Need By Carrie Jones

Blurb from book jacket

Pain shoots through my head.

Fireworks. Explosions. All inside my brain.

The white world goes dark and I know what’s about to happen.

Zara White suspects a freaky guy is stalking her. She memorises phobias and chants them when she’s nervous. Ok, she hasn’t exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But moving to a freezing Maine town to stay with her grandmother is supposed to be the perfect fix- so her mum says.

Except, this plan of sending Zara away to help her stay sane? Yeah, not working. Turns out the stalker is not a figment of Zara’s imagination. He’s still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There’s something not right- not human – in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs are pointing to Zara.

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Need is the first book of a novel series written for young adults, by author Carrie Jones. This series is about Pixies and shapeshifters.

The novel follows the story of a 16-year-old girl Zara- who collects phobias as some people collect stamps; and is grief stricken from her stepfather’s sudden death. As a result of this dreadful event, Zara is ‘numb’ and seems to have ‘no life’ in her left. So as a solution Zara’s mum, sends her to the freezing and sleepy town called Maine, to her step grandmother- Betty.

As Zara starts to settle in, things start to go wrong. Boys go missing. And someone is stalking her, leaving gold dust behind. Amidst all this, Zara meets the smart, cool and mysterious Nick- who seems to completely sweep Zara off her feet. Bringing her back to life again. But everything around her, including herself is more than it meets the eye.

Jones’ writing is simple and moderate though her plot is quite different and surprising. Each chapter starts with a name of a phobia as a title- which is rather an unusual approach. She takes us through a discovering journey, where we start learning just as Zara does. Not all secrets are revealed in this novel, so you (and I!) have to read the next book Captivate to find out!

Overall it's a book you could curl up on the sofa with, on a cold day with a mug of hot chocolate. It's light and something you could take a break with, from something really that you've loved.

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Blurb from the book jacket

It happened like this.

I was stolen from an airport.

Taken from everything I knew, everything I was to.

Taken to sand and heat, dirt and danger. And he expected me to love him. This is my story.

A letter from nowhere.

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Stolen is the first book by debut author Lucy Christopher.

This novel follows a story of a 16 year old Gemma (the protagonist of this novel), who was supposed to be spending her summer holiday with her parents in Vietnam but is kidnapped from the Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian outback. To the harsh endless sand, dirt, heat and dryness. This setting is the epicentre of this novel, described very vividly through out the whole novel. The kidnapping was years of planning. Her captor Ty is no stereotype though. He is a typical blue-eyed and blonde hair guy. He is fit, young and extremely gorgeous. Ty only loves her and only wants her.

This is an intense and vivid tale of an unusual love story and a psychological thriller, where lines of love, obsession and need are blended together, to a point where there are no boundaries. Almost. This novel thoroughly explores the themes of madness, obsession, desire, need, dependency. And dark representation of infatuation. But it also explores kindness, self-sacrifice, and forgiveness, understanding and true friendship.

Christopher’s writing is absolutely gorgeous. It’s cleverly written and very vividly described. We are always in step with Gemma, feeling everything she feels. Stolen is written in a form of a letter written from Gemma  to Ty, reflecting on the strange and disturbing time spent in the wild outback of Australia.

This is a ‘must read’ thought-provoking novel and recommended to all!

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Blurb from book jacket

I feel the weight of the pack’s gaze.......

Grace and Sam must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping dangerous secrets. For Sam, it means grappling with his werewolf past...and figuring out a way to survive the future.

But just when they manage to find happiness, Grace realizes she’s changing in ways she could never have expected........

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The Wolves of Mercy Falls are back and it’s better than ever! This book is the heart-wrenching second instalment to the best-selling Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.

 

In this second instalment we finally see Sam and Grace together and fighting hard against all the odds to stay together. But the only thing standing between them and their happiness is Grace’s parents- who take sudden interest in parenting, after a whole life time of giving her space and “a whole planet to roam”, they set rules. When they find Sam one night sleeping over, it creates uproar and makes things difficult for Sam and Grace. Grace, unhappy with her parent’s decision, becomes defiant and rebellion (go Grace!), breaking away from the conventional character from the last book.

Whilst all this happening an unknown and strange disease starts to take over Grace, changing her, which her parents do not seem to acknowledge at all and show lack of interest in. Sam on the other is baffled and puzzled as to what is going on with Grace and the stress of being the next pack leader after Beck. Also handling the new wolves. Adding into the mixture one of the new wolves Cole, who only cares about becoming a full-time wolf, whose dark past can potentially destroy the pack. Isabel on the other hand cool, nonchalant and harsh is irresistibly drawn to him.

As always Stiefvater narration and writing is just beautiful. Her writing for the POVs is extremely clear and gives a deep insight to the character’s mind. She takes us through a journey, one narrative to the other. The new character Cole brings a whole new flair to the storyline, as the plot twists and turns. Making your heart beat faster than ever.

Each character in this novel is trying to figure out something about themselves and their lives. For....

