Alien: Echo - Review

Title:  Alien: Echo

Author: Mira Grant

Series: “An original young adult novel of the Alien universe”

Synopsis:  “Olivia and her twin sister Viola have been dragged around the universe for as long as they can remember.  Their parents, both xenobiologists, are always in high demand for their research into obscure alien biology.

     “Just settled on a new colony world, they discover an alien threat unlike anything they’ve ever seen.  And suddenly the sisters’ world is ripped apart.

     “On the run from terrifying aliens, Olivia’s knowledge of xenobiology and determination to protect her sister are her only weapons as the colony collapses into chaos.  But then a shocking family secret bursts open – one that’s as horrifying to Olivia as the aliens surrounding them.

     “The creatures infiltrate the rich wildlife on this virgin colony world – and quickly start adapting.  Olivia’s going to have to adapt, too, if she’s going to survive.”

Coming from Titan books 10/29/19

Coming from Titan books 7/30/19.

Review:  I’ve spoken before about how much I love the Alien franchise.  I was very excited to find out that there are several new Alien books being released this year.  Alien: Echo by Mira Grant is the first this year, Alien: Isolation by Keith DeCandido releases on July 30 and Alien: Prototype by Tim Waggoner releases on October 29. 

     I accidentally bought both a digital copy (Kindle) and a hardcover copy of Alien: Echo because I got so excited when I saw it at Barnes & Noble I forgot I had preordered it for my Kindle.  (This actually happens to me a lot.  Don’t judge.  I like books more than I like people.)  I read it in 3 hours when I got home from the bookstore.  I just plopped down on the couch, started reading, and didn’t move until I finished.  I mean it.  I didn’t get a drink.  I didn’t have any reading snacks.  I didn’t even go to the bathroom.  I’m pretty sure my husband tried to talk to me and I didn’t even pause to give him the death glare. That’s how good it is.

     Mira Grant is one of my favorite authors, and Alien is one of my favorite series.  (I’ll read anything written by Mira Grant, no questions asked.)  Put the two of these together and it’s a match made in heaven.  The world building and character development that went into this novel is amazing.  Olivia is an awesome character.  Even without the chest bursting aliens, they don’t show up until about halfway through the book, I would have loved a book about her.  She’s the new girl, and her parents are weird.  She has a mysterious twin sister that nobody has ever met; and a crush on one of the popular girls at school.  She even breaks the rules to impress the girl she has a crush on.  She is definitely a well written teenager!  The world is awesome.  It’s Mira Grant, so of course the xenobiology is well thought out and well written.  Also, there are chest bursting aliens.  You don’t want to miss this one!  If you’re like me you may even get so excited you accidentally buy two copies!

Publisher:  Imprint

If you like this book you may want to read:

Newsflesh Trilogy by Mira Grant

Harmony by Lilith Saintcrow

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff (read BookGirlR’s review here)

H2O - Review

Title: H2O

Author:   Virginia Bergin

Series:  The Rain #1

Synopsis:  “They don’t believe it at first.  Crowded in Zach’s kitchen, Ruby and the rest of the partygoers laugh at Zach’s parents’ frenzied push to get them all inside as it starts to drizzle.  But then the radio comes on with the warning, “It’s in the rain!  It’s fatal, it’s contagious, and there’s no cure.”

    “Two weeks later, Ruby is alone.  Anyone who’s been touched by rain or washed their hands with tap water is dead.  The only drinkable water is quickly running out.  Ruby’s only chance for survival is a treacherous hike across the country to find her father – if he’s even still alive”

Review:  This book was a very different take on the classic apocalypse story.  There have been stories of stuff in the rain before, but not quite like this.  I felt a connection with Ruby; I would be very concerned with trapped and helpless pets as well. I’ve wondered before, when contemplating apocalyptic scenarios, what would happen to people’s pets when so many people die in such a short time frame. 

H2O made me laugh, and it made me cry.  I became very emotionally involved in Ruby’s struggle to find her father.  I’ve read some other reviews that complained about Ruby pushing people away and about her changing moods.  Ummm… She’s a teenager who has just been through an extremely traumatic event.  I would like to see you remain level headed and emotionally stable after losing everyone and everything you loved.  Ignore those reviews; the reviewers clearly aren’t thinking clearly themselves.  I highly recommend H2O for fans of YA dystopian and apocalyptic novels. 

