MICHELLE'S REVIEW: The Dolls by Kiki Sullivan

Title: The Dolls
Author: Kiki Sullivan
Format Acquired: eARC

Publication Date: September 2, 2014

Publishing House: Harper Teen

ISBN: 9780062281487
Source of Copy: Edelweiss

Summary:

Eveny Cheval just moved back to Louisiana after spending her childhood in New York with her aunt Bea. Eveny hasn't seen her hometown since her mother's suicide fourteen years ago, and her memories couldn't have prepared her for what she encounters. Because pristine, perfectly manicured Carrefour has a dark side full of intrigue, betrayal, and lies - and Eveny quickly finds herself at the center of it all.

Enter Peregrine Marceau, Chloe St. Pierre, and their group of rich, sexy friends known as the Dolls. From sipping champagne at lunch to hooking up with the hottest boys, Peregrine and Chloe have everything - including an explanation for what's going on in Carrefour. And Eveny doesn't trust them one bit.

But after murder strikes and Eveny discovers that everything she believes about herself, her family, and her life is a lie, she must turn to the Dolls for answers. Something's wrong in paradise, and it's up to Eveny, Chloe, and Peregrine to save Carrefour and make it right.

(Image, summary and information courtesy of Goodreads)

Review:

I could never resist a book with a gorgeous cover, much less a cover with a killer (Ha, pun, HA!) shoe. Cover aside though, the synopsis also zeroed in on another perennial favorite of mine: a setting in the South! And then there's voodoo, magic, what everyone and their nana surmises as the uber rich girls' version of Mean Girls, and you got me praying relentlessly to the Edelweiss deities that they have this up for download soon.

Eveny Cheval finds herself back in her mother's hometown, and something is just a teeny bit off. Maybe it's because people need keys to get inside Carrefour, or maybe because everyone creepily knows everything about each other. Well, almost everything. After all, no one can deny that there is something at work in Louisiana just like no one can deny the power of the Dolls, who are in the all too corporeal form of self-entitled teenage fashionista brats. Despite having the Dolls interested in her however, Eveny isn't buying it, but it's only a matter of time before she finds herself just one little lost sheep that's finally come home... and changes everything.

The Dolls kept on losing me because champagne and caviar everyday for lunch sounds terribly boring  I could just not keep up with their "reality". How any authority figure could allow a reptile running amok in the school because chihuahuas and terriers are so Paris Hilton and are "not hot" is beyond me. I can only imagine how the Peregrine vs High School Principal smackdown went down about the snake:

High School Principal (HSP): Peregrine, why is there a snake in your bag? 

Peregrine (P): Don't you like Audowido? I think he adds a certain je ne sais quoi. See, look at this outfit. Then look at my outfit again with my snake wrapped around my neck. Hold on.. 

HSP: *aghast* It's a SNAKE, Peregrine! Get it off before it kills you!!!

P: *winds Audowido around her neck* Nope, because this is not actually a snake. See, it's a gorgeous boa. *snickers* It's actually all the rage in Paris right now.

HSP: *entranced* Of course, you're right. It must have been a trick of the light...

P: *blows HSP a kiss* Merci beacoup! *flounces off to luxurious lunch with entourage of hot boys*

HSP: *snorts* Huh, snake! Maybe I should get one of those myself...

Some books are downright unreal, but then there will always be a voice inside your head - Oh, just me then? - that cannot be reasoned with and will be screaming come hell and high water that, "NO, THIS IS FINE! THIS IS OKAY! COMMENCE READING, HUMAN!" The Dolls just didn't give off that same vibe for me. Neither was it fun as some of the most out there books could be, nor thought-provoking enough to make me scratch my hairless chin.

Moving on: I love fashion, and I devour fashion magazines so getting to read about designer clothes was fun for me. Those Mary Janes? Holler, I was thisclose to Tweeting the author and asking if they were Miu Mius. (Speaking of, anyone here a fan of the abruptly discontinued Poseur books? I LOVED THOSE! They were quelle amusant!) And for a town like Carrefour being filled with so many secrets AND being set in Louisiana at the same time, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in whether they do sport the big hair to match as well.

