Once in a Full Moon - Ellen Schreiber

Published: Dec 28, 2010

Publisher: Katherine Tegen books

e-ARC provided by: Netgalley and Publisher

Summary: Goodreads

Celeste Parker is used to hearing scary stories about werewolves—Legend's Run is famous for them. She's used to everything in the small town until Brandon Maddox moves to Legend's Run and Celeste finds herself immediately drawn to the handsome new student. But when, after an unnerving visit with a psychic, she encounters a pack of wolves and gorgeous, enigmatic Brandon, she must discover whether his transformation is more than legend or just a trick of the shadows in the moonlight.
Her best friends may never forgive her if she gives up her perfect boyfriend, Nash, for Brandon, who's from the wrong side of town. But she can't deny her attraction or the strong pull he has on her. Brandon may be Celeste's hero, or he may be the most dangerous creature she could encounter in the woods of Legend's Run.
Psychic predictions, generations-old secrets, a town divided, and the possibility of falling in love with a hot and heroic werewolf are the perfect formula for what happens . . . once in a full moon.

I haven't read anything by Ellen Schreiber before, so I really wasn't sure what to expect, although her Vampire Kisses series has been really popular. What I got was a little bit of a disappointment, unfortunately. I felt as if something was missing, no excitement, which is what we've come to expect from werewolf books. The main protagonist, Celeste, was supposed to be 17 (I think), but she read to me as if she was much younger. Perhaps I'm just getting a little jaded, but the whole book felt younger to me.

Celeste seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about the 'bad' boy, but in a totally vapid way, and I was a little put off because she refused to completely break with her boyfriend, Nash. He deserved better. Sorry if that was a spoiler. She just seemed very young! And the whole idea Brandon as a handsome werewolf with a goatee just didn't work for me. I kept seeing pictures in my mind of cartoon characters. - particularly Shaggy from Scooby-doo - not sure why. The secondary characters never really felt fleshed out, and the fact that Celeste kept lying to them was a bit off-putting.

One good thing is that is was a very clean read. No bad language, and no sexual situations (that I can remember). I thought for a moment that perhaps that was why I didn't enjoy it so much, but I don't think so. There are plenty of other 'clean' reads that I have thoroughly enjoyed - like 'Paranormalcy'. Truthfully I felt as if I'd only read the first half of a book - I believe there may be a follow-up - so perhaps the action will pick up in a second volume.

All in all, I didn't dislike the book, but I certainly wouldn't recommend everyone rush out and buy it - get it from the library, definitely! Sorry, Ms. Schreiber, but I just was not that into 'Once in a Full Moon'.

Jealousy by Lili St. Crow

Published: July 2010
Publisher: Sleuth Razor Bill
# Pages: 316
Copy provided by: Library
Summary: Goodreads

Dru Anderson might finally be safe. She’s at the largest Schola on the continent, and beginning to learn what it means to be svetocha–half vampire, half human, and all deadly. If she survives her training, she will be able to take her place in the Order, holding back the vampires and protecting the oblivious normal people. But a web of lies and betrayals is still closing around her, just when she thinks she can relax a little. Her mentor Christophe is missing, her almost-boyfriend is acting weird, and the bodyguards she’s been assigned seem to know much more than they should. And then there’s the vampire attacks, the strange nightly visits, and the looks everyone keeps giving her. As if she should know something. Or as if she’s in danger. Someone high up in the Order is a traitor. They want Dru dead–but first, they want to know what she remembers of the night her mother died. Dru doesn’t want to remember, but it looks like she might have to–especially since once Christophe returns, he’ll be on trial for his life. The only person who can save him is Dru. The problem is, once she remembers everything, she may not want to…

Jealousy is the 3rd installment in the Strange Angels series by Lili St. Crow. (She also writes adult fiction under the name Lilith St. Crow.) The first two books, 'Strange Angels' and 'Betrayals', are fast paced and exciting and I thoroughly enjoyed them. So I was really looking forward to reading 'Jealousy'. Unfortunately, the first half of the book seemed rather a let-down to me after everthing that had gone on previously. I normally take notes while I'm reading so that I will have something to go on when I post, and I realized that I was halfway through the book and hadn't written anything at all!

Then wham, things started happening at a frenetic pace and I remembered why I had loved the first two books so much. Instead of werewolves and vampires, in this series we have loup garou and djamphir - hybrids, instead of the real thing - but that doesn't slow the action down once it gets started. Dru is at the centre of a mystery concerning her mother, Elizabeth, and she is trying to remember what happened the night her mother died. The growing relationship between Dru and Graves is slow, hesitant and very sweet. Christophe is the typical bad boy, with a soft spot for Dru. Anna is a supreme Bitch (note the capital B), and I just love the host of minor characters like Dibs and Shanks. By the end of the book, I was thoroughly enjoying all my favourite characters and I'm now really looking forward to #4 in the series 'Defiance', which is due out in Spring 2011. If you haven't tried this series yet, you are in for a treat.

