Vacation Reading

This is my first ever Fairy book…and it may be my last!

Marr is super repetitive. I’m not sure if it is because the story is really small or because she was “writing down” (which I don’t think teens need these days). I expect some reminding of important points but from page 1 all the way to the end the main character has the same thoughts making her actions in the end seem very out of character.

The love story is nice, but by no means is it a Twilight. About halfway through the book two separate and very different love lines become evident and this is what I held onto to get me through the book. Would they end up with who they should be with or would all the Fairy mumbo jumbo get in the way?

Each chapter starts off with a quote from books written on Faeries. I found this very annoying; while they were short they interrupted the story. If you were reading a chapter at a time they probably would be fine. The language these quotes are written in is much different from our modern verbiage and I believe that is what caused the “slow down” in reading. Eventually I started skipping them since they also did not seem to relate to what was currently going on.
As I stated at the beginning I am not sure I will be continuing with this series, I guess time will tell. There are so many great YA books out there these days with a message about choices and with great romance lines that it seems a shame to waist time reading one that is not up to par.

The Exterminators Daughter by Meg Cabot I’d give 3 stars. It was a fun read but to me some of the characters reactions were unbelievable.

The Corsage by Lauren Myracle I did not like at all. The story did not seem original at all and it was very predictable.

Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper by Kim Harrison I’d give 4 stars. For a short story you really got a lot of information about the main character and her family. You knew “bad” things were going to happen but what did occur I never would have suspected. Also, I feel like she left it open so that more could be written…so yes, I am hoping she expands on this story.

Kiss and Tell by Michele Jaffe I give 3 stars. I enjoyed the story but it really didn’t stick with me like the one by Kim Harrison.

Hell on Earth by Stephenie Meyer I give 4 stars. To me Stephenie is the most talented writer in this group. In about 50 pages she introduced a number of characters and made you feel connected to them. The descriptions are wonderful and I think the story was cute and original. She, like Kim Harrison left the short story open for more and I do hope she expands on it.

Overall I am very glad that I read this book and now I am off to investigate some of the new authors I’ve been introduced to.

I was hesitant to read this book because I did not enjoy The Vampire Diaries. However I had heard that L.J’s later works were better and this one was written many years after The Vampire Diaries.

I really enjoyed all 3 stories.

Secret Vampire 3 Stars. The development of this story was very good so too was the humans reactions to the Night World. My one problem with this story is that it has a rather abrupt ending. I wanted more…but that may be the Twilight Saga lover in me.

Daughters of Darkness 4 stars. This was my favorite. But unlike Secret Vampire the human reaction to the Night World was a bit unbelievable. However this story has the most diverse and well developed characters. The story also kept you guessing and when it was over Smith left it open enough to write more or not.

Spellbinder 3 stars. My least favorite of the three. I did not like the leading male character, his personality seemed to go against everything that Smith described that he was into (sports).

Amazingly I managed to not pick this book up for almost an entire year after reading the first in the series. However now I will be picking up Shadow Kiss right away.

This book starts off with a bang but almost immediately hits a lull. The lull is still interesting, it’s just not action packed. More of a section filled with information you need to know but presented in a slower pace. And then the last 150 pages hit…and you can’t put the book down. It has a fantastic ending and you really get a good feel for the characters, who they are and what drives them. I now feel much more connected with the characters and am genuinely concerned about what may happen to them.

As I stated in my review of Vampire Academy there is some mention of cutting and this is a grittier read than Twilight or The House of Night books. I recommend this series for an older teen, 16+.

Well...those were my vacation reads...alas vacation is over and my reading will slow again but I will continue to read :) Next up...The Forest of Hands and Teeth.