Shadowland by Alyson Noël

In this third installment of The Immortals series, Ever and Damen search for an antidote to the antidote (yeah, you read that right) Damen was given in Blue Moon.  Roman tricked Ever when she was saving Damen's life, and now Ever and Damen are forbidden from ever touching.

I waited a long time for something to happen in this book, but not much did until the last 100 pages.  Damen took in the twins, Romy and Rayne.  He and Ever became pseudo-parents to them, putting a bit of strain on their relationship.  Damen told Ever about the Shadowland, where immortal souls go if an Immortal dies.  Ever got a job at Mystics and Moonbeams, the shop she'd gone to for her needs in the last book.  She met the owner's grandson, Jude, and began having feelings for him that she couldn't explain.  Damen "showed" Ever that she'd had relationships with Jude in her past lives.  In the end, Ever was forced to choose between getting the antidote for Damen or saving her best friend, Haven, who fell under Roman's spell and was on the brink of death.

I had to fight boredom at times, but in the end I'm glad I finished the book.  I wasn't sure I'd want to read the fourth book, but I most likely will now so I can see where the story goes from here.  Will Damen and Ever really end up together, or is Ever destined to be with Jude?  Seeing that there are three more books in the series is a bit depressing, though!  (I wish there were more standalone books and not so many series written these days.)

My rating: 3/5

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Firelight revolves around 16-year-old draki, Jacinda; Cassian, the draki prince who wants Jacinda for his princess; and 18-year-old Will, a draki hunter who feels an intense connection to Jacinda.  The draki have descended from dragons, and can blend into the real world by taking human form...something no one but the drakis knows.  Jacinda is the only fire-breathing draki, and has been marked as special.  Out for a forbidden flight one morning, Jacinda is almost captured.  It's Will that saves her, and from that moment she feels drawn to him, and he to her.  Jacinda and her family - her mother and twin sister, Tamra - flee their pride in the dead of night to escape the consequences, and end up in a desert town where the elements take their toll on Jacinda - she begins to lose her inner draki.  If her draki dies, Jacinda will be forced to stay human forever.  She'll do whatever it takes to prevent that, even if it means getting closer to her enemy.  Will makes her feel alive.

The mythology behind the draki is unique.  I like that, even though Firelight is incredibly similar to Twilight (some scenes in the book seemed almost identical to Twilight, only with draki and hunters instead of vampires and a human girl), it has it's own feel; the draki mythology is just not something I've read about before.  The way the author described the draki world made me feel as though I was a part of it, though I admit that I still can't really picture what an actual draki looks like.

I think it's great that Jacinda was willing to do whatever it took to maintain her sense of self, even though her mother and sister wanted her to give up the draki.  Being a draki was all she'd ever known, and for her mother to ask her to give that up didn't sit right with me.  I know that her mother was trying to protect her from the life the draki king had chosen for her, but she was also asking Jacinda to stop being herself.

I loved Will.  By the end, a small part of me liked Cassian, too.  I fully support Jacinda ending up with Will, though, and I'm eager to see how everything plays out when the second book is released next year.

My rating: 4/5

The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

Though Haven Moore has lived in Snope City, Tennessee her entire life, she continues to have visions of a former life in New York City, when she was known as Constance Whitman.  She recalls being desperately in love with a young man named Ethan Evans, and relives dying in a fire over and over again.  Her visions have led her grandmother to believe that Haven is possessed by a demon, and Haven is virtually held prisoner in her grandmother's home.  When Haven sees footage of playboy Iain Morrow on TV, she suspects that he may be the Ethan of her dreams.  She flees to New York and runs into the infamous Iain.  She feels an instant connection to him.  Being with Iain again is amazing, but Haven can't help but wonder if the rumors about him murdering a rock star are true.  And if Iain really did murder a rock star, could he have murdered her in their previous life, back when he was Ethan and she was Constance?  She hopes the Ouroboros Society, a mysterious group dedicated to helping people discover their former lives, can help her before it's too late and her life cycle begins all over again.

