First World by Jaymin Eve

Synopsis 

A paranormal romance series.
An epic journey.
If the Seventine are released, will anyone survive?

Abigail Swish might not love her life, living in gang-ridden New York in 2035 and training to fight and survive with Compound 23. But she is grateful for a few things, especially her no-filter-between-brain-and-mouth best friend Lucy and her escape each night into a dream world far different from her own.

In fact, sometimes she lives for the fleeting moments she spends at night with the man who fuels every romantic fantasy she’s ever had. But each morning reality returns. She could just cry. But she won’t of course; tears don’t change a damn thing.

Then without any warning, a month before her eighteenth birthday, everything does change. A guardian finds her. He explains, in a strangely familiar accent, that she was stashed on Earth for safekeeping and has been lost to her family ever since. And it is time to return home. To the First World; a land of unimagined beauty.

Abigail and Lucy find themselves escaping New York, ending up on another planet and traversing through an unforgiving wilderness. Yeah, because that sort of thing just happens every day. Luckily an unexpected saviour arrives; the man from her dream-world. Brace is six-and-a-half feet of gorgeous perfectness, wrapped in an arrogance like no other. Unable to trust his assistance, and unsure which of her instincts to follow - kiss him or punch him in the mouth - Abigail eventually accepts his help to find her family.

And what a family. Enter Josian, her father; larger than life and apparently not even human. He is Walker, a planet-less race revered as gods, causing mischief and mayhem through-out this star-system. Unfortunately, there is no time for a cosy reunion, since no one explained that by returning to First World her half-Walker genetics would act as a catalyst setting forth a chain of events which could spell disaster for not only her existence but that of all worlds.

First World is book one in the Walker Saga, a seven-book paranormal fantasy series.

Spurn - A Walker Saga Book Two release date set for September 23rd, 2013.

My Review

I was able to have the opportunity of reading 'First World' as an ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy) on Goodreads.

I really, really, really enjoyed this novel. As a YA sci-fi, dystopian and utopian novel, First World is an original, interesting and fantastic novel that consisted of romance, magic, beauty and reunion.

I was impressed how the settings of the two worlds in comparison were completely different from each other. Earth is a dark, horrible place, controlled by wars and gangs, whereas First World is filled with beauty, magic and life.

The main character Abigail Swish, grows up in a compound for girls growing up in war torn New York. She goes out into the centre of Manhattan, facing the gangs and meets her guardian. The action begins to pick up as Abby and Lucy travel to First World. In First World, Abby begins to unveil her past, her family, but also her future.

From the moment she sees Brace, tall, dark-haired, handsome guy, she falls for him, even though how much she doesn’t want to. There is tension between Abby and Brace but they were well written because their romance was not over the top and lots of the scenes hold sexual tension and wonder.

I will say that I loved the cover. It may look ordinary if you haven’t read the book, but that is exactly how I picture Abby. I rated First World 4.5 because I not only loved it but it was well written. I cannot wait to get Spurn (the second novel) and read about how they’re going to save all the worlds.

I recommend anyone who enjoys reading sci-fi, dystopian, utopian, romance novels. It was well written, the characters were relatable and different to me at the same time and the story was mysterious and left me wanting more. Definitely a book to read!

A Shimmer Of Angels by Lisa M. Bassa

Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old Rayna sees angels, and has the medication and weekly therapy sessions to prove it. Now, in remission, Rayna starts fresh at a new school, lands a new job, and desperately tries for normalcy. She ignores signs that she may be slipping into the world she has tried so hard to climb out of. But these days, it’s more than just hallucinations that keep Rayna up at night. Students are dying, and she may be the only one who can stop it. Can she keep her job, her sanity, and her friends from dying at the hands of angels she can't admit to seeing?

My Review



A Shimmer of Angels by Lisa M. Basso, is an addictive, mysterious angelic novel about Devinne angels, Devils and the Fallen. As the first book of The Angel Sight Series, Basso pulls you into the middle of a love triangle and forces you to continue reading deeper into the book.

