Sarah’s Review of The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

First of all, I need to give a huge thanks to FreeBookFriday for awarding me with this book! What an awesome website! If you haven't been there before, check it out, you have a chance every week to win free books!

The Darkest Part of the Forest takes place in a small town called Fairfold. Here, humans and faeries exist amongst each other. Tourists from all over the place flock to Fairfold upon hearing about what they believe is harmless magic. But one local girl, Hazel Evans, knows just how dangerous the faeries really are and has figured out a way to stop them. Or at least she thought she had. One of the most mysterious things about Fairfold is found deep within the woods. There you will find a glass coffin containing a horned boy with pointy ears, who appears to be sleeping. Hazel, and her brother Ben, both fell in love with the horned boy when they were children. For as long as the town can remember, the boy has slept in that coffin without ever waking, until now. Hazel finds herself thrown into the middle of the mystery where she has to put her childhood fantasies of being a knight to use. Hazel finds herself struggling with love, loyalties and family and isn’t sure if everything she knows will be enough.

This story is a dark fairy-tale, with themes of love and romance, as well as friendship and loyalties. But the most important one I think is the struggle between good versus evil.

When I first began reading, I found there to be an awful lot of info to follow and the story line was a little slow. There were a lot of characters and places thrown at you in such a short section that at times I found myself going back to reread certain parts in order to make sure I understood it right. But once all of that is out of the way, the story really picks up the pace and pulls you in. The rich description of the town and the forest gave way to great imagination. Holly Black did a good job in describing all of the surrounding features and made it easy to get lost in her fairy-tale world.

There were a lot of characters in this book. And while most of them ended up being well explained throughout the book, near the beginning you are given so many new names that is was hard to keep track of who was who and how they all fit together. That being said, after diving more into the book I found that those main characters were strongly developed and Hazel’s character especially was relatable. She had such inner strength and tenacity that she held the story. You follow her through her struggles within herself. She wants to do the right thing, but at times she isn’t quite sure what that is, so she learns to follow her heart and to let go and trust those that love her. I love the interaction between Hazel and her brother Ben. Anyone who has a sibling, whether brother or sister, can totally relate to the way they feel about one another. Even though they have their disagreements and struggles, when it comes down to it, they’d do anything for each other. The horned boy’s character is very interesting. In the beginning you’re not sure what to think, or how to think of him, but then he awakens and still you are unsure. Holly Black keeps you guessing until just the right time about his intentions and temperament.

The story really came together near the end and I found myself hooked, especially the last third of the novel. I just got lost in my reading. Holly Black is very good at describing even the most fast-paced scenes so that you can picture it exactly and know where each character is, all while still making it feel quick. And the true monster in the forest will surprise you. 

This book was an interesting read, especially if you enjoy books about faeries and magic and worlds we can only imagine on paper.

Sarah's Review of Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

Before I Go To Sleep is one of those books that just grabs you from the start. It's a captivating thriller that pulls you in and when I finished the book, I was still shocked and my mind was reeling. Before I Go To Sleep, by S.J. Watson, is about a woman named Christine whom upon waking each day has no idea where she is, who is laying beside her, or even how old she is. Every night when she closes her eyes and falls into a deep sleep, her mind erases everything she has learned that day and most of her past. Most mornings she wakes up feeling as though she is still in her twenties, sometimes as a teenager and sometimes as though she is still a child. Our memories are what moulds us into the people we are, so what do you do when you don't have those memories? How would you live your life? Every night she forgets the peoples she loves, yet every morning there's someone there beside her who has to explain it all to her again. Through pictures with labels on them, and the help of her husband Ben, Christine begins to piece her life together day by day. Then, with the help of a Doctor, she begins to keep a journal documenting her day to day discoveries. But Christine begins to wonder if that one person whom she can rely on, the one and only person she trusts, is keeping things from her, only telling her half of her story.

What an exceptional psychological thriller. This book plays on such an interesting topic, memory loss. And it just shows us how intricate our brains really are and how much we still don't understand about the way they work. As I said already, our memories are what define us, it's what makes us who we are. I can't imagine what type of life it would be to just exist, never remembering who you are, how old you are, who the people around you are and why they are there. It must be a struggle every day to wake up and relearn what has already happened. As hard as living that life would be, I think being the one to take care of them would be just as catastrophic. I know that cases of these rare diseases of amnesia like this may or may not exist in our real world, but whether it's fiction or not, it's still compelling.

