Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Zombie Britannica by Thomas Emson

Zombie Britannica
Pages (Paperback): 350 pages
Publisher: Snowbooks
Released: August 1, 2010

Description: Cassie's day as a guide at Westminster Abbey begins badly when zombies storm into the building and eat the tourists. Carrie escapes - but finds London choked with the undead. She has no idea where they came from, no idea how to stop them - all she knows is she has to race through dangerous, gore-soaked streets and find her daughter. And her day doesn't get any better...

Review: This is the fourth book I've read by Emson, there werewolves are gone, the vampires have vanished. The big bad supernatural creature haunting the UK are zombies. I do love zombies, but this book lacked the same hard hitting intensity as the previous books. Yes it was graphic and fast paced, but for some reason it didn't translate here as well as it did with his previous books.

Grade: 7 lines out of 10

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Saturday, September 18, 2010

Dust City by Robert Paul Weston

Dust City
Pages (Hardcover): 304 pages
Publisher: Razorbill
Released: September 30, 2010

Description: Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

His son, that's who.

Ever since his father's arrest for the murder of Little Red Riding Hood, teen wolf Henry Whelp has kept a low profile in a Home for Wayward Wolves . . . until a murder at the Home leads Henry to believe his father may have been framed.

Now, with the help of his kleptomaniac roommate, Jack, and a daring she-wolf named Fiona, Henry will have to venture deep into the heart of Dust City: a rundown, gritty metropolis where fairydust is craved by everyone and controlled by a dangerous mob of Water Nixies and their crime boss leader, Skinner.

Can Henry solve the mystery of his family's sinister past? Or, like his father before him, is he destined for life as a big bad wolf?

Review: There are many good things about the novel; the discrimination, the fairy tale elements, and the world. However, there is a problem with pacing. Henry's surroundings moved too quickly and the characters come in and out, which made me not really care for them. I wanted to know more, but due to the pacing, everything felt rushed and once I got into it, the scene changed.

Grade: 5.5 lines out of 10

A big thanks to Penguin Canada for providing me with a review copy of Dust City!

This is incredibly random, but every time I try to type fairy tale it comes out as fairy tail....the manga by Mashima-san.

Read the full review at Books may Vary

Monday, September 13, 2010

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Never Let Me Go
Pages (Paperback): 304 pages
Publisher: Vintage
Released: March 14, 2006

Description: Kathy, Ruth and Tommy were pupils at Hailsham - an idyllic establishment situated deep in the English countryside. The children there were tenderly sheltered from the outside world, brought up to believe they were special, and that their personal welfare was crucial. But for what reason were they really there? It is only years later that Kathy, now aged 31, finally allows herself to yield to the pull of memory. What unfolds is the haunting story of how Kathy, Ruth and Tommy, slowly come to face the truth about their seemingly happy childhoods - and about their futures. Never Let Me Go is a uniquely moving novel, charged throughout with a sense of the fragility of our lives.

Review: For the most part, this book was enjoyable. I liked learning about Hailsham and what how the kids were growing up. Seeing as it was a very structured but sheltered environment. The reason for Hailsham is known early on and it makes the ending somewhat lackluster during the talk with Miss Emily and Madame. The book is written well, but it was a little too long then it needed to be.

Grade: 6 lines out of 10

The movie, Never Let Me Go, is coming out soon and if you plan on reading the book I would stay away from the trailer. It kind of spoils the entire thing.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Eon by Alison Goodman

Eon
Pages (Paperback): 544 pages
Publisher: Firebird; Reprint edition
Released: August 31, 2010

Description: Sixteen-year-old Eon has a dream, and a mission. For years, he's been studying sword-work and magic, toward one end. He and his master hope that he will be chosen as a Dragoneye-an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune.

But Eon has a dangerous secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been masquerading as a twelve-year-old boy. Females are forbidden to use Dragon Magic; if anyone discovers she has been hiding in plain sight, her death is assured.

When Eon's secret threatens to come to light, she and her allies are plunged into grave danger and a deadly struggle for the Imperial throne. Eon must find the strength and inner power to battle those who want to take her magic...and her life.

