STARCROSSED Review

STARCROSSED

Josephine Angelini

June 2011

Opening Line: 'But if you bought me a car now, it would be yours when I go away to school in two years. Still practically new.'

Closing Line: Helen, beloved of the goddess of love, went downstairs to crawl into her empty bed as Lucas, the son of the sun, leaned back onto his elbows and watched his father-god brighten the bare wooden planks of her window's walk.

(I have two) Favourite Quote(s): ...'Anyway, geeks are the best. You're all so deliciously corruptible'...

~Claire~

'I only have so much willpower, Helen,' he whispered. 'And since you apparently sleep in the most ridiculously transparent tank top I've ever seen, I'm going to have to ask you to get under the covers before I do something stupid.'

~Lucas~

I LOVED IT, I LOVED IT, I LOVED IT!!!!

An amazing story that will pull you in from the start, send you on a roller-coaster ride and throw you out the other end more that satisfied!!! 

Helen Hamilton is the shy girl around town who lives with her father after her mother abandoned them. She spends most of her time just trying to blend into the crowed because if she even thinks she is becoming centre of attention she gets the strangest pains in her stomach. 

As she gets ready to start Junior year with best friend Claire, Helen discovers a new family has moved to town and several of the members will also be attending school. The Delos family is the talk of the town, but Helen is already fed up of hearing about them and couldn't really care less, that is until she sets eyes on Lucas Delos. Driven by a power and rage she doesn't understand Helen attacks Lucas with the intent to kill him in the middle of the crowded school corridor. Helen doesn't understand what is happening or why. Every time she sees a member of the Delos family she wants to kill them. And if that wasn't bad enough, each time she sees them a trio of blood crying sisters appear, which Helen later learns are The Furies. 

After being saved by the Delos family from being abducted one night, Helen has an encounter with Lucas that will change the fates forever.

Helen discovers that she is a descendant of the Greek Gods and she and the Delos family are part of an ancient blood-feud.

I loved this story! The only other thing I have read that contains Greek mythology is Percy Jackson and I enjoyed that and remember thinking I wish there were more books like it! And now my wishes have come true with STARCROSSED! I can't praise this book enough!!! I will admit, I don't know my Greek mythology as much as I would like but Angelini's take on the subject has me hooked more than ever before!

I really like the development of Helen's character as the story progresses, she goes form shy girl about town, to a kick ass heroine. I like how her relationships with friends old and new grow as she learns to accept herself.  I love Claire, the spunky best friend, who isn't afraid to say what she thinks and has total faith in Helen. The relationship between Helen and Lucas is very believable both 'before and after', you will see what I mean. And the secondary characters feel just as important as the main characters, and are written about with just as much love. Hector, Lucas' cousin really stands out for me, he's a bit of a bad-boy who just wants to protect his family. 

Many questions are posed throughout this story and although most are answered several have been left for 

 DREAMLESS, book 2. Which I need please :) Because I spent the last four or so chapters with my hand to my mouth! I have become obsessed with this story and still find myself wondering what is going to happen to the characters. 

Angelini's writing is truly beautiful and compelling.

Another 2011 debut author I'll be keeping both eyes on!!

5 of 5 Stars! Why? Because I was hooked from page 1 to page 514!!! I was constantly thinking about the characters when I wasn't reading and when I did read it was until way past midnight, as Mrs. Angelini knows!! 

Darkest Mercy Review

Darkest Mercy

Melissa Marr

Opening Line: Niall walked through the ruins of the tattoo shop.

Closing Line: And the winter Queen and her consort covered their winter garden with a fall of white snow.

Favourite Quote: Send the messengers for the faery courts. This is the end.

~Chela~ 

I hate to do this, I wanted to love this book because I loved the other four and I constantly recommend them to customers but Darkest Mercy left me wanting more!!!

I have loved the Wicked Lovely Series since the very beginning! Darkest Mercy has been a long time coming for me, and like other readers, I had so many questions I wanted answering.

So, as we know, Keenan is missing and the Dark Court is bleeding, Ash is left to attend to the Summer Court by herself and Donia, well what can you say about Donia, Ice Cold but with a taste for Summer.

I'm finding it very hard to write a review because the things I want to say will just spoil the book for those who have not yet read it, so what I will say is this:

It is always nice to see the growth and development of characters and Marr gives us that: Keenan finally thinks of himself and makes more than one life changing decision that could shock some readers but others will not be and see them before they happen. Ash kicks ass and finally accepts her role as the Summer Queen and becomes everything we knew she could and would be. Donia, I have loved her character from the start and would go to War with her any-day of the week! She is and always has been a natural born leader. Seth has always been a voice of reason for me, and even more so now he is a seer and Niall finally finds some form of peace.

I loved many things about Marr's final instalment but then other things left me wanting!!!! Which is not good for the final book in a series. I was thinking War would bring many battles before then end and we would have a writer with the courage that JK Rowling had with the last Harry Potter book. JK wasn't afraid to kill of main/supporting characters and although Marr does make some sacrifices, I didn't see them as big enough. I was constantly turning the page and thinking this is it, something is coming but in the end it just turned out 'nice'.

(I'm not comparing Darkest Mercy to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as I know others have, I'm just saying I wish Marr had the courage to let go a little and give us something more.)

3 of 5 Starts. Why? It pains me to give just 3 stars because I loved the other books so much and all received 4 or 5 stars. Darkest Mercy has been given 3 stars because as I have said I was left wanting more, much more. I honestly think Marr had more to give.

Amended Coming Soon List

Amended 'Coming Soon' list at the bookshop to include STARCROSSED by Josephine Angelini. Some great books coming this year!