Review: Hemlock

Hemlock
by Kathleen Peacock
Published May 8th, 2012 by Katherine Tegen Books

Mackenzie and Amy were best friends.
Since then, Mac's life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac's hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy's killer:
A white werewolf.
Lupine syndrome--also known as the werewolf virus--is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.
Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy's murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy's boy-friend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.


Rating: 3.75 stars

Hemlock is a book that, from what I’ve seen, has received some mixed reviews. Some people gush about how amazing it is and absolutely love what the author’s done with the whole concept of werewolves. Others, on the other hand, have deemed this book to be a stereotypical YA paranormal romance, with nothing new to offer.

My position? Well, I’m somewhere in the middle.

Not terribly helpful, I know… but here, let me explain:

I’m not an avid werewolf book reader, but out of the ones I have read, I can honestly say that Hemlock’s take on werewolves is very unique in YA. It was fresh and new and very interesting to read about. In the world of Hemlock, the existence of werewolves is common knowledge, and because of people’s fear of them, those who are infected with the Lupine disease  is sent into these awful camps where they’re treated as sub-humans. There’s a civilian organization called the Trackers who enforce all the “rules” regarding werewolves. These people are brutal. Like a you-want-to-kick-them-where-the-sun-don’t-shine kind of brutal.

The biggest hook for me, the thing that kept me flipping page after page, was definitely the mystery. That aspect of the book was really good! I love a good who-done-it kind of mystery that generates so much suspense that I’m half tempted to just flip to the end and find the answers!  The urge to find out who the murderer was and what secrets were being kept will keep you glued to this book!

As for the characters, I think Kathleen Peacock gave a good variety of personalities to tell her story. With regards to Mac, the main character, I liked her, but I didn’t really love her. Or, I guess to be more specific, I just didn’t really connect with her like I wanted to. It’s not that she was annoying or poorly written, but sometimes, she did things that I didn’t particularly agree with and couldn’t help but think that she just didn’t think things through.

*SLIGHT spoilers in the next paragraph, so read at your own risk!*

Mac’s two best friends, Kyle and Jason were good characters that made up the other sides of the love triangle, providing a nice contrast to one another. Oh yes, did I forget to mention that there’s a love triangle in this book? To be honest, I was not crazy about the love triangle—I mean, I could see each boy’s appeal, but I just didn’t get what made them both so enamored with Mac, so willing to risk everything for her. And I already have a feeling that there’s going to be a lot of relationship angst in the next book. *Sigh* Upchuck.

Strangely enough, Amy, despite being deceased, was a character that really interested me. I almost wish that the author could write a prequel focusing on Amy’s story because I would LOVE to read about her relationships. Especially the one with a boy that, to me, could give Kyle and Jason a good run for their money on the swoon-worthy scale. I honestly think her love story would make a better book thank more love triangle angst.

*END OF SPOILER section*

All in all, I liked this book. Didn’t really fall out of my chair over how amazing it was. But I didn’t despise it either. Will I be reading the sequel? Yes. I’m definitely anxious to see where Kathleen Peacock takes us in this world of werewolves and Trackers. 

Series Review: Strange Angels

Strange Angels, Betrayals, Jealousy, Defiance, Reckoning
by Lili St. Crow

Overall Rating: 4.25 out of 5 

This is my first time reviewing a series as a whole, rather than each book individually. My reason for doing so it because, well, in this case, it's rather hard to simply review one book at a time; each book provides the perfect segway into the next and  the entire storyline and everything is just much easier to review and talk about once I finished the entire series. I'll try not to spoil too much for those who haven't read/finished the entire series, but beware because I probably will have to disclose some spoilery info....

So, quick summary time: this series is about a girl named Dru, who, for a long time now, has been moving from place to place with her dad. And what do they do when the get to these new towns? They exterminate otherworldly pests pretty much. Whether it's a bad case of voodoo or hex, they show up and take care of it. But all changes one day when Dru's father doesn't come home one night..... Oh, don't worry, he does return, but just as a zombie. Yeah, that's right, people can be turned into zombies. From that moment, Dru's pretty much on her own--and to top it off, she find out she's not completely human either! She's actually part-supernatural, half of one of the creatures she and her father spent years hunting. 

From there, she, along with the help of Graves and Christophe (who are also not exactly human...) escapes perilous dangers and creatures who want her dead, and finds her way to the Schola, a place for half-vampires and wulfen. (Spoiler!) Dru is a svetocha--a female half-vampire (note: half-vampires aka djampir and svetocha are good, full suckers= super duper bad!) and it just so happens that svetochas are extremely rare because they've been hunted religiously by full vampires because there's something in their natural make up that's toxic to full-on suckers. 

      Now, you'd think everything would be just peachy right? WRONG. All the suckers, especially the King, Sergej, himself wants her dead. To top it off, there are traitors and backstabbers within the Schola itself who are willing to give Dru up to be killed.

      Oh, and, of course, there is something of a love triangle involving her, Christophe (a super powerful, but rogue djampir) and Graves (a human-turned-loup-garou) 

DO NOT THINK TWILIGHT! Yes, okay, I know there's a vampire-werewolf love triangle, but believe me, Strange Angels could not be more different than Twilight. For one, this series is so freaking kicka$$ it's actually kinda ridiculous! Dru Anderson is, by far, one of the toughest heroines I've ever met! That girl knows her stuff when it comes to hexing, wards, guns, and survival. Again and again, Dru's world is turned upside down as she learns more about her own role in the supernatural world, all the while dealing with doubt, betrayal, confusion, unknown family history, and a little anger at the fact that she's part sucker. Yet despite all of the things thrown her way, she is tough as nails, and always picks herself back up. Even if she doesn't want to do it, she does because she knows people are depending on her. 

