Review: Tiger's Destiny by Colleen Houck

Title: Tiger's Destiny

Author: Colleen Houck

Reviewed by: Cassie

The Fairies Say: Sweet and sweeter!

Summary (from Goodreads.com)

With three of the goddess Durga's quests behind them, only one prophecy now stands in the way of Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan breaking the tiger's curse. But the trio's greatest challenge awaits them: A life-endangering pursuit in search of Durga's final gift, the Rope of Fire, on the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal. It's a race against time--and the evil sorcerer Lokesh--in this eagerly anticipated fourth volume in the bestselling Tiger's Curse series, which pits good against evil, tests the bonds of love and loyalty, and finally reveals the tigers' true destinies once and for all. A smart phone tag code on the back cover links readers the series website.

As with the other three books in the series, Tiger's Destiny has adventure, romance, and a captivating world. It begins with Kelsey in Lokesh's care, and begins almost right after the third one left off. While it does start rather abruptly, Colleen Houck does a wonderful job easing the previous books' details into Tiger's Destiny. So, despite having read the third book in the series a while ago, I was able to pick right back up where I left off.

If you hated Kelsey in the last books, I fear you won't like her any better. She's still extremely stubborn and needy, stereotypically jealous, and likes to think she's tough stuff. She's super self-conscious still and immediately hates gorgeous women. Every single man she encounters falls at her feet. However, I found her tolerable.

Ren and Kishan (and all the other characters) all make the book. They're very nice to read about, and we connect with them all in the fourth book again.

The plot, as with the others, is well-done. This particular one was a bit confusing, but then again we're talking about fantasy here, so hey! The world is just as lush and enthralling as the past ones.

There is a fifth and final one supposed to come out, but I wonder how a fifth one will be relevant. Everything works out as the curse says it will, so what's left? But hey, if we get more Kishan/Ren, I am ALL for it!

Thanks for stopping by!

xoxo

Cassie

Review: Witch World by Christopher Pike

Title: Witch World

Author: Christopher Pike

Reviewed by: Cassie

The Fairies Say: Thought-provoking

Summary (from Goodreads.com)

Witches are real-and each of us may be one-in this all-new paranormal suspense novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christopher Pike. Heading off for a weekend in Las Vegas with her friends, Jessie Ralle has only one wory-how to make it through the road trip in the same car with her Ex, Jimmy Kelter. The guy who broke her heart five months ago when he dumped her for no reason. The guy who's finally ready to tell her why he did it, because he wants her back.

But what Jessie doesn't realize is that Jimmy is the least of her problems.

In Las Vegas she meets Russ, a mesmerizing stranger who shows her how to gamble, and who never seems to lose. Curious, Jessie wants to know his secret, and in response, alone in his hotel room, he teachers her a game that opens the door to another reality.

To Witch World.

Suddenly Jessie discovers that she's stumbled into a  world where some people can do the impossible, and others may not even be human. For a time she fears she's lost her mind. Are there really witches? Is she one of them?

In all honesty, I disliked this book SO MUCH. Okay, yes, I'll admit it; I read books to give my brain a break, you know, escape into a NICE world. I like to laugh when I read books, think like a teenager, and most importantly judge the characters without being a snob really.

This book is for readers who really enjoy books that make them THINK. If you like books with mature POVs and more intense plots and darker settings, you should definitely try this out. Ignore the rest of the review. However, read on if that doesn't apply to you and you're curious.

For starters, the first 200 or so pages were amazing. I was a bit confused but the pages kept turning and turning! And then it got weird. Really weird. Let me just say the positives and negatives:

 Positives:

-it shows readers that you should always, always have safe sex OTHERWISE you just might have a baby of doom and power (dun dun dun!)

-it's in Vegas.

-there's blackjack

-great cover

-Russ is a cool name

Yeah. That's it.

NEGATIVES:

-EVERY single teenager speaks way, way too old. I really don't care if Jessie was in the 5th percent, TEENAGERS DO NOT SPEAK LIKE THIS! And, they were all WAY too serious. It was either sex or life/death. Um, yeah . . . Totally up my alley . . .

-It basically said babies conceived out of lust (or not "true love") are doomed and born to be evil. That's totally incorrect- there are always going to be shining children in bad situations.

-They were focused so much on sex. *bangs head on wall* This is way bad for my teenage image. (And honestly, they ALWAYS called it "making love". NO. NO. NO.)

-Anyone cool (which there weren't many cool people . . .) got killed.

-Stupid ending

-It was a pain to read through. I honestly had issues trying to pick it back up.

-Jessie has so much hubris it disgusted me. This is a quote, "I liked to think I was pretty hot shit . . ." and then she goes in the beginning how she's actually way prettier than Alex but somehow no one notices her and all the guys go after Alex to reasons unbeknownst to Jessie.

A possible answer? You're just ugly.

Also: Jessie goes on about how sweet and innocent she was/is and all the while she is NOT. She's a crazy bitch and she's not even a cool one.

And finally, the last one I can think of off the top of my head (this one really made me annoyed) . . .

