Dangerous Dream Book Review | Dangerous Creatures #0.5

Dangerous Dream
(Dangerous Creatures #0.5)
Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Genres: Supernatural, Paranormal, Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Publication Date: 13th December 2013
Number of Pages: 46
Source: Netgalley

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The #1 New York Times bestselling Beautiful Creatures series continues in this brand-new digital-exclusive story.

Catch up with Ethan, Lena, and Link as they finally graduate from high school and get ready to leave the small Southern town of Gatlin. But when Dark Caster Ridley makes an appearance, the sometime bad girl can't resist picking a fight with her sometime boyfriend, Link. Angry and rebellious as ever, Ridley ends up alone in New York City and becomes entangled in the dangerous underground Caster club scene, where the stakes are high and losers pay the ultimate price.

Where's a Linkubus when you need him?

Ridley and Link are back!

This short story by Beautiful Creatures authors, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, is introduction back into The Caster Chronicles world and cleverly transitions the narration from Ethan over to Link and Ridley beginning their spin-off series – an element I thoroughly enjoyed and felt tied the two series together nicely.

Ridley and Link are as argumentative and unruly as usual whilst maintaining their version of a functional relationship. That is, until Link says three ‘little’ words that sends Ridley running away and leaving Link to wonder where she is. Ridley being Ridley, ends up in an unexpected situation which then leads us into the story of Dangerous Creatures (Out 20th May).

Dangerous Dream was an enjoyable read and I loved each and every page. I really enjoyed The Caster Chronicles (maybe not so much Beautiful Chaos but all the rest were good) and therefore I was glad to have a small narrative by Ethan before switching over to Link & Ridley’s narratives for the Dangerous Creatures Series. Ridley and Link were always my favourite characters in The Caster Chronicles so I’m super excited they are getting a spin-off series - I can’t wait to learn even more about them, especially their thoughts now they are both narrating. Fabulous – A must read!

Dangerous Creatures is available for pre-order		The Caster Chronicles/ Beautiful Creatures Series also available

City of Glass TMI #3 | Book Review

City of Glass 
(The Mortal Instruments #3)
Cassandra Clare
Genres: Supernatural, Paranormal, Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Publication Date: 24th March 2009
Number of Pages: 541
Source: Birthday Present

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To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters - never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City - whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the third installment of the New York Times bestselling series The Mortal Instruments.

City of Glass is the third book in The Mortal Instruments Series and was due to be the conclusion but more books have since been published. Knowing this, I was intrigued to see how the story would conclude and what elements would remain unanswered in order to warrant another 3 books. After finishing this book, I am now even more intrigued to see how this series carries on because it was neatly tied together in City of Glass.

This series has been hit or miss with me. I loved book 1 City of Bones which I devoured in only a day or two - this was mostly due to the starky humour that Cassandra Clare injects into her characters. However, book 2 City of Ashes, was a bit blah for me as I felt it was predictable and repetitive with the humour lacking from book 1. I was therefore hesitant to continue with the series but, after hearing more and more great things from fellow booktubers and bloggers, I decided to carry on.

I did enjoy City of Glass, however all the fantastic elements – Sebastian, Idris, Clary’s Mum etc - were all a bit flat for me as I’d either been spoilt already (Sebastian’s reveal) or had predicted it was coming (Clary’s Mum). This makes reviewing this book very hard as I really can’t say I really liked it because there was just no excitement. The hard part is because I know if I’d not been spoilt on some of the story developments I would have loved it more. I therefore have to review this book only 3 stars because of the reasons I’ve previously described. I will be continuing with the series, but not in a rush.

Frostbite - Vampire Academy #2 | 5 Star Book Review

Frostbite 
(Vampire Academy #2)
Richelle Mead
Genres: Supernatural, Paranormal, Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Publication Date: 10th March 2008
Number of Pages: 256
Source: Bought the new boxset in November 2013.

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Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose... 

It’s winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn’t bad enough, Rose’s tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason’s got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks... This year, St. Vlad’s annual holiday ski trip is mandatory. 

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price..

