Review: Chosen at Nightfall by C.C Hunter

Chosen at Nightfall (Shadow Falls #5) by C.C Hunter
Publisher: St Martins Press
Publication date: April 23rd, 2013
Number of pages: 400 pgs
Format: Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Kylie Galen's life hasn't been the same since her world was turned upside-down in Born at Midnight, Shadow Falls #1, and now an epic conclusion to her journey—not to mention a tough choice between two guys!—is brewing in Chosen at Nightfall:

When Kylie Galen left Shadow Falls, she thought it was the hardest decision of her life. Heartbroken and separated from everyone she loves, she has to embrace her abilities and what it means to be a chameleon. But as Kylie's journey comes to a close, she must return to the camp that started it all...and she must finally chose between the two boys who love her. The werewolf who broke her heart when he chose his pack over her, and the half-fae who ran from their intense attraction before they ever really had a chance. For Kylie, everything will finally be revealed and nothing will ever be the same.

It's a shame I have to do a review like this considering how much I adored the first four books. I had such high hopes for the finale and thought I knew how it would end, but I was unfortunately, very much mistaken.
A part of me wishes I hadn't read this book, and to me, it ended with the end of book 4. SIGH. Some things just aren't always the way you know they should go, that authors don't always share the same opinion as us, and in this case it seems to be the very matter.

In the final book to Kylie's story at Shadow Falls, are taken back into her life as she spends some time away from the camp. She soon discovers she is safer at Shadow Falls than she is anywhere else.
The story picks up just a few weeks after she has left the camp and finds herself in a place amongst her own kind. She discover things about what she is and what it means, and how everything all works. When Kylie sees a ghost (of course)who tells her that she has to kill him or she'll be killed. Not many options here.

Burnett and co soon turn up warning her of Mario who may know her location and that she has to come back to the camp where is the only place she can be safe, so off she goes, unknowing what or whom she will awaiting her there.

There wasn't many things I liked about this book. Derek. Burnett and Holiday. Kylie frustrated me to no end. I understand and sometimes feel sorry for her; she doesn't have the easiest life and so many problems being thrown at her, but she makes a very bad decision and one that makes no sense.
April and I were sure who Kylie would choose especially after the end of the previous book, but it's like everything that happened.. never happened and nothing made sense. There was no excusing the events that transpired prior to this, and imo, the choice should have been an easy one. But I felt like she never gave one boy a real chance and gave up way too quickly.
The other one though, I never liked. Or sometimes I did, and then he would go and do something do douche that made me dislike him once again. Every ounce of common sense that Kylie once had must have been slapped out of her --  or, I don't know.. Its the only thing that makes sense to me as to her stupid choice she makes. I literally felt sick after reading this book.
What is this meant to show the readers? That it's OKAY to choose someone who hurts you time and time again, who chooses to commit to something and be a coward? I'm clueless.  

While everyone seems to get their happy ending, and I'm glad that Derek ended up with his own happy ending, it also felt contrived and put there because of Kylie's choice. It's like.. okay, let's put him with someone so he doesn't mope around.
His happiness was all I cared for at this point, and I guess I was happy enough that in the end he did get what he deserves.

I was very disappointed in the way this book turned out, and sadly, it's put me off on reading the spinoff. I just can't do it.

Rating: 2.5/5

Review: First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, #1) by Darynda Jones
Publisher: St.Martins Griffin
Publication date: July 5th, 2011
Number of pages: 338 pgs
Format: Mass-Market Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Private investigator Charlotte Davidson was born with three things: looks; a healthy respect for the male anatomy; and the rather odd job title of grim reaper. Since the age of five, she has been helping the departed solve the mysteries of their deaths so they can cross over. Thus, when three lawyers from the same law firm are murdered, they come to her to find their killer.

In the meantime, Charley's dealing with a being more powerful - and definitely sexier - than any spectre she's ever come across before. With the help of a pain-in-the-ass skip tracer, a dead pubescent gangbanger named Angel, and a lifetime supply of sarcasm, Charley sets out to solve the highest profile case of the year and discovers that dodging bullets isn't nearly as dangerous as falling in love

It took me until a few months ago to pick up the first book. A friend of mine kept telling me to read this series, but when I see the word 'Ghosts' and I start to feel disinterested because it's not my favourite aspect to the supernatural world. When she told me that it wasn't ghosts exactly, but the fact the main character is a reaper --- that is the point I thought, Oh well, that is different, so I decided to take the chance and pick up the first book.

In this first novel, Charley is a reaper for ghosts who have died and want to pass on.  She is basically like the light tunnel to which they go through to their ever after. Some stick around though, sometimes because they aren't ready to move on, and sometimes, to maybe bug her, LOL 
In the meantime, Charley has been having hot and sexy dreams of a mystery man, and also she tends to see him in real life from time to time.  She has no idea who he is or why she is seeing him, but why question the sexy man? :P
Work also keeps her pretty busy, especially now when she has more than one case to deal with.  She needs to deal with the fact she has three murdered lawyer ghosts trying to get her to help find their bodies and solve their murders.  Ah, the life of a reaper.  Life is never dull for Charley. Just an everyday occurance.

Charley is a very fabulous heroine.  Not only is she smart, talented and gorgeous... but she also has this awesome wit where you can't help but laugh at some of the things she says, does or events she finds himself in the middle of.  If she wanted easy, she would not be in this job --- not that this was a choice where she could decide yes, or not if she wants this career path. This was chosen for her, but it's not so bad.

The hero for this series, well he is unlike any other male. I have had heard about Reyes from Alpha male contests around the web and also from friends, but until I met him, I had no idea what I was really dealing with.
We see small things regarding him. He is a mystery I can't wait to find out more about. Charley discovers some things about him when she finds out he is the man from her dreams. I loved what I have read about him so far, and I can't wait to dig into the rest of the books to get to know him even more deeply than you do in this first book.

I was surprised at how much I loved this book. It just goes to show that sometimes the best stories are the ones you don't have in your life.

I can't wait to dig into the next book in this new fab series.

