Tamora Pierce meets George R. R. Martin in this smart, political, medieval fantasy-thriller.

There is a new king on the throne of Tildor. Currents of political unrest sweep the country as two warring crime families seek power, angling to exploit the young Crown's inexperience. At the Academy of Tildor, the training ground for elite soldiers, Cadet Renee de Winter struggles to keep up with her male peers. But when her mentor, a notorious commander recalled from active duty to teach at the Academy, is kidnapped to fight in illegal gladiator games, Renee and her best friend Alec find themselves thrust into a world rife with crime, sorting through a maze of political intrigue, and struggling to resolve what they want, what is legal, and what is right.

“A wild, energetic  novel that proves girls CAN be warriors while still being true to themselves.”

      —Sarah Dessen, author of The Moon and More

Alex is a YA fantasy author, a Tamora Pierce addict, a horse rider, and paramedic. The latter two tend to hand in hand a bit more often than one would like. Alex started writing at 2 am.

Alex Lidell | Facebook | Twitter

The Power of Six (Lorien Legacies #2)
by Pittacus Lore
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: January 1st 2011
Pages: 406 (paperback)
Source: finished copy from publisher
Author's website | GoodReads

NINE of us came here.
BUT sometimes I wonder if time has changed us.
IF we all still believe in our mission.
THEY are getting closer.
THEY are trailing us, tracking us.
THEY know about our legacies.
THEY know too much for us to believe.
WE WILL EVER BE SAFE AGAIN.

Remember the awesomeness called I Am Number Four? Well, The Power of Six is the next book in the Lorien Legacies, and I didn't think that it would be possible, but it's even better than the first one.



The book is alternatively told through the points of view of John (Number Four) and a newly introduced character, Number Seven, who goes by the name Marina. It picks up a few weeks after I am Number Four's ending. John, Sam and Six are on the run, and the Mogadorians aren't their only problems. John is now a suspected terrorist with a large sum of money on his head, while Marina is trapped in a convent, with her Cepan going all kookoo while trying to pretend that Lorien is a fairytale and that they didn't have a mission to fulfill.

Before I rave about all of the things I love about the book, let me tell you the ONE thing that ticked me off: the romance. It was nice and cute in the first book, but now it just drove me crazy- in a bad way. John was like a lovesick drunkard in desperate need of rehab. The future of his planet is on his shoulders, but the only thing he can think of is girls, girls, girls.



I'm not just talking about miss Sarah Hart, everybody. I'm talking about how he fantasizes about resting on the lap of a girl WHO IS NOT SARAH, and then thinks about wanting to kiss the soul out of Sarah five minutes later. And then he risks the safety of his groupmates and their mission just so he can catch a peek of his lovey dove. It got to the point where the 'romance' almost took over the entire plot. I'm not even kidding. I just hope that everything cools down in the next book, because if John continues to act like that, I will question his sanity forever.



The Power of Six gives us a gist of Six's background, and how she found John in the first place. It's sad how all of them are familiar to loss and heartache. The characters also have this sense of verity when they talk about their pain and loss, and you just want to give them all a great big hug.


Marina is a character that I feel indifferent towards. I didn't really like her because I thought she was too naive and dense. She blames her lack of training on her hopeless Cepan, but I don't think that's a legitimate excuse because she could have easily trained on her own. I also felt that she was hiding her brutal and rash side. She is the postergirl of never giving up though, so I don't hate her per se, but I don't like her either.

The action and adrenaline levels of this book were off the charts. If you loved all the fight scenes in the first book, then the ones in The Power of Six will blow your mind. The author writes them in a way that you feel like you're part of all the suspense and bloodshed. I'm not usually a fan of fighting, but the ones in the book made my heart race and I had to constantly stop myself from cheering for the characters out loud.

Filled with unexpected twists and surprising discoveries, The Power of Six is a well written literary gem that people will continue to love for years to come. The stakes are higher and the enemies are stronger, but bonds are also strengthened and the Nine will soon rise and make thousands fall.

Carnival of Souls
by Melissa Marr
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: September 4th 2012
Pages: 306 (hardcover)
Source: finished copy from publisher
Author's website | GoodReads

In a city of daimons, rigid class lines separate the powerful from the power-hungry. And at the heart of The City is the Carnival of Souls, where both murder and pleasure are offered up for sale. Once in a generation, the carnival hosts a deadly competition that allows every daimon a chance to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures--if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live.

