MINI REVIEWS : Demonglass, Silence, The Reckoning

MINI REVIEWS : Demonglass, Silence, The Reckoning

   3:49 PM       Elisa

---

MINI INTRODUCTION:
From now on I'll add 'Mini Review' which contain short reviews of several books I've read long ago but still haven't made reviews of them. I have busy and procrastinator life so yeah I think this feature is necessary for this blog of mine =)

Demonglass

Author : Rachel Hawkins
Publisher :
U.S : Hyperion Book CH
Indonesia : UFUK Publishing (paperback)
Source : Bought Indonesia version
Pages : 449
Rating : 4 glasses

Review :
Like Hex Hall, I enjoyed this book very much. Sophie's voice is as crazily funny, entertaining and sarcastic as before, one factor that can make me falling for a story very easily. I love how the story is nicely developed here, with Sophie's journey and her encounter with new people, including her father (btw, I like him, what a cool father =p), with unexpected identity and facts, things getting darker and more complicated about who's the real good people and who's the real bad people. It's really shocking and gosh, what an ending! It makes me really want to get Spellbound right away! ><; One thing I like in this series is that the love story somehow doesn't really dominate the whole story, instead it focuses more about Sophie's adventure finding the truth about her identity and the other things. But I can't deny that I also want to know how Hawkins will do about love triangle between Sophie-Archer-Cal at the final book. Secretly I ship Sophie and Cal more because I feel I know about Cal more than Archer. Archer is still a blurry image even after I read two books. Well, just patiently wait until I get a chance purchasing Spellbound one day =p.

Silence

Author : Becca Fitzpatrick
Publisher :
U.S : Simon and Schuster
Indonesia : UFUK Publishing (paperback)
Source : Bought Indonesia version
Pages : 592
Rating : 3.5 glasses

Review :
Thankfully my curiosity won over my soul and I didn't drop this series earlier, because somehow for some reason I couldn't really get into the story, mostly getting confused here and there and I got a hard time with the previous book, Crescendo. That book was just really frustrating for me and made me disliking almost everything (read : Nora), even Patch. Well, I never really liked him though, somehow he's not really stand out among other book boyfriends out there and especially I just couldn't understand his strange behavior. But I was glad I was still willing to read this book.
Everything seems getting better, somehow Nora is like being 'renewed', she's like other person comparing to her in previous book, probably amnesia is good for her, lol. She's maturer and willing to take a risk and surprising responsibility that appears at the twisted end of the story. Wow, truthfully I've never seen it coming, quite surprised me!
And I was more surprised because this series has the forth book. Well, just hope this series would have satisfying ending.

The Reckoning (The Darkest Power #3)

Author : Kelley Armstrong
Publisher :
U.S : HarperCollins
Indonesia : UFUK Publishing
Source : Bought Indonesia version
Pages : 366 (Paperback)
Rating : 4 glasses

Review :
I've never expected I would enjoy this series very much! It's getting better and better on each volume and The Reckoning probably is the best sequel of all. What a pleasant ending! Though most of the story of all three books is about Chloe's and her friend's attempt to runaway from an evil organization (means lack of action, actually), it's still very exciting to read, especially when their power are revealed one by one (Chloe's is the scariest, with those zombies with any unbelievable form, seriously can't read this at night!). I loved to see how Chloe becomes maturer in here. She's no longer a spoiled whiny girl and finally she can accept her destiny and her power and also willing to control it. I also love to see the relationship development between Chloe and her friends, especially with Derek. Awww, they're just really sweet together! Their relationship grows naturally, because they want to protect each other. Just sweet! I always enjoyed every parts where both of them involved in and I was beyond satisfied with the ending =D. Such a wonderful series!

Read More

REVIEW : The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

REVIEW : The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

   2:47 PM       Elisa

---

The Awakening

Author     : Kelley Armstrong
Publisher  : UFUK
Source     : Bought
Pages       : 422

Summary from Goodreads :

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl—someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment—not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control; I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

Now I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends—a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch—and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

Hm... like usual, hesitation at first. The Summoning was a quite slow read for me last time. I even put it down for a moment and read another book then after a while, I continued and couldn't stop reading it after a half book til last page, and yeah that cliffhanger ending made me want the next sequel soon. Got this in my hand, but still, I was afraid I couldn't enjoy this so I didn't immediately read it. After a few weeks, I decided to read it and... A BIG surprise! I enjoyed it well =) I think The Awakening is better than The Summoning =D

Plots, powers, and relationship among the characters are distinctly develop here. It has more action, adventure and what made me more excited, Derek *cuddle*. There's also unexpected truth about who the true friends or enemies, well at least for me it's unexpected.
Each character are digged deeper, at their powers and personalities. I love how Armstrong made a situation as the 'turning point' on friendship between Chloe and Victoria. As I read more about Victoria, I did start to like her more than before. More supernatural power of Chloe, Simon, Derek, and Victoria involve here, make the story more fascinating. I flinched and chilled as I read and imagined how strong Chloe power is, for raising the death without even trying too hard, and not just human *shivered*.

Ah Derek... just glad he makes appearance more often, and is a very strong werewolf boy. Anyway, just curious how a tiny and 'plain' romance can be so sweet. Chloe and Derek don't share lovey dovey scenes, even there's no single romantic scene in this book, but their consideration and acceptance to each other moving me. I hope there would be more developement on their relationship at the next sequel.

This book is a series that should be read in sequence so we could get the story clearly and sense the development. Very recommended for those who like paranormal series with a bit horror and supernatural teens.
I really can't wait to read The Reckoning!

Read More

REVIEW : The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

REVIEW : The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

   9:40 AM       Elisa

---

The Summoning (Darkest Power #1)
Author     : Kelley Armstrong
Publisher  : UFUK Publishing (Indonesia)
Page        : 460
Source     : Bought

Blurb :
My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.
All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me.
Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House . . . before its skeletons come back to haunt me. 

I really adore the story idea, it's exciting, a bit horror (with ghost and walking death body etc *_*) and dark, about a group of teenager that is being isolated at a place named 'Lyle House' because they have supernatural power, or are naturally supernatural being.
This story centered to Chloe Saunders, and we saw entire story environment through her eyes with first person POV. But thanks to good writing skill, I think we could know the other characters well too, of course from Chloe side, how they interacted to her.

But beside those goods... maybe this first book is as an 'introduction' about the characters and also a process of how Chloe accepted her true identity as one of supernatural being and uuh.. for almost a half book, I felt the story was slow and dragged and I admit, I struggled to finished this. Some review said this has fast pace, but I didn't feel the same way.
I started to enjoyed this again, and even couldn't stop reading it after like 2/3 book.

I find Chloe is interesting, once I thought Chloe like had double personality because we could see at times she was arguing with voices inside her head (and that voice is positive though), or maybe that was her true thoughts since at first she denied her ability.
I totally love Derek! He's my boy type, looks mean but he cares and smart. I read there will a love triangle between Simon-Chloe-Derek and i have to say, I'm team Derek xD.
Cannot wait for the next book, which confirmed to be published next month =D
If you like dark supernatural with a bit horror story, little but cute developed love string, and strong main characters this will be your book. I give 3 star for The Summoning.

Read More