*** Review*** Fade Out (Morganville Vampires #7) by Rachel Caine

On the Back of the Book

Without the evil vampire Bishop ruling over the town of Morganville,the resident vampires have made major concessions to the human population. With their newfound freedoms, Claire Danvers and her friends are almost starting to feel comfortable again...

Now Claire can actually concentrate on her studies, and her friend Eve joins the local theatre company. But when one of Eve's castmates goes missing after starting work on a short documentary, Eve suspects the worst. Claire and Eve soon realize that this film project, whose subject is the vampires themselves, is a whole lot bigger-and way more dangerous-than anyone suspected...

Pre Read Thoughts

I’m choosing this because:

I originally started this as a way to conquer my mountainous TBR pile. (Seriously, I think it lives, come meet it. I’m going to call it... Hmmm... Spencer. Spencer the TBR pile.) Now though, I find myself really enjoying the series and not minding too much the things that cause me to normally tear my hair out. Actually reading these books feels a bit weird, I’ve been staring at them for so long. My main reason for my excitement towards these book is the crush I’m developing on Myrnin. I mean he’s so... well there are no words for him and if a crush isn’t a reason to get stuck in then I don’t know what is.

Judging a book by its cover:

I have to say that in my opinion the UK covers are so much prettier than the US ones. The font is so beautiful and the flowery doodles are gorgeous. The gold colour really stands out against the black background. The girl on the cover is pretty but I have a question: What on Earth is she doing with her hand? Is she trying to hide from the camera? Essentially the cover is pretty and has shiny bits. I like pretty things that have shiny bits. That pretty much explains how Morganville ended up as a part of Spencer the TBR pile.

Pricing the (possible) awesomeness:

Well, because I’m Queen Bargain Hunter the one millionth. I found these for £1.99 or 3 for £5 in my local The Works store. So while I wave my “I heart discount book shops” banner you can buy this on Amazon for £5.19 in paperback or the Kindle edition is £4.31. Not too shabby if I do say so myself... but my deal was better.

Post Read Thoughts

Wow – this book had me from chapter one and it’s the first Morganville book in a while to do that. There was just something about this that made me sit up and take notice. It might have been the story... but it was probably just the Myrnin-ness. There seemed to be less romance and more “let’s go kick some bad guy/gal butt!” I approve of that sort of thing. I’m tempted to make a bold statement about this being my favourite of the series but I’m going to hold back until I’ve read them all. I don’t want to have to go “I know I said this about Fade Out but actually...”

We’re still reading this with Claire as our main girl and as the series goes along I’m getting to like her more. She’s growing a pair and I like to see that in a leading lady. However, I thought we’d focus on some other characters because I like to switch things up sometimes.

Eve – Goth girl extraordinaire and someone I need in my life. I imagine her as a younger Abby from NCIS... and I LOVE Abby. This means Eve is one of my favourite characters in the series. Sometimes she can be a tad dramatic but I think it works for her and she’s been getting braver as the series goes on. If I ever needed a friend I’d want Eve and do you want to know a secret? I prefer her to Claire.

Michael – My second favourite vampire. He’s got a guitar and he knows how to use it. How can he be anything but awesome? Sometimes his need to protect everyone else can go too far and I wish he’d accept that Claire, Shane and Eve won’t just sit down and take being sidelined. Out of Michael and Shane I actually prefer Michael. There’s something about him that appeals to me more. He’s feeling less obvious and predictable and that makes me excited to see him develop even more.

Ada – My final character review choice of this book is Ada. Now this may come across as a weird choice if you haven’t read this. So go read it. Then it’ll make sense. She was introduced in the last book which I feel was a lead up to this one because her role is so much bigger. She’s one of the most important things about Morganville and actually manages to make Myrnin seem normal. I probably shouldn’t like her but I can’t help myself. I love characters with motives and who  are secretive and don’t have the major reveal of their intentions. I think she’s misunderstood. Poor thing!