This series just keeps getting better! I really liked Vampire Academy and was so annoyed with myself for not reading the series sooner, and Frostbite has further cemented that thought in my mind.

I had no idea how they were going to develop the story in this book but wow, just wow. I loved the ski and winter setting because it matched the season I was reading it in but regardless I think I would have loved it. I really liked new characters Adrian (competition for Dimitri – anyone agree?) and Christian’s Aunt. They added many different layers to the story development and I hope they continue to be present during the rest of the series.

I read this book in a day so that says it all - so gripping and addictive! If you have not read this series yet, then what are you waiting for? Don’t be a sucker like me and think that it’s your typical YA vampire book (aka Twilight etc) because it is so much better than that!

Soul Cutter by Lexa Cain | Supernatural Horror Mystery Story

Soul Cutter
Lexa Cain
Genres: Supernatural, Horror, Mystery, Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Publication Date: 6th December 2013
Number of Pages: 300
Source: Sent for review from the Author

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The Soul Cutter is hunting again.

Seventeen-year-old Élan spends her free time videoing psychic scams and outing them online. Skepticism makes life safe—all the ghosts Élan encounters are fakes. When her estranged mother disappears from a film shoot in Egypt, Élan puts her medium-busting activities on hold and joins the search.

In Egypt, the superstitious film crew sucks at finding her mom. When a hotel guest is killed, whispers start—the locals think their legendary Soul Cutter has come back from the dead. Élan's only ally is Ramsey, a film-crew intern, but he’s arrogant, stubborn—and hiding dangerous secrets.

When Élan discovers the Soul Cutter is no scam, she finds herself locked in a deadly battle against a supernatural killer with more than her mother’s life at stake.

Élan is fighting for her very soul.

When introduced to Élan, a psychic-disbeliever who has her own online website which uncovers psychic scams artists through video, I was sure this book was going to take on Scooby Doo-esque nature and we’d find out the Soul Cutter culprit at the end wasn't actually supernatural and had been a scammer the whole time. But as the book went on and we were introduced to Ramsey, the story started to take a different turn and I had no clue how it was all going to end.

When Élan, the supernatural disbeliever, and Ramsey, the believer, get thrown together to search for Élan’s mother who has gone missing, it makes for an interesting discussion between the two characters as to what their beliefs are and the reasoning behind them. Although Élan is an unbeliever and has evidence to prove most physic and supernatural things are unreal, she has her own reasons for wishing this and still remains skeptical that the supernatural may be real.

I really enjoyed this story - the writing was quick paced and aspects of the story were very gory. The scare factor of this book for me was mild, I was never creeped out or hiding behind the duvet or a pillow but I didn't mind that because the goriness and unraveling of the story had me absorbed and wanting to know what might be hinted at next. There was certainly a strong hint at what might be in Ramsey’s future near the end which makes me very intrigued.

Overall this was a well-written and exciting mild horror/supernatural/mystery story. I didn't really warm to the main characters Élan or Ramsey but I also didn't hate them either. I enjoyed the Egyptian setting and the cultural and language elements shared within this book. If you’re looking for a mild horror book with supernatural elements then this is right up your street! See if you can guess what the outcome of the story is before the end - I didn't guess correctly :-)

Book Review MASHUP - Under The Never Sky & Independent Study | Post-Apocalytpic, Dystopia

Under The Never Sky (#1)
Veronica Rossi
Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopia, Sci-Fi, Supernatural, Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Publication Date: 1st December 2011
Number of Pages: 384
Source: Bought myself

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Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered.

This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland--known as The Death Shop--are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild--a savage--and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile--everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Independent Study 
(The Testing #2)
Joelle Charbonneau
Genres: Dystopia, Post-Apocalytic
Age Group: Young Adult
Publication Date: 1st January 2014
Number of Pages: 383
Source: Bought myself

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For the attention of candidate Melncia Vale.

Congratulations, you have passed the Testing.

You have won a place at our prestigious university. After six months of preliminary classes, you will sit an examination. The results will be used to assign you to an area of study appropriate to your talents.

The united commonwealth urges you to consider your answers carefully during this examination.

Wrong answers will be penalised.

