Iron Fey BOOK 5!!!

YES! YESSS!!
Have you heard? All you fellow Iron Fey lovers can now rejoice because Julie Kagawa is going to be releasing a FIFTH book to the series!
Only this time it'll be from Ethan's point of view!
This is what Julie said on her blog.

"Is there a fifth book in The Iron Fey series? Will the Iron Fey story continue?
Yes! In the fall of 2012, there will be a new Iron Fey series starring Ethan Chase, Meghan's younger brother, when he is a teenager. I can't give away too many details yet, but there is sure to be lots of familiar faces popping for cameos."

Squee! Me wants...

Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens

I've heard loads of stuff about this one... not going to say what... you'll have to read it yourself, oh it's apparently aimed at the teens or tweens so.. yeah... up to you. Though I have to say the guy on the cover looks very funny, weird, protective... **cough cough** :), I'm gonna have his face in my head when I read the book... hehehe... I know, I know. That's mean...
Any who, I just HAVE to put this out there, if you get this on Kindle right now you're saving $13.99. (that's the paperback price, it's $4.99 digital price)! I could buy 10 other kindle books using that money... I'm such a cheapskate. :)

I'm not sure if this is the actual blurb or not, I've been having trouble trying to find one... oh wells

Ashlyn:A lonely society princess living in NewYork City.
Daddy hired you to be my bodyguard.

Colin: Childhood enemy, now her protector.

Daddy thought I’d be safe. He thought I’d never fall in love. He thought he could keep me forever.

Charles: obsessed with keeping her safe, keeping her his, he hires the one person he knows she could never fall in love with: Colin.

Daddy was wrong.

A kidnapping leaves a father fanatical about his only child's safety. A story of obsessive love and the quest for independence.

Here! to download.
Here! for reading apps

Kindle Freebie! Forbidden Mind by Kimberly Kinrade

Today's freebie is Forbidden Mind, and guess what? This one caught my attention because of it's blurb! (see? I'm not that shallow) though I'll admit that I did click on the cover because it looked interesting, but it was the blurb that convinced me. honest :)

She reads minds.
He controls minds.
Together, they might get out alive.

Sam thinks she's months away from freedom. After spending her life in a secret school, rented out to the rich and powerful as a paranormal spy, she is ready to head to college like any normal eighteen-year-old.

Only Sam isn't normal. She reads minds. And just before her big going-away party, she links to the mind of a young man who changes everything.

Drake wasn't raised as a 'Rent-A-Kid.' He was kidnapped and taken there by force. But his exceptional physical strength and powers of mind control make him very dangerous, especially to Sam.

When they meet, Sam is forced to face the truth of her situation, and to acknowledge that not all is as it seems in her picture-perfect world. For what awaits her on her eighteenth birthday isn't a trip to college, but an unexpected nightmare from which she may not be able to escape.

To survive, they must work together.

But will their powers be enough to save them before it's too late?

Here to download
here for apps.
coolioes and happy reading everyone.

Kindle Freebie! Poke by Dalya Moon

This one caught my attention through it's lovely cover design (hehe don't they always). So, Poke... The summary sounds like a short, fun read. Oh... there was a warning at the bottom of the summary that it's recommended for "older teens to adults (some mature content)" o_O
weeeeellllll... I haven't read it, so if you decide to take the risk, don't blame me if you read something that can never be unread :)

Zan is a teenage boy with a talent for discovering any girl’s secrets. If he asks a girl to poke her finger into his navel, he gets a psychic trip to Secret Town. Zan never likes what he finds.

When he meets mysterious, beautiful Austin, with her waist-length hair and mature laugh, he wants to get acquainted with her the slow way. Austin, however, can’t resist her curiosity, and when she pokes her finger into Zan’s belly button, he sees … nothing.

Austin dashes out of Zan’s house and out of his life, leaving Zan heartbroken and confused. To find peace, he must unravel the secret of his power. Is it a gift, or a curse? How can Zan love someone with no future? How can he not?

Poke is a fast-paced story about Zan's adventurous summer, as he battles witches, experiments with astral projection, and discovers the secret of his strange power, all to be with the girl he loves.

coolioes. here to download. again, if you're not "mature" (whatever that means :P) please don't decide to download this. I don't want to be responsible for scarring you for life.
And here for the reading apps... it's alright this link is completely all-age appropriate :)

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Book Blurb:
Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

----------o_O----------

This one was read a teeny tiny little while back so my details may be a little hazy because I have some sort of short term memory loss :)

And so. Let me just put this out there. Assasins. Nuns. ASSASSIN NUNS!
Yes, bonus points for the awesome awesome idea. If that hasn’t made you want to pick up the book, then read further :)

Let me just say that Grave Mercy is one of the most original books I’ve read in a while, it had strange but wonderful ideas: gods of Old, death’s handmaids, you get the picture. One old god in particular is Mortain, the God of Death, (see? Doesn’t THAT already have your attention?)and this is where our dearest Ismae comes in. Marked by Mortain himself, she was saved and raised in a convent to be a deadly assassin. Yes, a knife wielding, garrotte tugging, ass-kicking assassin. And guess what else she deals in… Poision. Yes that’s right. Poison. Assassins and poison are one of my favourite combinations, and you can see why I was tripping over myself to get a copy of this. Think Poison study guys. Squeee.

At the beginning of the book we find Ismae being saved from a brutal and rather disturbing situation. It’s all really quite depressing. It took me a while to realise her age because of the way it was first set out, but I caught on, (she’s 17) so it’s all good.
Ismae is a flawlessly created character, Robin LaFevers managed to capture and develop a fiery and enchanting character. She’s got the skills of an assassin and she’s good at them too. At first she kind of just blindly follows but then she begins to doubt the accuracy of the convent in choosing targets. And the reasons. Instead of just ruthlessly killing someone, she finds that she wants to save them, redeem them.

