The screaming Season - Nancy Holder by Tracey Panton

The Screaming Season - Nancy Holder

Publisher: Razororbill An imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Publication Date: March 17 2001

Format: Paperback

Pages: 328

Category: Young Adult

Blurb:

IF A GIRL SCREAMS INB THE WOODS AND NO ONE IS AROUND TO HEAR HER, DOES SHE MAKE A SOUND?

                                           

Possessions: me

-          My sanity? they think I’ve lost it.

-          The ghost of Celia Reaves (with me always)

Possessions: them

-          Do they know ghosts are living inside them?

-          Do they shed them as carelessly as their other possessions?

-          Hatred that’s immortal.

Review:

I had great pleasure reading this book. Possessions and The Evil Within really got me reading and I flew through these books.

Holder’s writing really is magnificent. She really has a way with writing powerful stories. The entire series was filled with ghosts and so many nights filled with terror.

Lindsay’s time at Marlwood ended well. She endured so much during her short time at the very expensive boarding school. It really had me on edge the whole time .

I really felt for Lindsay, right from the very first time we are introduced. The loss of her mother and her breakdown before Marlwood must have been tough for her but somehow she managed to cope with that plus all the extra things that she experiences during her time at the boarding school.

Lindsay had so many people turn on her for unexplained reasons, and yet she survived and showed that she is a strong person.

Life really can be so confusing and even in death life seems to get the dead down especially for those that haven’t yet moved past their hurts from living on this earth.

I rate this book and the entire series 5/5 I will defiantly be reading more of Nancy Holder’s works.

Where to buy:
Book Depository

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Angel Arias by Marianne de Pierres

Title: Angel Arias
Author: Marianne de Pierres
Reviewed by: Andrea
I have to admit, I read Burn Bright almost immediately after it was released, LOVED it, and spent a year anxiously awaiting this instalment of the Night Creatures trilogy. I had some mixed reactions to the story, as I will detail below, but for those of you who haven't read it, there may be some minor spoilers ahead, so be warned.

Things that I loved about the book.

1. Marianne is adept at world building, and the secretive city of Grave, with its Elders and secret alleyways, scared people and oppressive Wardens was a spectacular setting. Ruzalia's island was also a neat joiner between Ixion and Grave, and helped to put some perspective on the longer term consequences for the revellers on the Isle of Ever Night.
2. There was an introduction of a whole new cast of characters in this instalment, from the semi night creatures hybrid gand that helps Naif and Markes in Grave, to Emilia, Markes' betrothed, to the mutinying hordes on Ruzalia's island; they all help to contribute to the adventure of Naif and Markes in trying to uncover the secrets of Ixion in time to help their friends.
3. The small yet tantalising hints of a romance between Naif and Lenoir, and Naif and Markes left me wanting so much more. It's both a good and bad thing - what was there was great, but it really wasn't quite enough to be satisfying.
4. The brief but beautifully written tidbits about the Riper's background, about where they may have come from, and what they might be doing made me long for more. Also with the back story about the Uthers. Loved it!

Things that I wasn't so sure about:

1. When describing this book to a friend, I used the analogy of the Matrix movies. One of the best bits of the initial Matrix movie (and to a lesser extent the second one) was the characters' adventures IN the matrix. One of the major reasons that I initially felt so disappointed with the final Matrix movie was the fact that the majority of the movie wasn't spent in the matrix at all. I felt like this principle applied here. In Burn Bright we had this dark and glamorous world established, that appealed to the rebel in all of us. Ixion was captivating because it was forbidden, and dangerous and generally symbolising everything the rebel in teenage years desires. In Angel Arias, the glimpses of Izxion are limited to a couple of very short narrations by Lenoir, that had me flicking forward in the book looking for more. And the mission in book three is to bring about the downfall of Ixion as soon as humanly possible, so there is no chance of rejoining this world in that state in which it was introduced to us at all. It left me feeling a little disappointed.
2. A large proportion of the characters from book one are given but lip service in this book. Suki, Rollo, Cal, plus Kero and the Wings, and even Joel and Dark Eve. I wanted to see so much more of how life had been for them since Naif's departure.
3. Even though it was listed in the good points above, the relationship between Naif and Lenoir wasn't really fleshed out enough to keep me satisfied in Angel Arias. I wanted to see just a little bit more of the conflict that had to be present in Naif regarding her growing feelings towards Markes, and the bond she shares with Lenoir. It's meant to be a tantalising glimpse, but when it's too brief, it is irritating that there just isn't enough.

