Born Wicked - Jessica Spotswood

Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1) - Jessica Spotswood
Grade: YA
Rating: 5/5 stars

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship--or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with six months to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate stars scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood -- not even from each other. (Description from Goodreads)
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If I rated books higher than 5/5 this book would get a higher rating. Mystery, magic, stolen kisses, dangerous prophecies; it has it all and more.

Cate Cahill is a witch. Her mother was a witch; her two younger sisters - Maura and Tess - are witches. But being a witch is a crime, which makes it difficult to live in a small town in New England, especially when it's necessary to try and hide any powers from the Brotherhood, the religious body that rules the world 'Born Wicked' is set in.

The Brotherhood concerns me, they're very quick to jump to conclusions and also have eyes everywhere. Nothing goes unnoticed by them. But they're not the only concern. There's also the Sisterhood (the female sect of the Brotherhood). I definitely think there's more to them than we're given. Where the Brotherhood's intentions are all out in the open, the Sisterhood is mysterious and twisted at times. Makes you question their every move.

I love the family strength and commitment that gets shown by Cate and her sisters. Yes, there is tension (as all good families have) but there is never any doubt that Cate, Maura and Tess love each other and would do anything to make sure they all remain safe.

I haven't read many alternate history novels; I haven't branched into that genre much. But Cate's world, Jessica Spotswood's alternate world, intrigued me so much. Religion and the persecution of witches is not a new concept, but Spotswood drags you in instantly and it's impossible not to have a passionate response to the idea of innocent women being locked up or forced into hard labour because there is a chance they may be witches. Magic is not just frowned upon, but feared, especially by Cate and her family. Cate's desperate need to keep her family's magic a secret keeps you on the edge of your seat. You're never sure who you can trust or if someone's going to get caught doing magic in the back yard.

Magic, and dealing with the consequences, is obviously a big part of the story. Although there wasn't as much magic using as I thought there was going to be, it fits with the way the story flows. You don't expect spells to be spoken on every page when Cate is trying to hide that part of her. I hope the next book will give as a chance to explore the magic side of this world.

You can't talk about 'Born Wicked' without mentioning romance. Cate's in a tricky situation; not only does she face the dangers of using magic, but if she doesn't find a husband or choose to become a member of the Sisterhood by the time she is 17, she will have her future decided for her by the Brotherhood. Lucky for Cate, she's got a couple of suitors after her heart, one of which you can't help loving instantly. Is it bad form these days to want a gardener to fall in love with? Well, even if it is, I want a gardener and I want it to be Finn Belastra! He is a caring, gentle, concerned young man, who is extremely dedicated to the ones he loves and he makes me melt. The connection between Finn and Cate is hard to miss and leaves you wanting more.

Dying for book 2, even though I know there's a long wait ahead of us. Amazing start to the series.

5/5 stars


Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight - Jennifer E. Smith

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight - Jennifer E. Smith
Grade: YA
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.


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It’s not often that you come across a YA book set over the course of 24 hours. You would think that not a lot can happen in 1 day, especially when half that day is spent waiting at the airport and taking a 7 hour flight to London. Boy is is wrong to assume such a thing.

Hadley is a 17 year old girl about to take a flight to London for her dad’s wedding. To say she’s not looking forward to it is an understatement. Over the course the novel, Hadley’s issues are placed out in the open, troubles aired for all to see. I loved being present for Hadley’s transformation. Seeing her voice pent up issues of neglect and anger at her father’s new life and learning to accept the changes in her own life – you can’t help being moved by her fears and her eventual effort to overcome barriers that have been in place since her parent’s divorce.

Love is obviously an important theme in this book. You would expect love to be mentioned at some point and ‘The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight’ does not disappoint. Not only is it explored through Hadley finding Oliver – Oh, funny and claustrophobia-distracting Oliver – but also through Hadley coming to terms with how uncertain love can be. This book highlights that there are no set rules for how, or who, you love.

I adored Hadley’s flashback scenes, exploring her reactions to love and her relationship with her father. Comparing them to her present life was heartbreaking. But it was also such a power journey.

The way the text was written interests me the most. I think the technical term is third-person subjective, where you’re pretty much inside one person’s head, hearing only their thoughts, but still use “he”, “she”, “it”, “they” and never “I”. This is my favourite form of third person; you sometimes forget that you’re not actually reading in first person. The text flows so well, you’re captured in the moment and it doesn’t have that distance you sometimes find in third person narratives.

