Review: Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson

Synopsis:
Torn between two destinies; 

Claire is having the perfect sixteenth birthday. Her pool party is a big success, and gorgeous Matthew keeps chatting and flirting with her as if she's the only girl there. But that night, she discovers something that takes away all sense of normalcy: she's a werewolf. 

As Claire is initiated into the pack of female werewolves, she must deal not only with her changing identity, but also with a rogue werewolf who is putting everyone she knows in danger. Claire's new life threatens her blossoming romance with Matthew, whose father is leading the werewolf hunt. Now burdened with a dark secret and pushing the boundaries of forbidden love, Claire is struggling to feel comfortable in either skin. With her lupine loyalty at odds with her human heart, she will make a choice that will change her forever.

Quick Review:

Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson takes a unique direction with werewolves. There is a lot of girl power in this book, which is great! I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next installment

Rating: 4/5

Swords are for fighting,

Review: Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis

Synopsis:
Okay, so maybe Shelby has made a few mistakes with boys lately (how was she supposed to know Wes had "borrowed" that Porsche?). But her stepmother totally overreacts when she catches Shelby in a post-curfew kiss with a hot senior: Suddenly Shelby's summer plans are on the shelf, and she's being packed off to brat camp. It's good-bye, prom dress; hello, hiking boots.

Things start looking up, though, when Shelby meets fellow camper (and son of a rock star) Austin Bridges III. But soon she realizes there's more to Austin than crush material—his family has a dark secret, and he wants Shelby's help guarding it. Shelby knows that she really shouldn't be getting tangled up with another bad boy . . . but who is she to turn her back on a guy in need, especially such a good-looking one? One thing's for sure: That pesky full moon is about to get her into trouble all over again.

Review: 

The main character, Shelby, is a teenage girl that cares about her looks, popularity, and boys, but she is also smart and caring. This book starts off with Shelby being caught outside her house with a boy. Her evil stepmother blows it out of proportion and convinces her father to send her to a brat camp. There she meets Austin who is sweet and has an English accent.

This book is a quick read. I read it in one sitting. It was enjoyable, but had a few problems for me:

1) It was very predictable
2) Austin told Shelby his big secret wayyyyy too easily
3) The characters are not fully developed
4) The story seemed rushed
AND (SPOILER WARNING):
3)It completely ignored the fact that Shelby got scratched/bit by Austin. Did anyone else think it was weird to completely ignore that fact?!

Nevertheless, I still want to know what happens next, but I do not want to pay $2.99 for a short ebook.

Rating: 2.5/5

Swords are for fighting,

Review: The Accidental Werewolf (Accidentals #1) by Dakota Cassidy

Synopsis:
When Marty Andrews gets bitten by a mangy mutt while walking her teacup poodle, her blond hair darkens, the hair on her legs starts growing at an alarming rate, and her mood swings put her dream job as a sales rep for Bobbie-Sue Cosmetics in serious jeopardy.

Then a drool-worthy man shows up at her door claiming that he accidentally bit Marty. And since he's a werewolf, she is now, too. Thinking Keegan Flaherty is clearly insane, Marty refuses to believe a word until a kidnapping makes her realize there's more at stake than just her highlights. And she must put her out-of-control life in the hands of the man who makes her blood run wild in more ways than one...

Review:
The Accidental Werewolf is a fun and quirky book. It is the first book in the Accidentals series. I really enjoyed the humor in this book. There were a few parts that had me laughing out loud.

To be completely honest, when I first began to read this book, the main character, Marty, really got on my nerves. All she did was talk about makeup and her color wheel. She seemed so shallow that I did not believe there was any way I could grow to like her. Obviously, I was wrong! Once I got to know Marty a little bit more, I really enjoyed how much she developed as the book went on.

This book is full of humor, sarcasm, action, romance, and not to mention a hot, hunky, werewolf man named Keegan. I think anyone (over 16 because of the sexy time scenes) would enjoy this book. I will definitely be reading more of Dakota Cassidy's work in the future.

Rating: 4/5

Swords are for fighting!

Review: Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause

Synopsis:
I will howl for you, human boy, she thought. I will hunt you in my girl skin, but I'll celebrate as wolf...

Vivian relishes the change: the sweet, fierce ache that carries her from girl to wolf. At sixteen, she is beautiful and strong, and all the young wolves howl for her. It is time for her to find a mate.

But Vivian just feels lonely and lost, longing to be 'normal'. That's when she meets Aiden - a human - and falls in love. But can Aiden ever accept Vivian as she truly is? And will Vivian be fully satisfied with Aiden's comfortable kisses - like chocolate - when she has such a passionate need for more? For kisses with real danger in them - like blood...

