[Review] Air

(© goodreads)

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‚Air‚ by
Terra Harmony

The Akasha Serie # 2

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Synopsis:
She carries more than just elemental powers. In ‘Air’, the sequel to ‘Water’ of the Akasha Series, Kaitlyn has a secret. One she won’t be able to hide much longer. As the strongest Gaia the planet has ever seen, she must face mankind’s greatest enemy as he campaigns for ‘One Less: Depopulation’. Everything depends on Kaitlyn fully embracing her role as Gaia. Her family. The Seven. The Earth. Something has to give, and it won’t be Kaitlyn.
(Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
After the great first part which could persuades and inspire me completely, I just had to read the next part. And I’ve been glad about the continuation, because there was a little cliffhanger at the end of the book ‘Water’. When I finally get my hands on ‘Air’ to start reading the book, I was a little disappointed, because it was different than I had expected.

To one side the plot starts some time after the events from part 1, but without much of important thing happened in the world or with the characters. What I find extremely odd, if one remember which relation Kaitlyn and Micah had almost at the end, before the thing with Shawn happened, and that Micah has saved her afterwards.
After that you think that they would talk about it afterwards, or not? But Kaitlyn didn’t and she still couldn’t tell him or the others, that she is pregnant. And funnily enough she holds particularly to Micah an emotional, as well as a physical distance, which was never so big, as in this time.

Also Micah reveals only too little about him or he didn’t makes obvious steps toward Kaitlyn, what I found a great pity. And then suddenly there came the big revelation and from one second to the other, there also came the big, inexplicable turn in their love relationship; when the action all around Shawn and his bad underground organization tapers to a point and the quick and above all complete turnabout of the relationship of Micah and Kaitlyn takes place, which was for me too quickly and also a little illogical.
For weeks there was no real conversation between the two main characters and suddenly Micah is a completely other person and devote all love to Kaitlyn, with all consequences and relations. And what is Kaitlyn doing? Of course not the right thing! And this happens not only in this situation, but also throughout the whole book and particularly at the end, I wanted to punch or shake her so long till she comes to her senses again. Unfortunately a reader can’t intervene in the events of books and thus I was left watching her decisions silently and despairing.

Of course in this part there aren’t only bad things between Micah and Kaitlyn, but there were also really some good, very romantic and crackling scenes of them, which could also score with eroticism. But nevertheless, I’ve not liked the end at all. I almost wanted to start crying or scream or smash something – which on the other side, however show here, that I was completely taken by the characters and that I’ve felt and suffered with them. And that characters not always act like we readers wishes for, is natural, because people also often don’t act like they should. Therefore you could say that the characters and the plot course were realistic and authentic; with people, which make mistakes, act illogically or aren’t perfect and learn from it – hopefully! 😉

What has disturbed me also, beside these points, was the fact that the middle section was to be read a little tenaciously. For me the part with Alex was too extended and drown-out, and in overall the second part couldn’t hold the same tension and speed, like ‘Water’.

As I’ve already mentioned, I’m not happy with the end of the second book at all, and the only bright spot is, that I hope and know, that the author will give us a positive and reasonable end after the fourth part – so, at least we still have two more books, for which we can looking forward to and I really hope sooo much, that after all the up and downs, we’ll get our deserved happy-ending!

Cover:
The cover is again just beautiful and is limited on what is important in the book and what it is about – the element and the ability of handling it.

All in all:
A must-read for all fans of fantasy books which deal with the strength of the elements and which have already read book 1 – it goes on interesting and we still can be glad about two more parts, which will bring us more tension and sizzle.

Rating:
3 of 5 points (I liked it)

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Succession:

# 1: Terra Harmony – Water »»
# 2: Terra Harmony – Air »»
# 3: Terra Harmony – Fire
# 4: Terra Harmony – Earth

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(© goodreads)

About the author – Terra Harmony:
Terra is a debut author, and currently has her first full length novel, ‚Water‘, published. Water is a contemporary eco-fantasy and the first book of a four book series called ‚The Akasha Series‘. The next book, ‚Air‘ will be released mid-February in 2012.
Terra also has a vampire short story anthology. The first two books of ‚The Kindred Curse Anthology‘, ‚Gleaming White‘ and ‚Streaks of Red‘ are self-published as e-books. Three more short stories will follow to complete the anthology. Terra was born and raised in Colorado but has since lived in California, Texas, Utah, North Carolina and Virginia. Terra has served a 5½ year enlistment in the Marine Corp, has earned her bachelor’s and master’s degree and presently runs the language services division of a small business.
Terra currently lives in a suburb of Washington, DC with her husband of 13 years and three children. (Source: Goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »»

