Book Review: Air Awakens - The Air Awakens Series

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Synopsis

A library apprentice, a sorcerer prince, and an unbreakable magic bond...

The Solaris Empire is one conquest away from uniting the continent, and the rare elemental magic sleeping in seventeen-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl could shift the tides of war.

Vhalla has always been taught to fear the Tower of Sorcerers, a mysterious magic society, and has been happy in her quiet world of books. But after she unknowingly saves the life of one of the most powerful sorcerers of them all--the Crown Prince Aldrik--she finds herself enticed into his world. Now she must decide her future: Embrace her sorcery and leave the life she's known, or eradicate her magic and remain as she's always been. And with powerful forces lurking in the shadows, Vhalla's indecision could cost her more than she ever imagined.

My Review

This is the first book in a five book series by Elise Kova. This book is 342 pages long.

Hated and feared by many, the sorcerers live in the confinement of the Tower to study in peace. That is, until a library apprentice grabs the attention of one of the most powerful sorcerers ever and the crown prince. The apprentice, Vhalla, isn't just a normal girl, though. She not only saved, the prince, Aldrik's life, but created a magical bond that lead to the discovery of her very rare and special magic. There is a war raging and no one can be trusted. As Aldrik and Vhalla grow closer more enemies try to tear them apart. What is so special about Vhalla? Will war tear the bonded apart?

This is a GREAT book!! Using Affinities as magical elements is a cool change. For example, Elise Kova chose the name Waterunner for a sorcerer using the element of water. I loved Vhalla's character as a whole. She was very strong(not physically) and her personality made her very easy to follow. I love this book and can't wait to read the next books in the series. I would definitely recommend this book for most ages. 

Book Review: Selected - The Zaratan Trilogy

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Synopsis

Destruction.... A show of force... And a warning... 

Three isolated towns across the world have been destroyed in a show of force by alien invaders. It is a clear warning of what will occur if their demands are not fulfilled. The fulfillment: Human children between the ages of twelve through fifteen years. Kara Harper is an unremarkable fourteen-year-old girl who is selected by the aliens. She will be physically and socially orientated during the six months it will take to arrive at the planet Zaratan. The girl who liked the safety of being invisible, cannot help but stand out. Matt Sparks, the boy next door, is also selected. Kara has had a crush on him for as long as she can remember. He vows to safeguard her. The closer they get to their destination, the more difficult it becomes to live up to his promise. 

Kara is unsure if she has the strength to withstand the trials and physical changes she is forced to go through. In a new life, Kara will be torn. Will she be drawn in by an alien boy who has shown interest in her or by the powerful patriarch who sees her as the future of his race?

My Review

This is Selected by Evelyn Lederman. This book is 200 pages long.

Kara lives in a small town, goes to a small school, and has always thought her life was small in the long run, but when she finds out aliens exist her life will change forever. The aliens gave humans a choice... Send their younger teens on an adventure or humanity dies. Everyone of the right age, including Kara and her crush, Matt, are being forced to take tests to see if they have alien DNA present in their blood. When Kara learns that her and her crush are to be taken; they start to think of what this adventure means. The series of tests they must complete just keep getting more difficult, but Kara and her team are powerful enough to make it. What tests need to be passed? Will Kara survive? What do the aliens really want?

This was a GREAT book!! I don't normally read Sci-Fi, but this was a pleasant surprise. I loved all of the different challenges that had to be faced by Kara and her crew. Kara is a strong heroine that has a good backstory, but survives hard times. There is mild cussing, so this is a book for most ages. I would definitely recommend this book for Defiance, the show, fans to read. 

Book Review: The Fall of Arcadia - An Arcadia Wars Novella

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Synopsis

How do you win a war against an enemy you can't touch?

When a group of Arcadian explorers found clues leading to an ancient portal, they believed it would shed light on their past. None of them could have foreseen that their search for knowledge would unleash a powerful and ruthless enemy that sought to destroy everything in its path.

