TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.
The Graces by Laure Eve
Showing posts with label paranormal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paranormal. Show all posts
TBR Feature #76
Monday, 6 February 2017
Theresa Braun
Genre(s): Horror, Paranormal, Romance
Published: November 16th 2016
Pages: 38
Rating: 4 stars
“Veronica’s first date with Sebastian not only stirs up a powerful attraction, but also a series of supernatural events that will tear them apart.
After countless hours of dead end online dating, Veronica meets up with Sebastian at a reportedly haunted restaurant, since he knows she has a fascination with the paranormal. While enjoying their meals and each other’s company, they share a shocking supernatural experience. Their romantic connection is overshadowed by the ghosts of their own pasts that threaten to destroy their budding relationship. Veronica decides she must return to the restaurant to face her past and dig up more answers. Unfortunately, she realizes she must go back, this time with a reluctant Sebastian. In the end, they join forces against the evil that stands between them, but will they make it out alive?”
Dead Over Heels opens with our main character, Veronica, and her boyfriend, Sebastian, in trouble. What kind of trouble we don't know, but there's blood... For such a short read - seriously, this is only 38 pages - it sure does pack a punch. The ending, especially, will leave you reeling.
The style of it is chatty and informal but it doesn't come across as immature or poorly written at all. In fact, I think this helps the story along, as it feels like Veronica is replaying and relating the series of events that led her to be sitting in a police station. The descriptions are nicely done and give a good sense of the setting, without being too long and unnecessary. Overall, it's a nice blend of formal prose and a more personal narration.
There's plenty of supernatural and mystical elements throughout - we start off with Wicca, magic, and reiki and end with ghosts and violence - but there's also more normal things, mainly dating. Again, it's a nice blend and feels very natural.
Veronica is hopeful and on the hunt for love, but she isn't stupid. She knows that the candles she's made to help her find the one might not work, and she doesn't accept Sebastian's weak excuses for being late to their first date. As the story is told in first person, we don't get too many details about Sebastian. But from how Veronica sees him we can guess that he's a nice guy - interested in ghosts and more spiritual things and with some trauma in his past, but nice.
It's hard to say much more, as it's far too easy to spoil this little gem. What will say, though, is if you're a fan of paranormal, romance, horror, or any combination of the three you should definitely think about giving this a go.
Theresa Braun and her work can be found at...
Website
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Friday, 18 November 2016
Dawn Kurtagich
Genre(s): Horror, Paranormal, Young Adult
Published: August 6th 2015
Pages: 440
Rating: 4 stars
“Twenty-five years ago, Elmbridge High burned down. Three people were killed and one pupil, Carly Johnson, disappeared. Now a diary has been found in the ruins of the school. The diary belongs to Kaitlyn Johnson, Carly’s identical twin sister. But Carly didn’t have a twin . . .
Re-opened police records, psychiatric reports, transcripts of video footage and fragments of diary reveal a web of deceit and intrigue, violence and murder, raising a whole lot more questions than it answers.
Who was Kaitlyn and why did she only appear at night? Did she really exist or was she a figment of a disturbed mind? What were the illicit rituals taking place at the school? And just what did happen at Elmbridge in the events leading up to ‘the Johnson Incident’?”
This was a re-read with Ashleigh from A Frolic Through Fiction, Molly from Molly's Book Nook, and Aimee from Lovely Book Loves
I've never read a book written in such a unique way as The Dead House. The story of Carly and Kaitlyn is told through diary entries, snippets of police reports, transcripts of therapy sessions, and just about anything else you can think of. It's a massive jumble of thoughts and emotions that leaves you confused and on the edge of your seat, but somehow it works.
From the very beginning, psychology and mental illness takes a big part in Carly's and Kaitlyn's lives. It's hinted at that Carly has an eating disorder (or poor eating habits, at least) and that Kaitlyn is the result of trauma and Dissociative Identity Disorder. While I am fond of this idea and the inclusion of mental health, it's never confirmed one way or another, and from my own research into disorders it seems unlikely. That only acts as a way of opening many, many more doors, however.