I've given the book four stars - I do love it, and it's closer to 4.5, however I can't give it 5 as it didn't really give me all that I wanted from a sequel to a book as great as Burn Bright. Still highly recommended!

Stolen – Lucy Christopher Review by Tracey Panton

Stolen – Lucy Christopher

I was given this book by another avid book lover who didn’t enjoy it. I didn’t let that put me off. Before deciding if it was something worth reading i read the blurb. From reading that i was intrigued and decided it was a book well worth reading.

I really loved the setting of Stolen because it’s based in the desert where there seems to be an endlessness of nothing but red sand. The location is somewhere in the dessert in Western Australia and my being an Aussie it really took my fancy.

Stolen is uniquely written, in the way of a letter. It is a letter to Gemma’s captor. Gemma is a 16 year old London girl who is Stolen from Bangkok airport where she was going on holidays with her parents.

In the letter Gemma recounts everything she remembers from her capture right to the end where she is rescued. I found it to be an eye opener because of the way Gemma survived her ordeal. She had to adapt to her new life quickly or she would die.

Even though her captor never harmed her, Gemma was terrified and most of her time was spent thinking of ways he was going to kill her.

Near the end Gemma came to like her captor whether it was out of pity or she truly came to understand him. Through this Gemma’s emotions adapted to her surroundings and her feelings for here captor became confused. In the end she didn’t want to leave him the way she did but she later realised what he did to her was wrong and he needed help.

Stolen is a really great read. Even though kidnapping is wrong this book really shows the reader that people can survive their ordeal. It made me more aware that even though a person who is taken away from everything they know can adapt to survive.

4/5

Reviews of Spaztastic Zombies: Humor for the Living and the Undead and Ceepy Bits by Tammy Lee morris– Reviews both by Tracey Panton

Spaztastic Zombies: Humor for the Living and the Undead

Spaztastic Zombies: Humor for the Living and the UndeadWhy does a zombie make a great husband? Have you wondered just what practical things you can actually do with a zombie? How about some great zombie beauty tips for keeping undead flesh looking fresh and pretty. "Spaztastic Zombies" may be just for you – a collection of humor that exposes how much fun zombies can really be and tickles your funny bone, instead o...moreWhy does a zombie make a great husband? Have you wondered just what practical things you can actually do with a zombie? How about some great zombie beauty tips for keeping undead flesh looking fresh and pretty. "Spaztastic Zombies" may be just for you – a collection of humour that exposes how much fun zombies can really be and tickles your funny bone, instead of chewing on it. Zombies can provide serious comic relief. A little zombie humour can go a long way to brightening your day and making your zombie apocalypse a little more cheerful and bearable

Very humorous read!!!

I found it to be a very entertaining read. Who would’ve thought that Zombies could be used around the house or to help fix a car.

Everyone wanting to survive the next Zombie Apocalypse should defiantly get a copy of this book. It tells you what weapons work best for killing a Zombie right through to looking good while surviving.

4/5

Creepy Bits

Creepy things happen at night...and other times. Are you looking for stories to put a tingle in your spine or make you wonder what those strange noises you are hearing might be? Read "Creepy Bits" -- a collection of three flash fiction pieces and one hairy poem that might make you want to leave the lights on.

Read "Creepy Bits" -- three short stories that are perfectly suited for dark nights.
What would you do if you woke up in the middle of the night to hear strange thumping outside of your home? What if the noises came inside? Read more in "Thing That Go Thump in the Night."
What is justice for a two-bit punk who preys on an old woman? Find out in the micro-fiction piece "Puttin' on the Dog."
If you wonder what the face of revenge looks like, read "Smiling Mary" and find out.
Sometimes dreams seem very real and it can be difficult to tell the difference. Read "Werewolf" and decide for yourself.

These are really great!! They’d be good read out around a campfire. The crackling of the fire would really intensify the stories.

