Title: Paranormalcy
Author: Kiersten White
Series: The Paranormalcy Series
Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction
Age Group: Teen / Young Adult
Release Date: 31st August 2010
Publishers: HarperCollins (Aus)

Book Summary: All Evie wants is to be normal … instead, she?s stuck at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising death and destruction to the paranormal world.
 
Evie?s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, despite the fact that she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA), she can see through paranormals? glamours, her best friend is a mermaid, and her ex-boyfriend is a lunatic-and a faerie.

In a world where paranormals are monitored and controlled, Evie has at least been able to take comfort in the fact that she?s human…Until she finds out she?s not. With everything she believes called into question, Evie?s drawn to the newest IPCA prisoner, a shapeshifter named Lend. Unfortunately their friendship and flirting is complicated by the information he carries: a faerie prophecy of death and destruction that seems to revolve around Evie herself.

So much for normal.

My Thoughts: Paranormalcy is a fun, quirky, teen fantasy novel by debut author Kiersten White.

I loved Evie, the snarky, squeeing and often naive main character. Evie just wanted a bit of normalcy in her life but instead her world starts falling apart and she finds that she is anything but normal. The only shining light for Evie is her new friendship with Lend, a teenage (watery) boy that IPCA are holding as a prisoner.

Kiersten’s take on mythology was refreshing and entertaining and I found it to be a very easy read. I liked that the story took some unpredictable turns and kept me guessing until the end.

I’m looking forward to Supernaturally the next book in the series which is due out in 2011.

My Rating: (out of 5)

More Books in the Series:

2. Supernaturally – coming in 2011
Evie, Lend, Reth, Arianna, Raquel, David . . . And Jack. Life’s never fair when faeries are involved.
3. Coming in 2012

About the Author: Kiersten White is the NYT Bestselling author of Paranormalcy. She has one tall husband and two small children and lives near the ocean, where her life is perfectly normal. This abundance of normal led her to a fascination with all things paranormal, including but not limited to vampires, faeries, and pop culture.

Find out more about Kristen and her writing on her website and blog here!
Befriend her on Facebook!
And follow her on Twitter!

Have you read this book yet? 

If not, go here right now and purchase a copy! You won’t be disappointed :)


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If you liked this book you may like to read more books for teenage girls like Winter’s Shadow M.J. Hearle, Sirensong by Jenna Black and Bloodlines by Richelle Mead!

To celebrate the Australian release of Rebecca Maizel’s Infinite Days I have a copy of the book to giveaway to one lucky reader!

Title: The Vampire Queen’s Servant
Author: Joey W. Hill
Series: The Vampire Queen Series (Book #1)
Genre: Fantasy / Erotic Fiction / Romance
Age Group: Adult
Release Date:  3rd July 2007 (Aus)


Book Summary: Lady Elyssa Yamato Amaterasu Wentworth is a centuries-old vampire who’s been given a new servant-Jacob, a total alpha male unaccustomed to submitting to any woman’s wishes. What really binds Jacob to her are not her sensual midnight hungers, but something far more provocative. It stirs her blood, renews her life, and awakens her soul like only true love can. The passion between Elyssa and Jacob yields something else unexpected-a shared history that reaches back through the centuries and is fated to challenge their destiny like nothing ever will again.

In this book, the first in a series , we meet Lady Lyssa (vampire queen) and Jacob (her human servant). In a world where vampires have no regard for humans there is an attraction between them that goes beyond the submissive servant that she requires. This story is passionate,erotic and one you definitely can’t put down until you find out what happens to the two soul mates ! Definitely a keeper and I would highly recommend getting the whole series as Lyssa and Jacobs story concludes in the next book “Mark of the Vampire Queen”, with characters from these books having their stories told in the following books!

