Review for Angel Fire by L.A Weatherly

Angel Fire by L.A Weatherly
Publisher: Usborne
Release Date: 1st October 2011
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Angels
Rating: 5/5 stars
Source: Received from the publisher for review

Amazon Summary:
"Only Willow has the power to defeat the malevolent Church of Angels, and they will stop at nothing to destroy her. Willow isn't alone, though. She has Alex by her side a trained Angel Killer and her one true love. But nothing can change the fact that Willow's a half-angel, and when Alex joins forces with a group of AKs, she's treated with mistrust and suspicion. She's never felt more alone...until she meets Seb. He's been searching for Willow his whole life because Seb is a half-angel too."

Review
Last year I fell in love with Alex, Willow, their romance, and Angel as a whole. Since then I’ve been pinning away for Angel Fire this second book in the series. Angel set the standard pretty high and I was expecting Angel Fire to live up to that but what I didn’t expect was to be blown away even more than I was with Angel and I totally was.

L.A Weatherly takes everything fans loved about Angel and develops it more with this book. Straight away you’re thrown back into the action right where Angel left off and are quickly immersed back into this amazing world. Angel Fire is very much an evolvement of Angel with the books roots being the same but with Weatherly adding more plot, more twists and obstacles for Alex and Willow to overcome, and some brand new characters to get to know and love. And this leads me very nicely on to talk about Seb. Oh god where to start with Seb? Seb is both a new character and obstacle that threatens Alex and Willows relationship. Considering how much I love Alex straight off the bat knowing Seb’s going to come between one of my favourite couples should make me hate him right? And as much as I thought I would I couldn’t, in fact I loved him. Seb makes this plot so much more fascinating and developed with him being another half angel and I loved what that meant for Willow and learning more about her abilities. On top of Seb being a beautiful half angel, he’s also a hot, fiery Mexican bad boy who has a tragic past and is the sensitive, bookish type. Seb is my kind of guy and I think his character brought so much more to the story and took it to another level.

One thing that really stood out to me was L.A Weatherly’s ability to make you feel compassion for all of the characters. Despite a lot of arguments between Seb, Alex and Willow I could always see things from every characters point of view making it impossible for me to dislike any of them or take sides. With love triangle’s I’m usually really quick to decide which team I’m on and who I like and dislike but with this triangle I love all three of them so much that I just wanted them all to be happy. Although ultimately I’m still firmly team Alex and Willow I would still like to see Seb find love and happiness and therefore think that Lee should write me into the last book!

The plot is another aspect of the book that’s more developed with the after effects of the arrival of the second wave of angels and the introduction of The Twelve- the angel’s council. Despite this book being huge coming in at 709 pages I never got bored or felt like anything was dragging on longer than needs be. There was so much action, romance and suspense and I loved every single page. The climax to this book is huge and despite just spending over 700 pages in this world I wish that the next and final book to the trilogy Angel Fever was out now. Things literally exploded in this book and I’m so curious to see where L.A Weatherly takes us next with that ending. Overall Angel Fire is an un-miss-able sequel that I loved even more than its predecessor.

I’m taking part in the UK Angel Fire blog tour! Stop by the blog on Wednesday 26th October for an exclusive post with L.A Weatherly where she will be selecting her dream fantasy cast for an Angel Fire movie!

Scary, Spooky and Supernatural – Jess’s top pick’s for Halloween! (YA Edition)

Last year I done a post like this and it was really well received, in fact it’s one of the most viewed posts on my blog! So seems as everyone seemed to enjoy it so much I decided to do another post this year recommending those perfect Halloween reads but this time as a Young Adult edition. Because of this the books aren’t going to be as scary as say a Stephen King book like I picked last year but being a mainly Young Adult book blog I really wanted to focus on that genre this time especially because there are so many fantastic reads to choose from that fit the Halloween period perfectly! Like last year I’m bringing back the Fear Factor scale to help you find the book that has the right level of terror for you! All of these Halloween picks have been read by me and come highly recommended, only the best of the best for my readers!

