Blog Tour Review: None of the Regular Rules by Erin Downing

None of the Regular Rules by Erin Downing
Series: Standalone
Published: November 20th, 2012
Publisher: Self-published
180 pages (ebook)
Genre: Contemporary young adult
Acquired this book: From the author as part of the blog tour
Warning: May contain spoilers
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Sometimes, a few dares can change lives…

The weekend before the start of senior year, Sophie Erickson and her best friends, Ella and Grace, discover a handwritten list of dares tucked away in the glove compartment of Sophie’s beat-up old Toyota. But this isn’t just any list; it’s a dead girl's bucket list.

Sophie's beloved aunt Suzy died as a teenager in a fatal fall, leaving Sophie with an overly cautious family, a few fading photographs, and a bucket of bolts that barely passes for a car. But now, Sophie has Suzy’s list of the things she wanted to do in her last year of high school. Sophie can't help but wonder: What would happen if she tried to fulfill Suzy’s last wishes, to live out the longed-for life of her aunt, her hero?

As Sophie and her friends attempt to knock off the things on Suzy's list of dares, love blossoms in unexpected places and Sophie begins to feel that her life is finally coming together...when in fact, everything is slowly unraveling around her. When the truth about a long-held family secret threatens to shatter everything she believed to be true, Sophie is forced to question everything she knew about the life and people she believed in, and ultimately herself.

 

When I first read the synopsis for None of the Regular Rules, it appealed to me on a lot of levels. I’m really into the idea of life/milestone/bucket/dare lists – whatever you want to call them - and the idea of challenging yourself to do things that may be out of your comfort zone. So when I saw this book was about a teenage girl who tries to fulfill the dares her aunt didn’t accomplish before her death, my interest was immediately piqued.

I really liked the main character, Sophie. She learned so much about herself and life in general throughout the course of the book. There were times I wanted to shake her, but I was also proud of her progression, and I enjoyed watching her grow and learn. She not only learned a lot about herself, but also about her best friends, Grace and Ella, and what it means to need and be needed. In a lot of ways the story was as much about Grace and Ella as it was about Sophie.

I love stories about friendship, and that’s what this was. Sophie, Ella, and Grace were as different as you could get, but they shared that bond that comes with being lifelong best friends and not only knowing but accepting each others differences. They had their ups and downs, but they loved each other enough that they could get through anything. I liked that they all had very different personalities and interests - I didn't particularly like Grace or Ella, but I appreciated the roles they played in Sophie's life and in her growth. 

Even though I’m a romance junkie, I liked that the romance wasn’t the main focus of the book. I enjoyed the interactions between Sophie and Johnny, and I liked that he drew her out, helped her get over some of her fears, and learn that life isn't always black and white. He had a great personality, and he was a lot different from most of the guys you see in YA. Plus he was pretty sexy! ;-) 

None of the Regular Rules was a coming-of-age story about self-discovery, friendship, and creating your own rules and your own path. It left me with a smile on my face and a satisfied feeling.

Erin Downing has written more than a dozen books for young adults, tweens, and kids. Her guilty pleasures include an unhealthy obsession with reality TV and cheesy romantic dramas (Revenge! Alias!), an addiction to Us Weekly magazine, and cupcakes.

Before turning to writing full time, Erin worked as a book editor, spent a few months as a cookie inventor, and also worked for Nickelodeon. Erin has lived in England, Sweden, and New York City, and now resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her husband and kids. More information about Erin and her books can be found at: www.erindowning.com

Find Erin Online:

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Be sure to check out the other stops on the None of the Regular Rules blog tour!

Have you read None of the Regular Rules? What did you think? 

Do you have a bucket list? What kinds of things are on it? I have several - you can see my main bucket list on Pinterest if you like!

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Review: Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Series: The Arcana Chronicles, Book #1

Published: October 2nd, 2012

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

369 pages (hardcover)

Genre: Post-apocalyptic paranormal thriller

Acquired this book: From the library

Warning: May contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Book Depository || Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

She could save the world—or destroy it.

Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side…

 

Tarot and Cajuns and zombies, oh my!

This was the first book I’d read by Ms Cole and it was hard to believe it was her first YA book. Fascinatingly unique, action-packed, dark, and often disturbing, Poison Princess was unlike anything I’ve ever read.

To say the plot of this book was original would be an understatement. It’s rare in post-apocalyptic fiction to see the world both before and after the end, but in Poison Princess we get a look at the world in the days leading up to the apocalypse (the Flash), and the months afterward. I’m not going to lie – I found it terrifying. I’m honestly surprised I didn’t have nightmares. It was so well executed and believable, and the whole thing was vivid, disturbing, and gruesome, but in the best way possible.

I absolutely loved Ms Cole’s writing style. It was so fresh, and, like the story itself, it was unlike anything I’ve come across. She had a way of wording things that was so unique, whether it was during descriptions or dialogue, and it made me enjoy the story even more.

Evie, the main character, grows a lot through the course of the story. In the beginning she’s this rich kid who’s kind of spoiled, and is the typical pretty cheerleader who can be really snobby, but she has this huge secret weighing on her - she thinks she’s mentally ill. She slowly progresses into a character you can admire and root for. She gets stronger and smarter, and while she still has her moments, she was overall very likeable and her voice felt very authentic. All of her emotions come across as very genuine, and really resonate on the page, whether it’s fear, anger, hopelessness, or determination.

Jack, the love interest in the story is…well, he’s something else. I alternately loved and hated him. He was so crude and controlling and even cruel at times, but he was clearly a product of a horrible beginning, so who could blame him really? He was a definite alpha male and even during those times I wanted to punch him, it didn’t stop me from thinking he was sexy as hell. He was protective and fierce, and even when he wanted to throttle Evie, his first instinct (and first priority) was always to keep her safe. Their relationship is full of misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and sexual tension.

I thought the tarot aspect was fascinating. It was all so tightly woven and complex, and I was eager to see how everything would turn out. With each new revelation, I became more and more engrossed in the story. I can't wait to find out what happens in the next installment.

Poison Princess is one of the best post-apocalyptic books I’ve read. It has something for everyone - it’s frightening, realistic, sexy, funny, romantic, thrilling, and so much more. With characters that leap of the page, a compelling plot, and lots of action, Poison Princess is a must read. 

Have you read Poison Princess? What did you think? Have you read any of Kresley Cole's other books? 

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The Daydreamer's Ramblings: Book Haters

The Daydreamer’s Ramblings is a semi-regular feature here at Ramblings of a Daydreamer. It ranges from discussion posts to rants to raves.

 

There are so many types of haters out there, this could be a series of posts. There are the people who post nasty comments on reviews; the ones who randomly go around GoodReads and give books 1 star for absolutely no reason; the trolls on Twitter who feel the need to make others miserable…I could go on and on.

But that’s not what this post is about. Today I want to talk about the book bloggers who are book haters. Let me explain…I’m talking about those people who read and review books and have absolutely nothing nice to say, ever. Every book they read is poorly written with a non-existent or stupid plot, insipid characters, lame world building, etc. Sometimes this comes with author bashing, sometimes it comes with reader bashing - as in, ‘I can’t believe all the stupid people who have loved this book when it’s the worst thing ever’.

Really? REALLY?!

I can think of two examples of such bloggers. I used to subscribe via email to one (she was actually supposed to be part of my blog tour for BLUE SKY DAYS last year but fell through…thank god), and I even read her reviews for awhile…call it morbid curiosity. Then it got to the point where I couldn’t handle the negativity anymore and I had to unsubscribe. I haven’t visited her blog since. I currently subscribe to another such blogger - someone I’ve become friendly with over the last year through blogging - and who writes some interesting posts, otherwise I’d unsubscribe to her as well.