Rating: 5/5

Review: Grave Memory by Kalayna Price

Grave Memory (Alex Craft #3) by Kalayna Price
Publication Date: July 3, 2012
Publisher: ROC
Number of Pages: 373
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Add to Goodreads

As a Grave Witch, Alex solves murders by raising the dead—an ability that comes at a cost, and after her last few cases, that cost is compounding. But her magic isn’t the only thing causing havoc in her life. While she’s always been on friendly terms with Death himself, things have recently become a whole lot more close and personal. Then there’s her sometime partner, agent Falin Andrews, who is under the glamour of the Winter Queen. To top everything off, her best friend has been forever changed by her time spent captive in Faerie.

But the personal takes a backseat to the professional when a mysterious suicide occurs in Nekros City and Alex is hired to investigate. The shade she raises has no memory of the days leading up to his brutal ending, so despite the very public apparent suicide, this is murder. But what kind of magic can overcome the human will to survive? And why does the shade lack the memory of his death? Searching for the answer might mean Alex won’t have a life to remember at all…

I really meant to spread the three books out, but I just couldn't help myself. I blame my friend who sent me some amazing quotes and I knew I had to start this ASAP.

The book picks up about a month after the second book ended. Her love life hasn't gotten any better since the last book. A relationship with Death is forbidden, plus he stopped his random visits. Falin is under the Winter Queen's control and must obey her commands, and she's commanded him not to have any personal visits with Alex. But that doesn't stop her from having the FIB raiding Alex's house, and having Falin conducting them. Not to mention Caleb is getting very frustrated with all the raids and even threatened to evict Alex from the house.

Alex is still struggling with her new found heritage, learning that the Shadow King is her grand granduncle through her mom. Which makes Alex more fae than human, not that she will admit it. I was a little disappointed that we didn't see more of the Shadow King in this book. But we do see a little bit of interaction between Alex and her father. Which I wish there was more of. Yes he acts like a jerk towards her and seems like he doesn't really care. But I feel like everything he has done is to protect Alex, he's just not good at showing how much he cares. Or a comment makes me think that Alex's siblings aren't really his kids. Speaking of siblings, I have a feeling that at some point Alex's missing brother will turn up or we will at least learn what happened to him.

Alex's new case is complicated as ever. Does this girl ever get easy cases? People are committing suicide, yet their shades has no memory of the act or even a few days before it. And each person had witness a suicide the day they started losing their memories. But when the people she cares about are close to losing their lives, Alex will give anything to save them.

What the first half was lacking in romance, the second half certainly made up for it. If you weren't sure who you want Alex with, this book will make your mind up. It seems at times Alex is torn between both men, but with Falin under the Winter Queen's control Alex can never trust him. He's not completely the bad guy though. He's just caught in her twisted game, and pretty much a slave. But Death...it has the forbidden love going on. Not to mention he's always been there for Alex, and knows are her secrets. Not to mention he will sacrifice everything to save her.

So far this book is my favorite in the series. And the ending....it's shocking and seems like the love triangle will come back in focus. I really hope in future books we see more of Alex interacting with more of the fae, more of dad, and I really want to see more of Caleb. Which maybe now that him and Holly are an item, which I saw that coming since the last book. Counting down the days till the fourth book comes out.

Rating: 5/5

 

 

Teaser Tuesday 24

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Want to play along?

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share 2 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers
• Share the title and author

I still can't get over Kalayna Price's series Alex Craft. This teaser is from Grave Memory. It's a little longer than two sentences, but I think it's my favorite quote in the whole book.

"No game. I want all of you, Alex. Body." His hands moved to my waist. "Mind." He kissed my forehead. "And soul." His hand moved and my back arched as a pleasure so thick it verged on pain spread through me. 

Review: Grave Dance by Kalayna Price

Grave Dance (Alex Craft #2) by Kalayna Price
Publication Date: July 5, 2011
Publisher: ROC
Number of Pages: 371
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Add to Goodreads

Whoever said dead men tell no tales obviously never met Alex Craft.

After a month spent recovering from a vicious fight with a sorcerer, grave witch Alex Craft is ready to get back to solving murders by raising the dead. With her love life in turmoil thanks to the disappearance of Fae Investigation Bureau agent Falin Andrews and a shocking “L” word confession from Death himself, Alex is eager for the distractions of work. But her new case turns out to be a deadly challenge.

The police hire Alex to consult on a particularly strange investigation in the nature preserve south of Nekros City. The strange part: There are no corpses, only fragments of them. A serial killer is potentially on the loose, and Alex has no way to raise a shade without a body, so she’ll have to rely on the magic of others to find leads. But as she begins investigating, a creature born of the darkest magic comes after her. Someone very powerful wants to make sure the only thing she finds is a dead end—her own.

I couldn't help myself but dive right into the second book. It's been a month since the events at the end of the first book, and Alex still isn't sure about her feelings. After finding out that Falin is not only the Winter Queen's assassin but also her lover. But before Alex can confront him on those facts he disappears without even a goodbye and hasn't heard from him since. To further complicate things when Alex was dying at the end of the first book Death had told the other soul collectors that he loves Alex. Having a soul collector being in love with you isn't easy, and Alex isn't sure how to act or even what to say to him. Not to mention Alex herself has commitment issues and doesn't do relationships as a rule.

Alex does what every other woman does when they having love life issues, throw themselves into their work. But the new case the police have her working on makes no sense at all. They are no bodies, just feet; left feet at that with no indication of being cut off from the body. And to make her life even more complicated, Falin shows up in her yard injured. Partnering up with a FIB agent has it perks, but Alex could do without him trying to worm his way back in her life and bed.

Although still not enough for my taste, Death appears more often in this book than last. Not only do we get to see him flirting with Alex, but we start to see a possessive side to him. But you get the impression that the soul collectors have laws to abide by, and it's forbidden for him to have a relationship with a mortal. There were a few scenes where Death and Falin had a pissing contest. Which let's me honest, even if you hate triangles, the pissing matches are always amusing. Last book I hadn't fully decided on a "team", this book had me leaning towards one side more than the other. But the end made me doubt it a little. The way I see it, either guy has some major cons to them.