Stranded in a foreign country without means of communication, soulmates Samiah and Malachiax must find a way home. They embark on the most important journey of their lives, travelling through the harsh Arcadian desert where any mistake can be deadly. But the stakes are too high and there is no turning back.

My Review

This is the prequel to The Arcadian Wars Series by M.H. Soars. This book is 100 pages long.

A group of explorers, including soulmates Malachiax and Samiah, go to a foreign country seeking answers from an ancient text that could show them their pasts. What used to be curiosity became full-blown terror in an instant. On minute the explorers were celebrating their findings and the next thing they knew they were being possessed and killed by shadow wraiths that darkened their auras. Now the survivors must get back to their home to protect it from the battle raging outside their home. Making unlikely allies on the way, they learn of the horror that makes up these untouchable demons. Will they survive? Can they keep their home safe? What secrets will the survivors uncover?

This was an AMAZING book!! I loved how the author always kept me on the edge of my seat with her well-written plot. The suspense was unbearable(in a good way) and I always wanted to know what would happen next. The wraiths that are possessing the citizens kind of remind me of a virus inside a zombie. The citizens, like zombies, are crazed, apparently need speech therapy, and are trying to kill. The end was a HUGE surprise that left tears in my eyes. This book is appropriate for all ages and there is no cussing. I can't wait to read "The Prophesy of Arcadia"!! Good job, M.H. Soars for creating a magnificent series.

Book Review: Dying to Live & Fighting to Live Combo - The Zombie Overload Series

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Synopsis

Admit it. You think about it, fantasize about it, live through it in your head. But what would you do if zombies became a reality? If you actually were to see the dead walk, attack and kill people you know - who then rise right in front of your eyes? What would you do when the undead don't follow the script you've played out - over and over - in your own mind? 
Find out what happens to a woman in central Illinois when her life is 
turned upside down. Zombies become real and so does the danger. Her 
family means the most to her, but can she keep them alive? Can she keep 
herself alive? 
In this double edition that begins with a novelette, you are a big part of the story. The main character "speaks" to you often and you're invited into her thoughts - which can be quite humorous at times. She's not perfect and she knows it. She strong and she's a fighter...but she doesn't know it.

My Review

This is a combo of both book one and two of the Zombie Overload series by C.M. Wright. This book combo is 241 pages long.

Canada loves her husband and two boys more than her own. When a "virus" happens to break out, Canada has to get her family to a safe place and gather Will, her husband's, family to keep safe, too. Not only are the dead dangerous, but they find that the living are just as dangerous. Many will die and some will go missing. Canada finds two babies and becomes their adopted mother. Jake, the military man that saved their butts many times, is starting to grow closer to Canada. To save herself she has to choose between two people she loves. Who is going to die? Does Canada have the same feelings for Jake? How will Canada survive while keeping her family safe from the zombies?

This was a great book! I liked how the author made you feel part of the book and throughout the book you can feel Canada's tension and anxiety. It did have A LOT of cussing, but the F-Bomb wasn't dropped. It did talk about sex on two occasions, but it wasn't graphic and it was only a question and answer. It is YA or above readers, at least that is my opinion. This book left me guessing and ended with a major cliff-hanger. I can't wait to read the next book!

Book Review: Descent - The Gryphon Series Resurrection

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Synopsis

It's been too long since the lion roared ... 
the eagle flew ... 
and the fated Celtic warrior embraced her destiny. 

Now, with an unknown darkness swirling and the body count rising, Gainesboro needs a hero more than ever. A new battle is brewing. Who will answer the call to war? 
The time has come. 
The stage is set. 
And, the Garretts are back in a brand new novella!

My Review

This is the first book in a novella series by Stacey Rourke. This book is 92 pages long.

