Paranormalcy - Kiersten White

Last month I read Kiersten White's debut novel, Paranormalcy and I absolutely adored it!

I'm going to make this pretty short and I'm not going to give a summary of what it's about but I DO want to say that I cannot wait for the next book. Kiersten, you totally had a grand-slam with this one.

I wasn't sure how I was going to like it because of the fairies. Fairies are the single most annoying supernatural creature, in my opinion, but she made it work. It did help that they weren't the primary focus of the book.

This book reminded me a lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (tv show) and I couldn't help but hope that someday Mr. Pointy would meet Tasey and they would go off on adventures of their own. How awesome would that be?!

For the record, I'm still not sure if I trust Lend. I got this feeling about him when he was introduced and although he hasn't really done anything shady, I'm really expecting him to do something nefarious.

Go pick it up if you haven't read it. It's totally worth it and if you don't like it? Well, you'll have a beautiful cover on your shelf. Seriously though, you'll like it.

Guest Blogger for Hex Hall

Any giveaway I do, I ask the winner if they would be interested in doing a guest blog about the book they won because I want to know what that person thought about it. My first ever guest blogger is Ashley who was the winner of a signed copy of Hex Hall and here's what she had to say:

I will admit that I didn’t have a great deal of interest in Hex Hall when I first heard about it and didn’t give it much thought.  But then the girls in my online book club started raving about how great it was and how we all just had to read it, so I finally added it to my TBR list. I was then lucky enough to win the signed copy Crystal was giving away and I’m so glad I did. 


What a fun read!  You know those books that just seem to grab you and take you right along on the adventure with the characters?  Like… Harry Potter or even Hunger Games?  Hex Hall is right up there with them, yet lighter and infused with a little more humor which makes it really enjoyable. 


Every character felt real to me.  Beyond the magical powers part, I could see each of them, from Sophie, to Jenna, to Elodie, being students in my high school.  I admire an author that can do that because likable and/or real characters are hard to write; especially an entire novel worth of them.   Archer was the perfect mystery, I loved to hate Elodie, Jenna was a fantastic best friend (which is saying a lot because I normally hate the best friend) and Sophie… well she just seemed so normal.  I really liked her and could easily identify with her. 


The setting and writing were perfect on their own as well.  I’d love to meet Rachel Hawkins in person because I’m sure she’s absolutely hilarious.  The book is full of witty dialogue that had me hooked. Here’s one of my favorite examples (that doesn’t give anything away): 

"Good luck explaining to God that you used to spank one of his heavenly beings."   Mom gave a startled laugh. "Sophie!" "What? You did. I hope you like hot weather, Mom, that's all I'm saying." 

I think the best elements to this story were the major twists the plot took.  So many recent books are so predictable that by half way through you’ve pretty much figured out what’s going to happen.  This story had a conclusion that I never imagined and the unexpected twists and turns were great. It was a fresh story that in no way felt like the same old thing. 


Here are my only two complaints:
-it was over far too soon
-I have to wait much too long for the sequel. 


I’m very much looking forward to the next installment and I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun adventure read.  A great debut for Hawkins! 


Thanks again Crystal!

Thanks Ashley! I'm so glad you enjoyed it and reading this just made me want to re-read Hex Hall already!

The Reckoning - Kelley Armstrong

I have officially finished the Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong. My library seemed to be taking forever with my hold on The Reckoning, so when I was out last week and saw it at Target, I immediately picked it up and put it in my cart.

After running from the Edison Group and finally making it to their destination, Chloe, Derek, Simon, and Tori are now at a safe house with Andrew, a friend of Derek and Simon's dad, with a group that has been watching the Edison Group's activities.

Now that there's proof that the Edison Group is messing with stuff they shouldn't, plans of taking them down are starting to be made. The only problem is, not everyone believes what the kids are telling them. While at the safe house, Chloe accompanies Derek outside one night to be with him in case he changes, and while they're outside there is an attack by two werewolves and that's when they realize that someone that they're supposed to be trusting is really working against them. Can they find out who it is before it's too late? Will they go along with the plan to go back to Edison House to rescue traitors Rae and Chloe's Aunt Lauren? Or will they try to escape for a third time and rescue them on their own?

I'm so glad I ended up buying this book because even though I'm sad it's over, I'm happy that I got to find out what happened. I am honestly very pleased with what went on in this book and how it ended and I loved that whether Kelley decides to do another series of books, it's an ending that will allow her to go either way.

The Summoning - Kelley Armstrong

When certain people tell me I should read a book because they know I'll love it, I usually do; especially when that person and I have such similar tastes in books. So when Leah told me I needed to check out Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy, I went home and added it to my library hold list. She was not kidding..I loved them so much I want to buy them now.

Chloe Saunders is finally settling into life. She's at a school she enjoys and her biggest worry is why she hasn't hit puberty. Once she finally does, something weird happens; she starts seeing ghosts. After a freak-out following her first encounter, she is sent to Lyle House for an evaluation. Chloe is determined to make her initial two week stay uneventful and vows to her doctor that all she wants to do is get better.

As her time in Lyle House passes, she notices that all the other kids there are a bit different and not in the crazy way. Her doctor tells her she shows signs of schizophrenia but she doesn't buy it and after a weird conversation with Derek, the big, quiet, creepy guy, she learns that she's really a necromancer. Chloe then stumbles upon the horrifying truth behind Lyle House and she and her friends must get out before it's too late. Can Chloe and the others harness their powers before they're seen as a major threat? What will happen if they're caught?

I really loved the characters in this book and they all seemed to come alive and it played out like a movie in my head; which worked out nicely because that's how Chloe looked at things as. I loved how strong Chloe was because although she was scared most of the time, she forced herself to deal with the issue at hand and just dealt with everything as it came to her. 

You have absolutely no idea how hard it is for me not to go to the bookstore and buy the third book in this trilogy. I was so into The Summoning that once I finished, I lay in bed thinking about what was to come next that I couldn't sleep. Yes, I had to get up super early the next morning and it was already after midnight, but that didn't stop me from reading the first three chapters of The Awakening before I felt satisfied enough to quit for the night.