There's an element of religion, thanks to Carly's best friend, Naida, which makes you wonder if there are supernatural elements at play. So much of the book is shrouded in mystery that nothing is unlikely, and things only start to get creepier and more unnerving. I wish the Mala had been explained in more detail, or just substituted for spiritual practises that already exist, as it felt a little underdone and thrown in at the last minute. Nevertheless, I did still enjoy the creepy element the runes and charms and chants provided.
The best part of this book is also it's weakest point, and that's that it lets you come up with your own answers. My biggest problem with this, despite how fantastic the story telling is, is that there isn't a sense of resolution and finality with the ending. Yes, our time with the girls is over, but it doesn't feel as if we have all the answers. Things are left open to interpretation and are incredibly vague and ambiguous. Great, if you enjoy deciding what happens for yourself, but I wanted some definitive answers.
My personal theory, however, is that Kaitlyn is the 'true', unwell, self and Carly was a product of trauma and psychosis, and that Kaitlyn was vulnerable to the supernatural. Or maybe I'm completely wrong. Who knows?
Friday, 9 September 2016
Michelle Hodkin
Genre(s): Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
Published: November 6th 2014
Pages: 470
Rating: 2 stars
“Mara Dyer wants to believe there's more to the lies she’s been told.
There is.
She doesn’t stop to think about where her quest for the truth might lead.
She should.
She never had to imagine how far she would go for vengeance.
She will now.
Loyalties are betrayed, guilt and innocence tangle, and fate and chance collide in this shocking conclusion to Mara Dyer’s story.
Retribution has arrived.”
The Retribution of Mara Dyer had a promising start. It was setting up to be an epic finale to a trilogy that has done nothing other than confuse me and present me with more questions than answers. It was a gripping mystery, albeit a young adult one. Or at least it was for the first 80%.
The things went down hill. Not gently or subtly, but in a vertical drop as if the land had cut away beneath its feet. It shed its skin, revealing its true colours that I had tried so desperately to deny. Do not be fooled like I was into thinking this is a psychological thriller because you will be sorely disappointed. This is 100% hands down a paranormal romance. And that really pissed me off.
Excuse the language but I cannot express how I feel any other way. Well, I could, using stronger language, but I don't like swearing in my reviews. I'm letting myself off this time, however, as Mara Dyer and Noah Shaw have driven me to such disappointed anger in this series.
I liked this when I first picked it up. I wasn't really sure what was going on in book one, and I despised Noah as a character and their 'romance', but the general story held my attention. The same could be said for the majority of this book... Until the ending.
After all the mystery and all the questions, I felt like nothing was resolved or wrapped up. I still wanted answers and I was still confused. As far as endings go, this barely was one. It was just an excuse for Mara and Noah to finally sleep together, which was not what I wanted after three books of pure 'what the hell'.
I feel like another book is necessary, pulling this apart and debunking everything, explaining the anomaly properly and how it works along bloodlines, telling me more about her grandmother. That being said, I wouldn't read it because no doubt it'd be just as disappointing as this was.
Friday, 6 November 2015
Cassandra Clare
Genre(s): Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult
Published: May 28th 2014
Pages: 733
Rating: 1 star
“Lives will be lost, love sacrificed, and the whole world changed in the sixth and last instalment of the internationally bestselling The Mortal Instruments series.
Erchomai, Sebastian had said. I am coming.
Darkness returns to the Shadowhunter world. As their society falls apart around them, Clary, Jace, Simon and their friends must band together to fight the greatest evil the Nephilim have ever faced: Clary's own brother. Nothing in this world can defeat him - must they journey to another world to find the chance?”
I am so glad that I am done with this series. So glad. The last three books were painful to read, and I’m definitely not alone when I say things should have stopped at City of Glass. Not that I enjoyed City of Ashes and City of Glass that much, but that’s beside the point. Things just went from bad to much, much worse with the second half of The Mortal Instruments.