The structure of this novel is very different from any other books I have read. The bulk of the middle consists of pages of her journal, and while some of it is repetitive, I found it very informative and suspenseful as while reading it, you are experiencing what it would be like to have that illness and rediscover it all again. It also helped me to remember little things that may have slipped my mind. The startling discoveries that Christine makes every day kept me hooked. Definitely a good read.

EVO Release Day Blog Tour

 

Title: Evo
Series: Divine Hunter World #1 / Divine Hunter #2.5
Author: L.J. Sealey
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Released: October 6th 2015

* Can be read as a complete standalone

Blurb 

The hunter just became the hunted. . .

Evan O’Reilly was used to fighting demons. A bounty hunter for the underworld, he was always precise. Efficient. Ruthless. But that was before he had to battle with his own.

Being a powerful deity had its advantages, and Alethia, goddess of wind and shadows, was thankful she could watch over her friend completely undetected. That was, until his carelessness began to garner the wrong kind of attention, leaving her no choice but to step in.

Now, Evo is being hunted by his own kind, closely followed by a revenge-hungry demon. He is on the run, and Alethia is running with him. While passion ignites, and tension threatens to tear them apart, they discover that there is something far more sinister after Evo’s soul. As Alethia fights for him, she is forced to face an agonizing truth: to save him, she may have to lose him forever. A story about new love and sacrifice, Evo is the first book in the Divine Hunter World series of books that focus on the much loved characters from the Divine Hunter series.

ADD TO GOODREADS

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And here is an excerpt....

Chomping at the bit. . .
That’s what people called it. Only, Evo had gone so far past chomping that he’d swallowed the damn thing whole.
Cleaning his weapons, again, he contemplated leaving the confines of the boathouse before his babysitter got back. Ironic, really, how he’d ended up a prisoner again so soon after his time in Mathrah. Okay, so that might have been an exaggeration, but the way Alethia was riding his ass lately, that’s exactly how he felt. He was desperate to get out on a hunt, but if he did go he’d only piss her off and he’d already begun to realize that a pissed off goddess was way too much hard work.
Nah. . . he was being unfair, but this whole confinement thing was making him twitchy. Most of the time Alethia was good company and he did appreciate what she was doing for him.
Now that he was sporting some clean clothes, and his others had burnt away to almost nothing, he felt refreshed. But the scrub down had done nothing for his frustration. The cause of all that blood was still unknown and he was unsettled by the whole sitch, especially as he couldn’t even remember leaving his bed last night. He’d already begun to doubt his own sanity and this latest thing was only pushing him closer to the edge of the crazy cliff.
Just as he’d been asked, Evo waited for Alethia to return from getting supplies, wondering how long they’d have to stay in this shit-hole for. The place itself wasn’t all that bad—it was dry, had running water—but there was a God-awful smell coming from the toilet at the end of the hall. ‘Least it flushed. Amazing how you learned to appreciate the small things.
Evo was just contemplating jumping in the river and ending it all, when he heard a familiar sound.
Alethia was about to make an appearance and he’d started amusing himself by trying to guess where she’d land. Again, he was wrong, and when she came into being over by the doorway, she looked extremely pale, and he wondered why she wasn’t loaded down with groceries.
Before he got a chance to ask, she said, “You need to come with me,” while hurrying over to him.
He stood and placed the knife he’d been polishing, into the arm holster. “Why? What’s going on?”
She shook her head. “No time to explain.”
- Copyright © 2014 L.J. Sealey

 Other Books

****** AWAKEN is FREE on eBook AmazonUK | AmazonUS ******  

DARK DELIVERANCE Available NOW: AmazonUK | AmazonUS

Also available on iBooks, Barnes & Noble and Kobo

TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY:

* WIN A SIGNED PAPERBACK COPY OF EVO *
and eBooks of books 1&2 in the Divine Hunter series

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GIVEAWAY RAFFLECOPTER LINK: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MjZjNmI2OTYzNDNkNjJjNzEwZDE0NWFhODNjMDI2OjEz/?

 About The Author

L.J. Sealey was born and raised in a little Welsh town by the sea. It rains a lot, so she often has a great excuse to sit at her writing desk and while away the hours at her laptop. She still lives in N.Wales and when she’s not travelling around the country working with her husband – who is a professional singer – or singing backup vocals herself, she likes to read and watch her favourite TV shows which normally includes plenty of CSI, The Vampire Diaries and endless amounts of sitcoms.

Being addicted to reading about vampires, demons, shifters and angels, she has always had a thing for all things paranormal and is a big sucker for impossible love stories. So it was inevitable that when she started writing herself she would mix the two together.

