Winter's Shadow by M.J. Hearle

Winters's Shadow by M.J. Hearle, a refreshing supernatural YA romance read. 


Hmmmmm... What to tell exactly. This isn't the most easy book to review for me to be honest as I loved and hated this book at the same time. You ask me how that's possible? Let me try to explain.

The book was pretty predictable I guess, not the entire book, but some major storylines were. Some parts I was like 'oh yeah that's that and that' and yes, I was right in the end :) You wonder why I kept reading then? Well the book was a nice, fluent, read. I loved the writing style and of course I wanted to know if I was right hehe. It annoyed me a bit though that I knew the major storylines, but that's a small thing to hate.

What I didn't expect at all tho was the ending. I can't say I was disappointed, not really, but I was hmmm, well shocked actually. I hadn't seen this one coming by far. I'm still kinda trying to figure out how I feel about it. Not sure whether to love it or to hate it. Right now I'm kinda neutral about it, but I'm bordering on 'dislike' I guess. Yoiu really should pick up the book andread for yourself! 

The best thing about this book was... the introduction of a new supernatural kind. Finally a book about the supernatural that has nothing to do with ghosts, zombies, vampires, werewolves, faeries, witches, wizzards and whatever supernatural mojo you can come up with. This was different! A lot different than what I expected. And... I loved that :D Okay, it took me some getting used to, especially at some points where I thought the story was going really fast and I had trouble catching up. But I loved catching the up part, so no hard feelings about this one. 

I liked the character of Winter. It was heart-breaking what she had been through and had to go through in the book. Yet somehow I felt something lacking. Can't put my finger on it, but I think I missed a more 'deeper' look into Winters feelings. There was so much more tell here, so much more I would have loved to discover about her. But I guess in this book and with this type of storyline, there wasn't that much more to tell.

Blake was, I mean, wow, seriously, I'm in love *sigh* Okay, maybe he was a bit too brooding, not sure, but I really loved him. From the way he's supposed to look to how he acts throughout the book, there's not a single thing that annoyed me about him. Okay, maybe one thing, but that you'll have to figure out for yourself. And it's not really like you can blame him. When you think about it, it's exactly the type of thing he would do *sigh* So I guess you should really read the book to find out what the hell I'm talking about!

M.J. Hearle did a great job creating these characters and this supernatural kind. Also the idea of the 'Dead Lands' was pretty original, I haven't really come across anything like it actually. It was refreshing. But again, I wish it was explored more in the story, it had some great potential.

Hearle wrote an original story with a supernatural touch to it, and as a reader I was kept interested at all times. But it wasn't like I was 'craving' to continue reading the book and felt like my life would end if I didn't get to read it soon enough. No, I could put it aside to get some sleep or go to work. I wasn't 'dying' for the moment I could pick it up again. Kinda sad it didn't give me that feeling, because I love it when a book gives me that (yet on the other hand, that is not good for my health whaha) and really it had the potential! I must admit, near the end though, I simpy couldn't put it down at all, so well, it give me a bit of the feeling after all ;) That has to count for something, right? 

All in all a great supernatural romance teen read I guess. Maybe if I'd been younger, I could have enjoyed it even more. I recommend this to everyone who likes this genre. Eventho I wasn't as thrilled about it as some other books I read, it was worth my time!   

Owh, yeah, one last thing... I absolutely adore the cover, I think it's beautiful! It's actually what got me interested in the book and why I wanted to read it. I didn't even read what it was about ^^.  

M.J. Hearle: Winter's Shadow, Pan Macmillan Australia, paperback 432p., ISBN13 9780330404471, published June 1st 2011

Carmen Belgium

20 July 2011

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton, a great YA supernatural story.

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton, a great YA supernatural story.


So, I read this book months ago, but due to some personal things (like education and work) I never found the time to write a decent review.