Rowan finally has Celeste all to himself. Ever sense the mass memory swipe, the Council placed on everyone close or near to Celeste, Rowan hasn't had to deal with a certain handsome Irishman. For some reason the Dark Army Glee Club and himself haven't forgotten of the calling. On campus, murders have been taking place and it is starting to awaken the warrior in Celeste. The only way to keep Celeste safe is to find the killer. That is no small feat, because this murderer isn't human... He is a demon known as a Hellhound. The Hellhound is someone Rowan would never expect and to save his lass, Celeste he might just have to make the sacrifice of his life. Rowan is different and might actually be falling for Celeste. Is Rowan going soft? Who is cursed as the Hellhound? Will Celeste start to remember?

This was a great novella! It was kind of like a sequel of the Gryphon Series. I thought it was cool how it was in Rowan's point of view, because Celeste sort-of paints Rowan as a narcissistic pirate that doesn't give a rat's behind what happens to anyone else. He isn't like that at all... Well except when he is trying to hide his true emotions. This is definitely teen - YA above, because of the language and a bit of vulgar slang. Other than that it was fie. It ended with a cliff-hanger and there was plenty of twists. I can't wait to read the next book in this new sequel series. 

Book Review: Insanity - The Mad in Wonderland Series

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Synopsis

Her eyes are wide open. Her mouth is knitted into a grin. As if to conceal the truth she was about to speak. She is not the only one.

When a young girl is discovered dead on campus in the University of Oxford, Alice Wonder is called to lead the murder investigation. The girl's mouth has been knitted into a grin, like a Cheshire Cat, with a copy of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland in one hand.

But the problem isn't with the girl as much as with Alice Wonder herself.

After killing everyone in her class, Alice Wonder has been admitted a patient in the Radcliffe Lunatic Asylum. No one ever doubted her insanity. But now a hookah-smoking professor by the name of Carter Pillar claims he needs her to solve the girl's murder.

What dark secrets is the girl in Oxford hiding?

Together they start decoding Lewis Carroll's paintings, photographs, only to confront a terrible enemy. In order to do so, Alice leads a double life: an Oxford university student by day, a mad girl in an asylum by night. The line between sanity and insanity blurs when she meets Jack Diamond, an arrogant college student who believes that nonsense is an actual science.

My Review

This is the first book in a five book series by Cameron Jace. This book is 247 pages long.

Insanity isn't just being mad... It is an art practiced by many, or at least that is what Jack Diamonds thinks. Alice Wonder murdered an entire busload of her friends and her boyfriend and then she was admitted to an asylum. All of the shock therapies take a toll and she forgets about her family and the reason she is in the asylum. Only after meeting Pillar the Killer does she realize her importance and the fact that countless lives are relying on the real Alice to show up and save them from the Cheshire. There have been countless murders committed by one of the Wonderland monsters, the Cheshire, and he wants revenge for the part humans played in the death of his family and countless other cats. The Cheshire wants his grin back and only with the help of Alice and her allies, can she save the world. She has a hard choice to make and it might just be her imagination playing tricks on her. Is this journey real? Who will Alice choose... The world or her friend?

This was a great book! I love this concept. This is Alice and Wonderland, but with many twists and turns that trap you in the book. I feel like I am actually part of the book. Cameron Jace is a great author and I hope to read more of his books, like Figment book 2 in the Mad in Wonderland Series. There was only mild cussing. The only problem I had with this book was confusion. There are so many twists and questions that in the end you just kind of feel lost. It's kind of like being in a never-ending maze. Some of it was cleared at the end, but then you are left with a bigger question... Is Alice just a mad girl or is she a true Wonderlander?

Book Review: Though the Zombie Looking Glass - The White Rabbit Chronicles

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Synopsis

Zombies stalk the night.  
Forget blood and brains. These monsters hunger for human souls. 
Sadly, they've got mine… 
Alice Bell has lost so much. Family. Friends. A home. She thought she had nothing else to give. She was wrong. After a new zombie attack, strange things begin to happen to her. Mirrors come to life, and the whispers of the dead assault her ears. But the worst? A terrible darkness blooms inside her, urging her to do very wicked things. She's never needed her team of zombie slayers more, but ultra bad-boy Cole Holland, the leader and her boyfriend, suddenly withdraws from her…from everyone. Now, with her best friend, Kat, at her side, Ali must kill the zombies, uncover Cole's secret and learn to fight the darkness. 
But the clock is ticking…and if she fails at a single task, they're all doomed.

