Review: The Faerie Guardian by Rachel Morgan

The Faerie Guardian (Creepy Hollow, #1)
by Rachel Morgan

Genre: Fantasy/Fae

Reading Grade: Young Adult

Publication Date: November 5, 2012

Source: Kindle store

Age Rating: 13+

| Amazon |  |Barnes &Noble |

Protecting humans from dangerous magical creatures is all in a day’s work for a faerie training to be a guardian. Seventeen-year-old Violet Fairdale knows this better than anyone—she’s about to become the best guardian the Guild has seen in years. That is, until a cute human boy who can somehow see through her faerie glamour follows her into the fae realm. Now she’s broken Guild Law, a crime that could lead to her expulsion.

The last thing Vi wants to do is spend any more time with the boy who got her into this mess, but the Guild requires that she return Nate to his home and make him forget everything he’s discovered of the fae realm. Easy, right? Not when you factor in evil faeries, long-lost family members, and inconvenient feelings of the romantic kind. Vi is about to find herself tangled up in a dangerous plot—and it’ll take all her training to get out alive.

My Review

 

Did I find a super awesome YA read with amazing characters and believable romance? And romantic tension? Lots of romantic tension? Did I? Oh, yes... Yes, I did.

This is one of my new favorites going on my “epic” shelf! Sweet babies, I adored this thing. Violet, the protag, is a very strong and snarky faerie—truly funny, and not just occasionally so. She's a tough chick and even a bit of a tomboy to boot, which makes her physical prowess that much more believable. And, she's a teenage girl with so little experience with boys, so she does allow herself to get involved with the human boy, Nate. But, she is not dreaming of their wedding day, nor thinking the fate gods had anything to do with their meeting each other.

She's a Guardian-in-training who goes out and protects people and fae folk from evil stuff that has the tendency to wreak havoc on innocent people's lives. She has a really sassy guy rival in her Guild named Ryn, an old friend-turned-enemy. A frenemy. He's just yummy and fun. I love characters like that!

Then, there's Nate who is really funny, too, and I don't know how I feel about him after having read the entire story, plus the bonus stories. He's just a complex character, I suppose, like any real person, so I'm left perplexed and wanting to know why he chooses to go down the path he does in the story SO badly. Why did you do it? Why, Nate?

Back to Ryn—delicious Ryn. Where you have an instant attraction between Violet and Nate, leading to a very immediate relationship worthy of high-schoolers, you have something far slower-burning with Vi and Ryn. They hate each other, but do they really? It feels like that kind of relationship where the two get off on making each other angry. Ryn certainly derives actual pleasure from doing so with Vi, as I learned from reading his POV story at the end. The potential for future romance between the two is seething through the words on the page and I cannot wait to read more about them. I totally ship it!

I think what makes this story work is that it goes deep and does it right away in Book 1. We find out why Violet has literally NO friends and why she and Ryn had a falling out. She starts out not having a clue as to why he hates her, but he fesses up and it really allows for the kind of character insight missing in a whole lot of novels I read, YA and adult. Because I can understand what makes these characters tick, I relate to them better and can now get hooked into their emotions, just like how they get hooked into each other, emotionally, after their big blow-up. It's something usually saved for a Book 2 or Book 3, but, seriously, why wait to put in the good stuff? This is why readers read!

My score: 5/5 stars. (Easily.)

Book Review: Blood Past by Samantha Young

Blood Past (Warriors of Ankh, #2)

by Samantha Young 

Genre: Paranormal/Mythology

Reading Grade: Young Adult

Publication Date: August 19, 2011

Source: Kindle store

Age Rating: 16+

| Buy from Amazon |

All Eden wants is redemption... but the road to redemption is never an easy one.

Traveling to Scotland to find her mother’s bloodline, Eden is soon embroiled in the politics and training of the Scottish Warriors of Neith. It is a world where some stand with open arms ready to welcome her as family, while others keep a wary distance, conspiring against her. Through it all Eden learns of love, friendship, and what it means to be a warrior. Her future has promise... that is until a man she thought was forever gone from her life returns to threaten it all.