My only issue with this book is that I wish it had been slightly longer. I didn’t want it to end; although, realistically if it had been any longer it wouldn’t have fit over 24 hours.

An incredibly sweet, touching contemporary novel that everyone should read.

4.5/5 stars.


Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Blogspiration #2

Blogspiration is a new weekly meme hosted by GrowingUp YA and Saz101. Where inspirational quotes/pictures/videos are posted to bring a little creativity or conversation into the blogging world.

This week's Blogspiration is a little different. Sarah and Kristin have given as a task; an epic question. While we're not obligated to follow their lead, I wanted to answer the question for my post. 

What book inspires you?

Turns out answering this question was slightly harder than I thought it was going to be. There are so many books that I've connected with over the years and the idea of sharing something so important as what *inspires* you in terms of books, needed a lot of thought. I finally managed to narrow it down to one book series that has touched me for years. Check it out.

My choice for Blogspiration this week is one that I discovered as a young teen: Alanna: The First Adventure - Tamora Pierce (Book #1 in the Song of the Lioness Quartet). The reason I picked this book, and why it inspires me, is because it sparked my obsession with books. 

Before Alanna (and Tamora Pierce) I was a casual reader. A couple of books a month, no big deal. Alanna made me hungry for more of the written world. I couldn't stand the thought of being without a book, to be lost within the pages of something so magical and gripping, something created from the mind of one person. It was really moving.

Alanna: The First Adventure is not a particularly difficult read, but it's the excitement and mystery that drove me wild. And it may have also made me obsessed with Knights (who doesn't love a good man in armour, sword fights and a little magic every now and then?)

I wanted to be the secret Knight. I wanted to have her adventures in far away countries and to be super powerful. I wanted so much more than we get from her story. It was this need for more adventures - not just Alanna's - that got me reading more as a teen. 

I can't thank Tamora Pierce enough for inspiring me to become a reader.

Kim

Balthazar - Claudia Gray

Balthazar - Claudia Gray
Grade: YA
Rating: 5/5 stars

Haunted by memories from his first days as a vampire, Balthazar has spent hundreds of years alone—without allies, without love. When he emerges from his isolation to help Skye Tierney, a human girl who once attended Evernight Academy, Balthazar has no idea how dangerous it will be. Skye’s psychic powers have caught the attention of Redgrave, the cruel master vampire responsible for murdering Balthazar and his family four centuries ago. Having learned of Skye’s powers and the remarkable effect her blood has on vampires, he plans to use her for his own evil purposes. As they stand together to fight the evil vampire, Balthazar realizes his lonely world could finally be changed by Skye...just as Redgrave realizes that he can destroy Balthazar once and for all by taking her for his own.

In a story filled with forbidden love and dark suspense, one of the most beloved characters in Claudia Gray’s New York Times bestselling Evernight series will captivate readers with his battle to overcome his past and follow his heart. (Description from Groodreads)

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I hadn't realised how much I missed the Evernight world until I was thrown back in with 'Balthazar'. A dangerous book, that revisits the life of vampires after the destruction of Evernight Academy.

As one of my favourite characters in the series, I was really looking forward to reading about Balthazar. I was unsure what we'd be getting from his story: Something old? Something new? Turns out it was a bit of both, and can I just say: Wow! Learning about Balthazar's past gave me chills; especially with the way it was presents: a jumbled timeline showing his human, early vampire years and most recent past, all mixed in with present drama with Skye and the vampires. It's an intense, fast-paced read that I had so much trouble putting down.

If you're a long time Evernight fan, you'll notice that our leading lady, Skye, is a repeat Evernight character. Although, I'll admit, for the first few pages I couldn't remember who she was (my bad). But she does have an Evernight background and an extremely important skill that winds up putting her in serious danger: Vampire Style. Her powers weren't explored as much as I thought they'd be. Their unknown quality left you wanting more, especially close to the end of the book.

I love the action in this book. It seemed never-ending, probably because we saw plenty in the 'present' timeline, but was also witness a fair few fights in Balthazar's past. I'm definitely a fan of a good action scene, and if you're like that too, you won't be disappointed with this one.

My only issue with 'Balthazar' is the uncertainty at the end. So much is left up in the air and, at the time of writing this, I'm unaware if there is going to be more in the series. What is going to happen to Skye and Balthazar? Are there still vampires after them? Will Skye learn more about her skills? But, most importantly, what's going on with Charity? Yep, that's right, our fave crazy vampire sister is back and she's pretty kick-ass in this book. But her role leaves me with so many questions. I thought we'd have some big Brother-Sister confrontation, but we're sort of left hanging. Maybe that's being saved for a future book (Please, Claudia?)