Not sure if it's because I read the books back to back, or if I just catch these things real easy, but I did find a few things I didn't like. The author uses the same descriptions over and over, especially for Death. Throughout the first book and the first half of this book, everytime Death appeared it was the exact same description. Or in the first half of this book, I lost count of times they refer to the Magical Awakening as the faeries coming out of the mushroom ring. Or the countless times we are reminded that the city is only fifty years old, so there's really no old or historical parts in the city. Once is enough thank you very much.

I love the fact that Alex is blond. You don't find too many heroines in this genre or even fantasy/paranormal that are blond. And the fact that the only supernatural creatures in this world are witches and the fae. It works for this book having a limit on the supernatural. I find the magic in this world is intriguing. Especially the fact that grave magic not only kills night vision, but messes with your eyesight after using it. For the most part Alex stays pretty much blind majority of the time.

Along with everything else on her plate, Alex must keep the fact she's feykin a secret. Which I wonder why did she awaken the fae part of her self during the Blood Moon in the last book? But when Holly is kidnapped Alex must go to the one place that scares her the most, Faery. Which beholds a few surprises for her when she realizes she may just have more fae blood in her than she would like.

Filled with mystery, action, a little romance, and humor this series is urban fantasy at it's best.

Rating: 4.5/5

 

Review: Grave Witch by Kalayna Price

Grave Witch (Alex Craft #1) by Kalayna Price
Publication Date: October 5, 2010
Publisher: ROC
Number of Pages: 325
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Add to Goodreads

Grave witch Alex Craft can speak to the dead, but that doesn’t mean she likes what they have to say.

As a private investigator and consultant for the police, Alex Craft has seen a lot of dark magic. But even though she’s on good terms with Death himself—who happens to look fantastic in a pair of jeans—nothing has prepared her for her latest case. Alex is investigating a high profile murder when she’s attacked by the ‘shade’ she’s raising, which should be impossible. To top off her day, someone makes a serious attempt on her life, but Death saves her. Guess he likes having her around...

To solve this case Alex will have to team up with tough homicide detective Falin Andrews. Falin seems to be hiding something—though it’s certainly not his dislike of Alex—but Alex knows she needs his help to navigate the tangled webs of mortal and paranormal politics, and to track down a killer wielding a magic so malevolent, it may cost Alex her life...and her soul.

70 years ago the fae came out of hiding and told the world of their existence. Not long after that the witches came out too. Even though it's been years, not everyone is accepting. But it means no one has to hide their true self. Enter Alex Craft, a grave witch which means she has the ability to raise shades from dead bodies to question them. Shades differ from ghosts since a shade is just a memory, which works out great for murder mysteries.
The impossible happens when a shade attacks her and effects her with dark magic. Not to mention her good friend John, a detective,  is shot with a magic induced bullet that was meant for her. Or how her sister wants her to find out who killed the governor, who turns out isn't really dead at all.

I immediately fell in love with the book. And also slapping myself for not reading this sooner. The best way to describe it is it's a great mix between Chicagoland Vampires series by Chloe Neill and Downside Ghosts by Stacia Kane. I'm seldom disappointed with urban fantasy series, and this one is no different. Very fast paced and a page turner. You won't be able to put the book down.

And what is a book without a love interest, or two. Falin Andrews is the lead detective on the case, and it's not long before they are teaming up to solve the case. Not to mention he's good looking or he seems to be everywhere she turns around. I love how most of the time he calls her by her real name, which I'm still curious how he found out. But he's keeping quiet who he really is, and it could be enough for Alex to kick him out of her life. And then there is Death. The grim reaper should not be this hot. And he's been popping in and out of Alex's life since she was five years old. And Alex is the only person or even witch that can see him without using her grave sight. Death just happens to shock Alex at the end with a confession that most girls would love to hear, but it just confuses things even more. And of course the real dilemma is I'm not sure who I want Alex with. I guess only time will tell.

We can't forget the twists along the way. Not everyone is what they seem to be, including Alex herself, which comes a complete shock to her. I had a feeling that her best friend from witch school would show up again after being missing for the past four years. Even though she changed her name and is pretty much disowned from her family, I got the feeling that her dad still looks out for her. Might come off as an ass majority of the time, but hasn't completely turned his back on her.

If you a lover of urban fantasy, or even love the two series I mentioned above you need to read this ASAP. I promise you won't be disappointed. As for me? I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Rating: 5/5

 

Teaser Tuesday 22

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Want to play along?

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share 2 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers
• Share the title and author

Even though I was pretty disappointed with Chosen at Nightfall by C.C. Hunter, the book had some humorous lines that we have grown to love with her books. Here's one of my favorites.

"Does anyone listen to me around here?" Burnett asked, his frustration making his tone sound almost comical. "Obviously not," one of the FRU agents said, and chuckled. 

Review: Chosen at Nightfall by C.C. Hunter

Chosen at Nightfall (Shadow Falls #5) by C.C. Hunter
Publication Date: April 23, 2011
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Number of Pages: 400
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Add to Goodreads

Kylie Galen's life hasn't been the same since her world was turned upside-down in Born at Midnight, Shadow Falls #1, and now an epic conclusion to her journey—not to mention a tough choice between two guys!—is brewing in Chosen at Nightfall:

When Kylie Galen left Shadow Falls, she thought it was the hardest decision of her life. Heartbroken and separated from everyone she loves, she has to embrace her abilities and what it means to be a chameleon. But as Kylie's journey comes to a close, she must return to the camp that started it all...and she must finally chose between the two boys who love her. The werewolf who broke her heart when he chose his pack over her, and the half-fae who ran from their intense attraction before they ever really had a chance. For Kylie, everything will finally be revealed and nothing will ever be the same.

 The final installment in the Shadow Falls series picks up about two weeks after the last book. Kylie has left Shadow Falls and gone to the chameleon compound with her grandfather and great aunt. But it's not what she thought it would be.The chameleon are in constant fear that they will be discovered, and they keep the teens isolated from the world. No phone, internet or anything. Only when they mature, which means they are able to change their pattern at will, are they allow out in the world. Kylie has never felt more alone then she does hidden away. Her grandfather does allow her limited phone access. And of course like every book, this one starts off with a new ghost. This one insists that Kylie needs to kill him or she will be killed. It took her most of the book to figure out who is the he. Which the whole time I just wanted to slap her. I knew from the beginning who the ghost was referring to.