The Dolls kind of reminded me of the Sirens from Amanda Hocking's Watersong books - only that those girls were more interested in which human they were having for dinner, and these ones were much more inclined to have a serious debate whether they were stopping by either Saks or Barney's after school. But my beef with The Dolls is that this isn't a book about girls who needed to shop to induce magic. I felt like the book was taking too much detail with the clothes and their status symbols to truly focus on anything else. I needed less reminders that someone's stunning Dolce and Gabbana brocade t-strap pumps got dirt on them, and more of "I'm in Louisiana and there are terrible things happening and something must be done, but oh no Eveny watch out!" sorts of things.

The Dolls already had the basic components for anyone to devour - a dash of magic, intrigue, suspense, clothes that would make any fashion-loving girl die. Sadly and regretfully, it didn't measure up to its premise.

The Dolls could potentially appeal to reluctant readers who can nonchalantly quote Mean Girls and readers who aren't looking for anything entirely too time-consuming or something to lose sleep over. For the reader who is already heavily invested in YA lit however, I can't imagine this title possibly working out. 

Rating:

              

MICHELLE'S REVIEW: Dollhouse by Anya Allyn

Title: Dollhouse

Author: Anya Allyn

Format Acquired: eARC 

Publication Date: September 30, 2012

Publishing House: The Studio

ISBN: 9781629210230

Source of Copy: Requested from publisher via NetGalley

Summary: 

When Cassie's best friend, Aisha, disappears during a school hike, Cassie sets off with Aisha's boyfriend Ethan and their best friend Lacey, determined to find her. But the mist-enshrouded mountains hold many secrets, and what the three teens discover is far more disturbing than any of them imagined: beneath a rundown mansion in the woods lies an underground cavern full of life-size toys and kidnapped girls forced to dress as dolls.

Even as Cassie desperately tries to escape the Dollhouse, she finds herself torn between her forbidden feelings for Ethan, and her intense, instinctive attraction to The Provider, a man Cassie swears she has known before...

Because Cassie's capture wasn't accidental, and the Dollhouse is more than just a prison where her deepest fears come true - it's a portal for the powers of darkness. And Cassie may be the only one who can stop it.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary courtesy of NetGalley)

Review: 

What horror movie characters lack for depth and some interesting back stories, the actual psych-you-out stuff more than makes up for it. It is, after all, kind of hard to feel some sort of connection to someone who's either being wigged out by some paranormal, psychological stuff, or who ends up being killed just twenty minutes into the movie.

Dollhouse is like that, given that the creeptastic factor of the actual Dollhouse is actually the kind of flick Hollywood dreams are made of - if only its slew of characters weren't so darned caught up in their teenage drama, despite all the paranormal stuff that's been happening around them. (Come on, you guys. You can resume that catfight when you're outside, and not dead.)

When Cassie's best friend Aisha disappears, all fingers are pointed at Ethan, Aisha's boyfriend. Cassie knows that Ethan can't be involved in her disappearance, juvenile delinquent or no. The only way to clear Ethan's name is to find Aisha, and the only way to do that is to comb the mountains where she disappeared during the school hike. But these teens find more when they bargain for when they stumble across a decrepit house, with a different kind of horror awaiting them inside.

Earlier, I remarked upon the creepiness factor of Dollhouse. It's like this: Think about the last horror movie you watched that involved dolls (Child's Play? Annabelle?) and take note that since this is a book where everything is fleshed out and described in very attentive detail, everything is basically playing out in your mind. Which I think, is just as bad since it amps up the creepiness factor. Live, moving dolls that beat you up when you're misbehaving? Check. A girl who forces every teenager to act like a doll? Got it. Err, ancient Greek paranormal stuff? ...Yup.

While I was morbidly fascinated with how eerie and messed-up this whole scenario was, I was still iffy about the teenagers and their little romantic drama, given that they may not even make it out alive out of that house. The paranormal Greek thing was a bit out of sorts so while it did magnify the creep factor, it didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

Dollhouse is still a bit fresh in my memory simply because I was really surprised at how disturbing the whole shebang was. The actual dollhouse set-up was golden for macabre-fans like me, but the forgettable characters and random plot twists was too much for me.

Rating: 

            

MICHELLE'S REVIEW: Madly, Deeply by Erica Crouch

Title: Madly, Deeply

Author: Erica Crouch

Format Acquired: eARC

Publication Date: June 17, 2014

Publishing House: Patchwork Press

ISBN: 9781927940051

Source of Copy: Requested from publisher via NetGalley

Summary: 

It was many and many a year ago,

In a kingdom by the sea...