Overall this is another fantastic installment and I’m excited to get to book eight. I love how the quality’s consistently there with this series and I feel like we’re only just getting started. I really enjoy Rachel Caine’s writing and the fact that it’s not in 1^st person is a bit of a refreshing change. The plot for this was awesome and actually raised an interesting point about life in Morganville (well for me anyway) and the ending hints at things to come in future books. There’s one thing I know about these books: Rachel isn’t ready for us, her readers, to be leaving Morganville just yet and I, for one, am happy to stay.

My Rating

My notes say 4-4.5 stars but I’m going to choose 4.5 – (It was midnight when I wrote out my draft okay?) This is the book I’ve loved the most so far. It has one of my favourite plots because some of the longer running storylines have concluded or are winding down and it’s opened doors for new ones. I definitely recommend this to YA PNR fans, especially ones with a vampire weakness. This series has the best vampires.

*** Review*** No Place Like Home by Pen Farthing

On the Back of the Book

Nowzad was a gentle giant when it came to taking treats. He never, ever snatched. To me it was just further evidence that, deep inside, there was a great dog struggling to find his way out.

When Pen Farthing brings stray dogs Nowzad and Tali back from his tour of Afghanistan, little does he know what he has begun.

Suddenly he has four dogs to look after—two of whom have never been housetrained. And soon he is inundated with requests from other Marines and soldiers to help bring their rescued dogs home. Whether it's little Helmand, Fubar, or Beardog, Pen does his utmost to give these dogs the chance they deserve. 

Pre Read Thoughts

I’m choosing this because:

When I first spotted this in WHSmith the thing that caught my attention was the synopsis. Well, that and the adorable dog on the cover! I’m a sucker for animals and I love reading stories about them and what they help people through. I may have tissues ready for this because I have a feeling I’ll need them.

Judging a book by its cover:

I love the cover! The dog is quite possibly one of the cutest things I’ve seen in my life!! I won’t lie I want it. If you’re not an animal lover though, I doubt it’s a cover that would grab you. But most people love animals right?

Pricing the (possible) awesomeness:

I got this as part of a ‘buy one get one half price offer’ but the RRP is £7.99 and you can currently find it on Amazon for £5.99 in paperback and £5.22 on Kindle. If you need a different shop/format you’ll have to go on a mission to find what you need.

Post Read Thoughts

Wow! I was blown away by this. I think that the courage Pen showed to stand up and make sure that dogs in Afghanistan can have better lives with the soldiers they bonded with is incredible. I’m not ashamed to say that a lot of the stories had tears streaming down my face. I loved the stories of Nowzad and Tali and how they coped with adjusting to life in the UK. Something I found particularly distressing was the lack of medicine available for Afghan animals. It brings home for me that my vets are just a phone call away, so much so that it’s easier to get a vet appointment than one for a doctor. One of my cats definitely wouldn’t survive in the situations those dogs had to and I wouldn’t want either of them to.

This is a non-fiction story so the characters are actual people and judging them harshly would be rude. Saying that the British soldier who had a dog brought over and then abandoned him once he was in quarantine made me so angry. We have enough abandoned animals as it is, we don’t need more. At least Pen and Lisa took him in and he can have the life he was promised.

On a happier note the people that had become so devoted to their war pets that they had them transported from afghan to their normal lives should be commended. It takes a lot to look after an ordinary pet but these have seen, heard and possibly injured by things that we wouldn’t want another human to be a part of. The bond between man and dog is something special and the people we learn about reading this prove that.

Overall this is a heartbreaking yet uplifting book that tells you the difficulties of owning an Afghan animal and how the charity Nowzad Dogs tries to help by raising funds and arranging transportation into other countries. The writing tells it like it is with no fancy flourishes and if anything that enhances the tales because there’s no sugar coating. I’m really glad I read this because I’m now aware of a problem that I didn’t even know existed.

My Rating

4 stars – This is an incredible read that I just flew trough. I recommend this to animal lovers everywhere. There are some incredible stories in there and Pen is genuinely an inspiration to many.