If it wasn’t bad enough that I can’t stand either Jace or Clary, City of Heavenly Fire was filled with a whole cast of characters that I either a) couldn’t stand, b) didn’t like, or c) didn’t even know who they were or what relevance they played. I felt that a lot of this book was setting up for the next Shadowhunter series (excellent! I cannot wait! Keep milking that cow!) and that the majority of the Blackthorn and Carstairs parts could have been cut. They should have been included in the first installment of The Dark Artifices, not in the final The Mortal Instruments book.
My biggest problem is how everything – and I mean everything – is about Jace or Clary, or Jace and Clary. If they were likable characters I could be more lenient, but no. Jace is arrogant, selfish, reckless, moody, and manipulative to the point where it almost costs the girl he considers his sister her life. He and Clary cannot make good decisions to save their lives – literally! – and all they ever care about is each other. Great. Clary continues to lead Simon (who is totally still in love with her, fight me on it) on and doesn’t respect her mother, it’s all Jace and his golden hair. Excuse me while I gouge my eyes out so that I never have to read about them again.
Many of the POVs included bored me to tears, and a lot felt like they were just for filling extra pages. I didn’t need Jia Penhallow’s thoughts. I didn’t care about Maia and the werewolf pack. I didn’t feel bad about Emma Carstairs. I didn’t even care about some of the returning characters – Alec, Magnus, and Simon, to be exact. Clare spends far too long describing what people are wearing, how sunlight turns things to gold, and far too much detail went into every last god forsaken kiss Clary and Jace shared. It’s a wonder I didn’t throw up all over the page.
On top of all the usual offences committed in a TMI book, I found a lot of inaccuracies as well. In the prologue, there was reference to a ‘poisonous snake’. In the prologue, for christ’s sake. How am I meant to take a book seriously when there’s an error like that and I’m not even 30 pages in? Granted, if I hadn’t known the difference between poisonous and venomous, and didn’t have such an interest in animals, this may have slipped past me. But it didn’t, and I’m not letting Clare and her editors get away with it.
And on the topic of editors, were any even hired for City of Heavenly Fire? Or any of the TMI books? Explain to me why 40+ page chapters are necessary. Explain to me why we hear from up to 5 different characters a chapter, with the harshest transitions known to readers between. Explain how the excessive detail was ever considered to be okay and interesting by anyone other than the author. The entire series needs an extremely fine toothed comb taken to it, because I cannot even fully express how it makes me feel. 733 pages – on top of 5 other 300+ page books – is not necessary. At all. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: condensing is your best friend.
Overall, I didn’t like this. I wouldn’t recommend it, so don’t waste your time.
Wednesday, 26 August 2015
Paul McAvoy
Genre(s): Paranormal, Supernatural
Published: July 18th 2015
Pages: 180
Rating: 2.5 stars
“On a foggy morning, thirteen year old Jessica wakes up in a strange forest, not knowing how she got there, but with a feeling she is being watched. Helped to a local police station, memories start to come back, about where she has been the last few days… She remembers a deal she had to make to stay alive… to obtain a small bottle of vampire’s blood. With the use of a magical phone, her journey takes her to the English Lake District, a lonely Scottish village and the bright lights of New York. She meets mysterious men who work for a secret government organisation and a vampire who seems willing to help, but is he and his teenage vampire friends to be trusted? On the run, she must reach a government hide out before her adversaries catch up with her and take her to a realm of darkness and blood… ”
A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
From the start, things looked interesting and promised to be good. The tone of the story was set early on, as was the scene. I instantly got a sense of foreboding and air of creepiness, with the narrator struggling to remember things and talking of drowning. However, I do think there was an overkill of ellipses in the initial setup. They’re good for creating suspense and uncertainty… when they’re used sparingly.