Fear Factor

S-cream your pants scary! – Is someone behind me? What’s that noise? Sleeping with the lights on scary.

Terror-ific! – Oooh okay this is some scary stuff I…oh wait is that candy? mediocre scares.

Spook-tastic! - Oh man I wish my Halloween had as much spooky fun as this! Mild Halloween reading for those easily scared.

The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan
This is probably the scariest YA book that I’ve read. The Long Weekend is the story of two friends who get kidnapped and taken to a huge house far out in the middle of nowhere. What makes this so scary is the reality that these things happen in real life. An edge of your seat thriller.
Fear Factor = S-cream your pants scary!

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
Don’t be fooled by this book’s pretty, girly, cover! This is the ultimate girly Halloween read centered around a group of the meanest girls. But are they capable of murder? This one had me looking over my shoulder!
Fear Factor = S-cream your pants scary!

Soul Beach by Kate Harrison
Another one not to be judged by its cover! This one’s about a social website for the dead that seems to have our main character Alice strangely addicted after receiving an email to visit there to talk to her recently murdered sister. With parts told from the killer’s point of view this is an original and chilling thriller.
Fear Factor = S-cream your pants scary!

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
Blood Magic is such an eerie gothic read that’s jam packed with creepy atmospheric scenes. This is a totally original paranormal romance full of dark magic and murder. I loved this book and think it would make a fantastic Halloween read for paranormal lovers!
Fear Factor = S-cream your pants scary!

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
This dystopian book is such a thrill ride of a read and up there as one of my favourite dystopians. This has lots of death and scares in this frightenly believable future perfect for fans of The Hunger Games.
Fear Factor = Terror-ific!

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
This is the perfect paranormal read for Halloween as its chock full of several different paranormal creatures. These kids aren’t your typical supernatural’s though, genetically engineered and super powerful their creator’s feel like they’ve made a mistake a mistake that can only be resolved by death…
Fear Factor = Terror-ific!

Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon
This is a completely original, gothic, supernatural read with a whole new take on a brand new supernatural creature. This book is set in a gothic boarding school that studies the dead language of Latin amongst other strange things. A captivating gothic love story.
Fear Factor = Terror-ific!

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey
Haunting Violet is the perfect historical ghost story. Violet’s never believed in ghosts after spending her life working for her fraudulent medium mother but with a murder mystery going on, and the murdered girl in question haunting her Violet will have to start believing in ghosts because they believe in her.
Fear Factor = Terror-ific!

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
This book is definitely a more fun Halloween read what with loveable and girly heroine Evie. Don’t be fooled by Evie’s girly exterior and pink Taser though this girl can seriously kick some ass and has to as it’s her job to keep the paranormal creatures in line and protect humans but with her unique powers which category fits Evie? Human or supernatural?
Fear Factor = Spook-tastic!

Velvet by Mary Hooper
Velvet is a gorgeous historical ghost story set in the Victorian/Edwardian period when spiritualism was at its peak. This is a fascinating read that takes an in depth look into the medium and spiritual craze, are the ghostly encounters Velvet is witnessing fake? Or the real deal?
Fear Factor = Spook-tastic!





To find out more about any of these books click on the title and the link will take you to the books page on goodreads for a synopsis, reviews, and more information.

So there you have it my recommended Halloween reading! I hope some of you decide to check these out for some spooky reading and whatever you’re doing this Halloween- whether it’s trying to hunt down a hot vampire for the night, or snuggling up with lots of goodies, some films and a book I hope you all have a great time enjoying the most paranormal night of the year!