Annaleigh Wells and William Calloway had a love even the angels envied. It was as if the universe spun them toward one another, like the stars crafted their souls to fit perfectly together.

With a wedding on the horizon, fate had a change of heart. Whispered warnings from phantoms and morbid nightmares darkened every night - but even visions of the future couldn't save Annaleigh.

(Image, summary, and information courtesy of GoodReads)

Review: 

When I saw Madly, Deeply on NetGalley, I didn't know what I was getting into. The cover was lovely, the blurb even more so, and my expectations were spiraling upwards faster than I can scream, "Stop, it could be a TRAP!!!" as lots of books with gorgeous covers and equally arresting blurbs are wont to do. But before I knew it, the green button touted the words PENDING, and my request was sent. Fast forward a few days, and a copy pops up on my dashboard. And because I want to prolong the delicious suspense that is just killing me, I finish off the other new books first. (Yep, selecting which book to read first - and last - is this dramatic for me.) When I finished those, I sprawled on my bed, just because I have had enough of draping myself in my mother's chaise lounge earlier, and read.

And read.

And read, and made pitiful moaning sounds read, and made more wounded, dying animal sounds read.

Until it was The End. 

Ladies and gents, Madly Deeply, is a short book, but it has also got to be the up there with the most gutting, let-me-splash-some-alcohol-on-your-wounds-and-sucker-punch-said-wounds book I've ever read.

My dear Ms Crouch, do you have poetry book-protein shakes for breakfast? Grilled poetry books for lunch? A light poetry book salad for dinner? No? ARE YOU SURE? Everything in this book is just pure poetry - the kind that is just obviously effortless, and sounds like it just comes naturally to the author. The narrative is lush, evocative, and all sorts of wonderful that it just is very fitting for the novel, which is a derivation of Poe's Annabel Lee.

I LOVED it because it has just the right amount of length to it - effectively without overstretching the story and overdramatizing the plot that some books are wont to do. It's short, but it's incredibly bittersweet because you have these two amazing characters who are so in love with each other and who are just about to start an amazing life together, only to have Fate intervene and crush everyone's dreams.

Madly, Deeply inevitably cuts readers where it hurts the most, but it will slowly soothe you, and at the end of the book, the reader will inevitably subconsciously touch the gash, only to find healed, yet puckered skin. 

I cannot recommend Madly, Deeply enough to Poe fans and bittersweet romance aficionados alike.

"'Tis better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all" indeed.

Rating: 

             

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Strange and Ever After by Susan Dennard

Title: Strange and Ever After

Author: Susan Dennard

Format Acquired: eARC

Publication Date: July 22 2014

Publishing House:  HarperTeen

ISBN: 0062083325

Source of Copy: Edelweiss

Summary: 

In the conclusion to the trilogy that Publisher's Weekly called "a roaring - and addictive - gothic world," Eleanor Fitt must control her growing power, face her feelings for Daniel, and confront the evil necromancer Marcus...all before it's too late.

He took her brother, he took her mother, and now, Marcus has taken her good friend Jie. With more determination that ever to bring this sinister man to justice, Eleanor heads to the hot desert streets of nineteenth-century Egypt in hopes of ending this nightmare. But in addition to her increasingly tense relationship with Daniel, Joseph, and her demon, Oliver, Eleanor must also deal with her former friend, Allison, who has ciriously entangled herself in Eleanor's mission.

With the rising dead chomping at her every move and Jie's life hanging in the balance, Eleanor is convinced that her black magic will see her through to the bitter end. But there will be a price. Though she and the Spirit Hunters have weathered every battle thus far, there will be consequences to suffer this time - the effects of which will be irreversible. And when it's over, only some will be able to live a strange and ever after.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

Strange and Ever After is the last book in the series. Review for the second book HERE.

This is it, the final battle, the moment that will decide whether Eleanor manages to win against the evil that took her mother, her brother and now her friend Jie or ultimately lose everyone dear to her. Eleanor travels all over the place in this installment, from Paris to Marseilles and then to Egpyt, if I'm not mistaken, trying to stop Marcus and hoping to save the life of her friend.

The final installment of this series is...I can't. It's killer. As in when I read...THAT PART (no spoilers) I had to do a reread because why why why why why. Cue ugly crying people. Ugh. On to the review.

