Review: Theodore Boone: The Accused - John Grisham

Theodore Boone: The Accused by John Grisham, published by Hodder and Stoughton in May 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
Theo Boone might only be thirteen, but he's already uncovered key evidence in a groundbreaking murder trial and discovered the truth behind his best friend's abduction. Now with the latest unfolding of events in Strattenburg, Theo will face his biggest challenge yet.

Review:
This is the third book in the series about boy lawyer Theodore Boone who can crack any case put before him.  The story takes a change of direction in this instalment, with Theo being accused of a crime he didn't commit with no obvious way of proving his own innocence.  In big trouble with the police, it looks like everything could be over for the boy lawyer.

I love John Grisham's adult novels, so I am so pleased that he's produced a crackingly good story but for a younger audience.  Although the legal side of things is simplified slightly for the type of audience that the book is aimed at, it is in no way dumbed down and the plot is still highly intelligent and gripping.  There's a great mystery at the heart of the story and I for one had no idea how this was going to unravel.

Theo himself is a great character.  He's incredibly smart and intelligent and really does know his stuff.  He often works out problems and solves cases before some of the adult characters do. 

I thought that the trial of Pete Duffy which was key to the previous book in the series was going to be central to 'The Accused' must this was also mentioned briefly at the very beginning.  I would like to see this concluded somewhere further down the line as I'm still wondering what the outcome of this storyline will be.

I love reading about Theo with his faithful dog Judge by his side.  Here's hoping that there are many more books in the series still to come!

Review: Ruby - Amanda Burke

Ruby by Amanda Burke, published by Solstice Publishing on 29th June 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
During the Salem witch hunts, an evil witch named Natasha Sullivan tricks a demon into confining himself inside an enchanted music box. She casts a spell that foretells that the demon will emerge in an unknown time in future after the birth of a child known as the Lumen Child. This child’s destiny is to bring light to the planet and Natasha knows that if he is killed then darkness will prevail. Natasha’s identical twin Sarah, discovers what her sister has done. Although she cannot break the spell she casts her own prophecy. It states that three witches known as the Triple Enchantresses will be born in the same time as the Lumen Child and they will be his supernatural protectors. The girls are not sisters, yet they will share a common destiny.

Ruby is the story of the first witch and how she very nearly dies before discovering her true identity. Having grown up unaware of her powers, she is rescued by her loving grandmother who is also a white witch and taken back to the family estate where she learns everything she can about what her future holds.

Review:
'Ruby' is about a young girl who travels to live with her grandmother after the deaths of her mother and father.  Once there she discovers that she comes from a long line of witches and she is destined to follow the magical tradition passed down through her family.

This was a quick and easy read.  At only 170 pages long, I would have liked the book to have been longer as it seemed a lot was crammed into a fairly short story.  This meant that at times there wasn't enough development of the characters or the plot for my tastes.  For instance, Ruby seemed very accepting of her new found heritage and powers.  I would have liked to have seen more of a period of adjustment and change as she came to understand more about herself and her abilities. 

There was also romance in the book between Ruby and Blaine but again, I thought that this developed very quickly, whereas I would have preferred to have seen their romance blossom more slowly and take it's time to turn into love.  I found this one of the more enjoyable aspects of the story so it seems a shame that more of the book wasn't dedicated to the two of them.  This is only the first of a four book series however so  I wonder whether the author will focus more on this later down the line.

The prologue was intriguing but I thought this should have been linked more to the main story.  There's mention of the Lumen child at the beginning but then this isn't really followed through which confused me a little.  The story did get better as the book progressed and I particularly enjoyed the second half which was quite exciting.

There were some great characters including my favourite, Walter the house elf.  He was so sweet!  I also liked Ruby's grandmother and the bond which develops between her and her granddaughter.   

Although not quite as good as I was initially expecting it to be, this was still a promising start to a series which I would like to read more of in the future. 

Review: Revived - Cat Patrick

Revived by Cat Patrick, published by Electric Monkey on 2nd July 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
My name is Daisy West and my whole life is a lie. I'm part of a programme to test a drug called Revive - a drug that brings people back from the dead. I have died five times. I've been Revived five times. With each revival comes a new name, a new town...a new life. But this time, I won't let myself die. This time, I've found a love that I can't let go of. This time, I'm going to make my life my own.

Review:
'Revived' is everything you could want in a book and more.  I adored this fantastic story which shows that Cat Patrick's writing just keeps getting better and better.  It's hard to describe what it is about her writing that I love so much but there's something so real about it.  I feel like I can completely step inside the story and live it along with the characters.  Her ideas are original, her dialogue is fresh and realistic and she portrays real life issues with sensitivity and a deft touch.

I've been waiting for this book to be published for months so I started it with high expectations which were met in every single way.  It focuses on teenager Daisy who has already died five times but each time has been saved by an experimental drug called Revive.  She's packed up and moved town on countless occasions but when she arrives in Omaha and meets Audrey and her brother Matt, she finds herself putting down roots for the very first time.

I enjoyed all three strands of the story: Daisy's friendship with Audrey who seems to be hiding a secret of her own, her romance with Matt and her involvement with the Revive programme.  Everything about it was interesting and intriguing and I was glued to the page from start to finish. 

Cat Patrick deals with deeper philosophical issues about life and death, as well as bereavement and the process of grieving.  She shows how death can affect people in different ways and how you can learn to go on after the passing of a loved one.  Some of the scenes in the book were really sad but also full of hope for the future and that next big step.

The ending was utterly out of this world.  I loved it!  It was so unexpected and terrifying but also soooo good! It's also refreshing to read a stand-alone novel for once, rather than having to wait for the next few books in the series to be published.