Publisher:   Sourcebooks Fire

If you like this book you may want to read:

The Storm (The Rain #2) by Virginia Bergin

The 5^th Wave (read BookGirlR’s review here) by Rick Yancey

The 5th Wave - Review

Title:   The 5^th Wave

Author:   Rick Yancey

Series:  The 5^th Wave #1

Synopsis:     “After the 1^st wave, only darkness remains.  After the 2^nd, only the lucky escape.  And after the 3^rd, only the unlucky survive.  After the 4^th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

     “Now, it’s the dawn of the 5^th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them.  The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see.  Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors.  To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker.  Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother – or even saving herself.  But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death.  To give up or to get up.”

Review:  I grabbed this novel on a whim.  When I bought it the movie was coming out soon.  Well, I brought it home and added it to my TBR pile.  I haven’t seen the movie yet because I wanted to read the book first, but never seemed to get around to reading it.  Well now I’ve read it, and I’m very sorry that I didn’t read it sooner.  I still haven’t seen the movie, but you guys know that I would rather read than watch tv or movies most of the time.

     The 5th Wave is a fun alien invasion YA novel.  There’s a little bit of teenage angst, but you have to expect that in any YA novel, and honestly this one is not as bad as some others I’ve read.  I like Cassie, and I found myself getting emotionally involved in her search for her brother, and her struggle over whom to trust.  This novel made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me chew on my lips (a disgusting nervous habit I know).  I love novels about alien invasion, and if you love them too you should check out The 5th Wave. 

Publisher:  G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

If you like this book you may want to read:

Orleans by Sherri L. Smith

Monument 14 (Monument 14 #1) by Emmy Laybourne

Life As We Knew It (Last Survivors #1) by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Check out BookGirlR’s review here)

Illuminae - Review

Title: Illuminae

Author:  Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Series:  The Illuminae Files #1

Synopsis:  “This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.  This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

     “The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe.  Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it.  With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra – who are barely even talking to each other – are forced to flight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

     “But their problems are just getting started.  A deadly plague has broken out and it mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually by their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on.  As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.”

Review:  I love this novel!  First of all I love the format, There really is no one single narrator; Illuminae is told through a series of recovered documents, emails, instant messages, and more.  The closest thing I’ve read to this is World War Z by Max Brooks, but Illuminae is even more unique than that outstanding novel. 

     Illuminae sucks you in with the invasion of a planet and the frantic flight of two teenagers trying to escape.  The next thing you know there’s a possibly homicidal AI on a spaceship and the people on board are struggling to survive not only the aforementioned invaders, but the crazy AI on-board.  I started reading Illuminae at bedtime and finished at 4 am.  I just could not put it down.  I grabbed the sequel, Gemina, as soon as it came out and loved it just as much (review coming soon).  Run, don’t walk, to go get this book and read it ASAP.  You won’t regret it!

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers/ Random House

If you like this book you may want to read:

Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

City of Savages - Review

Title:  City of Savages

Author:  Lee Kelly

Synopsis:  “It’s been nearly two decades since the breakout of the third world war.  Manhattan is now a prisoner-of-war camp ruled by island native Rolladin, who controls the city’s survivors with an iron fist.  For Skyler Miller, Manhattan is a cage that keeps her from the world beyond the city’s borders.  But for Sky’s younger sister, Phee, the Central Park POW Camp is the only home she’d ever want.

     “When strangers arrive in the park, carrying a shocking message, Sky and Phee discover there’s more to Manhattan – and their family – than either of them had ever imagined.  As disturbing secrets about the island begin to surface Sky and Phee have no choice but to break the rules to uncover the full truth of their long-shrouded history.  When their quest for answers erupts into violence, Sky and Phee must flee into Manhattan’s depths, where their quest for a better future will force them to confront the island’s dark and shocking past.”