Eleanor's control of her powers is getting better but her powers and her demon companion still cause strife between her and the Spirit Hunters seeing as how they're totally against her necromancy. I'm glad that Daniel and Eleanor's relationship actually progresses in this installment and Eleanor does grow as a character. I mean sure sometimes her decisions leave me baffled but Eleanor's a smart girl and fearless too and she always manages to push through. Sometimes I wonder why Eleanor's so afraid of her magic but then I realize it's not exactly unicorns and rainbows when it comes to raising the dead. Dead is dead and zombies aren't pretty.

If you've read the second book you'll know that Eleanor and Oliver are not on good terms but I like how their friendship doesn't just disappear and they manage to bridge the gap between them. He's the one who always urges Eleanor to hone her powers and free him from their contract. And despite his anger and hurt he still cares. 

Strange and Ever After is hard to put down, Eleanor encounters trouble every which way she turns to the point that it looks like she just can't win. And when all was said and done, the ending was terribly poignant. It's one of the more conclusive endings I've read, with all the loose ends tied up. It was sad but Dennard managed to make it hopeful so while I might have thrown a little tantrum I got over it quickly enough. I'm satisfied and I will definitely read the next book the author releases. 

Thank you for this series Susan Dennard, it was wonderful.

Rating: 

      

                         

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Burn Bright by Bethany Frenette

Title: Burn Bright

Author: Bethany Frenette

Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: February 25 2014

Publishing House:  Disney-Hyperion

ISBN: 9781423146667

Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary: 

Audrey Whitticomb saved the world.

Actually, it was just her city. And sure, she maybe had a little help, from the superhero Morning Star (who just so happens to be Audrey's mom) and her mom's sidekick, Leon, Audrey's sort-of boyfriend, who is gorgeous...and frustrating.

But after two peaceful months, there is a vicious new threat in Minneapolis. Her name is Susannah, and she's a Harrower, a demon hell-bent on destroying people like Morning Star, Leon, and Audrey - the Kin. Like others before her, she seeks the Remnant, a Kin girl who has the power to unleash the inhabitants of the Beneath. But to what end?

Audrey already has a ton on her plate: dealing with her best friend Tink's boy drama, helping her other best friend Gideon, figure out his nightmares, and exploring the highs and lows of "dating" Leon. But when she develops a powerful new ability, she seizes on the chance to fight, despite her mother's protests and Leon's pleas.

As Audrey gets closer to figuring out Susannah's motives and tracking down the Remnant, she'll uncover more than she bargained for. The terrible truth is staring Audrey in the facae. But knowing the truth and accepting it are very different things.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

Burn Bright is the sequel to Dark Star which I reviewed HERE. 

After saving her city, Audrey's all set to explore a relationship with Leon and, with the appearance of her new ability, she's all about lending a hand in the fight against Harrowers despite the naysayers (mainly her mom and Leon). But when a new threat in the form of a vicious Harrower named Susannah appears, determined to end the Kin, it's time for Audrey and her gang to once again step up to save the world. Sort of.

I just love the superhero theme going on in the books. It's way too much fun. Add to that the super cute romance between Audrey and Leon, a few bad guys who're out to rule the world and a crazy dude fixed on vengeance and getting himself killed and you've got yourself a winner. 

Frenette has a cast of wonderful characters. Audrey is terribly pragmatic and while some girls swoon at the thought of a guy willing to risk his life for hers because it's oh so dramatic, Audrey is afraid. She's scared and terrified and while I don't really approve of the way she distanced herself from Leon, I understand why she did that. Leon's got a protective streak going on and Audrey isn't exactly an ideal body to guard. She's also got a whole lot of things to deal with; like her best friend's boy problems, the nasty nightmares that torment Gideon and the fact that she and Leon have never gone out on an actual date. Oh and let's not forget the murderous Harrower who's hell-bent on annihilating them. Superhero stuff.

This series is seriously addicting though what with all the twists and turns and action scenes that Frenette doles out. It never got boring. And while the book is light-hearted and humorous at times, don't let that fool you because there's some serious stuff going around here. The relationship with Audrey's mom and her dad? Ugh. So. Painful. 

So anyway, I'd definitely recommend this series and I would like to see more Leon and Audrey kissy scenes in the next book. PLEASE. If you haven't picked up this incredibly fun series yet, well, what are you waiting for? 