Enter Duval. And like any other love interest, he knocks her world out of balance, making her doubt everything she’s been taught, everything that she thought she knew. You may be thinking: Darn, there goes Ismae’s brain. She’s gone all smushy smushy.
But NO! She is not one of those silly silly girls who sit around waiting for the love of her life. NO I cry! Ismae’s relationship with Durval is anything but. It’s funny, it’s sweet, it’s sad, and it’s passionate. It’s all of these things and more combined to make a dazzling story of manipulation, action and the sweetest of romances. AND it’s all set in the absolutely captivating medieval times, with high courts and intrigue. What more can you ask for?

ALL of Robin LaFever’s characters are so complex, some mysterious and some open, but they are all so extensively fashioned. But fear not dear readers, for you will not be bored by tiresome details about their facial-hair or outfits, as some authors feel the need to unnecessarily discuss. In. detail. Robin LaFevers cleverly slips in little nuggets of information in between her story so that she builds the characters are you go. It’s brilliant really. The writing is very pleasant to read, as mentioned, it doesn’t flood you with details but it is detailed nonetheless.

And so let me just recap. Grave Mercy is beautifully created love story, not that cheap insta-love that so many YA authors are so fond of. It has a believable pace, there is actually time for the characters to learn to know each other, and therefore to love each other… geez I’m being all smushy. BUT. Yes there is a but, it’s not JUST a love story. There are so many others things going on within this spellbinding novel, things that will make your blood run cold, things that will make you flip pages in a mad frenzy. Trust me; Grave Mercy is a marvelous, fascinating story that will make you laugh and cry, both at the same time.

Oh. Have you seen the little banner thing I have on my side bar? Clicky clicky click for excerpts and other goodies :D
Thank you to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for allowing me to read this.

Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta

Blood sings to blood, Froi . . .
Those born last will make the first . . .
For Charyn will be barren no more.

Three years after the curse on Lumatere was lifted, Froi has found his home... Or so he believes...

Fiercely loyal to the Queen and Finnikin, Froi has been trained roughly and lovingly by the Guard sworn to protect the royal family, and has learned to control his quick temper. But when he is sent on a secretive mission to the kingdom of Charyn, nothing could have prepared him for what he finds. Here he encounters a damaged people who are not who they seem, and must unravel both the dark bonds of kinship and the mysteries of a half-mad Princess.

And in this barren and mysterious place, he will discover that there is a song sleeping in his blood, and though Froi would rather not, the time has come to listen.

---------o_O------------

It took me a week to read this, don’t get me wrong. I absolutely adored this book! 5/5 Stars, hearts, cupcakes. Whatever. But it still took me a week to read this. Why I hear you ask? The answer is simple: school. Akdhaweurhfiwjeifjwejfwhurfwiepoqpewy4rq
Grr.

So, let us not dwell on the fact that school is ruining my reading… **sigh**
And so.

Froi of the Exiles was brilliant. There was action, action, and action. We all know how much I love action. But there was also intrigue, romance and betrayal of the highest degree. I’ll admit, I’ve been putting Froi off for a while now, and that’s probably because I didn’t enjoy the first book, Finnikin of the Rock, as much (though I’m beginning to think it was because I was still a young’un when I first read it). But this one was brilliant, Brilliant I tell you!

It took me a while to warm up to the story, having read the previous book about a year or two ago. But once I got into the story, I couldn’t stop (well, I did, seeing as it took me a week to read this. I blame school. But I didn’t want to stop and that’s what matters :D).

Froi of the Exiles is split into various perspectives, and I’ll admit that at first there was only really one perspective that I really enjoyed/looked forward to (Froi’s). But then the story moves on and the smaller little plots all make sense, and I found myself enjoying ALL the perspectives. Correct me if I’m wrong, but there was Froi, Lady Beatriss, Finnikin, Isaboe, Lucian, Phaedra, was there Quintana? I can’t even remember now, grr.

The characters in this book were all so advanced and well developed; they seriously put some books to shame. You of course have the main character who is Froi, an orphan who joined the crew in the previous book and is extremely loyal to those that saved him from his horrible fate on the streets. He was raised to be an assassin, learning languages and the arts of killing. And so when he’s sent out on a mission to kill the King from Charyn, he jumps at the chance to prove his worth. But we all know that things are never that easy and there is always, always something that twists the plot. I won’t say anything else that might spoil the story. Anyway, I really enjoyed following the story through Froi’s eyes, it was riveting really. He’s always doing something, and it’s always entertaining. He’s smart as well, thank goodness for that, I don’t think I could stand having a slush-brain (I just put that word together just then) for a main character. I can’t say that Froi is one of those male characters that people go all fan-girl about and I don’t think he’s meant to be but he does have a certain pull about him. If I were go all smushy, I’d say that Froi is a very deep character with a troubled past and all that hub-bub; but I’m not. That’s up to you to decide.

Other characters that were quite interesting were Gargarin, Arjuro. I found their sarcastic comments amusing and their background story absolutely heartbreaking. There were also the other minor characters. You’ve got Lady Beatriss who suffered much during the years of Lumartere’s curse. Trevanion, her husband?(or at least love) before the curse. Finnikin, who we saw more of in the previous book, is now the Queen’s consort. And Isaboe who is now Queen :)

There are also the Monts, who are cousins of Isaboe’s. Their leader is Lucian, who I at first thought was a complete and utter… what’s the word? Ok, let’s describe it like this. If he were a girl, he would be a complete and utter cow! Does that make him a bull? Heheheh.
But then he actually grew a heart! **gasp** He actually has a heart? Yes, I know. I could hardly believe it myself :) What made me think of him as such a Bull (:D)? Well. Let’s just say the way he treated Phaedra at first was not exactly nice. But then he goes all lovey dovey. And then… *sobs* it’s just too much. And following on from that, you have Phaedra, Lucian’s wife.

Now we get to one of the most intriguing characters by far, Quintana. She’s the Charyn Princess but she is treated like anything but. Called harsh names and treated cruelly, Quintana’s one and only use in the eyes of her people, is to break the curse that has held them for years. It’s all very depressing, and quite disturbing as well. She is an extremely complicated character, one that will take you the majority of the book to attempt to figure out.