Review for An Autumn Crush by Milly Johnson

An Autumn Crush by Milly Johnson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: 29th September 2011
Genre: Chick-lit, Romance, Seasonal Reads, Autumn, Adult Fiction.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Source: Bought

Amazon Summary:
"After a bruising divorce, headstrong Juliet Miller invests in a flat and advertises for a flatmate, little believing that in her mid-thirties she'll find anyone suitable. But along comes self-employed copywriter Floz, raw from her own relationship split, and the two woman hit it off. When Juliet's twin brother Guy meets Floz, he is overcome with a massive crush. But being a shy, gentle giant, he communicates so clumsily with her as to give her the opposite impression. Guy's best friend Steve has always had a secret, unrequited crush on Juliet. After a night of too much wine, Steve and Juliet end up in bed, after moaning about the lack of sex in their lives. Convinced that Juliet doesn't feel the same way, Steve agrees to a 'just-sex' relationship, until they can both hook their dream partners. Just when Guy has finally plucked up the courage to tell Floz how he feels, he finds she has rekindled an old romance. Floz has never had much love in her life and is obviously thirsty for affection. She loves the whole Miller family, from Juliet and Guy's warm, loving parents, to their ancient one-eyed black cat. But can Guy turn Floz's affection for his family into something more - into love for him? Then Juliet makes a series of discoveries which will turn the lives of all four friends upside-down and turns that Autumn into a season where love can be harvested."

Review
An Autumn Crush is a complete breath of fresh air in the chick-lit genre. My bookshelves are groaning with summer reads, and cosy Christmas stories yet An Autumn Crush is my first book that celebrates the beauty of the season. I think autumn is by far our most beautiful season with the warm, golden tones of the leaves, the dazzling fireworks and sparklers and there’s that woody, cinnamoney smell in the air. Some days are beautiful with the last sunshine of summer and some crisp and fresh with the promise of winter. I absolutely love this time of year and enjoyed snuggling down as the early nights drew in with this book that really captures the beauty of the season.

An Autumn Crush is such a lovely read and completely heart-warming. The story centers around loveable divorcee Juliet, her gentle giant of a twin brother Guy, Steve- Guy’s best friend, and latest addition to the group Floz Juliet’s new flatmate. As you can imagine the foursome get thrown together quite a lot! But even though Juliet and Steve, and Guy and Floz are perfect for each other- something any reader can see from the start!- the boy’s huge crushes on the girls lead to many a mishap and clumsy misunderstandings making them less than desirable to Floz and Juliet! I really loved all four of our main characters but Steve and Guy really stood out to me which was a nice change for a chick-lit novel. They were both total sweethearts and I became so endeared towards them as they tried and failed to impress the girls. Each character in this book has had a really tough time of it each with a less than perfect past and so I really wanted the best for them and for them to find a bit of happiness- especially with each other!

As well as the fun and vibrant foursome there are some really fantastic secondary characters in particular Juliet and Guy’s parents and Juliet’s gay best friend Coco. The book also tackles some difficult themes such as alcoholism and mental illness but that is also counterbalanced with some very funny and heart-warming moments and doesn’t take away from this books ultimately uplifting feel.

An Autumn Crush is my favourite book that I’ve read by Milly Johnson so far. Although this book is ultimately a romance it also has strong themes of parenting, family and friendship too. The book is written like a dream with some gorgeous Autumnal imagery. An Autumn Crush was an absolute joy to read and the perfect book to celebrate the season with.

Review for Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Dutton
Release Date: September 29th 2011
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Books Made of Awesome
Rating: 5/5 stars
Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary:
"Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.


When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door."

Review
Stephanie Perkins. Wow. This lady and her books blow my mind. Stephanie Perkins doesn’t just write a book, she creates actual magic. Seriously it’s like she has a check list of all the things that would make THE perfect book throws them all in a pot, adds her secret Stephanie sparkle and ta da! Result the kind of books girls could only ever dream about- until now.

Last year I was blown away by Stephanie’s debut Anna and the French Kiss. I thought never could there be a more perfect contemporary read and then along came Lola in her combat boots and Marie Antoinette dress. Guys I LOVED it, and I heart it so much harder than Anna. I knew I was going to love this book but no way did I expect it to surpass my affections for Anna and the smart arse but oh so sexy St Clair but it totally did you wanna know why? Two words, Cricket Bell.

