1) Dead Beautiful - (Dead Beautiful #1) - Yvonne Woon
On the morning of her sixteenth birthday, Renée Winters was still an ordinary girl. She spent her summers at the beach, had the perfect best friend, and had just started dating the cutest guy at school. No one she'd ever known had died. But all that changes when she finds her parents dead in the Redwood Forest, in what appears to be a strange double murder.
After the funeral Renée’s wealthy grandfather sends her to Gottfried Academy, a remote and mysterious boarding school in Maine, where she finds herself studying subjects like Philosophy, Latin, and the “Crude Sciences.”
It’s there that she meets Dante Berlin, a handsome and elusive boy to whom she feels inexplicably drawn. As they grow closer, unexplainable things begin to happen, but Renée can’t stop herself from falling in love. It’s only when she discovers a dark tragedy in Gottfried’s past that she begins to wonder if the Academy is everything it seems.
Little does she know, Dante is the one hiding a dangerous secret, one that has him fearing for her life.
Dead Beautiful is both a compelling romance and thought-provoking read, bringing shocking new meaning to life, death, love, and the nature of the soul.
Review;
Dead Beautiful tells the story of Renée, a teenager whose life is turned upside down following the double death of her parents in mysterious circumstances. After the funeral, she is sent to boarding school in New England by her enigmatic grandfather. But Renée is dismayed to find how far removed the Gottfried Academy is from her high school in California, due to its odd rituals and old-fashioned subjects, such as Latin and horticulture.
During her first week at the academy, Renée meets the ‘devastatingly handsome’ Dante Berlin, a boy who doesn’t eat or sleep and who is cold to the touch. Dante is a romantic hero in the same vein (pardon the pun!) as Edward Cullen, so this book is sure to appeal to Twilight fans!
Woon tells a compelling story and creates a haunting setting at Gottfried, where nothing is as it seems. Esoteric and philosophical concepts are brought to life as the students receive an education like no other. The elitism at the boarding school is well described while Renée tries to find her place amongst the cliques.
The romance between Renée and Dante treads familiar ground; nevertheless, it is very relatable since Renée is a very convincing teen character. But this book comes into its own as a mystery novel; the secrets that are gradually revealed change the way Renée thinks about herself and the world around her, more so than any of the classes she takes. These revelations make Dead Beautiful a very satisfying read and will keep readers guessing right to the very end.
2) Haunting Violet - Alyxandria HarveyViolet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.
Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?
Review;
A few ways in which Haunting Violet differs from—and improves on—the usual formula:
1. The stakes are higher. Traditionally, Our Fair Heroine finds the rules of polite society somewhat chafing, but, as she was born into them, she understands them. Even if her behavior causes gossip, she is almost always still easily accepted.
Violet, on the other hand, is pretending. She wears the clothes and receives the invitations, but despite her manners and her appearance, she’s still a girl from Cheapside. Her position forces her to lie—through word and action—to everyone she meets. She doesn’t know the rules of high society very well, and she’s always aware that one misstep will expose the entire charade.
2. No traditional support network. Girls in this subgenre often come from a large, somewhat eccentric but always loving family. Not so in this case. Violet doesn’t even know who her father’s name, or if he’s still alive. The only family she has is her mother.
Mrs. Willoughby is a beautiful woman, but selfish, driven and prone to violence when she is angry, drunk or just cranky. Despite her horrid behavior over the course of the book, she’s still a fascinating character. After all, she’s a survivor, and she did keep her daughter when she could have easily deserted her. If Harvey ever decides to write a prequel about her, I’ll read it.
3. A choice between love and security. Rather than meeting a handsome, rich, possibly suspicious stranger and falling desperately in love with him despite that whole “possibly suspicious” thing, Violet finds herself involved in a love triangle. Well, not exactly a LOVE triangle. It’s more of a practicality triangle.
On one hand, there’s the rich-yet-so-bland-he-might-as-well-be-nameless guy who could provide a life of leisure, and on the other, there’s Colin. Colin, who has no money. Colin, who has no real prospects but is trustworthy, loyal, brave and honest. Colin, who has been in Violet’s life for so long that he used to put spiders in her bed. Violet has to decide what’s more important—a secure future or (possibly) true love.
4. The mystery was twisty. There are usually only a few probable suspects in this genre, and it’s pretty easy to identify the villain early on. Not so in Haunting Violet: At one point or another, EVERYONE’S A SUSPECT. The only person I was immediately able to dismiss was the one that Violet suspected! Right up to the very end, I wasn’t sure whodunit. Which, of course, always makes me deliriously happy.
3) The Morganville Vampires #11 - Last Breath - Rachel Caine
With her boss preoccupied researching the Founder Houses in Morganville, student Claire Danvers is left to her own devices when she learns that three vampires have vanished without a trace. She soon discovers that the last person seen with one of the missing vampires is someone new to town-a mysterious individual named Magnus. After an uneasy encounter with Morganville's latest resident, Claire is certain Magnus isn't merely human. But is he a vampire-or something else entirely?
With her boss preoccupied researching the Founder Houses in Morganville, student Claire Danvers is left to her own devices when she learns that three vampires have vanished without a trace. She soon discovers that the last person seen with one of the missing vampires is someone new to town-a mysterious individual named Magnus. After an uneasy encounter with Morganville’s latest resident, Claire is certain Magnus isn’t merely human. But is he a vampire-or something else entirely?
Review;
As Michael and Eve make preparations for their wedding, certain undead members of the Morganville community begin making all kinds of noise objecting to the idea. Everyone seems to have an opinion on why Michael and Eve shouldn’t get married – except the couple themselves. Even Shane and Claire express concern. Michael is a vampire; Eve is human. A lifelong predatory union such as that is bound to end in tragedy, right? At least, that’s what the history books show. Eve wonders … could her relationship with Michael go down in history as the first human/vampire relationship to really make it?