I’m a firm believer that everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. We don’t all like the same books, and that’s fine. That’s part of what makes this community so great - a bunch of like-minded people (in that we all love to read) sharing opinions on books, good or bad. Over the last two years I’ve written glowing reviews, I’ve written negative reviews, and I’ve written everything in between. I find it hard to believe that a person only ever either loves or hates every book they read.

With that being said, my question is this: if you hate every single book you read, what’s the point of reading? Why bother having this as a hobby, considering it’s a time consuming and potentially expensive one? If every book disappoints you, makes you angry, makes you roll your eyes, or makes you want to throw the book across the room WHY DO YOU KEEP READING?! It’s supposed to be joyful, relaxing, enlightening, captivating, peaceful - it’s not supposed to raise your ire.

I have trouble writing the occasional negative review, so it’s hard for me to imagine consistently writing bitter, spiteful reviews. What do you think? Have you ever come across a blogger who seems to hate everything they read (let's refrain from naming names)? Do you think it’s possible to love reading but hate books?

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Review: The Archived by Victoria Schwab

The Archived by Victoria Schwab

Series: The Archived, Book #1

Published: January 22nd, 2013

Publisher: Hyperion

321 pages (hardcover)

Genre: Young adult supernatural thriller

Acquired this book: Bought

Warning: May contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Book Depository || Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

 

{Read my review of The Near Witch}

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn’t just dangerous—it’s a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da’s death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.

 

There’s just something about Victoria Schwab’s writing. The Near Witch was one of my favourite books of 2012, and from the moment I finished reading it I practically counted the days until I could get my hands on something else of Ms Schwab’s. Her writing is so beautiful and fluid it seems to flow effortlessly, ensuring the reader is completely captivated and unable to stop reading.

The Archived has one of the most fascinating concepts I’ve ever come across. The idea of the dead resting on shelves, and there being this whole secret world of people who tend to them, is intriguing, creepy, haunting, and yet oddly mesmerizing.

Ms Schwab has a knack for writing characters that leap off the page and take up permanent residence in your mind (and heart). Over a year later, I still find myself thinking of Lexi and Cole from The Near Witch, and I’m certain that a year from now I’ll still be thinking of Mac and Wesley from The Archived. But not just them - Da, Roland, Ben, Owen, and all the other characters in this book, all of whom felt like an integral part of the story, no matter how big or small their role was.

I connected with Mac immediately, feeling her pain and her desire to have her brother back and to make her family whole again. She wasn’t perfect - she made mistakes, she had flaws, her judgment was questionable at times - but that made me love her even more. She didn’t make excuses for who she was or what she did, and when you think about all she had seen and experienced and done at such a young age, it was a miracle she wasn’t completely broken. Then there was Wesley…oh Wesley, with his eyeliner and tall hair and scars and lies and crooked smile. Just thinking about him makes me smile. I loved the interactions between Mac and Wes - they often brought just the right amount of levity to an otherwise darkly intense story.

As for the plot itself…I actually don’t want to go into too much detail because I feel it needs to be experienced rather than read about. I’ll say this: the mystery was so tightly woven that it kept me guessing and had me on the edge of my seat, with my fingers flipping the pages almost faster than my eyes could read. To say this book is a must-read would be downplaying its awesomeness. Simply put, if you haven’t already read The Archived (and The Near Witch), you’re missing out on an incredible book that deserves a spot on everyone’s shelves.

Have you read The Archived? What did you think?

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Book Blogger Love-a-Thon!

The Book Blogger Love-a-Thon is hosted by Alexa Loves Books and Kate's Tales of Books and Bands

I was supposed to do an interview swap but my partner never got back to me, so I’m going to tell you a bit about myself and my blog instead.

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Marie. *waves* I live in Ontario, Canada, and I’m an author and freelance writer. I started this blog about two and a half years ago, then turned it into a book blog about six months later. I used to read mostly adult books (romance, and some paranormal and cozy mysteries), but when I discovered the world of book blogging and saw how popular YA books are, I started reading YA and fell in love.

