Category Archives: 5 Flames

THE DEMON IN ME
A Living in Eden Novel #1
Author: Michelle Rowen
Source: Purchased

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley (May 4, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425234681
ISBN-13: 978-0425234686

SUMMARY:

Hell hath no fury…

Fate has led Eden Riley to become a “psychic consultant” to the police, even though her abilities are unreliable at best. Those paranormal powers are about to get her into a jam she couldn’t have predicted: After her hunky police detective partner guns down a serial killer in front of her, Eden realizes that she’s quite literally no longer alone. A voice in her head introduces himself as Darrak. He’s a demon. But not in a bad way!

…Like a woman possessed.

Darrak lost his original body three hundred years ago, thanks to a witch’s curse. This is the first time he’s been able to speak directly to a host, plus there’s a bonus: Eden’s psychic energy helps him to take form during daylight hours. He wants to use this chance to find a way to break his curse – finally. Otherwise, Eden’s going to have to learn to live with this sexy demon … like it or not.

But she thinks she might like it.

MY THOUGHTS:

After falling in love with the author’s other books, I was excited to start another series by her.  Michelle Rowen always has the ability to create a new world with witty humor, fun characters and all at a great pace to keep me interested from beginning to end.  With this series, we meet Eden Riley.  Eden has a small touch of psychic in her that she has been using to help the police in unsolved cases.  In her first case with the police, she failed them.  Now as she tries again with the next case, she find herself working with a skeptical detective named Ben who happens to be a “Ken Doll” looking model.  To say she has a crush on him is putting it mildly.  When they enter a serial killers home to uncover clues, Eden finds herself face to face with the killer.  After Ben shoots the killer, Eden is overcome with black smoke that only she can see and quickly finds out that it was a cursed Demon that has now taken up residence in her body. 

Eden is the only one that can hear Darrak since he is literally living inside her body. After centuries of not being able to communicate with his hosts, Darrak is excited to finally have someone who can help him break a Black Witches curse that condemned this archdemon to his current predicament.  Since Eden is part psychic, Darrak can also take human form outside of her body during the daylight hours.  

The author did not disappoint with the fun and witty dialogue with this series.  Darrak was sexy, funny and oh so bad but in a good way.  You couldn’t help but feel the same way Eden does toward the demon.  She goes through shock, disbelief and eventually trust and love with the demon. 

With a fun plot, sexy demon and a psychic who is as skeptical as a non believer can be, this book will take you on a roller coaster of laughter, suspense and all out fun.  Darrak is a demon who could posses me anytime and take up permanent residence in my body! A well done beginning novel to a series that is sure to be a hit and one I look forward to reading the rest of!

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

ENCLAVE
Razorland #1
Author: Ann Aguirre
Source: Publisher
*I received this book free of charge 
in exchange for an honest review*

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (April 12, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312650086
ISBN-13: 978-0312650087

SUMMARY:

In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.

Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first she thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.

As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known.

MY THOUGHTS:

Wow! I am in awe of this book.  I will be the first to admit that I am not a big fan of the dystopia genre. I really didn’t start enjoying this genre until I read The Hunger Games series.  When the publisher sent me the copy of Enclave, I wondered if it was going to have the same impact on me.  I literally stayed up late reading this book.  I could not put it down.

Deuce and Fade were great together.  I found the writing to be wonderful and gripping.  I was rooting for these two young fighters.  I wanted a romance to blossom between the two.  Deuce has grown up underground and never seeing the topside of the world.  She has believed everything her elders have told her and is determined to make it as a Huntress.  In the underground world after the Apocalypse, they have Hunters, Breeders, and Builders.  Deuce has been chosen to become a Huntress.  When she officially becomes one, they have a naming ceremony where you receive your rank with marks on your body.  Whatever the blood drips on amongst the gifts laid at your feet, that becomes your name. Until this time you are just a number amongst all of the children that are referred to as Brats.