Rating: 

   

                       

NICOLE'S REVIEW + Novel Nails #14: The Nightmare Dilemma by Mindee Arnett

Title: The Nightmare Dilemma

Author: Mindee Arnett

Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: March 4 2014

Publishing House:  Tor Teen

ISBN: 9780765333349

Source of Copy: Gifted by Louisse from The Soul Sisters

Summary: 

Dusty Everhart might be able to predict the future through the dreams of her crush, Eli Booker, but that doesn't make her life even remotely easy. When one of her mermaid friends is viciously assaulted and left for dead, and the school's jokester, Lance Rathbone is accused of the crime, Dusty's as shocked as everybody else. Lance needs Dusty to prove his innocence by finding the real attacker, but that's easier said than done. Eli's dreams are no help, more nightmares than prophecies.

To make matters worse, Dusty's ex-boyfriend has just been acquitted of conspiracy and is now back at school, reminding Dusty of why she fell for him in the first place. The Magi Senate needs Dusty to get close to him, discover his real motives. But this order infuriates Eli, who has started his own campaign for Dusty's heart.

As Dusty takes on both cases, she begins to suspect they're connected to something bigger. And there's something wrong with Eli's dreams, signs that point to a darker plot than they could have imagined.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

Note that The Nightmare Dilemma is sequel to The Nightmare Affair which was reviewed HERE.

When one of Dusty's friends is attacked and accusing eyes are cast on resident jock Lance Rathbone, Dusty is doubtful of Lance's participation in the heinous crime. She's all set to find out who the real perpetrator is but it's not as easy as it seems. The dreams she shares with Eli are no help either seeing as how they're more nightmare than prophecy. To complicate things even more Dusty's ex-boyfriend is back and he's all about trying to get back into Dusty's good graces just as Eli's all set to capture Dusty's heart.

The Nightmare Dilemma is as entertaining and enjoyable as its predecessor. The summary might be a little misleading - with Paul making an appearance, you'd think that a love triangle was in the making. Fear not because nothing really ever happens between Dusty and Paul, aside from making Eli jealous. Which is good; jealous Eli amused me.

Dusty is still as funny as she was in the first book. She's developing her powers as well as nurturing her budding relationship with Eli. It was glorious, really. I ship them so hard. Dusty is an amusing character, she's also real and human (as human as a nightmare can be) and she doesn't have a hero complex going on. She's got rad powers and wields a super sword but that doesn't mean she's going to jump in headfirst into danger, totally disregarding her life. No. She makes rash decisions sometimes but come on, don't we all?

In the second book she also has to deal with Eli and Selene keeping secrets from her. Selene and her nightly forays and Eli with his hot and cold attitude towards their relationship. It's pretty obvious that Eli wants her too. You're not fooling anyone Eli! Paul too is trying to get Dusty to trust him again. After the events of the first book, it's hard to not cast suspicion on everything Paul does but I feel like he's genuinely remorseful about his actions.

The pacing of the book was great with decent helpings of mystery and romance. But that ending? The way the romance was heading has me worried. Don't do anything to ruin my OTP please. I beg of you. All in all The Nightmare Dilemma is a solid sequel and I cannot wait for the next installment.

Rating: 

"Novel Nails" is a feature of the blog that showcases nail art inspired by books and their covers. Nail art will be created by either Michelle or Nicole and will be featured alongside their reviews.

Obviously this week's feature is The Nightmare Dilemma. I actually made nail art for the Nightmare Affair too and if you want to check that out you can visit my nail art tumblr HERE or my instagram HERE. 

Nail polish used: 

OPI Keeping Suzi at Bay

I used white acrylic for everything else. Freehand yo!

I would have used black but the blue base was a little too dark.

See Excalibur? And the castle? And the tree? Yeah. I like how they turned out. Not too shabby.

Here they are with the book.

Huzzah! Hope you liked this mani. I've been doing a lot of freehand designs recently and you can check out my recent work over at my Instagram. I did Divergent nails which I'm oddly proud of.

Novel Nails Designs

                       

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Dark Paradise by Angie Sandro

Title: Dark Paradise
Author: Angie Sandro
Format Acquired: eARC

Publication Date: July 1 2014

Publishing House: Forever Yours

ISBN: 9781455554829
Source of Copy: NetGalley

Summary:

DARK LEGACY

Mala LaCroix has spent her whole life trying to escape her destiny. As the last in a long line of "witch women," she rejects the notion of spirits and hoodoo and instead does her best to blend in. But when she finds a dead body floating in the bayou behind her house, Mala taps into powers she never knew she had. She's haunted by visions of the dead girl, demanding justice and vengeance.