Morris had me thinking after each of the short stories. They really did get my brain ticking over. The more I thought about the stories, the more I ended up wondering about them. You think you know what happens then all of a sudden it all changes at the end.

4/5

Kiera's Quest: Awakenings – Kristy Brown

Meet Kiera, a pretty, intelligent, and talented girl, brought up by her uncle, and abandoned by her parents. Life is as normal as she believes it to be, apart from the deep ache inside her, telling her she’s different. For years, Kiera had dreams where she ventures into a different reality. She’s not alone; a presence is always there, keeping her safe, yet she feels vulner...moreMeet Kiera, a pretty, intelligent, and talented girl, brought up by her uncle, and abandoned by her parents. Life is as normal as she believes it to be, apart from the deep ache inside her, telling her she’s different. For years, Kiera had dreams where she ventures into a different reality. She’s not alone; a presence is always there, keeping her safe, yet she feels vulnerable, and hunted.

Zakk, Prince of Zantar, is under the Witch Queen’s spell as she tries to take over his world. He crosses paths with Kiera, and their fates are entwined.

As their journey unravels, she learns that she is not the only one affected by this prince. Who is on her side? Will she find out why she has been chosen? How can someone so young, defeat such evil? Will she find the strength to save the ones closest to her? Will this be Kiera’s only Quest?

Such a beautiful and heartfelt story.

Kristy has written such an amazing story for both young readers and young adults. This story suited both ages for many reasons. The fact that Zakk comes to Kiera as a doll and he retaionship they develop really suits everyone. It’s like a transition, like being a tween. The inbetween stage of not being a child and not yet an adult.

Life for Kiera was made hard because of Zakk being a doll. I really felt that this story helps young people see what life is about and how growing up brings changes and it makes us realise we can still hold onto our childhood in our own ways. It made me realise how as we grow up people will pick on others who are not yet at the same stage we are in life.

This story has so much meaning and I really recommend that any young person should read this.

I can’t wait to see what Kristy has install for both Kiera and Zakk in the next instalment.

5/5

Legend of the Inero Dragon – J. F. Jenkins

Twin brothers Jason and Matthias Inero are the favourite sons of the great dragon lord of fire. More often than not they get whatever they want. Matt wants to do great things for his people while Jason wants to go off and explore the world. Both can have what they desire, but not until they take a bride and enter into adulthood.

Enter Kat and Gwen, two girls from very different backgrounds. Kat is happy to leave her home when the royal guard comes to bring her to loving arms of her childhood sweetheart, Matt. Gwen on the other hand is livid to be taken from her farm only to be thrust into Jason's life, and he's not too thrilled with the idea either. They have one year to find happiness with each other, or else  they will be placed at the mercy of the ruthless dragon lord Lynx. Favourite or not, dragon law must be obeyed.

As their nation begins to prepare for war against a neighbouring tribe, the brothers find themselves as key components in the battle plans. A dark prophet has had a vision of Inero victory, but at what cost? Both must decide where their loyalties lie and what they're willing to sacrifice – including each other – to achieve their goals.

Such a stunning and an amazing read!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Legend of the Inero Dragon.

Jenkins had me captured with the title. Dragons are my favourite mythical creature and my love for them have grown even more. Reading them in a new light was amazing.

I was so fascinated with the world and the Dragons Jenkins has created. It was awe inspiring. The world that has been created is filled with dragons of four different nations. Some fly and others don’t. They all have different strengths and weaknesses and Jason and Matthias are two dragons that stand out big time.

They are twins/touched. They can communicate with each other through their minds. This type of communication usually occurs in married couples (those who have joined together as one). They have such a strong bond and it’s a bond that no one can break but one that at times Jason and Matthias struggled because of their new relationships with their wives. Matthias can communicate with Kat but Jason and Gwen don’t yet share that bond because they haven’t yet slept together.

It would be nice to share this type of bond with the closet person we have. Communicating via the mind would have its advantages but there would be disadvantages. Those would be the other person intruding in on your space when you wanted alone time.

I look forward to reading how this series continues. I believe this series is going to be really great. It is now a big favourite dragon read for me.