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[Review] Bayou Moon

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German Cover

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‚Bayou Moon‘ by Ilona Andrews

The Edge # 2
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Synopsis:
Cerise Mar and her unruly clan are cash poor but land rich, claiming a large swathe of the Mire, the Edge swamplands between the state of Louisiana and the Weird. When her parents vanish, her clan’s long-time rivals are suspect number one.
But all is not as it seems. Two nations of the Weird are waging a cold war fought by feint and espionage, and their conflict is about to spill over into the Edge—and Cerise’s life . William, a changeling soldier who left behind the politics of the Weird, has been forced back into service to track down a rival nation’s spymaster.
When William’s and Cerise’s missions lead them to cross paths, sparks fly—but they’ll have to work together if they want to succeed…and survive. (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
Maybe some of you can remember how much I liked and how much enthusiastic I was about the first book of Andrews’ series ‘The Edge’ and therefore I hardly couldn’t wait to read the second part, particularly because I also was already a fan of William in the first book, and secondly because I read it together with a blogger-friend in a reading-circle, which meant more fun for me or both of us. 🙂
But here in spite of all that, this book has disappointed me a little, although it’s not recognizable at the first sight, because of the average rating.

All in all it’s also not bad, and also better than other books I’ve already read so far, but if I compare it to part one, here it lacked at some places.
First of all I’ve only got very haltingly in the story and it was at first also a little bit too long-breathed to me. The surrounding area was described too detailed, many new characters were introduced and to be honest, I’ve only waited for the time, when the two central characters William and Cerise meet each other. And when they finally did it, then I even haven’t really recognized it immediately, but I don’t want to say much about it, otherwise I would spoil a lot. 😉

And although also here these two characters have fitted greatly together, I just couldn‘t feel with them, as I did with Declan and Rose in the first book. This is probably due to the fact, that both characters are very determined, stubborn and like to look out for others and rather do something to defeat the ‘bad guys’, instead of take care for their own feelings, or just identify them. Unfortunately, hence it’s also clear, that here aren’t many romantic scenes and even in the second book there is even less fun and humor in it, than in the predecessor. What I found both a great pity, particularly the abstinence of the big feelings and the pleasant prickle in the belly, when the characters fall in love with each other. Okay, yes, it was also quite nice every now and then, but the big feelings were missing.

The second point, which has led to less joy of reading, was that Andrews were very often changed between the narrative perspective, which wouldn’t have disturbed me so much, if it had been only between William and Cerise, but unfortunately many other characters also got a chance to speak. Here not only from the good figures, but also every now and then from the enemies of the story, which was for me extremely unnecessary, because these chapters revealed no important revelations, but only made the book thicker. Here it would have been better to shorten the book by some chapter and to write it exclusively from the point of the main characters – I really would have liked that more. Furthermore also the certain spark has been absent anyhow all the time and as already said, some pages in it were unnecessary and described too detailed.
Also the plot couldn’t grab me like in the first part and often the pages got filled with too many details. Added to that comes that also the description of this surrounding area in the middle of the marsh brought an unwell feeling to me and the portrayal and the world in the first part of the ‘Edge-series’ were for me much better and more pleasant.

And now we are already at the end, which has allowed me to finish this book happy and peacefully. If you haven’t read the book yet, then please stop reading now, because – SPOILER ALERT –

I namely found absolutely great, that at the end it has worked with these two, although they are both stubborn as hell, and hence it was also really sweet, as her father has helped them a little. Moreover it was very nice that I could read how the life goes on now for them in the Weird, now that they’ve settled down there. And it was even better to hear that they live close to Rose and Declan and that also the children Jack, George, Gaston and Lake spend time together. Everything sounds very peaceful and like a nice, lovely family-life with friends and exactly that, the figures have earned, after all the strains. Hence this end was perfect for me and I found it absolutely cute! 🙂

German Cover:
Also here the cover is again a feast for the eyes and I like the picture very much, although it has little relation to the plot.