I’ll admit that I was surprised to discover that the narrator was female as she didn’t read as female at all to me. It wasn’t something I minded; in fact it was quite refreshing to read a character like that. She came across as quite smart and I liked the way she kept calm, despite what had happened to her.
The writing style was easy and pretty fast to read, with good variation in regards to sentence length and structure. Nothing was jarring or choppy, yet nothing dragged on and on either. I did, however, notice a few more poetic and metaphorical lines had been included every now and again, and these felt a bit off to me. It wasn’t that they were bad, they just didn’t fit the tone and overall style, in my opinion.
The dialogue could be a bit more refine, and it was here that my biggest problem emerged. Adults didn’t read as adults; they came across as childish and trying too hard to be funny. There were also times when I found it difficult to follow conversations (but that may just have been me and nothing to do with the dialogue). Contractions needed to be used more often to make some sentences less formal and stilted, especially when the young narrator spoke.
I’m not entirely sure of the intended age range of this book, but to me it came across as children’s or young teen paranormal fiction. I don’t have a problem with that, but it was a bit of a surprise after the initial setup, as things did seem to take a bit of an odd turn, most notably when Jessie gets set her three tasks.
Overall, this had its ups and its downs. There were moments I thought could have been better and moments that were action-packed. Some of the more action-packed scenes did feel a little out of place next to the more subdued parts, but in the end it wasn’t a bad read. That being said, I did prefer So... I Met a Demon.
Paul McAvoy and his work can be found at...
Website
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Friday, 29 May 2015
Holly Black
Genre(s): Fantasy, Paranormal, Young adult
Published: January 13th 2015
Pages: 324
Rating: 2 stars
“Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.
Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.
At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.
Until one day, he does…
As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?”
The Darkest Part of the Forest doesn't waste any time in jumping in to the story of the sleeping faerie prince. I thought he would be a secret only the main characters knew about, but no, the whole town knows about him and has seen him. Just from this, I was disappointed by the story, and I wasn't even one chapter in.
There is a whole cast of characters introduced in the first 10 pages, which left me a little overwhelmed. The first chapter also talks about a changeling and other things related to the Folk - as they are referred to in this book - and how they are normal in the town of Fairfold. It wasn't quite what I was expecting and I'll admit that it did put me off and lower my expectations for the rest of the story.
I found that I didn't really like Hazel or Ben, either. I don't know what it was about them but I just didn't really connect or have feelings one way or another about them. To me, they came across as very cookie-cutter young adult characters, who were just rather mediocre all around. I think I was looking for something very wild and different going into this book, and ended up being let down on all counts.
However, things did improve after the horned boy - Severin - was woken. While the plot did pick up and things actually started to happen, I didn't feel like the pace did. It still took me while to get through, and I wasn't entirely sure - or sold - on where things were going.
It's a shame, really. I consider myself a fan of Holly Black's work, but this fell short and left me fairly disappointed. If you're new to her work, or to fey fantasy in general, I'd say don't start with this.
Friday, 10 October 2014
Ransom Riggs
Genre(s): Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult
Published: January 14th 2014
Pages: 396
Rating: 3.5 stars
“This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine's island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises.”
While I did like Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, I didn't really like it. It was good but I had issues with it. Hollow City wastes no time in jumping into things, starting exactly where the first book left off in a way that promised an action packed ride.
I liked how the pictures in this were more to do with the setting and surroundings than the peculiar children. I felt that they went with the story better and were more natural, and after reading Miss Peregrine's I knew how much attention to pay them in order to get the most from the story. Things also seemed to have taken a darker tone in the first few chapters and I really liked that, I think it reflected the situation and mood the characters were in without going overboard.
The characters were also a lot more enjoyable this time around. They had more distinct personalities that were unique to them, and their peculiarities felt more natural and developed - Jacob's especially.
I did, however, have a problem with the 'romance' between Emma and Jacob. I found it unnatural and weird, more so than in the first book where I thought nothing would come of it. The fact that she is - technically - a lot older than him, and was quite heavily involved with his grandpa just... doesn't sit well with me. I also found quite a few grammatical errors as I was reading, but that may be because the edition I read was still fairly new.