So let me just talk to you guys about Cricket. I love him. I love him so much that every time I walk past this book on my bookshelf I have to pick it up and hug it. You can all keep your Etienne St Clair because Cricket is MINE. Seriously I know I’m totally fan girling right now but Cricket is SUCH a good guy. The nicest guy you’ll ever read about. You know in all of those books where the hot sexy guy gets the girl and the sweet best friend who’s loved her forever goes home with his tail between his legs? Well this book is about the nice guy, the kind of guy your parents would want you to date, coming first for once and doing it for the good guys! *Fist pumps for the good guys.* I loved that about this book and I don’t just want my own Cricket I want Cricket, period.

Lola and the Boy Next Door has the sweetest love story. It’s the story of two best friends falling in love. It’s about the guy you grew up with who knows everything about you good and bad and wants to take you out anyway. It’s about that guy who sees you dancing around your room in your PJ’s with no make-up on and flat hair and loves that version of you best. Lola and Crickets story has this innocence and pureness to it that I loved so much more than Anna and St Clair’s story and whilst this book features them as secondary characters after a while I was like “Anna who? Go back to Lola and Cricket I want more of them!”

I loved Lola and I loved Cricket, I loved the writing, the plot, basically everything about this book. Every page was perfect and I couldn’t get enough. I actually read the last few chapters with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat and when I read the last sentence (the most perfect and romantic sentence in history!) I just burst into tears and cried over it and thought about it forever. But I wasn’t crying because I was sad. This book made me so happy that I cried great big happy tears. I mean can I get any clearer than that about how much I loved this book? Lola and the Boy Next Door is a special, special story and whilst I’m excited for the next and last companion novel to Anna and Lola, Isla and the Happily Ever After I kind of just want it to be called Lola, Cricket and the Happily Ever After and to read book after book about them forever. Stephanie Perkins please would you fuel my addiction? But in the meantime whilst I’m waiting for my bookish fantasies to come true I’ll be re-reading Lola and the Boy Next Door over and over and will be raving about it like a fan girl to everyone I meet. This book has brought out my crazy book nerd you have been warned.

Review for Soul Beach by Kate Harrison

Soul Beach by Kate Harrison
Publisher: Indigo
Release Date: 1st September 2011
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Source: Received from the publisher for review

Goodreads Summary:
"When Alice Forster receives an email from her dead sister she assumes it must be a sick practical joke. Then an invitation arrives to the virtual world of Soul Beach, an idyllic online paradise of sun, sea and sand where Alice can finally talk to her sister again - and discover a new world of friendships, secrets and maybe even love . . . . But why is Soul Beach only inhabited by the young, the beautiful and the dead? Who really murdered Megan Forster? And could Alice be next?"

Review
As soon as I heard about Soul Beach I just knew it would be a book that I was going to love. This year I’ve quickly become a big fan of the young adult thriller trend and Soul Beach is up there as one of my favourites from this genre.

The book is told from sixteen year old Alice’s point of view but every so often between chapters there are a few paragraphs told from the killer’s perspective. The book actually starts off with the murderer narrating which I thought was fantastic as it jumps straight into the mystery. Right from the very first chapter you’re spooked and I was sucked into this book right away.

Soul Beach has several mysteries to it. What is Soul Beach? Who created it? Is Megan really dead? And if so who killed her and why? Will Alice be next? The book is chock full of suspense and I had no idea where this book was going or what was really going on. Soul Beach has an addictive, unique plot and I was so caught up in the story that I could hardly put it down. I couldn’t even bare to go online whilst I was reading this I was that creeped out by the seemingly perfect “paradise” of the dead online beach that at times seemed to have Alice strangely addicted.

This is the kind of book where I don’t want to go into anything too much as its important with books like this not to give too much away but I will say that I loved the end of this book. I felt that Kate Harrison gives you just enough to feel like the book has a proper ending but in a way that still leaves things open for the next two books in the trilogy. It’s also one of those clever endings that resolves some of your original questions but also opens up lots of new possibilities and leaves you with new ones in their place.

Overall I thought that Soul Beach was a unique and welcome addition to the young adult thriller genre. I didn’t want this book to end and when it did I started immediately pining for book two. If you’re looking for an original, modern day, teen thriller that will make you see social networking in a whole new light then Soul Beach is a must read!