Review:  I love post-apocalyptic fiction.  I read a lot of it, and I’m picky about it.  City of Savages was a fun read.  I enjoyed the premise, and the author did an excellent job of maintaining the tension throughout the novel, building to a nail biting, edge of your seat climax.  There were plenty of surprises and unexpected reveals.  However I found that the two sisters, Sky and Phee, were much too similar and very flat.  The story is told from their alternating points of view and flashbacks involving a diary.  I frequently found myself forgetting whose point of view I was experiencing.  The beginning of each chapter tells you, but Sky and Phee think and act so similar that it was very confusing.  I recommend reading City of Savages, but be prepared for two main characters who are a bit bland and stereotypical. 

Publisher:  Saga Press

If you like this book you may want to read:

Undertow by Michael Buckley

The 5^th Wave (5^th Wave #1) by Rick Yancey

Afterworlds - Review

Title: Afterworlds
Author: Scott Westerfeld

Synopsis: “BELIEVING IS DANGEROUS…
      “Darcy Patel is afraid to believe all the hype. But it’s really happening – her teen novel is getting published. Instead of heading to college, she’s living in New York City, where she’s welcomed into the dazzling world of YA publishing. That means book tours, parties with her favorite authors, and finding means sleepless nights rewriting her first draft and struggling to find the perfect ending… all while dealing with the intoxicating, terrifying experience of falling in love – with another writer.               “Told in alternating chapters is Darcy’s novel, the thrilling story of Lizzie, who wills her way into the afterworld to survive a deadly terrorist attack. With survival comes the responsibility to guide the ghost with whom she shares a surprising personal connection. But Lizzie’s not alone in her new calling – she has counsel from a fellow spirit guide, a very desirable one, who is torn between wanting Lizzie and warning her that… BELIEVING IS DANGEROUS.”

Review: I enjoyed reading Afterworlds. What Westerfeld has done with this novel is awesome. I loved reading about Lizzie’s life and her struggle to adapt to life as a published author and life as an adult, alternating chapters with her first novel. When I first started reading I wasn’t sure I was going to like the alternating chapters, but as I got further into the story I began to enjoy it more and more as I followed Lizzie’s struggle with copyedits, and then read the sections of her novel with which she had been having such issues. I enjoyed the meta aspect of reading a novel that contains a character writing a novel and the novel as it’s being written.
      I recommend Afterworlds for fans of YA and fans of paranormal genre fiction.

Publisher: Simon Pulse

If you like this book you may want to read:

The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld

The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle (read BookGirlR’s review here)

Life As We Knew It - Review

Title:   Life As We Knew It   

Author:  Susan Beth Pfeffer

Series:   Last Survivors #1

Synopsis:  “When a meteor hits the moon and knocks it closer in orbit to the earth, nothing will ever be the same. 

“Worldwide tidal waves.

“Earthquakes.

“Volcanic eruptions.

“And that’s just the beginning.”

Review:  I love apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction almost as much as I love the subject of the impending zombie apocalypse.  Life As We Knew It is intended for young adults.  It is set up as the diary entries of a girl named Miranda.  The dying, the horror and the bloodshed that would be sure to happen during this type of apocalypse are only hinted at.  The main focus of this apocalyptic novel is a teenage girl dealing with being a teenage girl in the midst of a disaster.  Miranda is attempting to deal with her parents being divorced, her father’s new wife having a baby, her brother away at college and whether or not she is going to take skating lessons again.  And, oh yeah, the moon has been knocked into a closer orbit, causing freak weather, erratic tides and electrical storms, meaning Life As We Knew It is over.  Pfeffer’s novel is excellent and I highly recommend it. 

