5 STARS
Juliet Young has always written letters to her mother. Even after her mother’s death, she leaves letters at her grave. It’s the only thing that helps Juliet cope. Declan Murphy is the kind of tough guy you wouldn’t want to cross. But while on community service doing landscaping at the local cemetery, he is haunted by ghosts of his own past. When Declan finds a letter left beside a grave, he can’t resist writing back. Soon, he is sharing his pain with a perfect stranger…Except they’re not strangers, and when real life interferes with their secret life of letters, Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart. Let’s start off by talking about the cover. Beautiful, isn’t it? A captivating cover really adds to the emotion of any book. It took me a few days to finally be able to write this review. I had to really process what was going on. This was truly not a plot driven book, instead a character driven read which was captivating and emotional to read. You read stories every other day and it’s a perfect moment where you are entertained…just like watching a movie or your favorite TV series. But then every once in a while, you pick up a book and it truly grabs you. Reels you in, tumbles your emotions, swings you around on one of those swing roller-coaster rides and then eventually spits you out leaving you expose…naked like fish bones… At the end of the day, 90% of novels are simple fiction and on the market to entertain. However, there will always be someone who can relate no matter how unusual or weird. In this case I can relate completely with Juliet and Declan. I’ve experienced both their worlds in my own life. Juliet suffers. She’s completely drowning within her emotions of heartbreak and guilt. She wants to be normal, but no longer know how that feels. She’s lost all sense of who she was and where she’s headed. Losing her mother crippled her and the only coping method she found was writing her deceased mother letters. Declan. Retracted completely from the age of 13. What else was he supposed to do? No-one else cared to figure him out. Instead they themselves created this wash-out persona of whom he is. Instead, internally he was screaming and crying out for help and guidance and forgiveness…but to whom? Nobody listened. Everyone only judged and dismissed him, accepting his front he put forth. Until he saw that letter and found salvation within time. Rev was such an excellent friend to Declan. Even though he struggled immensely with his own demons of his past, he still managed to hang onto Declan without suffocating him in any way. I would love to read his own story though. I despised Declan’s mother and Alan. Who I disliked more is still up for debate as both of them are despicable in their own way. I’ve experienced people just like this, so in no way did the author exaggerate or suck emotions and behaviors out of her thumb. And I think therefore the story touched me so immensely to a point that I had to evaluate my own feelings after I read this story. Nor Juliet or Declan showed any signs of those typical energy-vampire characters where they seem like your typical victims or poorly written heroes. No, these characters were faced with severe intense emotions of which they had no idea of how to cope with it. I don’t want to give out any spoilers. If you have a strong cup of coffee near and you feel brave to literally dive into and intense emotional gut-wrenching story…read this book. A story that will stay with me for a very long time.
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5 STARS
A witch’s curse. A world-ending prophecy. A daring rescue mission. On the run from the Guild of Guardians, Calla Larkenwood and her team of fellow outlaws plan a daring rescue operation into the Seelie Court itself. As if that isn’t enough to keep them busy, the power-hungry Princess Angelica has begun preparations for a horrifying prophesied spell that will forever change both the magic and non-magic realms. When Calla is blindsided by an unspeakable tragedy before the rescue can be carried out, she struggles to remain focused on her mission. She believes she’s reached her lowest point – until a witch reveals the final blow: she has cursed Calla’s magic. With time running out, can Calla save the one she loves and stop the prophecy from being carried out before the curse claims her life? 5 Stars simply doesn’t suffice for this read. Really, I haven’t been so utterly satisfied by reading a book filled with so much intensity, heart-throbbing aches and pains, suffocating grief, serious kick – ass scenes and a love that completely consumes you. This is truly a story of forgiveness and redemption. The plot simply just fit into the perfect puzzle where everything came together and solidified to such an extent of utter blissfulness. Maybe I’m just cliché like that…I want to be introduced to the protagonist and the antagonist. I want to see and most importantly feel their struggles and challenges. Your typical Problem-Reaction-Solution theory where the author completely pulls in the reader, messes with our minds, takes us on an exhausting thrilling ride and spitting us out like fish bones. We the readers, simply gaze up into the sky with our heads flat against the surface. We may feel like crap enduring so much heartache and grief, anger and frustration, confusion and happiness. However, we simply lay on the ground outstretched and in utter bliss, because we got to witness the good, the bad and the ugly. Book