Froi of the Exiles is quite a long book at around 600 pages, but trust me, if you get into it you’ll have it finished in no time (as long as you don’t have school :D)

And so I conclude, Froi of the Exiles is an engaging book that is guaranteed to keep you up at night trying to finish it, trust me, I know from experience. Its characters will pull you into a fascinating and thrilling world created by none other by Melina Marchetta, the mastermind behind the series. Now, I know several of my friends haven’t read the books because they think “it’s Melina Marchetta, it’ll be a soppy book”, and other assorted wish-wash. But just try it, you’ll definitely be surprised.

Happy Reading,
Ro.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Candlewick Press for allowing me to read this.

Kindle Freebie! Earth by Shauna Granger

hehe.. picture :) Today's freebie is Earth, sounds interesting ya? And it's so pretty!
Yes, yes, I know. Don't judge a book by it's cover and all that hub-bub. Well, I am allowed to admire a pretty cover aren't I? :)

Shayna and her two best friends have the abilities to manipulate and control the four elements, earth, air, water and fire. While learning to hone their growing powers, they discover a new and malicious presence in their sleepy beach town. Someone is performing blood magic and threatens to expose their small magical community. So far only small animals have been slaughtered, but then the nightmares start.

Shayna suffers nightmares of being chased and sacrificed only to wake up bloodied and bruised. She thinks her magical blood is the ultimate target for the final blood rite. When an innocent girl, Tracy, is kidnapped Shayna knows it's only a ploy to draw her out; she can't let someone die because of her.

Here to download
And here for the reading apps

Cross my Heart by Sasha Gould

Ok. This was actually meant to be out on the 13th February. But I completely forgot. completely.
**headbang headbang**
So, I apologize for the extremely late review post.
Here it is:

(Isn't it pretty?)

Forcibly sent to a convent at a young age, Laura della Scala is overjoyed to finally taste freedom when she is summoned by the stranger she refers to as 'father'. But she soon realises that her freedom comes at a price, the life of her beloved older sister, Beatrice. Her father's money and status is rapidly dwindling, and out of desperation he orders that she marry her sisters fiancé, a ancient walking skeleton. With nowhere else to turn, Laura enlists the help of La Segreta, a secret society of women who deal in secrets.

But their help comes at a price and Laura soon realises that within the glamorous facade surrounding her, threads of lies, deceit and most importantly secrets are woven. Laura soon suspects that her sister's death was far from an accident, but the murderer's identity is a mystery and it may already be too late...

-----------o_O------------

Set in Venice, Cross my heart is a story of secrets, deception and romance.
Gliding gondolas, glamorous gatherings, secret societies; the way in which Sasha Gould describes and incorporates different details and ideas is beautiful. I wouldn't say that it's the most original read, (the ideas have already been explored by a multitude of writers) but it was nonetheless interesting. The writing is simple but very effective, especially in the way Sasha Gould describes things in a poetic fashion.

Fresh out of the convent, Laura is undoubtedly naive and trusting, her 6 years in a convent justify this of course, so you can't really blame her for being so completely overwhelmed by the world, and easily manipulated. She pulls through(eventually) and adapts quite well to her new life. Laura stands her ground and is loyal to her sister, striving to find her murderer.
I understand that Cross my Heart is set in a time when men practically own the women, so I really liked the idea of a secret society of women who can make things happen, it shows how women have strength, and the power to change things.

The romantic relationship between Laura and the painter, Giacomo, was lovely but a little too quick for my liking: they meet, they talk, he declares undying love.

The twist was unexpected, and it set off a series of completely shocking events which made the book unputdownable (yep, that's a new word :D). The pace of the book, which until then had ranged from slow to moderate, suddenly took off, leaving me utterly astounded.

I can't say that I didn't expect an "evil/bad" character in this book, yes there were the obvious ones e.g. the murderer, but then you've got the ones that work behind the scenes, or hide behind an innocent mask... Why is it always the nice(ish) ones that are completely psychotic?!?

Now, ****SPOILER ALERT, CONTINUE AND RISK RUINING THE ENTIRE BOOK!!****


On page 249-ish, the supposed letter from Roberto had red lights and warning signs all over it!!
"My dearest Laura,
Come this instant, and don't consult with anyone. Come alone to a barge at Saint Lucia harbor, where I will be waiting for you.
May my love bring you quickly,
Roberto"

Ahem, I shall go about this in a dignified and calm manner...
HOW CLUELESS CAN ONE BE?!? GAH!!
ppfffsssshhh ARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

I shall now write you the steps to luring someone to their death:

Step 1: Forge a letter from their true (cough) love
Step 2: Ask them to meet at the scene of their impending death
Step 3: Meet them there
Step 4: Take all the time you need to kill the fool that believed your letter

GAH!!! and the sad thing? The characters fall for it every time...
**sigh**


****THE SPOILER HAS ENDED****

Cross my Heart was a very quick, entertaining and fascinating read, and I assume there will be another book due to the nature (gah! T'was a cliffhanger!) of the ending. I'll definitely be dropping back into this captivating world again, as soon as the next book is out...

I apologize for my need for the spoiler... I just HAD to rant... I had too!

Kindle Freebie! Crossroads by Mary Ting

Ok. Because I have waaaayy too much time on my hands (or more accurately: because I am a major procrastinator) I have made a little picture thing for the Kindle Freebie posts. Yes, lots of time indeed...

I think I shall be putting the image up on my Kindle posts, because you know, that's just what people do :)

Anywho, today's freebie is Crossroads, and so:

Claudia Emerson has a good friend who shares the same first name and last name. That friend unfortunately dies in a tragic accident during homecoming dance. Claudia is distraught at the loss of her friend, but is even more disturbed by her dreams, which seem to take her to another place called Crossroads. Unknown to her, Crossroads is like a second heaven, a place between heaven and earth. It is where the souls of humans in comas or near death experiences may wander. Where, Claudia meets Michael, a nephilim, a half angel, half human, whom she often meets in her dreams. It turns out that this isn’t her first visit to Crossroads, which is an enigma for no human can ever travel there until Claudia.