DEADLY SECRETS

Landry Prince has always had a crush on Mala but when Mala discovers his sister, murered and marked in some sort of Satanic ritual, he wonders if all the rumors about the LaCroix family are true. Yet after Mala uses her connection to the spirit world to identify his sister's killer, he starts to form his own bond to her ... a very physical one. As they move closer to each other and closer to the truth, Mala and Landry must risk everything - their families, their love, and even their lives.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads;)

Review:

Mala is in denial about her powers. She's been trying to escape her whole life but finding a dead body floating in the bayou near her house puts all those carefully crafted notions out of her head. Landry has always had his eye on Mala - hanging out where she works, looking at her, staring at her when in school - but when Mala is the one who discovers his sister's body floating in the water he's not sure what to think anymore. Satanic rituals? Hoodoo? Can Landry put his trust in a girl who's painted as a witch involved in blood rituals? Can Mala figure out what the malevolent spirit wants before she gets consumed by her own budding powers?

It's told in the alternating voices of Mala and Landry. Mala is a sort of pariah seeing as how she's a descendant of witch women and people with all their prejudice and preconceived ideas concerning witches treat her like she's got the plague. Mala's used to it though and spends her time at the police station helping out. She's over-dramatic sometimes and a little naive at others. She's also part of this confusing romance and torn between two boys - George and Landry.

George doesn't really have that much of a presence in the book. He's just this guy who Mala works with and fancies. He kind of sees Mala as this little girl or damsel in distress who needs to be sheltered and protected. I have no idea what Mala sees in him because aside from the pretty face there really is nothing to write home about.

Landry on the other hand is crazy. He's always had a crush on Mala but never really had the guts to go talk to her. When he finds out Mala's the one who finds his sister's body he is easily persuaded into believing that she's performing crazy blood rituals and his sister is an unwitting victim. And he expects Mala to fall at his feet? Expects that they could actually have a relationship together? From their first confrontation to their following interactions, Landry is either hating/angry at her or flirty and charming. Maybe if he were a little less psycho they might have a chance.

I did like the atmosphere of the book. It's creepy and mysterious and I don't know how I made it through because I am not good with ghosts. I mean just mentioning ghosts makes me feel tainted. I just kind of wished that instead of focusing on the romance because all that messy drama overshadowed the good horror/mystery vibe the book had going.

Nevertheless I'll be checking out the second book, mainly because I want to see where the author takes this series and also because Mala's powers are growing and I want to know if they're going to driver her crazy in the end. And Landry too because crazies also deserve a happy ending.

Rating:

                           

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Born of Deception by Teri Brown

Title: Born of Deception
Author: Teri Brown
Format Acquired: eARC

Publication Date: June 10 2014

Publishing House: Balzer + Bray

ISBN: 9780062187574
Source of Copy: Edelweiss

Summary:

Buddng illusionist Anna Van Housen is on top of the world: after scoring a spot on a prestigious European vaudeville tour, she has moved to London to chase her dream and to join an underground society for people like her with psychic abilities. Along with her handsome beau, Cole Archer, Anna is prepared to take the city by storm.

But when Anna arrives in London, she finds the group in turmoil. Sensitives are disappearing and, without a suspect, the group's members are turning on one another. Could the kidnapper be someone within the society itself - or has the nefarious Dr. Boyle followed them to London?

As Cole and Anna begin to unravel the case and secrets about the society are revealed, they find themselves at odds, their plans for romance in London having vanished. Her life in danger and her relationship fizzling, can Anna find a way to track down the killer before he makes her his next victim - or will she have to pay the ultimate price for her powers?

Set in Jazz-Age London, this alluring sequel to Born of Illusion comes alive with sparkling romance, deadly intrigue, and daring magic.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads;)

Review:

Born of Deception is the sequel to Born of Illusion which I reviewed HERE.

Anna Van Housen managed to escape her dreary - sort of - life in New York by scoring a spot on a famous European tour. She gets to move to London with the handsome Cole and gets to perform her illusions for all the world to see. Everything's perfect until she meets the secret society Cole is a part of - Sensitives are disappearing and turning up dead and the society is in chaos. Secrets are uncovered and revealed and Anna's plans and her relationship with Cole is shot to hell. Her powers are starting to unravel her and Anna has to find the killer before he finds her.