All in all:
Unfortunately part two is a little weaker than the great first book, but I’m sure, that this series still has to offer a lot and that the next book will fulfill my full expectation again. Andrews simply knows how to write exciting, amorous books and therefore I remain loyal to her. 🙂

Rating:
3 of 5 points – (I liked it)

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A huge Thanks for the reviewer’s copy to:

Egmont Lyx

 

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Succession:
# 1: Ilona Andrews – On the Edge »»
# 2: Ilona Andrews – Bayou Moon »»
# 3: Ilona Andrews – Fate’s Edge
# 4: Ilona Andrews – Steel’s Edge

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(© goodreads)

About the author – Ilona Andrews:
Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade.  (Source: goodreads.com)

Visit the Website »».

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[Review] On the Edge

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German Cover

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‚One the Edge‘
by Ilona Andrews

The Edge # 1
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Synopsis:
Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, between the world of the Broken (where people drive cars, shop at Wal-Mart, and magic is a fairy tale) and the Weird (where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny). Only Edgers like Rose can easily travel from one world to the next, but they never truly belong in either.
Rose thought if she practiced her magic, she could build a better life for herself. But things didn’t turn out how she planned, and now she works a minimum wage, off the books job in the Broken just to survive. Then Declan Camarine, a blueblood noble straight out of the deepest part of the Weird, comes into her life, determined to have her (and her power)…
(Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
To be honest at the beginning I had a few problems with this book. Particularly the writing style was not mine and was for me a little bit too rough and intricate. In addition all the things, with the whole magic and the different worlds like the Edge or the Weird, were complicated explained at first and too much for me to comprehend all at once, so that I’ve already dreaded the worst. The fear, that the book wouldn’t be something for me, luckily changed fast and as soon as also William and Declan appeared in the story, there was no more hold for me and I just had to read on as quickly as possible, because I was so motivated!
I have read till late hours in the night and was finished with the book after 1 ½ days, because I couldn’t put it aside! *lol* And I think this fact already shows how much I’ve liked it later on and how moving and exciting it got throughout the course.

Beside the fascinating action I‘ve especially liked the matchless characters. Most of all Rose; independent and good-heart, she takes care self-sacrificing of her two younger brothers, who are rascally and ‘a sly old dog’. But Rose is also headstrong, can dish out, as well can take it and represents fiercely her opinion. To it fits perfectly the male character, called Declan, who drives her nuts over and over again and quarrels playfully with her. I’ve found them both together with each other delightful and they fit together magnificently, although they fight over and over again. Especially THIS was the right charm and has brought me often to smile.
Also the love scenes were great and suited the story and maybe I’m a little tainted, because I would have wished for more of it or for longer erotic scenes. But maybe in the next book! 😉

Moreover the plot wasn’t foreseeable for me, like it is often for me with other books, and what has pleased me very much and has increased my reading pleasure. Also the whole points with the magic were clearly explained after the time, so that I could always follow and the plot curve grow on and on up to the end, up to the final highlight. I liked the book, the action and the characters. It was first-class and, hence it gets 4.5 points. The 0.5 point deductions are on account of the writing manner and because of the sometimes rough explanation, particularly at the beginning.

!! Little SPOILER!!

Relating to William, another important character in the story, I was glad like it has developed with him in the end. I liked it that I did not know exactly what he’ up to and on which side he stands and whether he plays on the good or the bad side. Very, very thrilling!
I found him really great and hence I’m already very glad that I know that the second part is about him and I hope that there he also gets his happy end. 🙂

Cover:
The English cover doesn’t appeal to me at all and I would also never have read it on account of that. While in comparison the German cover is really nice, but it rather looks like a YA book cover, which it’s definitely not! 😉

All in all:
This is an exciting, magic story, which kidnapped me into a completely other world full of wonders and miracles, but also dangers. For fans of supernatural things, fantasy-lovers and for those, who appreciate a well built man’s body! 😉

Rating:
4,5 of 5 points – (soo awesome)

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A huge Thanks for the reviewer’s copy to:

Egmont Lyx

.Quotes:

Rose: „Give me a few minutes.”
Declan: “You have time.” He sat in the grass.
“Are you just going to sit there and watch me?”
“Yes. Watching pretty peasant girls is what we poor little rich boys do best.”
“Peasant?”
He shrugged. “You started the name calling.“
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„She handed him a glass of water and two Aleve gelcaps. “They’re anti-inflammatories. They will dull the pain a little bit and keep down swelling and redness. Swallow the pills, don’t chew.”
“Well, I thought I’d stick them into my nose and impersonate a walrus, but if you insist, I’ll swallow them.“
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Declan: „You’re a prickly, stubborn, spirited woman.”
Rose: “Don’t forget crude, rude, and vulgar.”
“Only when it suits you. You’re sly when occasion calls for it, direct to the point of forgetting tact even exists, sarcastic, fierce, I did mention stubborn, didn’t I?”
“Yes,” she said dryly.
“You’re also smart, kind, gentle, beautiful, and always cling to your personal integrity, even when it’s in your best interests to abandon it.“