What can I say. This was not what I was expecting and I am so pleased by that. I was expecting a book written as a period piece, not that I would have minded that, but I am really impressed with the way the story unfolded and was delivered in modern day, with modern references.
I love the characters, Jacob, of course being my favourite. A roguish Irishman with the soul of a pure gentleman. I love how he is introduced and first meets the vampire queen Lyssa, as it drew me in and captured my curiosity which is something I enjoy immensely when reading a new book. Also though, the minor characters of Rex, Carnal and Thomas help to bind the story together making it more believable and real.
I love how Jacob and Lyssa interact. There is an erotic sensuality that is so strong that you can almost feel like you are apart of the relationship that is forming, even though Lyssa is fighting every step of the way, but at the same time there is a cruelty in her that you almost expect from a vampire, to explode out at any minute.
There is always an underlying current of fear and anxiousness with Jacob always wanting to protect Lyssa, and Lyssa trying to fight off other vampires who are trying to undermine her authority, and overthrow her, throwing the vampire council into turmoil and unleashing a savage cruelty on the unsuspecting world. But she fights on keeping her mysterious illness to herself as long as she can to avoid showing weakness.
Overall this was very easy to read and I really enjoyed it. I wouldn’t be disappointed if there was a lot more to the story.

Get your copy from:

Fishpond
The Book Depository (free international shipping)
Amazon

More Books in the Series:

1. The Vampire Queen’s Servant
2. The Mark of the Vampire Queen
3. A Vampire’s Claim
4. Beloved Vampire
5. Vampire Mistress
6. Vampire Trinity

Have you read this book? What did you think? Leave your review or a comment below telling us what you thought :)

Title: Burnt Snow
Author: Van Badham
Series: The Book of the Witch (Book #1)
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Release Date:  1st September 2010 (Aus)

Author’s Website

My Review:  Burnt Snow is Van Badham’s first novel which tells the story of Sophie Morgan, a Year 11 student at yet another new school. She is tired of her over protective “hippie” mother and when she is invited to join the popular girls she seizes the opportunity to make some changes in her life. Little does she know that her life is going to change in a huge way and in just a short space of time.
Hiding her “nerd” past, keeping up with the popular crowd and negotiating her way around the politics of the “bitch patrol” are, as Sophie finds out, the least of her worries.

Brody Meine is a loner, has a bad reputation and is shrouded in mystery and naturally Sophie is drawn to him instantly. But when bizarre things, like savage storms, flocks of birds, smashing windows and destructive fires start to happen whenever they interact, Sophie is forced to keep her distance, something that she finds very hard to do.

Burnt Snow is an imaginative and exciting story which had me transfixed from the moment I picked it up. Van has created many wonderful characters that all work together perfectly to bring her story to life. Each character brings their own story which is interwoven throughout Sophie’s story.

Burnt Snow mixes the ups and downs of teenage life with paranormal and demonic occurrences perfectly which makes it and entertaining book that is difficult to put down. I can’t wait for White Rain, Van’s 2nd book in the Book of the Witch series which is due for release in 2011.

My Rating: (out of 5)

Get your copy from:

The Book Depository (free international shipping)
QBD
Dymocks 

About the Author: Van Badham is the award-winning writer of more than 30 internationally produced plays for stage, music theatre and radio. Her theatre plays have had seasons at the Sydney Opera House, the Wharf studio, the Seymour Centre, the Victorian Arts Centre, Perth’s Blue Room and the Adelaide Festival. She has had plays and musical theatre staged at seven Edinburgh Festivals, in London and on the UK touring circuit, in America, in Iceland, Switzerland, Slovenia, Austria and in Germany. MIT Press in the US published her 2003 Edinburgh hit Camarilla. Her scripts for radio have been broadcast by the BBC World Service, Radio 3 and Radio 4. In 2007, Van’s play The Gabriels became the first Australian play selected for New York’s Summer Play Festival. (Pan Macmillan Australia)

Thanks go to Eliza from Pan Macmillan Australia for sending me a copy to review :)

Have you read this book? What did you think? Leave your review or a comment below telling us what you thought :)

Infinite Days, written by Rebecca Maizel, is a story about Lenah a 592 year old vampire who wakes only to find herself human and in the 21st century. The story is well written and the historical tinge to it lends credence to Lenah’s character. The way she goes about figuring out who she wants to be and how she has to go about getting there is in some parts moving and in others frustrating, the emotions Lenah experiences are almost tangible.