When the one person Eden loves above all else is endangered, she will have to make a choice. Him... or her?

Life is such a bitch...

... but so is Eden when you don’t play nice. 

  

My Review

• Plot: This is Book 2 in the Warriors of Ankh series. Eden has been saved by the Ankh warriors after they massacred her soul eater family—all except her evil cousin, Teagan. They take her to Scotland where she becomes Ankh and trains as one, even hunting down soul eaters as she completely turns her back on her soul eater heritage. But, somebody won't let her forget who and what she used to be, and Teagan decides he's not done with her.
• Characters: Eden really wasn't that likable of a character in Book 1, but after her change into an Ankh warrior, she really loses all that inner rage and bad attitude which made her kind of losery. I like her way better in this book. Noah is just the same old Noah, an okay guy and your typical overly good-looking dude who's way too into an average-looking chick, that being Eden. Teagan is the character that shines for me. I honestly only wanted to read this sequel because of him. And, he did not disappoint. So sassy and snarky and full of evil smirks. Oh, man! I love this guy even though he is about as sadistic as they come. But, I've said it before and I'll say it again: I love me some great villain characters, and Teagan is the one I've been searching for to add to my collection a while now.
• Story: It starts off not all that exciting and even has quite a draggy middle, but gets much better during the climactic scene. Much of the first half is about Eden being mad at Noah for pretending to be her friend during his mission to “save” her in Book 1. They have relationship problems most of the book, but then end up together in the second half and it felt REALLY forced. I wasn't into that because I always assumed Eden was a plain-looking girl and he talks about her like she's a run-way model. I just don't get it. Is she so gorgeous? If she were meant to be, then why give the constant impression that she's so dreary and plain? If Noah is so ridiculously Greek god-like, then he'd not be into a plain 17-year-old girl. He's 80-years-old and she's his first real love. Really? (Edward Cullen, anyone?) I'm not buying it and they have zip in common, despite the prose mentioning that they do. Show me the evidence of that and I might believe it.
• Writing: It's written just like Book 1, decently enough. A very quick read if you want a quicky.
• Overall Quality: Good. I enjoyed this, mostly because of Teagan's antics and his plot-twisty ways. There are some colorful Scottish characters on the side that really stand out, like Tobe and Mhari. Really funny and cute.
• Favorite Scene/Moment: Not really a scene, but I loved every instance in which Teagan would refer to Eden as “Paradise,” “babe,” and “my love,” using these pet names that irritated Eden to no end. That made me laugh so hard! Ah...that guy slays me (pun intended).
• My Score: 4/5 stars.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Book Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee

Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, #1)

by Susan Ee 

Genre: Angels/Apocalypse

Reading Grade: Young Adult

Publication Date: May 21, 2011

Source: Kindle purchase

Age Rating: 15+

| Amazon | | Barnes & Noble |

 

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

 

I'm experimenting with a different way of writing my reviews. Maybe breaking down the most important aspects of the story will keep my reviews more informative. Hopefully, this will be fun for me as well as more beneficial to my readers...

My Review

• Plot: There actually is one (big plus for me), although it's nothing groundbreaking. Penryn needs to rescue her crippled little sister from the bad invading angels who have taken her away, and needs a wingless angel that she saves to help locate her. They have many fun (for the reader) distractions along the way. There's not much romance, but that works better for me, actually. Penryn and Raffe (the wingless angel) didn't bond as much as I felt they should have to justify his obvious attachment to her by the end. I needed more niceties between the two, but they do have chemistry.
  
