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Book Review: The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines #6) by Richelle Mead

Feb 10, 2015

The Ruby Cicle by Richelle Mead

Pages: 348
Publish date: 10th Feb 2015
Publisher: Penguin Australia
ISBN: 9780670078691
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world.

The Ruby Circle:

Holy Crap. Richelle Mead is just a beautiful person. Let me just say it’s going to be incredibly hard to review this book without giving spoilers. I’m going to try my absolute hardest to not spoil The Ruby Circle but let me tell you it’s going to be hard. But Warning there are going to spoilers from the Vampire Academy series and the other Bloodlines books.

Also please, no spoilers from The Ruby Circle in the comments please. You can email if you want or even direct message me on twitter or my Facebook page.

My love for Richelle Mead has just increased if that is even possible. The Ruby Circle is a step up from any other VA and Bloodlines book. The reader will not have any time to rest, from the very first chapter something exciting starts to happen. And every chapter after that, I was on the edge of my seat.

I do wish at some parts it was a little slower, maybe because I didn’t want it to end and just wanted to keep on reading and reading. It wasn’t all the time, but the ending before the epilogue, I think could have been just that little bit slower.

There are just so many things that we find out during The Ruby Circle. And damn Richelle Mead is good. We do find out who has taken Jill, I wasn’t stunned per say, but I don’t think a lot of people have guessed whom it really is. I found it fascinating, but like I said not surprising, if I think about it. Seemed pretty logical.

We do get a few surprise visits from some re-accruing characters. I wanted to jump up and squeal about. Some others I wanted to bash their heads on a wall. I really do wish that there was more Lissa and Christian. They do make some appearances in The Ruby Circle but I wanted more. But in saying we have this classic Christian in a scene that I loved.

“Just a demo, please,” Called the guardian wearily. “We don’t need to wipe our supply of dummies yet” – Adrian, page 71

Therefore one of the main things I prized about The Ruby Circle is that Richelle did tie up a lot of loose ends. It just made the whole thing that more perfect. Some of these questions we have asked, since the first book in the Vampire Academy series. I may or may not have been laughing and repeating Holy shit for one of those scenes. It was so good finally knowing this answer.

There are also many shocks for certain characters and I just wanted to hold one and tell them everything is going to be alright.

Spirit also got the better of some, at certain points and oh my heart just broke. There is still so much more to know about Spirit and controlling it, I just wish there was more to do about it.

One thing that I loved was the Sydney/Adrian and Rose/Dimitri my heart exploded and I could not stop laughing.

“Good thing we’ve got our own cowboy” – Adrian, page 132

Sydney and Adrian my heart for these two, the love that these two people have for each other, melts my heart. They have struggled to be together and when they do, they are on the run. But those moments they had together, were just sweet and loving that somehow made everything better for just that moment.

There were some highs and lows throughout The Ruby Circle. But Richelle Mead, the genius just made everything fit perfectly. With her Richelle Mead wit, to those heartbreaking scenes. This is probably Mead’s best work. Her writing is incredible, and moving. And it isn’t a Richelle Mead book without some shocks.

However let me tell you, there is 2 revelations are wow. I think every single fangirl/boy will melt. It’s just perfect. I was beaming like an idiot for hours after I finished reading. Mind you I did read it in under 3 hours and finished reading at 2 in the morning.

I truly cannot fault The Ruby Circle. To me it was flawless. The best way to end a series even two. She fixed up loose ends, but left it open for more. Which I am hoping for an Eddie and Jill book. It doesn’t have to be soon, nonetheless hopefully in the near future. Just what a way to finish some amazing books. Everything is bittersweet.

Have you read The Ruby Circle yet? How are you feeling?

Other Richelle Mead Reviews;

– Bloodlines
– The Golden Lily
– The Indigo Spell
– Silver Shadows

Series Review: Veronica Mars by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

Feb 3, 2015

I received both Veronica Mars books; A Thousand-Dollar Tan Line and Mr Kiss and Tell by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham from, Allen and Unwin. This has in way no influenced my review.

