Review: The Collector by Victoria Scott

Title: The Collector (Dante Walker #1)
Author: Victoria Scott
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural 
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Published: April 2, 2013

Summary:

He makes good girls...bad. 

Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.

Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn't want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:
Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within ten days. 

Dante doesn't know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried.

~~~

When I first met Dante: 

By the end of the book: 

I been after The Collector for a while now and my library never has it, and when ever I go to a bookstore I forget to look *face palm* Any way a few weeks ago I won a giveaway from Victoria Scott herself for a signed copy! You can only imagine my excitement! I finally read it and guess what? I loved it! 

I have never been able to relate to a book character as I have to Charlie. She isn't beautiful, (but that changes as you get to know her. I am not trying to be mean. This is how she is described.) she tries to see the good in everything, and people treat her like total crap. It broke my heart so many times when Dante and someone else would do or say something horrible to her. When Dante meets Charlie for the first time he manages to point out that Charlie has glasses, frizzy blond hair, a spray of pimples, and a stick figure that is so not attractive on a seven-teen-year old girl. Then compares her to a porcelain doll beaten a few times with an ugly stick. Well in a few pages Dante proved that he is a cocky and mean bastard. Fine then. 

But Dante wasn't all bad. He eventually proved himself. Yes, in the begining of the book all he cared about was himself but a long the way he fell in love with Charlie. For who she was before the contract gets signed and she becomes beautiful. But the progression of Dante falling in love and learning that there is much more to a person that looks is remarkable. And I loved that most about the story because it wasn't insta love (I know it is over a 10 day time period) but gradual. He wasn't crazy about her first and then by the end he was willing to die for her. 

The concept behind the Collectors and Liberators was awesome! I never read anything like this book before, sure I read about demons before but this way different. the Collectors are the bad guys, sent to mark someone when they sin, and eventually when their soul light is dark they get taken to Boss Man (Lucifer) Liberators are the good guys, where Collectors mark for sins, Liberators are able to remove sins so they can be taken to Big Guy. (God) 

I really liked this book and can't wait to get to read the other books in this series. I have a feeling that I am going to fall even more in love with Dante by the end of the series! 

RATING: ★★★★

ARC Review: Amity by Micol Ostow

Title: Amity
Author: Micol Ostow
Genre: Horror
Format: eBook
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release Date: August 26, 2014

Summary:

Connor's family moves to Amity to escape shady business deals. Ten years later, Gwen's family moves to Amity for a fresh start after she's recovered from a psychotic break.

But something is not right about this secluded house. Connor's nights are plagued with gore-filled dreams of demons and destruction. Dreams he kind of likes. Gwen has lurid visions of corpses that aren't there and bleeding blisters that disappear in the blink of an eye. She knows Amity is evil and she must get her family out, but who would ever believe her?

Amity isn't just a house. She is a living force, bent on manipulating her inhabitants to her twisted will. She will use Connor and Gwen to bring about a bloody end as she's done before. As she'll do again.

Alternating between parallel narratives, Amity is a tense and terrifying tale suggested by true-crime events that will satisfy even the most demanding horror fan.

~~~

".... a gruesome thriller suggested by the events of the Amityville Horror."

I saw the name Amity and the first thing that popped into my head was The Amityville Horror. I live on Long Island. Less then twenty minutes away from the actually Amityville Horror house, so of course anything involving it will catch my attention. I was disappointed that this wasn't a retelling. But besides that I enjoyed the story.

This was another book were I abandoned all my responsibilities and laid on the couch all night to read. It is told in alternate times. Ten years ago and today. 

Conner had lived in the house ten years ago. Now, when I first started the book I liked Connor, I really did. Then the book progressed and I found that some things he did were not normal. My biggest question is, was he in love with his sister? There is a part in the book that suggests that, then a dream were she kisses him. 

Qwen currently lives in the house. This was her parents latest escape with their family after Qwen's latest mental break down and she is convinced not to screw it up. Then she starts having the dreams, starts referring to Amity as if she were a person and seeing things, just like Connor had. 

As much as I liked the book there were things I didn't like. There were many things that were unclear or unanswered. Especially Connor's letter at the end. What exactly did he mean by everything he said? Who was the decomposed girl that Qwen kept seeing? Was it Jules or someone else from Amity's past?

RATING: ★★★

ARC Review: Lost in Starlight by Sherry Soule

Title: Lost in Starlight (Starlight Sagas #1)
Author: Sherry Soule
Genre: Fantasy, Supernatural, Romance, Aliens
Publisher: Disenchanted Publishing 
Release Date: June 26, 2014
Number of Pages: 350