• Characters: Penryn is a great YA character and really knows her fighting skills. She's tough and she's proactive, thinking only ever of saving her little sister. Raffe is so sarcastic and yummy in the first half, but that all vanishes during the second half for someone unknown reason. Penryn's crazy mother is such a mystery, always showing up wherever Penryn is, like a feral cat stalking her. Why this is never gets explained, and it's kind of creepy, but good creepy.
• Writing: The writing is definitely decent—professional-grade. No flowery words or purple prose, and that's just perfect for this type of story. The YA voice is convincing, too, as the story is told through Penryn's first-person present tense narration.
• Storytelling: The story takes you on this wild and bizarre journey through a gutted apocalyptic San Francisco, full of incredibly well-detailed and intense fight scenes, amongst other things. Very impressive. One fight scene in particular made me feel like my throat had been whacked a bunch of times because of the vivid physicality of the fighting. Amazing.
• Overall Quality: I believe this is a self-published title, but you'd never know it. It's so very professional and high quality!
• Favorite Moment/Scene: The kiss scene... Oh. My. Lord. It is amazing, and I am rarely impressed by kiss scenes, but this one blew me away. It is totally out-of-nowhere and made me blink a lot. A lot. And, made me think about it as I drifted off to sleep the same night I read it.
• My Score: 4.5/5 stars. (I really like this. Can't wait for book 2!)
  
  
  
  
  

Review: Nine-Tail Fox by Camille Picott

Nine-Tail Fox: A Chinese Heritage Tale (Vol. 2)

by Camille Picott 

Genre: Fantasy/Mythology (novella)

Reading Grade: Middle Grade

Publication Date: September 28, 2011

Source: paperback from author

Age Rating: 10+

| Amazon |

When fifth-grade Emma Chan-McDougal is ridiculed by her classmates for being part Chinese, she's devastated. To ease Emma's wounded self-esteem, her aunt, a Chinese immigrant, spins the mythical tale of a brave little Nine-Tail Fox named Ainu who lives in San Francisco.

In a parallel animal world that comes to life when humans slumber, Ainu Nine-Tail and her mother face off against Chih Yu, an ancient demon who feeds on hatred. As the last of their clan, the Nine-Tails are honor-bound by a family oath to defend the Chinese animals from the demon. When Chih Yu kills her mother and leads an angry mob against Chinatown, Ainu is left to complete the task alone. Raw with grief and only partially trained for battle, Ainu must reach deep inside herself to find the wisdom and courage to save her people.

Will the journey of Ainu Nine-Tail help Emma find the strength to confront the school bullies and win back her confidence? 

 

My Review 

Oh, wow—another awesome Chinese heritage tale by Camille Picott! I like this one even better than Raggedy Chan. It has all the excitement and thrill of a big-budget classic Disney animated film with cute Chinese fantasy animals as its main characters. 

This story is all about teaching kids how to deal with racially motivated bullying, as it draws from the annals of San Francisco's history of Chinese discrimination. I don't know anything about it, but apparently, back in the 19^th century, Americans wanted the Chinese immigrants to leave because they were taking away jobs, food, and commodities from San Franciscans. 

In a gorgeous and wonderfully creative allegory using white nine-tail foxes and black, horned leopard-like creatures, Picott tells the story of how a young female fox named Ainu manages to defeat the evil and deceitful Chih-Yu, a spirit-world monster that feeds on and grows stronger from the hatred of the corporeal world's inhabitants. His purpose is to destroy all the descendents of General Nine-Tail, which Ainu Nine-Tail happens to be. 

In the story, this allegory is being told to ten-year-old Emma Chan-McDougal, who is half-Chinese-half-American, by her Auntie Gracie, a Chinese immigrant living in San Francisco. In her own loving and tolerant way, Auntie tells Emma not to get discouraged by the bully at her school who calls her a squint because she has the physical features of a Chinese. That “friend” has only been tricked by Chih-Yu, who makes Americans hate Chinese people, and in the tale, she relates exactly how Ainu defeated Chih-Yu so Emma can do it, too. 

Needless to say, it does the job wonderfully for the young girl. I really enjoy this story, as it flings you right into the action and devastation of the first Act, which left me in early tears. Then, more tears as Ainu leads the way for her fellow Chinese animals, and helps to ensure that Chih-Yu will never regain the power of hatred ever again. 