Review: Eon isn't a new story, and yet, the plot, the Asian setting, and the characters were refreshing and fun to read. Eon's struggles were my favourite part, but also the most frustrating. I wanted her to open her eyes, but then again her situation kind of made that hard to do. The book does end in a critical moment, so you'll have to read Eona to find out what happens next. I can't wait!

Grade: 9.5 lines out of 10

Thank you to Penguin Canada for providing this book for review.

Read the full review at Books may Vary

Friday, September 3, 2010

Testimony by Anita Shreve

Testimony: A Novel
Pages (Mass Market Paperback): 352 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; Reprint edition
Released: Aug 31, 2010

Description: At a New England boarding school, a sex scandal is about to break. Even more shocking than the sexual acts themselves is the fact that they were caught on videotape. A Pandora's box of revelations, the tape triggers a chorus of voices--those of the men, women, teenagers, and parents involved in the scandal--that details the ways in which lives can be derailed or destroyed in one foolish moment.

Writing with a pace and intensity surpassing even her own greatest work, Anita Shreve delivers in TESTIMONY a gripping emotional drama with the impact of a thriller. No one more compellingly explores the dark impulses that sway the lives of seeming innocents, the needs and fears that drive ordinary men and women into intolerable dilemmas, and the ways in which our best intentions can lead to our worst transgressions.

Review: Testimony is a book that I wanted to read for awhile now. Even though, I didn't like the twist about the unnamed boy and I hated what Sienna, the girl in the video, did, I did enjoy premise and the writing style. Each chapter was told by a different character, which was nice since it helped show how something like this can affect a multitude of people in complete different ways.

Grade: 7.5 lines out of 10

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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

New Moon   [NEW MOON] [Paperback]

Pages (Hardcover): 608 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
Released: May 31, 2008

Description: Legions of readers entranced by Twilight are hungry for more and they won't be disappointed. In New Moon, Stephenie Meyer delivers another irresistible combination of romance and suspense with a supernatural twist. The "star-crossed" lovers theme continues as Bella and Edward find themselves facing new obstacles, including a devastating separation, the mysterious appearance of dangerous wolves roaming the forest in Forks, a terrifying threat of revenge from a female vampire and a deliciously sinister encounter with Italy's reigning royal family of vampires, the Volturi. Passionate, riveting, and full of surprising twists and turns, this vampire love saga is well on its way to literary immortality.

Review: I'm incredibly disappointed by New Moon. I liked Twilight and even though I thought Bella was a horrible friend, it was a good book for the most part. In New Moon, Bella continues to be a horrible friend. Horrible! For some reason it seems like if you are human, Bella won't give you the time of day and it's frustrating to read.

Grade: 4 lines out of 10

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Monday, August 30, 2010

Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin

Extraordinary

Pages (Hardcover): 400 pages
Publisher: Dial Books
Released: September 7, 2010


Description: Phoebe finds herself drawn to Mallory, the strange and secretive new kid in school, and the two girls become as close as sisters . . . until Mallory's magnetic older brother, Ryland, shows up during their junior year. Ryland has an immediate, exciting hold on Phoebe but a dangerous hold, for she begins to question her feelings about her best friend and, worse, about herself.

Soon she'll discover the shocking truth about Ryland and Mallory: that these two are visitors from the faerie realm who have come to collect on an age-old debt. Generations ago, the faerie queen promised Phoebe's ancestor five extraordinary sons in exchange for the sacrifice of one ordinary female heir. But in hundreds of years there hasn't been a single ordinary girl in the family, and now the faeries are dying. Could Phoebe be the first ordinary one? Could she save the faeries, or is she special enough to save herself?

Review: I'm torn. On one hand, I enjoyed my time reading this. I thought Mallory was an excellent character, she's sympathetic, relateable, and you want to root for her, but don't at the same time. The relationship between Phoebe and Ryland, while it reminded me of an abusive relationship, was interesting as well. AND! Nantucket is in this book. On the other hand, Phoebe, the main character, is...

