Review: Arson by Estevan Vega

Title: Arson
Author: Estevan Vega
Genre: Paranormal
ISBN: 9781615666034

Premise: Arson Gable feels like a freak. He can create fire. He never asked for it. He never wanted it. But he can't shut it off. Before now, three things were true: he both loved and despised his grandmother; his life was going nowhere; and he was alone. But when a strange girl--who feels more normal behind a mask than inside her own skin--moves in next door, Arson hopes to find something he's never had: purpose. Using what he fears most about himself, Arson must face his consuming past and confront the nightmare that is his present as he walks the fine line between boy and monster. Dark, moody, and breathtakingly relevant, Arson, the chilling chronicle of an isolated boy with unimaginable ability, is sure to ignite the hearts and minds of a new generation.

So everyone knows, I received an e-copy of this book from Partners in Crime Tours, but the opinions about to be expressed are entirely my own. With that, let’s begin. First off, the cover of this book is sweet. The mask freaked me out a bit, but after reading the book I understand its significance. The book itself was a surprise to me. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it was vastly different from what I got.  At first many of the characters confused and frustrated me. I couldn’t figure out why Arson loved his grandmother so much despite the blatant abuse she piled on him, and couldn’t get over just how crazy she is, going from one emotion to another in a matter of moments. There was also this elusive event that had taken place years ago that pegged Arson as a monster in his grandmother’s eyes, an event I got progressively more and more frustrated not knowing about. The beginning took a while to get going, setting up a lot of background information on the characters and their motivations, except of course that pesky event. Arson’s ability to start fires was actually used really well, never becoming overused or all-encompassing. It’s a very dark novel, showcasing human suffering in many different ways, from the pain of being a teenager who is very different from the norm, to living in a loveless marriage, to death. There were moments I had to take a break from reading due to the heaviness of the material, yet it was executed well. The characters were fairly well-developed, and their interactions, though frustrating at times, were realistic. The writing style felt a little juvenile at times, but it was outweighed by the insanity of the twists. My roommates kept asking me what was happening in my book, as I would often laugh or yell aloud while reading. I thought I had the ending pegged at least three times before the end, just to be dead wrong. My biggest frustration with the book was the end. I was so upset when I read the ending, as I felt it was more than unfinished. It wasn’t until I realized there is a sequel that my rage abated. The love story is adorable, and the next book is sure to make it even more interesting. But so far, all I can find on the new book is the cover, located here:  http://agoodaddiction.blogspot.com/2011/07/cover-reveal-ashes-by-estevan-vega.html

But I will definitely be grabbing the sequel to this atypical novel. 

 

Review: Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

Title: Falling Under
Author: Gwen Hayes
Genre: Paranormal Romance
ISBN: 9780451232687

Premise: Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams. As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear. And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul. 

I am so happy I decided to read this book! I was back and forth for a few days about it, afraid it was another vampire romance novel full of cliches and vomit-worthy professions of undying eternal love, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out otherwise! Haden was not in fact the dreamy vampire I thought he was going to be. He was in a word, completely un-Edward. He was mean to Theia, though he had the whole, "I really don't want to hurt you" thing going on, there was also a realistic inner struggle with him, because he wants her so bad. His character was a totally believable paranormal entity. Anytime he said something that betrayed the fact that he was not seventeen years old, Theia called him out on it. It was used as a plot-driving device, not an annoying additive. Each of the characters, even those who weren't that important were developed very well, and their interactions were completely realistic. My favorite character was definitely Haden, as the two versions of him, the one in real life, and the one of Theia's dreams, interacted so differently with Theia. I also really liked Theia, as she wasn't a pushover like say, Bella Swan. She reacted genueninely when Haden did things to upset her, and she would call him out on it instead of thinking she deserved it. When he was mean to her and flirted with other girls in front of her in waking, and then tell her how amazing she was in sleeping, she got angry, and demanded to know from both Hadens what was going on. The plot of the book was totally captivating also. I brought the book to work with me so I could read it on break because I couldn't go more than a few hours without needing to know what happened next. Every time the book threatened to go into the "I've read this before" zone, something crazy would happen that made it completely unique. Theia actually does things that shows her love for Haden instead of just talking about it, and when the crazy plot twist at the end occurs, it is swoon worthy. My only disappointment with this book was that it ended, and I was unsatisfied. This of course was before I realized there was a sequel, and that it wasn't actually the end yet. I cannot wait to read the next installment of this series. I would seriously recommend this book to anyone who loves paranormal romances, but is sick of all the books being the same. This one is unlike any other I have read. 

Review: Unnatural by Michael Griffo

Title: Unnatural
Author: Michael Griffo
Genre: Paranormal Romance
ISBN: 978-0758253385

Premise: Michael has always felt out of place in his sleepy town of Weeping Water, so when an unexpected turn in his life allows him to leave the town to return to England, his birthplace, he is overjoyed. He is enrolled in Archangel Academy, a place where Michael finally feels at home with his life, and the fact that he is gay. He meets great friends, and a gorgeous boy named Ronan that stirs something deep within him. What Michael doesn't yet know is that Ronan, and others involved in Archangel Academy are actually vampires.

My initial reaction was, great, another crappy vampire romance tale. What made me think again? The homosexual aspect. I have encountered very few novels that incorporate this aspect, and I had to check it out, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Although there were occasions of cliche moments between Michael and Ronan, it was still sweet and stirred a tingling in my chest. The characters are very interesting, and have unique personalities. Griffo is not afraid to put his characters through hell when need be, unlike some other authors, cough Stephanie Meyer, cough, and this makes the world of the story so much more believable. The villain is sexy and you find yourself liking her when you know you shouldn't. The paranormal aspect adds a different spin on vampires that I'm not sure I'm fond of, but its definitely better than ones that sparkle. I would recommend this to anyone who likes paranormal romances, as it is much less corny than others on the market.