All Mallory knows of The City is that her father--and every other witch there--fled it for a life in exile in the human world. Instead of a typical teenage life full of friends and maybe even a little romance, Mallory scans quiet streets for threats, hides herself away, and trains to be lethal. She knows it's only a matter of time until a daimon finds her and her father, so she readies herself for the inevitable. While Mallory possesses little knowledge of The City, every inhabitant of The City knows of her. There are plans for Mallory, and soon she, too, will be drawn into the decadence and danger that is the Carnival of Souls.

From Melissa Marr, bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely series and "Graveminder," comes a brand-new tale of lush secrets, dark love, and the struggle to forge one's own destiny.

Carnival of Souls captivated me from the very first page. The author is a genius at creating intricate worlds of magic that are filled with darkness and intrigue. The writing is superb, and the reality of it all is so superb, it will frighten you to the core. Marr excels at making lush and macabre alluring.

The story is told in the three points of view of three uniquely different characters, namely Mallory, Kaleb, and Aya. The characters are each facing their own battles. They all have dreams and aspirations in their hearts to overcome their struggles, but the unexpected never ceases to occur. Mallory, Kaleb, and Aya are from different worlds and standings in life, but they have a lot more in common than they think.

I enjoyed reading about Aya and Kaleb and I really connected with them and felt for them. I still have a lot to learn about Mallory though, as much as she needs to learn about herself. I have to say that I hosetly thought that the 'love' between Mallory and Kaleb was incredibly empty to me. I rarely felt that they truly liked each other beyond their mutual attraction and interest. I cannot vouch for my understanding of daimon love though.

As for my favorite character, I would have to say that I enjoyed reading about the secondary characters more. Their backstory had more base and structure, and they were much more interesting in every sense. I particularly favor Kaleb's best friend Zevi and Mallory's adoptive father Adam. That doesn't mean that I hated the main characters though, they caught my attention and interest in their own ways. Each of their stories are interwoven throughout the story, which makes things incredibly exciting and unpredictable.

Carnival of Souls is set in two different worlds: The City; where the daemons rule the streets, and the human world; the place where the daemons banished the witches who once thrived and brought life to The City. At the heart of the city lies the Carnival of Souls, where both murder and pleasure are offered for sale. The world building is ineffable, as any world that Melissa Marr creates. The City was described so vividly that I could see the beauty and horror of it with my own eyes.

The book was beautifully written in Marr's own distinct style and had a great solid plot that was uniquely interesting. The subject matter is extremely raw and dark but it's honest and never sugar-coats. This story is surrounded by secrets and lies. Everyone and everything is not what it seems. Melissa Marr has created yet another world unlike any other; filled with loyalty, family, love, evil, treason, and murder. This book serves as a prequel of some sorts, paving the way for interesting twists and turns and promises a new series straight from Marr's wicked imagination.

Buy the book from: The Book Depository | National Bookstore | Fully Booked

Thanks to HarperCollins International, readers from the Philippines get the chance to win a finished copy of the book! Fill up the Rafflecopter below to join in the fun :)

Young Adult / New Adult
Title: 6 Seconds of Life
Author: Tonya Fitzharris
Date Published: 9/1/12

Maura has just jumped.

Now she has precisely six seconds until she hits the water below her—just six more seconds until she is finally freed from her mundane and aimless existence.  Freed of all of the regrets and disappointments that have haunted her throughout her nineteen years.
She just needs to be free.

But as she falls, the most pivotal points of her life start to replay like a movie in her head: her family falling apart, her first love, her first heartbreak, her first true friends, and her first betrayal.  As she remembers these moments that brought her to this point, will she feel a sense of peace?  Or will her death be her greatest regret?

Doesn't that blurb make you want to go out and get yourself a copy? If you need a little more convincing, here's a little excerpt from the book:

Buy the book from: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords

Tonya Fitzharris is a writer, reader, blogger, mediocre cook, photographer, runner, Florida native, and cat lover. She used to be a Middle School English Teacher, but now she's trying out the whole novel writing thing. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and her Belgian cat named Waffles.

Website | Twitter: @tonyafitzharris | Facebook

I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies #1)
by Pittacus Lore
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: August 23rd 2011
Pages: 496 (hardcover)
Source: finished copy from publisher
Author's website | GoodReads

Nine of us came here.
We look like you.
We talk like you.
We live among you--but
We are not you.
We have powers you dream of having.
We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books--
But we are real.
They caught Number One in Malaysia. Number Two in England. And Number Three in Kenya.
They killed them all.
I am Number Four. I am next.