Now the fallen and demons are after her, suspecting she must be special and it is up to Michael and the other nephilims to protect her. Her dream becomes a nightmare as more secrets are revealed, about who she really is, and the true identities of the people she loves most. Can Michael fight his growing feelings for Claudia and protect her as a guardian angel should?

Okey Doke. Here to download
here for the reading apps.

Heads up! I'll have a review out for Froi of the Exiles, the second book in the Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta sometime this weekend. (hopefully)

Kindle Freebie is now a regular feature. And today's Freebie: Awakening by Karice Bolton

Hello all,
I have officially decided to make my Kindle Freebie posts a regular thing, that is to say that if I find anything of great interest that is free for Kindle, I'll post about it. I'll try to get at least one up per week, if not more :)
And so, the freebie for today is Awakening.

Alone in snowy, remote Whistler village, Ana tries to build a new life since losing her parents. With a cozy condo, a sweet-faced bulldog and an evening job to leave the days free for the slopes, life slips into a great routine. If only she could shake the guilt for not remembering anything about her parents and banish the night terrors that haunt her every dream.
On a whim, Ana goes out with Athen, a guy she's just met in the Grizzly Pub... The only problem is that she feels like she already knows him.

Within 48 hours of meeting Athen and his family, Ana's world implodes. She falls for Athen quickly and before she knows it, a past life begins to resurface. As thrilling as the revelations appear at first, she fights against the chilling information that Athen is from the underworld. Soon she begins to struggle as her own supernatural gifts are slowly unveiled, and she realizes that the nightmares she's been having might be premonitions and not dreams at all.
It is up to Ana to decipher between fact and fiction before it is too late, and her new love, Athen, follows in her same fate - one that is lost between two worlds.

-----
click here to download
And here for the reading apps

P.S
Hunger Games Movie is released tomorrow in Australia, Very Excited!

Kindle Freebie! Smokeless Fire by Samantha Young

Smokeless Fire by Samnatha Young is currently free, but I guess you already know that because of the title... anyway:

For the last two years Ari’s life has been anything but normal and on her 18th birthday, when her friends surprise her with a gimmick genie claiming to grant wishes, Ari discovers the truth. The tragic and strange occurrences surrounding her 16th birthday were not coincidental and her life is never going to be the same again.

Ari’s real parents are not normal. They are not loving. They are not human.

They are myth.

They are Smokeless Fire.

They are Jinn


Click here to purchase

And here for the reading apps

coolioes :)

Angel Arias by Marianne de Pierres

Book blurb:

Retra - now called Naif - has escaped from Ixion, the island of ever-night. She doesn't know if her friends on the island survived the battle between the Ripers and the rebels. But she does know that she must return home, behind the sealed walls of Grave, to find out why the Ripers have been seen there talking to the councillors. What links the two worlds?

First she must convince Ruzalia to help her. The fierce pirate captain saves those who face terrible fates on Ixion, but that doesn't guarantee their gratitude. Instead, she faces a revolt - and Naif is caught in the middle.

Naif will need all her courage to survive. For Lenoir, who wants to keep her safe, for her friends Suki and Rollo, if they live, for Markes, who has secrets of his own, and for the new friends she will make on this journey.

The fate of worlds depends on it

---------------------o_O-------------------

Hahahaa… don’t you just love it when blurbs ends with an ominous sentence?? Somehow they just make the book that much more compelling… And the cover, argh! Absolutely drool-worthy.

And so, onwards to the actual review!

When I first picked up Burn Bright, I admit, it was because of the gorgeous cover. When I picked up Angel Arias it was also partly because of the gorgeous cover, but also because I was curious about the fate of Naif/ Retra and her gang of misfits.
And so, I dove back into the mystifying, terrifying and whatever else–fying world, created by Marianne de Pierres.

And….I hate to have to say this… I wasn’t completely disappointed. But somehow I expected something a tad better, what I mean is that I wanted something more. The ending bugged me, the book seemed slightly repetitive and things dragged on for a while…

**BEWARE ALL YE WHO CONTINUE—THERE WILL BE SPOILERS**

Ok, now that I’ve got the warning out of the way...
The ending was, in my opinion, rushed. There was no lead up. There was no reason, no story to it. I have yet to read the third book, but from what I’ve read in Angel Arias, the betrayal was completely ridiculous. Yes, it was inevitable that someone was going to betray them, but why Gurney? Or whatever his name is. Why Gurney?

Perhaps I skimmed past the section where it was explained, and I sincerely apologize if I did, and you’ll have to bear with me.

Anyway, all whist Jarrod was helping Naif, he kept mentioning this Gurney fellow, ah yes, Gurney. And so they enlist the help of Gurney who is a slightly odd character who finds them the location of the “secret meeting” in which all will make sense, and smuggles them there. Whoop-de-doo.

And then what? Well, pretty much nothing. They FINALLY get the information they came for, arrive at the old harbor with a few minor distractions and then, the horror, they realise that someone has betrayed them all, giving the Wardens (is that what they’re called?) their location and exposing them. Oh Noes.

Hmmm. Who could it possibly be? The quiet girl, that was Markes betrothed to? Jarrod, the girl’s brother and their newest ally?
No. It was Gurney. Who, Gurney!? Yes Gurney.
WHY?!?! I CRY! WHY?!?! I just don’t understand the lead up to this, why was HE the one to betray them, what was his motive?
Phew. Now that that’s off my chest, I can continue with the rest of the review. And again, I apologize if I misread the entire ending, I tend to do that :)

**THE SPOILER HAS ENDED, FEEL FREE TO READ THE REST OF THIS REVIEW AT YOUR LEISURE**

Ok. Apart from my little spat with the ending, all is good. The concept of the book is one that is undoubtedly interesting, dark, twisted etc, I’m sure I’ve said it before.

I’m not sure how I feel about the “main” characters; I don’t feel as though I have any sort of attachment to them, not one bit. I’m not sure if it’s because of their lack of background, or maybe it’s the way they act.