Publisher:   Graphia

ISBN:  978-0152061548

If you like this book you may want to read:

The Dead and the Gone (Last Survivors #2) by Susan Beth Pfeffer

The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle (see BookGirlR’s review here)

Dies the Fire by S.M. Stirling

The Farm - Review

Title: The Farm
Author: Emily McKay
Series: The Farm #1

Synopsis: “Life was different in the before: before vampires began devouring humans in a swarm across America; before the surviving young people were rounded up and quarantined. These days, we know what those quarantines are – holding pens where human blood is turned into more food for the undead monsters, known as Ticks. Surrounded by electrical fences, most kids try to survive the Farms by turning on each other…
      “And when trust is a thing of the past, escape is nearly impossible. “Lily and her twin sister, Mel, have a plan. Though Mel can barely communicate, her autism helps her notice things no one else does – like the portion of electrical fence that gets turned off every night. Getting across won’t be easy, but as Lily gathers what they need to escape, a familiar face appears of out nowhere, offering to help…
      “Carter was a schoolmate of Lily’s in the Before. Managing to evade capture until now, he has valuable knowledge of the outside world. But like everyone on the Farm, Carter has his own agenda, and he knows that behind the Ticks is an even more dangerous threat to the human race…”

Review:   The Farm was wonderful. I read it in one afternoon, in one sitting. Seriously, I didn't even get up to eat or pee. Mel and Lily are great characters faced with a tough decision. Lily doesn't always make the right decisions but everything that she does is because of her love and concern for her sister. I love books with strong female characters. Women don’t always need to be rescued by a man. It’s nice to have another person to lean on occasionally, no one can be strong alone forever, but having a man swoop in to save the day is just insulting. Author Emily McKay allows Lily to be strong. She leans on the people around her when she needs to, but she doesn't have to.
      In my opinion there is an obvious flaw in The Farm. I was a bit turned off by the “head hopping”. If you have read my other reviews then you know that I do not like first person narratives that jump around between more than one character. If you’re going to write in first person then pick a character and stick with them. If you can’t tell your story that way then first person is not the correct point of view for your story! That said, I was able to overlook that flaw and enjoy The Farm. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Publisher: Berkley
ISBN: 978-0425257807

If you like this book you may want to read:

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan








 The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle see BookGirlR’s review here.

The Outside - Review

Title: The Outside

Author: Laura Bickle

Series: Sequel to The Hallowed Ones

Synopsis: “The world is not what it once was.  Two thirds of the population has been killed by a plague of vampires, and the survivors hide out in isolated territories – both protected and trapped by forces beyond their understanding. 

          Exiled from her Amish community and shunned for her refusal to adhere to the new rules of survival, Katie enters an outside world of unspeakable violence with only her two “English” friends and a horse by her side.  Together they seek answers wherever they can find them – but each sunset brings the threat of vampire attack, and each sunrise, the threat of starvation.

          “And yet through this darkness come the shining ones: luminescent men and women with the power to deflect vampires and survive the night.  But can these new people be trusted, and are they even people at all?

          “In this thrilling sequel to The Hallowed Ones, it’s up to one Amish girl to save her family, her community, and the boy she loves.  But what will she have to leave behind in return?”

Review:  First of all, if you haven’t read The Hallowed Ones stop reading this and go read my review of that one.  Then go read that book first.  I mean it.  Go now.

          Okay, is everyone who hasn't read The Hallowed Ones gone?  Good.  Here we go.   This book continues the story that was started in The Hallowed Ones.  Katie, Alex, Ginger and Horace (the horse) are struggling to survive after being cast out of the Amish Community that Katie called home.  I stayed up way past my bedtime to read this book.  I should have known better, but I love to read in bed before going to sleep and so I started reading The Outside about an hour before I absolutely had to go to sleep.  I finished 4 hours later.  It was 345am.  I was so very tired at work the next day.  I was grumpy, and I’m almost never grumpy.  Laura Bickle owes my boyfriend and my work peeps an apology.  The Outside was amazing.  I am an animal lover, to the extreme (I’ll post pics of my spoiled rotten cats for you sometime), and so when animals appear in the cast of characters for a novel I get nervous.  When authors cruelly kill off those fuzzy characters I get very upset and generally will avoid novels by those authors in the future, and so I got nervous when Katie and her crew came across the private “zoo” with the caged animals.  I know many people feel the same way I do about animals, so I will go ahead and say read The Outside.  There’s a crazy preacher man, undead bikers, and glow in the dark scientists, how awesome is all that? I was caught up in the spell of this story and could not put it down until I had reached the end, no matter how tired I was.  Read it, read it, read it!