Grade: 7.5 lines out of 10

Thank you to Penguin Canada for providing this book for review.

Read the full review at Books may Vary

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

A Room Swept White by Sophie Hannah

Room Swept White
Pages (Paperback): 448 pages
Publisher: Penguin Canada
Released: August 24, 2010

Description: International bestselling author Sophie Hannah creates a brilliantly sinister atmosphere in this psychologically and socially acute novel that explores the bond between mothers and their babies, the tragedies of crib death and infanticide, and the effect of incompetent pathologists.

Documentary producer Fliss Benson receives an anonymous card at work. The card has 16 numbers on it, arranged in four rows of four--numbers that mean nothing to her. On the same day, Fliss finds out she's going to be working on a documentary about miscarriages of justice involving crib-death mothers wrongly accused of murder. The documentary will focus on three women: Helen Yardley, Sarah Jaggard, and Rachel Hind.

All three women are now free, and the doctor who did her best to send them to prison for life, child protection zealot Dr Judith Duffy, is under investigation for misconduct. For reasons she has shared with nobody, Fliss has decided that this is her last project.

And then Helen Yardley is found dead at her home, and in her pocket is a card with 16 numbers on it, arranged in four rows of four...

Review: A story about infanticide and women who were wrongly accused of killing their children is a fascinating thing to read about and for the most part it is. The news articles, interviews, book excerpts really added to the seriousness of the situation and I loved reading them. My only complaint is Fliss, and how her sections were written in first person, when almost everything else was in third.

Grade: 8 lines out of 10

Thank you to Penguin Canada for providing this book for review.

Want more? Then read the full review at Books may Vary.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Grotesque by Natsuo Kirino

Grotesque (Vintage International)
Pages (Paperback): 544 pages
Publisher: Vintage
Released: February 12, 2008

Description: Life at the prestigious Q High School for Girls in Tokyo exists on a precise social axis: a world of insiders and outsiders, of haves and have-nots. Beautiful Yuriko and her unpopular, unnamed sister exist in different spheres; the hopelessly awkward Kazue Sato floats around among them, trying to fit in. Years later, Yuriko and Kazue are dead — both have become prostitutes and both have been brutally murdered.

Natsuo Kirino, celebrated author of Out, seamlessly weaves together the stories of these women’s struggles within the conventions and restrictions of Japanese society. At once a psychological investigation of the pressures facing Japanese women and a classic work of noir fiction, Grotesque is a brilliantly twisted novel of ambition, desire, beauty, cruelty, and identity by one of our most electrifying writers.

Review: Let me start by saying that this book is not for everyone. The plot, while interesting, is filled with really horrible characters that you will hate. There is one character that seems likeable at first, but once you hear their story you'll hate them the most. The book is filled with such horrible, pathetic, disgusting characters, and yet I loved the book for this reason. This is a fantastic book!

Grade: 9 lines out of 10

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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

My Little Red Book by Rachel Kauder Nalebuff

My Little Red Book
Pages (Hardcover): 240 pages
Publisher: Twelve
Released: February 26, 2009

Description: MY LITTLE RED BOOK is an anthology of stories about first periods, collected from women of all ages from around the world. The accounts range from light-hearted (the editor got hers while water skiing in a yellow bathing suit) to heart-stopping (a first period discovered just as one girl was about to be strip-searched by the Nazis). The contributors include well-known women writers (Meg Cabot, Erica Jong, Gloria Steinem, Cecily von Ziegesar), alongside today's teens. And while the authors differ in race, faith, or cultural background, their stories share a common bond: they are all accessible, deeply honest, and highly informative. Whatever a girl experiences or expects, she'll find stories that speak to her thoughts and feelings.

Ultimately, MY LITTLE READ BOOK is more than a collection of stories. It is a call for a change in attitude, for a new way of seeing periods. In a time when the taboo around menstruation seems to be one of the few left standing, it makes a difficult subject easier to talk about, and helps girls feel proud instead of embarrassed or ashamed. By revealing what it feels like to undergo this experience first hand, and giving women the chance to explain their feelings in their own words, it aims to provide support, entertainment, and a starting point for discussion for mothers and daughters everywhere. It is a book every girl should have. Period.