A Thousand-Dollar Tan Line

Pages: 324 (paperback)
Publish date: November 20th 2014
Publisher: Allen and Unwin
ISBN: 9781760112363
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Ten years after graduating from high school in Neptune, California, Veronica Mars is back in the land of sun, sand, crime, and corruption. She’s traded in her law degree for her old private investigating license, struggling to keep Mars Investigations afloat on the scant cash earned by catching cheating spouses until she can score her first big case.

Now it’s spring break, and college students descend on Neptune, transforming the beaches and boardwalks into a frenzied, week-long rave. When a girl disappears from a party, Veronica is called in to investigate. But this is no simple missing person’s case; the house the girl vanished from belongs to a man with serious criminal ties, and soon Veronica is plunged into a dangerous underworld of drugs and organized crime. And when a major break in the investigation has a shocking connection to Veronica’s past, the case hits closer to home than she ever imagined.

A Thousand Dollar Tan Line:

I only watch the Veronica Mars Series when the movie came out so I am still pretty new to the fandom. When the series started, I was still quite young, so I was able to watch it while it was on TV. But when my mum hired the movie from the DVD shop and knew I had to start the series.

So a few weeks later my mum brought all 3 series and the whole family started on a binge watch. We pretty much watch the whole series in less than 2 weeks. I fell in love, so when I saw that there was going to be books I need them and let me tell you I was not disappointed.

If you have watched the series and movie you know that Veronica Mars isn’t Veronica Mars without her snarky attitude and she is always on the path of getting, herself into trouble.

While reading A Thousand Dollar Tan Line Veronica’s voice was bright and vibrant. It was all there. As I was reading I could picture Kristen Bell as Veronica all in my head. As I read each word bam I could picture the scene and the characters.

That could be said it is happening because of the series, and due to the fact that we already have the faces of these characters, but it wasn’t. It was the beautiful and clever writing style that brought the book to life. Both Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham are brilliant writers and added so much more depth to the story.

There are some massive surprises in A Thousand Dollar Tan Line. Some that left my mouth hanging and it wasn’t even the crime that was committed.

This all happens a few months after the events of the movie. So we are still seeing some old characters like, Mac and Wallace. Whom I love to death. As well as some surprising, but welcoming guests.

And Veronica’s investigating is just as dangerous and heart straining as it on TV. But that it what made it so good.

Though through all these it wasn’t as good as the series or the movie but it comes pretty close.

Mr Kiss and Tell

Pages: 330
Publish date: January 20th 2015
Publisher: Allen and Unwin
ISBN: 080417072X
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

The Neptune Grand has always been the seaside town’s ritziest hotel, despite the shady dealings and high-profile scandals that seem to follow its elite guests. When a woman claims that she was brutally assaulted in one of its rooms and left for dead by a staff member, the owners know that they have a potential powder keg on their hands. They turn to Veronica to disprove—or prove—the woman’s story.

The case is a complicated mix of hard facts, mysterious occurrences, and uncooperative witnesses. The hotel refuses to turn over its reservation list and the victim won’t divulge who she was meeting that night. Add in the facts that the attack happened months ago, the victim’s memory is fuzzy, and there are holes in the hotel’s surveillance system, and Veronica has a convoluted mess on her hands. As she works to fill in the missing pieces, it becomes clear that someone is lying—but who? And why?

Mr Kiss and Tell:

First things first, we get to see more Logan! We see him for about maybe 20 pages in the first book, but he pops up so much more in Mr Kiss and Tell and I loved it.

What Veronica is investigating in Mr Kiss and Tell. Wow just wow. I could not put the book down at all. I turned page after page. (Mind you, I had to get up early for work the next day) But I just could not stop reading.

The writing was of higher-quality, the story line was even more interesting. I don’t even know how that could happen, but it did.

Both Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham are excellent writers and like in the first book capture the voice of Veronica spot on. From her hand gestures to what she is going to do next. It was easy to envision and piece together everything that was happening. We see some very familiar faces throughout the book and some, very unexpected faces.

It would not be Veronica Mars without any relationship problems, but not what you think more of Veronica having to come to terms with Logan imperilling his life every day. Not realising that she does the exact same thing every day of her life.

Something that I hated was that a wedge was put between Weevil and Veronica. Weevil is one of my favourite characters and yes, he might be irresponsible and part of a motorbike gang. But he was always there for Veronica and I hated that a wedge was created for no good reason. Also Weevil needs a happy ending.