I think the premise of The Eternal Ones is fascinating (I love the tagline What if love refused to die?) but I found myself bored for a lot of the book.  The story of Ethan/Iain and Constance/Haven was much too drawn out, and by the time I got to the meat of the story I found that I just didn't care anymore.  The characters themselves were interesting - especially Iain, and Haven's best friend, Beau (the resident homosexual character) - but it took too long for anything to happen.  Some of the characters - namely Haven's grandmother and the priest, Dr. Tidmore - were just plain sinister, and I don't believe that anyone would act the way they did towards Haven and her visions.  The mysterious 'gray men' who followed Haven around were creepy, too.  Mostly, though, Haven drove me crazy.  She was entirely too naive and gullible, believing just about everything she was told; she loved Iain one moment, only to turn around and distrust him the next moment.  Ugh.  As much as I wanted to love this book, I just didn't.

My rating: 2.5/5

My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent

My Soul To Take is this month's read for my church book group.  A couple of the women in my group had read it before it was suggested a couple of months ago, and their enthusiastic responses about the book were all it took for me to want to read it.  Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the book as much as they had, and from the Goodreads reviews of other women in my book group, it appears that we have the full spectrum of opinions about the book this month.  Some loved it, some thought it was okay, and some just plain liked it.  I fall in the latter group.

Starting out, I had a difficult time getting into the book because I just didn't have much time to read, and I didn't find what I was reading all that interesting.  I read the first 50 or so pages over a span of 3 days, and had to reread pages to remember what was happening.  The story itself is intriguing:  16-year-old Kaylee Cavanaugh senses when people around her are going to die.  When the premonitions of death overcome her, she begins uncontrollably screaming at the top of her lungs.  Kaylee doesn't know why she senses death, and she's afraid to tell her aunt and uncle about it because they had her committed to the psych ward of the local hospital the last time she screamed like that.  When three teenage girls suddenly drop dead on three different days, with two of the deaths 'predicted' by Kaylee, Kaylee knows something is amiss.  She overhears her aunt and uncle talking about her, and realizes they're keeping secrets - they know why she screams.  With the help of hottie Nash Hudson - who curiously seems to know so much about her experiences - Kaylee learns the reasons why she has the screaming attacks, as well as the history behind them.

I enjoyed My Soul To Take, but it obviously wasn't a book I couldn't put down.  I truly liked the characters (there wasn't a single character I had a problem with, which is unusual), and the mythology behind the story is really interesting, but it took me a long time to get into the book.  I admit, though, that the last 35 pages left me intrigued enough to possibly want to continue with Kaylee's story.

My rating: 3.5/5 (and the extra .5 is because of the ending!)

P.S. There is a prequel novella to My Soul To Take, called My Soul To Lose.  I haven't read it yet, but I found it online, and I will most likely read it, if only to get a bit more backstory on Kaylee.

My Soul To Take is #1 in the Soul Screamers series.

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Three angels--Bethany; her brother, the archangel Gabriel; and sister, Ivy--are sent to earth to fight the dark forces that are taking over.  Their mission is an important one, and keeping their secret proves too difficult for Bethany, who falls in love with human Xavier Woods and discloses everything.  Gabriel and Ivy fear Xavier will be unable to keep their divinity quiet, but Xavier proves his value when the Agents of Darkness invade their little town.

I really, really wanted to love this book.  And I actually did love the first half, but the second half left me with such feelings of disappointment and dissatisfaction that any good feelings I had about the first half were overpowered.

Bethany drove me crazy.  A lot of reviews I've read have compared her to Bella Swan from Twilight, only worse.  Bella has never bothered me, actually, but Bethany's helplessness and feebleness really rubbed me the wrong way.  It seemed that all she was capable of was worshipping and swooning over Xavier.  Pages and pages were spent with Bethany remarking on how perfect and handsome Xavier was, and how she knew she'd be safe with him around.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Bethany an ANGEL?  And wouldn't she'd be more than capable of defending herself should the need arise?  Apparently not.

Okay, I have to get something off my chest.  Stupid as it is, I can't even tell you how much it bothered me when everyone started referring to Bethany as "Beth."  Honestly, I don't know why it bothered me, and in the scope of things, it doesn't really matter that her name was shortened.  But every time I read it, a little shudder escaped me.  Thanks for letting me get that out.

