Review: Lightpoints by Peter Kassan

Lightpoints by Peter Kassan
Publisher: Melange Books
Publication date: March 24th, 2013
Number of pages: 210 pgs
Format: E-format
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

What if you suddenly discovered you had a sense-and powers-that almost no one else in the world did? When Amanda Lindner Nichols, a 24-year-old graphic artist living with her husband in Queens, New York, is revived from a near-death experience, she discovers she perceives everyone around her as points of light-but not with her eyes. She soon learns she can not only perceive the life energy of others, but she can give and take it. With the help of others like her, she brings her husband Chris to the brink of death and back to bestow on him the same remarkable faculty, and they're the happiest they've been. But not for long. All over the world, people who've been revived from their own near-death experience at just the right moment discover themselves with these same unusual powers. They find ways to use them-some for good and some for evil. When Amanda and Chris encounter a ruthless group of gangsters with the same faculty, tragedy follows-and Amanda faces the greatest challenge of her life.

I was given this to review by the author, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Peter.

This story starts off quick when we see Amanda Nichols being attacked at Grant Central Station. From that point on, when she survives, she discovers something has changed about her. She is not all the same person she was before the attack happened. She has inhierited some special abilities in which she is able to see people's essence's around her, aka light points.
It's a frightening experience for her, but she soon discovers she is not alone...

Amanda soon finds herself on a journey of self discovery in determining the things she can do, what does that mean for her marriage and her family if she is the only one who can do something like this.
This novels goes through all emotions and situations.  From death, horror, love, discovery of one's self, friendships and so much more.
This may be Peter Kassan's first published novel, but it was done in a way that can hook a reader to the story to the point of no return.
It may not be the most descriptive novel I have read, but it is as engaging as any other. The characters, the experiences they endure an the things Amanda has to experience throughout the story just manages to pull a reader into the world Peter has created here.

This novel is a rarity. It's a story you don't find around often, so when you do, you cherish it for what it is.
A great vision, characters, relationships and a plot to boot.  This is one unmissable book.

Rating: 3.5/5

Review: Kiss Me First by Lottie Moggach

Kiss Me First by Lottie Moggach
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Publication date: July 4th, 2013
Number of pages: 320 pgs
Format: Trade Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository | Bookworld Australia

A chilling and intense first novel, this is the story of a solitary young woman drawn into an online world run by a charismatic web guru who entices her into impersonating a glamorous but desperate woman.

When Leila discovers the website Red Pill, she feels she has finally found people who understand her. A sheltered young woman raised by her mother, Leila has often struggled to connect with the girls at school; but on Red Pill, a chat forum for ethical debate, Leila comes into her own, impressing the website's founder, a brilliant and elusive man named Adrian. Leila is thrilled when Adrian asks to meet her, and is flattered when he invites her to be part of "Project Tess."

Tess is a woman Leila might never have met in real life. She is beautiful, urbane, witty, and damaged. As they email, chat, and Skype, Leila becomes enveloped in the world of Tess, learning every single thing she can about this other woman--because soon, Leila will have to become her.

An ingeniously plotted novel of stolen identity, Kiss Me First is brilliantly frightening about the lies we tell--to ourselves, and to others, for good, and for ill.

A big thank you to Pan Macmillan giving me this chance to read and review this riveting tale. The moment I saw the synopsis of it, I knew I wanted to read this.
Something that was different from my usual genres. Something that was a woman's journey, real, honest and exciting adventure.

This is a unique story of mystery, intrigue, love, tragedy and friendships. From an Australian author comes a story which I was enticed by before I had even read it.
It all comes down to the life of a young woman, Leila. She had an ordinary life, but after the death of her mother, Leila suddenly finds comfort in a philosophical website forum in which she can talk to others about the same kind of views as she.  Quickly, she became closely acquainted with the owner of the website, Adrian.
Leila becomes involved in a deep and secret project organised by Adrian called "Project Tess," this is one thing that will change her life forever, make her question everything, but also will open up so much opportunity for her.

As Leila gets to know and understand Tess, she becomes her friend, her confidant and only person who knows and understands what she is going through. But is Tess telling Leila everything she needs to know? Everything is vital for when the time comes when Leila is to become Tess. As Leila gets involved with Tess's life and world, Leila starts to notice not everything matches up... is there a possibility that not everything as it seems, and Tess is holding back more than she should?

This book surprised me.  I wasn't sure what I would think of it, but I loved it.  From the different characters, to the world that Leila was drawn into.  It was part mystery, part thriller.

Rating: 4/5

Review: Hysteria by Megan Miranda

Hysteria by Megan Miranda
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Publication date: February 14th, 2013
Number of pages: 352 pgs
Format: Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository | Bookworld Aus

Mallory's life is falling apart.

Her boyfriend was stabbed. He bled to death in her kitchen. Mallory was the one who stabbed him. But she can't remember what happened that night. She only remembers the fear...

When Mallory's parents send her away to a boarding school, she thinks she can escape the gossip and the threats. But someone, or something, has followed her. There's the hand that touches her shoulder when she's drifting off to sleep. A voice whispering her name. And everyone knows what happened. So when a pupil is found dead, Mallory's name is on their lips.

Her past can be forgotten but it's never gone. Can Mallory live with that?

This was my first book by Megan Miranda. I had heard about this for ages before I actually bought it. I was glad I did. While this may be a contemporary book, I fell into the world which Megan created. I loved the mystery to it. That's what draws me in when it comes to contemporary books. They need to have some sort of twist or mystery to the story to make it extra compelling..

Mallory's life couldn't get any worse. Her boyfriend was killed in her kitchen and she was a witness. The thing is.... she can't remember the events of it, or what happened at that moment. She doesn't know if she was the one who killed him or whether it was someone else and she just happened to be there at the time.
Soon after the funeral, Mallory's parents send her away to boarding school to get away from it all, to give her a new start. But things aren't as easy as that.
Just when she thinks she might be able to be happy --- someone ends up dead and the evidence points to one person. Her.

Mallory feels like there is someone watching her. Something has followed her to her new life and can't stand of her moving on.
Who is it, and what do they want?
She knows she needs to put this whole mess behind her. But when her past keeps being brought into the present, it's hard to go forward.

This was a pretty impressive book. There was plenty of action, mystery and some romance.  I loved the flashbacks we got to understand how everything came to be.
There was twists and turns. Unexpected things happen, and people turn out to be not who you thought they were.

All in all, an action-packed story that I was glad I decided to pick up. I wouldn't mind reading other things by this author in the future. A great read indeed.

Rating: 4.5/5