I also happen to write YA (and chick lit). My first novel, BLUE SKY DAYS is young adult contemporary, my second, THE GAME CHANGER, is chick lit, and my third, WAITING FOR THE STORM (which comes out in April) is a return to contemporary YA. I never thought I would write young adult books, but once I started reading them, I knew I wanted to write them too. There's just something about YA - the innocence, that feeling of a blank canvas, the heightened emotions (and hormones) - that's so magical and irresistible.

Besides writing, reading, and blogging, I love taking pictures (you can check out some of my photography on my personal blog - it’s been a couple weeks since I updated because I hurt my back and haven’t been able to be online much), listen to music, spend time with my family, travel, and design graphics. I’m not gonna lie, I also watch a lot of TV and TV on DVD…and trashy reality shows (I’m a total Housewives addict). Oh, and movies...although lately they've been of the Disney variety when my nephews are here. MY NEPHEWS! I can't believe I didn't mention them...the loves and lights of my life, Noah (10), and Logan (3). They're the best kids in the entire world, and in June they're going to have a baby sister and I will finally have the niece I've been wanting for over a decade!

That’s me in a nutshell. You can find me pretty much everywhere online - Facebook, Twitter, my author blog, GoodReads, Pinterest, YouTube. I love connecting with fellow book lovers (and I also love talking about movies, music, and television), so don’t hesitate to chat me up!

And since this event is about sharing the love for this awesome community and the amazing people in it, I wanted to share some of my favourite bloggers/blogs with you guys. 

Jessica @ Thoughts at One in the Morning

Molli @ Once Upon a Prologue

Kathy @ I Write, I Read, I Review

Sharon @ Obsession With Books

Rachelia @ Bookish Comforts

Christy @ Christy's Love of Books

Vicky @ Books, Biscuits, and Tea

Margie @ Bumbles and Fairytales

Kimberly @ Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Mist @ Bookaholics Book Club

 

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What's Happening #6 + RCC Update #2

What's Happening is a weekly recap post every Thursday or Friday, in which I talk about what I'm reading, writing, blogging about, and what's been going on in my life. It takes the place of my former weekly recap post, Update Thursday.

Happy Friday, guys! It's been a quiet couple of weeks here on the blog. As some of you already know, I have a back injury that's been preventing me from spending much time on the computer. I didn't do a weekly update last week so I'm doubling up, but since there were quite a few days where I didn't have anything scheduled, there aren't a ton of posts to catch up on. 

 

The Water Witch by Juliet Dark {GoodReads}

Sacred Celtic Places by Iain Zaczek {GoodReads}

A Little Bit Cupid by Jennifer Shirk {GoodReads}

The Archived by Victoria Schwab {GoodReads}

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole {GoodReads}

Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid {GoodReads}

None of the Regular Rules by Erin Downing {GoodReads}

Friends 'Til the End by David Wild {GoodReads}

I reviewed Mind Games by Kiersten White and gave it 3.5 stars

I posted the signups for The Spring of Sarah Dessen Reading Challenge. It's pretty lonely - nobody has signed up yet! *makes sad, pleading face*

I reviewed The Water Witch by Juliet Dark and gave it 3.5 stars

I reviewed Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich and gave it 4 stars

Well...February is turning out to be a looong month. The three and a half weeks since I hurt my back feel like three and a half months. I'm getting way behind in everything (I haven't touched WAITING FOR THE STORM all month but I need to get started on final revisions so I can start sending it out to reviewers and get working on a blog tour). I don't want to sound like a whiner because I know there are people who live with pain every single day and who have it far worse than I do, and I know how lucky I am, I just get frustrated at times. I'm finally starting to get caught up in emails and I'm hoping to schedule a bunch of blog posts for the next couple weeks. I've gotten quite a bit of reading done, so that's one plus.

I've been watching a lot of FRIENDS. It's my go-to show when I need a pick-me-up. It's always been my favourite show; I own all 10 seasons and have watched them countless times, but not for a few years. It just never gets old and never fails to make me laugh. 