The Watchtower by Lee Carroll | Urban Fantasy Fey Story

The Watchtower
(Black Swan Rising #2)
Lee Carroll
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Publication Date: 4th August 2011
Number of Pages: 397
Source: Borrowed from the Library

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With her fair share of problems - money (lack of), an elderly father, a struggling business - Garet should be just like any other young, feisty, single New Yorker. If only it was that simple...

It begins with the old silver box that had been soldered shut. All Garet has to do is open it. A favour for the frail owner of the antiques shop. Who wouldn't help?

Only it's then that things start to change. Garet doesn't notice at first, the shifts barely perceptible. But the city in which she grew up is beginning to reveal a long-hidden side - darker, and altogether more dangerous: parallel world of chaos, smoke and blood.

And now it's out of the box...and it has no intention of going back in.

The Watchtower is the second book in the Black Swan Rising series and after reading book 1 (Black Swan Rising) at the end of 2013, I decided to loan book 2 from my local library to investigate if this series was worth continuing. I had enjoyed book 1 but felt like some of the world-building and literature references within it were confusing, I was however interested to see how the relationship between Will and Garet would develop further. Read my review of Black Swan Rising.

The Watchtower was a more enjoyable read than Black Swan Rising, in part due to the London and Paris settings, the more varied Faerie folk that are introduced within this book (Jean Robin, Morgan, Octopus lady) and also the retelling of Will’s journey to vampirism. At times however, I did find young Will incredibly annoying and also Garet’s journey felt lumpy as she was just passed onto Faerie to Faerie with no great events happening in-between.

I did however enjoy the alternating chapters between Will and Garet and the two time periods within The Watchtower. This made the uneventfulness of the book read a little quicker because of the back and forth chapters but when all the characters ended up in the Summer Country the POV got a little confusing to follow as I was finding it hard to keep up with which Will was in which chapter!

The ending to The Watchtower though has posed a predicament for me, I was 100% positive I wasn’t going to carry on with the series whilst reading the book but after the cliff-hanger ending I may just have to read the third book (The Shape Shifter) to find out what happens next!

Black Swan Rising by Lee Carroll | Urban Fantasy Fey Story set in New York City

Black Swan Rising
(Black Swan Rising #1)
Lee Carroll
Genres: Supernatural, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Publication Date: 25th November 2010
Number of Pages: 400
Source: Netgalley

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With her fair share of problems - money (lack of), an elderly father, a struggling business - Garet should be just like any other young, feisty, single New Yorker. If only it was that simple...

It begins with the old silver box that had been soldered shut. All Garet has to do is open it. A favour for the frail owner of the antiques shop. Who wouldn't help?

Only it's then that things start to change. Garet doesn't notice at first, the shifts barely perceptible. But the city in which she grew up is beginning to reveal a long-hidden side - darker, and altogether more dangerous: parallel world of chaos, smoke and blood.

And now it's out of the box...and it has no intention of going back in.

Garet James thinks she’s a normal 20 year old but she’s really a Watchtower, one of the four fey protectors of the universe! When Garet enters a watchmakers shop one day and acquires a silver box matching her mother’s swan engraved ring, events begin to happen which turn her life upside down: A group of suspicious burglars shoot her father, putting him in the hospital, and steal some of the expensive paintings from his gallery; a mysterious mist covers New York causing everyone to go a little ‘mad’; and Garet starts to see people for what they really are… the fey. With the help of Oberon, her father’s nurse and the King of the Fairies, aiding her to discover her true identity, ancestral heritage and powers, Garet soon learns about the evil alchemist John Dee who is set on releasing the demons Despair and Discord on NYC.