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

ISBN: 978-0544000131

If you like this book you may want to read:

 Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter (review coming soon) ISBN: 978-0373210893

Plague Town by Dana Fredsti ISBN: 978-0857686350

The Hallowed Ones - Review

Title:  The Hallowed Ones

Author: Laura Bickle

Synopsis:  “Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers are free to experience non-Amish culture before officially joining the church.  But before Rumspringa arrives, Katie’s safe world starts to crumble.  It begins with a fiery helicopter crash in the cornfields, followed by rumors of massive unrest and the disappearance of huge numbers of people all over the world.  Something is out there … and it is making a killing.

         

          “Unsure why they haven’t yet been attacked, the Amish Elders make a decree: No one goes outside their community, and no one is allowed in.  But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man lying just outside the boundary of their land, she can’t leave him to die.  She refuses to submit to the Elders’ rule and secretly brings the stranger into her community – but what else is she bringing in with him?”

Review:  I spent all of my teenage years in a Mennonite Community.  I walked the walk, talked the talk, dressed the dress… whatever you want to call it.  I immersed myself in the culture and I loved it.  We still had cars and telephones, although back then hardly anyone had cell phones, so it wasn't as extreme as the Amish.  I tell you this so you understand that when I saw the cover of The Hallowed Ones I absolutely had to have it.  Some of my family still follows many of the Mennonite ways, although I am no longer living in the Mennonite Community for those of you that wonder.  My Mother’s nearest neighbors are Amish, and I am very familiar with their beliefs and customs.  I understand that each Amish community is a bit different, but I was a tad disappointed in Bickle’s portrayal of the Amish.  Two points: 1) The Amish do not pray out loud at meals.  They pray silently before and after a meal.  2) The Amish do not believe that they can know they are going to heaven as this would lead to pride.  Now I understand that this may garner me some flack as each community is different.  However I have been led to understand, by the Amish that I know, that these are rigid rules and beliefs that should be the same in every community.  I also understand that there is such a thing as poetic license which is why I will not let this small disappointment tarnish my love of this book.

          I did love The Hallowed Ones.  I read it in less than a day.  It was my birthday and I treated myself to a trip to Barnes and Noble.  I bought a lot of books.  At one point a salesperson offered me a basket.  I declined because my rule is that I can’t buy more books than I can carry.  A few minutes later another salesperson offered to take some of the books to a register for me.  She looked very concerned for my safety.  I can carry a lot of books!  Okay, back to the book.  The cover of The Hallowed Ones grabbed my attention right away.  I didn’t really pay attention to what it was about until I got home; I just knew that I needed this book with the Amish girl on the cover. 

The Hallowed Ones is a horror novel about an apocalypse told from the perspective of an Amish teenager.  It was wonderful.  I was sad when I finished it.  It made me angry and it made me sad.  It made me smile and it made my heart pound.  I loved Katie and the fact that she didn’t just blindly follow along with what the Elders told everyone to do like a sheep.  She loved her community but wanted to understand the reasons that they did things the way that they did.  She knew that she would most likely end up choosing the Amish life but wanted to experience life outside of the community first and all of that was ruined by this disaster. 

When we read and write novels about apocalypse or dystopian earth we rarely consider what would happen to these people who already live apart from the rest of society.  With no phones, no television and no radio, these communities would be the last to know about a disaster and the least affected by one.  The Hallowed Ones was very original and told a story that many of us have not really considered before now. 

Publisher: Graphia / Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

ISBN: 978-0547859262

If you like this book you may want to read:

Obernewtyn: The Obernewtyn Chronicles book 1 by Isobelle Carmody

The Forrest of Hands and Teeth Series by Carrie Ryan

Gateway - Review

Title:  Gateway

Author: Sharon Shinn

Synopsis: “Adopted from China and raised in St. Louis, Daiyu is used to feeling a little out of place, a little restless.  But what kind of adventure is there in the Midwest?  One day, while she’s at a city fair near the Gateway Arch, Daiyu spots a gorgeous black jade ring, and when the elderly vendor tells her that “black jade” translates to “Daiyu”, she impulsively buys the ring and wears it as a token of her heritage.

          “It is much more.

          “Daiyu walks through the Arch on her way home.  She never gets there.  Instead, she passes into another world, another version of St. Louis – where almost everyone is Chinese.

