Review: The Watcher by Lisa Voisin

The Watcher

Author: Lisa Voisin

Publication Date: March 4, 2013

Publisher: InkSpell Publishing

Genre: Fantasy/Angels

---

Synopsis:

Millennia ago, he fell from heaven for her.
Can he face her without falling again?

Fascinated with ancient civilizations, seventeen-year-old Mia Crawford dreams of becoming an archaeologist. She also dreams of wings—soft and silent like snow—and somebody trying to steal them.

When a horrible creature appears out of thin air and attacks her, she knows Michael Fontaine is involved, though he claims to know nothing about it. Secretive and aloof, Michael evokes feelings in Mia that she doesn’t understand. Images of another time and place haunt her. She recognizes them—but not from any textbook.

In search of the truth, Mia discovers a past life of forbidden love, jealousy and revenge that tore an angel from Heaven and sent her to an early grave. Now that her soul has returned, does she have a chance at loving that angel again? Or will an age-old nemesis destroy them both?

Ancient history is only the beginning.

My Thoughts: Oh my God, I really loved this book.  I love angel/nephilim books and this one was out of the ballpark for me.  Angels actually acted like angels and demons like demons.  I liked that the mythology in this one stayed close the the known mythology.

This book is about Mia Crawford, a seemingly ordinary girl with an obession with wings and ancient archaelogy.  Then, Michael Fontaine comes waltzing into her school and her world is flipped upseide down.  She starts seeing things that can't be real, bad things start happening to the people around he and she keeps getting flashes and feelings from a time that she couldn't possibly remember. That is, until she finally discovers Michael's true identity.

I liked Mia.  She was actually a pretty normal teenage girl.  All of the ways that she reacted to each situation just left me cheering her on, since most of her reactions are the way that I envisioned myself reacting to her weird situations - which is rare to find for me.  I guess I am strange.  But that is okay, because Mia was strange with me.  :)

Michael was... enigmatic.  For quite a long time I wasn't sure whether I liked him or not or what his deal was.  I mean, Mia warmed up to him but it took a but for me to.  That was okay though because when I finally did warm up to him man did I ever!  Love this guy!

I loved this book and I can't wait to grab the next one in the series.  I liked the way the story flowed, I liked the plot twists and all of the villains.  At first, I didn't think that this was going to be a book that I was going to enjoy but I am SO glad I finally picked it up and once I did I did not put it down.  This series is definitely on my watch list.

Review: Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

Sweet Peril
The Sweet Trilogy #2

Author: Wendy Higgins

Publication Date: April 30, 2013

Publisher: Harper Teen

Genre: Fantasy/Mythology (Angels/Demons)

---

Synopsis:

Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things. 

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind. 

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

My Thoughts: I have been waiting for this book since I read the last one, which was on it's release date.  I can't say how happy I was to finally have it in my hands and wasted no time jumping into the book.  Safe to say, once this one was open it was one that was not put down until it was finished.

Anna is a lot different than when we met her in the first book.  After discovering her true heritage, she is now monitored by demon whisperers - things that report to her father and all of the other dukes whether or not she is doing her job.  So, Anna is forced to adapt.  No longer is she the goody-two-shoes from the beginning of Sweet Evil; however, even with the noticeable changes the reader can still find so much of the old Anna.  I found myself torn between the new Anna and the old Anna a lot but as she came to a happy medium I think I did with her as well.

Kaiden is just as infuriatingly sexy, mysterious and bad-boyish.  I just love him to pieces  especially as this book hit the middle and towards the end.  Just thinking about him makes me all giggly, despite my rocky start with him at the beginning of this book (he is just infuriating to me [and Anna] at the beginning).

I almost liked the plot of Sweet Peril more than I did Sweet Evil.  It was full of action, romance, heartbreak and all of the things that make up good books and good movies.  This was one that I could not put down for even a second and I am already looking forward to the next novel in this series.

Review: Dreaming Awake by Gwen Hayes

Dreaming Awake
Falling Under #2

Author: Gwen Hayes

Publication Date: January 3, 2012

Publisher: NAL Trade

Genre: Fantasy

---

Synopsis:

She fell for him in a nighttime world. But the time for dreaming is past—and the here-and-now can be just as fragile their love…

When Theia Alderson first encountered a mysterious, handsome boy in her dreams, she never imagined how finding Haden Black—and falling in love—could change her life. To save Haden, Theia sacrificed everything. And the dangerous bargain she made could have lasting repercussions.