So, where was I?  Oh, yes.  Let me move on to religion.  The religious overtones in Halo bothered me somewhat.  It is clearly evident that the angels are Catholic, which I'm not.  I wish the author had tried harder to keep the religious themes more impartial.  She's free to express her opinions (it is her book, after all), but I just felt uncomfortable at times.

I was also disturbed by Bethany's human shortcomings.  I know she's a relatively 'young' angel, but partying and lying naked in bed with a boyfriend don't seem like very heavenly/angelic things to be doing.  I felt like she should have tried harder to stay true to who she was.  I think too much time was spent on the love story.  I also thought the villain was introduced much too late in the story.

I did love the lushly-detailed world that Adornetto described.  The first half of the book was so well-written, so rich in description.  And the cover is absolutely gorgeous.

Halo started out as a promising read, but it left me disappointed.

My rating: 2.5/5

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Sixteen-year-old Violet Ambrose has a secret...she can sense echoes of dead people.  When she was 8, she discovered her first dead body buried in the woods near her home.  Besides the echoes of the dead, Violet can sense the imprints that are left on the killers.  Living with her "power" is difficult enough, but Violet is also struggling with new romantic feelings for her best friend, Jay.  When teenage girls begin disappearing with an alarming frequency, Violet decides to use her powers to find the killer.  She may be the only person who can stop him.  But finding him may come at a high price--the loss of her own life.

This book has such an interesting premise, and I was immediately drawn in to Violet's world.  The descriptions of how she sensed the echoes of the dead were rich, and I felt like I could sense the echoes myself.  Likewise, the chapters written in the killer's voice were deliciously creepy.  The mystery of who killed the girls seemed a bit too drawn out, but I didn't figure out who the killer was...and I like that I didn't figure it out.  It's no fun to read a book already knowing who the killer is.

My favorite part of the book was when Jay and Violet finally admitted their feelings to each other.  Jay seemed like a perfect guy, and I love that he and Violet were best friends from the age of six.  They were so adorable together.  Even so, I felt like too much of the story focused on their relationship.

While I ended up not loving the book, I did like it quite a bit.

My rating: 3.5/5

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood)'s life has been anything but ordinary.  The shopaholic wooed the debonair Luke Brandon, Finance PR Extraordinaire, while devising a way to throw a certain bank manager named Derek Smeath off her track.  Then she moved to Manhattan, became host of a financial segment on a popular TV show (even though she can't handle her own finances), and shopped some more.  Then there was the fiasco of the two-weddings-on-the-same-day, one in NYC and one in England.  And of course, more shopping.  After a fairy-tale honeymoon, Becky arrived home to discover that she has a half-sister she never knew about, a sister who hates to shop!  Let's see... what else?  Becky got pregnant, scored a celebrity OB, and then hired a P.I. to follow said celebrity OB and her own husband, Luke, because she swore they were having an affair.  (All links are to my reviews of the other Shopaholic books.)

Now Becky and Luke are parents!  Mini Shopaholic takes place two years after Shopaholic and Baby left off.  'Mini Shopaholic' herself, Minnie Brandon, is now a rambunctious two-year-old, and Luke and Becky are at wits' end; they don't know what to do with little Minnie, who wreaks havoc wherever she goes.  Becky's mum is willing to help with Minnie--she's been doing it for the two years Becky and Luke have been living in her house anyway--but Becky and Luke decide to hire an "Ultimate Nanny" instead.  (After all, it'd be great if Minnie could learn Mandarin!)  Becky is less than forthcoming about Minnie's behavior, though, and said Ultimate Nanny begs off after a few hours in Minnie's presence.  Can anything go right?  Not only has their fifth try at buying a home fallen through, but there's a huge financial crisis in England because one of the major banks failed.  Luke is putting in so much extra time at work that Becky decides to throw him a surprise party for his birthday.  Of course, she has trouble staying on budget, so she accepts help from an unlikely source...Luke's birth mother, Elinor, whom Luke isn't speaking to at the moment.  As with any book featuring Becky Brandon, chaos ensues, lies are told, and shopping is done.