Naif/ Retra. She annoyed me. And again, I’m not entirely sure why. Come to think of it, I’m not sure of a lot of things. I think it may be because of how she contradicts herself at times. In the previous book she was free from her “Seal self” and then in this book some of it has returned? I’m just a little confused at that. Then there’s the fact that she pines after Markes who frankly, is a fool. I don’t like him; he has no real character, someone who is always so conveniently there. He’s a splodge on the page, a splodge put in so that some dementicated (new word by the way) love triangle can form. Eugh.

And Gurney, oh noes, don’t even get me started on what a stranger, if that's the right word, he was, he was just THERE, he was the one that filled in the gaps, the one who freaking ended the story. Refer back to spoiler section if you desperately want to know.

The only person I found interesting was Liam, one of the humans who were fused with a Night Creature, only the process went wrong and they were sent to Grave to spy for Lenoir. Oooooh. Oh and Jarrod, who was actually decent! Jarrod was the one who was there and helped the book move along, thank goodness.

I wanted to see more of Lenoir, Rollo and Suki, but all I got were short snippets and odd conversations. I’m thinking there will be more of them in the third book.

The “baddies” of the book were actually quite well developed, excluding Gurney (no, I am not getting over that). The elders, with their secret agendas, the Ripers and other assorted peoples actually made my skin crawl, well it was more the Ripers that did the skin crawling but the Elders were still quite interesting, especially at the ending, when all was revealed… I feel like doing an ominous voice for that last line :D

And so, I conclude that Angel Arias wasn’t exactly awful, but it did lack some teensy tiny bit of decent action, I say decent because the only action occurred when they were running away and that is what we are trying to steer clear of, and plot. I mean seriously, the majority of the book consisted of Naif and Co. running away from the big bad wardens.

I am still very much intrigued by the whole idea, and so I think I’ll still be reading the third book.
These were just my opinions of the book, still read the books if you want to. Just because I didn’t like it doesn’t mean others don’t. And if I got the whole Gurney betrayal thing wrong, I am sincerely sorry and feel free to correct/ scream at me. I can take it. (I think…)

Happy Reading, Ro.

My button.. again

So, I realised that I accidentally uploaded the larger button... and now it doesn't fit too well...
feel free to ignore this post, I just need to re-post my button, the smaller one this time, so that it actually fits :) and I can grab the URL :)
hehehe

The Spirit Archer by Mike Evers + Giveaway (soon)!

So today is the 16th. And today is the release of The Spirit Archer, a novella, by Mike Evers. **Woooooop**

Synopsis:
Some secrets are meant to be shared; and a boy’s encounter with England’s most legendary archer will change his life forever.
In 1237, a man journeys to a priory in Yorkshire to seek refuge and treatment for battle wounds. He is betrayed and murdered. His final, dying act is to fire an arrow through a window, asking to be buried where it lands.
Nearly eight hundred years later, a schoolboy’s incredible discovery will lead to a friendship that will alter his life forever.
And he’ll hear some tales and secrets of England’s most legendary archer of all.

-------o_O--------

Now for some more information:
Great Minds Think Aloud Literary Community will be publishing "The Spirit Archer" by Mike Evers, the release date is 3/16/2012. (TODAY!!) This novel will be available in all e-book format on Amazon and in print at CreateSpace.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY:

I was born in Singapore way back in 1970 and spent my formative years in Wales after my family moved there from Australia in 1976. I’ve since resided in numerous places, including: Sussex, Kent and Poland. After school I did a BA in History at the University of Wales, Swansea; and later, a Masters’ degree in International Conflict Analysis at the University of Kent at Canterbury. This has given me an educational background which I have for the most part managed to avoid capitalizing upon - so far.

I currently live in West Yorkshire with my wife Joanne and son Joseph. I spend a few days a week teaching English in a local college. This is a career I have been doing for 12 years or so and it was in doing a certificate in education in Huddersfield that brought me to the area in 2004.

My interests are fairly varied and include reading pretty much anything. I particularly enjoy reading historical accounts and fiction with a magical angle. My early influences include JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, Roald Dahl, Raymond Feist and David Eddings. My later influences are far too eclectic to mention, but include George Orwell, James Herriot and Michel Foucault. I also enjoy gaming (especially First Person Shooters and RPGs) on PC and PS3.

As an author I usually write Fantasy or Urban Fantasy, quite often with a twist. My first novel - The Chaosifier - mixes fantasy, adventure, humour and philosophy in a modern day setting. For various reasons it is unavailable at the moment, but I plan to re-publish a 2nd edition in the not too distant future. My most recent work, the novella ‘The Spirit Archer’ brings a different angle to one of the most famous characters in English legend. I have aimed these books at teens and young adults in particular – though older readers have told me they’ve enjoyed them greatly too. I enjoy working with GMTA and really love the passion and enthusiasm they bring to the publishing process.

Mike Evers will have other books available in the coming months with GMTA Independent Publishing.
For more information or to contact visit Mike Evan's blog
or twitter: @Mike_Evers

------o_O------

So, I am reading this novella
It's only a short 50 page read, it may take me a while... juggling exams and assessments does not make reading any easier (I've been on the same book for a week now...THE HORROR)

Thank you to GMTA Independent Publishing for giving me the opportunity to review the bookie :)
Their sites are here:
http://www.greatmindsliterarycommunity.com/
http://www.greatmindspublishing.moonfruit.com/ https://www.amazon.com/author/greatmindsthinkaloudpublishing/

When I'm done I'll be posting a quick review, but until then... :) OH! I think I will be doing a giveaway of this Novella as well, there are various formats of the bookie. More info on that later--maybe :)

Kindle Freebie! Evernight by Claudia Gray

Yep. Another one :)
So Evernight by Claudia Gray is currently free and it also has bonus materials... oooooooooooo!
I've already read this one, hard copy though, and I very much enjoyed it. Happy reading :)

Bianca wants to escape.

She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.

Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.

"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would."

