Jess Peters's Blog, page 27

Demon of Mine (The Devil Heart Boys Book 1) by Caroline Peckham

This is there first book in the series although it can be read as a standalone as well.

Jack Mandeville just became my worst enemy and cruellest nightmare.

He hates the world.

Hates blondes.

But most of all, he hates me.

The worst thing about all of that? I have to live with him.

When my life falls apart and I’m taken in by the father of the devil himself in one of the most prestigious parts of London, I quickly discover there’s something seriously strange about Mandeville Place. Something supernatural.

My dreams are disturbed by dark spirits. And it sounds totally mad, but I’m certain something in this house is pushing me toward the boy who’s sworn to make my life a living hell if I don’t keep away from him.

Avoiding him at school is not easy. Him and his intimidating friends run this place, including every student and teacher in it. They’ve already turned the whole school against me and I know if I step a toe out of line things are going to get much worse.

I have to figure out what the ghostly presence in the house is trying to tell me. But that means discovering how far Jack will go to keep me away.

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good mix of paranormal, mystery and romance. The story was great, the plot developed well and the characters were great.

Elle was a good character. She went through so much, yet managed to stay strong and came out of it better. She learnt things about herself which she didn’t even know.

Jack was also a great character. We saw him go in a full circle. The tough jerk who evidently has a soft side.

The romance between them was great to see develop. From hate to love.

I also enjoyed the paranormal mystery involved. Crime, demons and ghosts. This book had it all.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book.

My rating: 5/5*

When Death is Calling: Whisper of Demon by Henry Taba

This is the second book in the series.

He found his love. But a demon is whispering to him. He must redeem what he loved.

Westcliffe Patel, an orphan from a small town—Sagepond, has spent half of his life wandering alone. He thought, to prevent someone from leaving him, he should never have invited them into his life from the start. However, things changed—he found his love. Just when he thought life might get better, a whisper haunted him. To prevent his lover from becoming the next victim, he killed the demon. Soon, he realizes the target mark used by the demon to mark its prey was never erased, or maybe the demon never died. In his desperation to unveil the truth, he must deal with his past and his own insecurities.

This book was good. The characters are good and the storyline is enjoyable.

Westcliffe is a good main character. His character development led on well from the first. It nice to see how his relationship with Adel has grown and nice to see how he is dealing with her having the mark.

I liked Benson in this book too. He is dealing with his loss of Mary and I liked the fact he always seemed to have a level head and to be the voice of reason

The storyline in this book was good. It was interesting to see them go into Herocus’s world. The descriptions were good and I liked the idea behind their weapons to use against Harocus. I liked how they developed from the first.

Unfortunately though, it just didn’t grab me as much as the first book did. At a few points, I was a little lost on where the story was at and personally, I think it was because of the tense it was written in. I think the story would have probably flowed better if it was in first person. This is probably more of a personal preference though.

I would recommend that it is made clear in the title and description that this is a sequel. It’s only really mentioned on the front cover which could be easily missed online.

Overall, it is a good story and I think if you read the first book and like that, you’d get on well with this book.

I would recommend it, although it just didn’t quite grab me as much as I would have liked.

My rating: 3/5*

Zodiac Academy 3: The Reckoning by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

This is the third book in the Supernatural Bullies and Beasts series.

The answer to your question will be revealed on the Lunar Eclipse.

But when finding the truth, don’t let the shadows take you.

The week of The Reckoning has begun. And senior students have been tasked with making the freshmen’s lives pure hell as they prepare to take their fateful assessment.

With the Lunar Eclipse on the horizon, Tory and Darcy have more to worry about than just passing their exams. A dark plot is unfolding and the shadows are drawing closer…

I love this series and I think it’s a masterpiece.

The characters are brilliant. The storyline is fantastic and it is written so well.

Darcy and Tory are brilliant. They have their similarities, especially being twins, and yet there are differences which make them both unique.

Lance Orion and Darcy are everything in this book. I absolutely love their relationship and I’m totally routing for them. Reading their relationship towards eachother develop had me feeling excited as they are just so suited.

I think with Tory, that Darius is better matched with him. Caleb is generally the nicer guy, and I love reading their relationship grow, but I’m finding myself routing for Darius more.

I think the 4 guys have their point of views every so often makes you feel differently towards them. It doesn’t make what they do any better, but it puts an understanding to their actions. So getting inside Darius’s head is probably why I’m routing for him with Tory. There’s so much more to him than mets the eye and I feel that theirs more emotions between him and Tory as oppose to with Caleb.

The storyline was brilliant and the plot developed at a good pace. I just love the world building behind it all. You can really picture everything playing out in your mind. I’m glad we have got to see the girls Order’s too.

I would absolutely and completely recommend this series. It’s one of the bath that I’ve read this year. It gets you completely invested in the characters and story.