  

Review Copy Cleanup is hosted by Vicky from Books, Biscuits, and Tea, and Celine from Nyx Book Reviews

Weekly Update:

Bonnie of Evidence by Maddy Hunter (physical copy) 
The Water Witch by Juliet Dark (ebook)
None of the Regular Rules by Erin Downing (ebook) (Currently reading)  
The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley (physical copy)
Entanglement by Dan Rix (ebook)
A Little Bit Cupid by Jennifer Shirk (ebook)
Quicksilver by RJ Anderson (physical copy)
Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham (ebook)
Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland (ebook)
Greta and the Goblin King by Chloe Jacobs (ebook)
Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield (ebook)

Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Currently reading)

 

I've read 3 review books so far and my pile keeps growing. I've added another 5 review books this week alone but I'm not going to add them to my list since there are already more than I can get through in the next week and a bit. I'm hoping to at least finish the two I'm currently reading before the end of the month.

What's new with you? What are you reading? Are you planning on watching the Oscars this Sunday?

Have a great weekend!

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Review: Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich

Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich

Series: Stephanie Plum, Book #19

Published: November 20th, 2012

Publisher: Bantam

302 pages (hardcover)

Genre: Adult mystery/humour

Acquired this book: From the library

Warning: May contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Book Depository || Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

{Read my review of Smokin’ Seventeen || Read my review of Explosive Eighteen}

  

New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is certain of three truths: People don’t just vanish into thin air. Never anger old people. And don’t do what Tiki tells you to do.

After a slow summer of chasing low-level skips for her cousin Vinnie’s bail bonds agency, Stephanie Plum finally lands an assignment that could put her checkbook back in the black. Geoffrey Cubbin, facing trial for embezzling millions from Trenton’s premier assisted-living facility, has mysteriously vanished from the hospital after an emergency appendectomy. Now it’s on Stephanie to track down the con man. Unfortunately, Cubbin has disappeared without a trace, a witness, or his money-hungry wife. Rumors are stirring that he must have had help with the daring escape...or that maybe he never made it out of his room alive. Since the hospital staff’s lips seem to be tighter than the security, and it’s hard for Stephanie to blend in to assisted living, Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur goes in undercover. But when a second felon goes missing from the same hospital, Stephanie is forced into working side by side with Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, in order to crack the case.

The real problem is, no Cubbin also means no way to pay the rent. Desperate for money—or maybe just desperate—Stephanie accepts a secondary job guarding her secretive and mouthwatering mentor Ranger from a deadly Special Forces adversary. While Stephanie is notorious for finding trouble, she may have found a little more than she bargained for this time around. Then again—a little food poisoning, some threatening notes, and a bridesmaid’s dress with an excess of taffeta never killed anyone...or did they? If Stephanie Plum wants to bring in a paycheck, she’ll have to remember: No guts, no glory...

  

Notorious Nineteen, in my opinion, is the best thing Evanovich has written in years. For me, the Stephanie Plum series started going downhill several books ago, and I only continued reading them out of a sense of loyalty and curiosity. With each new book, I was shocked the series hadn’t come to an end, and I was getting extremely frustrated; the characters never changed, the jokes were always the same, and it seemed to me like Evanovich had become a very lazy writer.

I went into Notorious Nineteen with a healthy amount of trepidation. I vowed that if things didn’t begin to progress in this book, I would give up on the series until the final book, at which time I would see if Stephanie had chosen Ranger or Morelli. Since, at one time, this series was my absolute favourite, I am very pleased to say I actually enjoyed Notorious Nineteen.

It felt like the story was infused with a new light that’s been missing from the last few books. There was actual character progression, which has been lacking for a long time. We got some insight into not only Stephanie’s character, but also Ranger’s. There were new jokes, new problems, new characters, but at the same time, the story carried all the things that once made (and hopefully will now continue to make) the Plum books such a great series. The mystery held my attention and kept me guessing what would happen next, and there was the right amount of tension and humour. 