It doesn't take Burnett to find where their hidden lair is located. Mario has been spotted in town and a fellow camper has been attacked, and Burnett is pretty sure Mario was behind it. As Burnett points out he found the compound, it's only a matter of time before Mario finds her. And back to Shadow Falls Kylie goes.

You have to feel sorry for Kylie. A psychopath is after her, she has a ghost that claims that it's a big possibility she will be killed, issues with parents and even grandparents, plus she still has boy trouble. This book kind of annoyed me, or at least I found Della annoying. I'm not even sure why. I feel like the book lacked Miranda. She just wasn't in it as much as Della. I love both girls, but I find Miranda a lot more interesting. Burnett and Holiday were amazing as always. Now a spin off series or even a short story with them would be fantastic. There's even a little twist in the story concerning these two, a very happy ending.

Kylie finally gets to meet her father's adoptive grandparents, and her mom is not too happy. Speaking of her mom, we learn who exactly is her boyfriend. I knew from the first moment that he was evil and after Kylie.

I'm sure you heard of saving the best for last? Well in this case I'm saving the worst for last. I loved the last book because it seemed that Kylie would end up picking Derek. This whole book to me felt like a cop out where Lucas was concerned. Even though he had pledged his soul to another girl and promise to marry her, he has to sign a contract afterwards to make it official. And guess who didn't do it?! What the hell was the point in having Kylie witness all of that?! I'm sorry not signing some paper doesn't and shouldn't change the fact that you pledge YOUR SOUL to another girl. Oh he gave up everything for Kylie? This is coming a little too late. The whole series he has put his pack before Kylie, and then in the last book he just gives up everything for her? Not buying it. Not to mention they kept bringing up when Derek slept with his ex and "cheated" on Kylie. Umm excuse me, Kylie and Derek were NOT together. And Kylie even said they weren't together when it happened so it wasn't cheating. And now all of a sudden in this book it's changed to cheating on her?! Really?! It was like Hunter twisted everything so it would be ok for her to end with Lucas. Honestly I lost respect.

Ok rant over. Besides a huge amount of Lucas in the book, the book was really good. Just what you come to expect from a book in the series. And everyone gets their "happy ending". Which I don't agree with the choices. Well everyone but Della who is being stubborn. But I guess the ending sets up nicely for the spin off about Della. Which honestly I won't be reading.

In all I couldn't get past Kylie's choices and how details gets twisted around. I'm really disappointed in the book and feels like everything was a cop out.

Rating: 2.5/5

 

Review: One Grave at a Time by Jeaniene Frost

One Grave at a Time (Night Huntress #6) by Jeaniene Frost
Publication Date: August 30, 2011
Publisher: Avon Books
Number of Pages: 358
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Add to Goodreads

Having narrowly averted an (under)world war, Cat Crawfield wants nothing more than a little downtime with her vampire husband, Bones. Unfortunately, her gift from New Orleans' voodoo queen just keeps on giving--leading to a personal favor that sends them into battle once again, this time against a villainous spirit.

Centuries ago, Heinrich Kramer was a witch hunter. Now, every All Hallows Eve, he takes physical form to torture innocent women before burning them alive. This year, however, a determined Cat and Bones must risk all to send him back to the other side of eternity--forever. But how do you kill a killer who's already long dead?

This book felt very different from the rest in the series. For once it doesn't seem like anyone is out to kill Cat. Seems like Bones and Cat may be able to have that over due vacation. But just like you would expect things don't say quiet for long.

Cat's attention is brought to Heinrich Kramer, a ghost who is able to take physical form every Halloween and continue his torture of innocent women accused of witchcraft. With Cat's borrowed powers this should be a piece of cake right? Kramer proves not only to be smart but to be very tricky. But it turns out that Kramer wants Cat, and will do anything and everything to burn her along with his other intended victims.

Cat and Bones initially seek help but a medium Spade recommends, Tyler. I immediately fell in love with Tyler. He's hilarious. And I love how he tries to hit on Bones, Spade, and Ian. Yes, Ian shows up in this book. And both him and Spade are in the book a ton. This was actually the first book that I found myself liking Ian. I was a little sad that Vlad or Mencheres didn't show up in the book. But I would of thought it would of been awesome if Tyler tried to make a move on Ian, just to see Ian's reaction. But then again it seems like there were hints of Ian and Cat's mom getting together. Now wouldn't that be something? They could all be one big happy family.

I'm not sure if I've never noticed or pay that much attention before, but I've noticed a lot of pop culture references in this book. Which it could go either way, but loved it in here. Especially the references to Harry Potter. No surprised that Ian likes Snape.

Then there's the fact that Cat's Uncle Don that died in the last book comes back as a ghost and is unable to cross over. To make matters worst, a new government officer demoted Tate and as taken over running Cat's old team. And Don seems to know him very well, even if he's not revealing anything to Cat or Bones. Not much happens in the book with them, except we can tell he is fixated on Cat. Seems to be setting up for future books.

Overall the book was interesting and good. I enjoyed it even though it's obviously a filler.

Rating: 4/5

  

Teaser Tuesday 19

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Want to play along?

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share 2 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers
• Share the title and author

This week's teaser comes from  One Grave at a Time by Jeaniene Frost.

Actually, I had, thinking that Tyler would do better with my mom here to protect him if by chance Kramer showed up. Hell, if the ghost attacked during the climactic scene with Snape, Harry, and Dumbledore, Ian might not even stop watching the movie to heal any mortal injuries the medium received.