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Succession:

# 1: Ilona Andrews – On The Edge »»
# 2: Ilona Andrews – Bayou Moon »»
# 3: Ilona Andrews – Fate’s Edge
# 4: Ilona Andrews – Steel’s Edge

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(© goodreads)

About the author – Ilona Andrews:
Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade.  (Source: goodreads.com)

Visit the Website »».

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Review: Torn

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‚Torn‘ #1
by Erica O’Rourke

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Synopsis:
Everyone has secrets. Even best friends.
Mo Fitzgerald knows about secrets. But when she witnesses her best friend’s murder, she discovers Verity was hiding things she never could have guessed. To find the answers she needs and the vengeance she craves, Mo—quiet, ordinary, unmagical Mo—will have to enter a world of raw magic and shifting alliances. And she’ll have to choose between two very different, equally dangerous guys—protective, duty-bound Colin and brash, mysterious Luc. One wants to save her, one wants to claim her. Which would you choose?
(Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
Reviews for average books are always the most difficult ones to write – as well as it’s also with the book ‘Torn’. But this fits equally well on the subject, because this story is about an average girl, or about one that tries everything to remain invisible and ordinary.

Where we got already to the storyline, all around Mo (Maura) who has up to now quite well managed to remain in the background – silently, quietly and nice – as long as, until her best friend and the luminous star in her life is killed before her eyes. But not from ‘normal’ humans, but from some supernatural beings. With what it’s immediately clear for the reader that this book is about fantasy, but which Mo isn’t able to admit to herself for a long time, and therefore at first it’s a little dull and the author ‘beats about the bush’. I think not until at the half of the book finally some questions get answered, which the readers could already make sense of from the beginning by themselves. Unfortunately, the same one happens not only with the fantasy aspect, but also with the conclusions from it. But also the family story and the business of her uncle Billy were no surprise for me, as well as the thing with two guys.

Yes, you’ve read correctly – Mo: a quiet, insignificant, average girl, not especially attractive, never had a real boyfriend before, gets suddenly the attention of TWO really hot guys and I can only ask myself ‘Why?‘
For me Mo doesn’t have many aspects which they would make her special or particular. She whines a lot, doesn’t manage the loss of her friend – what is also understandable – but it is not quite clear, why she now constantly tries everything to act like her friend Verity would have, or why she suddenly wants to be so much like her and nevertheless feels always like the seconds quality. Mo also often cries, is constantly unconfident and has several long monologues which fill the pages and where I often could only roll my eyes.

To my luck there were these two hot guys in the book with whom the author has taken more care to describe them positively, even if it often happened by the portrayal of the external attributes. Nevertheless I liked Colin and Luc much better than Mo and I hope to read even more about them. The irritating thing is only that Mo has to kiss both guys – yeah, because she’s so shy – and therefore it was difficult to get really embed with one of this two and make a choice between them.
At least Mo changed a little till to the end and luckily became more snappish, headstrong and didn’t put up with everything anymore and stood up to herself and her decisions. A plus factor for this change, which was really necessary.

Unfortunately the writing style wasn’t my taste, because I felt that it was written very simply and sometimes a little bumpy. Whereat the normal text passages were still okay, but the dialogues didn’t work at all. The chats and the dialogues were often absolutely without any connection and they sometimes showed little sense to me. Not only, the answers to some questions or indications, but also in the middle of a dialogue of a person. For example, at first Mo says something to Luc, something personal, and then she changes from that to a completely other subject – so fast, that I became dizzy.
And there were also sometimes word repetitions and some stuff in the book unfortunately seemed to me like a raw version, instead like a real finished book.

Cover:
The German cover is really nice and an eye-catcher with the blurred people on it. In comparison I don’t like the English version at all.

All in all:
It was a good idea with the magic and four elements, which the author had here but unfortunately it lacked in the conversion. Also this love triangle is more than unnecessary and I hope that these points will improve in the next part.