5/5

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter: Part I-III Review

Part I:

Blurb:

Fourteen-year-old Chloe witnesses her mother’s murder at the hands of a vampire. Before the vampire can kidnap her, there is an unexpected rescue by a group of vampire hunters. Overwhelmed by the feeling of safety, Chloe passes out and they whisk her away to their small community.

When Chloe wakes, she comes face to face with the only other living relative, besides her mother, whom she has ever met: her grandfather. Chloe’s mother kept her hidden from the family; now, Chloe tries to unveil the family secrets.

Through her grandfather, she learns her mother was a vampire hunter. In fact, her entire family is descended from the powerful bloodlines of vampire hunters. Chloe agrees to join the family she has never known for one reason only: Chloe vows to kill the vampire responsible for her mother’s murder.

With vengeance in her soul, Chloe is even more determined to follow through on her vow when she discovers the true identity of her enemy and how he is connected to her.

Review:

What an amazing start to “The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter”!!!

Jennifer is a wonderful author and she has created another fantastic story and I love her style of writing.

Part I is the introduction of Chloe who is the main character and “The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter”. She’s going to be an amazing character to follow and get to know.  I can’t wait to see her in action against the vampires because her heritage really intrigues me.

This is going to be one interesting series.

Part II:

Blurb:

In the second instalment of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter, Chloe Kallistrate’s life has been turned upside down. After witnessing the vampire attack that left her mother dead, she's adopted by her grandfather into a community of vampire hunters. Although she is directly descended from ancient, powerful vampire hunters, the rigorous training schedule begins to break her down. All she wants, all she has ever wanted, is to be a normal teen.

Chloe finds renewed motivation from an unexpected encounter with a fledgling vampire, the first she has seen since her mother's death. Staring into the glowing red eyes of the vampire, Chloe freezes, forgetting all her training. After the vampire is vanquished by her friend and mentor, Drew, Chloe resolves to train harder, to be the best, and to kill the vampire who had her mother killed. Finally mourning her mother, Chloe allows her revenge to drive her, accepting that her life will never be normal.

Review:

Mind blowing, beautiful and powerful!!!

We pick the story up 2 months after part I finished off. I found this to flow really well as it helped the story move forward and not drag on.

Chloe’s Vampire Hunting training has begun. She’s living with her Grandfather, Luke and Drew, who is a family friend and the one she’s training with.

There is still so much that Chloe doesn’t know about vampires and hunters. Her ancestory  is revealed to her and from this revelation she learns she could possibly be a very powerful woman.

I found the character of Drew a bit confusing. At times he comes across as a brother to Chloe, but at other times he comes across as he’s in love with her. We really don’t know that much about Drew. He is a bit of a mystery. He lives with Chloe and her Grandfather, as he was helping look after Luke before Chloe arrived.

I’d really love to know more about Drew and what his intentions towards Chloe are.

Part III:

In the third instalment of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter, Chloe Kallistrate's first Christmas without her mother is difficult. As part of the grieving process she visits her mother’s grave for the first time and there, she is visited by Sostrate, the immortal demi-god from whom she is descended.

As she comes of age, Chloe is changing and developing the gifts unique to her heritage. She discovers a new power she must learn to use and control, as if being a teenager wasn't difficult enough. During this emotionally chaotic time in her life, the community is attacked, her grandfather injured and hunters are killed. After almost losing her only remaining family, Chloe questions whether her continued presence in the community will sacrifice everyone she has come to care about.

Review:

I am loving this series. It is fresh and exciting.

Chloe just keeps getting better and better throughout this series. She sure is going to be one very powerful woman. Once she learns all her skills she will definitely kick some vampire ass.

I found this quote to very good:

“Wars are not won because of hatred for the enemy; they are won because of love for what is being defended.”

It really stands out to me because it is so true. Hatred is the enemy itself at times.

My favourite part of the book was when Chloe was visited by Sostrate. It was a very powerful part. Her visit during Christmas and at Chloe’s mother’s graveside made it a very powerful part. It showed meaning and it showed her true heritage.

I look forward to seeing how Chloe’s new power of fire develops and I really want to know how her relationship with Drew develops.

5/5