I can’t wait for the next book.

My rating: 5/5*

Royals of Villain Academy 1: Cruel Magic by Eva Chase

This is the first book in the Royals of Villain Academy series.

I thought I was ordinary Rory Franco: college student, artist, and over-protected daughter. Then mages barge into my family’s home, murder my parents, and whisk me off to a university known to the rest of magical society as Villain Academy.

It turns out I’m Persephone Bloodstone, the long lost heir to one of the five royal families of dark magic. I’m destined to learn how to manipulate the world with fear—and to stand beside the four other scions: the scorching-hot, arrogant young men who rule this school.

Unfortunately, I’m having trouble locating my supposedly wicked skills. I don’t want to use a power that feeds off people’s pain, but I have to tap into my talents fast if I want to survive. I’ve got no time to grieve for my family. The students here are even more vicious than the teachers, and my fellow scions are worst of all.

The four of them crush anyone who doesn’t kowtow. No way will I bow to any villain, no matter how brutally alluring. They can turn on the charm or tear me down, but they can’t break me, even if I can barely get my magic working.

They’ve never met anyone like me before. I don’t care about ruling. I just want to avenge the people I loved.

It doesn’t matter what kind of power runs through my veins. I’m taking Villain Academy down.

I enjoyed reading this book. The storyline was great, the plot developed well and the characters were good.

Rory was a great main character. She was thrown into the new life and went through such a tough time. She never backed down and stuck to her beliefs, even after everything which happened to her. You have to admire that will power. I’m looking forward to seeing her grow more.

Malcolm is an arsehole. He is so adamant on knocking her down. Jude was much better. Connar started to grow on me until nearer the end. I’m hoping he redeems himself. Declan is better than them all, but he isn’t sticking up for her either. I’m hoping he grows a backbone at some point.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. It was an enjoyable read. The storyline is great and the characters are great. I’m looking forward to reading the next book.

My rating: 5/5*

Variant (Variant book 1) by T. C. Edge

This is the first book in the Variant seris set within the Enhanced universe.

All Variants live by one rule – you run, you hide…or you die.

Ever since the disappearance of her father, Paige Adler has been hiding in the system. She spends her days packing ration boxes, and her nights on the hunt, secretly seeking justice against those who prey on her people.

Just like her father once did.

One night, when tracking a killer, Paige stumbles upon something far bigger than her own personal vendetta…

In the shadows of the city, the Resistance still lingers, all but destroyed fifteen years before. Her father once fought for them, and it cost him his life. Now, they want Paige to join them too.

Drawn in by a handsome but mysterious Variant, Paige soon discovers that the enemy is building a secret weapon, one that could destroy not only the Resistance, but all Variants, once and for all.

In order to survive, they have to fight. And Paige, her powers, and her past, might just be the key to the future…

I enjoyed reading this book. The characters were good and the storyline was good. It was refreshing to see yet another side to the Enhanced world.

Paige was a good character. She was clearly clever and I enjoyed seeing her life and gifts. For such a clever character though, she did think a little bit immature at times, especially after being told no. I think instead of thinking rashly like she did, there were better ways of going around it. She was a good character nonetheless ad I’m looking forward to seeing how she develops.

The storyline was good as well. Like every other series in the Enhanced world, the life they live is so different. The plot developed well, although I found it a little bit slower than usual. I’m looking forward to seeing how it continues to develop though.

Overall, this book was very enjoyable to read. It can easily be read as a standalone series, or it can be read with the rest of the Enhanced series.

I would definitely recommend it.

My rating/ 4/5*

Lingering by Melissa Simonson

Death doesn’t have to be the end.

With Lingering, your departed loved ones are only ever a text message or phone call away.*

Say all those things you should have said. Get their advice, hear their comforting words, Tell them of your struggles, triumphs, and problems. Let them celebrate your achievements and soothe your fears like they used to. Everyone is welcome, and consultations are always free.

*Some conditions may apply. Please call for further details.

This book was an enjoyable read and there was some thought provoking moments. The story developed well and the plot moved at a good pace.

We go on a journey with Ben and see him dealing with his grief a few months after his fiancé was brutally murdered. It really is a journey as well and I feel like I really know Carissa now. I really liked Ben and really felt for him, although some of his decisions were questionable.

The other characters were also good and I particularly liked Joe. It was another view on how to cope with grief and him and Ben coped in completely different ways, and yet helped eachother through it.

The character building was brilliant.

The concept was a very interesting one and I liked how it developed slowly with the AI aspect. It was well thought out. This book reminded me why I personally think the idea of AI’s is a bad one.

The only thing I didn’t like was the Chapter lengths. I found them very long and I would have preferred them a little bit shorter, but that’s a personal preference.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable book to read and I would definitely recommend it.

My rating: 4/5*

Parting Shadows (Toccata System Book 1) by Kate Sheeran Swed

This is the first book in the Toccata series.