The love triangle was..... just all-around really great! For the first time, as I was reading, I had absolutely no clue just who Dru was going to end up with! I was a total Team Graves person myself, but good God, there were so many times I thought to myself: "Dang it! She's totally gonna end up with Christophe!" because she would talk about how, with Graves, she felt safer, whereas Christophe was pure danger and electricity, and of course, in YA novels, the girl always picks the dangerous bad boy! But surprisingly, the series ending that Lili St. Crow wrote was..... kinda highly refreshing. Without giving anything away, the ending totally wasn't what I was expecting, yet at the same time, I felt like it was the best possible ending for the series. And.... it does set it up for a follow-up book or spin-off..... FINGERS CROSSED! 

Another thing, though, is that, while there is definitely a romantic element to this series, it doesn't dominate the plot line. It was there, but it wasn't like Dru's biggest dilemma and mindset was "oh, which guy will I choose???" Puh-leaze, she's too busy trying to stay alive for that kind of thinking.

 As for the plot itself, I really liked it, but again, the plot is more of an overarching kind of thing, that in order to have the complete storyline, you really have to read the whole series. Though, that being said, I also felt like the books could've been, I don't know, a little shorter maybe? It's just that after finishing each book, I realized not much actually happened. I mean, yes, there were super intense moments, but that was basically the climax of the book; it was just one (maybe 2) moment(s). 

Also, another thing that was a little... annoying, to me personally, was this sense of a "gap" between conversations in the book. Literally, Dru will be talking to someone and then, bam! For the next couple of paragraphs, you're either reading the rather long thoughts running through her head, or reliving some of her past memories. It kind of got on my nerves because there would just be this huge gap in the conversations, and sometimes, I'd have to go back and re-read the last part of the dialogue! 

Another reason why this book wasn't a gull 5 stars was because I felt like St. Crow never really explained everything about the "Real World." Seriously, just what the heck is the "aspect" or the "Other" or Dru's personal special senses??? Don't get me wrong, I like it when the author doesn't bombard you with information at the very beginning, telling you all this background info at once, but the thing is, when the series ended, she still hadn't actually explained it!!! Also, WHAT THE HECK IS DRU SHORT FOR?!?! Sigh, either St. Crow wants to leave us in the dark about some things, or expects us to fill in the blanks for ourselves, or she is just (again, fingers crossed) is planning for a spin-off/follow-up novel. But either way, this little fact frustrated me quite a bit!

BUT all in all, I think this series was freaking fantastic! My personal favorites out of all the books would probably be book #1, 2, and 5. Strong beginning and strong finish. It's not your typical run-of-the-mill YA supernatural series. In some ways, it's a little mature because St. Crow tells it like it is---she doesn't romanticize the situation or descriptions, and I liked how it made the storyline more real. Also, just warning you, there is kind of a lot of cursing in these books, so, probably not the best choice for young kids. But seriously, this series is pretty darn amazing, and I highly recommend it.

Review: Fateful by Claudia Gray

Fateful
by Claudia Gray
Published March 29th, 2012 by HarperCollins

“In Fateful, eighteen-year-old maid Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy, overbearing family she works for. Once the ship they’re sailing on reaches the United States, she’ll strike out on her own. Then she meets Alec, a handsome first-class passenger who captivates her instantly. But Alec has secrets....

Soon Tess will learn just how dark Alec’s past truly is. The danger they face is no ordinary enemy: werewolves are real and they’re stalking him—and now Tess, too. Her growing love for Alec will put Tess in mortal peril, and fate will do the same before their journey on the Titanic is over.”

-blurb from goodreads.com 

Review:

I've gotta admit, I started this book with some not-very-high expectations, thinking it would be kind of cheesy.

 But boy was I wrong.

Fateful has quickly become one of my favorite historical romances...ever! The combination of Titanic + werewolves is very unexpected. It definitely had the potential to make the book cheesy and overly dramatic, but the author pulled it off very well! The supernatural element is there, but doesn't consume the book and overtake the realistic aspects of the novel. You can tell that Gray definitely did some very thorough research on the time period and the Titanic before she started writing. The way that Gray writes is so beautiful and true to its time that you'll gobble the pages up before you know it. In my opinion, this novel was written even better than her Evernight ones.

Of course, the great romance in the book helps too. The romance between Tess and Alec, in my opinion, could definitely give Jack and Rose a run for their money. Tess is a heroine that you can't help but like: caring, strong, and witty. You also can't help but love Alec; he's protective, selfless, and has absolutely no care for class divides. I also really like the fact that the author adds in little romances on the side between supporting characters; it's not just about the love of the main characters.

Overall, I give this book 5 STARS.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

“You should go.”

“I can't.”

“Because you want to stare at the monster?” Alec's green eyes blaze, but with a wholly human fire now. “Or because you pity me?” I couldn't guess which possibility he loathes more.

I fold my arms. “I can't leave because the door's locked. Believe me, I would've gone hours ago if I could have.”

“Oh. Of course.” Then he looks so abashed—so boyish, and so handsome—that I almost want to laugh.

“You're strong, Tess. Stronger than I think even you know. I don't think there's anything you couldn't bear if you had to.”

“I can't offer you anything.”

Marriage, he means. A future. Everything his bondage to the Brotherhood denies us. All those things that seem so important in the bright light of day but are so meaningless now.”

“You can offer me tonight.”

“There aren't enough lifeboats,” I whisper into his ear.

“I know.” Alec just keeps holding me, pressing his lips to my forehead and my cheek. “I've been trying to find you. To save you.”

“I've been trying to save you.”