Jessie never had a boyfriend before Jimmy. Nothing. She says he was hesitant to make sexual moves on her, but after ONE MONTH of dating, she decides to make the move because she was tired of waiting. Oh, her innocence? Pshhh no such thing. She lures him into the shower (dunno about you, but I don't think any INEXPERIENCED dater would do that . . .) and then "makes love to him". I'm sorry, was that one month I read? I think that counts as "screws" not "makes love". But really, she sounded way to experienced for having no past experience and overall, her character doesn't add up. For her age, at least.

Now, I'm sorry you had to read my rant, but I do thank you for stopping by.

xoxo!

Cassie

Review: Mystic City by Theo Lawrence

Title: Mystic City

Author: Theo Lawrence

Reviewed by: Cassie

The Fairies Say: FANTABULOUS

Summary (from Goodreads.com)

For fans of Matched, The Hunger Games, X-Men, and Blade Runner comes a tale of a magical city divided, a political rebellion ignited, and a love that was meant to last forever. Book One of the Mystic City Novels.

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long politcal feud-and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection-and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city-including herself.

Ahhh okay, so I may be half-delirious because of the time. But I just HAD to review this baby. So, yes. It had many flaws (most of them editor ones) and yes I may have a crush on Hunter, but. Alas.

Mystic City begins with a mysterious little prologue. A girl and her lover are kissing passionately in the rain before her family rips them apart. She screams in defiance as her father raises a gun to her head.

Hello wowzers! Basically, I thought this was going to be a waste of my time. I put it down 100 pages through to work on my mac n' cheese (yummy yummy) and then I just couldn't stop thinking about it . . . So, yes. I recommend you try it. Plus, it was a GUY who wrote this! Love it.

Aria was tolerable. I didn't love the book because of her, I'll tell you that. But she's definitely tolerable. She's a high society girl who falls in love with a poor boy. Yawn yawn, heard it before, but NO. NO. Theo Lawrence works some magic because all of a sudden I'm seeing it. Basically, her situation is really constricting and aggravating and you want to punch the wall. Yes, she makes some stupid idiotic choices. But in the end she is redeemed.

The other characters are what made the book. Good God I loved Davida. She was loyal to a fault, passionate, sweet, and dedicated. Aria's family is despicable. Turk was freaking wicked. Mohawk, motorcycle, ripped? Hell yeah! And then there's other great people, but then we have Hunter.

*drools*

Ahem, erm, what was I saying?

Oh. RIGHT.

Yeah . . . This is what popped up whenever I thought of Hunter. Alex Pettyfer, baby.

But he's not just an Alex Pettyfer bookified. He's actually pretty funny, sweet, lovely, strong, and did I mention he's aesthetically pleasing?

The world could've been better, but I still really liked it! It's got the same technology renamed but then there are the mystics. Their power can be harnessed and used as energy and drugs. That's all I'll say.

Couldn't put it down, though! Thanks for stopping by!

xoxo

Cassie

Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

 
Title: The Evolution of Mara Dyer

Author: Michelle Hodkin
Reviewed by: Rafia

The Fairies Say: Intensely Breathtaking!

Summary (from Goodreads.com):
 

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.

She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.

They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.

She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

Congratulation, Michelle Hodkin. You have successfully done it again. Completely and utterly blew my mind with Noah Shaw’s sexualness alone. Err, I mean that among other things, which are obviously as important. Obviously. Honestly, the Evolution of Mara Dyer was everything I wanted and so much more. The tension between Noah and Mara, their struggle, Jude’s evilness, and the PLOT TWISTS. Oh the plot twists…I just couldn’t even handle it. Evolution was amazing and I am absolutely dying for Retribution! Michelle Hodkin, kudos to you! Its hard to follow up with an extraordinary second book in a trilogy but Evolution just blew me away.

Mara’s background started developing more of a mystery with so many things slowly coming together. I really just didn’t like her lack of personality. She seemed like she could be a strong character though and her struggle with the madness is really scary, but I just wish she had some more traits that I could admire. But then we come to Noah. Learning so much more about him and watching him around Mara and her family just leaves me like this:

Alas, his tortured past is revealed in this book. He’s a really deep character and there is so much more to him than his extremely sexy body and pretty face and that’s really what makes a good character. I love how supportive he is and how much he cares for Mara. It really is aww worthy. I’m also glad Jamie comes back in this book, although he doesn’t really play a huge role, it’s still nice to welcome his sass.

The plot is so intense! Everything comes together so seamlessly, I just couldn’t even. Jude and his madness really scared me, but he’s an evil genius who drives Mara to the point of insanity. I really don’t have any complaints about the plot, but the twists and the suspense will possibly be life altering. It really was like a psychological thriller at time when certain scary things (trying really hard not to give anything away) are happening and you don’t  know why and its driving you insane. I like how things are constantly being mixed up and I definitely was hooked.

So now before I spontaneously combust, please please PLEASE go out and buy The Evolution of Mara Dyer and fangirl with me over Noah. Don’t forget to comment and follow, and thanks for dropping by!

xoxo

Rafia