#173 Book Review: Severed

Severed (Fated #2)
Release Date: November 2012
Author: Sarah Alderson
Publisher: Amazon
Source: Author for an Honest Review
Format: Paperback
Where to Buy:  Amazon
More Info: Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads:

Fate brought them together.
Now it’s threatening to tear them apart.

As the last in a long line of demon slayers, Evie’s destiny is to end the war that has raged for centuries between humans and demons.

Lucas, the half-Shadow Warrior half-human who was sent to kill her, has betrayed his own Brotherhood and his family to fight alongside her.

With an army of unhumans on their tail, Evie and Lucas are forced into an uneasy alliance with a group of rogue Hunters who offer protection and the promise of answers.

As the past is untangled and the dark history of the Hunters revealed, Evie discovers that severing the realms is going to require a lot more than just fighting. It’s going to require a sacrifice – one that only she can make.

…More than realms will be severed.

Cover:
I love how it still has the same theme as Fated! The simplicity of the cover really reflects the book and I like how there's the contrast between the dark and light colour in the background.

Story:

What does it take to sever the realms?

When I first read Fated, I longed for its sequel already. I really hoped that the rights for the sequel was picked by Simon & Schuster so we can read the sequel! But, I was surprised to find an email from Sarah mid-October with an attached file of Severed. I was ecstatic. Even though Sarah decided to self-publish Severed, I was glad that we still got the chance to read the sequel, and Severed does not disappoint.

I loved being back in the world of Fated. But in Severed, the stakes are higher. Even though Lucas and Evie are together, there are still things yet unresolved. What about Evie's prophecy of the White Light? Is it her responsibility to fulfill it? I am glad that the actions I truly enjoyed in the first book was still in the sequel. The story plot was full-on action, sometimes quite intense and also romantic. While I might have loved the first book better, I still loved Severed too. Now here comes the bit where I have to cry and sob and tear my hair. Dear Sarah, I love you but OH WHY DID YOU HAVE TO END THE BOOK THAT WAY? That's all I'm going to say and I won't elaborate on how Sarah ended the book because it's SPOILERY!

Characters:
Usually, I get on to Evie first but this time, let me introduce you to CYRUS! The new character in Severed! YAY! There is no love triangle in this book since Evie is absolutely devoted to Lucas but she can't blame me if I'm falling for Cyrus. He's AMAZING. If I was introduced to Cyrus first before Lucas, I might have loved him more than Lucas. But since Lucas' brooding but surprisingly sweet attitude is too hard to resist, I am still in love with him! We are also introduced to Lucas' sister in this book and yeah, I can still say Lucas is the better sibling. No offense, Flic. There's also Vero and Ash, Cyrus' companion who totally rocks. Overall, all the characters are amazing and I'm glad we get to read about Evie and Lucas again!

Overall:
Miss Fated? While you might be thinking of a re-read, here's something better! A SEQUEL! Severed is the kick-ass sequel to Fated. Sarah's writing never ceases to take us into a world full of actions, romance and oh , more ACTIONS! I'm still confused whether I should thank Sarah for writing a sequel or to to cry for the way Severed ends but I guess I'll settle with 'I CAN'T WAIT FOR BOOK 3!'

4 Forget-Me-Not flowers for Severed!

Thank you Sarah Alderson for the review copy!

#140 Book Review: Losing Lila

Losing Lila (Lila #2)
Release Date: August 2nd 2012
Author: Sarah Alderson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia
Source: Publisher for review
Format: Paperback
Where to Buy: Fishpond | Booktopia
More Info: Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads:

Alex and Lila are on the run, desperately trying to stay one step ahead of the Unit, which somehow is managing to track their every move. Whilst Alex is determined to keep Lila safe and her ability secret at any cost, Lila’s only thought is of finding a way back to California so that she can rescue her brother and mother from the military base where they’re being held.

Struggling to control both her growing power and her deepening feelings for Alex, Lila decides the time has finally come to stop running and start fighting. Together with Alex, Demos, and the people she’s come to think of as family, Lila plans not just to save her brother and mother, but to completely destroy the Unit and everything it stands for.

But the plan requires Lila to return alone to California, make friends with the enemy, and to risk losing everything - Alex, her family, and even her life.

Cover:
I love this cover even more than the first book! The girl in the cover looks just like how I imagined Lila! I love that the girl is wearing a grey jacket and pants, plus the white shirt and that pose is amazing. It looks as if the girl is running away from something and it captures the feeling of Losing Lila so well!

Story:

Lila and Alex sitting on a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N...


Whoops, please excuse me! I do not mean to sing the 'playground' song. Anyway, where was I? Oh, Losing Lila! My head is spinning because I feel drunk. Drunk of what, you wonder? I'm drunk of Sarah Alderson's writing. I can't stop reading Losing Lila. You see, I absolutely loved Hunting Lila but Losing Lila was EPIC. Even better than Hunting Lila! (I think I'm a bit too drunk to even say this...)