Infinite Days is a good read and the plot is easy to follow, the characters are likeable (or dislikable) and I really enjoyed the way in which the characters interacted with one another, however the only critisism (if you could call it that) is that it wasn’t long enough. I found myself visualising the characters as I read and found myself wondering how they would react to certain situations that arose.

Find out more about Infinite Days here!

Release Dates: 03 Aug 2010 (US)  and 1st Sept 2010 (AUS)

Get your copy from:
Fishpond
The Book Depository (free international shipping)
Amazon

Magic is dangerous but love is more dangerous still

The Infernal Devices trilogy, a prequel to bestselling The Mortal Instruments trilogy, follows 16-year-old orphan Tessa Fell, whose quiet life is thrown into turmoil when her older brother Nathaniel suddenly vanishes, leaving her alone. Tessa’s search for him leads her to England during the reign of Queen Victoria, into London’s dangerous underworld, where warlocks throw masked balls for half-demon Downworlders and vampires and supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. When the friendless and hunted Tessa discovers that she herself is a Downworlder, she must learn to trust her natural enemies, the demon-killing Shadowhunters, if she ever wants to learn to control her powers and find her brother. Drawn ever deeper into their world, she finds herself fascinated by – and torn between – two best friends; beautiful Will, a Shadowhunter hiding a deadly secret, and the devoted Jem, whose addiction to a demon drug is slowly destroying him. Tessa quickly realises that love may be the most dangerous magic of all and must draw on all her strength to save her brother and keep herself alive in this deadly new world.

Series: The Infernal Devices Series
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Release Date: 31st August 2010 (US)  31st August 2010 (AUS)

You can read my review here! 


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Fishpond
The Book Depository (free international shipping)
Amazon

Download your own Infernal Devices wallpaper (click on the image to take you to the HQ version)

These were the facts:

I’d been in Yarrindi for six days.
In that time, I’d met a boy.
I didn’t know who he was, or why a shadow hung over him, but everywhere he went, there was trouble.

When I ignored him, everything was fine.
When I smiled at him, a girl had a violent seizure.
That girl had tried to warn me – she had tried to frighten me into listening, but I had let him breathe on my neck and brush against my hand and glass had shattered.

Sophie Morgan is the new girl at school. Brody Meine is the local loner with a dangerous reputation. The connection between them is intense – explosive. As darkness engulfs Sophie’s world, a fire is being lit within her. And when she and Brody are together, there’s no predicting who will be burned.

Van Badham is an award-winning playwright, critic and screenwriter. She has written more than 30 internationally produced plays and her theatre plays have had seasons at the Sydney Opera House, the Wharf studio, the Seymour Centre, the Victorian Arts Centre, Perth’s Blue Room and the Adelaide Festival. She has had plays or musical theatre staged at the last six Edinburgh Festivals as well as in London, the US, Iceland and in Germany. Her scripts for radio have been broadcast by the BBC World Service and Radio 4. In 2007 Van’s play The Gabriels became the first Australian play to be selected for New York’s Summer Play Festival.
Van is also a regular guest on 666 ABC Canberra.
Born in Sydney, Van lived in Wollongong for many years and now resides in London with her boyfriend, a spathiphyllum plant and an extensive collection of arty films on DVD.

You can find more on Van’s website or follow her on Twitter!