Review:

I have been meaning to read Blood and Chocolate for a while now. Honestly, I first heard about it after seeing the movie version of the book. I did enjoy the movie, so I decided I wanted to read the book to see how it compared. After reading even the first chapter of Blood and Chocolate, it was obvious that the movie was loosely based on the book. Since I saw the movie first, I was expecting certain things to happen that did not. The book was barely like the movie. I think the characters' names are about the only thing that is the same in both.

Movie aside, I definitely liked this book. It was a fun book. Vivian is such a strong girl that it was easy to enjoy the story. I loved the amazing romance with all of the complications along the way. The sensual scenes were wonderfully written and thrilling to read. Some people may not like the ending because it could be considered controversial, but I loved it. I think the way Annette Curtis Klause ended Blood and Chocolate book was amazing and perfect. In my opinion, it was the right choice.

I am glad I read Blood and Chocolate because I enjoyed it so much. There were many twists and turns that made the book exciting and a definite page turner. I most certainly like it more than the movie. If you like supernatural books, I think you will like this one.

Rating: 4/5

Swords are for fighting,

Review: Jealousy (Strange Angels #3) by Lili St. Crow

Synopsis:
Dru Anderson might finally be safe. She’s at the largest Schola on the continent, and beginning to learn what it means to be svetocha–half vampire, half human, and all deadly. If she survives her training, she will be able to take her place in the Order, holding back the vampires and protecting the oblivious normal people.

But a web of lies and betrayals is still closing around her, just when she thinks she can relax a little. Her mentor Christophe is missing, her almost-boyfriend is acting weird, and the bodyguards she’s been assigned seem to know much more than they should. And then there’s the vampire attacks, the strange nightly visits, and the looks everyone keeps giving her. As if she should know something.

Or as if she’s in danger.

Someone high up in the Order is a traitor. They want Dru dead–but first, they want to know what she remembers of the night her mother died. Dru doesn’t want to remember, but it looks like she might have to–especially since once Christophe returns, he’ll be on trial for his life. The only person who can save him is Dru.

The problem is, once she remembers everything, she may not want to…

Review:
Jealousy is an amazing read! It is my favorite in the series so far. There were many twists and turns that kept me turning page after page. Of course, there is plenty of action and adventure. Dru gets in a few fights, but she never backs down. The fight scenes are great! They were definitely my favorite parts especially a certain showdown between Dru and a particularly jealous character. Dru definitely stands up for herself in this book. She is just an all around awesome character who cannot catch a break. Her snarky thoughts make me laugh. I like that she is a strong girl that can take a punch in the face but still has a vulnerable side.

There are more djamphirs present in this book. Dru actually gets to attend some classes this time around, which is great because she gets to learn more about herself. Leon and Benjamin are probably my favorite djamphirs. There is a particular shopping venture involving Leon and Benjamin that was hilarious! They seem to be devoted to protecting Dru and protection is something she needs until she blooms. I am kind of getting impatient waiting for Dru to bloom. I really hope it happens in the next book.

I loved reading Jealousy. It was a fast read, the plot was amazing, and the writing was great. If you have not picked up the Strange Angels series, I suggest that you do. The only downer was the huge cliffhanger ending. I did not want this book to end because I need to know what happens next! Besides that, this book was awesome. I loved pretty much everything about it. Many of the unanswered questions in the previous books were answered. Of course, new questions have come up.

Rating: 4.5/5

Books in the Strange Angels series:

1. Strange Angels
2. Betrayals
3. Jealousy
   

Swords are for fighting,

Review: Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin

Synopsis:
Avery Hood is reeling from the loss of her parents--and the fact that she can't remember what happened to them even though she was there.

She's struggling to adjust to life without them, and to living with her grandmother, when she meets Ben, who isn't like any guy she's ever met before.

It turns out there's a reason why, and Ben's secret may hold the key to Avery finding out what happened to her parents...

But what if that secret changes everything she knows about--and feels for--Ben?

Review:
*Keep in mind that I read an ARC. The finished version may be different and could change my opinion.*

Low Red Moon was an interesting story. It would classify it as a paranormal mystery. For me, the book started off slow, and the beginning was sort of confusing. The story definitely has an eerie vibe, and the premise was strange. I found it weird that Avery was a part of the woods somehow, and the woods could talk through her. I just could not really get into this book until the end. I really liked the ending. It made up for the slow beginning.

There were a few things that I did not like. I do not like when two different characters talk in the same paragraph and this happened a lot in this book. Also, the pacing felt wrong somehow, like it was forced. Since I did read an ARC, the finished copy could be different.

I did like this book, but it did not live up to my expectations. From all of the great reviews I read of this book, I was expecting something more powerful. For me, this book just fell short. It was interesting and I liked the ending, but I just was not feeling it.

Rating: 2/5

Swords are for fighting,