Review- The Thirteenth Chime

Title: The Thirteenth Chime
Author: Emma Michaels
Series: Sense of Truth #1
Publisher: Bokheim Publishing
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Purchased

HATRED NEVER DIES...

Destiny has finally found the life that she has always wanted. She is about to finish college, has a fiance that loves her, and a great summer on the West Coast planned with her friend, Stephanie. But her world is turned upside down when an antique clock mysteriously chimes thirteen times and someone attacks them, sending Stephanie and her mother to the hospital.

Alone, and without any help from the police, Destiny has no choice but to turn to the one man she had left behind a year ago - her ex-boyfriend, David. Together, they must solve the riddle of the thirteenth chime before the clock strikes thirteen again. Yet as they face their own past and hearts, a trap over half a century old is waiting for them to become its prey.

For revenge, fifty years is never too long...

My thoughts: 

The Thirteenth Chime is a great mix of history, an old island prison and straight up creepyness.  I'm so glad I read this around Halloween!  I also enjoyed this book a lot because it doesn't fit into the normal YA mold.  All the main characters are college students instead of high schoolers and most of them already know what they want to do with their life.  

The beginning of the story finds the main character Destiny driving to a remote town with her roommate, looking for a relaxing getaway.  She also recently dumped her long-time boyfriend and agreed to marry a man she barley knows.  Her roommate's mom agreed to let them stay at the house she recently bought and on the first night of their stay, the clock chimes thirteen times and terrible things begin happening.

I liked this story mainly because of the scary factor.  The setting, the state of Washington, is very foggy and has an eerie feel to it.  As readers, we are all given glimpses into David and Destiny's past and we find out about the accident that separated them.  Even though David almost died saving her life, she still broke up with him.  I guess she didn't want that hanging over their relationship.  

There are two very specific things that bothered me about this book and here they are.  1: Destiny was started to get jealous when her friend started to flirt with David.  I wanted to scream, "not only did you break up with him but you are engaged to someone else!"  I understand that she probably still had feelings for him and that it's hard to move on but it just continued happening.  2: The point of view would change multiple times without warning.  Sometimes I was confused on whose thoughts I was seeing.  

Overall, I really enjoyed the creep factor of the book and the whole unfinished business of the long dead prisoner of the island prison.  It's a great book to read around Halloween. 

 

Review- Personal Demons

Title: Personal Demons
Author: Lisa Desrochers
Series: Personal Demons #1
Publisher: Tor Teen
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Purchased

Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance---even her closest friends---and it seems as if her senior year is going to be more of the same . . . until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can’t seem to stay away from him.

What she doesn’t know is that Luc is on a mission. He’s been sent from Hell itself to claim Frannie’s soul. It should be easy---all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance. But he has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can’t be far behind. And sure enough, it’s not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for. It isn’t long before they find themselves fighting for more than just Frannie’s soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay . . . for all of them.

My thoughts: 

When I heard that Lisa Desrochers was going to be at the Orange County Children's Book Fair, I knew that I Had to at leas read one of her books.  So I picked up Personal Demons and I ended up liking what I read.  I had a hard time getting into the flow of the writing style but the story was just too interesting to give up that easily.

I felt the characters are very distinct and there's no question of whose good and whose evil.  It's very laid out from the start.

Surprisingly, the main character Frannie was my least favorite character.  Mainly because I don't like people who can't make a decision.  And let me tell you, Frannie can't decide between Luc and Gabriel.  To me, there's no need to make a decision at all! I'm with Luc all the way.  But of course, I always go for the bad boy types.  

So we have Frannie who is, more often than not, making out with both of these boys, one a demon and one an angel.  Now I can expect this kind of behavior from a demon but seriously Gabriel! You're supposed to be making sure she remains pure and that her soul is not going to hell! 

Luc's character is very dynamic and he changes dramatically through the novel which makes him one of my favorite characters.  Towards the end he finds himself lost and questioning his purposed and mission.

Personal Demons is definitely one of the more hot and steamier novels in YA right now.  I hope in Original Sin that we get to see some of the scenes from Gabriel's perspective.  

Waiting on Wednesday (38)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating. This is one of my favorite memes because not only is my TBR pile so much bigger at the end of the night but also the covers are always amazing!

Title: Disenchanted
Author: Sherry Soule
Hitting the Shelves: January 2012

Elizabeth Blackburn, an intelligent and sassy New Yorker, doesn’t believe in the supernatural until she moves into Summerwind Mansion and begins having nightmares about a young woman murdered in the house. She suspects there’s something strange about this place and it’s not just the bad dreams.

Determined to unlock secrets that have remained hidden for centuries, Elizabeth is plunged into an otherworldly mystery that not even she can explain away. Not to mention, her uncontrollable attraction to the former owner, Dorian Knight. But soon after meeting Dorian, all of her beliefs are tested. He seems so familiar, and as close to Mr. Darcy as she’ll ever get—but Jane Austen never wrote a hero like him--someone who both excites and frightens her.

As the dark history of the Knight family begins to unravel, tensions heighten and old resentments turn deadly. Even though Dorian warns her about a terrible curse–she doesn’t know what to believe anymore.

And Elizabeth starts to wonder which she would rather hold onto—her sanity…or her life…

What are you waiting for? 