Six carved everything into stone for me as the reader. I could FEEL Calla’s guilt and her pain. She and Chase are perfect for one another as both, kind of went through something similar yet completely different. They understand what the other one must endure and why they experience the feelings they do. I’m really trying not to give away any spoilers here. Ryn and Vi…I have NO words for what they were put through as characters. Rachel Morgan did an absolute perfect job in stabbing that knife deep into our hearts and slowly twisting it with the intention…never to stop. Read the book and you’ll know what I’m referring to…a lump in my throat with tears running down my cheeks. That’s how much it hurt and this is exactly what an author aspires to. To create long lasting memories that will haunt the reader long after the book has been put down. It was great to see how many evil characters came together in the end and tried to redeem themselves by saving the innocent or at least trying to do good. Book Six was truly filled with so much going on. Emotions that felt like your heart can’t possibly bear any more pain. Emotions that hurdled towards anger as if you were the one fighting against the bad guy. Emotions that soothed my Ego to such an extent where I truly felt satisfied and happy to pack away the book with a broad smile upon my face and knowing… ‘Justice has been served. Fate has won. Love does prevail.’ Since this series consists out of 9 books in total (3 books per character); in other words, Book 1-3 was Ryn and Vi’s story. Book 4-6 was Chase and Calla’s story. Apparently Book 7-9 will be about The Glass Faerie who I haven’t met yet. I do have Book 7 with me. Book 8 was only released a few days ago and I presume Book 9 will hopefully be released later this year. However, I’m one of those readers, when I start reading a series, I wait until ALL books have been released before I delve into it. (Yep…The Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas is patiently awaiting on my shelf as I’m still waiting for Tower of Dawn to be delivered. I haven’t read any of her books yet…so I’m excited to begin). So, I’m going to wait until Book 9 has been released before I conclude the Creepy Hollow Series as done. Again, I’m really refraining from giving away any details with this book. If you haven’t delved into the Creepy Hollow series yet, do yourself a favor…it’s something different. A unique read/series which I really enjoyed. A clean read, no profound language used. Rachel Morgan has really done an excellent job creating all these complex characters who really struggle, but within their own way and time, they sort of become the hero in their lives. Leave a comment, don’t be shy and tell me your thoughts. 5 Stars
Someone is killing guardians... Still reeling from a shocking revelation, guardian trainee Calla Larkenwood finds the threads of her world unraveling further when she's accused of a horrifying crime she didn't commit: A deadly magical disease has entered the Guild, threatening to wipe out every guardian--and someone is intent on framing Calla for it. With the Guild Council focusing their investigation on her instead of searching for the real criminal, Calla watches her dream of becoming a guardian rapidly slipping away. Time is running out. As the lines between good and bad, right and wrong, begin to blur, whom can she turn to for help? Not sure if I should contain myself or rather jump up and down, fist-punching the air...doing a twirly-wirly and screaming out loud... “Hell yeah!” This book was absolutely AMAZING!! From start to end. It was amazing. Sorry Ryn and vi...but please step aside...It’s Chase and Calla time!!! Damn, did I enjoy this book. Action packed galore. Every second page I turned, my stomach was in knots not knowing what was about to happen next. Calla Larkenwood...such a powerful heroine in her own way. She really developed beautifully. I love her witty, sassy side jumping out now and then. Courageous, brave and strong. She’s got some serious nerves of steel. She’s handled every situation with much caution, yet simultaneously she’ll rethink each step and act accordingly or appropriately. Not once did she backtrack from Saskia, nor her trainer from hell...Olive. Oh yes...my blood boils when it comes to Olive...Saskia we all can handle. Typically, that spoilt, arrogant character we all meet at some stage in our lives. But Olive...my toes curl...not in a good way! When you face characters, who seem to have all that control over you and there is not a damn thing you can do about it! Oh Olive, I’m vouching for some serious ass-kicking scenes...Calla...you better hear me! That woman can’t treat you that way! Okay...ranting over. 😉 Chase, I so did not see this coming. Author, Rachel Morgan, you sure had all fans and readers flabbergasted with this twist!