A Final Note

First: I have a note that says swearing. This isn’t aimed at YA readers but I think there’s something that every reader can take from it and that’s, even in darkness there’s hope. Those dogs brought hope to overseas soldiers.

Second: I wrote this review in 2011 but typing this up now has tears in my eyes so I was genuinely affected by the story.

Finally: I can’t type a review about soldiers and dogs without thanking every service man and woman for laying their lives on the line to make this world a better place for others. True heroes. 

*** Review*** Carpe Corpus (Morganville Vampires #6) by Rachel Caine

On the Back of the Book

In the small college town of Morganville, vampires and humans lived in (relative) peace—until all the rules got rewritten when the evil vampire Bishop arrived, looking for the lost book of vampire secrets. He’s kept a death grip on the town ever since. Now an underground resistance is brewing, and in order to contain it, Bishop must go to even greater lengths.

He vows to obliterate the town and all its inhabitants—the living and the undead. Claire Danvers and her friends are the only ones who stand in his way. But even if they defeat Bishop, will the vampires ever be content to go back to the old rules, after having such a taste of power?

Pre Read Thoughts

I’m choosing this because:

I’ve been reading this series in an effort to make my overflowing TBR pile disappear a little bit. I bought the series on a whim because they were on offer in my local The Works (awesome book shop. I love it in there.) I also like to keep up to date on what’s going on in YA and I’ve had this series on the back burner for far too long.

Judging a book by its cover:

I love the UK covers. They’re so pretty and the font. There are certain things that excite me and fonts are one of those things. I love the pink writing; it really pops against the black of the background oh and pretty girl is pretty. I think I may have overused pretty.

Pricing the (possible) awesomeness:

I got this as part of a 3 for £5 offer but if you don’t have a branch of The Works near you Amazon are currently selling the paperback for £4.54 and the Kindle edition for £4.31. Just in case you want to buy it.

Post Read Thoughts

This book has put the series back on track for me. The last book dragged and I had to force myself to read it but once I actually sat down and started ‘Corpe Carpus’ properly I found myself back in the Morganville groove. This is an action packed story and possibly my favourite of the series so far. Every time you thought you’d finally hit the climax of the book it goes and takes it up another notch and you have to take a moment to let it sink in. The writing is still enjoyable for me but there were certain plot developments that seemed obvious before we’d actually got to them and knowing what happens before it does makes me sad.

I figure going through every character would take forever so we’re gonna go a few at a time, I mean it’s not like we have a book shortage.

Claire – Our lovely MC, well I say lovely, sometimes she annoys the hell out of me and I want to bang her head against a brick wall. For a genius she can sure be so stupid. In this book though I only got frustrated with her towards the end. If you’ve read this, you’ll know why. If you haven’t. It’s to do with that plot I figured out. I’ll be saying no more.

Shane – I love how protective he is and in this book he finally starts opening up to Claire and it’s nice to see that. He’s not my favourite male character and if I’m honest there’s something about Michael that appeals to me more and not just because he has a guitar. I think sometimes his bad boy attitude feels forced to me though and it’d be nice to see him more complex in ways.

Myrnin – Myrnin is so full of complexities and I’m never quite sure what his intentions are. That’s why he’s the best character in the series. He lights up the page and adds a whole new dimension to the stories. He’s perfect and if I was ever to read a book and be on a guy’s team this is the one. I’m not sure Myrnin has a team... if he doesn’t he needs one.

Overall this book puts Morganville back on the map of goodness for me. I was worried after not liking book 5 as much. Rachel Caine is someone who always delivers a good book. This book had some much needed plot developments for the characters. I’m now looking forward to reading ‘Fade Out’ and delving even deeper into the mysteries of Morganville. 

My Rating

4 stars – Let’s give it up to the vampires and humans of Morganville for making an excellent fantasy world! I’m still thinking this is my favourite vampire series and if Myrnin ever wants to move to the UK, I’ll be more than happy to look after him. Definitely recommended to PNR, vampire and even just YA fans. Read the series already!!