I think anyone who loves epic tales of heroism, much like what you see when you watch a classic Disney cartoon, will adore this novella. Although this is completely different from Mulan, Ainu displays a very similar sort of courage and bravery to Mulan's, which will leave you feeling proud and satisfied in the end. It's a fabulous read for any child, whether bullied or not, Chinese or not. In fact, people of all ages would enjoy this and should read it. 

* I received this complementary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

My score: 5 out of 5 stars. (I loved it!)

Review: Blood Calling by Joshua Grover-David Patterson

Blood Calling 

by Joshua Grover-David Patterson 

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Vampires

Reading Grade: Young Adult

Publication Date: September 10, 2011

Source: review copy from author (ebook)

Age Rating: 13+

| Amazon | 

 

When Lucy Leary turned eighteen, her life fell apart. She crashed her car, her best friend abandoned her, her parents divorced, and her grandfather passed away, leaving her a single possession: A vampire slaying kit with a note that said, “THEY’RE REAL. FIGHT THEM.”

Now Lucy must stop the oldest, most dangerous vampire in history, before it can kill her family. 

 

My Review

I hate to have to do it, but sometimes I must. This novel just warrants a negative review because it's riddled with what I perceive to be a lot of problems. If anything, it wasn't for me.

Now, this first issue isn't necessarily a problem, but that depends on the reader's preferred narrative style. This is a fictional autobiographical novel, so it reads like someone telling you their life story way back when it happened. Don't expect to be transported through time and space, feeling as though you're right there with the characters like a fly on the wall. I'm not against this style, but if every book were written this way, I know I'd get annoyed, eventually.

Story and characterization difficulties abound. There's no semblance of a plot. The characters just do one thing, then move on the next thing, kind of like real life. That can work in some fiction, like Interview with the Vampire, to name another vampire novel. But, not here. At least Louis regales an actual character in the novel with his life history. Here, we get Lucy rambling for 65,000 words to whatever reader will listen to her. And, of course, there's no depth of character, no inspired thematic elements to rescue it.

There are misplaced digressions that just don't seem to matter. The story of how Emma became a vampire is good, I'll admit. But, other than it being how she met the villain character, a bad old vampire, I didn't see any point to it. Then there's Wash's story of how he met the bad old vampire, told by Emma right before Lucy needed to go fight the guy in a one-on-one battle. Lucy even asks Emma to give her some fighting pointers before she goes to fight him, but Emma claims there's no time for that. But, there's time for a pointless story on how Wash met the bad old vampire? It makes no sense.

I also have a problem with every character sounding exactly the same. Many times they go on and on about something, for several paragraphs, which is not good, sounding exactly like the main character narrator. And, we get way too many details of every mundane thing Lucy does. She steps into the bathroom and she brushes her teeth, and then she gets into the shower, and she lathers up the shampoo—then, later she checks her phone for messages, etc., etc. This is commonplace, and doesn't add anything meaningful to the story.

I will never advise against buying a book because if you want to read something, despite my opinion of it, then you should. It's your life. Some people might find this story charming. I can see that. None of the characters are annoying, and at least Lucy's not some selfish, spoiled brat who sits around and lets everyone do everything for her. The story is not completely awful, but not particularly good. And, that's all I really can say about that.

* I received this from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

My score: 2 out of 5 stars. (Did not like.)

Free E-Book Friday! #2 (9/23/11)

Hey, people! Free books are exciting, right? Well, here are a handful of fantasy e-books I discovered this past week that are totally and completely FREE! Two are short stories and the rest are novels. They are linked directly to the Kindle store on Amazon.com, but each might be free on other e-book store fronts, as well, if you are so inclined...

Have a great weekend, y'all!

This first e-book is one I reviewed on my blog only yesterday. I gave it a raving 5-star review!