Review: Whether you wanted it, or not (I didn't) almost every girl remembers her first period. First periods are fun, so It's interesting to see how normal people dealt with it, seeing as how I denied mined. My main problem is that I couldn't read this book all in one go. I have to read some here, put it down, then come back to it later. Reading too much was a little to heavy for me. (pun very much intended)

Grade: 8.5 lines out of 10

This is just the lighter version of this review, read the full version at Books may Vary

Thursday, August 5, 2010

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

The Host: A Novel

Pages (Paperback): 619 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Released: May 6, 2008

Description: Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of their human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed.

Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves-Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she's never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.

Review: Once upon a time, I read Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. I liked Twilight, didn't like New Moon, thought Eclipse was okay, and Breaking Dawn wasn't too bad (if you ignore the imprinting). Then I read The Host and wow. This is seriously the best book Meyer wrote, I find it a shame that there is only one adult book by her, because this definitely suits her writing style.

Grade: 10 lines out of 10

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Prey by Thomas Emson

Prey

Pages (Hardcover): 469 pages
Publisher: Snowbooks Ltd.
Released: November 1, 2009

Description: Laura Greenacre's enemies, the Templetons, have scoured the earth for her since the horrific events at Trafalgar Square eight years ago.

And they think they've found her.

Ruth Templeton, now a werewolf herself, leaves a trail of carnage across Europe as she makes her way to New York. Russian cop, Lev Dasaev, is hunting the brutal killer of a Russian pimp. The trail leads him to America. To the lair of a madman called Wheeler Burns.

And when Burns joins forces with Ruth Templeton, Dasaev and Laura face annihilation...

And the ultimate hunter becomes the ultimate prey.

Review: After reading Maneater, Skarlet, and Prey, I have to say that Prey is Emson's best work yet. The writer is cleaner, the plot is better, and Laura is still as bad as ever.Watching the difference between Ruth and Laura was a treat, especially in the manner in which each lady tries to seek revenge. Ruth is heartless, but I love it! This is Emson book yet. Can't wait to read more from him.

Grade: 10 lines out of 10

Need more? Visit Books may Vary for the full review of Prey.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

Dreamland


Pages (Paperback): 256 pages
Publisher: Speak
Released: May 11, 2004

Description: Strange, sleepy Rogerson, with his long brown dreads and brilliant green eyes, had seemed to Caitlin to be an open door. With him she could be anybody, not just the second-rate shadow of her older sister, Cass. But now she is drowning in the vacuum Cass left behind when she turned her back on her family's expectations by running off with a boyfriend. Caitlin wanders in a dream land of drugs and a nightmare of Rogerson's sudden fists, lost in her search for herself.

Review: This was my first Sarah Dessen novel and all I can say is wow! The story is about Caitlin and her abusive boyfriend. I kept wanting to tell her to run and leave her boyfriend, but she didn't. She just fell into a steady rhythm of abuse and drugs, which was depressing to watch. This is a very powerful, brutally honest, and realistic book about teen abuse. Definitely a must read!

Grade: 10 lines out of 10

For the full review visit Books may Vary.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Skarlet by Thomas Emson

Skarlet

Pages (Paperback): 448 pages
Publisher: Snowbooks Ltd.
Released: December 1, 2009

Description: Fear grips London as dozens of clubbers die after taking a sinister new drug. But that's only the beginning. Forty-eight hours later, the dead clubbers wake up - and it's open season on the living, who are butchered for their blood.

Soon, London gives a name to its terror: Vampires.

Jake Lawton, bitter and betrayed after the Iraq War, finds himself fighting another battle - against the growing army of immortal hunters and their human cohorts. Lawton joins forces with the journalist who brought about his downfall and the dealer tricked into distributing the drug. And together they take on the spineless authorities, the ruthless cohorts, and the hungry dead.