*** Review*** I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies #1) by Pittacus Lore

On the Back of the Book

In the beginning there were nine.

We left when we were very young, almost too young to remember. Almost. And now...

Three are gone.

We are here to keep our race alive, which was almost entirely obliterated. We’re just trying to survive.

Six are left.

But we are hunted, and the hunters won’t stop until they’ve killed us all.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.

Number Two in England,

Number Three in Kenya.

I am Number Four,

I know that I am next.

Pre Read Thoughts

I’m choosing this because:

I saw this in my local WHSmith and got suckered in by that awesome sounding synopsis. It’s taken me absolutely ages to get to this book but now here I am and I’m looking forward to reading it. I’ve read mixed things and I always like to see where that’ll leave me sitting on the fence.

Judging a book by its cover:

There were a few different covers available in the shop but I went for one with sparkles on it... because I like sparkles. Does anyone have a problem with that? Well maybe Mr Pettyfer who was on one of the other covers but it’s tough because he just ain’t my type.

Pricing the (possible) awesomeness:

I personally got this as part of a “buy one get one for £1” offer. So I either paid the paperback RRP of £7.99 or £1.you however could go on the site of amazingness aka Amazon and pick up this for £5.99 in paperback or £3.99 on Kindle. I’d go for the kindle version that’s half the RRP of the paperback.

Post Read Thoughts

I didn’t really enjoy this book much. There were moments when I’d get into it and think “yes, it’s getting into its stride!” only to suddenly grow bored halfway through a chapter. I have some of the same issues with this that I had with another book I read recently and those issues are that the conversations felt unnatural as did being inside John’s head. I realise that he’s an alien but he’s spent the majority of his life on Earth so he should know how Americans speak, the same goes for the other character actually. Just because the proper grammar is ‘where is’ doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t write ‘where’s’ which sounds more natural. The idea of the book is solid and given to the right kind of author could be incredible but this author just didn’t do the idea justice. Maybe it worked better as a film. It’s on my to-rent list.

John – He’s Number Four and the main character. To be honest I thought he was bland and very much lacking in personality. Maybe it’s a trait of the people of Lorien, but even if it is, that’s really not good. How are you meant to engage with a character that bores you to tears?

Sarah – She’s the dear, sweet girl who falls in love with John after about five minutes. What I want to know is why? No girl in their right mind would go for someone who only cares about how you look but since Sarah has decided that her looks are all she has she’s willing to date our boring hero. Probably for the best since she’s also lacking in the personality department. Her hobby is photography and it could have been so cool and so interesting but we never got to know her because all John sees is a pretty girl.

Henri – John’s legal guardian from Lorien. He’s spent his time on Earth keeping John from the Mogadorians. His personality is also MIA (are you noticing a trend with my descriptions of these characters yet?) so there isn’t really much to say about him. I didn’t feel anything for him but I didn’t hate him. He just happened to be in the book.

Overall another marmite book, I think you’ll either like it or you won’t. There’s no sitting on the fence with this and I’m on team ‘why on earth did I waste my time on this?’. I really didn’t like this and I wish that the synopsis hadn’t been so good, it makes the disappointment worse and the only person to blame is myself. This book is so generic and has nothing remarkable about it. It brings nothing new to the YA table. To end on a positive note the idea is incredible so I’m just gonna wait for the movie.

My Rating

2 stars – it’s average, hopelessly so and if I’m honest with you the author’s lucky I’ve read some truly diabolical stuff recently because it’s the only thing saving him from 1 star. I recommend this to YA romance fans who aren’t fussy about stilted conversations.

A Final Note

I wrote this review in 2011 and this was my view of the book at that time. (I lost my review book, I just found it so I figured these reviews deserved to be heard too.)

Also there’s a note about swearing. So if you’re sensitive to that beware maybe.