'Forgotten' was one of the best books of 2011 and one of the best debut novels I've ever read.  With 'Revived', Cat Patrick has taken another step towards cementing her place among the greatest YA authors out there at the moment.  She's certainly already a huge favourite of mine.

Review: Entice - Jessica Shirvington

Entice by Jessica Shirvington, published by Orchard on 6th September 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
Since Violet Eden discovered she was Grigori - part angel, part human - her world has been shaken to its core. No longer sure who to trust, Violet soon realises that everyone is hiding something. Even her soulmate, Lincoln. Only one thing is certain: dark angel Phoenix has a hold over her more dangerous than ever...

In the race to win the battle against the darkness, Violet's own powers will be pushed to the extreme. And the ultimate betrayal will be revealed.

Review:
This is the second book in Jessica Shirvington's series about fallen angels.  With hindsight, I wish that I had read 'Embrace' again prior to starting this one because I think it would have helped to refresh my memory about some of the plot strands. 

'Entice' has quite a different mood and tone to the previous book.  Violet is now fully aware of her Grigori heritage which has turned her whole life upside down and changed her relationship with soulmate Lincoln.  She's also trying to deal with the after effects of her romance with Phoenix which is still causing repercussions for herself and her friends.

There's not as much romance in the story as I would have liked to have seen.  We know that Violet and Lincoln should be together even though there are some pretty big obstacles in their path, so I was slightly frustrated that it seemed to take them quite so long to face up to this.  There were a lot of lingering looks and sparks flying between them throughout the book but I really just wanted to see them together as a couple.

The plot itself was at times quite complex.  There's a lot to do with religion and the history of the Grigori so I had to read these parts carefully to ensure that I understood everything properly.  The story was also extremely engrossing and clever and 'Entice' was a great read.  Full of suspense there were several surprises and revelations along the way. 

There are plenty more books in this series still to follow, the next being 'Embrace' which I'm hoping will be published in the UK next year. 

Review: The Demon Trappers: Foretold - Jana Oliver

The Demon Trappers: Foretold by Jana Oliver, published by Macmillan Children's Books on 2nd August 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
Riley’s always known that Beck had a chequered history, but she’s not prepared for what it actually means to be in love with a guy with this many dark secrets. Now that he’s finally admitted to himself that he’s in love with her too, there’s no more hiding the truth about his past. And as it turns out, fending off a demon apocalypse is nothing compared to what’s to come...

Review:
Wow!  I sat for five hours straight reading this stunning final instalment in The Demon Trapper's series by Jana Oliver.  It was utterly brilliant!  There was simply no way I could put it down until I reached the end.  Jana Oliver must be praised for delivering an ending which will thrill all fans of these fantastic books.  This is a series which has just kept getting better and better.

The story focuses predominantly on the relationship between Riley and Beck.  At long last we get to look into Beck's past and discover why he's been holding himself back from Riley for so long.  Journeying to the town where he grew up, I enjoyed enormously the insight into why Beck has become the man he is.  It explained a lot about his character and personality and if possible endeared me to him even more than before.  I love Beck and everything about him!  I like the fact that the book provides a proper conclusion to them as a couple and there were some scenes that I loved so much they made my heart thump wildly!

I was really pleased with the fact that Oliver dealt with all the plot strands that have been building since the beginning and nothing was left dangling and unfinished.  The concluding part of the story features the showdown between heaven and hell which is explosive and action-packed.  This series has definitely gone out on a high, although I of course would still love to read more of these truly amazing books. 

After five hours I turned the final page with a huge smile on my face at the most perfect ending imaginable.  I could have easily stayed there for another five hours and read the book all over again.  If you're already a fan of this series then I guarantee you will adore 'Foretold' and if you haven't yet discovered these books then you shouldn't wait any longer before you get your hands on them.

Review: The Assassin's Curse - Cassandra Rose Clarke

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke, published by Strange Chemistry on 2nd October 2012
Goodreads synopsis:
Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.

And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.

Review:

This is the first book I’ve read from Strange Chemistry and wow, it’s a amazing one! I’d heard a lot about it prior to picking it up myself and all the reviews were incredibly good so I was extremely excited to get the opportunity to read it prior to its publication date.

Cassandra Rose Clarke has written a book which takes fantasy to a whole new level. Combining magic, adventure and romance, the story blew me away and left me wanting more. Plus it has pirates! I mean who doesn’t love books which feature all the excitement of a journey on the high seas where literally anything can and does happen.

Ananna of the Tanarau is set to be married off by her parents to Tarrin of the Hariri, part of another pirate clan. What she really dreams of however is having her own ship which she can sail on the high seas, free to go wherever she pleases. Deciding to run away rather than submit to a marriage not of her choosing, she finds herself unwittingly bound to the assassin sent after her, leading to the beginning of an epic fantasy adventure.

The relationship between Ananna and the assassin Naji develops over the course of the novel. All the while a romantic undercurrent bubbles away in the background and sparks definitely fly when these two are together. I love the way that Clarke isn’t afraid to keep the romance on hold while the two of them are getting to know each other. It makes the whole thing much more realistic and also means that when it does (hopefully!) eventually happen, then it will have been worth waiting for. I don’t want to give too much away about the plot but I thought the whole reason they were linked together was brilliant and sets things up nicely for the rest of the series.

There is incredible world building in this book with a fantasy realm where magic really does happen and where dangerous obstacles lie in wait for Ananna around every corner. She however is the perfect heroine to deal with them as she’s feisty, brave, courageous and tough. She is the kind of person that will never give up until she gets a satisfactory outcome.

This was a book which grew on me more and more. I’m not always a huge fan of the fantasy genre but this is among the best I’ve ever read. I’m eager to read the sequel now which will be called ‘The Pirate’s Wish’ and is out in 2013.