Raised by a heartsick AI, she’s programmed to kill. And desperate to flee.

After growing up on an isolated space station, Astra dreams of solid ground. But with an AI guardian plugged into her head–and her nervous system–it’s not like she’s flush with choices. In fact, she’s got just one: use her training to carry out the rogue AI’s revenge. Her first mission? Assassination.

When her target flashes a jamming device that would guarantee her escape from the AI’s grasp, Astra sets out to steal it. But the AI’s plans are more dangerous than she suspected. Corrupted by heartbreak, the wayward computer is determined to infect the star system with a new order of digital tyranny.

Astra’s been raised to care for no one but herself. Now she’ll have to decide if she’s willing to trade the star system’s freedom for her own.

This book was an enjoyable read with a good storyline.

Astra was a good character. You can sympathise with her situation and her upbringing. I also liked Henry.

The AI aspect was interesting to read and it’s point of view chapters offered a good insight. Those chapters didn’t grab me as much as Astra’s did though and at one point I struggled to realise whether it was talking about the past of present. It could have been made more clearer.

The storyline was good and the plot developed well. I think the length was just right as well. The world building was good as well woth good descriptions. You can really picture the scene in space.

Overall, I would recommend this story.

My rating: 4/5*

Dreamland: A Magical Ghost Story by Nick Clausen

In Dreamland, everything is really two things: what you see and what you want to see. And it can be hard to tell the difference …

In his sleep, Louie starts visiting an alternate reality where he meets his father, who died when Louie was still a baby. At first, it seems like a wonderful opportunity for Louie to finally get to know his dad, but nothing turns out to be what it seems, and great horrors loom very close by …

Welcome to Dreamland

This book was a nice little ghost story. I enjoyed the concept of it and the story moved at a good pace.

The idea of the horrors taking place in your dreams and sucking you in with false illusions before trapping you there made for an interesting story.

It tackles dealing with loss, grief and fear well whilst having an eerie concept alongside it. The characters were well thought out and all have a good connection to eachother.

The book was just the right length and any longer and I would have lost interest. Maybe a little bit more action and it would have been better, but I did still enjoy it.

Overall, I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it. It was a nice quick read.

My rating: 4/5*

Finch Merlin and the Lost Map by Bella Forrest

This is the 11th book in the Harley Merlin series and the 2nd of Finch Merlin.

Magical mapmaking is an ancient art—and also a major pain.

At least, Finch can’t help but feel that way, since Erebus transported him to the Mapmakers’ Monastery with little to no instructions. Now, he’s stranded on some Greek island until he can learn how to draw maps to places he thought only existed in legends, like El Dorado and Shangri-La.

Only the worthiest of magicals can attain such a rare skill. The weak are weeded out through nearly impossible tests that involve mind-bending poisons, weird plants, and… pottery-making?

But Finch isn’t the only one looking to learn the art of mapmaking. Magicals from all over the world are drawn to the Monastery. As Finch encounters both greedy treasure hunters and knowledge-hungry explorers, he must decide who is trustworthy and who has more sinister intentions.

When Erebus knocks on her door, Kenzie is roped into delivering secret messages to Finch using her ability to Morph into the bodies of animals. In exchange, the God of Darkness will reveal what she wants most: to find the lowlife who cursed her mother.

Both Finch and Kenzie know they’re pawns in Erebus’s long game—but to what end?

I absolutely love this series. The storyline is brilliant, the characters are great and the world building is amazing.

I love Finch. He is a great main character and I love how much he has redeemed himself. His heart is in the right place and he really trys to protect everyone he cares about, and even those he has just met.

I loved Kenzie having a point of view in this book. We’ve seen glimpses of her prior to this book, but only now are we getting to know her. It was interesting and I’m glad she was drafted into the story.

I also loved the new characters introduced. I’m looking forward to seeing more of Melody and Luke. I really hope they are genuine and don’t double cross Finch.

I like the fact Ryann is still involved and I’m enjoying seeing the interactions between her and Finich. I really hope we get to see their relationship develop.

I’m enjoying the plot with Erebus. The tasks he is having Finch undertake are making an interesting storyline. I’m looking forward to seeing where the story goes next.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this series. The world building behind magicals is brilliant. The characters are great and the storyline is fantastic.

My rating: 5/5*

Free book deal!

The Demise (A Bubo Series Novella) is free this week (1st-5th).

Why not grab a copy or tell a friend about it!

2045.

Everything was as it should be. Leah was worried about her upcoming exams and her future, when everything went wrong.

Alone. Confined.

They made it seem like it was all nothing to worry about until she saw it with her own eyes. Death seemed imminent at any moment. They say the plague has mutated and it is after many victims.

With her two best friends in tow, will she ever make it to her family inside the Safe Zone or will she die trying?