Review: After Eden - Katherine Pine

Series: Fallen Angels 1

Genre: Paranormal romance YA

Pages:

Published: April 2011

Source: For review

Review by Lis

Devi knows she shouldn't trust the new employee at her favorite used bookstore. Sure, he's funny, smart and hands down the sexiest guy she's ever met, but something dark lurks behind his unassuming smile and sinful green eyes.

Still, a girl can't always afford to be picky. When an angel abducts your twin brother it should come as no surprise that the one person who can help you get him back is a demon--and only if you're willing to pay his price.

.................


Grrrrrr! That’s what I thought for most of this book. That and I wanted to shake some sense into the main character Devi. Girl, grow a pair! As you all know, characters sometimes are just like real people to me and I like my characters strong or written in such a way that their behavior is believable. Well, this story just left me a little annoyed after reading it and thinking of Bella from Twilight. While this story was most definitely not my cup of tea, it might just be what you are looking for. Curious about my ranting yet?

After Eden is the story of Devi, which starts the day she walks into a used bookstore. While there she gets a seizure but is rescued by the very handsome, but very mysterious new owner: Oz. So long has he touches her, she’s seizure free. Of course, this is the perfect opportunity to ask someone out, which Oz does. Okay, well, they go to dinner and Oz walks Devi home.

That’s actually where the real story starts, ‘cause once home the demon Forneus pops in to kidnap her and take her to the Prince of Hell. Well, that’s certainly some home coming. Luckily for Devi, there’s Oz. Did I mention that Oz is an Angel? No? Well… there ya go!

Can you feel the other shoe falling yet? Uhuh. Angels and demons. A very popular theme in young adult stories these days. There certainly are some interesting views on heaven and hell, angels and demons and devils in this story. You sure have to like this theme to love it. Personally I have no problem with demons, but angels and heaven/religion are subjects I rather not always touch in story. Especially with a whiny character that leans on a man too much.

After Eden is very much a character-driven story. There are looooooooooooooooooooong conversations in this story and that pushes the action to the background a bit. Have I mentioned I’m an impatient woman? While some of these conversations where most definitely needed, some were too long and overdrawn, jumping from one topic to the other.

To me this story would have benefitted from a good editor, because my other issue is: originally I thought this would be about Devi who searched for her missing brother. While the theme/topic is certainly around, it gets lost in the story sometimes. After Eden focuses on too many things, which makes this a complicated read. There is no real balance between the world building and the plot.

After Eden is certainly not a bad read and there are some who will really like this book. It would have been nice to see Devi grow a little in the story and maybe finding a backbone along the way and Oz being a little less overprotective. But if you like Angels and Demons, with some sweet characters than this book is for you!

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Note from Blodeuedd:

Flash fiction  HERE

Review: Fallen - Lauren Kate

 Book 1

Genre: Paranormal romance YA
Pages: 452
Published: 2009

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she ...more There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

This was the other book that I heard so much about last year and how so many loved it, again I wondered, and this time it proved right. This book was not that good.

Luce was in a fire and her boyfriend mysteriously died, now she is at a new school filled with troubled kids and those that has done really bad things. Here she meets Daniel, this strange boy she feels like she has met before, and then there is the other guy who also likes here and so it goes on.

Now why didn't I like it? Well it was really hard to get in to, I wanted to skim, but read on and hoped it would pick up..it didn't. Finally when I had read half the book something started to happening and I thought yes! Fallen angels and paranormal stuff! Sadly I was mistaken, it was this climax that ended in nothing. So I started reading again hoping for some paranormal stuff. Nope. Instead there was Luce stalking Daniel, hanging out with friends and meeting this other guy. Then finally, finally at the end some paranormal stuff happened and I hoped to get some answers, short answer..no. I learnt that there are fallen angels, well yeah, I read the back cover. And that there is reincarnation, yes I kind of guessed that in the beginning too. So in the end nothing at all was explained and it left me really frustrated. I had wanted some more paranormal action and explanations.

Now to my other objection that I have seen around. This is a school where some kids are dangerous and wears tracking bracelets. But everyone sneaks around, Luce goes swimming with Daniel who she doesn't know. They seem to do what ever they want. There is no security, well ok those cameras, but it's doesn't feel like anyone is actually watching the tape. It's just like any other boarding school.

This one felt too drama and teen for me in the end. I wanted explanations, I wanted something to happen, but there was nothing. People can like this one even if I didn't. It does have star crossed lovers and the eternal love triangle so some will go for that. But for me it was lacking. And it could have been awesome. Perhaps the next one has something more in it.

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner: I do love it, but in the book she has short hair cos of the fire.

Reason for reading: From that awesome library loot

Final thoughts: Some will love it, some might feel like I did.

Review: Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick + being interviewed today

Genre: Paranormal romance, YA
Pages:
Published: 2009

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

I had heard great things about this book and was a bit, scared really, so many times all this buzz is really nothing, and the book is utter crap. Well I am happy to say that I liked this book. It had me reading and reading.

Nora is a normal teenage girl who suddenly finds herself sitting next to a mysterious boy in class. Ok I do have to cut in here, come on! Roswell, Twilight, come up with something new. Aaanyway, she is fascinated by him even though he is rude and cold. She is also feeling that someone is stalking her, and she has met this other boy who may be hiding something too. Darkness is closing up on her.

You know, sometimes when I complain I do really like the book. So to my second complain, there is a part of the book where a certain older woman seems to be lusting and in love with a younger guy..perhaps it's just that angels are no age, but it was strange. And, are angels made to when they are young so they can grow up? Well I do get that she wanted a 16 or whatever old angel. Oh, shouldn't he fall for someone his own "age" then. There I go again.

Great, another complain coming up. She "feels" that he is a different and then he sees that he has a scar on his back...so what is the first thing she do. Well google fallen angels and realize he must be one..wow, wait what? Yes always when I feel a guy is different and has a scar he must be an fallen angel. There wasn't nothing leading up to that, nothing that made her think he should be one.

Back to business, this book won me over. All this angel talk, I did always like fallen ones, and who doesn't like doomed love. Danger and a good story going on.

It may not look that way when I over analysed it but I truly did enjoy this book, and I want to know what happens in book 2. I hope she keep her style and doesn't go all teen or drama. Instead keeping it a bit fresh. So in the end it must be a good book if I complained this much and still really liked it.

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner: I do like it, I liked it the first time I saw it

Reason for reading: One of my amazing library loot books, I am happy to have such an understanding friend ;)

Final thoughts: Makes me wanna read the next one.


Being interviewed over at Stacy's Place on Earth today, come over and say hi :D