Rating:
2,5 of 5 points – (It was okay)
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A huge THANKS for the reviewer’s copy to:

© Random House

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Succession:

#1:  Erica O’Rourke – Torn »»
#2:  Erica O’Rourke – Tangled
#3:  Erica O’Rourke – Bound (dt. Titel unbekannt)
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Success.

(© goodreads)

About the author – Erica O’Rourke:
What she says about herself:
„I write books about girls who make their own fate and fall for boys they shouldn’t.
I live outside Chicago. I like to travel but I’ll never really leave this city.
I prefer cookies to cake (even cupcakes), television to movies, and autumn to all the other seasons.
I like sushi, naps, coffee, and driving stick shift.
I hate fish, emoticons, bridges, and talking about myself..“
(Source: goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »»

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Review: Skin Hunger

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‚Skin Hunger‘ by Kathleen Duey

A Resurrection of Magic #1
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Synopsis:
Sadima lives in a world where magic has been banned, leaving poor villagers prey to fakes and charlatans. A „magician“ stole her family’s few valuables and left Sadima’s mother to die on the day Sadima was born. But vestiges of magic are hidden in old rhymes and hearth tales and in people like Sadima, who conceals her silent communication with animals for fear of rejection and ridicule. When rumors of her gift reach Somiss, a young nobleman obsessed with restoring magic, he sends Franklin, his lifelong servant, to find her. Sadima’s joy at sharing her secret becomes love for the man she shares it with. But Franklin’s irrevocable bond to the brilliant and dangerous Somiss traps her, too, and she faces a heartbreaking decision. (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
I must confess that I didn’t know that book before I’ve started to read it, and hence, I’ve simply let surprised me. And I didn’t get disappointed. Right at the beginning I’ve liked the writing style of Duey very much and I could get into it well and nicely. The book was written in the past. What was very great and has also confused me a little in the beginning was the fact that not all chapters were written in the same perspective, but they rotated.

Moreover, the time line wasn’t only simply linear like in any other book, but also the time switches. There is virtually a story which plays in the past and tells the background story and how it happened that it has come to the present-state. Okay, I’ve to confess this was a little bewildering at first, but it also has carried me away immediately and it was therefore so thrilling that I almost couldn’t put aside the book. These points were absolutely the biggest fascination of the book for me.

Beside these, also the central figure, called Samida, was a highlight of the book and she could win me for herself very fast, as well as after some time the character Haph, for whom I’ve felt endlessly sorry. Also I’ve liked Franklin at the beginning of the book very much because of his friendly kind and his natural, helpful being. Unfortunately he couldn’t really grow within the book or for me he has even changed at some points to the negative.

And unfortunately the same happened with the whole book. Not that the writing style have gotten worse or such a thing but the plot was from time to time too stretched in the length, although it didn’t happened a lot in those chapters. Occasionally I had the feeling, as if something will immediately happen, some kind of highlight or such a thing, but that never came.

The arc of suspense simply decreased again. In addition was that the characters have also slipped into some roles, in which I didn’t really want to see them. For example Franklin became rather weaker than stronger throughout the story, and in my opinion he hasn’t grown at all or has changed to the positive. It was rather in a way that he was completely guided only by Somiss, another central figure, and has operated for me too less independently, so that I wanted to shake him sometimes to wake him up. It was exactly what also Samida wanted to do with him or she also wanted to free herself from him, to put her own luck into focus again, but unfortunately, she didn’t made it.

Now I really hope that this relatively open end, with raised many questions, soon gets a better second book, in which will be also some answers and in which the characters can grow again. Because I think that this phase, in which they characters couldn’t be themselves and where their hands were virtually bound, will be important for the future, their maturation process and the general plot. Hence I’m curious how this series will go on and therefore I’m looking forward to also read the next books.

Cover:
I find the cover very suitably for this story, because it shows Samida well, but also doesn’t reveal too much from her. Moreover it suits to the magic atmosphere in the book and hence I think it’s really felicitous.

All in all:
It’s an interesting book which has brought me to ponder and has carried me away much particularly at the beginning. Unfortunately there have been some weaker phases in the meantime. Nevertheless a must read for fans of Magic and High fantasy or also for readers of for example Trudi Canavan.