I’d been reading a lot of Young Adult books before reading Black Swan Rising and this was one of the reasons I picked it up as I knew it was more of an adult read. The beginning of the book felt slow but I related this to the adult and descriptive writing style which I had not experienced for such a long time. However, elements of the vast world-building of the fey and the villain, John Dee, also contributed to this ‘slow feeling’ because aspects of the history, the explanations of alchemy and the New York setting went over my head. I even had to google some of the history of alchemy to understand some of the world-building. Some elements of the story I did like however were the references to England and William Shakespeare which I was able to relate to and grasp a little better. However I also struggled to fully understand some of these references but I’m not an English Literature graduate or classical reader - Maybe this was a sign I need to increase my knowledge :-)

Overall, Black Swan Rising was more enjoyable the further I got into the story however my feelings are it had all the ‘right elements’ but never quite excelled. I enjoyed the introduction of Will Hughes’ character and, although the romance element was all a bit ‘blah’, I do hope to learn more about Will and his family’s heritage as well as how he and Garet develop their friendship/family connection/romance relationship. Certainly from the ending, it looks like this may be a major plot within book 2 which I will be picking up and continuing with shortly.

The Rising by Terra Harmony | Mermaid & Werewolf Conflict

The Rising (The Painted Maidens #1)
Terra Harmony
Genres: Fantasy, Supernatural, Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Publication Date: 7th  November 2013
Number of Pages: 271
Source: Netgalley

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Fifteen-year-old Serena is the youngest member of a dying race. The increasing acidity of the ocean is destroying her home, slowly eating away at the once thriving underwater landscape. But since the night of Serena’s birth, it is an outside force that most threatens their dwindling population. Werewolves, who once served as protectors for mermaids in the Kingdom of the Undine, now seek to eliminate all who dwell in the ocean — and Serena is about to find herself right in the middle of the deadly conflict.

Given the title of Werewolf Liaison, Serena is determined to make things right for her people. When she ventures to The Dry, she meets Liam, the werewolf with hazel eyes, and her whole world gets turned upside down. As Serena discovers the real history between werewolves and mermaids, she is left wondering who her true enemies are.

The Undine species are mermaids who are able to visit ‘The Dry’ by changing their fins into legs and protect themselves by encasing their bodies in an armour of scales. The Undine are facing many challenges as the world evolves: the humans, or Ungainly’s, are continuing to explore more of the ocean and the Undine risk being found; ocean pollution is destroying their food sources and habitat; but the most threatening of all is their conflict with the Werewolves who were once their protectors. The Werewolves were responsible for protecting the Undine during their mating and birthing events which have to occur on land during a full moon. The conflict began when the Werewolves carried out the ‘Maidens Massacre’ 15 years ago and since then the Undine have not been able to carry and birth any new infants.

Serena is a 15 year old Undine – the last Undine to have been born! Serena is also an orphan and is an outcast within the Undine. When Serena is presented before the Undine Court with charges against her of meddling with the Ungainly world, Serena becomes the latest celebrity within the Undine World – her worst nightmare – and a trial begins which may result in her being sentenced to death. As the trial continues, Serena is given the job ‘Werewolf Liaison’ (the first in 15 years) which she attributes to the fact that the King hates her. However, events soon unfold which led Serena to discover the real reason for the Werewolf/Undine conflict and also secrets within her own past.

I wasn’t quite sure whether I was going to enjoy The Rising before starting it. I’d read a couple of mermaid based stories recently which were quite disappointing and I was starting to think that maybe I wasn’t a mermaid story kind of person. But WOW, The Rising was great and unlike any other mermaid story I’ve read. I’ve loved Serena’s character, at times she was indecisive but I’m not against this in a character, she was introverted but as the court trial proceeds and she is laboured with the job ‘Werewolf Liaison’ she becomes stronger, kicks Werewolf arse and also sticks it to the Undine. I was routing for Serena to discover the truth all through this story and I was definitely wishing she’d be found innocent of her meddling charges.

I also really enjoyed the world building involved within this story, especially the Undine culture and their traditions. I liked the way that modern issues, such as ocean pollution, were presented as affecting the Undine and their constant battle against preserving their species. All the aspects that are explained about the Undine traditions, such as the complexity of their mating and birthing process and the reasoning behind their job system, made me feel that I understood the Undine well and why they did what they did, which sometimes felt a personal attack on Serena and others.

The unveiling of the conflict’s truth was also incredible and the ending – OMG! When can I get my hands on the second book - don’t leave me hanging Terra Harmony!