"Drop Dead: A Lawson Vampire Bonus Story"
by Jon F. Merz

 Meet Lawson. A cynical, wise-cracking vampire charged with protecting the Balance between vampires and humans, he is part cop, part spy, and part commando -- a James Bond with fangs. Lawson mixes shrewd cunning with unmatched lethality to get his job done. He tries his best to dismantle conspiracies, dispatch bad guys, and live long enough to get home.
This time, Lawson has been given an easy assignment, a “dead drop.” That is until an old enemy returns…

From Within
by John M. Dow
 
Three strangers find themselves drawn to Wakely, a small village in the Scottish Borders, where a centuries-old conflict between two warring Celtic deities is drawing to its gruesome conclusion. A small boy holds the key to their survival, but first they have to find them. And they're not the only ones looking.

 

The Emerald Talisman (Talisman, #1)
by Brenda Pandos

To be normal, sixteen-year-old Julia Parker would shed her empathic gift in a second. Life has been difficult since her mother's mysterious disappearance ten years earlier - an event she witnessed, but can't remember. Julia's situation becomes more complicated after a near death experience from a blood thirsty stalker. As high school students go missing it is clear there is a connection to her own experience--past and present. Someone has to stop the madness and a chance encounter with a creepy psychic foretells that only Julia is the key to stopping the madness, but it may require the life of the one she loves.

Marysvale

by Jared Southwick 

When accused of witchcraft, John does the only thing he's ever done"Run! That is, until he meets Jane, who lives in the bleak, imprisoned town of Marysvale. As their love grows, the dangers of Marysvale unfold; and for the first time in his life, John discovers there is something worth dying for. Marysvale is an action-packed story filled with monsters and tyrants, heroes and heroines.

Reckless Magic (Star-Crossed, #1)

by Rachel Higginson

16 year old Eden Matthews has been in and out of private schools for the last two years. Kingsley is her last chance to finish high school and she is determined to simply do that. But when she meets Kiran Kendrick and her world opens to something she thought only existed in fairy tales, she's unsure what her future will hold. Suddenly she is captivated by a boy who seems to be the source of all of her problems and struggling to rescue her best friend from a foreign prison. When attempts are made on Kiran's life, Eden alone must save him. Thrust into a world that is more make-believe than reality, Eden has to find her own destiny without losing those she loves most. Reckless is an intricate story of mystery, adventure, magic and love. Eden Matthews is an unlikely heroine set on a path to save the world and her loved ones before its too late.

"The Death Clock, a short story"

by J. Rock

Andie didn’t know what to make of the numbers.
She started seeing them when she got on the bus that morning. She didn't know what they meant...until she saw them run out...

Blog Tour: Weaving Destiny Review + Giveaway

Today, I'm happy to be hosting a tour stop for the "Weaving Destiny Blog Tour," in honor of the release of G.P. Ching's sequel to The Soulkeepers, Weaving Destiny. I have a full review of the book ready below, but first there's an opportunity for readers to enter a giveaway hosted by G.P. on her blog for a chance to win your choice of a Kindle, or Nook e-reader!

Just hop on over to her blog (here) and answers the questions in the form and you'll be entered. The giveaway is open to everyone until Monday, September 26th. Good luck to you all, and enjoy  The Soulkeepers series!

Weaving Destiny (The Soulkeepers, #2)

by G.P. Ching

Genre: Fantasy

Reading Grade: Young Adult

Publishing Type: self-published

Publication Date: September 6, 2011

Source: eARC from author

Age Rating: 15+ (for some profanity)

Amazon.com

Malini Gupta thought Jacob Lau was her destiny. But after months of failing to decipher how she fits into the Soulkeepers, frustration threatens to tear their relationship apart. And it doesn't help that a new Soulkeeper named Mara is ready to stop time itself to earn Jacob's love.

When Malini faces her worst fears, and even death, she learns a funny thing about destiny. Fate is a tapestry of choices, and she has the power to weave hers.

My Review

First off, if you haven't already read my review for the first The Soulkeepers book in this series, feel free to do so now (by clicking here). Compared to the first book, Weaving Destiny is definitely an evolution. I always felt like there was one unidentifiable, gnawing thing missing from the first, but it is rectified in Weaving Destiny. The writing is much better, the story-telling even more intricate and clever, and the characters seem even more realistic and likable.