Fade came from Topside.  He lived above ground until he lost his way and the Enclave took him in and kept him under close watch.  They eventually marked him as a Hunter and is paired up with Deuce on her naming day.  At first, things are tense between the two, but on patrol they form a bond that sparks some romance.  We slowly learn more about Fade the more you read, and I grew to love him with every page I turned.  They were a perfect fit together that I enjoyed.

When they are both exiled from the Enclave, they are forced to live Topside.  Together they make new friends, find more enemies, and decide to find a better way of life.  As each one discovers new things about the other, the author also portrays the awe perfectly as the two find artifacts and learn new ways to survive.

When I reached the end of the book, some questions were left unanswered, but left you with just enough to satisfy you and keep you hungry for the next book in the series.  I wish we could have learned more about the cause of the Apocalypse from the beginning instead of in the authors notes at the end of the book.  I  am curious to know what comes after the last chapter and personally can’t wait for the next book titled Outpost that is scheduled for release in the Fall of 2012.  It will be a long wait, but if Enclave is just a sampling of what is to come, then it will be worth it!

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

PERFECT CHEMISTRY
Author: Simone Elkeles
Source: Purchased

Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers (December 23, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0802798225
ISBN-13: 978-0802798220

SUMMARY:

A modern tale of star-crossed lovers with a fresh urban twist. 

At Fairfield High School, on the outskirts of Chicago , everyone knows that south-siders mixing with north-siders can be explosive.  So when Brittany Ellis and Alejandro “Alex” Fuentes are forced to be lab partners in chemistry class, this human experiment leads to unexpected revelations – that Brittany ’s flawless reputation is a cover for her troubled home life, that Alex’s bad-boy persona  hides his desire to break free from gang ties, and that when they’re together, life somehow makes more sense.  Breaking through the stereotypes and expectations that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart, Perfect Chemistry takes readers to both sides of the tracks in a passionate love story about looking beneath the surface.

MY THOUGHTS:

In Fairfield, the school is divided between the rich north-siders and the gangs of the south-siders.  Brittany comes from the North side and seems perfect on the outside.  She has the brains, the beauty, and to others she has the perfect life.  In reality she has a Father who is hardly home, a Mother who is constantly trying to perfect everyone in the house, and a sister with disabilities.  She is always trying to make sure her life seems perfect even if she is crumbling on the inside.

Alex comes from the South Side where he is a member of the Latino Blood gang.  He secured himself in the gang to make sure his family is safe after the death of his Father.  Everyone at Fairfield High School steers clear of Alex.  They know he is part of a gang, and they have heard the rumors about him.  When Mrs.P, the chemistry teacher, pairs the two together for lab, it becomes the clash of the rich snob versus the poor gangster. 

I really enjoyed this book.  I have been dying to start this series after reading so much about it on other blogs, but I never seemed to have the time.  I finally decided to take a break from other books and start the series.  I loved the way Brittany acted around her sister.  I am glad the author decided to make her out to be the caring person that I was hoping for instead of the snobby rich girl who looks down on a disabled person.  You could really tell that the two loved each other and Brittany did everything in her power to keep her parents from shipping her away to a group home for disabled children.

Alex was tough on the outside, but when you first meet him interacting with his family, you knew that this bad boy was going to capture your heart throughout the book.  He truly believes being apart of the gang is protecting his family until he starts to question the death of his Father.  His friend Paco, also captured my interest in this book and I was really hoping he would talk some sense into Alex.

When the two start to fall for each other, you can actually feel the struggle the two are going through on the inside.  The author did an amazing job with her writing and I loved how each chapter was in either Alex or Brittany’s point of view.  The progression of the story was done at a wonderful pace and believable as well.  The only issue I had with the book is the Spanish.  I don’t speak that much Spanish, and I didn’t understand some of the phrases that were being said by the characters, but it didn’t bother me too much.  I could still understand what was going on between it all.

A great book with the perfect amount of chemistry between two main characters that has me craving the next book in the series.

