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Saturday, July 7, 2012

{Book Review]: Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

Tempest Rising (Tempest #1)
Title: Tempest Rising
Author: Tracy Deebs Website | Facebook
Stand Alone or Series: (Tempest, #1)

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: 
Walker Books for Young Readers (May, 2011)
Hardcover: 352 pages
ISBN:
 9780802722317
Source: Purchased
Available On: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository | Kindle | Nook

Description from GoodReads:

Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her-and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.


My Review


First Impressions: Based on the description from GoodReads this sounds like the story of the daughter of the little mermaid. If the little mermaid had a daughter with a surfer guy and left her daughter. (It does to me!) 


Plot & Characters: Tempest for most of the story struggles between what she wants and what she needs. She wants to stay on land with her family, yet her body longs for the sea. This seems to me like a problem she creates. Why can't she spend time in both places? I know she says she doesn't want to abandon her family but it just doesn't seem like that big of a problem.


Tempest has a boyfriend on land but introduce a dose of instant love and a few pages later she is attracted to another. I usually don't have a big problem with instant love but in this story it just seemed wrong. She threw away a relationship and years of memories and suddenly all she could think of was this new guy. Not cool. 


The mythology was interesting. I enjoyed learning about mermaids and the other sea creatures. The evil witch was great and terrifying. The missing mother added a very interesting element to the story. I was anticipating the moment when I would finally meet her and learn why she abandoned her children. When she finally appears I felt ripped off. I was not given the reunion I wanted. 


Final Thoughts: I enjoyed Tempest but was not able to connect with the main character. I recommend it if you enjoy mermaid stories and are not bothered by instant love.


Buy, Borrow or Skip: Borrow. I enjoyed Tempest and will read the next in the series but for now it doesn't stand out enough for me to say buy.


My Rating:

Friday, July 6, 2012

{Book Review}: Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz

Spellcaster (Spellbound, #2)
Title: Spellcaster
Author: Cara Lynn Shultz Website | Twitter
Stand Alone or Series: Spellbound, #2

Genre: YA Fiction/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: HarlequinTeen (March 27th 2012)
Hardcover: 384 pages

ISBN 9780373210503 
Source: NetGalley*
Available OnAmazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository | Kindle | Nook

Description from GoodReads:

Finding your eternal soulmate - easy. 

Stopping a true-love-hungry evil - not so much… 

After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although...it's not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close.... 

But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan's deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma's crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own.


My Review


First Impressions: I enjoyed Spellbound and thus was excited about book #2.


Plot & Characters: One of the things I enjoyed the most about Spellbound was Emma's sense of humor and it was not the same in Spellcaster. Although I enjoyed it, it just didn't seem that different from the 1st book. Emma and Brendan fight for their love against a psycho[path, everything seems hopeless but their love and determination win in the end. I just wanted less predictable. I enjoyed it but expected more.


Final Thoughts: An ok series for those who enjoy YA Paranormal Romance. I will read the next on just to see where the story goes.


Buy, Borrow or Skip: Borrow, you can always buy later if you love it. :)


My Rating:



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