But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed

Click here to download
And here for the reading apps

I HAVE A BUTTON!!!

Eeeeeee....
After visiting many many blogs and finding that they ALL (or at least most) have super duper awesome buttons... I knew that I wanted one.
And so I now have a button :)

I am super fantastically excited, and I spent my entire afternoon (one I should have spent studying) designing, making and tweaking it.
I am extremely happy with it and now, without further ado:

TAA-DAA!!!
eeeeeeeeeeeeeee

What do you think? you likey?
Now, I must go and make a link thingy so people can actually grab it :)

Kindle Freebie! The Mind Readers by Lori Brighton

Yep, for a limited time The Mind Readers will be free for all on Amazon Kindle.
eeee

And so:

Cameron Winters is a freak. Fortunately, no one but her family knows the truth... that Cameron can read minds. For years Cameron has hidden behind a facade of normalcy, warned that there are those who would do her harm. When gorgeous and mysterious Lewis Douglas arrives he destroys everything Cameron has ever believed and tempts her with possibilities of freedom. Determined to embrace her hidden talents, Cameron heads to a secret haven with Lewis; a place where she meets others like her, Mind Readers.

But as Cameron soon finds out some things are too good to be true. When the Mind Readers realize the extent of Cameron’s abilities, they want to use her powers for their own needs. Cameron suddenly finds herself involved in a war in which her idea of what is right and wrong is greatly tested. In the end she’ll be forced to make a choice that will not only threaten her relationship with Lewis, but her very life.

You know the drill. Click here to download, and here to get the apps for computer/ipod/android etc.

Happy Reading :)

Kindle Freebie! Glimpse by Stacey Wallace Benefiel

Another Kindle Freebie, I've decided that when I get wind of any goodies I'm just going to post the link here :)

So this one is for Glimpse by Stacey Wallace Benefiel.

Zellie Wells has a devastating crush on Avery Adams, the son of her mom’s high school sweetheart. At her sixteenth birthday party, held in the basement of her dad’s church, she finally finds the courage to talk to him. Turns out, the devastating crush is mutual.

As Avery takes her hand and leads her out onto the makeshift dance floor, Zellie is overwhelmed by her first vision of his death; shocking because not only are they both covered in his blood, but they’re old, like 35, and she is pregnant.

Afraid to tell anyone about the vision, (she’d just be labeled a freaky black magic witch, right?) Zellie keeps the knowledge of Avery’s future to herself and tries to act like any other teenager in love. When they get caught on their way to a secret rendezvous by her mom and his dad, they are forbidden to see each other.

Convinced that their parents are freaking out unnecessarily, Avery and Zellie vow to be together no matter what. They continue their relationship in secret until Zellie learns that their parents are just trying to prevent her and Avery from suffering like they did. The visions are hereditary, they’re dangerous, and if they stay together the visions will come true.

Now Zellie must choose between severing all ties with Avery, like her mom did to prevent his father’s death, and finding a way to change Avery’s future.

Click here to download
and while you're there, play around. There are tonnes of good books on there :)

And for those who don't know about reading Kindle books on your computer/ smartphone/ tablet.
here's a link to a previous post.

Have fun reading :)
P.S
Pweety ya?

Kony 2012

Ok. So I know this isn't about a book and all, but hey, I think it's for a good cause. I want to at least help raise awareness of it, and this is my way of doing it. (making a post on my blog which has about 20 followers)

You've probably heard the name Kony tossed about in the news, well this is the result of a group of people called the Invisible Children who aim to make Joseph Kony famous in hopes of using his fame to capture him and bring him to justice. The following video is a campaign made by the Invisible Children, so watch the video and find out.



If you'd like to go to the official site, click this link.

Kindle Freebie! Betrayal by Mayandree Michel

Where there is love and power, there is always... betrayal.

At seventeen, Cordelia is an ordinary teen with an extraordinary and frightening secret. A secret that induces vivid dreams which she not only experiences true love, but crippling fear while barely escaping with her life each night.

After a life altering event, Cordelia has an unexpected encounter with Evan, the mysterious boy from her dreams, who reveals who and what she is, a descendant of the Greek gods. At that moment everything she knows of her world is a lie, and she must leave the present and go into the past to assume the role she was put on this earth for, safeguarding her ancient empire amidst evil forces that toil hastily to destroy it.

In a race against time, Cordelia must decide if she is truly a part of this dangerous world, or risk defying the gods, and ultimately lose the boy who has put a claim on her heart.

Betrayal is currently free for Kindle on Amazon, I'm not sure how long it will stay free so grab it while you can
here

And because I can't resist: Isn't it pweeetttyyy???
Have fun :)

Cover Reveal:Taste by Kate Evangelista

Isn't it gorgeous?? :) me wants... me wants...

Taste by Kate Evangelista

Crescent Moon Press

Coming soon in 2012

At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

To read an excerpt click here

Find Kate Evangelista at:
Her Website
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads

I've been Tagged!

eeeeeeeeeee...As the post title suugests. I've been tagged by Vivian at Vivaciously Vivian. **dun dun duuuuun**
I've never been tagged before... and I'm extremely excited to answer all these questions :)
and so without further ado:

The Rules:
1. Answer the questions that the tagger set for in their post.
2. Create 11 questions for the people you tag to answer.
3. Tag 11 people and link them to your post.
4. Let them know you tagged them.
5. Include these rules and the person who tagged you in your post.
Much like Vivian, I'm changing the 3rd rule because I don't know that many people...

So. Vivian's questions:
If there is a book (or series) that you wish just had one more book written that follows the first, what would it be?
Oooh.. tough question, I'd have to say Grave Mercy by R.L LaFevers, this is a book that I've JUST finished reading and it's still fresh in my head, I'd like another book that follows the same main character as the one in the first because from what I've gathered the next book will be on another character and I'm still quite curious about the first.

Your favourite YA book cliche? What do you like about it? e.g. love triangles, vampires, etc.
YA cliche... hmmm... I've got to say the whole mysterious boy shows up to a new school/ town/ city etc. The concept has been completely exhausted and it's completely hilarious, but somehow I still find the idea appealing... but hey. that's just me.

