Review - Prophecy by Ellen Oh

by Ellen Oh
publisher: HarperTeen
date of publication: January 2, 2013
format: digital review copy
pages: 320
source: Edelweiss
series: The Dragon King Chronicles

From Goodreads:

The greatest warrior in all of the Seven Kingdoms... is a girl with yellow eyes.

Kira’s the only female in the king’s army, and the prince’s bodyguard. She’s a demon slayer and an outcast, hated by nearly everyone in her home city of Hansong. And, she’s their only hope...

Murdered kings and discovered traitors point to a demon invasion, sending Kira on the run with the young prince. He may be the savior predicted in the Dragon King Prophecy, but the missing treasure of myth may be the true key. With only the guidance of the cryptic prophecy, Kira must battle demon soldiers, evil shaman, and the Demon Lord himself to find what was once lost and raise a prince into a king.

Intrigue and mystery, ancient lore and action-packed fantasy come together in this heart-stopping first book in a trilogy.

Prophecy came as a somewhat unexpected surprise due to the varied opinions I had been hearing prior to reading it for myself.  Some complaints gave me cause for concern, so I started the book with trepidation, only to find that I was a reader who would likely be one of those to enjoy it.  Ellen Oh's tale of good vs. evil set in a land full of Korean-inspired traits and headed by an extraordinary girl is one that I found to be more than enjoyable.  A book that piques even my firmly non-YA-reading husband's interest and keeps me reading until I finish it within 12 hours is definitely a book to be noted.

Kira is truly a fascinating main character to read about from the very beginning.  Oh doesn't hold anything back and immediately shows you what it is that Kira is faced with from chapter one.  As the story progresses, it becomes readily apparent that Kira isn't just a kick-ass warrior, however.  An especially startling thing is that she isn't respected for her skills, nor is she particularly self-assured.  Instead, shades of a typical 16 year old girl can easily be seen as she struggles with self identity, self esteem, and the need for friends.  It all makes for a fascinating character with plenty of room to grow into her own.  I must say, though, that I dearly hope the same can be said for her young cousin and charge, the crown prince.  His high level of neediness, impulsiveness, and penchant for hero worship combined to make for a secondary character that was a bit too much to take at times. 

I really came to enjoy the world in which Prophecy is set.  From its cities to its countryside, Prophecy is made up of a fantastic array of environments and political situations.  The addition to mysterious legends of saviors, prophecies, magic, and demons round everything out nicely into the arresting story it has become.  As the true nature of the world in which Kira lives comes to light, readers are sure to sit up and take notice. 

The temptation to read Prophecy from cover to cover is definitely there, so potential readers, make note.  Keep the refreshments handy and prepare for a long night if you start reading late, for chances are you will get swept away in Prophecy's spell.  Those looking for an action-packed fantasy with a female protagonist would do well to take a look at Prophecy.  The series overall shows a lot of promise with this thrilling and engaging opener.  Give it a try and see what I mean.  Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I did.

 

Buy Prophecy at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This digital review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Edelweiss. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review - Sweet Evil

by Wendy Higgins
publisher: HarperTeen
date of publication: May 1, 2012
format: paperback
pages: 453
source: purchased

From Goodreads:

Embrace the Forbidden

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

Sweet Evil is a book that I have heard much about since it was released late this past spring.  Though it is a theme that I have seen often in books, the premise of Sweet Evil was enough to pique my interest and led me to buy a copy soon after its release.  I had some worries going into the book that I would find more about the story objectionable than I would find to be enjoyable.  Fortunately, Sweet Evil delivered with an entertaining story and some surprisingly steamy moments.

Anna Whitt turned out to be a surprisingly enjoyable character.  While at first I feared she would prove to be a Mary Sue type of character, she surprised me with some unexpected layers that gave her character a nice amount of depth.  Her friendship with Jay reminded me a lot of a friend of mine and made me smile, which was a very nice touch.  It was Kaidan, however, that left me with "meh" feelings.  There comes a point when the bad boy character becomes just too much to handle.  While his character brought an important element to the story, I just fail to find the bad boy type all that appealing.