My Review

This is the second book in a four book series by Gena Showalter. This book is 480 pages long.

Ali and the other slayer, including her bad-boy boyfriend Cole Holland, are trying to take down Anima, but there is a kink in their plan when Ali is bitten... Her two heartbeats were beating very fast. Time is running out and she has to protect her fellow slayers at all costs, including taking her own life. These dark urges that can't be explained are changing her from the inside to the outside. There could be a possible antidote, but she would have to trust a stranger that worked for Anima. Cole has his own secrets and their visions together aren't them at all. A new slayer, Gavin, has been having "romantic" visions with Ali. That could break up Ali and Cole forever. Kat's condition is getting worse, but she's living life to the fullest. Will Ali and Cole break up? What is this new darkness awakened in Ali?

This was my favorite out of the two books I've read, so far. I love the twists. And the romance. This book was funny, to me at least. I can't wait to read the third book, too. After I read the third book, I'm going to read the indie books these nice authors sent me. I can't wait!! There is mild cussing and inappropriate themes.

Book Review: Alice in Zombieland - The White Rabbit Chronicles

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Synopsis

SHE WON'T REST UNTIL SHE'S SENT EVERY WALKING CORPSE BACK TO ITS GRAVE. FOREVER.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. But that's all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone. Her father was right. The monsters are real. To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn't careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies.

My Review

This is the first book in a four book series written by Gena Showalter. This book is 410 pages long.

Alice and her sister, Emma, have spent most of their lives locked away from the rest of the world, because their dad could see "monsters" no one else could. Alice always hated her dad, until the night of a crash that killed her family. She now understands the "monsters" dad supposedly saw. After taken to the hospital, she meets Kat, a fun-loving friend for life type of gal. They become instant friends and then she meets Cole Holland and his gang. It was love at first sight, hehehe!! Actually, they had a vision together of them fighting and kissing, etc. That vision became a reality when the gang learned of her abilities to see and fight these "monsters". Will Alice be able to avenge her family? Are the visions real? Will Alice ever really fit in with the gang?

This was a great book with good descriptions. There are a lot of twists and turns, but the main focus is an action-packed romance. I think Gena Showalter did a great job describing the zombies. I would never think of the zombies as spirits and people aren't able to see them unless they are slayers. That was a great touch... Alice's abilities are great, too. She is even more kick-butt than Cole and the other slayers!! The only thing to consider "bad" is the mild cussing and some inappropriate themes. 

Book Review: Maximum Ride: The Final Warning - The Maximum Ride Series

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Synopsis

Hold on tight for the wildest ride yet as Max and the flock take on global warming--Earth's biggest threat--in this #1 New York Times bestselling series. 

Maximum Ride and the other members of the flock are just like ordinary kids--only they have wings and can fly. It seems like a dream come true...until they're hunted by the world's nastiest villains. 

Max returns in a chilling adventure unlike any other. Safe havens for the six highly-sought-after winged kids have become increasingly hard to find, so the flock takes refuge in Antarctica with a team of environmentalists studying the effects of global warming. In this remote wilderness--whether pursued by corrupt governments, bioengineered bad-guys, or the harsh forces of nature--survival of the fittest takes a new twist!

My Review

This is the fourth book in the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. This book is 273 pages long.

Saving the world may be easier than Max thought.... Just kidding! Max hates the cold, but saving the world was never coined as glamorous. A team of scientists in Antarctica are trying to save the world from global warming. Fang is keeping up his blog and telling people to help make a change against global warming. The flock isn't as safe as people hoped. There are mysterious new threats approaching and a silent sniper targeting them. That's not the worst part though. New abilities are coming into there lives and the scientist and ex-father, Jeb, says they never got programmed. There is a lovely romance between Max and her mystery lover. Mystery, as in, she would never expect it. Is the flock mutating into something new? Who is this mysterious lover?