I was super excited to get my hands on this book.  I really enjoyed the first five Shopaholic books.  Becky makes me laugh.  She gets into so much trouble, and of course her scrapes are all a bit unbelievable and outrageous, but she's just such an amusing character to spend time with (even when I want to pull my hair out and shout at her that she better not buy that dress/purse/scarf/pair of shoes, no matter the sale price.)  Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this latest book as much as I'd hoped to.  Sure, I still liked it and Becky still made me laugh (though not as much as in the other books), but I'm left feeling slightly disappointed.

3.5/5

Mini Shopaholic is #6 in the Shopaholic series.

Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz

It's difficult to review this series without giving anything away!  This is what the synopsis from the front cover of the book says:

Schuyler Van Alen's blood legacy has just been called into question - is the young vampire in fact a Blue Blood, or is it the sinister Silver Blood that runs through her veins? As controversy swirls, Schuyler is left stranded in the Force household, trapped under the same roof as her cunning nemesis, Mimi Force, and her forbidden crush, Jack Force.

When one of the Gates of Hell is breached by Silver Bloods in Rio de Janeiro, however, the Blue Bloods will need Schuyler on their side. The stakes are high; the battle is bloody; and through it all, Schuyler is torn between duty and passion, love and freedom. In the end, one vampire's secret identity will be exposed in a revelation that shocks everyone.

The title of this book really fits.  (In fact, I think Ms. de la Cruz has done an excellent job in choosing titles for the other books in the series, as well.)  The 'revelations' in this third book were totally unexpected.  I thought I had some things figured out, but I was completely wrong.  After a slow start with this book, things really picked up.  The twists and turns make reading this series a lot of fun.  They're not the greatest books ever written, but I enjoy reading them.  Revelations has definitely left me wanting more, and I can't wait to see what happens with Bliss, Schuyler, Jack, Mimi, and Oliver in the next book!

My rating: 4/5

Revelations is #3 in the Blue Bloods series.

Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz

Schuyler Van Alen has discovered her Blue Blood legacy and must now come to terms with her powers.  Hoping to unearth the identity of the Silver Blood who is killing young Blue Bloods, Schuyler and her best friend, Oliver, travel to Venice in search of Schuyler's long-lost grandfather.  Back in NYC, preparations are underway for the Four Hundred Ball.  At the ball, a mysterious new Blue Blood appears.  He's hot and sexy and flirts with Mimi, Bliss, and Schuyler.  Does he have ulterior motives?  And what does his appearance mean for Schuyler...and Jack?

I had a great time reading Masquerade.  I loved every minute, and didn't want it to end.  My questions about Mimi and Jack's bond were answered, and I liked that Schuyler finally had her eyes opened to Oliver's true feelings for her.  Nothing wrong with a love triangle, right?  I'm rooting for Jack, but I like Oliver so much.  (And how crazy is it that even though I loathe Mimi and really want Jack and Schuyler to be together, there's a part of me that feels sorry for Mimi because she loves Jack so much.  And he loves Mimi just as fully, but he can't fight his connection with Schuyler.  The whole thing is completely messed up, yet it works.)  The New Guy, Kingsley, is mysterious and creepy.  And that ending...did NOT see that coming!

I am SO looking forward to the next book.  Good thing I have it waiting right here!

My rating: 4/5

Masquerade is #2 in the Blue Bloods series.

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

Safe Haven is the 92nd book I've read this year.  Out of curiosity, I decided to check my stats from last year to see where I was at the end of September 2009.  Funnily enough, at the end of last September, I'd also made it through 92 books, with The Last Song, another Nicholas Sparks book, listed as my 92nd read.  (I actually wrote this review a couple of days ago, but didn't post it until tonight.  I managed to get a 93rd book in today.  Review coming up.)

When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

Safe Haven dealt with a very difficult subject matter and was quite difficult to read at times.  I wanted to like it more than I did, because I've really enjoyed the last two or three Nicholas Sparks books that have been released.  This one was good, but I wasn't as emotionally involved as I usually am.  I didn't even cry, which is surprising because Nicholas Sparks books are (almost always) guaranteed tearjerkers.  I did like the characters, though (Sparks' development of Kevin was incredible), and the small-town feel of the book.

By the way, I had "Jo" figured out from the very beginning.

My rating: 3.5/5