Mini review: The blood Countess, The Spider Goddess & The Skeleton Key by Tara Moss

Pandora English is no ordinary small town orphan. When she's invited to live with her mysterious Great-Aunt Celia in New York City, she seizes the opportunity to escape her stifling hometown break from her tragic past and make it as a writer. Things, however, are not what she is expecting. For starters, her great-aunt's gothic mansion is in a mist-wreathed Manhattan suburb that doesn't appear on maps. And then there's Celia herself - a former designer to the stars of Hollywood's Golden Age - who is elegant, unnaturally young and always wearing a veil. Pandora lands a job at a fashion magazine and her first assignment is covering the A-list launch of the latest miracle cream, BloodofYouth. But something is not right about the product, nor Athanasia, the drop-dead beautiful face of the brand. It seems there may be a secret ingredient in BloodofYouth, a secret worth killing for..

I was given The Skeleton Key to review, but since I hadn't read the first two, I decided to track down the books to read and review them first. So while I am quite behind on my review for Book 3, I knew I had to read the first two first. I'm picky like that.

In the first installment to this Pandora English series, Tara Moss takes us on a journey as we discover a young girl, Pandora, 19 years old travels to New York City to live with her Great Aunt after not being able to turn down the enticing invitation.

Upon arriving in New York, she soon finds herself in a whole new world she couldn't have expected if she tried.  Gaining an position at a top-fashion magazine, Pandora, the same name as herself, her world begins to turn upside down when her first assignment at work is covering the latest miracle cream product, but Pandora quickly discovers there is just something not quite right about this miracle cream. There is a real possibility that it does more than making your skin look younger... something so far sinister is at work, and if she doesn't discover something fast...it will be deadly to everyone around her.
Pandora's new life is everything she hoped it would be. Exiciting, full of life and new experiences, but when she starts to see the dead, she realizes that she might not be so normal after all.

This is a story of a new beginning, finding ones self, and understanding that not everything is as it seems.

I really liked this novel. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I found myself pleasantly surprised.

Verdict: 3.5 / 5

It's been two months since Pandora English left her small hometown to live with her mysterious great-aunt in a haunted mansion in Spektor – the fog-wreathed suburb of Manhattan that doesn't appear on any map. With the help of her great-aunt and the beautiful – but dead – Lieutenant Luke, Pandora is beginning to understand the significance of the Lucasta family heritage her late mother kept secret from her. Pandora is heir to a great gift. And with that comes frightening responsibility...

Meanwhile, she seems doomed to be forever underestimated in the mortal world. Her fashion editor boss doesn't seem to know she exists. But New York needs Pandora's special gifts. There is a new designer in town, and her ambitions extend far beyond taking over the fashion world one knit at a time...

It's been two months since Pandora English arrived in New York. Two months since her life changed and she found herself in the world of the supernatural.
In the next part of her journey, she discovers what it means to be the 7th of the Lucasta family.

Pandora, ever since she arrived has formed some connection with Lieutenant Luke, but there is one problem: He is a ghost, who she can only see. They have a complicated relationship, but he seems to be the only one that understands her. Whether that's because he understands what it is like to live in this kind of world, or something else. But it doesn't seem any other guy can compare, unfortunately.

That's not the only thing she has to deal with. There are Athanasia and her followers, who are bound to get revenge on Pandora for staking Athanasia previously. Of course they don't care it was done in self defense, because they are only out for themselves. It sure doesn't help when she has Dues, a head-honcho vampire protecting her against the pack of girls. 

The plot. Was quite interesting and we got to learn some new information. While in the previous book it was about Athanasia and her product, which was blood related, this book we start to understand more about the world.
A new woman has turned up in town, and her Aunt-Celia seems to know more about her than Pandora does, and as events develop, she discovers that she can do more than work at a magazine.

I enjoyed this book much more than the previous, as you start to come to grips with the supernatural world, what Pandora's possible role in it, and that she was always meant to come to Spektor. 

Verdict: 4/5

In the third Pandora English mystery, Pandora is still negotiating her double life as a lowly assistant at a New York fashion magazine with the reality that she has great supernatural powers and responsibilities.

With the full moon set to rise once again, Pandora has a very special date looming. Her beautiful spirit guide, Civil War soldier Lieutenant Luke, will be a flesh-and-blood man, if only for the night, and she hasn't been able to stop thinking about it. But a chance encounter with playboy Jay Rockwell sees that very human attraction start all over again – even though Jay doesn't remember their previous relationship, or the fact that Pandora saved him from a gang of ill-tempered undead supermodels.

Meanwhile, Pandora – with her special skeleton key – is slowly unlocking the mysteries of the haunted mansion where she lives with her great aunt Celia. What sinister experiments did the architect Dr Edmund Barrett conduct there before he died? Where is his laboratory? And what are the strange noises emanating from the basement?

On the centenary of the mysterious fire that supposedly killed Dr Barrett, he returns to the mansion. He has a message for Pandora. But he has brought with him a dark force that threatens to tear apart the delicate balance between the worlds of the dead and living...

In the third Pandora novel,The Skeleton Key, Pandora learns more about her role as the Seventh, and more about The End of the World. Her abilities start to manifest and she begins to understand more about them and herself as well.

We learn more about the origins of the Mansion, and the occupants who lived there to begin with.
After some digging around, Pandora discovers Dr. Barrett's lab, and what lies beneath it. The mysteries soon become complicated when Pandora finds Dr. Barrett and his wife, who are both deceased, and Pandora makes some discoveries that she just might regret.

Like the title of the book, The Skeleton Key refers to a special key given to Pandora by her Great-Aunt Celia that opens one of the many doors in the mansion she has longed to explore.

In terms of the romance, things start to happen between Pandora and her Lieutenant Luke, as there is one night where the moon is full that he can come out in the flesh. The pair then decide to make a date out if it, and Pandora takes him one place he has not been in many years: outside. New York City has changed since the last time he has been out there.. technically, the world has changed itself in over 150 years that he has been dead.
I adore these two. Their relationship is not an easy one, well considering he is dead. But when during their anticipated date outside, he suddenly disappears.... and when he returns, let's say.. he isn't exactly the same.
Can Pandora discover what is wrong going on before things get a little too crazy?

The ending to this book makes me look forward to the next installment in this series.  I urge Tara to write quickly. I can't wait to take myself back into the world of Pandora and what lies through it.

Thanks to Pan Macmillan for sending me this copy of the book.