Overall, Notorious Nineteen was very enjoyable. I know many people who have given up on the series altogether, or who are undecided on this book, but I say if you’re a fan of the series, you should definitely read this book. It was nice to be reminded why I loved this series so much when I started it several years ago. I hope Evanovich keeps it up since the series doesn’t look like it’ll be ending any time soon. 

 

Have you read any of the Plum series? What are your thoughts? Who do you hope Stephanie ends up with?

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Review: The Water Witch by Juliet Dark

The Water Witch by Juliet Dark (aka Carol Goodman)
Series: Fairwick Chronicles, Book #2
Published: February 12th, 2013
Publisher: Ballantine Books
352 pages (ebook)
Genre: Adult paranormal
Acquired this book: From the publisher via NetGalley
Warning: May contain spoilers, especially if you haven’t read The Demon Lover 
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Book Depository || Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

{Read my review of The Demon Lover}

After casting out a dark spirit, Callie McFay, a professor of gothic literature, has at last restored a semblance of calm to her rambling Victorian house. But in the nearby thicket of the Honeysuckle Forest, and in the currents of the rushing Undine River, more trouble is stirring…

The enchanted town of Fairwick’s dazzling mix of mythical creatures has come under siege from the Grove: a sinister group of witches determined to banish the fey back to their ancestral land. With factions turning on one another, all are cruelly forced to take sides. Callie’s grandmother, a prominent Grove member, demands her granddaughter’s compliance, but half-witch/half-fey Callie can hardly betray her friends and colleagues at the college.

To stave off disaster, Callie enlists Duncan Laird, an alluring seductive academic who cultivates her vast magical potential, but to what end? Deeply conflicted, Callie struggles to save her beloved Fairwick, dangerously pushing her extraordinary powers to the limit—risking all, even the needs of her own passionate heart.

 

 

I loved The Demon Lover - I found it enchanting and riveting, and I was eager to return to Fairwick with its many diverse characters, and discover what would happen next. While I won’t say I was disappointed by The Water Witch, I will admit that it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, and I much preferred The Demon Lover.

The story felt a little slow in the beginning, and seemed a bit aimless at times. In The Demon Lover I felt like we were constantly learning something - about the characters, their powers, the history of supernatural creatures, etc., and it was fascinating. The Water Witch just felt very different from the first book. In my review of The Demon Lover, I mentioned how the book felt like erotic romance because there was so much sex, and while there was some sex in this one, it wasn’t exciting and sexy like The Demon Lover. The story lacked the spark of the first one, that special something that made it impossible to put down.

Despite the lack of spark in the plot, the story was still compelling enough that I was anxious to find out what was going to happen. My main issue was with Callie and her fickle nature. She couldn’t decide whether she loved Liam, even though she let him into her home and her bed, and her whole life had basically revolved around him. Yet even while she was trying to make up her mind whether she loved him or not, it didn’t stop her from very quickly developing feelings for not one but two other men and even sleeping with one. I found myself shaking my head at some of her decisions.

However, I was glad to see Callie exploring her powers and taking things into her own hands and becoming more independent. In the first book, I got the sense she was a very independent person, and we get to see that more in The Water Witch. Except for her wishy-washiness over the love interests, she felt stronger in this book, more willing to accept things and learn about her powers and her place in the supernatural community.

Issues aside, this is a series I am very much enjoying. I’m looking forward to the third book and to finding out what happens to Callie and the residents of Fairwick. After just two books, I find myself quite attached to the characters. I hope Callie will really come into her own and become the kickass heroine I know she can be, and I hope her love issues work themselves out. I’m not going to lie - despite the fact Liam is an incubus and has misled Callie more times than she can count, I’m rooting for them and hoping for some kind of loophole that will allow them to be together. 

 

 Disclaimer

In accordance with FTC guidelines, I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No money or compensation of any sort exchanged hands. I review books with no intention of monetary gain, but rather to share my love of reading.
*Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review*

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 Have you read The Demon Lover or The Water Witch? What did you think?

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