L.J. Sealey is the author of the paranormal romance series Divine Hunter.

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Sarah's Review of Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

Sophie Kinsella has done it yet again. She has written a witty, romantic comedy, full of whimsy. Wedding Night takes you on a roller coaster of emotions while keeping an upbeat demeanor. This book introduces you to an over the top romantic, star gazing type of girl named Lottie. She has this theatrical way of viewing her life and how things are going to happen. And Lottie is so certain that her boyfriend Richard is going to propose to her over lunch one day in a fancy London restaurant that she begins telling people before it has even happened. But when the "big" question isn't a proposal, but a trip to another country, Lottie is devastated and embarrassed. All that Lottie wants at this point in her life is to be married and start a family, so when she believes that Richard wants nothing of that, she leaves. Then, out of nowhere, her first love, Ben, calls her and while reminiscing he reminds her of their marriage pact if they both found themselves single at age 30. Being married is all that Lottie has on her mind, and Ben is just as attractive as when they were teenagers, so with that lust coursing through her she gladly accepts. But instead of having a big ceremony like she had always dreamed of, they opt for a quick walk down the aisle with a honeymoon on Ikonos, which is where they first met.
Lottie's older sister, and best friend, Fliss, is shocked. Lottie has done outrageous things in the past after a breakup, but never anything of this caliber. And Lorcan, Ben's workmate and friend, worries that Ben is rushing into this marriage way too quickly and sees it as a disaster for the business he just recently inherited. So Fliss decides to take matters into her own hands. After going through a brutal divorce herself involving child custody, the last thing she wants for her sister is for her to get pregnant only to regret the whole marriage later on and go through everything she is going through. So Fliss comes up with a crazy game plan to ruin their wedding night and honeymoon. Fliss and Lorcan are headed to Ikonos while Lottie and Ben are experiencing a honeymoon that they will soon not forget.

I have not yet read a book by Sophie Kinsella that I did not enjoy. She has this way of writing that just pulls you in and grips you. The plot line of Wedding Night is hilarious and things keep moving at just the right pace. Kinsella is great at throwing out unpredictable events so when you think you might know what's going to happen, you're thrown off, but in a good way. This particular story is such a comical romance. Lottie's idea of romance is very much rooted in fantasy, but as the story progresses we gain a better understanding of her character and are just hoping that everything is going to work out for her, whether it be with Ben or somebody else. All of the characters are well rounded, unique, individuals that are relatable. I love the twists and turns the story takes and the game plan that Fliss comes up with is priceless.

Wedding Night is a great combination of romance, comedy and drama. Kinsella's in depth descriptions allow you to put yourself right there in their shoes, and it's easy to find yourself empathizing with all of the characters. What an extravagant piece of writing! Another great novel from Sophie Kinsella.

Sarah's Review of Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Don't Look Back is by far the best book I have read in a long time! Jennifer L. Armentrout's writing captivates you right from the first page and keeps you hooked until the very unpredictable, very shocking conclusion.
Don't Look Back is about a teenage girl, Samantha, who wakes up not knowing anything. She is quite literally a stranger in her own life. She has amnesia and absolutely no recollection of who she was, where she's from, who her friends and family are, etc. She quickly learns that she had been missing for quite a few days, along with her best friend Cassie, who has yet to be found. Sam learns that she had it all, she was popular, her family had a lot of money, and her boyfriend was one who all the other girls wanted, every girls dream. On the surface it seemed like the perfect life. Sam wants to remember, not only her life but also what happened to her and Cassie. As she is trying to piece everything together and begins to learn about her so called friends, she quickly realizes that she wants nothing to do with her old life. The old Sam was disrespectful and a mean girl, and her friendship with Cassie wasn't what it appeared. Apparently they were more like frenemies (best friends who were enemies with each other). Even though she wants to remember so she can help the police figure out what happened to Cassie, she feels as though losing her memory was the best thing to happen to her because she now has a second chance to be a better person all around and finds herself drawn to a boy who's not her boyfriend. Carson Ortiz has always been there for Sam, even when she would treat him terribly. She found herself falling for him hard.
What is even scarier than not remembering anything, is that while she is trying hard to remember, she finds that someone else, someone she can't remember, also knows what happened the night the two girls disappeared and that person may stop at nothing to keep Sam from remembering. Sam starts to wonder if not remembering is the only thing that is keeping her alive.
Armentrout explores the role of the subconscious is this book and how tragic events can trigger memory loss along with many other things. I love that the author tapped into the subconscious and such an intriguing aspect such as amnesia. The flashbacks and memories that Sam begins to have help unravel the story perfectly in just the right time frame. This book deals with what it truly means to be good, to have a good heart, what true friendship means, and how sometimes you just have to follow your heart. This book is also a good example of how people can change and why second chances are good and sometimes life changing.
Armentrout delivers it all within this book with shocking discoveries and twists you don't see coming. I am so glad I picked up this book. It has quickly become a favourite.