Of Poseidon Audiobook by Anna Banks | Mermaid Romance Audiobook Review

Of Poseidon
Anna Banks (Narrated by Rebecca Gibel )
Genres: Fantasy, Supernatural, Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Publication Date: 22nd May 2012
Number of Pages: 324
Source: Bought from Audible.com

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Emma and her friend Chloe are spending vacation in Florida. When Emma (literally) runs into a hot guy named Galen on the beach, little does she know he’s a prince of the Syrena. Galen and Emma both feel something strange – is it attraction? – and Galen suspects that Emma might well be the girl he’s heard of – a human who can communicate with fish. What follows is a deadly scene with a shark in which Galen witnesses Emma’s gifts. He must know more about her, and follows her back to New Jersey, and high school, to find out for sure if she’s the key to saving his kingdom. Soon, Emma can’t deny her feelings for him, but can’t explain them, either – and both she and Galen must learn more about where she comes from and what her powers are before they can trust one another and their feelings. Told from both Emma and Galen’s points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humour, and waves of romance.

Of Poseidon starts off amazing, it’s funny, witty and different. I mean a shark attack scene which kills off one of the main characters within the first few chapters – shocking! However, after this scene the story loses the wit, the sharp comebacks and just becomes bland. It’s your typical ‘insta-love’ mermaid story; girl meets guy, thinks he’s hot, he’s not ‘normal’, she’s not ‘normal’, they have instant feelings for one another, the situation isn't simple so they can’t be together, situation changes but then leaves on a cliff hanger ending.

I’m not normally a reader who gets annoyed and bored by similar story line books but this one just didn't quite offer anything different or ‘special’ to make me want to keep listening to it. However, I did keep listening to the audio book in the hope that the sparky, witty aspects of the beginning few chapters would emerge again. Sadly they did not.

Overall this book was just ‘another book I read in 2013’, I didn't think there was anything unique with the story and I felt there was nothing special about Galen or Emma’s characters - I just found that I didn't care. I will however say that this book does seem to be loved by quite a few people though so I’d encourage you to try it yourself as you may think differently to me. Just maybe borrow it from your local library so if you don’t enjoy it you haven’t wasted any money.

Darkness Watching (Darkworld #1) by Emma L. Adams | UK New Adult Paranormal Book Review

Darkness Watching (Darkworld #1)
Emma L. Adams
Genres: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Supernatural
Age Group: Upper Young Adult/ New Adult
Publication Date: 30th September 2013
Number of Pages: 387
Source: Xpresso Blog Tours & Author

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Seventeen-year-old Ashlyn is one interview away from her future when she first sees the demons. She thinks she’s losing her mind, but the truth is far more frightening: she can see into the Darkworld, the home of spirits– and the darkness is staring back. 

Desperate to escape the demons, Ash accepts a place at a university in the small town of Blackstone, in the middle of nowhere – little knowing that it isn’t coincidence that led her there but the pull of the Venantium, the sorcerers who maintain the barrier keeping demons from crossing from the Darkworld into our own world. 

All-night parties, new friendships and a life without rules or limits are all part of the package of student life – but demons still stalk Ash, and their interest in her has attracted the attention of every sorcerer in the area. Ash is soon caught between her new life and a group of other students with a connection to the Darkworld, who could offer the answers she’s looking for. The demons want something from her, and someone is determined to kill her before she can find out what it is. 

In a world where darkness lurks beneath the surface, not everyone is what they appear to be..

Author Bio

Emma spent her childhood creating imaginary worlds to compensate for a disappointingly average reality, so it was probably inevitable that she ended up writing fantasy and paranormal for young adults. She was born in Birmingham, UK, which she fled at the first opportunity to study English Literature at Lancaster University. In her three years at Lancaster, she hiked up mountains, skydived in Australia, and endured a traumatic episode involving a swarm of bees in the Costa Rican jungle. She also wrote various novels and short stories. These included her first publication, a rather bleak dystopian piece, and a disturbing story about a homicidal duck (which she hopes will never see the light of day).