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH. We love you for this. Remember how I mentioned in my review, I think it was book 2 or 3’s book review...how I simply couldn’t place Nate. He was such a mystery and in all honesty, such a weak character in the beginning...that was my opinion. But damn, did I take a 360-degree flip-flop on this one! Everything makes sense now. These books seriously get better as you progress through the series. Do I still despise him or has he won my vote for... “Come on? Everybody makes mistakes...right?” ...kind of attitude change. Yes, he has won my vote. I forgive you Chase! (Please any fans out there, don’t throw a banana peel at my head! Come on...we all forgive him...right?) Chase has really developed and we get to see a completely different side. Unfortunate that he has a mother from hell and is surrounded by so many evil influences, however he really redeemed himself. He’s fighting his way through all the darkness and misery he created, but he doesn’t stop. He needs to make things right. Chase and Calla...I love them together. It’s not your typical romance swooning scene where the heroine falls into the hero or then rather the villain’s arms and it’s happy ever after. No way! These two are electrifying together. Calla let Chase know exactly who he is, what he did, how he disappointed her and so much more. She refuses to step back. Now it’s kind of a relationship where she finds herself as the second fugitive...she was responsible for so many things in her own way as well, how could she be better in any way than Chase – her own feelings. She takes full responsibility for her own actions and I really like that. I do feel extremely sorry for her though. Gaius...he is adorable and I love me some Gaius. I LOVED this character. He is that feel good character. You had a terrible day...go to Gaius. You need some serious help magic or potion wise...go to Gaius. You want a good laugh...go to Gaius. I had such a good laugh-out-loud moment when Calla was practicing her Griffin ability with Gaius and she made a HUGE bagel rolling towards him. And he does love his bagels! Read the book and you’ll know what I’m talking about. It was funny okay... Zed Zed Zed! This guy had trouble around him which I sniffed out since the beginning. AND WAS I RIGHT OR WHAT! My heart plummeted, my breathing accelerated and my stomach turned upside down when he got hold of Calla. I’m so not going to spoil this scene here. I just let out an extremely loud sigh of relief when...READ THE BOOK. The author, Rachel Morgan’s, world building has really started to sink in and she has created this believable world where one feels you want to find and explore. Calla and Chase have become incredibly believable characters. Emotions run deep. Their pain cuts you like a knife. You really get sucked into each scene where you feel so much part of as if you were there. I’m really excited to get started with Book Six. Rescue mission impossible...here we come! 4 Stars
Everyone has secrets. Calla Larkenwood wants nothing more than to be a guardian, but her overprotective mother has never allowed it. Battling fae creatures is too dangerous a job for a young girl, and there’s that pesky magical ability she needs to keep hidden from the Guild. How can she do that if she’s working right under their nose? When circumstances change and Calla finally gets to follow her dream, she discovers guardian trainee life isn’t all she hoped it would be. Her classmates are distant, her mentor hates her, and keeping her ability, a secret is harder than she thought. Then an Underground initiation game goes wrong, landing Calla with a new magical ability she can’t control. She needs help – and the only way to get it is by bargaining with the guy who just discovered her biggest secret. I am utterly confused and horrified. I’ve been smacked in the face with something really icy and confusing and horrifying! What the hell just happened What an amazing freakin cliff-hanger! Calla is definitely sassy, though determined. She knows what she wants and she works damn hard for it. Her character developed beautifully and I really started growing fond of her. She’s tough and no matter what comes her way, she won’t back down and she goes full throttle forward in achieving her goals, even if fear does creep in now and then. I did struggle with the first part of the book. It was a bit slow. It did give you a nice background and much depth of who is who and what’s going on, but I felt it was a bit slow at times. I think what bothered me the most was the total transition from Vi and Ryn to Calla. I just struggled to get into Calla’s character at first after such a powerhouse couple, Vi and Ryn. Let’s talk a little about Olive, the mentor, and Saskia, the typical bad-girl bully, we all now and then encounter within our own lives. Boy oh boy... Either you love their cocky-arrogant-selfish characters or you absolutely despised them. Wish they kind of flushed themselves down their toilets! A bit harsh? You decide and let me know your thoughts. Chase has mystery and danger written all over him. A good thing? A bad thing? The author, Rachel Morgan, did an excellent job of describing and creating Chase’s character. I’m not sure where he is headed within this story, but I’m sure as hell very excited to find out. The overall pace of the story was a bit slow in the beginning, but it did pick up, especially nearing the end of Book 4. The plot’s consistency runs fluently, no hiccups I’ve picked up or confusion, where you kind of get lost in the read, not sure what’s going on. No, not at all. The series thus far is easy to follow and we really fall in love with the characters...which side depends on whom you choose. I’m trying not to give too much away from what is going on. No spoilers from me at this stage, as I feel many more readers should pick up this series and read it. And of course, I really want to stop writing now as I’m so freakin curios to find out...What the heck just happened??? A Faerie’s Revenge (Book Five) ...Here I come! |
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