Sarah Alderson, please never ever put your pen down! (or laptop in this case perhaps?) I am absolutely in love with your writing, story, characters and just everything! There is nothing I disliked from this book (and no, I'm not drunk when I say this!). Sarah is back with a full-on action story of Lila and Alex! There are quite a few surprises in this book and boy, Sarah does it so well! Not to mention the romantic scenes between Alex and Lila. I swear I melted into a puddle. It's so sweet I want to hug Sarah a billion times for writing those scenes! Things are finally brought together and it's like all the pieces of puzzles are finally becoming a picture. When I started this book, I was completely sober (TRUST ME) but from the very first page, it's BAM! Action! and there you go, I've travelled all the way to California and I'm drunk by the end of the book. And dear goodness, thank you SO MUCH for not ending Losing Lila in a cliffhanger, Sarah because I'm drunk and I don't know what I'm going to do if the book ends in a cliffhanger!


Characters:
Lila and Alex, I LOVE YOU BOTH! So, Lila here is finally developing her psy powers and it's AMAZING, trust me! Lila is so stubborn sometimes but I like that about her! When she's determined to do something, she won't stop until she finally achieves it! Her relationship with Alex is so sweet and romantic. There are times when it's a bit rocky but all is well in the end. Even though they're on the run from The Units, Alex still takes Lila to a beach in Mexico City and well, obviously I'm jealous because I want to be on that beach with Alex as well! (Oh fine, Lila can come along as well) Besides my love for these two, I also adored Nate, Key, Alicia, Suki (très adorable), Demos and even Key's mama (I just want to laugh everytime I read about her). 

And then there's Jack! Jack, I love how you're so protective over Lila but I think you should loosen up a bit. Lila's 17 you know and what's there not to love about Alex? He's your best friend so you should be happy that he loves Lila too! But boy am I surprised with you and I bet you're surprised as well! 

PS: Rachel, stay away from Alex and Lila. Your dad's not cool and he's not going to save you. Pleased?


I guess that's enough to say that I love all the characters....right? Even the bad ones?


Overall:
So you love Hunting Lila? Then you'll love Losing Lila even more! Leave it to Sarah Alderson to create a book loaded with actions, coated with sweet romance and just the right amount of  humour as a finishing touch! Thank goodness the book does not end in a cliffhanger but I want need a third book!

5 Forget-Me-Not flowers for Losing Lila!

 Thank you Simon & Schuster Australia for the review copy!

#63 Book Review: Fated

Fated
Release Date: January 5th 2012
Author: Sarah Alderson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia
Source: Publisher for Review
Format: Paperback
Where to Buy: Amazon & The Book Depository
More Info: Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads:

What happens when you discover you aren't who you thought you were? And that the person you love is the person who will betray you? If your fate is already determined, can you fight it?

When Evie Tremain discovers that she’s the last in a long line of Demon slayers and that she’s being hunted by an elite band of assassins –Shapeshifters, Vampires and Mixen demons amongst them – she knows she can’t run. They’ll find her wherever she goes. Instead she must learn to stand and fight.

But when the half-human, half-Shadow Warrior Lucas Gray - is sent to spy on Evie and then ordered to kill her before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy, their fates become inextricably linked. The war that has raged for one thousand years between humans and demons is about to reach a devastating and inevitable conclusion. Either one or both of them will die before this war ends.

If your life becomes bound to another’s, what will it take to sever it?

My review:


Cover:
I love the close up of the girl's blue eyes, as if she's looking at something carefully. The cover makes me curious of what the story is about and it looks intriguing!

4 Forget-Me-Not flowers for the cover!

Story:


When your fate is already determined, can you fight it?

Evie Tremain is just your average girl with a boring life filled with part-time jobs. But all it takes is one night to change her life completely. That night, she is attacked by a strange-looking human with a scorpion's tail! Luckily, she is helped by Victor who is in fact a Hunter. Victors tells Evie that she is from a long line of demon slayers who kills the Unhumans and that she is bound to be a Hunter. Evie never thought that her life will be so complicated and unbelievable since then. Meanwhile, Lucas Gray, half Shadow Warrior and half Human is sent to kill Evie and he tries to kill her by living close to her. Killing Evie should be a piece of cake... if only he didn't fall in love with her. When your fate determines who you love, will you fight against it?


My goodness, Sarah Alderson, YOU DID IT AGAIN! If you guys have read my review on Hunting Lila, then you'd know that I LOVED IT. Sarah's debut novel was simply BRILLIANT and she did it again with FATED. From the very first page, I was hooked. This is what you call an AWESOME novel and all the hype going on about this book (particularly from the lovely Aussie bloggers) was so TRUE. Believe me, this book was just that addictive. I couldn't stop reading and I just had to keep on turning the pages to see how the story goes. FATED is written from both Evie and Lucas's perspectives and I'm so glad it's written in dual perspectives because readers get to read about what's going on in Evie and Lucas's head! YAY! This book was so well-written and I love Sarah's writing! The world of Fated was so creatively built and I can actually imagine as if the story comes to life! 


