My Soul to Save (Review)

Soul Screamers: My Soul to Save | Rachel Vincent

Published by: Mira Ink, January 1st 2011

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Mythology

Pages: 362

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

When Kaylee Cavanaugh screams, someone dies.

So when teen pop star Eden croaks onstage and Kaylee doesn’t wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can’t cry for someone who has no soul.

The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad’s ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend’s loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls: a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld—a consequence they can’t possibly understand.

Kaylee can’t let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk...

My Soul to Take was a total shock to me because I never expected it to be good - it was overhyped and marketted to Twilight fans like every other book released around that time - but it was awesome. So I expected the same level of awesome from this, the second book. And while it wasn't quite as good, and I didn't love it as much, I still really enjoyed it. 

These books are emotional and creepy, dark with a comic lightness, and Nash is super hot. The story is completely unique and I loved the look into the Netherworld we got, but I didn't connect with or care about Addison so I wasn't really invested in the story. WHICH makes me thing I will love the next book much more because it's about Nash and I will literally flip at any danger posed to him. (Should be fun.)

Characters ★★★★☆

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing Style ★★★☆☆

Reading round up (45)

Reading round up is a weekly journal where I record my daily reading progress, my thoughts on each book as I read it, and any books I've acquired during the week. I've been hella sick this week.

22nd September

I started A Breath of Frost by Alyxandra Harvey (20%). I haven't read any of Harvey's other books but I LOVE LOVE LOVE this already and it was so hard to put the book down so I could sleep. It totes reminds me of Illusions of Fate, as I was told it would. (I'm getting tired of redhead protagonists though, and this coming from a natural ginger)

23rd September

Currently reading: A Breath of Frost by Alyxandra Harvey

Current page/percent: 51%

Read today: 71%

Thoughts: This book is awesome.

24th September

Finished A Breath of Frost (29% read) and it was awesome and creepy. And since Unmade ISN'T FRICKING HERE (despite being told I'd be one of the first people to read it - bullshit) I've started My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent (19 pages read).

25th September

Currently reading: My Soul to Save | Rachel Vincent

Current page/percent: page 150

Read today: 131 pages

Thoughts: I am literally going to KILL Tod. Jeez. Just let my OTP get it on, already!

26th September

Currently reading: My Soul to Save | Rachel Vincent

Current page/percent: page 222

Read today: 72 pages

Thoughts: My neighbours were being shitty with loud music today so I could concentrate on nothing. Those 72 pages were a miracle.

27th September

Currently reading: My Soul to Save | Rachel Vincent

Current page/percent: 362

Read today: 140 pages

Thoughts: Can totally see where next book's plot comes from. Also the Fiends are creepy as fuck. Didn't love this book as much as the first because I wasn't invested in Addison's story but it was still pretty good.

28th September

I'm horribly sick and don't want to read Unmade because I won't enjoy it as much if I'm shitty. So I'm reading The Walled City (16% read) by Ryan Graudin and I don't actually like it. I thought I would like it.

Books finished this week: 2

 Unmade | Sarah Rees Brennan

Do I even need to explain why I bought this? One of my favourite series ever.

 True Calling | Siobhan Davis
Because SPACE.

TheWandering finally released and you can get it on amazon, B&N, ibooks, and smashwords. Search 'Saruuh Kelsey'.

Emma Sulkowicz continues to be my hero.

A Breath of Frost (Review)

The Lovegrove Legacy: A Breath of Frost | Alyxandra Harvey

Published by: Walker Children's, January 7th 2014

Genre: YA, Historical, Paranormal + witches

Pages: 496

Format: Ebook

Source: Purchased

In 1814, three cousins—Gretchen, Emma, and Penelope—discover their family lineage of witchcraft when a binding spell is broken, allowing their individual magical powers to manifest. Now, beyond the manicured gardens and ballrooms of Regency London, an alluring underworld available only to those with power is revealed to the cousins. By claiming their power, the three cousins have accidentally opened the gates to the underworld. 

Now ghouls, hellhounds—and most terrifying of all, the spirits of dark witches known as the Greymalkin Sisters—are hunting and killing young debutante witches for their powers. And, somehow, Emma is connected to the murders…because she keeps finding the bodies. 

Can the cousins seal the gates before another witch is killed…or even worse, before their new gifts are stripped away?

A Breath of Frost is one of those books I've seen everyone talking about and loving, but I was never sure if I'd personally like it. Had I known it was a book about Regency era witches, I'd have snapped this book up a hundred yesterdays ago. I'm serious. I LOVE the Regency era. And witches!

This book is wonderful and complex, packed with magic and secrets, heartbreak and heartwarming love. The story is energetic and genuine, the magic so flawlessly blended with the historical period that it's impossible not to fall for A Breath of Frost. I loved the characters (Penelope became my fave) and the romance and the general tone of the book. The ghosts were cool, the spooky old house was cool, the murders were cool. The only problem I have with it is that I didn't wait to read it until it was Halloween.