Review- Bad Girls Don't Die

Title: Bad Girls Don't Die
Author: Katie Alender
Series: Bad Girls Don't Die #1
Publisher: Hyperion
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: Purchased

When Alexis's little sister Kasey becomes obsessed with an antique doll, Alexis thinks nothing of it. Kasey is a weird kid. Period. Alexis is considered weird, too, by the kids in her high school, by her parents, even by her own Goth friends. Things get weirder, though, when the old house they live in starts changing. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in. Kasey is changing, too. Her blue eyes go green and she speaks in old-fashioned language, then forgets chunks of time.

Most disturbing of all is the dangerous new chip on Kasey's shoulder. The formerly gentle, doll-loving child is gone, and the new Kasey isangry. Alexis is the only one who can stop her sister — but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

My thoughts: 

I really love scary/horror type books and I usually don't set the bar very high for them either.  As long as they can pretty much scare the crap out of me, I love it.  That's my only criteria.  So when I first started reading Bad Girls Don't Die, I didn't realize that it is supposed to be scary.  It does't start to get creepy until a third of the way through.  And when it got creepy, it got really creepy.  

I mean, what's creepier than a little girl whose eyes change colors, who stares menacingly at her sister and a really old antique doll.  Now, I don't have a deathly fear of all dolls whether porcelain, glass or stuffed, but some dolls are really scary looking.  And I imagine this doll to be especially creepy. 

So this doll acts as a conduit between the ghost that is haunting the house and Alexis and is able to possess Alexis.  We always know when Alexis is possessed because her normal blue eyes turn bright green.  She begins to sabotage her older sister Kasey and gets their mom to believe that she is the blame for every accident that has happened. 

I'm a real big fan of horror and was pleasantly surprised by this novel.  It's not super, super scary, but it definitely has the right amount of creep factor.

In My Mailbox (30)

In My Mailbox is an awesome way to connect with our blogger and reader friends and share which amazing books we received, bought or borrowed during the week! This weekly meme is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

For review:

Bought: 

New on my Nook:

Giveaway!!!!

Don't forget to check out my Seriously Savvy Super Swag giveaway! There is tons of signed swag and a signed copy of Paranormalcy by Kiersten White that you can win! So what are you waiting for?!? Click here to check it out!

What's in your mailbox?

Fangtastic Friday Read-Along!

I am so excited to tell you guys that I have bought my copy of Pretty When She Dies by Rhiannon Frater and I can't wait for the first Fantastic Friday Read-Along! I haven't read anything by Rhiannon Frater yet but Ashley always gushes about her so I have no doubt this is going to be an amazing couple of weeks!  For more information of how this is going down, you can visit Ashley's awesome blog, The Bookish Brunette and find out how you too can participate!  There's going to be awesome giveaways and even more awesome discussions! How can you say no!!

Here are the first discussion questions so that you can get a glimpse of the awesomeness that is Fangtastic Fridays! 

Discussion questions for Ch. 1-6:

1. After reading through Amaliya's 'awakening'... So realistic and freaking horrifying right? *shudders* What are your reactions to such a vivid scene?

2. I know it's EARLY on, and we've only gotten a glimpse of him, but... In YOUR opinion, the man who made Amaliya into a vampire... friend or foe?

3. Amaliya's family are some PIECES of work aren't they??? While I HOPE no one has a family as freaking crazy nuts as hers... We all have a few nutjobs in our family tree right? Tell me about a crazy member of YOUR family... Or a time when you thought, "Please, NO... I am SO not with them!"

4. Pete... Awww, Pete... He confesses his unending love for her, then everything goes to hell in a hand-basket! Who is/was YOUR Pete? Did you have a guy who was hopelessly in love with you for years that you never even knew about?

5. Have you started connecting with Amaliya? What specific instance stands out the most for you? (hopefully you are LOVING her hardcore by Chapter 6!)

Well, I better get started on my chapter readings.  I don't want to be that student who didn't do her homework! I hope you guys decide to participate and make this read-along epic!!

The Latest Author Events

Over the past month, I've had the opportunity to meet some amazing authors and get so many books signed.  I also wanted to share my experiences with you!

The first event I went to was the Orange County Children's Book Festival

Me and Frank Beddor, author of the Looking Glass Wars.

Kami Garcia read from Beautiful Chaos.

The awesome YA Paranormal Panel.  From left: Emma Michaels, Inara Scott, Cindy Pon, and Gretchen McNeil!

Gretchen McNeil reading from Possess.

Katie Alender reading from Bad Girls Don't Die.

Heather Brewer reading from the her new Slayer Chronicles.

Nancy Holder talking about how much she loves being an author and writing stories.  She's awesome!

Me and Nancy Holder after she signed my copy of the Possessions series. 

Me and Heather Brewer after she signed my Chronicles of Vladamir Todd series!

A little bit later, I was able to see Becca Fitzpatrick as she has been launching Silence, the third book in the Hush, Hush saga.  She was so nice, she took pictures with everyone and she gave everyone a signed poster!

Then about a week later, I was so lucky to be able to attend the Dark Days of Supernatural and met a great panel of authors that I love!

Me and Kiersten White! Wow, she makes me look tall!

Me and Claudia Gray after she signed all of my Evernight books and Fateful!

Me and Anna Carey! We talked about Eve being turned into a TV show and the differences there will most likely be. 

All these events were so fun and I wish you guys could have been there to share these wonderful experiences with me! Stay tuned next week cause I'm going to meet Laini Taylor on Monday and I just might pick up an extra copy of Daughter of Smoke and Bone for a giveaway!