But the vampire plague unleashed in London is nothing to what lurks beneath the streets - waiting to be fed ...waiting to be resurrected ...waiting to reign again over a city of human slaves...

Review: Thomas Emson takes a bite into the vampire genre and creates a new spin that is more horroresque than lovely. Skarlet's vampires are in the same vein as 30 days of Night, so the vampires come in swarms and they want to kill you. Like Maneater, it's not for everyone, but if you like an action packed novel with vampires then definitely pick this up!

Grade: 9 lines out of 10

For the full length review, visit Books may Vary

The Sinful Life of Lucy Burns by Elizabeth Leiknes

The Sinful Life of Lucy Burns

Pages (Hardcover): 167 pages
Publisher: Bancroft Press
Released: June 15, 2009

Description: Lucy Burns wants a normal life: friends, love, and a family of her own. And she could have it all if only she could break free from the job she hates.

That job? Facilitator to hell.

And her boss is a real devil.

At the age of eleven, to save her sister's life, Lucy writes a desperate letter to "To Whom It May Concern", but when He writes back, Lucy is bound for life. There are perks: sure she's ageless, she's beautiful, and she can eat as much chocolate as she wants and never get fat, but there are also consequences.

She can never see her family again.

She can never have a boyfriend.

She must spend her life leading sinners to their demise.

After nineteen years of doing the Devil s dirty work, Lucy wants out, but it all seems hopeless until Teddy Nightingale, her easy listening music idol, gives her the answer: a little-known loophole.

If she succeeds, Lucy gets love, happiness, and everything she ever really wanted. But the consequences? They're considerably worse than death. To make it through, Lucy must decide what is evil and what is good, what is right and what is wrong, and if, in the end, there's ever any way to truly know.

Review: The plot is very charming and Lucy is a great lead character. She makes you want to root for her and hope that she can one day be happy. It also shows that material wealth doesn't always make one happy and if you add working for the Devil, it can make anyone want to cry their eyes out. I would have liked to see more of Lucy and her job, but other than that I thought the book was wonderful. Get it!

Grade: 9.5 lines out of 10

Need a little more, then check out the full review at Books may Vary

Monday, August 2, 2010

The Likeness by Tana French

The Likeness: A Novel

Pages (Paperback): 512 pages
Publisher: Penguin
Released: May 26, 2009

Description: Six months after the events of In the Woods, Detective Cassie Maddox is still trying to recover. She's transferred out of the murder squad and started a relationship with Detective Sam O'Neill, but she's too badly shaken to make a commitment to him or to her career. Then Sam calls her to the scene of his new case: a young woman found stabbed to death in a small town outside Dublin. The dead girl's ID says her name is Lexie Madison—the identity Cassie used years ago as an undercover detective—and she looks exactly like Cassie.

With no leads, no suspects, and no clue to Lexie's real identity, Cassie's old undercover boss, Frank Mackey, spots the opportunity of a lifetime. They can say that the stab wound wasn't fatal and send Cassie undercover in her place to find out information that the police never would and to tempt the killer out of hiding. At first Cassie thinks the idea is crazy, but she is seduced by the prospect of working on a murder investigation again and by the idea of assuming the victim's identity as a graduate student with a cozy group of friends.

As she is drawn into Lexie's world, Cassie realizes that the girl's secrets run deeper than anyone imagined. Her friends are becoming suspicious, Sam has discovered a generations-old feud involving the old house the students live in, and Frank is starting to suspect that Cassie's growing emotional involvement could put the whole investigation at risk. Another gripping psychological thriller featuring the headstrong protagonist we've come to love, from an author who has proven that she can deliver.

Review:  I miss Rob. I really miss Rob. *sigh* Will we ever see Rob again? The story, while interesting, isn't plausible. You'll have to suspended your disbelief in order to understand it and it has a lot of holes. This isn't a bad book and it still is beautifully written, but it just didn't have the same magic as In the Woods. It also doesn't answer some of the questions from the last book.


Grade: 7 lines out of 10



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In the Woods by Tana French

In the Woods

Pages (Paperback): 464 pages
Publisher: Penguin
Released: May 27, 2008

Description: As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers, and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours.