A perfect Halloween read if ever I saw one. Recommend to everyone.

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing Style ★★★★☆

---

"Ladies did not punch. Ladies didn't have antlers either."

"'No one's coming for us.' Gretchen agreed. 'Shame, really. I tied a small dagger above my knee, just in case. It took forever to secure it properly. Stocking ribbons aren't very practical.'"

Trial By Fire (ARC Review)

Worldwalker Trilogy: Trial By Fire | Josephine Angelini

Published by: Macmillan children's books, August 28th 2014

Genre: YA, Fantasy + witches

Pages: 384

Format: Ebook

Source: Macmillan children's books, via Netgalley

The exhilaratingly seductive new series from the author of the bestselling Starcrossed series

Love burns. Worlds collide. Magic reigns.

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying many of the experiences that other teenagers take for granted...which is why she is determined to enjoy her first (and perhaps only) high-school party. But Lily's life never goes according to plan, and after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly Lily is in a different Salem - one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruellest of all the Crucibles is Lillian . . . Lily's identical other self in this alternate universe. This new version of her world is terrifyingly sensual, and Lily is soon overwhelmed by new experiences.

Lily realizes that what makes her weak at home is exactly what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. It also puts her life in danger. Thrown into a world she doesn't understand, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone, and a love she never expected.

But how can Lily be the saviour of this world when she is literally her own worst enemy?

Every man, woman, and their dog seems to be loving this book lately so I was pretty excited to read it. Unfortunately we hit it off pretty bad, me and Trial By Fire. The characters in the first few chapters were despicable, insufferable, and downright unlikeable. The story was disinteresting, and the setting didn't grip me one but. But I'm happy to say ALL of that changed when Lily went to the other world.

The other world was imaginative, well built, and an amalgamation of the typical old medieval style fantasy and new world technology. I LOVED how the world was explained, how it sprang into being ruled by witches and magic when the Salem witches were burned, not hung. I liked a lot of things about this book, mostly the story and the setting and the magic. The magic was so creative and felt new and old school at the same time. I really enjoyed the blend of new and old in this book.

The characters stayed pretty iffy with me though. While I grew to like Lily because of her bravery and guts, I never warmed to Tristan. And my relationship with Rowan was about as complicated as they came - one minute I was starting to like him, the next I aggressively hated him. I kept flipping between the two, like and hate, every few chapters. It was irritating but I have a feeling I'll eventually settle into liking him. Caleb was really the only character I started off and ended up liking.

All in all Trial By Fire was a great new take on the witch lore, with a unique story and an imaginative world, but I must say I think I'll like book two in this series much more than I like this one. I'm looking forward to book two and the continuation of Lily's story.

Characters ★★★☆☆

Setting/world building ★★★☆☆

Writing Style ★★★☆☆

---

(from galley:)

"I'm a witch. And witches burn."

"She wondered if this was what a dying star must feel like - never hotter than just before it goes supernova."

Halloween bingo + signups

Breaking news: I have an addiction to bingos. Actually this is probably not news. It's probably pretty obvious by now. But that's beside the point. I have created the ultimate of reading bingos: the Halloween bingo.

I took nine spooky things, put them in a square, and made them bookish. Feel free to share this on whatever social media is your thing and cajole your friends into joining.

Ghost

A book with ghosts

Witch

A book with witches

House

A book with a haunted (or creepy) house

Gravestones

A book with the dead (reanimated corpses, zombies etc.)

Spiderweb

Free square

Moon and Star

A gothic novel

Cat

A book with animals (shifters count for this square)

Bats

A horror novel

666

A book with a number in the title

Info:

This challenge runs from 1st October to 31st October

You can read absolutely anything, any genre, any age bracket, as long as it matches the square.

You can participate even if you don't have a blog - just tweet or tumblr or instagram your progress. (use the hashtag #halloweenbookbingo)

Sign ups close never.

Link up your progress on 31st October (check back here for the post) so everyone can see how you did.

Add your sign up post (or tweet) in the comments below, and if you've got any questions, just ask. I look forward to seeing all your spoooky reads!

~Saruuh

The Fall (ARC Review)

The Fall | Bethany Griffin

Published by: Greenwillow Books, October 7th 2014

Genre: YA, Gothic, Mystery

Pages: 400

Format: Ebook

Source: Greenwillow, via Edelweiss

Madeline Usher is doomed.

She has spent her life fighting fate, and she thought she was succeeding. Until she woke up in a coffin.

Ushers die young. Ushers are cursed. Ushers can never leave their house, a house that haunts and is haunted, a house that almost seems to have a mind of its own. Madeline’s life—revealed through short bursts of memory—has hinged around her desperate plan to escape, to save herself and her brother. Her only chance lies in destroying the house.