Overall, not a great book. A good sequel, just not amazing.
Friday, 12 September 2014
Ransom Riggs
Genre(s): Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult
Published: June 4th 2013
Pages: 352
Rating: 3 stars
“A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.”
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is, at first glance, a story with a unique twist to it. That being that it has an an almost dual narrative, made up of text and photographs.
I have read both graphic novels and books with illustrations, but never a book that has taken inspiration from photographs and grown from there. I was wary, unsure of how things would unfold. Would the photos bear the weight of the story and tell it like a graphic novel? Or would it be a somewhat childish attempt to support the story through visual means?
The answer to that: neither.
While they were a nice touch, I found that the photographs didn't add much to the writing or the story as a whole. I didn't find them particularly creepy either - instead I was left frowning over how obviously staged some of them looked.
I honestly don't know what I was expecting from this book, but I was definitely surprised when I started reading. Not necessarily in a bad way, because I did enjoy it, but it did feel a bit... lacking.
That being said, I will be continuing on with the books that follow, as this definitely has potential and I'd like to see how the story grows.
Friday, 22 August 2014
Paul McAvoy
Genre(s): Paranormal, Supernatural
Published: August 9th 2014
Pages: 190
Rating: 3 stars
“In a small English town, the residents stay clear of a rundown house they call Spook House. Things have happened there, bad things the locals never talk about. Young Ben sees a girl in the garden of the house one day... a girl who says she is trapped... a girl no-one else can see but him. Concerned, his parents forbid him to go near the place. The girl appears once a year, for the next six years, never ageing. She is held there against her will by a power greater than anyone could imagine... Can Ben help set the girl free from the clutches of Spook House?”
A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
I have no trouble in admitting that paranormal and supernatural are not some of my favourite genres. I've read a good amount of both, and I've found a few hits amongst the many misses. So... I Met a Demon falls in with the hits.
The beginning held a bit of mystery, which I liked. It made me want to find out who the narrator was and what they were talking about. I found that the sentences were a bit choppy at times, but overall I enjoyed the descriptions and could put any disjointedness down to the early chapters setting the scene. And perhaps a need for more punctuation (I'm no grammar expert, but some of the pauses were in the wrong place for me, and sometimes I paused naturally where there was no punctuation). The dialogue felt a bit forced and too formal, considering the main character was only young at the start of the story, but not much time was wasted in jumping into the main plot, and I liked that. I don't need to hand around for a million chapters and countless descriptions before actually being introduced to the titular subject.
I thought it was interesting that the main character was so young (and a boy, there are so few male protagonists in the supernatural and paranormal genres). The only books with young main characters that I've read have been children'r or middle grade books. it was nice to read an adult - young adult? I'm not sure - book with a main character under the age of sixteen. I found it made things a little less contrived and I was very interested to see how someone so young and seemingly average would deal with a demon, as it's no secret how dangerous and tricksy demons can be.
The writing did remain simplistic throughout the book, making it a quick and easy read that didn't require a lot of thought to get into. However, the dialogue also remained quite forced and formal, and that was the thing that I had the most trouble with. It could have been greatly improved by simply using contractions more often. Don't reads much smoother than do not, and also feels a lot more natural, too.
Overall, thought, I did like So... I Met a Demon. I feel that with a bit of fine tuning it has the potential to be even better, but as it stands, it was a quick read that I don't regret.
Paul McAvoy and his work can be found at...