Twenty years later, the found boy, Rob Ryan, is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and keeps his past a secret. But when a twelve-year-old girl is found murdered in the same woods, he and Detective Cassie Maddox — his partner and closest friend — find themselves investigating a case chillingly similar to the previous unsolved mystery. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him and that of his own shadowy past.

Review: In the Woods is a beautifully written mystery that will get you sucked in and wanting more. And when I mean wanting more, I mean wanting more, because the most interesting aspect of the novel never gets solved. It's annoying, frustrating, and it makes you want to scream, but it works. Strange, eh? Lovely novel, it did have some rough spots, but the writing makes up for it.

Grade: 7.5 lines out of 10



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Maneater by Thomas Emson

Maneater

Pages (Paperback): 380 pages
Publisher: Snowbooks
Released: June 2009

Description: She’s not sweet. She’s not nice. She doesn’t fight evil. She doesn’t protect the weak. She doesn’t work in an office by day and have a secret identity by night. She doesn’t have friends and family who know nothing about her, but when they find out they love her anyway. She’s not cool. She’s not clever. She’s not kind to animals. She won’t help children, the elderly, and those less fortunate than herself.

In fact, she doesn’t care. But if you hurt her, she will kill you. Actually, she’ll do worse than that. . .Meet Laura. She’ll eat you alive.

Review: This is a fantastic book and if you are a lover of horror and werewolves, then do yourself a favour and pick this one up. It's action packed, fast paced, and Laura is a great werewolf. She has no bones about killing people and I love that she's in tune with her animal side. My only complaint is that the phrase "eat you alive" is mentioned quite a bit, other than that, it's great. I loved it!

Grade: 9.5 lines out of 10



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Saturday, July 31, 2010

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

The Book of Lost Things

Pages (Paperback): 480 pages
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Released: October 16, 2007

Description: High in his attic bedroom, twelve-year-old David mournsthe death of his mother, with only the books on his shelf forcompany. But those books have begun to whisper to him in thedarkness. Angry and alone, he takes refuge in his imaginationand soon finds that reality and fantasy have begun to meld. Whilehis family falls apart around him, David is violently propelledinto a world that is a strange reflection of his own -- populatedby heroes and monsters and ruled by a faded king who keeps hissecrets in a mysterious book, The Book of Lost Things.

Review: I love Fairy tales and a Book of Lost Things mixes and changes each story in a way that you can't help but smile at. The main story is about David and his journey in a beautiful, but deadly world. It's through his experiences there that he's able to reflect and grow as a person. People will die and whether or not there is a happy ending, I won't say, but you don't want to miss out on this book.

Grade: 9.5 lines out of 10


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Friday, July 30, 2010

Betrayed by P. C. Cast, Kristin Cast

Betrayed: A House of Night Novel (House of Night Novels)

Pages (Hardcover): 320 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Released: September 29, 2009

Description: Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night. She’s come to terms with the vast powers the vampyre goddess, Nyx, has given her, and is getting a handle on being the new Leader of the Dark Daughters, the school’s most elite group. Best of all, Zoey’s made some new friends and she finally feels like she belongs--like she really fits in. She actually has a boyfriend…or two. And despite the best efforts of her mother and step-loser John to humiliate her publically during parent visitation, she’s earned the respect of her professors and High Priestess, Neferet.

Then the unthinkable happens: human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night, straining human-vamp tensions in Tulsa to a breaking point. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey’s old life, she finds herself drawn into an intoxicating forbidden flirtation that threatens to distract her from the growing crisis. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night. Too late, Zoey begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves, and she must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world.

Review: If you've read Marked, then you know who the 'betrayer' is and so it doesn't come as much of a shock when everything is revealed. There is potential here and story in itself isn't too bad, but the characters are still one-dimensional, except for Aphrodite, the villain in Marked. Also, the book focused too much on Zoey's love life. Hearing her whine about the 3 guys who want her isn't interesting.

Grade: 5.5 lines out of 10



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