The Witch-Fairy Series by Bonnie Lamer

THE WITCH-FAIRY SERIES BY BONNIE LAMER 

So, I'm doing something a bit different, in the fact that I'm reviewing a WHOLE series here, but these books deserve a review and they deserve what I have to say about them (well, at least I think they do)

There are currently 10 books in the series, and here's the reading order

#1 True of Blood

#2 Blood Prophecy

#3 Blood Lines

#4 Shadow Blood

#5 Blood of Half Gods

#6 Blood of Destiny

#7 Blood of Dragons

#8 Blood of Egypt

#9 Blood of Retribution

#10 Blood of the Exiled

So, the thing that I love about these books is actually the fact that they are all pretty much stand alone books after the first one. The main character - Xandra - is a witch-fairy, as you might have gathered from the title of the series. With that comes a lot of responsibility, power and challenges. In each book, Xandra faces a new challenge, building on her powers and her knowledge of the magical universe.

The only thing that might not make sense if you skipped books would be the characters, because she picks up a couple new characters in each book with each new challenge, but after that she just builds up on her existing characters with a new challenge.

These books are easy reads that have me up until 3 in the morning whenever they come out, and has me laughing and turning just one more page...(or not!) The books are well written with fast-paced action and just enough suspense to keep you going. There aren't any hideous grammatical mistakes, or spelling mistakes, or sentences that don't work, and it all flows really well.

I love the characters and the whole idea behind it. It's not just settled on the one battle, or prophecy, or incident or something like most books are. Of course there is a central battle/prophecy/incident but it doesn't take control of the plot. It's not a quest to the end of a challenge, it's a whole lot of challenges that just keep coming. But isn't that what life is? Life isn't just going to be one humongous challenge that, once complete, goes away for the rest of forever. Life is a whole lot of challenges that let you build up yourself, your friends and family, and your life experiences. That's what Xandra's tales are, and as much as they are larger problems than ours and much different, it's a representation.

I also love, love, love, love how Bonnie doesn't end every single book with cliff-hangers. I don't know how to explain it, but sometimes cliffhangers just seem...desperate. Like, 'please, read the next book! I'm going to withhold information from you and leave it at a crucial point so you have to keep reading!' 

The way that Bonnie ends the books are gentle, open ends that leave room for you to dwell on the incidents and come to terms with what's happened and whatever and come back to the next book ready for the next challenge without feeling like you're in a perpetual state of waiting.

I mean, cmon guys. We know that authors can't spit out a book just like that and have it ready for us, and so cliffhangers are just cruel sometimes. Altogether, Bonnie's books and the way they are written are light-hearted, easy reads that just pull you back in for more with their charming characters and adventurous spirit! These books are not books to miss!

Oh, and if you're worried about getting bored with the series and stopping because 10 books are just too many, it really doesn't happen with this series. Normally I can't get passed book 5 or 6, but these are just so great I could read them for the rest of my life!!

So pick up a copy (did I mention book 1 is free at the moment?) and get reading!!

Oh, I should also mention that there are half books told from Kallens POV (if you don't know who that is then don't worry for the moment). I haven't read any of them so if you have let me know if it's good and if I read them I'll be sure to let you know what I think!

All the best!!

Queen of Reading,

Keep reading, forget the dreaming!

The Boy Who Sneaks in My Bedroom Window by Kristy Moseley

Blurb:

 Amber Walker and her older brother, Jake, have an abusive father. One night her brother's best friend, Liam, sees her crying and climbs through her bedroom window to comfort her. That one action sparks a love/hate relationship that spans over the next eight years.

Liam is now a confident, flirty player who has never had a girlfriend before. Amber is still emotionally scarred from the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father. Together they make an unlikely pair.