The hidden world in which Anna finds herself immersed is an immensely intriguing one.  On the surface she lives in a small town just outside Atlanta.  Beyond the visual scope of everyday humans, however, lies a much darker world inhabited by frightening beings bent on leading humanity astray.  Where there is dark there is light, however, and I found the ways in which the light were included to be very appealing.  When you include the background for both sides, you have an engaging book that makes for a great reading session.

Even though I am not as much of a Kaidan fan as others who have read and enjoyed this book, I found Sweet Evil to be a fun weekend read all the same.  With such a good main character, a sinister hidden world, and a classic conflict, Sweet Evil makes for a very nice reading experience.  I, for one, plan to continue with this series and look forward to finding out what will happen next.

Buy Sweet Evil at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Review - Throne of Glass

by Sarah J. Maas
publisher: Bloomsbury USA
date of publication: August 7, 2012
format: digital review copy
pages: 416
source: Netgalley

From Goodreads:

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

There are some books that just grab hold of your attention and won't let go.  There are others that rekindle diminished interest in particular subjects or genres.  There are also books that cause you to lose sleep because you just can't stop thinking about how great it was.  As I came to learn, Throne of Glass is all 3.  Every single bit of hype this book has received is very much well-earned and I am so glad to have read it, even if I did stay up all night reading and finished it within a 10 hour period (those pesky meals cut into reading time, after all).

Celaena Sardothien is one of the most amazing female characters I have had the pleasure of being introduced to.  From the very beginning, you can see that she is fierce, sarcastic, and fearless, all of which are great qualities in an assassin.  It's obvious that she has a strong will as evidenced by her strong will and resilience.  To have survived the things she has is proof positive that she is a force to be reckoned with.  The leading males in the story, Prince Dorian and Captain Westfall, each have their strengths and weaknesses that make them fascinating to learn about.  Where Dorian appears to be conceited and abrasive on the outside, inside he is a sad young man with little to no say in his future.  Captain Westfall, on the other hand, is enigmatic, churlish, and difficult to figure out.  Once you do, though, it's hard to dismiss him, which is a nice quality to see in a character.  When they take you by surprise when you least expect it, it's an awesome thing.

This story is truly an epic one.  It could last for several installments and I would be happy to read every single one.  The action and events seen within are nothing short of gripping.  The threats Celaena encounters and the way she deals with them are captivating.  I say captivating because I really was reluctant to put the book down at all due to the driving need to see what would happen next.  The settings range from horrific (the mine), to spectacular (the palace), to spooky (the passages).  They really set each scene with vivid descriptions and thorough attention to detail.  Each is explained so well that picturing each one is wonderfully easy.  This is storytelling at its best.

There are some spectacular books coming out this summer, and I can vouch that Throne of Glass is one of the best.  If you are a fan of fantasy stories and kick-ass heroines, you can't do better.  With fascinating characters, awesome backdrops, just the right amount of tension, and a fantastic plot, Throne of Glass ensures you will have a great reading experience.  Get yourself to your local bookstore quickly.  Throne of Glass is a must-read that would be well-placed at the very top of your TBR pile.

Buy Throne of Glass at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This digital review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Netgalley. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review - Spell Bound

by Rachel Hawkins
publisher: Disney Hyperion
date of publication: March 13, 2012
format: hardcover
pages: 327
source: purchased
Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

From Goodreads:

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

What I Thought

Can you believe it?  The infamous cliff hanger at the end of Demonglass finally has a continuation!  It has been a long, long wait, but answers are to be had at long last.  This is one of those books that had me feverishly shuffling my review pile just so I could at long last see what the heck happened to Sophie.  Let me tell you: it was very much worth the wait.  Sophie is back with in all her snarkastic glory (hey, it's a word; just watch Gilmore Girls!) and has some huge surprises in store.