Rayna (Ray) Evans can see angels, winged creatures. After telling her family of her sights, her father and sister think she's lost her mind. Through three hard, painful years of living in a mental institute, as a ‘paranoid schizophrenic’, Ray is released with the realisation that the wings were just an illusion. Ray returns to her home with her father and sister Laylah, with unwelcoming arms. Ray takes the turn for the worst when she returns to her school it starts happening again. The new guy in school, Cam, who appears to have wings!

The book is told from the point of view of the main character Rayna in first person. Throughout the book Ray struggles to keep herself together from loosing grasp on reality. She is always on the edge of loosing control when she starts to see angels after being locked up in the mental institution.

With Rayna's ability to see angels, she is caught between two angels Cam and Kade, completely different, one Devinne and one a Fallen. These two angels both thrive for Rayna's attention, although they both have different affects on her.
Cam is a angel of heaven, gorgeous, understanding, sensitive and Rayna feels safe and conferable next to him.
Kade is a Fallen angel, dark, rebellious and unnerving. He appears mean, cruel and heartless but he does change for the better.

At first it took me a while to get into the story. The first few chapters were a bit slow since the adoption of the characters and plot was still gaining its momentum. But I really enjoyed this book. It was something different from the normal angelic books I read and trust me I have read a lot. Lately it is difficult to find a angel story with a but of originality to it.

I personally felt like I was drawn to this love triangle between Cam, Kade and Rayna. However, I thought it needed something added to make the book more addictive and intoxicating. I would have liked to have seen maybe same signs of jealousy and passion between the three. I really enjoyed reading about Cam and Kade. I thought they were two interesting characters who drew me into the story. I didn't so much like Rayna as a character, she was too confused and she questioned herself too much. I also disliked Rayna's sister Laylah. She was a rude, bitter, disrespectful person who treats Rayna horribly.

Overall I rate this story a 4 out of 5. The story line I thought was very well planned, but it needed a bit more "wow", unexpected moments. I really did like the book even though it wasn't brilliant. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading paranormal or angelic stories or just simply wants to read something different. A Shimmer of Angels, manages to steer away from typical angel novels. I say give the book a try you never know if you will like it until you read it.

I cannot wait to read book two of the Angel Sight series, A Slither Of Hope. I also want more of Kade.

The House of Rose by T. T Esscurel

Synopsis

The roses will wither on the branch,
The cups will run dry
And the stars will fall from the sky in the age of the crow...

An army marches on Dawnfell and the Age of the Crow is near. The king and queen of the House of Star are slain and their only daughter, Princess Astra, is forced to flee.

Corvus of the House of Crow, dreamwalker and dark magic manipulator, is the last person in the world she should trust. Murdered at the age of eight, he endures a half-life as both victim and executor of the dark queen Malexia’s machinations. He has no future - especially not one suited for a princess.

But love, like magic, doesn’t always work out as planned.

From the hidden plateau of Windgarden, the home of the fairies, to the deserted plains of Mistfirth, where a crazed queen has outlawed her own subjects, Astra soon finds that friends are hard to come by when facing the Crows.

Through death and betrayal, dreams and nightmares, fairy tales and fairy truths, she soon discovers that all it takes is the friendship of a few to save her kingdom…

…and the true love of one to save her life.

My Review

I was able to have the opportunity of reading 'The House of Rose' as an ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy) on Goodreads.

Out of all of the ARCs I have had the opportunity of reading I found this the most creative, well written and to read. The House of Rose is a fractured Fairytale which was what I most liked about the book. Normally in any fairytale there is a Prince who breaks the evil spell for the Princess and they live happily ever after. I loved how T.T Esscurel made the Princess as the hero and saves the Prince and the Kingdoms.

I liked how there were 4 Kingdoms known as Houses, the House of Rose, the House of Crow, the House of Star and the House of Chalice. 

As I am one for Romantic, magical, tragic, true love stories, I loved the relationship between Princess Astra and Corvin. They were so different but the same at the same time. Corvin was evil (or convinced he was) and manipulated and Astra was a warrior and a fighter. They both dreamed, which I thought was interesting. They dreamed in each others dreams to understand each other. Such an unlikely relationship but grow into true love.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars since I loved the characters, new and old ideas and the writing style. I also liked how there were magical creatures in the book like, Pegasuses, Fairies, talking birds and witches I would suggest anyone who likes reading fairytale and true love, romance novels, read The House of Rose.