Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance YA
Series: The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1
Publisher: Putnam Publishing Group
Buy the book: The Book Depository
Source: Won an ARC from Wendy over at The Midnight Garden

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship--or an early grave. 
Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with six months to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate stars scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra. 
If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood -- not even from each other.

I must say this story actualy surprised me, well not the story itself, but that I actually finished it. When I was 90 pages in I was sure that I knew what was going to happen further on in the story. And for a few not so important surprises, that was exactly what happened. But Jessica Spotswood's writing style kept me reading. Also at first I was terified all I was going to get was a love triangle and quarreling sisters, but both weren't all too bad.

Cinder and Ella by Melissa Lemon

Genre: Fairy Tales retold
Publisher: Bonneville Books
Buy the book: The Book Depository
Source: I received an ecopy from the publisher via NetGalley

After her father's disappearance, Cinder leaves home for a servant job at the castle. But it isn't long before her sister Ella is brought to the castle herself. What Ella finds there starts a quest that will change her life and the entire kingdom. Cinder and Ella is a Cinderella story like no other, and one you'll never forget. (Goodreads)

This is not your average fairy tale and to be honost besides the name it doesn't resemble Cinderella in any way. It's a totally different story, it's a little darker, no handsome prince, no fairy godmother and no happy ending. Well the latter isn't really true but it's not really a happy ending yet, let's keep it to that. No this is a story about a girl named Ella, a girl named Cinder and an evil prince.

To be honost I really love fairy tales, but this goes for the ones I grew up with. Cinderella may be one of them, but this one isn't. Fairy tales that you remember are very different from fairy tales you read now. I never reread the fairy tales I used to I just remember them as they were when I was little. I used to reread them but the more I read the more the whole magic from the story got lost. I'm sorry I'm just not impressed with the character development in fairy tales and that is fine as long as the story is good. besides I still remember them so no need to reread them.

But that is the thing with this story. I really enjoyed the story. And even more because of the darker setting and the lack of the 'and they lived happily ever after' but I just couldn't feel that connection with the characters. They just felt flat and didn't exacly stand out. I did however really love the idea of a life being connected to it's own tree. for a 'good' life, you should take care of your tree. The most enjoyable is the writing style. It's written in the style as I remember the fairy tales as I used to know them. Even though this is a new story the whole fairy tale vibe is there.

My rating: 3/5

The Survivor by Sean Slater

The thruth lies behind the mask.

In his first hour back from a six-month leave of absence, Detective Jacob Striker's day quickly turns into a nightmare. He is barely on scene five minutes at his daughter's high school when he encounters an Active Shooter situation. Three man wearing hocky masks - black, white and red - have stormed the school with firearms and are killing indiscriminately. Striker takes immediate action.

Within minutes, two of te gunman are dead ans Sriker is close to ending the violence. But before Striker can react, Red Mask flees - and ecapes. Against the clock, Striker investigates te killings for which there is no know motive and no suspects. Soon hs investigation takes him to darker places and he realizes that everything at Saint Patrick's High is not as it appears. The closer he gets to the truth, the more dangerous his world becomes.

Until Striker himself is in the line of fire. (backcover)

This is Sean Slater's debut novel and I must say I really liked it. You get pulled in right from the start and it doesn't let you go until you close the book.

I thought the story was great. We all know that school shootng take place from the news but Slater made the plot really great. So no sully high school kid who goes on a rampage here.
No he made this story about. The background of Red Mask is well thought out and believable.

The characters are well developed. Striker is a tough man and cop, with the usual trouble for authority figures, although I must say I would hate Laroche to (he is an ass) and is trying to combine work and raising his 15 year old daughter Coutney. Courtney is a typical teenager, does everything she is told not to do and picks a fight about everything, but she is a smart girl. The relationship between father and daughter isn't that bad but a dad who is working a case 24/7 and a teenage girl combined, kind of screams trouble just like in real life.

The book is told from different points of view and that made it easier to get to know the different characters. The chapters from Red Mask's point of view gave you more insight on his motives and it made him look human eventhough everthing he does makes him a monster.

There are some very grisly and violent scenes in this book but I must say they weren't all that graphic which I thought was a shame but also makes sure that a lot of other people will be able to like this book.

My rate: 4/5

This book was sent to me by the publisher Simon & Schuster for review as part of the mysterie suspence challenge 2011 hosted by Book Chick City (for details see reading challenges)

Phantom Universe

Sold into slavery to pirates at the young age of four, Summer learns to survive the rough seas of subterfuge and thieves through silence. When the boat she’s lived on most of her life is destroyed, Summer finds herself washed up on the shore of a new world, a phantom universe full of the bizarre and extraordinary. She meets Gage, the one boy who understands the girl with no speech. But when their lives are put on the line, will Summer finally call out? Or will all be lost in the fathomless depth of silence? (blurb)

This story is about a sixteen year old girl named Summer who doesn't speak. But her thoughts and actions speak for themselves and even though I don't like stories where there isn't much conversation from the main character it didn't bother me at all. Summer is a very likeable character. With all the things that have happened to her over the course of years in slavery she stopped speaking and doesn't trust anyone except Landon, a fellow slave on the ship, he protects her and is her only friend. When a fellow slave from Summers past Jaden comes to tell her that there are people after her, the three of them escape. They lose sight of each other but ones on land Summer and Jaden find each other again then Summer gets ill and passes out. When she awakes we meet Gage and discover that things are quite different in the world. And one of those reasons is that it is now 200 years later. It seems that around 200 million people just suddenly appeared in the future and they are called 'Outlanders'. Since Summer is very ill she is send to a hospital and Jaden is send to an outlander camp. After Summer gets better she is also send to the outlander camp and this is where she finds Landon again. The one thing in this story that I liked was her relationship she is building with Gage. She doesn't know what to think of this man who rescues and helps her, keeps visiting her in the hospital, but also keeps pulling back. But somehow she knows that she can trust him.

Night of the Vampires

As a soldier, Cole Granger fights to restore peace to a world divided by war and evil. His extraordinary talents are enlisted to prevent the president’s horrific premonition from becoming reality. Nothing—and no one—will stop him from fulfilling his duty. Especially the mysterious young woman who claims to be his comrade’s sister. Enemy or ally, he can’t yet determine. But one thing he knows for certain is that he must keep her close. Very close.

Megan Fox’s quest to uncover a family secret leads her to the center of vampire riots in West Virginia. To find the answers she needs—and clear herself of suspicion—she must join forces with Cole. They work undercover to bring justice, but they can’t disguise the potent attraction and need that draw them together. Yet trust doesn’t come easily for Cole…and when Megan unearths the grim, dark truth, can she trust him to believe her? (blurb)

If it isn't bad enough the civil war is going on there is a much greater threat.........rouge vampires.

Megan Fox, a half breed vampire is send to Washington D.C. to help put a stop to the spreading of 'the disease'. Here she meets up with her half brother Cody who's joined forces with the Texas sheriff Cole. Cody, also a half breed doesn't know he has a sister and she isn't exactly welcomed with open arms. They believe soon enough that she is Cody’s sister but can they trust her? Cole especially is weary of trusting her. When Abraham Lincoln himself sends Megan and Cole to Harpers Ferry to put a stop to the spread of the disease, they need to rely on each other to survive.

The chemistry between Megan and Cole is great, the attraction is obvious but the issue is trust. Cole doesn't know he can trust her since she is half vampire, although he would trust Cody with his life. The attraction just gets bigger between them when the story developed.