Now, it's been a while since I read this book, but I remember that I really liked it! I loved the thought that Ellie is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior and that Will has been there for her the past few years to help her through it. Of course, she doesn't remember, but there is obviously some connection between her and Will. I loved that connection! From the first start I was intrigued by Will and I loved discovering more about him. Ellie was also a great character to get to know. She sounds like a normal teenage girl, yet she isn't. It's great to read how she discovers that she's different and how she deals with it.

This book is great for anyone that loves a supernatural YA book. I definitely loved it! It was packed with adventure, the supernatural, friendship, love, well actually what I look for in a book, was in this one. I couldn't have asked for more, I got the whole package.

Courtney Allison Moulton did a great job writing this one. She really kept the reader intrigued and entertained throughout the whole book. As far as I can remember, I wasn't bored a single time. The opposite actually, I kept on reading to find out more about both Ellie and Will.

I can not wait to read the next book! I will most definitely recommend this book to everyone and I really hope it'll be translated in to Dutch, as I think this book will be a great asset for the Belgian market! 

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins/HarperTeen

Courtney Allison Moulton: Angelfire, Harper Teen (Harper Collins), hardcover 453p., ISBN 0062002325, published February 15th 2011

Carmen Belgium
14 July 2011

For a more crazy 'teen' review, make sure to check my Goodreads here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/136429005

I'm back!

Due to my education, work and some personal things, I haven't been able to read much, let alone write a decent review. But I'm back and ready to try again :D

Can't wait to start reading and reviewing *YAY*

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky, an amazing debut dystopian teen novel that will get you thinking about how life could look like in about 50 years…

Awaken, an amazing debut dystopian teen novel that will get you thinking about how life could look like in about 50 years…

Okay, to be honest here, I read this book back in December 2010 in like one day. And for me to finish a book in one day, well it has to be good. So yeah, this book was pretty great and kept me entertained all the time. I can’t wait to read more novels by this author! Very much looking forward to what’s going to happen next. I really hope there will be a next novel.

Now, it’s been at least 3 months since I finished this one, but due to lack of time, I didn’t have the chance to write a proper review. I’m sick at home right this moment and finally have some time to write a decent review. But because it’s been so long, I might have some facts wrong. Please forgive me for that. Thank you goodreads for the awesome reviews though, they helped me writing this one.

Well this book is set in the 2060’s where everything has been digitalized, whether it’s dating, going to school or interact with friends. ‘Real life’ contact has become very rare. Our main character is Maddie, whose father invented Digital School. Digital School became a real hit after some incidents at regular schools. Maddie is quite okay with this all, until she meets Justin. Justin convinces her to come to a ‘real’ tutor class and Maddie is immediately impressed by him and what he represents. She’s intrigued and from there on the adventure really starts…

Reading this book made me realize how much our lives have changed over the past couple of years and how much more it could change. It frightens me to know what might happen to our ‘social’ life in a few years time. We really are in a era where people have thousands of friends on line. Nearly everyone has Facebook or another social network site where they stay in touch with their family and ‘friends’. I do wonder how many of those friends you actually have met and catch up on face to face. I’m not saying technology is bad, because it has its perks. I’m just saying that I’m afraid people will end up in social desolation…

Anyway, I loved this book and I loved the interaction between Maddie and Justin. I think Maddie is a great character with a mind of her own and I really liked that about her. I really enjoyed Justin too, but what bothered me a bit was his angst to get close to someone. I mean, what was that all about? He promotes social contact, but he’s afraid to get close to anyone because of the ‘job’ he does. Okay, I get why, but everyone needs someone and this way he’ll just end up alone. That’s not better than the digital life he despises so much. I hope that in the next book (and please let there be a next one!) he’ll come to his senses.

It took me a few pages to really get ‘into’ the book, but I’m glad I pushed on reading, because it was definitely worth my time. The entire setting just kind of crept me out, as the possibilities of such a world aren’t too foreign for me. I could really see something similar happening in the near future. I do hope I’m wrong though, because it would be such a shame to live in a world where social contact is rare instead of the norm.