Sarah's Review of Eternity by Heather Terrell

Ellie is a typical high school student, at least she used to think so. In this second book of the Fallen Angel Series, Eternity, we find Ellie trying to come to grips with the reality that she is the Elect One. The one and only person who can save the country and humankind from devastating forces. Not only is she dealing with the business of being the Elect One, she finds her relationship with Michael is getting more tense. Then she meets Rafe, a mysterious new boy, who can make things even more complicated. Not only with Michael, but with her fate as the Elect One as well. While hoping she had more time to prepare, she finds that the time has run out and she has to stand up against the fallen angels who are trying to destroy the world. She tries to push her personal problems aside, but realizes that her heart and her destiny are intertwined and she needs to figure out what her relationship is with both Michael and Rafe. The end of days is quickly approaching and with it she needs to listen to her heart and decide who she truly trusts and loves.

This is the sequel to Fallen Angel, the first in her two book series. And while I hadn't read the first book, which I think I now want to, I was surprised at how quickly I could pick up what was going on. The plot and the climax of the book all happened so quickly though. In my opinion, I wish there would have been more conflict while they were battling the fallen angels. It almost seemed too easy to conquer all they had to, especially after taking quite a bit of time learning all they had to on how to destroy the fallen angels. I kept waiting for a big twist, especially with Rafe's character, but there was none. That being said, it was still a good book and focused on some major themes common in our society. The main theme being good versus evil. It just goes to show you that all things good should end up coming out on top and that honesty and truth are above all else, the fundamentals to our society. Evil forces are constantly trying to corrupt us and it is our duty to see through those false identities to the truth of the matter, before more harm comes to us. You need to trust your instincts above all else.

The character development is pretty phenomenal. Ellie's character shows so much growth and strength throughout the story. She overcomes her own fears and suspicions for the sake of others and seems to take on the personality and responsibilities of someone much older than she really is. But with the outcome of the world on your shoulders, she doesn't really have much of a choice. She learns how strong she can truly be. When everyone else is counting on you, you need to give it everything you've got. I just wish, with this being a paranormal romance, that there was more to the relationship with Ellie and Michael. They were hardly together at times and were so distant during much of the story. I know that their attitude towards one another does play an integral role in the outcome of the plot, I just wish there had been more elaboration on their relationship.

Sarah's Review of The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

The Fault In Our Stars is such a heartbreaking, dynamic novel. It is full of tragedy, but also humour and grace. John Green really capitalizes on the old saying "tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" by Alfred Lord Tennyson.
The Fault In Our Stars is about a young teenage girl, Hazel Grace, who has been diagnosed with cancer, yet has gotten a few more years due to a new medical drug that is supposed to cause her tumor to shrink. It's a miracle drug, but Hazel still knows that her diagnosis is terminal. Upon her parents request, she attends a Cancer Kid Support Group in a church and it is here that she meets Augustus Waters. Everything Hazel thought she knew about her life and herself suddenly takes a huge turn as she finds herself irrevocably drawn to him and falls in love.
This novel helps put things into perspective while living in such a fast paced career driven world. It shows us that those that we love, our family and friends, are the most important things in our world and we should cherish them and make them a priority. We need to step back and figure out what it is that we truly want to do, what we love to do, and then follow those dreams in order to be truly happy.
All of the characters in this novel are filled with rich descriptive and they all play an integral role in the development of the story. The story is well-written and unfolds naturally over the course of their lives. Even though we only see a glimpse into Hazel's life for a short period of time, it is easy to fall in love with her character and to truly empathize with her. It's a sad reality that most of us readers know somebody or has known or loved somebody in a similar situation as Hazel, being diagnosed with cancer is such widespread and unfortunately happens too often in our society. Cancer touches many lives, and this novel shows just how deeply others are impacted with one's diagnosis.
There is a lot of tragedy in this novel yet through it all we find that amongst the anguish, tragedy brings people together. We see this especially in Hazel's friendship with Isaac.
I think the most important thing that I got out of this novel is the message to do the things that make you happy and spend your time with people you love because you only get one life and whether it is a short life or a long life, you want to make it yours and you want it to be memorable. I don't give many books 5 stars, but this one deserves it.