I'm so glad to say that Sophie hasn't lost her touch.  I spent just as much time giggling through her exchanges with Archer as I did getting very, very nervous about how she was going to get herself out of her situation.  As it turns out, there is still so much to learn about Sophie, so much so, in fact, that there were several moments during which I was completely blind-sided.  How such a familiar character can still contain that many huge surprises, I'll never know.  As for new additions to the cast of characters, I just have to say it: The Brannicks left me feeling awed.  They are quite the family: red-headed warrior women?  Heck, yeah!  They are the very definition of formidable and I absolutely loved the contribution their addition made to the story.

Spell Bound takes the action from the second half of Demonglass and kicks it into overdrive.  The book pretty much hits the ground running and it seems that there is always something major going on.  There is little time to settle in before the bomb shells start dropping and things start happening.  It is everything I hoped it would be and provided hours of riveting entertainment that didn't quit until the very last page.  Everything from the realization of the villains' master plan to the tragedy that strikes, Spell Bound will leave you seriously considering taking up nail-biting. 

Since I suspect giving away anything major will cause those who haven't had the chance to read it yet to chase me through the street with torches and pitchforks, all I have left to say is that Spell Bound was truly worth the wait.  Rachel Hawkins put some incredible spins on various situations that will definitely leave you reeling.  I know this review gushes more than usual, but it's hard not to get swept up in the humor and light-hearted side of it all.  I absolutely loved it and encourage you to pick it up ASAP!

Review - A Temptation of Angels

by Michelle Zink
publisher: Dial
date of publication: March 20, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 448
source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers
Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

From Goodreads:

Even angels make mistakes in this page-turning epic romance...

When her parents are murdered before her eyes, sixteen-year-old Helen Cartwright finds herself launched into an underground London where a mysterious organization called the Dictata controls the balance of good and evil. Helen learns that she is one of three remaining angelic descendants charged with protecting the world's past, present, and future. Unbeknownst to her, she has been trained her whole life to accept this responsibility. Now, as she finds herself torn between the angelic brothers protecting her and the devastatingly handsome childhood friend who wants to destroy her, she must prepare to be brave, to be hunted, and above all to be strong, because temptation will be hard to resist, even for an angel.

Michelle Zink masterfully weaves historical fantasy with paranormal romance to create a gripping tale of love and betrayal.

What I Thought

Since I received this ARC back in December, I have been highly anticipating getting the chance to read this book.  This is my first experience reading anything by Michelle Zink, so I had no preconceptions whatsoever with regard to what I should expect.  As it turns out, A Temptation of Angels was a great introduction to Michelle Zink's work.  I was treated to an engrossing tale that was every bit as entertaining as it was detailed.

Helen is an interesting character.  She is somewhat reserved when it comes to certain emotions, although she is also stubborn, naive, and caring.  When the book begins, we are introduced to Helen as she faces immediate danger.  Early on, one can begin to get a sense of just who Helen is based upon how she faces her struggles.  It is who she comes to be, however, that I found most intriguing.  While some of her actions may seem foolhardy at best, you have to admire her tenacity and spirit.  Griffin, one of the primary male characters and a source of attraction for Helen, is also an enjoyable character to get to know.  He is debonair, kind, and adventurous all at once, which makes for a great counterpart to Helen, as well as a pretty swoon-worthy male lead.  The character I felt most conflicted about, however, was not Darius, Griffin's sardonic brother, but Raum, the mysterious boy from Helen's childhood.  I didn't know whether I found him abhorrent or someone to be pitied.  Even by the end, he was as much of a mystery to me as when he first appeared in the book.

The construct of A Temptation of Angels is very absorbing.  It moves along at a nice clip and provides enough background information without causing an overload.  The premise is fresh and entertaining and has a nice helping of romance.  However, there is a love triangle involved, which I just don't feel so inclined toward.  For me, it detracts from Helen's decisiveness and the concept of love triangles overall is beginning to wear on my patience.  In the end, however, it doesn't effect my overall enjoyment of the book, nor does it put a damper on my desire to read more.

A Temptation of Angels is a great book that I will not hesitate to recommend in the future.  It is probably high on my list of angel books that I enjoy and I really hope to see more books set in this world in the future.  Michelle Zink has created a wonderfully imaginative take on the battle between angels and demons that will set your imagination alight.  If you enjoy books centered around angels and the theme of good vs. evil, then A Temptation of Angels would be a great choice.