Burnt Snow is being published by Pan Macmillan and will be available 2 September, 2010
 

Title: The Kingdom
Author: Jennifer McBay Barry
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Release Date: 18th November 2009 (US) 

Author’s Website

Book Summary: Rioghan has been trapped here on Earth since the fall of Lucifer. He spends his days toying with the emotions of the lowly humans while his father, the High King, wishes for him to grow up and accept his royal obligations. When Rioghan meets Lily, the daughter of a famous opera singer, she is nothing but a shiny new toy to him. Lily has a very firm mind of her own, however, and can’t be bothered by one more person professing undying love for her when they haven’t even taken the time to get to know her. The harder she resists Rioghan, the faster he falls, until he realizes that she has become his reason to be.

My Thoughts: From the moment I picked up this book I could not put it down. I loved everything about it, from the descriptions of the Irish landscapes and the mythological references to the wonderfully endearing characters like the handsome and charming Rioghan and the sharp tongue and quick witted Lily.

I found The Kingdom, being a young adults book a very easy book to read. While the names where a little tricky to pronounce at first, it didn’t take me long to have them down after finding the pronunciation guide in the back (thanks Jennifer :))

The only complaint I have is that it finished two quickly, I wanted more, more, more! I am eagerly waiting for the next installment.

 My Rating: (out of 5)

Get your copy from:

Amazon

Book Trailer:

Have you read this book? What did you think? Leave your review or a comment below telling us what you thought :)

Title: Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Infernal Devices Series
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Release Date: 31st August 2010 (US) 
31st August 2010 (AUS)

Author’s Website

Book Summary: Magic is dangerous but love is more dangerous still

The Infernal Devices trilogy, a prequel to bestselling The Mortal Instruments trilogy, follows 16-year-old orphan Tessa Fell, whose quiet life is thrown into turmoil when her older brother Nathaniel suddenly vanishes, leaving her alone. Tessa’s search for him leads her to England during the reign of Queen Victoria, into London’s dangerous underworld, where warlocks throw masked balls for half-demon Downworlders and vampires and supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. When the friendless and hunted Tessa discovers that she herself is a Downworlder, she must learn to trust her natural enemies, the demon-killing Shadowhunters, if she ever wants to learn to control her powers and find her brother. Drawn ever deeper into their world, she finds herself fascinated by – and torn between – two best friends; beautiful Will, a Shadowhunter hiding a deadly secret, and the devoted Jem, whose addiction to a demon drug is slowly destroying him. Tessa quickly realises that love may be the most dangerous magic of all and must draw on all her strength to save her brother and keep herself alive in this deadly new world. (Walker Books Australia and New Zealand)

My Thoughts: After having read Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series and loving it, I had very high expectations for this book and Cassandra did not disappoint me! I loved it! I couldn’t put it down and when I was forced away from it by my children and my family duties, I was thinking about the characters and what could possibly happen next.

The plot was very well thought out and took many different twists and turns along the way. There were some surprises that I didn’t see coming which is always a bonus and Cassandra did her research well and took us on a tour of England in Victorian times with perfect detail.

The main character Tessa is an easy character to like and Will is cocky and mysterious while Jem is sweet and very gentlemanly. A perfect combination of characters in my eyes! For those of you that have read the Mortal Instruments, you will see some similarities between Will and Jace (from the MI series) and I really like that. There are also a few familiar characters and a few names that you will recognise throughout the story. Having said that, you don’t have to have read the Mortal Instruments series before reading Clockwork Angel, but I wouldn’t mind betting that you will want to get your hands on the MI series the minute you put down CA.

I would have liked to learn why Will acts as he does and more about his family, as well as Tessa’s parent’s story but I’m quite sure that all that will be revealed in later books which I am eagerly anticipating. 

Fans of The Mortal Instruments Series will not be disappointed with the first book in the Infernal Devices Series and I am very happy that I have found another series to fall in love with.

My Rating: (out of 5)

Read an excerpt of the book here!

Get your copy from:

Fishpond
The Book Depository (free international shipping)
Amazon

Books in the Series:

1. Clockwork Angel
2. The Clockwork Prince (coming September 2011)
3. The Clockwork Princess (coming December 2012)

Have you read this book? What did you think? Leave your review or a comment below telling us what you thought :)