Do you remember your very first book review? Which book was it for?
I have absolutely no idea... if I had to take a wild guess it would be for something I enjoyed... or perhaps not... I really can't remember. But I will say that the first review on my book blog was Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard.

How many hours do you spend blogging/reading blog posts per day?
It really depends on what I've got to do really... normally about one or two hours a day... and longer on the weekends, but then my entire schedule goes haywire when I've got exams or anything like that so it's really difficult to say.

Is there something for books that you absolutely do not tolerate? (for example, I don't tolerate excessive swearing)
I'm not sure really. There isn't really anything that I absolutely positively don't tolerate... there are a couple of things that do put me off though, one of which would be a weak pathetic protagonist. Sure, I perfectly happy if they grow with the book, gain strength etc, but if they remain the same pathetic excuse of a character it's just a no go.

A book that you'd like to see made into a movie! Any actors/actresses you wish would play certain characters?
I'm not sure if I actually want my favourite books to be made into movies... there is always this fear that the movie's going to turn out terrible. But, if the book were made into a completely perfect and utterly awesome movie I'd have to say The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa. Ash... *sigh*
I don't really have any actors in mind because non of them look like the image I picture in my head.

What is one of your peculiar fears or a pet peeve?
This is going to sound so odd, but I can't stand skin. Not like human skin contact or fruit skin... but meat skin... like the skin on chickens, ducks etc. I just can't stand the little bumps on them... and the hair sometimes **gags**

In some of your favourite authors, what do you admire the most in them?
I've got to say the way they can create a world so original and exciting that it can take you away from the present, and leave thoughts lingering long after you've finished. I just love books like that. I've also got to admire the strong characters that they create and the way their writing can draw such strong feelings from you, such as say depression when you favourite character dies... yeah.. that kinda sucks.

Your favourite ice-cream flavour is~?
BUBBLEGUM!!! yummmmmmmy

If you were to magically appear in a book and aid the protagonist along with his/her journey through the book, which book would it be?
Graceling by Kristin Cashore, of course there are many books that I would just as eagerly "go" to but this was one of the first that came to me so, this one it is!

Would you see yourself blogging 5 years from now? 10?
I actually really don't know... If it were up to me then yes, but hey, there are many things that may come up in life but one thing I know for sure is that I'll keep on reading (i love it far too much) and as long as I read, I'll blog and review... where else can I rant about the main character?? :D

So. Those are my answers. I have tagged:
Mary @ BookHounds
Jess @ Rainy Saturdays
Wendy @ The midnight Garden
Jenna @ Coffee Books and Me
Uniquely Moi @ Uniquely Moi Books
Amber @ Fall Into Books
Kate @ Kate's Blog

My Questions:
1. Why did you start blogging?
2. Do you have a crush on any book characters? If so, who and from which book?
3. If you could step into a book and live in that time/ place, which would it be?
4. Have you even finished a book crying because it was so good? Which one? (don't tell us why if it might spoil the book, in case we decide to read it)
5. Is there a book or series that you wished you could have written yourself before the author had thought of the idea?
6. Because there are so many gorgeous covers out there, did you ever read a book with a gorgeous cover but absolutely horrid story? which book?
7. What is the latest time you've stayed up to finish a book? (this blog IS called Far Past Midnight after all :P)
8. If all the books in the world were being burnt (Heavens NO!) and you could save one, yes, ONE book, what would it be?
9. In one word, describe yourself.
10. If you could ask a book character one question, who would you ask, and what would it be?
11. And finally. If you could write yourself into a story and kill off one character, who would it be and why?

taa-daa!
Thank you again to Vivian, and I hope you enjoy my answers :)

The Power of Six

Book blurb:
I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me . . . he's one of us.

Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight.
Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.
And I'm ready to fight

--------------o_O---------------

Notice how I didn’t write my own little summary of the book, you see, it’s currently 1am and I am extremely tired but must finish this review, because I probably won’t look at it ever again if I don’t…

And so:
This shall be a 4.5 stars
I really really enjoyed The Power of Six but after much internal conflict have to take 0.5stars off.
Why?!? I hear you ask. Why would you do something so heartless??

Well...
John or Four, he's the same freaking person anyway, is a complete an utter selfish and poopy faced fool!
GAH! Several times I wanted to stab him and several times I failed; the fact that he is a fictitious book character may have played a serious part in my failure...

I can't believe him!
**mimic/ mocking voice**
Oooooooh I love Sarah but I can't stop thinking about how awesome Six is (Six is not to blame, she I one of the characters I actually like, and you can't blame someone for being born awesome :D)
Ooooooooh I miss Sarah so much, I'm going to go see her despite putting my awesome awesome friends at risk.
Oooooooh I have to get my chest back despite losing it because I wanted to see Sarah and ultimately be betrayed and caught!

**pauses to catch breath**
**pant pant**

Honestly he deserved to be betrayed, it was a shame he wasn't killed in the process...
And that's not even the HALF OF IT!!

Ok, I’m too tired to continue flaying John and I've completely exhausted the word 'awesome', and I’m moving on to superfantasically amazing. Anyway. Although John is a self-centered br---- must refrain. Must refrain. Must refrain. **calming breath**

Yes, although John is slightly annoying **sarcasm**, he still has some vaguely positive qualities, which I shall not go into with too much detail, or I fear I’ll continue verbally screaming at him. So, he’s brave-ish (**cough**or just brainless), I suppose one could say he’s loyal—actually no, he completely ignored the danger he was putting Six and Sam in.
Well how about faithful? No--- not that either.
Darn, this isn’t working, I’m just too annoyed at John right now to try and see past his stupidity.

Moving on. The book is split into sections from John’s perspective and Marina’s. I really enjoyed the change in perspective, with Seven/ Marina, it really kept me glued and yes, it was nice to get a break from John's foolishness and useless love life.