Now Theia has returned to Serendipity Falls, and she finds herself struggling with the same deadly hungers that have tortured Haden. When students at their high school fall prey to a mysterious illness, Theia can’t help but wonder if Haden’s control is slipping—and how much longer she’ll have a grip on her own.

And still the nightmare realm of Under won’t let them go. Someone from Haden’s past is determined to destroy Theia from the inside out, starting with those closest to her, forcing Theia to choose between family and friends and a love that may have been doomed from the start…

My Thoughts: I read this series in two days - I just couldn't put it down.  From the very first chapters in Falling Under this series had me enthralled and completely captivated.  When I reached the ending of Dreaming Awake I could hardly believe it was over and was instantly craving more.

The Falling Under series is about a girl named Theia, who was born in America but raised in England hence the British accent.  Theia was just a regular misfit girl in high school with an overbearing father before Haden Black came into her life and turned up into down and down into up.  Then, someone from Haden's past comes and threatens everything they hold dear and Theia must make a pact with the devil to save Haden.  But Haden isn't giving up on Theia so easily.

The evolution of Theia from the first book (Falling Under) to Dreaming Awake, and even during dreaming awake, is something miraculous.  At the beginning of Fallen Under we find Theia as a socially awkward girl repressed by her father so that she is the picture of perfection of British Aristocracy.  He tries to tame anything wild that she could have possibly got from her American mother and sets harsh limits to which she has always abided.   Then, slowly at first but surely, she starts to change as she must adapt to the situations that her love for Haden Black puts her in.  By the end of Dreaming Awake, Theia has her own mind and does not need or look for anyone's permission to be herself or do what she wishes. She really gets a back bone and lets herself free and I loved watching her transformation.

Haden Black is someone I could totally sink my teeth into.  He is sweet, charming, jealous and with just enough bad to make me (and Theia) swoon. He had a couple of weird/creepy moments that made me reminiscent of a sparkly vampire (not naming any names) but they were very minimal and easy to look over when he is just so damn hot and weird and perfect all rolled up into one giant Haden roll.

I enjoyed this series so much that I am a little sad it is over.  I liked that it was different, even though the way it was written did give me a throw-back to the first two arcs of the Vampire Diaries books.  However, the plot was something I enjoyed immensely and the characters were pretty awesome as well.  All in all, if you are looking for a good read I would definitely recommend picking up this series.

Review: The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff

The Space Between

Author: Brenna Yovanoff

Publication Date: November 14, 2011

Publisher: Razorbill

Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal

---

Synopsis:

Everything is made of steel, even the flowers. How can you love anything in a place like this?

Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Life for her is an endless expanse of time, until her brother Obie is kidnapped - and Daphne realizes she may be partially responsible. Determined to find him, Daphne travels from her home in Pandemonium to the vast streets of Earth, where everything is colder and more terrifying. With the help of the human boy she believes was the last person to see her brother alive, Daphne glimpses into his dreams, discovering clues to Obie's whereabouts. As she delves deeper into her demonic powers, she must navigate the jealousies and alliances of the violent archangels who stand in her way. But she also discovers, unexpectedly, what it means to love and be human in a world where human is the hardest thing to be.

This second novel by rising star Brenna Yovanoff is a story of identity, discovery, and a troubled love between two people struggling to find their place both in our world and theirs.

My Thoughts: I really, really enjoyed this book.  It was kind of strange, but I liked it anyway - maybe because of it.  I also like it because it isn't a series.  Not that I don't love series', because I really do, just sometimes I don't want to wait years to know the end of my story.  Sometimes, just sometimes, I like to read a good story and have it be done.  There is something truly gratifying about it - even if you want more.

Daphne is the daughter of two of the most famous evil beings in the world - Lilith and Lucifer.  So, you would expect a big baddie.  Well, picture the opposite of that and you pretty much have Daphne.  She is super sweet and really fun to read about.  She really loves her brother Obie (maybe not so much her sister) and  likes to take care of people.

Truman is a self-destructive teen who has almost died multiple times.  Daphne tracks him down in connection to Obie and he then becomes and integral part of the story.

I even enjoyed the side-characters in all their glory.

This story makes you sympathetic to some of the demons that it portrays and gets you to second-guess some of the heavenly beings that appear.  The plot kept me interested and guessing and the characters managed to draw me in, which makes this novel an overall success in my book.  I would definitely recommend this book!