This volume focuses on Malini Gupta, the title character, Jacob Lau's, girlfriend. I always liked Malini from book one, but I really didn't get the chance to come to love her as much as I do now, after getting inside her head and heart. What a neat girl she is! She has so much thrust upon her and simply doesn't feel like all the other Soulkeepers, that she's ready to do battle. She's not. It's a feeling so easy to relate to because, who would feel ready for that kind of life, being a normal person?

One of the pervasive themes of the story, I suppose for the entire series—but here it's really upfront—is the concept of 'destiny.' Obviously, its title is appropriate, because Malini begins the story believing, like so many young people do (I know I did!), that destiny is made for you by some cosmic force in the universe, and no one can do anything about it. We have to hope for the best and that's that.

But, what inevitably comes with age, maturity, and life experience is what Malini discovers through her trials: that she is, in fact, subject to destiny, but she is, in fact, the weaver of that destiny. I love how this theme is interwoven throughout, and her understanding of this concept is gradually obtained. She realizes she always had the power to shape her own future, and that pertains to everyone who's reading about her, too.

Read this if you want a sophisticated story with complex, real-world themes wrapped up in beautiful fantasy elements that is sure to entertain you. Think of it as the most delicious, wholesome, home-cooked meal prepared for you by a seasoned expert: savory, satisfying, and nourishing all at the same time.

I received this title from the author in exchange for an honest review.

My score: 5 out of 5 stars.

Free E-Book Friday! #1 (9/16/11)

I've decided to do a post of the free e-books I've been able to find and point them out to my followers, just in case you all might want to download them for yourselves. I might actually be able to do this every Friday, but I can't be sure about that, yet.

These are fantasy/paranormal novels, or short stories, that I might not have read, but they are of interest to me. I probably will only post about the free e-books that I'm interested in reading...

The Soulkeepers (The Soulkeepers, #1)

by G.P. Ching

This is still free over at Smashwords.com! 

When fifteen-year-old Jacob Lau is pulled from the crumpled remains of his mother's car, no one can explain why he was driving or why the police can't find his mother's body. Made a ward of his uncle and thousands of miles from home, a beautiful and mysterious neighbor offers to use her unique abilities to help him find his mom. In exchange, she requires Jacob to train as a Soulkeeper, a warrior charged with protecting human souls.

He agrees to her demands, desperate for any clue to the mystery of his mother's disappearance. But soon Jacob finds himself trapped in a web of half-truths, and questions her motives for helping him. 

Demon Girl (The Rae Wilder Wilder Novels, #1)

by Penelope Fletcher

Amazon.com

Rae Wilder has problems.... Supernatural creatures swarm the earth, and humanity is on the brink of extinction. Stalked by a handsome fairy who claims she is like him, demonkind, Rae thinks maybe it was a mistake breaking the rules by going over the Wall into demon territory. Plunged into a world of dark magics, fierce creatures, and ritual sacrifice, she is charged with a guarding a magical amulet. The changes to her mind and body are startling, but rather than accept her purpose she struggles against who she is destined to be. Throw in a big lust for a vampire who can't keep his hands off her, and life starts to get complicated. Rae is forced to make the ultimate choice: to live and die human, or embrace her birth-right and wield magics that could turn her into something wicked, a force of nature nothing can control.

Into the Shadows (Into the Shadows, #1)

by Karly Kirkpatrick 

Amazon.com 

Paivi Anderson has it all: friends, a spot on the varsity basketball team, wonderful parents, and quite possibly, her first boyfriend. It was everything a freshman in high school could ask for. 

Her perfect life begins to crumble when she discovers her name on a list distributed by a power-hungry presidential candidate. How could anyone think of Paivi as an Enemy of the State? Could it be because of her special powers? No one was supposed to know about them, but the mysterious messages in her tater tots say otherwise. 