Their relationship has always been a rocky one, but what happens when Amber starts to view her brother's best friend a little differently? And how will her brother, who has always been a little overprotective, react when he finds out that the pair are growing closer? Find out in The Boy Who Sneaks In My Bedroom Window

My Review:

Admittedly, I write this review the second time I read this book but it's still as good as it always was :D

This is the story of Amber Walker - a teenager who has a hard past with the history of an abusive father who tried to rape her before her brother kicked him out. All together she makes the best of her situation. She and her brother and mother are extremely close but their mother is away a lot. And then there's Liam, her brothers annoying man-whore of a best friend who sleeps with her every night since they were eight. This book is about the relationship between Amber and Liam and how Amber overcomes a lot of the issues she has due to her father's nature.

This story is gorgeous - it's one of those stories that has you swooning at every turn and begging for more. Literally. I remember the first time i read it - i got about 50% through the book and I thought the book was going to finish coz it was kind of a closing point. You have no idea how happy i was when i realised there was still more to go :)

This is actually a book that has me thinking about it often and wanting to re-read it. I love books but I find it hard to re-read them because I know what happens, or because things develop and the beginning is just so different from the end. But with this book I find that I make references to it in my mind in my everyday life, and I find myself dying to re-read it just because it's so amazing and inspiring.

The writing is great - it's gripping and yet still easy language so you can read it when you're half asleep. The complex ideas are melded into the story so well that you almost don't realise what you've learned from the book because it was so heavily integrated. You come out of there going 'aww that was a sweet story, i love those characters' and you don't realise what you took from the characters until after the re-read (well, at least I didn't!)

I'd recommend this book to lots of people - not those who are obsessed with fantasy ONLY or don't like romantic stuff, but all the rest - because it's so accessible. It's a really easy book to read and it's not explicit so it still fits into the YA genre (it's getting harder and harder to find these books...) and is amazingly written!

I'd give this book 4 1/2 stars, because although it's cute and I loved it and it's well written, it doesn't grab me. I like it, but I don't feel an attachment to the characters like I normally do...I don't know why I feel this way but, eh, i'll go with the flow :D

Queen of Reading
Keep on reading, forget the dreaming

Update!!

Hey everybody and nobody that reads my blog,
(by the way if you're wondering why I sometimes start like that...it's because this blog is about being written, not read!)

So I'm sorry about not posting alot lately, but I HAVE MY REASONS!! And because that statement is never enough - yeah, you out there who always say 'I have my reasons', are you listening?! - I shall list for you my reasons below...

1. I've been in a bit of a funk lately. TOTALLY exhausted all the time and I don't have any effort to do anything. That includes reading, unfortunately. So I'd buy these super cool looking books and then open them up and after a page or so I'm yawning and looking for something else to do. I can't even write when I get in this funk! So this funk is slowly moving so hopefully I'll have a heap load of new reviews to post for you guys soon!
2. I've started a vlog! Yeah, that's write. I've been posting videos on youtube and there's just something about videoing my reviews thats addictive, I don't even know why! So, yeah! I've been making video reviews recently instead of posting! So you'll see that on the right (-->) there's a list of my videos up and the link. It's a little gadgety thing! There's also a tab up the top (^) called My Vlog that will link you to my youtube channel. So check it out!
3. I've been crazy busy! With school and homework and extra-curricular activities I've barely had any time to read anyway, and when I did I was so funked out that I just chose to lay in bed and watch the ceiling. Not a useful way to spend your time, but ehh...I enjoyed it!
4. I feel like I'm writing to a brick wall. And, yeah, this blog is about being written but it'd be nice to get some feedback and comments that aren't from me...

So, yeah. That's my list of what's going on with me and why I've been so inactive (this will also pertain to things like my goodreads account and stuff like my writing) and I hope to be more active!! So, comment and stuff. There's also a Contact Me tab up the top so PLEASE use it, even just to say hi or recommend a book or something. I check that a lot so it's not like i'll miss your message but if I don't reply within a day or so feel free to spam me :) 

And now, to finish off...

All the best,

Queen of Reading,

Keep on reading, forget the dreaming