I loved this book, even though it was short. It was 273 pages of feathery goodness that many can enjoy. I am on the fifth book now and I am so excited. I don't usually like romance, but this is a great change in scenery. I feel like I am part of the flock, because of how complex and well-written the characters are. James Patterson is a great writer and I can't wait to read more! After I finish with this series, I am going to read the third book of the Dawn Trilogy, Light of Dawn. I am so excited to read it, since there was a cliff-hanger in the second book!!!

Book Review: Love & Decay Volume 2 - The Love and Decay Series

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Synopsis

Zombies- as if that wasn’t enough to ruin any girl’s dream of a happily ever after. 
A lot has changed for Reagan in the few months since she stumbled upon the Parker family. 
More specifically, Reagan fell in love with Hendrix Parker, a man determined to protect her. 

While the undead haunt their newfound happiness, Matthias Allen and his obsessive son, Kane, remind Reagan and friends that Zombies aren’t the only evil lurking in this post-apocalyptic world. Kane is on a mission to make Reagan his. He wants nothing more than to take her back to The Colony, where his father reigns as a tyrannical overlord and Kane is second in command. 
While Tyler and Miller Allen adjust to life with the Parkers, the group finds refuge at an isolated settlement that promises sanctuary and community. 

But is anything truly safe at the end of the world? 
Love and Decay, Volume Two, is a compilation of the last six episodes in Season One. This volume includes a bonus episode from Hendrix Parker’s point of view. It is a Dystopian Romance Novella Series about Zombies, the end of the world and finding someone to share it with.

My Review

This is the second book in the first season. It is written by Rachel Higginson and is 375 pages long.

Reagan, Haley, and the Parkers are surviving well, until they go to an abandoned farm house to meet Miller. They go to the Colony to rescue Tyler, when they get kidnapped. Reagan has an admirer, Kane, brother of Miller and Tyler. He locks her up and wants her to be his. Tyler helps them escape the horrid colony. While they keep surviving, the romance between Reagan  and Hendrix becomes more. But, will they be safe for long? With Kane and Matthias searching for them and the continuous threat of zombies. One good settlement is attacked and Kane is left with Reagan. Will Reagan or Kane survive?

I loved this book, as well. There was lots of humor and some romance. The reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because close to the end, there was a mild scene. It is still considered YA, though. I have the whole second season and I'm excited to read it. This is a book series that I would reread again and again. This is a great book and I can't wait to read more. 

Book Review: Love and Decay Volume 1 - The Love and Decay Series

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Synopsis

Zombies- as if that wasn’t enough to ruin any girl’s dream of a happily ever after. 
A vaccination gone oh so wrong and a huge portion of the world’s population was turned into Zombies. Reagan Willow is forced out of her home when her parents become casualties of the horrid Zombie Apocalypse. With the help of her best friend Haley, they’ve become somewhat of experts on surviving the dangers of a world thrust into chaos and decay. Reagan and Haley are on a vague mission to find somewhere safe to live out the remainders of their terrifying life when they stumble upon the Parkers, a pack of brothers that seem to have the survival thing down in a much more efficient and successful way than Reagan could ever have imagined. They are also protecting their eight year old sister, Page, and will do anything to keep her safe. 

The brothers decide that Reagan and Haley need help with being kept safe as well, and as a group they set off to find the Zombie-free utopia Reagan is dreaming of. Zombies are a daily problem, constantly threatening the lives of their group, but they’re not the only peril on the journey ahead. Militia groups of power hungry men are also a constant concern. And settlements of paranoid, suspicious people turn out to be just as hazardous. 

Danger looms over every inch of the way, but Reagan, Haley and the Parkers are determined to get to their goal and remain together. Soon the Parkers become more to Reagan than just traveling companions and more than friendship starts to develop between her and Hendrix, the second oldest brother. But at the end of the world, nothing can be as simple as life and death. Now, Reagan is going to have to schedule falling in love between hunting and surviving. Hopefully she can last long enough to find out if true love can still exist when everything else has started to fall apart. 