Rating:
3 of 5 points – (I liked it)
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A huge THANKS for the reviewer’s copy to:

© Random House

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(© goodreads)

About the author – Kathleen Duey:
Kathleen Duey grew up in Colorado. She loved riding her horses, hiking, being in the mountains. Reading was always important to her. Writing became a fascination early in her life. In the fourth grade, Kathleen began writing stories and told everyone who would listen that she was going to be an author. Then she did nothing about it until she was 35 years old. In the last decade, Kathleen has learned about computers, the internet, research and writing. Writing is her passion and her dream-come-true. She is in love and feels lucky to have a such a wonderful and loving partner in her life.
(Source: goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »»

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Review: Water

(© goodreads)

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‚Water‚ by
Terra Harmony

The Akasha Series # 1

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Synopsis:
All of the elemental powers are in the palm of her hand…and it won’t be enough to save her. When Kaitlyn Alder is involuntarily introduced to a life of magic, she becomes part of an organization hell-bent on saving the Earth. Just as her new-found life holds promises of purpose, romance, and friendship, the organization divides and a rogue member holds Kaitlyn hostage. Now one of the most terrifying men the human race has to offer stands between her and Earth’s survival. (Quelle: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
This book was a quite roller coaster of my feelings, as well of my enthusiasm for it. I have won it at a Giveaway on a Blog and I started to read it without any informing what it is about exactly. At first it was very difficult to come into the story, because it begins right in the middle and I had no clue who the protagonist was, where she was and in which world the whole story played. I got the information presented only in little pieces, and after the first confusion vanished and some essential questions were answered, I started to like the plot better and better.

It also took some time for me to get into the writing style of the author because she prefers to use short, concise sentences which are equipped with traits to describe the scenery and also the feelings. Because I have read the book in English, it was sometimes hard to follow, especially at the beginning when everything was explained with the earth, the organization and her power. But then with the help of the translation of my Sony reader it was also no problem. 😉 And later I’ve even liked this style of writing because thereby the action was driven and a rapid history was presented.

Furthermore a thing I liked in this book very much, and which is the reason I think the book should earn 5 points, is the fact that the author also addressed to the environmental topic and cared for things like clean water and topics alike. Not only that this problem was brought up, but I also caught myself thinking about these things and I believe this is a very good and wonderful fact which lets me wish that many others will read this book as well.

Now I want to go on to the characters and I can say that I’ve found once more a book in which almost every character persuades me or where they appeared real and likeable and weren’t constantly whiny like characters in other books … here they managed to face their destinies and to stand up against.
The main character Kaitlyn is really quite tough and scalded by which she perhaps could come out a little too hard or too unapproachable, but with her humor and inner attitude she compensates that. Not only that she had already to bear the death of her parents, now she finds out what her true nature is and masters all obstacles and tests which are put in her way just courageously and with a sympathetically sarcasm, which win everybody over.
Also the male part in the story has a quite attractive and sexy representative called Micah who scores with his determination and callousness, thereby he sometimes also goes too far and shocks the readers, but which makes this complex character only more interesting. And also his green, to enchanting-eyes, are another ‘dot-on-the-i’, which nobody can defend oneself and which makes me wish that Kaitlyn and Micah find to each other in the end.

This all would have been the positive things, but I would also like to come briefly to the facts which didn’t work completely for me. The first point is that I would have wished for more interpersonal dialogues of Kaitlyn and Micah. Even if they were physically very intimate with each other, I’ve missed the scenes in which they were speaking about it or in which I could also sense Micah’s feelings towards Kaitlyn. Sometimes he simply was too cold for me in dealing with Kaitlyn and I would also have wished for the end that he suffers with her that he despaired and that he desperately searched for her or that afterwards he got furious and wounded because of the behavior and doings of his‚ supposed’ friend.
On top of that some things in the book went on pretty fast and although I am a fan of rapid actions, I have not liked it here that sometimes several days or weeks passed without I got to know exactly what had happened with the characters in the meantime. For my taste there were too many gaps which I would have liked to see filled with interactions of the characters. I have missed all that somehow and moreover, the end didn’t left me with a contented sigh, but with open questions for which I crave and hope to get them answered satisfyingly in the second part.

Nevertheless, this book has more than excelled my prospects because the characters have convinced me and were likeable and attractive and the book was an absolutely ‘page-turner’ which I couldn’t put aside any which I read incredibly fast. Keep it up … I want more! Oh yes, a few more precise and more ‚special‘ scenes wouldn’t be bad as well! 😉

Cover:
A wonderful cover which couldn’t fit the title and the contents of the book any better. However, I’m usually a fan of water or water-drop pictures and here it is especially beautiful.

All in all:
Water is definitively a book I like to recommend and which made me want to read more books from the author and also in this series.