In Into the Shadows, Paivi quickly learns who her friends are and is forced into a reality she didn't see coming.

Rumpel, a retelling of the Brother's Grimm Rumpelstiltskin
by Eileen Cruz Coleman 

Amazon.com 

RUMPEL is the dark and quirky retelling of the Brothers Grimm Rumpelstiltskin. When foreigners arrive on an island beach in search of a lost spinning wheel which they believe rightfully belongs to them and on which their very existence depends, the island inhabitants—spirits, trolls, mermaids, fallen angels and humans—are thrust into a course of events during which some will become allies and others will turn against their own and seventeen-year-old Elizabeth Miller must defend her unborn child from a vengeful troll, Rumpel, while also struggling to accept that she is the reason why eighteen-year-old Prince Alarick, a fallen angel, chose to give up a chance at redemption.

"Mutiny" (Mystyx, #2.5)
by Artist Arthur 

Amazon.com 

What did I do to end up in this nightmare?

One minute Franklin Bryant is a normal teenager in school with his girlfriend, Krystal. The next, a reaper leaves him in Trance, the place between worlds where his destiny will be decided. Franklin has been summoned by the demon Charon to help destroy the Mystyx, a group of classmates including Krystal, with supernatural powers that can defeat Charon. 

Franklin loves Krystal, but he faces an impossible choice: join Charon and be rewarded with powers beyond his dreams, or refuse and die....

Amazon often has promos available for ebooks.

Review: Black Wood by Jayde Scott

Black Wood (A Witch Rising, #1)

by Jayde Scott

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure

Reading Grade: Young Adult/Middle Grade

Publishing Type: self-published

Publication Date: July 30, 2011

Source: review copy from author

Age Rating: Children+

Amazon.com

Witches, trolls, nymphs and Silverfurs are surely the figment of one’s imagination. That’s what Emily Jones used to think until she moves to Scotland shortly before her fourteenth birthday to live in her deceased grandmother’s manor. Ravencourt Manor's just as creepy as she remembers it with plenty of creaking noises, rattling doors and a hunched shadow that roams the manor’s garden at night.

In the hope to bring her separated parents back together, Emily opens a portal to Black Wood; a world of dangerous and alluring nymphs dwelling beneath the streams ready to drown her, where the sinister guardian and keeper of the Black Heart and cursed trolls are waiting, desperate to be released. And so Emily’s long and dangerous fight against the evil Muriel begins.

Will Emily learn to use her grandmother's legacy in time before the evil Muriel regains her full powers to summon and unleash her deadly servants on the world? 

My Review

I'll start by saying that I really liked the characters in this short novel. Emily might not be one of the most interesting ones, but her older brother Sam was hilarious and breathed life into the story. I liked Aurelie and her nephew, Clifford, as they were eccentric and creepy to Emily until more was discovered about who they were.

I think this story functions really well as Middle Grade reading material and not as strictly Young Adult teen fiction. Parents could allow their young children to read this without fear of profanity, sexual situations, or violence. The protagonist is a thirteen-going-on-fourteen year old girl, and I think it's perfectly appropriate for a much younger audience, provided the younger child can read at the level of a thirteen-year-old.

I did, however, wish the scene where Emily trains as a witch, learning chants and spells, had been shown rather than quickly summed up in a few sentences. I would liked to have seen a bit of the process of her learning how to be a witch. And, it is a very quick read with a thin plot that comes to a quick resolution, although it ends right when another complication begins to develop. It feels like a cliffhanger, but the main plot does have a resolution and this new development serves to set up the beginning of the next volume that furthers Emily's overarching story goal.

I'm hoping the next installment is a bit more original, but, still, I liked the surprise twist at the end where Emily quickly glimpses someone unexpected of particular interest right before she leaves the world of Black Wood and returns home. I liked this story and would recommend it to people of all ages who like the Harry Potter series, as well as other children's adventure/fantasy fiction.

I received this title from the author in exchange for an honest review.

My score: 4 out of 5 stars.