Love and Decay, Volume One, is a compilation of the first six episodes in a twelve episode season. It is a Dystopian Romance Novella Series about Zombies, the end of the world and finding someone to share it with.

My Review

This is the first book in a season and there are three seasons, the fourth season can be pre-ordered now. There are twelve episodes per season. This book is 340 pages long, as well.

One miracle cure and the world goes to hell! Reagan and Hailey have survived for almost two years on their own, until they went scavenging in a store and hit change full-force. The Parker Brothers, kind of, forced themselves into the girls' lives. One look and Reagan knew she had an admirer; Hailey as well. Before hell broke loose, Reagan got a call from family in the south, saying it was safe. With both the girls' parents dead, all they could do was head south. The Parker's joined on their journey. New friendships and relationships were made and they never would have met without zombies. But every day is another day they have to survive and keep themselves fed. How will they survive? Who are the Parker Brothers!?!

This was a great book with a different idea of zombies. There was different stages in the decay. There is mild cussing, so this could be a teen book. I started the second book right after that. There is a cliff-hanger, too! I also enjoyed Hendrix. His qualities are great, like his protectiveness, leadership, and compassion toward Reagan. I was totally rooting for Hendrix and Reagan, not that Vaughan isn't eye candy, too though.

Book Review: Rot & Ruin - The Rot & Ruin Series

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Synopsis

In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.

My Review

This is the first book in a five book series. The author is Jonathan Maberry and the book is 468 pages long.

Benny Imura has always thought Charlie Pink-Eye was cool for him killing zoms. Ever since Benny's parents died on First Night, he's had a burning hatred for zoms. When Tom Imura, Benny's brother comes back from a hunt to turn Benny into his apprentice, he takes him into the vast Rot and Ruin. Tom is a zom hunter, but he doesn't kill for fun. Tom and Benny go on a journey to the Rot and Ruin where Tom is on a mission to teach his brother his ways. What is Tom's job? What will Benny learn from this journey?

I loved how Jonathan Maberry captured how zoms aren't just evil parasites. They are just sick people, with no choices. Jonathan also captured all the mixed emotions of Benny and Tom's journey in the Rot and Ruin. It was different from a lot of the other zombie books I've read. Also, out of all the zombie books I've read, I've never heard the term zom before. I hope to read the second book soon.

Book Review: Zom-B - The Zom-B Series

 

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Synopsis

 

When news reports start appearing of a zombie outbreak in Ireland, B's racist father thinks it's a joke-- but even if it isn't, he figures, it's ok to lose a few Irish.

B doesn't fully buy into Dad's racism, but figures it's easier to go along with it than to risk the fights and abuse that will surely follow sticking up for Muslims, blacks, or immigrants. And when dodging his fists doesn't work, B doesn't hesitate to take the piss out of kids at school with a few slaps or cruel remarks.

That is, until zombies attack the school. B is forced on a mad dash through the serpentine corridors of high school, making allegiances with anyone with enough gall to fight off their pursuers.

 

My Review

 

This book is written by Darren Shaun also known as one of the "Bestselling Author of Horror". It is 175 pages long, too.

 

A news report came in about a town close to Ireland where zombies have attacked people. A lot of the teens in Ireland thought it was a hoax, but later come to find out that it was very true. During a game of soccer in the gym people started running in through the doors. They were getting eaten by the zombies. B, his friends, and others started running toward the exit, only to find out that it was blocked. They lost a lot of people on the way and sacrificed others. What will they learn and how will they survive? Who will live, who will die, and who will be feasting on the others??

 

I thought the book was very graphic and gory. It was definitely horror. I hated how graphic it was. I would have liked the book more if it was a little less graphic. What's worse is I told myself that I wasn't going to read any more of the series, but at the end of the book is a major cliff-hanger that will make it to where you don't have any choice but to read the second book. Also, it was very confusing at points. I did like how the cussing was sort of lesser, because they used and Irish accent. So instead of saying the "A word" they said arse. I would have gave it a better rating if there was less gore, though.