It's London, Anna should be having the time of her life performing and pursuing this relationship with Cole. But instead she's got to figure out why her powers are going haywire and why in the world this new killer is targeting her. She also has to deal with this pretty boy who seems to have his eye on her and discourage his charming advances. Love triangle? Not really. Don't worry guys. Cole gets jealous and all and I kind of liked seeing him that way. It was fun, made him seem less perfect.

Like the first book in the series, the sequel has the same feel to it. Mysterious, eerie and charged with magic. Brown's writing was as good as in the first book, her characters are just as wonderful and easy to fall in love with. Like saying hello to long time friends I haven't seen in ages. Brown also introduces a new cast of characters that serve to make things more diversified and interesting.

The thing about this though, is that the book felt a little flat. I mean add a pretty boy who fancies Anna to cause strife between the two? Yeah. I did like the tension that arose thanks to the issues with the secret society of Sensitives and the craziness that seemed to follow Anna around. The ghost part was really creepy but truth be had, any mention of ghosts is bound to creep me out. 

All in all a decent follow up to Born of Illusion, a sort of paler imitation but enjoyable nonetheless. The writing is still as good and so is the world building. I'm definitely picking up the next book to see where Brown will take us next. Also note that it's set in JAZZ AGE LONDON. 

Rating:

     

                         

NICOLE'S REVIEW + Novel Nails #13: Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Rebel Belle
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: April 8 2014

Publishing House: Putnam Juvenile

ISBN: 9780399256936
Source of Copy: Purchased from FullyBooked

Summary:

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She's imbued with the powers of a Paladin, a guardian with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and Harper's least favorite person. Things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him - and discovers that David own fate could very well be to destroy earth.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

Harper Price is perfect. She's homecoming queen, captain of cheer squad and her boyfriend is the hottest guy on campus. Nothing can go wrong. That is until a run-in with a strange man who imbues her with Paladin powers and puts her in charge of her nemesis David Stark. The David Stark who mercilessly makes her life a living hell and the boy she might be falling for (gasp!). 

This book was so much fun. Harper is an adorable heroine, a little bit of an overachiever but totally likeable, smart and funny. She's also a prude - PDA is vile and she does not cuss. If she were a real person I don't think we'd get along very well. David is the anti-hero. He's moody, insufferable and wears really tight pants (he's a hipster and of course that disturbs Harper's delicate sensibilities). He's also nephew to the school principal and editor on the school paper. 

I had a lot of fun reading this book despite the fact that the ending was sort of rushed and the bad guys felt really random. You know, like, toss a bad guy in just for kicks. The book also seemed to put a lot of focus into Harper's messed up love life. Ryan aka The Perfect Boyfriend on one hand and David the Archnemesis on the other. Normally I'd be irritated by this but not this time. Rebel Belle was just too much fun. And you just know that Hawkins is totally setting readers up for the next book with the way Rebel Belle ended. Oh what a fine mess our adorable heroine is in.

Let me just add that the secondary characters were boring too but eh, who needs them. David and Harper were my sole focus so I couldn't really care less. And nobody needs a bunch of cheerleaders with super powers please.

Anyway I'd definitely recommend this to readers looking for a light, fun urban fantasy. Also suitable for those who'd like to ease themselves into the genre, I think. 

Rating:

   

"Novel Nails" is a feature of the blog that showcases nail art inspired by books and their covers. Nail art will be created by either Michelle or Nicole and will be featured alongside their reviews.

Aha! It has been so long since I last did a Novel Nails feature for the blog. I've recently been doing a lot of nail art inspired by books I've read before this feature was born. If you're interested please check out the instagram for my bookish manicures!

Novel Nails Designs 

Changed the instagram handle. Hehe.

Anyway! Onto the manicure. This week's feature is Rebel Belle, of course. And my nails are pink. PINK. With rhinestones and pearls and a ribbon.

Nail polish used:

OPI I Theodora You

China Glaze Fairy Dust

So here are my nails with the book. I'm not used to seeing my nails painted such a dainty color. It's weird! Can you see the pearls on my fingers? Heh.

My nails with the book. We match, don't we? Nails look so dainty. It's really strange.

Here are the rhinestones I used. They come in a cute glass bottle.

Hope you liked my nails! Don't forget to check out my other bookish manicures on instagram. I've been doing a lot of freehand recently.

Novel Nails Designs