Website
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Tuesday, 8 October 2013
TemptedP.C. and Kristen Cast
Genre(s): young adult, paranormal, fantasy
Published: October 23rd 2009
Pages: 319
Rating: 3 stars
“Zoey needs a break after some serious excitement. Sadly, the House of Night school for vampyres doesn’t feature breaks on its curriculum—even for a High Priestess in training and her gang. Plus juggling three guys is no stress reliever, especially when one is a sexy Warrior so into protecting Zoey that he’s sensing her emotions. Wider stresses lurk too, and the dark force in Tulsa’s tunnels is spreading. Could Stevie Rae be responsible for more than a group of misfit fledglings? And Aphrodite’s visions warn Zoey to stay away from the immortal Kalona and his dark allure—but they also show that only Zoey can stop him. She’s not exactly keen to meet up, but if Zoey doesn’t go to Kalona he’ll exact a fiery vengeance on those closest to her. She just has to find the courage to do what’s necessary, or everything that’s important to her will be destroyed.”
Tempted is a turning point in the House of Night series.
Things begin to improve, the plot thickens and I found things to start being explained a little more. It's still not a great book by itself, but in House of Night terms, Tempted is amazing.
It may have something to with the introduction of new POVs, or the writer's may have just gained enough experience and been in the House of Night world long enough to get better. Whatever the reason, I'm not going to complain... much.
The new POVs in Tempted really help the reader to understand what's going on in everyone else's heads, and they're refreshing breaks from Zoey's constant babble and 'struggles' (not knowing which boy she likes best? Oh god, the world is ending! But seriously, that is not an issue that needs to be brought up in every. Single. Chapter.). That being said, they are a little confusing in the beginning, as not only does the POV change, but the tense does as well, from first person to third. While that isn't necessarily a bad thing (I don't think I'd have been able to cope with everyone else in first person, thanks a lot, Zoey), as it allows a little more world building and for the reader to see the bigger picture. Things aren't limited to that person's personal views and opinions, which is very nice, as first person can become incredibly boring and repetitive, what with the same thoughts going round and round.
We get insight into Stevie Rae and Aphrodite's minds in Tempted, with Aphrodite's being a lot more interesting, I found. While it was nice to see how conflicted and guilty Stevie Rae feels, the constant use of country idioms got very tiresome and, overall, her perky nature just got annoying. I found Aphrodite to be a lot more relateable, and I really liked how her chapters clued us in about her upbringing and how she feels behind the bitch façade. We also get a brief glimpse of the Raven Mocker, Rephaim's, POV but I found those parts a lot less interesting than everything else. Probably because I think the whole Raven Mocker storyline is too long-winded and dragged out (but I've already up to Destined, so that's probably why). And, at the very end, we even get little snippets from Heath and Stark, which I think helps with the whole 'Zoey has mulitple boyfriends' issue, which is getting so drawn out and annoying.
Not only do we get new POVs, but there's some actual plot!
Okay, some parts of Tempted are still a bit filler-y, like Huntedwas, but these bits are done to build up to the next big instalment. And boy, is the next instalment big!
The build up is pretty good, even if I feel like the dialogue related to it was rather forced and unnatural. I felt things were laid out a little more clearly than usual, which was a very nice change from things being mentioned briefly and then pushed aside. The pacing was, again, nice. The writing kept things moving at a fair pace, but not so that you were overwhelmed with plot and details and left going 'huh?' over things.
All in all, a good addition to the House of Night series. Still not perfect, but definitely not the worst book in the series.
Monday, 7 October 2013
HuntedP.C. and Kristen Cast
Genre(s): young adult, paranormal, fantasy
Published: January 1st 2009
Pages: 439
Rating: 3 stars
“The good news: Zoey’s friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren’t Neferet’s secrets any longer. The bad news: Ancient evil with the face of an angel has been let loose—that and various other nasties (whose faces aren’t so angelic). Grandma Redbird is in trouble. Heath is in trouble. The House of Night is in trouble. Okay, let’s face it—Zoey’s whole world is in trouble! But when the trouble comes from a being who appears to be beauty personified, will the world believe it? Especially when only a teenager and a group of misfits are the only ones who really understand the danger he brings. Will Zoey have the strength and wisdom to reveal the truth? Especially when, in the House of Night, the truth is often hard to come by...”