          “Now she has more adventure than she could ever have imagined.  Taken to a safe house, she is trained as a spy in order to help topple the existing government.  Daiyu spends hours learning  refined manners and niceties and flirtations to pass among the elite – and steals moments to be with handsome Kalen, the only person in the alternate world whom she truly trusts, or truly loves.

          “There is only one problem.  Once her task is done, she must return to her own St. Louis, and leave Kalen behind… forever.”

Review:  I should start out by saying that I love Sharon Shinn’s novels.  Her Samaria Novels and The Twelve Houses Novels are my favorites.  When I picked up Gateway I somehow failed to miss the fact that it’s a young adult novel.  Not that there’s anything wrong with young adult novels.  I read plenty of them.  It’s just not what I was expecting when I picked up Gateway. 

          That said, even though it’s not what I was expecting, this is an amazing story.  I love Daiyu, and her quirky family reminded me of my own family.  The descriptions of the worlds and the people were fascinated and rich with a new culture.  Kalen and Daiyu stole my heart with their young love and innocence.  As a bonus surprise Gateway didn’t end the way that I thought it was going to.  Usually I can have the ending of a novel figured out about halfway through reading it, and with Gateway I thought that I had.  Nope, surprise!  This was a delightful, quick read that I highly recommend. 

Publisher: Viking

ISBN: 978-0670011780

If you like this book you may want to read:

Archangel by Sharon Shinn (ISBN: 978-0441004324)

Abarat by Clive Barker (ISBN: 978-0062094100)

Blood Magic - Review

Title: Blood Magic
Author: Tessa Gratton


Synopsis: “It starts off simply. Draw a circle… place a dead leaf in the center… sprinkle some salt… recite a little Latin… add a drop of blood…
“Maybe that last part isn’t exactly simple. Yet somehow if feels right to Silla Kennicott. And nothing in her life has felt remotely right since her parents’ horrific deaths. She’s willing to do anything to uncover the truth about her family- even try a few spells from the mysterious book that arrived on her doorstep… and spill some blood.
“The book isn’t the only recent arrival in Silla’s life. There’s Nick Pardee, the new guy next door who may have seen Silla casting a spell. She’s not sure what he saw and is afraid to find out. But as they spend more time together, Silla realizes that this may not be Nick’s first encounter with blood magic. Brought together by a combination of fate and chemistry, Silla and Nick can’t deny the dark presence lurking nearby – waiting to reclaim the book and all its power.”



Review: I have mixed feelings about Blood Magic. First, I thought that part of it was predictable. About halfway through the novel I had figured out who the “bad guy” was and I could easily tell who Gratton wanted us to think the “bad guy” was. Nick’s issues with his new stepmother were highly cliché and therefore, boring. Also, Silla’s interest in Nick felt rather forced. Both of her parents have just died, her life is in an upheaval. I need a stronger reason for their relationship than “OMG He saw me do magic and he’s really hot” for this to be believable. My last complaint, and this is a purely personal complaint, is that the sections that were letters from Silla’s Dad are in a font that is supposed to look more like true handwriting and these were really hard to read. I ended up with a wicked headache even though I was wearing my reading glasses.
Thus said, even though it was kind of predictable and I kept telling myself: “You know what’s going on and who did it. Why don’t you go watch some tv instead?” I read Blood Magic in two sittings and had trouble putting it down. It took me little while to figure out why. But I had an epiphany while I was eating breakfast this morning (a cheddar and broccoli omelet with whole wheat toast and coffee); it was probably an effect of the coffee waking up my brain. So here it is. I really liked the story. I love the idea of magic being something in the blood of a person. And I couldn’t figure out everything. The story about who Silla’s Dad really was caught me by surprise, and Silla’s use of imaginary masks to hide behind amused me. . Even though parts of it were predictable, and I got a headache from the silly handwriting font, I found the story engrossing and enjoyable.

Publisher: Random House
ISBN:978-0375867330

If you like this book you may want to read:



Other by Karen Kincy (ISBN: 978-0738719191)Read my review here.



Book of Shadows by Cate Tiernan (ISBN: 978-0142409862)