Verdict: 4.5/5

Review: Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter

Whispers at Moonrise (Shadow Falls #4) by C.C. Hunter
Publication Date: October 2, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Number of Pages: 383
Format: Paperback
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Even at a camp for supernatural teens, Kylie Galen has never been normal. Not only can she see ghosts, but she doesn’t seem to belong to any one species—she exhibits traits from them all. As Kylie struggles to unlock the secrets of her identity, she begins to worry that Lucas will never be able to accept her for what she is, and what she isn’t…a werewolf.  With his pack standing in their way, Kylie finds herself turning more and more to Derek, the only person in her life who’s willing to accept the impossible.



As if life isn’t hard enough, she starts getting visits from the ghost of Holiday, her closest confidante.  Trouble is, Holiday isn’t dead…not yet anyway.  Now Kylie must race to save one of her own from an unseen danger before it’s too late—all while trying to stop her relationship with Lucas from slipping away forever.   In a world of constant confusion, there’s only one thing Kylie knows for sure.  Change is inevitable and all things must come to an end…maybe even her time at Shadow Falls.

The breathtaking fourth installment of the New York Times bestselling Shadow Falls series from author C. C. Hunter...Whispers at Moonrise.

Hunter's fourth book in her Shadow Falls series like the last one, picks up right where the previous left off. And with a new book, Kylie has a new ghost problem. Only this time it's the ghost of Holiday who definitely isn't dead. Not wanting to scare Holiday she lets everyone pretend the face the ghost is using is from someone from back home.

Trying to figure out who the ghost really is, isn't easy. But with the help of Derek they realized that Holiday has or well had a twin sister, Hannah.  Not to mention they are sure that Holiday doesn't know her sister is dead. Plus Hannah keeps on insisting that Holiday is endangered and Kylie can save her. The person wanting to kill Holiday ends up being kind of a surprise. Wasn't my first guess, even though at one point I did figure it out. But what I didn't like was why it was never explained why he wanted to murder her. And we even learn and get to meet Holiday's ex fiancee, and learn why Holiday has trust issues. And even though the book started off with Holiday and Burnett having a heated makeout secession, neither one is brave enough to admit their feelings. But the ending shows them both making a huge step forward and finally getting together.

Even though Kylie finally finds out what type of supernatural she is, her identity crisis doesn't stop there. It doesn't help that nobody has heard of a supernatural chameleon before. And here is one of my issues, nobody believes her but she repeats over and over throughout the book that's what her father told her and she believes him. One time is enough. It doesn't need to be repeated over and over. It doesn't stop when her brain pattern changes several time over the book. First it takes form of a witch, then vampire and finally a werewolf. Plus she gets the main powers of whatever species she "is" at the time. She meets up with her grandfather and great aunt. And they confirm that they are chameleons, and they can take form of any supernatural pattern, having a bit of every species in their DNA. Her grandfather insists that she isn't safe at the camp, and her only chance at survival is coming to live with them, to be with her own kind. Kylie refuses to leave the camp. She knows she belongs there. But after a betrayal, she realizes that she needs to go live with them for a little bit.

And then as always is her boys trouble. A fair warning, if you are a huge fan of Lucas and easily offended, you may want to stop reading. Lucas is a douche. And he has proved this big time in this book. Now along with last book, there were moments when Lucas did make me swoon, and damn it Lucas I don't like me. Not nice to make me swoon. Lucas won't be around Kylie in public, because of his pack. He claims that by the end of the month, he'll be on the council and they can be together in public. That he can start making changes. Yet he doesn't share what he needs to do with Kylie. But he doesn't even try to understand Kylie and what she needs to do. Even though the book seems that Kylie isn't in love with Derek, her heart belongs solely to Lucas, I beg to differ. I think Kylie is scared to admit her true feelings for Derek. Not to mention that the ghost tells Kylie she should choose Derek, for most of the book Miranda and Della are anti Lucas, and when she tells Sara that she has chosen one of them she immediately thinks it's Derek. Plus Miranda tells Kylie that she hardly ever talks about Lucas, but she used to talk about Derek all the time. I won't go in details to what happens, but Lucas does the ultimate betrayal. Kylie has to find out from Fredericka, whom is under the impression that Kylie knows and understands. I knew from the beginning Lucas would break her heart. He's an ass. And Kylie deserves so much better. I've mentioned in previous reviews that I don't buy the whole he fell instantly in love with her and has been waiting for 11 years. They were 6 and 7 years old. And it was revealed in this book that he had climbed in her window one night and kissed her. WTF?! These are kids we are talking about. This is beyond creepy. Lucas just needs to GTFO like NOW. It's shown in this book that he will always put the pack above her. Derek has been there for her time and time again. And he's more understanding than Lucas is about her.

Overall, the book is pretty amazing. And the next one can't come out fast enough. I need to know who Kylie finally chooses, which I'm pretty sure it will be Derek.

Rating: 4/5

 

Review: This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

This Side of the Grave (Night Huntress #5) by Jeaniene Frost
Publication Date: February 22, 2011
Publisher: Avon
Number of Pages: 357
Format: Paperback
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Danger waits on both sides of the grave.
Half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her vampire husband Bones have fought for their lives, as well as for their relationship. But just when they've triumphed over the latest battle, Cat's new and unexpected abilities threaten to upset a long-standing balance . . .
With the mysterious disappearance of vampires, rumors abound that a species war is brewing. A zealot is inciting tensions between the vampires and ghouls, and if these two powerful groups clash, innocent mortals could become collateral damage. Now Cat and Bones are forced to seek help from a dangerous "ally"; the ghoul queen of New Orleans herself. But the price of her assistance may prove more treacherous than even the threat of a supernatural war . . . to say nothing of the repercussions Cat never imagined.

Cat just can't seem to catch a break. You would think turning into a full vampire would stop those rumors about her becoming some kind of a vampire/ghoul hybrid. Not a chance. Apollyon has been rallying ghouls to his side to start a species war. The ghouls are convinced that the vampires wants complete control over them. And he has them all convinced that Cat is the reason for the war. The only problem is Cat and Bones can't outright attack the ghouls or they will jump start the war.