Rating:
3,5 of 5 points (I really liked it)

Quotes:

Micah: „You can’t imagine how much I regret what happened. For some reason, because
of the type of relationship we had, I thought it was an acceptable training exercise; albeit a little extreme. But I’m not going to ask your forgiveness, I don’t want it. I mean to always remember my mistake, so I will never make it again.“

He stepped forward and took the butterfly hanging around my neck between his two fingers: „This will remind me, both of my mistake and how much I care for you.“ He took another step closer so we were only inches apart, and his hand moved to the back of my shoulder where Shawn’s mark still scarred my skin. „And I hope this will never heal. It will remind me to never take anything for granted; other people’s intentions, your safety, or . . . you.“

Micah: „Come, on. Let’s get you out of here.” He began putting his arms under me and lifted me off my bed of rocks.
Kaitlyn: “Oh, no. You can’t just come trotting in here like some hero. I’m saving myself this time. Go away!”
Micah: “And let me just say you were doing a fine job lying there on your back.”

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Succession:

# 1: Terra Harmony – Water »»
# 2: Terra Harmony – Air »»
# 3: Terra Harmony – Fire
# 4: Terra Harmony – Earth
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(© goodreads)

About the author – Terra Harmony:

Terra is a debut author, and currently has her first full length novel, ‚Water‘, published. Water is a contemporary eco-fantasy and the first book of a four book series called ‚The Akasha Series‘. The next book, ‚Air‘ will be released mid-February in 2012.
Terra also has a vampire short story anthology. The first two books of ‚The Kindred Curse Anthology‘, ‚Gleaming White‘ and ‚Streaks of Red‘ are self-published as e-books. Three more short stories will follow to complete the anthology. Terra was born and raised in Colorado but has since lived in California, Texas, Utah, North Carolina and Virginia. Terra has served a 5½ year enlistment in the Marine Corp, has earned her bachelor’s and master’s degree and presently runs the language services division of a small business.
Terra currently lives in a suburb of Washington, DC with her husband of 13 years and three children. (Source: Goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »»

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Review: Nightshade (en.)

English Cover

German Cover

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‚Nightshade‚
by Andrea Cremer

Nightshade # 1

Synopsis:
Calla is the alpha female of a shape-shifting wolf pack. She is destined to marry Ren Laroche, the pack’s alpha male. Together, they would rule their pack together, guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But then, Calla saves a beautiful human boy, who captures her heart. Calla begins to question everything – her fate, her existence, and her world and the orders the Keepers have asked her to follow. She will have to make a choice. But will she follow her heart if it means losing everything, including her own life? (Source: goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
One cannot explain love; it simply happens and also often contradicts the general laws and rules which one usually obeys. The same happened for me with this book! Some things should have disturbed me or should have stopped my enthusiasm for this book, but this didn’t happen. I love this book, I adore it, and I’m also too amazed about that fact, that I can’t explain it properly.
The story about the guards and about Calla begins in the middle of the action when she saves the life of a stranger whom, we learn to know and to love in the further plot as Shay.

The fact that Calla is a guard, which means in this book that she can change into a wolf, should have deterred me immediately, because I am rather the vampire’s type and usually not a fan of werewolves. Actually, I was a little troubled when the conscious hit me that the book is about werewolves, but to my surprise I found the plot and the background story of the wolves herd in this book extremely interesting and absolute differently told. Moreover I love the wonderful writing style of Cremer. With her writing style one notice that she has studied history and, hence, she puts in also some old knowledge and partially also lovely phrases. But on the other hand she also adds shorter sentences in between which provides a lighthearted and quick read.

And also the characters in this book have completely convinced me and I could immediately build up a connection with them, particularly to the central figures, which are called Calla, Shay, Ansel and in the later also to Renier, in short Ren. In spite of a great number of characters, which are important for the action, Cremer has managed it magnificently to press unique stamps to every character and to show them all different in their personalities, abilities and also quirks. Awesome!
Even if Calla, untouched in sexual regards on account of a strict law because she is the female alpha, reacts sometimes a little bit too much to the touches or to the secret kisses of the two guys and thereby it was irritating at times, but Calla is still likeable and most of the time just great. Here it only disturbed me that there was once again a love triangle, which seems to happen unfortunately now all the time in YA books. Though, in the defense of this book I have to admit that I was also torn between the boys Ren and Shay by myself and, therefore, it wasn’t so annoying like in other books. As I said, at the moment I also don’t know which of this two guys I would choose and I just can’t decide, which only shows the quality of Cremer’s character building.