Obligatory legal statement: This ARC was provided to me free of charge via the publisher through Library Thing Early Reviewers. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review - Illuminate

by Aimee Agresti
publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
date of publication: March 6, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 534
source: from the publisher for review
Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

From Goodreads:

Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything begins to change when she turns sixteen. Along with her best friend Dante and their quiet and brilliant classmate Lance, she is awarded a prestigious internship in the big city— Chicago—and is sent to live and work at a swanky and stylish hotel under the watchful eyes of a group of gorgeous and shockingly young-looking strangers: powerful and alluring hotel owner Aurelia Brown; her second-in-command, the dashing Lucian Grove; and their stunning but aloof staff of glamazons called The Outfit.

     As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that these beautiful people are not quite what they seem. With the help of a mysterious book, she uncovers a network of secret passageways from the hotel’s jazz-age past that leads her to the heart of the evil agenda of Aurelia and company: they’re in the business of buying souls. Will they succeed in wooing Haven to join them in their recruitment efforts, or will she be able to thwart this devilish set’s plans to take the souls of her classmates on prom night at the hotel?

     Illuminate is an exciting saga of a teen’s first taste of independence, her experience in the lap of luxury, and her discovery she may possess strength greater than she ever knew.

What I Thought

Illuminate, the story of an awkward teenage girl who finds herself in an extraordinary situation, is much more than I had originally expected.  Set against a lush backdrop of glitz and glamor, this story has an exceptional amount of menace and mystery.  The full scope of the situation at hand in this book is something that must be seen to be believed.  This story of self-discovery and danger will have you on the edge of your seat.

Haven is one of those characters that you will find yourself mentally pleading with, berating, and cheering on.  Even in her most frustrating moments, I found myself liking her.  She doesn't easily lose sight of the big picture and lives up to the intelligence she is credited with having.  She is the perfect foil to Aurelia in all her mercenary glory.  Both characters are the perfect example of things never being as they may first seem.

Illuminate did move along at a somewhat slow pace, at times.  Taking place over a 3-4 month period of time, there is much information to digest.  At some points it felt as though there was a bit too much information, making the story nearly come to a grinding halt at inopportune moments.  However, the overall plot is a great one and I really enjoyed the sense of mystery, danger, and glamor that was injected into the story.  I found myself fully drawn into Haven's adventures as she sets out to discover the truth behind the luxurious facade.

Overall, I really enjoyed Illuminate and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to readers who like their paranormal reads chock full of mystery and menace.  Illuminate is a nail-biter with rich imagery and a top-notch main character.  The villains are truly insidious and the development of all of the primary characters is handled very well.  Despite its potentially overflowing information, Illuminate is a fun read that will provide you with hours of thrills, chills, and intrigue.

 
Obligatory legal statement: This ARC was provided to me free of charge by the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review. Many thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Review - The Demon Lover

by Juliet Dark
publisher: Ballantine Books
date of publication: December 27, 2011
format: eGalley
pages: 371
source: Netgalley
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N

From Goodreads:

I gasped . . . or tried to. My mouth opened, but I couldn’t draw breath. . . . His lips, pearly wet, parted and he blew into my mouth. My lungs expanded beneath his weight. When I exhaled he sucked in my breath and his weight turned from cold marble into warm living flesh.

Since accepting a teaching position at remote Fairwick College in upstate New York, Callie McFay has experienced the same disturbingly erotic dream every night: A mist enters her bedroom, then takes the shape of a virile, seductive stranger who proceeds to ravish her in the most toe-curling, wholly satisfying ways possible. Perhaps these dreams are the result of writing her bestselling book, The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers. After all, Callie’s lifelong passion is the intersection of lurid fairy tales and Gothic literature—which is why she finds herself at Fairwick’s renowned folklore department, living in a once-stately Victorian house that, at first sight, seemed to call her name.