Now a reluctant graduate, she can usually be found in front of her writing desk, creating weird and wonderful alternative worlds. Her debut novel The Puppet Spell, published in 2013 by Rowanvale Books, is a fantasy tale for young adults and the young at heart, inspired by her lifelong love of the fantastical, mythology, and video games. Emma also writes supernatural fantasy novels for older teens and adults. Her next book, Darkness Watching, is the first in the upper-YA/New Adult Darkworld series, and will be published in September 2013 by Curiosity Quills Press.

Author Links:
Website: http://emmaladams.weebly.com/
Blog: http://throughthegateway.blogspot.co.uk/ 
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ELAdams12?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ELAdams12
Goodreads profile: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6563991.Emma_L_Adams

Darkness Watching is a fantastic story set in the UK about a new University fresher, Ashlyn, who sees super creepy purple eyes staring at her in the most inconvenient places. Her first encounter of the mysterious eyes is during one of her college exams and her mind is set alight with thoughts on what they could be and whether anyone is able to see them. However, the eyes are soon the least of Ashlyn's troubles and University applications take over Ashlyn's time. As time pass, Ashlyn's starts to lose all hope of being accepted by any of them, but then she finally receives an acceptance letter from Blackstone, a rural small town University with the perfect English Literature course.

As Ashlyn settles in to the joys and not so happy aspects of being a University fresher, she also starts to learn more about the purple eyes which have continued to stalk her since that day. As events unfold she starts to mistrust her new friends and questions those who are suppose to be helping her. In the end though, not everything is what is seems and maybe her suspicions about someone where true...

Darkness Watching was such an enjoyable read and a lovely paranormal University fresher set story, not something I've come across before, especially not set in the UK. Emma L. Adams manages to capture the fresher lifestyle perfectly and doesn't spoil the story by involving lots of the mad partying and drinking. I'd certainly say this is an Upper Young Adult story due to the University lifestyle however the content was not as 'adult' as most New Adult novels which I actually liked about it. There the odd swear word and reference to sexual content but nothing you wouldn't hear in a high school playground. (Or was that just my school :-S).

The supernatural content to the Darkness Watching story was also interesting and as the story develops and I found out more and more about Ashlyn's abilities and heritage, I got more and more gripped by the story. The final few chapters were my favourites as the twists and turns just kept coming and I wasn't sure how the book was going to end. Definitely recommend for all paranormal and fantasy fans.

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Prize (open internationally): One paperback copy of Darkness Watching

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Starstruck in Seattle by Juliet Madison | Romantic Comedy Short Story

Starstruck in Seattle
Juliet Madison
Genres: Romance, Chick-Lit, Supernatural
Publication Date: 1st October 2013
Number of Pages: 54
Source: NetGalley (Published by Escape Publishing)

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A sparkling story from the Queen of Ro-magic comedy! 

Aspiring actress Anna Hilford might only have a small role in a leading television drama, but she longs to be dreamboat Karl Drake’s leading lady. Sick of being loveless and overlooked, Anna seeks the help of intuitive love coach, Lulu, from LuluTheLoveAngel.com to give her the courage and determination to follow her destiny. 

But fate has different ideas, Lulu has undisclosed power, and Anna is about to realise that life happens while you’re busy making plans…

Starstruck in Seattle is an enjoyable romantic comedy short story that I just couldn't put down. One of the longer novellas I've read but every page was a turner and kept me wanting to read more about Anna and who her Mister Right was. Although this story was at times predictable, I didn't mind that as the writing style was so lively and snappy that you weren't 100% sure what was going to happen next.

Anna is a girl just starting out within acting and seeking love. She has the biggest crush on Karl, the male lead in the sitcom she's currently working in, who's your typical tall and handsome heartthrob. When Anna's told her soulmate's name will begin with K she's 100% positive that it's Karl but doesn't know what to do about as certain events unfold with her acting career and friends. After writing a letter to LuluTheLoveAngel.com for advice, Lulu the Cloud 8 (not quite 9 yet) Angel steps in to weave her cupid's magic to help Anna catch her soulmate.

The characters within this book were all so enjoyable and I warmed to Anna searching for her Mister Right. This was such an enjoyable quick read and is suitable for all age groups.

Also what is not to love about this cover? If Lulu could magic me into that image I'd be happy :-)