The House of Night series isn't great, I have no problem admitting that (or admitting that I don't really enjoy it), but Hunted wasn't bad.
Okay, yeah, it wasn't amazing either, but it wasn't totally awful like some of the other books have been (I'm looking at Marked and Chosen when I say this). It's definitely more filler material than actual plot development, but it was a nice change of pace.
The writing meant that it was incredibly quick to get through, as even though it's not the best or the most complex, it's gripping. Mainly because it's so simple, but also because there is a lot of suspense throughout the series. Unfortunately, a lot of that suspense is ruined if you're particularly good at guessing what happens next. But whatever, Hunted's still a quick read.
A lot of new characters are introduced in Hunted as well, mainly more red fledglings, but the old characters we've come to know (and either love or hate) don't really get any more development. Maybe that's just down to the filler-y nature of this book, or just because they're pretty bland characters, I don't know. What I do know is that it's annoying.
I thought that by re-reading this series I'd not only remember everything for when I come to read books 10 and onwards, I'd come to fall in love with it again. Sadly - or maybe not sadly - I haven't. Perhaps it's because when I first read these books I was only about 13 that I loved them. Now, with a whole bookcase of other books under my belt, I can see the faults. I don't know. I just feel rather disappointed and annoyed with this series.
My point is, Hunted (as well as many other House of Night books) is a quick, easy and enjoyable read if you're a young adult that likes vampires - sorry, vampyres - and bad dialogue. If you don't, it's still a quick, easy read, but it'll most likely end up annoying you or turning into that series that you love to hate.
Tuesday, 1 October 2013
Cliff McNish
Genre(s): Horror, Paranormal
Published: January 1st 2006
Pages: 232
Rating: 3.5 stars
“Jack is used to danger. His asthma has nearly killed him more than once. But his new home has a danger he's never known before -- the spirits of the dead.
The can't breathe.
But in Jack's house, they can chase, hide, scream.
Only Jack can see them. Only he can hear them. And only he can learn their secrets in time to save his mother -- and himself...”
I class myself as a horror fan. Not a big one, mind you, but I do enjoy a scary story every now and again. I like being left shaken and wondering if the things from the book are actually real and are coming to get me, even if it means I don't get to sleep for a week.
Maybe it's because I mainly read Stephen King when I read horror, or maybe it's because I'm not as much as a wimp as I first thought, but Breathe wasn't very scary. Quite creepy, yes, but not in the 'I need to put the book down for a while' kind of way.
I haven't read any typical ghost stories, so this was a nice change for me. I enjoyed how Jack, the main character, had a paranormal ability to sense other people through touching the furniture in the house and could talk to spirits. It wasn't overdone, like a lot of paranormal things tend to be, nor was it just done for the sake of it; it actually had a point to it and helped the story develop and unfold.
Speaking of the story, it was definitely interesting and intriguing. I was always wondering what's going to happen next? at the end of each chapter, and I found it a little tricky to try and figure it out. Normally, I'm quite good at figuring plots out (especially in cliché books) but I was pleasantly surprised that guessing Breathe's storyline was more difficult.
I did find the writing to be quite simple and more for children and younger readers than young adult/adults readers. It wasn't necessarily bad, but it did get a little boring at times, what with all the simple sentence openers. (Although that's probably because I've found myself reading more 'adult' books lately, and they have a distinctly different style of writing compared with young adult and young reader books). I think the flow of the writing and the story combined was good, but if the plot hadn't have been so interesting I think I would have enjoyed the writing less. It made for easy reading, though, and I found myself racing through this book and not having to stop and puzzle out the meaning of a word or anything.
Overall, I'd say Breathe fits more into the paranormal and supernatural genres rather than horror (that's not a bad thing! I enjoy paranormal and supernatural stories!), but that it's a quick, interesting read. I didn't find myself totally submerged in the story and right on the edge of my seat, but I don't regret buying and reading it.
I'd definitely recommend Breathe to any younger readers that are looking for something spooky and trying to break into the horror genre.