But Callie soon realizes that her dreams are alarmingly real. She has a demon lover—an incubus—and he will seduce her, pleasure her, and eventually suck the very life from her. Then Callie makes another startling discovery: He’s not the only mythical creature in Fairwick. As the tenured witches of the college and the resident fairies in the surrounding woods prepare to cast out the incubus, Callie must accomplish something infinitely more difficult—banishing this demon lover from her heart.

What I Thought

I was quite taken by surprise when I began to read this book.  I went in expecting an adult paranormal romance with an intriguing premise.  What I found was so much more.  The author took the time to fill out her story with such amazing background information and character development in such unexpected ways that I couldn't help but become more intrigued.  The Demon Lover is one of those books that comes out of left field: you expect to enjoy it, but it surprises you in some way in the end that leaves you feeling refreshed and pleased.  

The Demon Lover is just the type of book that I look for when I need a slight break from YA novels.  Before I began reading YA books again, I read quite a number of adult paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and high fantasy novels.  This is just the type of book I would have gravitated toward then.  Filled with intriguing elements such as folklore and mythology, a town established to house varying supernatural creatures, and enough literary terminology to make an English major feel warm and fuzzy, The Demon Lover takes what is already an intriguing premise and runs with it.  I was especially pleased to find mention of a bit of Celtic lore that I have read about before, though the Anglicized version of the name threw me off (leave it to me to know the Irish word before the English one).  The gean-cānach (or Ganconer, as he is known in the book) is such an interesting version of the incubus.  While he isn't entirely recognizable in this book, I did like the changes made to the character that rendered just the right adversary for this book.  It wouldn't have worked quite as well had he been more like folklore describes him when held up next to the other characters at play within the story, which range from witches, faeries, and brownies to lidercs (a Hungarian version of the succubus) to vampires.  This book is a mythological free-for-all that left me very excited to read all of these old stories once again.  I'm sure the main character, Callie, would approve of that, as she is very much a researcher and a huge fan of literature.  For the most part, I adored her and can't wait to read more about her in subsequent installments.

While there is much about The Demon Lover that I loved, there was one issue that I became disappointed by.  About half-way through the book, the plot seems to lag in a way that felt disruptive to the reading experience.  I can see now what was taking shape, but it made for a halting flow for the plot that I wasn't too fond of.  While it gave time for some of the subplots to float to the surface and gain attention for a little while, it just wasn't done as though it were all part of the same book.  The best way I can describe it is to say that it felt almost as though I were reading a book within a book (which actually does take place, oddly enough, although with less fits and starts).  This aspect left me feeling frustrated with my own rating system, as it isn't quite adequate for a situation such as this.

The Demon Lover is a great read for fans of adult paranormal romance.  I wouldn't recommend it for young teen audiences, as it gets quite racy at times, but it also isn't so over-the-top as other novels of its kind.  If you love novels containing lots of mythology and folklore, then you should definitely give this one a chance.  It was vastly entertaining and I couldn't have been more pleased to have been approved to read it.  I think it is safe to stay that I've still got it when it comes to selecting adult novels for myself to read.  The Demon Lover rates as a 3.75 for me, so it earns a 4 hoot distinction.     

Obligatory legal statement: This eGalley was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Netgalley. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.    

Review: The Space Between

by Brenna Yovanoff
publisher: Razorbill
date of publication: November 15, 2011
format: hardcover
pages: 363
source: purchased
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N

From Goodreads:

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.

What I Thought 

I had very high expectations for The Space Between, as I had loved The Replacement so very much.  Brenna Yovanoff's writing is so fully of grit, yet has a flawless quality that makes my English major heart go pitter-pat.  The description promised an intriguing tale full of eeriness, sadness, and beauty.  While the book did deliver on several of those aspects, there was a little something missing for me that I had counted upon finding within.  While the plot was everything I hoped it would be, other areas failed to capture my full attention.

First and foremost, the plot was amazing.  The whole idea of a story surrounding the daughter of Lucifer and Lilith who has grown up lonely in a steel-forged world is intriguing and unique.  The background information and politics that lay the groundwork for the events that take place are truly mind-boggling and so amazingly detailed that I found myself very impressed by the groundwork that has been laid to support every other aspect of the book.  How the demons do things in this book was much more surprising than I would have originally thought.  There were some truly horrific things in Pandemonium.  However, there was an added element of business included that took me completely by surprise.  It all came together to provide me with a unique reading experience, as well as a new take on things that maintain the horror while offering something fresh.