Awaken is a debut novel that will make you think about life now and what the future may hold. It handles issues like friendship, social life, family, love and where technology could lead us to. I recommend this book to everyone, especially teens that love a good dystopian novel with not too much fantasy woven into it. As I think this book might be one of the possibilities in the future…

Thank you Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

Katie Kacvinsky: Awaken, Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, hardcover 352 p., expected publication date May 23rd 2011

Carmen Belgium
3 April 2011

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand: an amazing debut novel that you’ll be thinking about long after finishing the last page.

Unearthly: an amazing debut novel that you’ll be thinking about long after finishing the last page.

Unearthly is Cynthia Hands debut novel and it’s a real hit. It’s the first book in the ‘Unearthly’ series. And after reading this book, you’ll simply be craving the next one!

Unearthly tells the story of Clara, part-angel, which she found out 2 years ago when she turned 14. In this book she finds her ‘purpose’, something every angel has to fulfill. Clara’s purpose has her and her mom and brother moving to Wyoming to find Christian, the boy in her visions. Her visions include him and a raging forest fire which Clara supposes she has to rescue him from. Christian is her sacred duty, her destiny. But what happens when Clara meets Tucker? He gets under her skin and makes her feel things like nothing before. What will Clara do, follow her heart or fulfill her destiny?

This book is written smoothly in Clara’s POV. Clara is a very likeable character and I loved getting in to her head. I liked the way she reacted to Tucker at first, he wasn’t her favorite person in the world to be honest. I actually couldn’t see anything happening between them, she was so into Christian. But when Christian goes away for spring break and Tuckers sister Wendy, gives Tucker the duty to take care of Clara on her birthday, things seem to take a whole other direction...
Christian was a likeable character, but he somehow sounded like a god in the book. Good looks, smart, nice person to everyone, not too cocky, etc. They don’t really come in such packages in real life, do they? Well, it does makes a lot of sense near the end though, so I can let that one slide.
I really liked, no let’s say loved Tucker. At first I wasn’t really into him, but his character really grew on me. He was just so down to earth and true, what you see is what you get. And I really enjoyed the parts where he was in. I just couldn’t get enough of him. It’s amazing how he deals with everything. And he loves horses *sigh* What more do you wish for? Haha.  
I wasn’t too happy with Clara’s mom and Jeffrey, Clara’s brother. It was like her mother was pushing her towards Christian. And I honestly couldn’t understand that. Then again, we didn’t know the entire story of what happens when you don’t fulfill your purpose, so I’m guessing her mom had her reasons.
Jeffrey took quite a lot of risks to fit in at school I think. His behavior was dangerous in terms of exposing the family as ‘special’, which they are trying to avoid at all costs. No human can ever know about them. But then again, he was dragged to Wyoming and had to leave his life and friends behind. As a teenage boy I can understand he wanted to fit in just right somewhere new. Let’s hope that his behavior won’t get them into trouble next time!
Then there is Wendy, Tuckers brother. I guess she was an okay character, but I just didn’t understand why she was so against Clara’s ‘crush’ with Christian. Maybe she knew her brother liked Clara and she was trying to open Clara’s eyes or something. Or protect Clara from getting hurt.
And then there is Angela. Well… you’ll have to read the book to find out more about her, I tell you, it’s worth it! I am very curious about her character though, I hope we see her again in the next books.

It took me some time to pick up this book due to work and education overload. But once I started this book I just couldn’t put it down and had to finish it as soon as I could (which was in like one day). The story had me compelled and the characters were intriguing. I just had to know what was going to happen! I’m very glad I picked up this book and I can’t wait for the next installment! 

Unearthly is an amazing teen read and a fantastic debut novel. I would recommend this book to all young adult fantasy readers. Everyone who likes the paranormal and some sweet romance story along the way, will love this book! I sure did.

Thank you HarperTeen and Netgalley.

Cynthia Hand: Unearthly, HarperTeen, hardback 435p., ISBN 0061996165, published January 4th 2011

Carmen Belgium
20 March 2011