is her job to protect Lissa Dragomir – who is not only a Moroi Princess, but also Rose’s best friend. But Rose is not your average student Guardian. She can see inside Lissa’s mind and can feel all of her best friend’s emotions. And Lissa is pretty special too; she has  very rare healing abilities that have only been seen a couple of times in all of vampire history. Oh yes, and they’re both heartbreakingly stunning. The boys love them, and the girls love to hate them.

Rose is a likeable enough character. She’s sassy, feisty and fiercely loyal. She’s quick to fly off the handle, so Vampire Academy is never without at least a little action. And it’s certainly not without its romance. Rose has a bit of a reputation as a player, but that’s the thing about reputations – you can never really tell if their genuine or made from gossip. Will her reputation deter Dimitri – her Guardian mentor – or will he allow himself to make up his own mind?

Rose’s mental connection with Lissa is an interesting narrative tool which allows readers to follow Lissa’s story quite closely, too. Because Rose feels all that Lissa does, readers are also invited to identify with her, as well as Rose. For me, however, Lissa proved to be nothing more than a shallow narrative agent which provides conflict and drama for Rose to deal with.

Unfortunately, Rose’s voice did not draw me in to the point where I was utterly hooked. It would be unfair to say that I was bored, because I wasn’t, but I certainly had to concentrate on the reading process. I had to force myself to become invested in the story and develop a connection with the characters.

If someone gave me the sequels, I’d read them. However, I’m in no rush to go out and buy them for myself. Vampire Academy is not a bad read, but it’s certainly nothing to brag to your friends about.

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Marked is the first novel in the House of Night vampyre series. It was published in 2007, so I realise I’m a little late jumping on the bandwagon. Sadly, I’m wondering why I bothered at all. There has been a lot of hype surrounding this series, so perhaps I set my expectations a little too high when I started reading, but as I sit here with my fingers hovering over my keyboard I’m lost for positive words.

P.C and Kristen Cast certainly have the right idea, but the execution, in my opinion, is all wrong. In sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird’s world, vampires (note, with a ‘y’ not an ‘i’) have always existed, and unlike most other vampire novels around at the moment, everyone knows about them. They’re integrated into society, and they even have their own finishing school! Zoey, freshly marked as a fledgling, heads off to the House of Night Finishing School to learn all about being a vampyre.

Vampyre Finishing school isn’t all that different to regular high school. Except classes are at night (because vampyres are naturally nocturnal), and on top of all the regular school stuff, fledglings are required to take classes that will help them harness their powers. Readers follow Zoey as she makes new friends (and enemies) and quickly discovers that her new school is full of very attractive vampyre boys. Suddenly, Zoey feels like she is in high school heaven! But Zoey imprints on her ex-boyfriend, and forms a unique bond with him that is almost impossible to break. Such relationships between human and vampyre for a fledgling of her level are prohibited, however, and our protagonist finds herself in a bit of hot water.

The plot is strong and original enough, so I can understand why so many people are drawn to this novel. I had certainly never entertained the idea of a vampyre finishing school before reading this book. The characters, however, are its downfall. Zoey is little more than a two-dimensional cardboard cut-out. She’s tacky, weak and uninspiring. Being inside her head was frustrating and I found it impossible to lose myself in the story. I didn’t feel like I was sharing her experiences with her, and watching her stumble through one predictable situation after the next got tiring.

Heath – Zoey’s human imprint – displays no remarkable character traits whatsoever. He’s dopey, lazy and is definitely not the kind of boy you’d want as a boyfriend. Apart from the fact that he’s Zoey’s imprint, as an individual character he adds almost nothing to the narrative flow. It would have made for a much more interesting read if Zoey had imprinted on someone with enough brains to actually create some kind of trouble. Heath, however, reminds me a little of a loyal dog: always there, but achieves very little.

On the plus side, the cover art for this book is spectacular. The picture attached to this review does not do it justice. It is simple, yet incredibly eye catching and lures the potential reader into thinking that its pages hold a dark and chilling mystery. Sadly, cover art can be very misleading and this is a perfect of example of why we should never judge a book by its cover.

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