In the end, can Madeline keep her own sanity and bring the house down?The Fall is a literary psychological thriller, reimagining Edgar Allan Poe’s classic The Fall of the House of Usher.

The blurb says this book is psychological thriller, so after reading Feral I was extra excited for this. But it turned out to be a gothic novel. The tone of the book, the house, the villainous love interest, the curse, the creepy doctors in their tower ... yeah. Pure gothic. That's not to say I didn't like it, because I sorta did. Sorta.

I LOVE the atmosphere of this book, I like the writing, the set up, and I'm very fond of the premise. I love Poe so of course I would like this. I even liked the set up of the book, how it flipped between different years of Madeline's life but still managed to keep some semblance of sense. I was confused by the story but not by the book itself.

But that's where my like affair with this book ends. I was interested in the curse but I wasn't attached to any of the characters enough to wish for a cure. I liked the story enough to read the whole book but there wasn't enough oomph (can't think of another way to describe it) for me to be truly interested. The Fall was flat. It was on one level all the way through. I got bored several times but I wanted to reach the end to know what happened. But that ending - was it even an ending? I'm so miffed (though happy the dog was alright in the end.)

My favourite parts of this book were Lisbeth Usher's diary. Had The Fall had more of her parts, I might have liked it much more. To sum: an okay gothic novel with a creepy atmosphere.

(as a side note, I appreciated the inclusion of a same sex relationship, even if it was only hinted at)

Characters ★★☆☆☆

Setting/world building ★★★☆☆

Writing Style ★★★☆☆

Reading round up (44)

Reading round up is a weekly journal where I record my daily reading progress, my thoughts on each book as I read it, and any books I've acquired during the week. I am so tired this week.

15th September

Currently reading: Snow Like Ashes | Sara Raasch

Current page/percent: 43%

Read today: 22%

Thoughts: Theron is super hot and cute and alluring and I WANT ONE.

16th September

Currently reading: Snow Like Ashes | Sara Raasch

Current page/percent: 100%

Read today: 57%

Thoughts: The second half of this book is 100000000 times better than the first. Seriously warmed to Meira by the end and now deem her worthy of being with Theron my precious little cupcake.

17th September

I started The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff (171 pages read) because I feel wholly let down by the ending of the Wicked Lovely series and need more fae in my life, and this book is about a changeling. It's pretty alright so far. I like the feel of the book, and how music is a big part of Mackie's life - as it is mine. Mayhem is also creepy and eerie and I'm excited to meet the big bad!

18th September

Currently reading: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Current page/percent: page 242

Read today: 242 pages

Thoughts: This was pretty good at the beginning but now it's AWESOME. I am thoroughly in love with Wolf and I'm breezing through this book.

19th September

I had a hell of a day today. My laptop went down HORRIFICALLY. It took me a whole day to get it back up, and it's right in the four days I cannot possibly lose days. Fingers crossed I can still get my book out on time but it's looking bad. Anyway, with nothing else to do, I read 34% of Trial by Fire which I hated with a passion at first but I'm starting to like it a little now. I also read 17% of Killer of Enemies by Joseph Bruchac because Trial By Fire was driving me mad and I needed to break it up. 

Also it's National Hispanic Heritage month and I'm wanting to read something to acknowledge that, so if you have any recs PLEASE leave them in a comment below!

20th September

Who is that supposed to be on the Trial By Fire cover? Darling Rowan or Despicable Tristan? I read 14% of Trial by fire, taking me to 48% and another 7% of Killer of Enemies, which is getting tedious with all the fighting. I get that it's what this book is about but it's repetitive.

21st September

Finished Trial By Fire (52%) and the ending was pretty awesome, with a promising lead into the second book.

Books finished this week: 3

(Loooooooong week)

I've recently been making more of an effort to buy indie books, spurred on by my enjoyment of Terah Edun's novels among others. Books I would consider because the plot sounds awesome but then decide against because they were self published I've started giving a chance.

Here's what I bought:

 Become | Ali Cross

Missing Royal | Konstaz Silverbow
Of Sea And Stone | Kate Avery Ellison
Timber Wolves Trilogy | Tammy Blackwell

Heard good stuff about Ellison's books, and I've read the debut by Konstanz Silverbow and while I didn't enjoy it, I'm willing to give her books another chance. Also that cover is SO pretty. That first book is actually free so check it out. Also check out the last one as well - you can get the whole trilogy right now for less than a pound. It's CRAZY.

I started work on a book I've been wanting to find time to write for a while now and I'm loving it. I'll also have a short story in the Legend Mirror available to read soon for anyone interested.

I have very little other news this week but THE WANDERING IS OUT TOMORROW!!! Huzzah!