The one thing that I treasured about the series, movie and now the books is that there is one responsible parent. That not only, adores and cares for Veronica but will stand up for her, and what she believes in. Keith Mars is an amazing parent that I just love and adore. And who cannot. He is amazing on the TV and Big Screen but he is just as amazing in the books. It’s nice for once seeing a good parental figure.

I liked this one more than the first, but not by much. The one thing I adored about Mr Kiss and Tell is that we got more information on some characters that we all love. Or at least I know I do.

Do you love Veronica Mars? Have you read the books yet? What do you think?

Book Review: Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Jan 15, 2015

Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Pages: 449

Publish date: July 3rd 2014

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

ISBN: 1471122662

Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

The Pre-Sloane Emily didn’t go to parties, she barely talked to guys, she didn’t do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—the one who yanks you out of your shell.

But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just… disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There’s just a random to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-selected-definitely-bizarre-tasks that Emily would never try… unless they could lead back to her best friend.

Apple Picking at Night? Okay, easy enough.

Dance until Dawn? Sure. Why not?

Kiss a Stranger? Wait… what?

Getting through Sloane’s list would mean a lot of firsts. But Emily has this whole unexpected summer ahead of her, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected) to check things off. Who knows what she’ll find?

Go Skinny Dipping? Um…

Since You’ve Been Gone:

I received Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson from, Simon & Schuster Australia in exchange for a review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings on the book.

Since You’ve Been Gone is the second Morgan Matson book that I have read. A couple of years ago I read Second Chance Summer and absolutely treasured it to pieces. Let me tell you, I felt the same way about Since You’ve Been Gone.

I love Matson’s writing style. It draws you in and is entirely stunning – the way that she writes is incredible.

Since You’ve Been Gone shadows the story of Emily as she’s on her journey of completing the to-do list that her best friend, Sloane, left after she disappeared. Before Sloane, Emily was shy, didn’t do crazy things, and she barely talked to boys. Sloane brought her out of that shell though. With Sloane now off the face of the earth she leaves a list in her place, which would see Emily do some of the craziest things she has ever done.

I really do love Emily, and I really did connect with her more than I could have imagined. I found that Emily and I are really alike in characteristics, maybe it was just me and I could be all wrong but that really added to my reading experience.

I loved the whole concept of Since You’ve Been Gone. The idea pulled me in from the start and just kept pulling me further and further in. As soon as I started reading Since You’ve Been Gone, I could not put the damn thing down!

I loved going through Sloane’s list. The reader is able to witness Emily’s highs and lows, watch her as she becomes stronger and more independent. You were also able to see Emily not rely on Sloane like she did before.

I loved that we were able to see glimpses of Emily’s time with Sloane and how their friendship was weird but beautiful. It also showed that they really did rely on each other, Emily more than Sloane. You also get a little insight as to how Sloane transformed Emily and helped her let loose a little.

“I don’t think you have to do something so big to be brave. And it’s the little things that are harder anyway.”

Matson’s writing is incredible and it added so much depth and emotion to Since You’ve Been Gone.

Before Sloane, Emily didn’t really have any friends. Even then it was only Sloane and her, but when Sloane left her the list of things to do Emily made new friends along the way. The reader is able to see the journey that Emily travels, and making new friends is one of those stops.

Two of the people who befriend Emily through the story are Frank and Collins. Collins – oh how I loved him! Collins is a comical character that you just cannot help but laugh at pretty much everything he says. He would brighten up any situation. But one thing: he was very protective of was Frank. I adored the friendship between Frank and Collins.

“Real friends are the ones you can count on no matter what. The ones who go into the forest to find you and bring you home. And real friends never have to tell you that they’re your friends.”

The Romance! Gosh! My heart was pulled, and pulled, and pulled! It was slow and burning but completely adorable and beautiful.

Since You’ve Been Gone is a book about self-discovery, growing, and changing. It’s about taking chances and making new friends. It’s simply a fun summer, cuteness overload read. The friendships are beautiful, with a hint of an adorable romance. It will pull a string in anyone’s heart.

Have you read Since You’ve Been Gone? What did you think of it? If you haven’t read it will you dig your hands into it?