In Bite Club we saw Shane and Claire face all kinds of adversity. Shane let Claire down – repeatedly – and both of them still have wounds to heal from that experience, but Last Breathopens showing Shane and Claire more in love, stronger than they’ve ever been before. It’s obvious they’re meant to be together, through thick and thin, the good and the bad, the ugly and the beautiful – but what about in death? Last Breath sees Shane and Claire face the ultimate challenge – the biggest one they’re likely to encounter ever.
Meanwhile, outside the Glass House, Morganville is in a state of disarray. Vampires are going missing and something has spooked Amelie out of her mind. She’s packing up the vampires and planning a mass exodus out of Morganville. It looks like the humans will finally have their town back.
Or will they?
If I know Amelia – and I think by now I do – leaving the humans to their own devices is notsomething she’s particularly known for. She says they’re leaving and allowing the humans to reclaim the town, but is that really what’s going on? Would she really leave a bunch of humans behind untouched, uncontrolled? Not very likely.
And Claire and Shane know it. Complacency, happiness, contentment – these are things that Shane and Claire will never get to experience. Not while they’re living in Morganville, anyway. In an epic battle – more epic than anything Morganville has ever seen – the Glass House gang will join the vampires, again, in the fight for their very lives.
Last Breath threw many curve balls that I never saw coming. Predictable is not a word I would choose to describe this series. Just when you think Caine can’t possibly develop this world any further, she does. Just when you think these characters have grown as much as they possibly can, Caine manages to mould them into even more dynamic, even greater characters. I never get tired of reading these books. With Last Breath Caine delivers one of the most thrilling cliffhangers to date, and as always, I’m now anxiously awaiting the arrival of the next chapter in this awesome series.
4) Forbidden - The Demon Trappers #2 - Jana Oliver
Riley Blackthorne is beginning to learn that there are worse things than death by demon. And love is just one of them…
Seventeen-year-old Riley has about had it up to here. After the devastating battle at the Tabernacle, trappers are dead and injured, her boyfriend Simon is gravely injured, and now her beloved late father’s been illegally poached from his grave by a very powerful necromancer. As if that’s not enough, there's Ori, one sizzling hot freelance demon hunter who’s made himself Riley’s unofficial body guard, and Beck, a super over-protective “friend” who acts more like a grouchy granddad. With all the hassles, Riley’s almost ready to leave Atlanta altogether.
But as Atlanta’s demon count increases, the Vatican finally sends its own Demon Hunters to take care of the city’s “little” problem, and pandemonium breaks loose. Only Riley knows that she might be the center of Hell’s attention: an extremely powerful Grade 5 demon is stalking her, and her luck can't last forever…
Review;
After having read the first book in the series, I was looking forward to reading the second. Now I can't wait for the third. Forbidden is a fantastic story about the life in the future with demons seen as a normal thing. I loved that we got the story told to us from different views, as it cleared up the plot and made it easier to understand. The story line was very interesting and completely unpredictable. I was left open mouthed after reading about something that happened, which just came completely out of the blue. I also loved the fact that even though Riley was a very unusual girl, the only female trapper, she was still just a 17-year-old girl. She made mistakes, got jealous, impatient and angry. All of the things expected from a girl her age.
As in the first book, Riley was ferocious and strong like before. Even though everything was falling apart around her, she was just as determined to save her dad and save the world. However, her emotions did cloud her judgements and led to her making very big mistakes. I found myself getting angry at her for what she was doing, but I was still rooting for her. Peter, Riley's best friend, plays a bigger role in this book, which I liked because usually you learn a lot about the main characters best friend. Beck and Riley's relationship changes throughout the book, as different events happen.
As in the first book, Riley was ferocious and strong like before. Even though everything was falling apart around her, she was just as determined to save her dad and save the world. However, her emotions did cloud her judgements and led to her making very big mistakes. I found myself getting angry at her for what she was doing, but I was still rooting for her. Peter, Riley's best friend, plays a bigger role in this book, which I liked because usually you learn a lot about the main characters best friend. Beck and Riley's relationship changes throughout the book, as different events happen.
I am really looking forward to what's going to happen in the third book, as the whole Demon Trappers Series has, so far, been amazing.
5) Secret Lives - Darke Academy #1 - Gabriella Poole
The first in a series about an exclusive school with a terrible secret—you'll be dying to join the chosen FewThe Darke Academy is a school like no other. An elite establishment that moves to a new exotic city every term, its students are impossibly beautiful, sophisticated. and rich, and the more the new scholarship girl Cassie Bell learns about the Academy, the more curious she becomes. What sinister secrets are guarded by the Few—the select group of students who keep outsiders away? Who is the dark stranger prowling the corridors at night? And what really happened a year earlier, when the last scholarship girl died in mysterious circumstances? Cassie quickly discovers that a little knowledge may be a dangerous thing, but knowing too much can be deadly.
Review;
When the new scholarship girl, Cassie Bells joins the Darke Academy, an elite school which travels to a different city every term, she almost immediately becomes involved with The Few. But when Cassie finds herself wandering the corridors at night, avoiding her snoring roommate, she finds something that will change her stay at the Academy forever. The more Cassie discovers, the more danger there seems to be lurking around the corridors...
At the moment there are a lot of ‘after Twilight’ books which seemed to have hit the shops. I wouldn’t say this is one. I found that this book had just the right balance between fantasy and realism and an ever-twisting plot! The main protagonist, Cassie Bell, had a well-developed character and I could relate to her feelings towards the pupils of Darke Academy. I was hooked from the start and couldn’t find it in me to put the book down!
I’d give this book a definite 5/5 and recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy books!