Shay is good-natured, intelligent, but also a very humorous guy with whom a lighthearted time is conceivable; easily like a spring breeze. By contrast Ren is the passionate, explosive, but not less intelligent male alpha, who hides his insecurity towards Calla behind his macho’s affected behavior. His appearance is more subtle in regard to his feelings for Calla and one note only by the end of the book how important Calla really is for him, while Shay looks at her already from the beginning with lovesick eyes.

Therefore, I am very curious about the next book and I just want to get my hands on the second book as fast as I can to continue my reading in this fabulous new series, which I just LOVE! In my opinion the book has almost nothing that disturbed me but was continuously thrilling, tingling and it was an absolutely addicted-making reading pleasure and it is a book which I will read over and over again with high satisfaction.

Cover:
One of the most beautiful covers I’ve seen for a long time. I like the picture on it which is absolute adorable. And it looks like Calla and how I imagine here, and I also love the highlight of the eye and the letters with the blood drop.

All in all:
An absolutely reading recommendation for all YA and fantasy lovers and also for those who usually don’t like werewolves. It is worth to risk a glance in the book, because the plot and the characters will bewitch everyone.

Rating:
5 of 5 points

Quotes:

Ren: “Tell me you’ll come back for the pack. For me.” His eyes were bright with tears. “I don’t want to lose you.”

Calla: “Ansel, I’m not the sun, stop orbiting and get in here.”

Shay: “You do realize you just mixed Disney metaphors, right? Disney metaphors. Wow, Calla, now I’m just sad for you.”

Shay: “Are you going to apologize for slapping me?‘ 
Calla: ‚No.‘  Shay: „I didn’t think so,‘ he said.”..

Succession:

# 1: Andrea Cremer – Nightshade »
# 2: Andrea Cremer – Wolfsbane »
# 3: Andrea Cremer – Bloodrose

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copyright: Gina Monroe

About the author – Andrea Cremer:

Andrea Cremer spent her childhood daydreaming while roaming the forests and lakeshores of Northern Wisconsin. She now lives in Minnesota, but she thinks of her homeland as the “Canadian Shield” rather than the Midwest.
Andrea has always loved writing and has never stopped writing, but she only recently plunged into the deep end of the pool that is professional writing. When she’s not writing, Andrea is a professor of history at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota.”
Her debut novel is NIGHTSHADE, her first book of a YA fantasy series.
(Source: http://www.andreacremer.com/index.html )

Visit her Website »»

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Review: The Magician’s Guild

(© goodreads)

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‚The Magician’s Guild‘
by
Trudi Canavan

Black Magician Trilogy # 1

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Synopsis:
A young poor girl discovers, in a world where the might of magic is only keeped to some privileged men and women, that she also have magic in herself. Scared of the other magicians she is forced to hide herself from the magicians guild, because she doesn’t know that she’s able to harm herself and others around her, if she loses the control of her own magic powers…

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My thoughts about the book:
This book was recommended by a friend and I really had no expectation when I started it. I only though I would give it a try but thought it won’t be really my type of the right genre. BUT – that wasn’t true – I really liked it.
It was really a good book with the right portion of magic, not too much or too less, and it even had a great story behind with likeable characters. The way the story was told was great- I was feeling sorry for the main character Sonea- I felt with her and hoped for her, and thats what I love about reading books- (so mission completed*lol*).
I liked the story twisting in it and there where hardly pages which dragged, it was almost always thrilling and exciting. And I have to say, I admire Sonea, because she’s a tough and honest and decent person and she is brave and act always thoughtful. As well Rothen – he’s a fine and funny character as well and I really liked most of the characters in it – though, not Fergun 🙂
The writing style by Canavan was nice and good to read, not very complicated. All in all a nice and enjoyable read. Why I rated it only with 3,5 stars is because the story had a bit more potential in it and I have great hopes for the further coming books.

Cover:
Nice and the picture is matched to the plot – it gives you the right feeling to dive into magic and other worlds.

All in all:
Good start in a new magic world with a worthy prelude for a new great fantasy series by Trudi Canavan.

Rating:
3 of 5 points

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Succession:

# 1: Canavan Trudi – The Magicians Guild
# 2: Canavan Trudi – The Novice
# 3: Canavan Trudi – The High Lord
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