The characters, while very compelling by the time the main action commenced, were difficult for me to connect with, at first.  Daphne was somewhat flat (though this is somewhat explained by the nature of the world she lives in) and Truman, in all of his dysfunction, almost completely lost me.  I felt for him, but I found it difficult to keep up with his thoughts, at times.  However, once he began to clear up and started working with Daphne to find Obie, I grew to respect him much more.  He is a boy who has had a difficult time and lacks a certain something that will carry him through.  Seeing him begin to come to a realization and begin to fight was beautiful, and I loved how he developed as a character, in the end.

The setting is what I had the most difficulty with.  I am not sure exactly why it is so, but I found myself having a hard time picturing everything clearly.  The most clear setting was Pandemonium, but when it came to the descriptions on earth, I became a bit lost.  In a way, it speaks to the nature of both Daphne, who has existed for her entire life in Pandemonium, and Truman, a boy cut off from his surroundings and reality.  For me, however, I didn't feel as much of an impact and wasn't left with many impressions of the backgrounds outside of Pandemonium.
If you are looking for a new take on demons in a book, you should definitely give The Space Between a try.  Although it didn't ring all of my bells, it still proved to be a pretty good read.  I don't regret having read it and am already eager to see what else Brenna Yovanoff will write in the future.  The writing is truly lovely, so if you appreciate good prose, you will definitely want to check this one out!

Bump in the Night Brawl #6: Demons

Welcome, one and all, to the last Bump in the Night Brawl post!  It's been a fun-filled week at Starting the Next Chapter and I can't thank all of my guest posters enough for writing such awesome posts for this event.  Also, thank you to all of those who visited throughout the week.  I'm just starting out with things like this, so I definitely appreciate your visits and comments.

It's Demonic Saturday, so Christy from The Reader Bee is here to tell us why demons are the baddest thing to go bump in the night.  Remember, voting starts at midnight and ends at 11:59 PM CST on Sunday night.  Be sure to get your votes in, because those votes determine what kind of book 1 lucky giveaway winner will have the chance to grab.  I hope to see you all on Sunday for the vote, and then again on Monday, October 31 to find out the winner of the Bump in the Night Brawl!

Hello, friends! Christy from The Reader Bee here to tell you why I think DEMONS are the Ultimate creatures that spook, fright and go bump in the night!

Let’s start off with a little information on Demons: Demons have the ultimate superpowers. They can possess and seduce. They are telepathic and psychokinetic. They have the ability to do witchcraft, and can also control the elements. They can hurt you, make you do their bidding, and annihilate anything and everything they want. Does this sound like a creature whose path you want to cross?? Not me!

Demons make me think of all the scary movies that, to this day, I absolutely refuse to watch. I am SO not a scary movie and book type person. As a child, the men in my life used to watch scary stuff all the time. Sometimes I watched, and most times I wish I hadn’t. When I think of demons, this is the first guy that comes to mind…

Hellraiser scared the hell out of me growing up. Enough said.

(Funny side story- We went to a haunted amusement park recently, and there was a guy there dressed exactly like the photo above. He jumped out at us, and about scared us all to death!) Ahem… moving on…

Pretty darn scary, yes? Definitely a creature I would NOT want to cross paths with.

So, while I am totally not a fan of scary movies that have Demons involved, I surprised myself by liking a few young adult books that have demons as the main character. These are some demons that use their powers for good. I can definitely handle that type of demon. Let’s use Sophie Mercer from the Hex Hall series as an example…

“Dark witches do the bigger things," Chaston offered. "And our powers are a hell of a lot stronger. We can make barrier spells, and if we're really good, control the weather. We're also necromancers if- -" "Whoa!" I held up my hand. "Necromancers? Like, power over dead things?”