Characters:

Oh Evie, you are my newest favourite heroine. You make me laugh, make me feel all sorts of emotions and you're actually taking in this whole Unhumans vs Hunters thing quite good! I would have fainted or freaked out and shouted at the world for this unbelievable stuffs but you didn't! You are just that AMAZING! ME WANT YOUR BLUE EYES! or share Lucas, will you? 


Lucas Gray. You are my newest crush. Okay, I know you are FATED to love Evie and such, but I am FATED to love you. I love reading about you in the book and how you see Evie and feel what you feel for her. I want to blend in the shadows like you. When you confessed to Evie about how you feel for her, I literally melted. I had this crazy imagination that you actually confessed to me. Oh Lucas, Lucas, Lucas, do you mind if I steal you away from Evie? DUH. OF COURSE NOT.*cries*

Besides Evie the Kick-Ass heroine and Lucas the Swoon-worthy shadow warrior, I loved reading about other characters like Shulla the Mixen or even Joshua the Thirster and also Victor, the Hunter. I am FATED to love the characters in this book!

Overall:
Sarah Alderson delivers yet another AMAZING story through FATED. When your fate is determined, how can you fight against it? FATED is fast-paced, loaded with actions and awesome characters like the Kick-Ass Evie and the Swoon-Worthy Lucas. I am FATED to love this book and so will you!  

5 Forget-Me-Not flowers for Fated!

 Thank you to Simon & Schuster Australia for the review copy!

#57 Book Review: Hunting Lila

Hunting Lila
Release Date: August 4th 2011
Author: Sarah Alderson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia
Source: Publisher for Review
Format: Paperback
Where to Buy: Amazon & The Book Depository
More Info: Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads:

17-year-old Lila has two secrets she's prepared to take to the grave. The first is that she can move things just by looking at them. The second is that she's been in love with her brother's best friend, Alex, since forever. Or thereabouts.After a mugging on the streets of South London goes horribly wrong and exposes her unique ability, Lila decides to run to the only people she can trust - her brother and Alex. They live in Southern California where they work for a secret organisation called The Unit, and Lila discovers that the two of them are hunting down the men who murdered her mother five years before. And that they've found them. Trying to uncover the truth of why her mother was killed, and the real remit of The Unit, Lila becomes a pawn in a dangerous game. Struggling to keep her secrets in a world where nothing and no one is quite as they seem, Lila quickly realises that she is not alone - there are others out there just like her - people with special powers -and her mother's killer is one of them...

My review:


Cover:
I adore this cover. I like the mysterious feel in the cover, as if the girl is running away from something. I love the colours in the cover such as the girl's blue dress and the red heels plus the picture of the door opening to somewhere. 

4 Forget-me-not flowers for the cover!

Story:

How far are you willing to go to keep your secrets safe?

Lila is more than just an ordinary girl. She can move things with her mind. Well, that's the only thing that makes her stand out from 'ordinary', because like any other girls, Lila is in love with someone. After a mugging incident, Lila flew from London to California to meet her brother, Jack and her one and only love, Alex. As she stays with them, she unravels the truth behind their work, the truth behind her mother's death and that she is not the only one with powers. Will Lila ever reveal her secrets to the ones she loves?

Wow, this book goes beyond my expectations. I've read many great reviews on this book and how all the Aussie bloggers and readers loved and rave it. It made me really excited to read it and when I finally got the chance, it completely blew me away. Hunting Lila is written from Lila's POV and it succeeded up to every single expectations I had and it was even more than what I expected. I love the storyplot, the characters and just EVERYTHING! The book was filled with actions and swoon-worthy scenes that will leave you gripping on the edge of your seat, biting your nails, waiting for THAT MOMENT to come. And by THAT MOMENT, I mean the 'kiss', the climax, you know the drill!

Characters:
Oh this is my favourite part to talk about because I ADORE THE CHARACTERS. I do have to say that at the beginning, I felt quite annoyed with Lila and I felt that she was a bit too 'obsessed' with Alex but as I get deeper into the book, I was able to connect easily with Lila and understand her because she has loved him for 17 years, give or take and that is a LONG time. She never even confessed to Alex, yet. I think all the characters are very well-written, particularly Alex. Oh my word, you have stolen my breath, Alex. I love you to bits and pieces and will do FOREVER. He is the perfect image of a gentleman (but not quite in a Mr. Darcy way) because he can fight. He rides a motorbike. Enough said. I love Jack, the loving big brother and even Suki, the cute Japanese girl! The characters are very well described that I can imagine them as if they are actually alive and are somewhere around me!

Overall:
Hunting Lila will leave you gripping on the edge of your seat, biting your nails, waiting for THAT MOMENT to come. If you are looking for a fast-paced book filled with actions, swoon-worthy scenes and characters you'll fall in love so hard you can't stop smiling, then this book is for you! What an incredible debut! I can't wait for Losing Lila, coming out on 2nd August this year!

5 Forget-me-not flowers for Hunting Lila!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Australia for the review copy!

Favourite quote:

“When you came down the stairs, and fell into me, that was the moment.”