Mysteries and questions aside; I adored this book, definitely worth reading.

5/5 stars

Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

GIVEAWAY: Our First Giveaway to Celebrate Reaching 25 Followers

Firstly we want to thank everyone who has followed our blog so far. We made it to that 25 mark. So thanks again for making us get excited with each new page visit and follower.

And now for what you're all waiting for: The giveaway.

Last year, many fabulous YA authors visited Australia. Unfortunately we weren't able to meet them all. But one author we did get a chance to see - partly because Kerrie insisted we meet her, but mostly because she's awesome - was Becca Fitzpatrick.

(Please excuse all facial expressions)

But those crazy faces aren't the best part of this picture. No, there's something even better sitting on that table. Shall I give you a hint? 

That is a SIGNED paperback copy of Silence and it is the special something we're giving away to ONE lucky Australian resident.

Maybe you missed out on seeing Becca when she was in Australia last year. Maybe you haven't had the chance to read the Hush, Hush series and figure winning a copy of the latest book will help give you the push you needed to start reading. Or perhaps you're a die-hard Patch fan and want to collect as many copies as you can; and if it's signed, even better. Whatever the reason; fill out the form below to be entered in the giveaway.

Details
* One entry per person.
* You must be at least 13 years old or have permission from your parents before entering.
* Must be in Australian resident (sorry international followers)
* Must be a GFC follower and leave following name in the form below.
* The giveaway is open now and will run until 11:59pm (AEDT) 7th March 2012
* Winner will be picked by Random.org and announced on the blog.
* Winner will also be emailed and have 1 week to reply before a new winner is picked.
* We are not responsible for for lost or damaged property (I'm going to try really hard to protect your book but then I have to trust Australia Post with the rest)

Giveaway is now closed!

Thank you for entering. Winner announced soon.

Good Luck!

Kim & Kerrie

Avon Romance Australia

Hi all,

I have some exciting news to share: Avon Romance Australia has asked me to be a Guest Reviewer on their revamped site. (Avon Romance)


I was lucky enough to be given an ARC of Lynsay Sands' 'Under a Vampire Moon' (book #16 in the Argeneau Series)

My Review is up now; so drop by,   on 'Under a Vampire Moon' and see some of the reasons why I love Paranormal Romance novels. Don't forget to leave a comment, I'd love to hear your thoughts.


Kerrie

Lover Mine - J.R. Ward

Lover Mine (Black Dagger Botherhood #8)
                                                - J.R. Ward
Grade: Adult - PNR
Rating: 5/5 stars

The hot new novel in the Black Dagger Brotherhood by the #1New York Times bestselling author

John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown. Taken in by The Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was-or his true identity.

Xhex has long steeled herself against the attraction to John Matthew. Until fate intervenes and she discovers that love, like destiny, is inevitable.


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If you're a long time BDB reader, you would know that John Matthew has had a tough life and that doesn't really end with his own book. I was really looking forward to seeing John get his happy ending. 'Lover Mine' is definitely one of my favourites for this series. I loved seeing not only John's mind, but Xhex's too; and the action (both fighting and private time *wink**wink*) was amazing.

After finishing 'Lover Avenged' last week, I was desperate to jump into 'Lover Mine'. The previous book leaves us with a serious unresolved issue concerning Xhex and her future. I've become super attached to Xhex (it's really hard not to get that way); I never want to see her hurt again. I adored seeing her as more than just Rehv's security guard. I love her strength and her fears; she's not a gentle soul, but she's got good things going for her. The struggle to be accepted and to overcome her past is heart-warming.

We see relationships form and break in 'Lover Mine'; you can't help getting caught up in the drama, especially after so many books. The characters we follow are all so well known to us; they feel like friends. You don't want their actions to end up hurting someone you love *cough*QhuinnandBlay*cough* The unresolved issues only make me want to read the next book already.

I loved reading the flashback scenes about Darius and Tohr. If you haven't read the book yet, I'll tell you only one thing: There's more to these scenes than just seeing Darius again. I started to guess what they were about early on, and it wasn't hard to work out. They leave you feeling pretty satisfied in the end.

Despite loving this book, and despite how important it was to see everything that was happening, I cannot make myself enjoy the lessers POVS. Maybe I'm too desperate to find out about the Brothers and their females, but I don't find these scenes captivating enough, even with Lash being the main focus for 'Lover Mine' and with his story being so connected to John and Xhex's happen ending. It just doesn't interest me.

5/5 stars

Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)