Sophie grew up thinking she was a witch. After being sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquents, she discovers a family secret. The secret is that she’s not a witch at all, but a dark witch/half demon instead. Sophie has all the abilities listed above that a demon can possess. The difference is that she uses her powers for the good. But still, you definitely don’t want to get on her bad side!

Sophie is snarky and lovable, she’s the friendliest demon around. (Why aren’t all demons like Sophie!) However, she still has some massive powers, and she’s not afraid to use them. And she proves this when a certain someone crosses her path. (Read the books to find out who!)

How can you not root for her?? Sophie! Sophie! Sophie!

So there you have it ladies and gents… I’ve shown you what demons are capable of, and I’ve given you examples of demons that are the exact opposite. Demons are tricky characters, and can pretty much do it all. That is why I think they are the ultimate creatures that go bump in the night! What about you???

Thanks for wrapping things up for us, Christy!  It's been a blast working with you on this project.

That's all there is, folks.  If you've missed any of the Bump in the Night Brawl posts or even the Creature Feature Reviews, you can find a list of all Bump in the Night Spooktacular links in the right-hand column.  I hope you've enjoyed this event as much as I have.  Remember that voting commences at midnight and the winner will be announced on Monday.

Huge thanks go out to Nikki at Books Most Wanted, a huge support and the first one to jump on the idea and agree to participate; Kyla at Kyla Novelista for being such an enthusiastic and hilarious guest poster, plus the best zombie expert a girl could ask for; Louise at Between the Covers for taking on this project a mere week before the event was to begin and for doing such an awesome job; DJL at Denim-Jacket Librarian Dishes for being one of my biggest blog supporters and an awesome guest poster; Christy from The Reader Bee for digging up repressed memories in order to give us such an awesome post and for being all-around fantastic; and Lindsay at The Violet Hour for letting me bounce ideas off of her when I thought I might be crazy to take on this project.  You all have been a blast to work with and I hope we can work together again in the future!

Creature Feature Review: Possess

We have finally reached the end of the first annual Bump in the Night Brawl. What a week! We've heard from some awesome bloggers about all of the things that go bump in the night. But wait! There's still one more! Later today, Christy from The Reader Bee will be here to tell you all why demons are the baddest thing there is that goes bump in the night. For now, however, I have one last Bump in the Night Creature Feature review which, of course, concerns a book about demons. I hope you will consider Possess as one of your spooky reads.
 
Possess
by Gretchen McNeil
publisher: Balzer + Bray
date of publication: August 23, 2011
format: hardcover pages: 384
source: purchased
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N

From Goodreads:

Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from.

Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king.

What I Thought  

Possess is a phenomenally spooky story about Bridget, a girl who has developed the capability of hearing and banishing demons after the death of her beloved father. As she learns to harness her newly found talents, it comes to her attention that there is trouble brewing in the world of demons, trouble that threatens her very safety. As she looks for answers in regard to the identity of her father's murderer and just what it is the demons have in store, she has to learn whom to trust and when to embrace her powers.

From start to finish, Possess was an enthralling story that I couldn't get enough of. There are some deliciously creepy parts that made me look at certain things in a different way after I finished reading them. The characters are interesting and, in the cases of some, creepy in their own ways. Bridget is a wounded young girl who has had a heavy burden thrown upon her. Watching her grapple with her abilities and worry about who she should trust was a great aspect to the story that added a bit more realness to her character. The settings are very well done and scary in all the right places. My personal favorite was the doll shop (you'll see why when you read it!). The only thing that I was disappointed in was how easily I figured out the identity of the villain. I had gleaned the information less than half-way through the book and, though I hoped I was wrong, was a bit disappointed to have figured it out so quickly. Nevertheless, the journey to the revelation was dramatic, horrific, and intriguing. I definitely enjoyed the horror elements most of all.

If you're in the mood for a bit of mystery wrapped up in horror and paranormal elements, then Possess is the book for you. While some things about the book are a bit too simple, it makes for an awesome reading experience, nevertheless. This is the perfect book to read on a chill autumn night, so why don't you grab a blanket and a cup of cocoa and give it a spin? It makes for the perfect spine-tingling evening.