They seek out Marie, the ghoul queen of New Orleans. With her vampire sire dead, she has no ties to the vampires anymore. She confirms that she will stand with her people, but she doesn't back Apollyon. Sneaking a way to help them, she forces Cat to drink her blood. Even with her new abilities, Cat isn't sure if she can or knows how to control them. Losing the war means losing her life.

I would recommend reading the two spin off books first before reading this. I didn't read them and there were a few details I was confused about. It's not a necessary but it would make more sense. I think this is the only book that made me cry. Cat loses somebody very close to her, and at the time I just wanted to bitch sleep Ms. Frost for it. *sigh* But I trust her in what she is doing and the ending gave me a little bit of hope. We see a character from the first book that I had almost forgotten about, and honestly vaguely remember him.

Mencheres has really grown on me. I couldn't get enough of him in this book. I especially love his and Cat's interactions. And then we have Vlad. Don't get me wrong, I love Bones BUT Vlad has stolen my heart. And just like Mencheres he wasn't in the book enough. I need more of Vlad, especially his interactions with Mencheres, Bones, and Cat. The scenes where it was just Vlad, Cat, and Mencheres were some of my favorites. They could be the new three musketeers.

A few of my favorite quotes:

"Before we go, I gotta know; If mind-reading abilities are real, there's something else I wondered if fiction got right about vampires-"
"Ask me if I sparkle and I'll kill you where you stand," Bones cut him off with utmost seriousness.

“You’re not going to let her do this, are you?” Bones snorted. “Let her? Mate, if you think you can control a woman, you must be single—-and a thousand pounds says she beats your arse.”

 “See?” I’d whispered to Bones, nudging him with a grin. “He never argues with her. Isn’t that sweet?”
A snort preceded his response. “Keep dreaming, pet.”

 Much slower, I turned around to see Vlad examining his fingernails, as if his hands weren't still ablaze in the flames that had blasted the ghoul's head off moments before."What the hell was that?" I gasped."Premature inflammation," He replied. "Happens sometimes. Very embarrassing, I don't like to talk about it."

 “Are you having performance issues?” I asked in surprise. “Bite your tongue,” Vlad said, with a snort. “I was seeing if Dermot understood sign language, but from the look on his face, it seems not.”

"No Matter which side of the grave we're on. I'll hunt you, chase you all around eternity, whatever it takes, but it's you and me until the stars burn out." 

This series is becoming one of my favorites. You can't help but fall in love with Cat and Bones. It has a little bit of everything in it.

Rating: 4/5

Review: Chasing Magic by Stacia Kane

Chasing Magic (Downside Ghosts #5) by Stacia Kane
Publication Date: June 26, 2012
Publisher: Del Rey
Number of Pages: 376
Format: Paperback
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Description: A DEADLY HIGH

Magic-wielding Churchwitch and secret addict Chess Putnam knows better than anyone just how high a price people are willing to pay for a chemical rush. But when someone with money to burn and a penchant for black magic starts tampering with Downside’s drug supply, Chess realizes that the unlucky customers are paying with their souls—and taking the innocent with them, as the magic-infused speed compels them to kill in the most gruesome ways possible.

As if the streets weren’t scary enough, the looming war between the two men in her life explodes, taking even more casualties and putting Chess squarely in the middle. Downside could become a literal ghost town if Chess doesn’t find a way to stop both the war and the dark wave of death-magic, and the only way to do that is to use both her addiction and her power to enter the spell and chase the magic all the way back to its malevolent source. Too bad that doing so will probably kill Chess—if the war doesn’t first destroy the man who’s become her reason for living.

Five books later and honestly I'm still surprised at how much I love this series. I'm usually not into dark stories or even main characters that think so low of their self worth. But there is something about Stacia Kane's writing. The way she draws you into her world, you don't want to ever leave.

I do believe that this is the first book that doesn't involve a Church case. But Chess has enough on her plate with trying to juggle a friendship with Lex and a relationship with Terrible. Which isn't really going all that well. To make matters worst, Lex wants Terrible to come work with him. In the perfect world, Terrible says yes and Chess doesn't have to feel guilty about keeping up her friendship with Lex. But this is far from a perfect world and there is nothing on earth that would make Terrible work for Lex. Lex leaves a warning for Terrible; he will have him killed.

With a hired assassin on the loose, Chess has more than enough on her plate. Someone has been putting dark magic in the drugs. Not to mention every time Terrible touches dark magic he passes out. Chess has no clue how to help him.

I think one of my favorite parts in the book is when Chess and Terrible are at Elder Griffin's wedding. His new husband asked Terrible if him and Chess will be getting married and he told him he would if that's what Chess wants! A total fan girl moment. And then after that he asks Chess to move in with him. Not to mention towards the end when Terrible told Chess that he wouldn't want to live if she wasn't alive. In regards to Chess and Terrible, this has to be my favorite book for them.

The only un amazing part of the book is that Chess and Elder Griffin's relationship changes. I do hope that it can be repaired. I loved his faith in her. I know a lot of people hate how Chess thinks of herself. I understand it. With what little background information we have received on Chess, I wouldn't expect anything less. The drugs are the only thing that has made her feel good until Terrible. And she still believes that he will run from her, because she doesn't deserve him. I do think it was a little thick this book. After the end, I'm hoping she stop thinking so low of herself. Speaking of the drugs, there's a part of me that wishes she will try to get clean. But it's part of who she is. And I absolutely love exactly who she is.

Rating: 5/5

  

April's review of "Evermore" by Alyson Noel

Evermore (The Immortals #1) by Alyson Noel
Publication Date: February 3, 2009
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Number of Pages: 301
Format: Paperback
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Description:  The first book in Alyson Noël's extraordinary new Immortals seris. Enter an enchanting new world, where true love never dies...

After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact to suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school — but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste.

Damen is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head - wieling a magis so intense, it's as though he can peer straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea just who he really is - or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.

 Even a day after finishing the book, I'm not exactly sure how I completely feel about the book. Even though it was a quick read, I couldn't put it down anxious to see how everything is turning out. But I felt like the ending was just...I'm not sure of the word. But if I didn't know it was a series I would of thought it was a stand a lone book. 

