Inside Out - Maria V Snyder

Goodreads description: Keep Your Head Down.

Don't Get Noticed.

Or Else.

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution.

It is an absolute understatement to say that I adore this book. It's one of the best books I've read this year.

Trella is a very engaging character. She lives a very isolated life with only one friend which immediately created a sympathetic character. Having finished the novel I still want to know more about Trella.

The setting for the novel is not something I've ever encountered before so there is quite a lot of description to start the novel but it is necessary to understand what happens throughout the novel. This is the most original part of the novel and is completely riveting.

The interaction between the secondary characters is excellently written. I really feel Trella's connection to these people and the relationships are very believable.

Maria V Snyder has completely outdone herself with this book. I am a massive fan of her work and this book is no exception. I am so excited for Outside In

Wicca Series - Cate Tiernan

I'm not going to post any of the blurbs for this series as there are spoilers but you can find all the books on Amazon.

I actually read most of this series when I was younger but not in order so that is what I decided to do with this series. I also thought that maybe now that I have read a lot more books in the same genre that the series might not be as good but I was wrong. It was still as good as I remembered it.

Morgan, the main narrator, is a well-balanced character and seems to handle everything that is thrown at her exceptionally well. She matures very quickly throughout the books and she faces many challanges.

The books also vary the narrator occasionally. Alisa, another narrator, is a typical teen struggling with a parents new partner. Her story evokes lots of sympathy and her journey is very heartfelt.
Hunter, another narrator and Morgan's boyfriend, also has a very difficult story. His journey throughout the books is heartbreaking at points and extremely moving.

The last book in the series is Morgan's daughter, Moira's story. This book is by far the best in the series. It is also the longest in the series.

On the whole, this is an incredibly well written, exciting series. Each book flows beautifully into the next and the story is seemless. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone looking for a quick, enjoyable read with well written, ballanced characters.

New Covers I'm excited about!

Chosen - Jeanne C Stein (An Anna Strong Novel)

Hexbound - Chloe Neill (A Dark Elites Novel)

Crescendo - Becca Fitzpatrick (Sequel to Hush, Hush)

Tithe - Holly Black

Sixteen-year-old Kaye Fierch is a fierce, strong, and independent girl. Besides being Asian and blonde and traveling with her mother, Ellen’s, various rock bands for most of her life, Kaye always believed herself to be your average, ordinary human.

That is, until, she unexpectedly comes across faery knight Roiben one night in the woods and saves his life. From there, Kaye is thrown into a world she though was only part of her overactive childhood imagination. Life as she knows it will never be the same.

It actually took me a while to read this book as so many good books came in the post last month so I really struggled to follow the plot sometimes. I did, however, enjoy the book. Kaye is a typical underprivileged teenager, with a mum who really shouldn't be a mum. Her maturity is not suprising and she really is the parent in her family. Her relationship with Roiben is tense and it makes for interesting reading.
The plot between in Seelie and Unseelie Courts is quite complicated and takes a while to digest. The dynamic between the knights of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts is quite viscious and the hatred between the two jumps out the pages at you.

Overall, this is a good book. I love her Spiderwick Chronicles series and this is a very adult version.

Firespell - Chloe Neill

As the new girl at the elite St. Sophia’s boarding school, Lily Parker thinks her classmates are the most monstrous things she’ll have to face…

When Lily’s guardians decided to send her away to a fancy boarding school in Chicago, she was shocked. So was St. Sophia’s. Lily’s ultra-rich brat pack classmates think Lily should be the punchline to every joke, and on top of that, she’s hearing strange noises and seeing bizarre things in the shadows of the creepy building.

The only thing keeping her sane is her roommate, Scout, but even Scout’s a little weird—she keeps disappearing late at night and won’t tell Lily where she’s been. But when a prank leaves Lily trapped in the catacombs beneath the school, Lily finds Scout running from a real monster.

Scout’s a member of a splinter group of rebel teens with unique magical talents, who’ve sworn to protect the city against demons, vampires, and Reapers, magic users who’ve been corrupted by their power. And when Lily finds herself in the line of firespell, Scout tells her the truth about her secret life, even though Lily has no powers of her own—at least none that she’s discovered yet…

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and also very easy to read. The characters are likable for the most part and Lily, the main character, is identifiable. I think the best part of this book for me was that the romantic storyline was very subtle, and the love interest wasn't overly pushy or full on. It seemed to me to be a more genuine attraction.
St Sophias is the stereotypical private school. Some prissy girls, some smart girls and a few oddballs. I felt that this book was definitely well grounded in the real world.

So all in all I definitely recommend this book for a light enjoyable read but if you're looking for something substantial I wouldn't bother!