The Darkest Powers Series by Kelley Armstrong

Published: 2009/2010
Publisher: Harper Collins
Copies provided by: Library

I have been a fan of Ms. Armstrong since she wrote her first adult novel, 'Bitten'. I had gone to a workshop on 'horror fiction' and was surprised to find her werewolf book included under the horror banner, but I tried it out and loved it and have been a major fan ever since then. The fact that she is one of us, i.e. Canadian, just made it all the sweeter. When I heard that she was going to venture into YA fiction, I was immediately curious and decided I had to try them out.

The world that this series is based in is the same as the one her adult books inhabit, so most of the actual world building is already in place, and some of the characters from those novels are mentioned in passing. Psychic and magical powers are accepted as part of life, if swept under the carpet somewhat, and just about anything can and does happen. Chloe Saunders can see ghosts, in fact it turns out she's a 'genetically altered necromancer who can raise the dead, rotting corpses and all, without even trying'. (from Ms Armstrong's website) When she finds herself at Lyle House, a home for troubled teens, she discovers that she is not the only one with problems (read powers). Chloe runs away from Lyle House with Simon, Derek and Rae, but instead of finding a safe place they are betrayed over and over again. It's a wonderful story, with complex twists and turns and if you haven't tried the series yet, I highly recommend it.

I've just been looking on Ms Armstrong's website and here is the cover for the next YA book 'The Gathering'

It looks as if it follows in the series, but the blurb on the website doesn't mention any of the old characters! It's due out April 2011 in hardcover, so keep your eyes peeled.

You can find a list of Ms Armstrongs adult novels HERE and if you are an older teen, there is no reason that you can't try them out for yourself. Some of you may remember me saying that Christinabean had given me a copy of the latest title 'Waking the Witch' for my birthday, which I am looking forward to reading. May'be I'll be able to get it signed at the Smart Chicks Kick It tour stop in Brampton, which Christinabean and I are going to on Sept 25th. If you're interested in a list of the dates you can find one HERE.

To finish ..... or not to finish,

That is the question. (Sorry Shakespeare)





Author: Jenny Hale
Released: 2009/2010
Publisher: Scholastic
#Pages: 464
Copy provided by: Library
Summary: Goodreads


Her mother was slain by werewolves when Jatta was three years old, and the palace has been haunted by fear ever since. Then Jatta wakes one morning, bruised and disoriented , soaked in sweat, to see her bedroom smeared with bloody paw prints …

When I started this book I thought it looked really interesting. The werewolf in this book is Jatta, a very naive 14 yr. old princess, who basically has no idea what she is. What she is in fact, is a ravening beast. This is no Twilight werewolf, with long soft hair you want to run your fingers through. She is a huge - and by huge I mean 3 times her normal mass huge - slavering, body ripping, murdering werewolf. Think Wolfman! We never really find out why she's a werewolf, but the implication is that it is because of magic. Her clothes certainly disappear by magic, they are absorbed into ?, I'm not sure where, but they do disappear. Jatta's brother Arthmael has been brutally savaged by Jatta's wolf form, but he never deserts her, following after her and trying to stop her from causing harm. When Jatta and Arthmael convince a boat captain to take them across the water to Dartith, to try to save their kingdom from the evil king, Jatta has another of her transformations under the full moon, and basically hold the ships crew hostage, but are they mad at her, no! As soon as they find out she's a princess, everything is just hunky dory.
"Good luck - though I swear the royal line's inbred, what with two reckless fools like your Majesties. And one a wolf, atop." (p283)
Am I sounding a little less than enthusiastic? Sorry, but I am. I'm really not sure where this story falls short for me, but I never really connected with the characters somehow. Riz, the evil kings evil son - and brother of the prince Jatta is supposed to marry - is definitely nasty, but I never felt he was real, more like a spoiled brat who needed a good whipping. I've read 315 of 464 pages - this is not a short book - but I really have no desire to find out what happens to Jatta and her brother and whether they save their kingdom. The promise of the first few pages never materialised - for me anyway. Do I want to find out what happens in the end? Well sort of - but I'd rather someone else told me what happens than finish it myself.
Does this mean it's a bad book - No. It just means that it wasn't the book for me. So to answer my original question - Not to finish! Now if there is anyone out there who did finish this book and enjoyed it, or not, please let me know what happens at the end. Thanks.

Great review Curlypow!  There are so many great books out there that you shouldn't be afraid to put something down if you're just not into it.  I don't think that I would have lasted 315 pages (although the summary does sound interesting).  I usually read about 20 - 50 pages before giving something the boot.  At least you can now use your time in a better way...like trying something new from your stack of TBR!