Meet Ever. Blonde hair, blue eyes, cheerleader, and popular. But that was the old Ever. A car accident had claimed her whole family, except for her. She got to lived while they all died. Now not only does Ever see everyone's auras and can hear their thoughts, one touch from a person and she knows their life story. 

I liked Ever, but I didn't love her. She did annoyed me at some points in the story. She could of easily take care of Stacia and Honor, but she didn't. And what is with all the odd names in the book? The only friends she has are Haven and Miles. I loved Miles. I think he was one of my favorite characters. Haven kind of annoyed me. Even though Ever consider her her best friend, I got the feeling they were more of frienemies than actual friends. 

And you can't have a YA romance story without someone wanting to stand in the way. Enter Damen's psycho ex, or well technically his wife. I was a little disappointed towards the end. I wanted to know more about Damen and Drina past. And more about Ever's past lives. But Damen refuse to let Ever get away from her this time. 

I was stuck on how to rate this book. The end was kind of dragging on a little bit for me. And I thought we were get more information on The Immortals. But I really did like the book. And curious what the others have in store. 

Rating: 4/5

 

April's review of 'Born at Midnight' by C.C. Hunter

Born at Midnight (Shadow Falls #1) by C.C. Hunter

Publication Date: March 29, 2011

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Number of Pages: 398

Format: Paperback

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Description:  Don’t miss this spectacular new series that will steal your heart and haunt your dreams, Welcome to Shadow Falls camp, nestled deep in the woods of a town called Fallen…

One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart.

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…

Being a teenager is hard. But for Kylie it's one sucky situation after another. First her boyfriend breaks up with her because she wouldn't have sex with her. Then her Nana dies, and her parents announce they are divorcing. To top it all off, some weird army guy is stalking Kylie but no one else seems to be able to see him. When her best friend Sara drags her to a party, she finds herself at the police station that night. With help from her psychiatrist, her mom believes that Kylie is trouble and send her away to a camp for trouble teens. But it doesn't take long for Kylie to realized that these aren't just troubled teens, they are also supernatural. 

I instantly loved this book. The plot had reminded me of Hex Hall. Even though I do love Kylie, there were many points in the book where I just wanted to slap her. While I get why she does it, her constant denial about her just being normal was an over load. Who really is hoping they have a brain tumor or is crazy over the idea of being supernatural? And honestly I didn't understand the point of her friend's Sara's pregnancy scare. It wasn't important towards the plot. And the whole Trey situation. I understand that he broke her heart, and she still has feeling towards him. Like Kylie, I believe he truly cares for her, but he puts his want for sex before his feelings for her. And because of that, during that first phone call Kylie should of told him no and to leave her alone. 

This is one of the few books that I'm torn on which love interest I want to see Kylie with. In the beginning there were things with each guy that I didn't like. With Derek I hated the fact that he reminds Kylie of Trey. And Lucas, while there's the whole cat thing. To me it almost seems obvious that Kylie is going to chose Lucas. And here's the trouble with me. I want to be Team Derek, but my heart is cheering for Lucas. I see Derek as the safe choose. Just when I think I've finally decided on a "team", I change my mind again. 

Even though I love this book, it's YA and YA tends to be a little predictable. I knew Sky was behind whatever was going on. And honestly I'm a little disappointed that it was over that quickly when it's revealed what was going on. But I didn't see that as the big plot in the book. The book was about Kylie figuring out who she really is, which she doesn't figure it out completely, but she's one step closer.  And the first time Kylie is pulled into the ghost's memory, I knew exactly who he was.

In the end I just simply couldn't put the book down. And I can't wait to read the other books. 

Rating: 5/5

April's review of 'The Hidden' by Jessica Verday

The Hidden (The Hollow #3) by Jessica Verday
Publication Date: September 6, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Number of Pages: 389
Format:  Hardback
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Description:  A love that knows no bounds.

Abbey knows that Caspian is her destiny. Theirs is a bond that transcends even death. But as Abbey finally learns the full truth about the dark fate that links her to Caspian and ties them both to the town of Sleepy Hollow, she suddenly has some very hard choices to make. Caspian may be the love of her life, but is that love worth dying for?

Beautifully spun, emotionally gripping, and irresistibly romantic, The Hidden will leave you breathless.

It's no secret that I'm not particularly fond of this series. I wasn't overly excited to read this book. It was more of 'I'm going to read it so I'll be done with the series'. I did enjoy the books, but I could never connect with Abbey. I wasn't even surprise at the way it ended. I knew it was coming. The whole plot kind of reminded of Twilight, and while I still love Twilight, in this book I thought she was very stupid to give up her whole life just to be with a boy. Abbey had future dreams. In the end I understood her decision better, but it made the whole three books pointless. 

I adore Caspian, I really do. And like I just said I couldn't connect with Abbey. So in a result, I couldn't connect with them as a couple. I really did love their scenes on his Death Day. But for the most part, I really really wanted Abbey and Ben to get together. I wanted Abbey to move on with her life. Even before she had made her decision or even knew she was his other half, she should of known her and Caspian would have no future together.

For a book I wasn't that excited to read, I was surprised at how quickly I was able to read it. There was even a new character, Cyn introduce. Even though I get that she's some kind of witch, and served the purpose for Abbey to communicate to Kristen a few times, I thought her character was kind of point less. When everything came into a full circle and the holes were filled I wanted to roll my eyes. The reason Vincent wanted to keep Abbey alive? I just wanted to hit my head on something. Very selfish and was expecting something more. I still don't understand why Vincent thought Kristin was Caspian's other half. Or even why his partner wasn't with him. Or even why Caspian was drawn to Abbey in the first place and showed up at Kristen's funeral. There was plenty of scenes that was pointless. Like the girl from the insane asylum. I would of thought the girl was important to the storyline, but nope. I loved the fact that her mom rented the empty store, but to do it then? In the beginning of Abbey's senior year? Unrealistic. 

In the end, the books are descent. Not the best series I have read in the world. And really a disappointment from what I originally thought they would be about.

Rating: 3/5