I am never going to judge a book by it's movie ever again. I was never interested in reading the series because I thought that it was over-hyped and too mainstream. I'm sorry for being such a hipster about it, but yeah. When the publisher offered to send me copies for review, I was hesitant, but then decided to go for it. I mean, why not? Right? And I don't regret that decision at all.


Four is a 15 year old boy who is used to a life of hiding and riding. Henri, his Cepan/guardian always reminds him to don't do anything stupid and don't attract any attention to himself. Four almost never follows this though, and whenever something bad happens they pack up, burn everything except for a mysterious chest, and leave.

While talking to a cute girl at a beach party, Four's ankle burns and heats up, signalling the death of another member of the Garde. The Mogadorians, the antagonists in the book, can only kill them in order. They killed Three, so they're coming after Four next. As soon as Henri finds out, they continue their ritual of running and leaving, and find themselves in a little town in Ohio called Paradise. Four now goes by the name of John Smith. As his powers and gifts develop, he learns how to be truly loved, and love in return.

I Am Number Four has captivated me in a way that no other YA science fiction ever has. World building is always important in stories like these, and the writer definitely did not disappoint. Authors of books like these have to describe and explain other worlds to the reader, and I tend to get bored whenever they do that. I Am Number Four made me the complete opposite of bored. It kept me on my toes and thrilled me to the core. I believed in Four and Henri's world. I believed in Lorien.

The book was action-packed and filled with romance that would make any girl swoon. The other characters were also very interesting to read about, and the story didn't just focus on one character. I loved this book enough to want to read the next one. I Am Number Four is definitely mainstream, but with good reason. I am now officially a new member of the Lorien Legacies fan club.

Defiance (Defiance #1)
by C.J. Redwine
Genre: YA Science Fiction > Dystopia
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication date: August 28th 2012
Pages: 403 (hardcover)
Source: finished copy from publisher
Author's website | GoodReads 

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan--the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same one who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but a fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

This book nearly gave me a heart attack. Remember those scary horror-themed amusement park rides that start slow and accelerates when you're off guard? Defiance is exactly like that.

The story is set in Baalboden, and the places beyond the walls that surround it. Their world is constantly threatened by a beast called The Cursed One, and the only way to be safe is to pledge allegiance to the Commander, a tyrant of a leader who can no longer be trusted with his powers. The world building is intricate, and never fails to amaze me. Their world didn't differ too much from other dystopian worlds out there, but it still added something fresh and unique to the genre. The settings were described in detail and I felt like I was a part of the book and could see everything in front of me.

 Rachel, the protagonist, deals with a lot of emotional heartache throughout the book. She had so much stress, sadness, anger and despair, but her 'strong girl' front refuses to break down and everything just builds up inside her. I could feel her emotions slowly rise up to the surface though, and her development really struck me in way that gave me hope. She was fierce and headstrong, and did things that would change her forever, but she never strayed.

Our other hero, Logan, was much easier to dissect and understand as a character. He lost his mother at an early age and grew up as an outcast because of the Commander, but he isn't as vengeful as Rachel. He is much more calm and sensible, and he always had a bunch of back-up plans on his sleeve. Rachel's grandfather Oliver took him in when no one else would, so he is extremely appreciative of everything and everyone around him. Rational, smart, and noble, Logan is a far cry from the broody and mysterious types that we usually meet, and it made me love him even more. Logan also has an array of gadgets and inventions that would pop up throughout the novel, and I really appreciated the intricacy and uniqueness of each one.

Like any other hero, Rachel and Logan each had their own fatal flaw. Rachel was too reckless and impulsive, never thinking thoroughly on how her actions would impact others. She would always rebel and show off that she wasn't a weak little lady, and Logan always had to save her from herself. I sometimes saw her as a tad bit selfish, but with reason. Logan had a hard time learning how to trust people, and it often led him to greater disasters. For someone so smart, he could be very dense and he had a hard time understanding people.


Defiance is a book that deals with a lot of tricky issues. A corrupt government, secrets hidden in plain sight, dangerous war tools, and a love blossoming from the pain of loss, you never know what could happen. There's mystery, intrigue, and darkness- but it is also hopeful and vibrant. Defiance is not afraid to show the readers that there is always darkness and that terrible things happen, but sometimes those terrible things- they save you.

Purchase this book from: The Book Depository | Amazon | Fully Booked