***I recieved an ebook copy of this novel directly from the author in exchange for an honest review***


Summary: 
High school reporter Sloane Masterson knows she has one helluva story when she witnesses hottie Hayden Lancaster bending forks with his mind.
Like any good journalist, Sloane sets out to uncover the truth, even if it includes a little stalking. When the superhuman feats start to pile up and the undeniable heat rises between them, Hayden has no choice but to reveal his secret: he’s an alien hybrid.
They’re as different as night and day—she’s a curvy, purple-haired, horror junkie and he’s a smoking hot, antisocial, brainiac—yet the intense fascination between them refuses to go away. Even at Hayden’s insistence that dating each other is “off limits” and crazy dangerous, their fiery attraction threatens to go supernova. 
Now Sloane’s dealing with creepy government agents, über snobby extraterrestrials, and a psycho alien ex-girlfriend out for revenge. After a crash course on the rules of interstellar dating, Sloane must decide if their star-crossed romance is worth risking her own life...

~~~

I don't believe we are alone in the universe. Have you seen the size of it? Have you listened to what NASA has believed they have found through out the years? Strange sightings? Getting my vibe here? I am serious. Lost in Starlight by Sherry Soule can be real in a sense that it kind of scare me. But if one of those alien hybrids happened to be Hayden....I would super alright with that.

Soule created a character I could immediately relate to. Sloane works on the school newspaper and her latest story is to dig up dirt on the sexy new student Hayden Lancaster. But she got more then she bargained for when she witnesses him bending a metal fork with nothing but his mind. She admitted that she was stalking him to get the information she needed, and yes she was obsessed with him at times but she is seventeen years old. Us teenage girls tend to be boy crazy.

"I've never been what most people would consider skinny and over the years, the extra poundage has crept on slowly..." 

-Slaone

I was easily able to relate with her. I struggled with my weight (I still do) for all my life. Most heroines are super skinny, not that that is anything wrong with that but not every heroine has to be a size five. It made me happy to see the Soule broke through the stereotype.  I was even angry every time someone would pass a comment about her weight. She is curly okay? For most of the book she would pretty cool with her size and I admire that in a character a lot. A lot of things with Sloane made her different from other female heroines as well.  

When I saw extraterrestrials I expected Hayden to be an Alien. The actual aliens are called Zeta's who had come to earth, experimented on willing humans, and then left. That made Hayden a hybrid who has both human and Zeta DNA. I wasn't unhappy with that though. I liked it. It actually seems more realistic in a sense that actually aliens. That is the part that scared me.

But just because Hayden is a hybrid doesn't mean he doesn't have a strict code of rules to follow. What is the biggest rule you ask? No dating humans. That is a problem when Sloane and Hayden have a growing attraction for each other. The romance in Lost in Starlight had my heart melting. It was so sweet. They have so much against them but they still try to make it work. 

Soule mentions a lot of bands and TV shows in the book and if Sloane was a real person I think we would get  along great! I was bouncing up and down when they were discussing The Walking Dead. Who knew alien hybrids liked zombies? Not me!! 

On the downside I wish the government was a bit more involved. The Sector Thirteen agent wasn't in the story as much as I hoped he would be. Which actually isn't as much as a bad thing. But they are still another book for that to happen! 

I have nothing but amazing things to say about this book. I loved the characters, the setting, the whole idea behind it. It was an easy read that I could have finished a lot faster if I didn't have family commitments. 

I am such a picky person with endings, of course this ending makes me want to have the second book in the series in my hands right about now. I need to know what happens. I expected that ending though, in all honestly, so I was easily prepared instead of completely blind sided.

RATING: ★★★★

Review: Unchained by J. Lynn

Title: Unchained
Author: J. Lynn (a.k.a. Jennifer Armentrout) 
Genre: Adult, Supernatural, Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy
Number of Pages: 400
Publisher: Entangled: Edge
Published: September 17, 2013

Summary: 

Between the pissed off creatures that want demon-hunter Lily Marks dead and the fallen angel who just...wants her, Lily is about ready to trade in forever for a comfy job in a cubicle farm.

The fact that she and Julian are civil to one another is enough to have her thrown out of the Sanctuary, but she can't shake her not-so-angelic stalker or how he brings her dangerously close to ecstasy.

Her forbidden relationship with Julian provides the perfect fuel for suspicion when a traitor is discovered to be working within the Sanctuary. Lily quickly finds herself hunted by well, everyone.

Her only hope is to discover the real traitor before she loses everything--and she'll need Julian's help. That is, if Julian is really there to help her...and not destroy her.

Yeah, being a Nephilim isn't everything it's cracked up to be.

~~~~~

When I bought this book I thought it was YA. When I heard it wasn't I just shrugged and figured I read it anyway, because I have to admit. I love Jennifer's writing.  So, yes I am briefly reviewing an adult book. 

I liked the characters for the most part. Lily was brave and stubborn, things I liked in a heroine and Julian is just yummy. The book starts out with them already knowing each other, were he provokes her and claimed she is turned on by him. Now I don't know about you, but if a guy said that to me I would be running for the hills.

Micheal doesn't know he is a Nephilim so when Lily knocks him out (after he tried to shoot her of course) she knows she is in some deep trouble. Not only does she save him, she has to train him as well. Only problem is Lily has the patience of an ant and wants to stab him in the eye with a spork. 

Down to the interesting bits now. I was expecting sex, it is in the romance genere, an adult book. But I didn't think there would be a lot. Or graphic (That is my opinion. Remember I am only 16. In my defense I bought it thinking it was a YA book) It is graphic and paints the picture in your mind.

All in all the story was interesting and I liked it. Like I said, I'm briefly reviewing this because we are a YA book blog. 

Rating: ★★★

Waiting On Wednesday: Stone Cold Touch (The Dark Elements #2)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

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Title: Stone Cold Touch (The Dark Elements #2)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Genre: Fantasy, Supernatural, Romance
Number of Pages: 304
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: October 28, 2014


Summary: 

Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.

But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…

~~~~~

My mind won't even work right now. I keep thinking "I need Roth. I need Roth. Why isn't Roth real?"  White Hot Kiss left me wanting so much more that is hurts, I don't know how Jennifer Armentrout does it. Her books always make me feel like this.