Marina, we learn, is number seven and although she still has her cepan, in a way she has lost her. You’ll learn more in the book. I felt that Marina was a really gentle character, she puts others before herself and I think that she really suits her legacies. She’s had her fair share of tragedies and her story was fascinating and touching as well. I can’t wait to learn more about her in the future books.

You of course also have the super fantastically awesome Six, and Sam. The appearance of Nine at the end of the book was a complete shock. Nine seems so crazy.. (in a good way), and even though he was in the book for about 2 pages, I can already tell he’s going to be awesome. :)

Despite the fact that the chests or more importantly the items in the chest have an uncanny ability to fix nearly every problem at hand, I really really enjoyed the closer peek at the items in the chest. You only get snippets in the previous book, and more of these mysterious chests are revealed in The power of Six.

Of course The Power of Six was packed with jaw-dropping action, which I absolutely loved. It was exciting, it was riveting and it was superfantastically amazing. Taa-daa!
As much as I whinge about John’s stupidity, even I have to admit that it added many unpredictable twists that made the book that much more enjoyable. Hmm… guess John’s useful for something after all.

I've got a lot more to say but I can't keep my eyes open, and so, I shall cut it down quickly.

And so: I have concluded that
a) the Lorien Legacies is a superfantastically amazing series
b) That John, is a sappy and hopeless fool, and should snap out of it and actually help with the mission.
c) That Six and Nine (ooooooh NINE) are superfantastically amazing and are now my new favourite characters. John should get killed so one of them can become the main main character :)
Yep^^^ another if-I-could-stab-John moment
**sigh**if only he weren't fictitious...
And finally
d) that YOU should read the book and judge it for yourself :)

Happy reading :)

Burn Bright by Marianne de Pierres

“Listen well, baby bats. Burn bright, but do not stray from the paths. Remember, when you live in a place of darkness you also live with creatures of the dark.”

Retra is a Seal, restricted in speaking, in learning, in living… she’s is Sealed off from the outer world. Ixion is the place of ever-night, a place for pleasure and for letting go.

When Retra escapes to Ixion to find her brother, everything that she’s been taught is torn apart. Fighting against her Seal nature to fit in, Retra only draws more attention to herself from not only her fellow escapees but the watching eyes of the Guardians, people, no, creatures who watch over the inhabitants of Ixion...

Ixion may be a place for pleasure, but behind its colourful lights and deafening music there is a darker force at work, one that is coming after Retra.

----------o_O------------
Quick mention on how GORGEOUS the cover is, gorgeous I tell you. I love the paint streaks and splatters. It’s really attention grabbing, my preeeccciiiooooouuussss….

**strokes cover**
Ahem—excuse me.

Anyway, Retra, hmm… Well, she’s a very different character, a Seal, she has different behaviours and attitudes. At first I was a little confused but then it eventually all made sense, she’s from a place called Grave, a specific sealed off area where they live restricted lives etc. And so, Retra at first finds it very difficult to assimilate into the different behaviours of Ixion, or so she keeps saying, but to me, she seemed to fit right in. eventually. Still, it seemed a tad quick. And she was kind of contradicting herself sometimes, she’ll say/ think something but do something completely different. Oh well. All part of her character I guess.

I like the idea of how Retra practiced enduring pain (as morbid as that sounds) so that she could find her brother, she’s very noble but again very naïve. And slightly spontaneous. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not but it really helps in developing the story… any time things seem a little slow, add a little spontaneousness and voila! Hehehe. I find it funny that she’ll act out in some things but at other times she’ll freeze up << again contradicting Other than that, I’m not sure what to think of Retra really, she just keeps changing… her character keeps flopping all over the place, she’s a seal. She’s not. She’s brave. She’s not. She’s suicidal (not really). She’s not. You get my point.

The other characters are all very different, having their own strengths and talents, but although Retra makes friends/ allies I feel like I don’t really know them… they’re just names to fill in the space of friend. There’s some history revealed about them but again, it doesn’t really seem personal, more quoting out of a fictitious textbook. To be honest I didn’t even feel that much distress when any of Retra’s friends/ acquaintances were in danger/ dying, because I didn’t really know them. Gosh that sounds cold o_O

There is some sort of relationship/ interest between Retra and Lenoir, and Retra and Markes. I really hope this doesn’t become a weirdly twisted love triangle. Lenoir is one of the leaders of the Ripers who are the island’s mysterious Guardians, but the relationship between Retra and Lenoir is somewhat confusing (read the book and you’ll understand).The relationship between Markes and Retra is kind of weird; it seems to be a one way relationship, with Retra attracted to Markes who is slightly oblivious and dismissive towards her. Gah.

The idea of Burn Bright is very original, exciting, and new. I was completely drawn in by the emotive description of the scenes but I at first failed to see a point in having a world where everyone parties, indulges themselves etc. But of course, as we continue I was proved wrong and things begin to have a meaning, things begin to fall into the place of a more intriguing plot –correction –a creepier plot. In a good way.

Now, there were some pretty confusing things in this book, things were slightly jumpy and again, spontaneous. Things just randomly jump out at you and completely change things in a couple of words. You’ve got characters “bonding” and events careening off the page. Catastrophes, explosions, dead people. Yeah. That’s pretty much it :)

The odd thing, and probably intended thing, is that I still want to read more… the weird and quirky events are actually really riveting (though they’re also quite disturbing), and the story is good in a way that you just can’t predict what’s going to happen. Something that was also really confuzzling (new word :D) were the Guardians and their role on the island but that’s part of the bigger plot mystery so it’s all right, but the annoying thing is I felt like I was just beginning to piece things together… and the book ended. Darn. I hate it when that happens.

The writing is good, especially in the way Marianne de Pierres describes her scenes, she makes them seem magical. The writing is easy to follow and simple but effective. Yah. That’s it. Oh! The book is also a good size, so it won’t take you long to finish it once you get into the story, promise.

Overall, Burn Bright was an excellent start to a new and promising series, filled with dark secrets and creepy crawly things, and romance (maybe? I’m not too sure what to think of the supposed romance) :)