·       Sam it’s maturing, growing up, believing and having faith in his cure. Also evaluating the possibilities of the future.

·       Grace is in pain, she is changing, strong, loving and for the first time disobedient and rebelling.

·       Isabel is detached, cold, consumed, harsh, numb, direct and lonely. She is for the first time trying to connect and feel something. Reaching out.

·       Cole is hating, hiding, unpredictable, learning, and converting, for the first time giving, tolerating his own reflection and trying to forget. Moving on.

All of these create magic, making it unforgettable. This book is despairing and beautiful. It’s heart-wrenching and deep.

At times harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spell-bounding poignant love story, exploring both sides of love. It’s a book you could settle in with after a long day. Overall this book is really good, recommended to all. All fans of Twilight, Kissed by an Angel and other books of the like, will love it!

Evernight by Claudia Gray

Blurb from the book jacket: Bianca wants to escape

At the eerily Gothic Evernight Academy, the other students are sleek, smart, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn’t fit in.


When she meets handsome, brooding Lucas, he warns her to be careful- even when it comes to caring about him. But the connection between them can’t be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart....and to make Bianca question everything she’s ever believed.

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Evernight is the first book of a four book novel series written for young adults, by debut author Claudia Gray. This series is about star-crossed lovers and vampires.


The novel follows the story of sixteen year old Bianca Olivier who struggles to fit into Evernight Academy, where students are sleek, smart, predatory and extremely beautiful, who are part of the 'in-crowd' and there are social outcasts too. In the beginning of the novel, we come to know that Bianca is an extremely shy character, who has problems mixing with people. This vulnerable position leaves her to struggle to fit into neither of the crowds and results her of having very few friends. But a partial acceptance by the 'in-crowd' makes the Evernight social outcasts look at her with suspicion.


Bianca makes a half-hearted attempt to run away but whilst doing so she runs into the mysterious and brooding Lucas - who knows something is up with Evernight that he can’t put a finger on. Instantly something connects between them; he warns Bianca to be careful.
Lucas tries to ignore the connection in the begining but unable to do so, they develop a friendship that later on in the novel turns into love. As their love blooms, dangerous secrets start to reveal themselves.


Evernight has a dark gothic edge to it that really adds well to the menace and uneasiness of the story. Gray’s personal interests have played good part in creating the world of Evernight. There have been quite a few references to traditional vampire folk law but in all Gray tries to avoid the obvious vampire clichés. The novel is quite slow to start with, but quickly gains its pace as the plot twists and Evernight secrets starts to reveal themselves.


All Evernight’s secrets are not revealed in this novel, so you (and I!) have to read the next book Stargazer (and probably the next two) to find out!


As a whole this book is really good, recommended for the people who loved Twilight or love anything to do with vampires. Then this book is totally for you!!!

The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot

 The Mediator Novels:  

  1.USA: Shadowland/UK: Love You to Death

2. USA: Ninth Key/UK: High Stakes

3. USA: Reunion/UK: Mean Spirits

4. USA: Darkest Hour/UK: Young Blood

5. USA: Haunted/ UK: Grave Doubts

6. USA: Twilight/ UK: Heaven Sent     

Lovers of Twilight and books of that kind!

If you love paranormal romances and the like, then you would love the Mediator novels by Meg Cabot (also if you like “butt kicking” some deads now and then and “frenching” your HOT mysteriously and ghostly boyfriend). This is one heck of a series and there are six to enjoy!

The Mediator novels follow the story of sixteen year Susannah Simon (mainly known as Suze in the novels) who has the ability to see and interact with the undead (an ability that she greatly detests and quite often refers to as a “curse”).

When Suze’s mum remarries they move to Carmel, California where she struggles to fit into the ‘in-crowd’ and also has to deal with three step brothers as a result of the marriage. On top of all the moving in, having 3 step brothers and a step-father and fitting in, Suze meets a 150 year old, hot Latino ghost named Jesse who lives in her new bedroom. As the series develops, Suze starts falling hard for Jesse and learns about his horrifying past. In the meantime, Suze herself meets more of her kind, e.g. Father Dominic who happens to be a priest and the principal of the school she attends. He has rather contradictory opinions about their ability to interact with ghosts, and very often refers to it as a “gift”.

These books are witty, humorous and innovative. Cabot’s writing is charismatic and light. The panache in her writing really adds to the novels – it helps to make the most life threatening situations, and there are loads in the books, look like normal everyday routines. The unusual relationships between characters, like Suze and Father Dominic are heart-warming. These characters will surely take your breath away, make you laugh, angry or cry. Either way, these books are light and ‘just pastime’ types, if you’re taking a break from something really heavy that you’ve loved.

If you’re up for some light romantic and ghostly books, then this is the book for you. Cabot’s “sassiest ghost-hunter” will take through a “mediating” journey, where not only will you “kick butt” if need to but also fall in love with seriously hot ghosts, who’ll surely take your breath away.....

All I can say is, falling in love with ghosts and fighting villains was never better!