Succubus Shadows - Richelle Mead (Spoilers for Previous Novels)

Blurb: Georgina Kincaid has formidable powers. Immortality, seduction, shape-shifting into any human form she desires, walking in heels that would cripple mere mortals–all child’s play to a succubus like her. Helping to plan her ex-boyfriend’s wedding is a different story. Georgina isn’t sure which is worse–that Seth is marrying another woman, or that Georgina has to run all over Seattle trying on bridesmaid dresses. Still, there are distractions. Georgina’s roommate, Roman, is cluttering her apartment with sexual tension. Then there’s Simone, the new succubus in town, who’s intent on corrupting Seth. But the real danger lies in the mysterious force that’s visiting her thoughts, trying to draw her into a dark, otherworldly realm. Sooner or later, Georgina knows she’ll be too weak to resist. And when that happens, she’ll discover who she can trust, who she can’t — and that Hell is far from the worst place to spend eternity …

I absolutely adore this series and this installment did not let me down at all. Georgina is one of my favourite characters ever. She's an agent of Hell who has such a strong moral compass, I find it fascinating to read about her. Her relationship with Seth, as can be expected, is still a major focus throughout the book and their relationship is as complicated as ever. Their relationship has grown consistently through each book and this one is no different. The twists in this novel were brilliant. This book left me hanging and I can't believe we have to wait so long for the next one. I'm still holding out for Georgina to get everything she wants and more. I ADORE Roman. He really came alive during this novel for me. I really hope we see a lot more of him.

So all in all I recommend this novel to everyone. Make sure you read the others in the series first though.

So I've been pretty bad at keeping this going

An update is needed then!

Well first things first as a new years resolution I wanted to read a book a week for the year or more and so far I think I'm doing really well. Any new series I've started is in red and a new author is in purple. Also the ones in bold I am still currently reading. The list is as follows:

1. Queene of Light – Jennifer Armintrout (#1 Lightworld/Darkworld Trilogy)

2. My Soul to Save – Rachel Vincent (#2 Soul Screamers Series)

3. Hunter's Prayer – Lilith Saintcrow (#2 Jill Kismet Series)

4. Fire – Kristin Cashore (#2 Graceling Series)

5. On the Edge – Ilona Andrews (#1 The Edge Series)

6. Redemption Alley – Lilith Saintcrow (#3 Jill Kismet Series)

7. Hush, Hush – Becca Fitzpatrick (#1 Hush Series)

8. Bitten – Kelley Armstrong (#1 Women of the Otherworld Series)

9. Marked – P.C and Kristin Cast (#1 House of Night Series)

10. Betrayed – P.C and Kristin Cast (#2 House of Night Series)

11. Chosen - P.C and Kristin Cast (#3 House of Night Series)

12. Living Dead in Dallas – Charlaine Harris (#2 Sookie Stackhouse Series)

13. Shift – Rachel Vincent (#5 Shifters Series)

14. Untamed - P.C and Kristin Cast (#4 House of Night Series)

15. Hunted - P.C and Kristin Cast (#5 House of Night Series)

16. Circle of Fire – Keri Arthur (#1 Damask Circle Trilogy)

17. Fallen – Lauren Kate (#1 Fallen Series)

18. Tempted – PC & Kristin Cast (#6 House of Night Series)

19. Circle of Death – Keri Arthur (#2 Damask Circle Trilogy)

20. The Field Guide – Holly Black & Tony DiTerlizzi (#1 Spiderwick Chronicles)

21. The Seeing Stone - Holly Black & Tony DiTerlizzi (#2 Spiderwick Chronicles)

22. Lucinda's Secret - Holly Black & Tony DiTerlizzi (#3 Spiderwick Chronicles)

23. The Ironwood Tree - Holly Black & Tony DiTerlizzi (#4 Spiderwick Chronicles)

24. The Wrath of Mulgarath - Holly Black & Tony DiTerlizzi (#5 Spiderwick Chronicles)

25. Blood of the Demon – Diana Rowland (#2 Kara Gillian Series)

26. Tithe – Holly Black (#1 Modern Faerie Tale Series)

27. Strange Angels – Lili St Crow (#1 Strange Angels Series)

28. Betrayals – Lili St Crow (#1 Strange Angels Series)

I have also decided to try and read as many new authors (as in authors I've never read before) as possible this year and I am currently at 6 new authors.

I will get round to reviewing every new book that I read from now on but if you want my opinion on any of the books on that list then drop me a message and I will let you know what I thought of it. Also if this list gives you ideas for recommendations that would be great too!

Hopefully I'll be better at keeping this up to date too.