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

MOCKINGJAY
Book Three in the Hunger Games Series
Author: Suzanne Collins
Source: Purchased

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press; 1 edition (August 24, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0439023513
ISBN-13: 978-0439023511

SUMMARY:

Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy will keep young hearts pounding.

MY THOUGHTS:

I actually finished this book a day before posting this review.  I couldn’t bring myself to write and post the review of this book right away because of the effect this book had on me.  I went through anger, sadness, awe, and even more heartbreak.  I literally had to step away from this book several times while reading it because I was so overcome with emotions. This has not happened in a long time when reading a book for me. 


After the ending of Catching Fire, I was heartbroken.  Yet, with Mockingjay, I was to the point of depression at the end of it.  The author didn’t fail in the action department, even if it did feel a little rushed near the end.  I could not believe the author sacrificed some characters in this book as well that I had grown to love.  I was literally in tears with an empty box of tissues by the end of the book.  I did not want to accept the deaths of beloved characters.  I also did not want the series to end.  The epilogue was beautiful, yet it was not the way I wanted it to end.  I wanted more!  I wanted to know what life brings to the rest of the characters that still lived!  For such an amazing trilogy that was a roller coaster of emotions, I wanted the ending to be more.  It was like the author was slow at the beginning and it built up to this big finale, but she lost the spark at the end of Mockingjay.  


Even though I never had much interest in reading this series, I am so glad I did.  I can personally say that this is one of the top series I have ever read.  I didn’t sleep much, my house is in shambles from not cleaning, and I might have lost a few pounds from not taking a break to eat and from the emotional ride it took me on.  If you have been hesitant in reading this series like I was, don’t be!  You will not be disappointed!

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

CATCHING FIRE
Book Two in The Hunger Games Trilogy
Author: Suzanne Collins
Source: Purchased

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 391 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press; 1 edition (September 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0439023491
ISBN-13: 978-0439023498

SUMMARY:

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the annual competition described in Hunger Games, but the aftermath leaves these victors with no sense of triumph. Instead, they have become the poster boys for a rebellion that they never planned to lead. That new, unwanted status puts them in the bull’s-eye for merciless revenge by The Capitol. Catching Fire maintains the adrenaline rush of Suzanne Collins’s series launch.

MY THOUGHTS:

Sometimes when I find a series that I am enjoying so immensely, the follow up books to the first one don’t seem to measure up with the wow factor.  When I finished The hunger Games, the first book in the series, the games were over and I didn’t know what the author was going to be able to do to keep the momentum going for the next book.  All I can say is WOW!  She brought back the suspense, intrigue, drama and romance so hard that I didn’t think it were even possible.


When Peeta and Katniss arrive back to District 12 after winning the Hunger Games, they didn’t know what to expect.  They thought they were done being included in the Capitol’s court of jesters called The Hunger Games.  They knew there would be some backlash after what they did in the arena, but they never expected what the officials end up doing to them in Catching Fire.  


I literally was on the edge of my seat, hands gripping the pages, the whole time reading this book.  I will even go as far to say that this book surpasses the first book in so many ways!  I enjoyed it even more than the first book and I didn’t think that was even possible.  When I read about Peeta I think of bread and wedding cakes with love.  When I think of Katniss I imagine birds in flight struggling to survive.  With Gale, I imagine the rock in the family with emotions bottled up.  With Haymitch, I was still unsure of his motives, so he had me going in all sorts of directions! Then enter Finnick with his good looks, humor and sugar cubes!  I will never look at a sugar cube the same way again!


I finished this book within a matter of hours and yes, my house and family suffered for it.  They fended for themselves in the kitchen, clothes were having to be dug out of bottom of drawers since laundry ceased to be cleaned, and they even had to break down and do the dishes themselves just so I could keep reading this outstanding book. If you haven’t started this series yet, you are truly missing out on amazing writing and an emotional roller coaster!  Go out, pick them up, and read them!  


MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS