Review Crew Book Reviews by Genre: Paranormal/Supernatural

Breaking Dawn
Meyer, Stephenie
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

After Bella marries the love of her life, Edward, she's happier than she's ever been before. She can't wait to one day become a vampire and spend the rest of eternity with him. During their honeymoon, everything changes. Bella finds herself pregnant with a half-vampire, half-human child, but her pregnancy doesn't go without complications. The fetus develops at an alarming speed and keeping it may very well end Bella's life.

I liked this book. I thought that it was a good place to end the series; everything was tied up nicely, from the threat of the Volturi in New Moon to the future of Bella and Edward's child.

Reviewer Grade: 12

Reviewer's Name: Alex M.
Eclipse
Meyer, Stephenie
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Once again, Bella has found herself in the center of a dangerous battle between vampires. James' mate, Victoria, is on a murderous rampage; she's determined to get her revenge on Edward for killing her love.

Meanwhile, Bella is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob. Vampires and Werewolves are natural enemies, but can they ever get over their differences? Bella's life may depend on it.

This book was alright. There was a lot of tension due to the love triangle, but it wasn't too bad. I liked it overall.

Reviewer Grade: 12

Reviewer's Name: Alex M.
New Moon
Meyer, Stephenie
3 stars = Pretty Good
Review:

Bella's love for Edward is stronger than ever. As she turns 18, she panics, realizing that she's older than Edward ever will be. She never wants to lose him, but each day is a step closer to them being torn apart due to her own mortality. When she goes to a birthday celebration thrown for her by the Cullens, her world turns upside down. It turns out that mortality never was the problem; she has much less time with Edward than she ever dared to expect.

I wasn't huge on this book. I found it to be quite boring. A lot of it was spent on Bella being sad and trying to figure out how to get through life without Edward. While it has it's moments, the dullness of the rest of the book overshadows them. Overall, I think it's an okay book, just not my favorite.

Reviewer Grade: 12

Reviewer's Name: Alex M.
Twilight
Meyer, Stephenie
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

When Bella moves to Forks, she figures she'll be miserable. She expects it, even. But when she meets a mysterious boy, she finds herself intrigued. She knows that there's something unusual about him and she's determined to find out what it is. Too bad his secret is dangerous and may cost her her life.

I liked this book. There wasn't a lot of action until the end, but it wasn't boring. The time that it took for them to become close didn't feel too rushed or too dragged out. It was just right.

Reviewer Grade: 12

Reviewer's Name: Alex M.
City of Fallen Angels
Clare, Cassandra
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

With Valentine defeated and Clary's mother finally awake, things seem to be finally working out. Sadly, nothing's ever as it seems. Jace has been having nightmares where he hurts Clary, and it's put a strain on their relationship. Meanwhile, somebody is out to get Simon, but his mark protects him. Sinister forces are lurking, and it's only a matter of time before the world comes crashing down around them again.

This book was okay. I didn't find myself as drawn to it as I was to the first three. Honestly, it felt like a filler book that was just there to get the series moving along. While it was necessary, it was also boring. It took a while for the action to actually kick off.

Reviewer Grade:12

Reviewer's Name: Alex M.
City of Glass
Clare, Cassandra
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

To revive her mother, Clary must travel to the City of Glass to find the warlock who brewed the potion that put her mother to sleep. When she misses the portal there, she decides to find a way there herself, even though that means breaking the law, which is punishable by death.

Things are finally coming to an end as Valentine uses all of his power to destroy the shadowhunters. Fighting alongside the downworlders may be the only way to save them all, but can the shadowhunters let go of their prejudice against them enough to accept their help? The fate of the world depends on it.

This series has not disappointed me. It was fun to watch as Clary grew as a character and learned to handle herself. While love can be powerful, it can also be dangerous, and this book just goes to prove it.

Reviewer Grade: 12

Reviewer's Name: Alex M.
City of Ashes
Clare, Cassandra
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

Clary may have succeeded in rescuing her mother, but things will never go back to normal for her. Her mother is in a magically induced coma, and nobody knows how to wake her up. Her father is an evil sociopath who wants to cleanse the world of demons, downworlders, and anyone who gets in his way. Her brother is under suspicion by the Clave, who thinks that he's a spy. Sadly, though, her family troubles are the least of her worries.

Somebody has been murdering downworlder children. On top of that, the second mortal instrument, the soul-sword, has been stolen. Nobody knows why, but one thing's for certain - whoever it is that's doing this must be stopped.

I loved this book. To be honest, I haven't been this enticed by a book series in ages. I've always been a fan of things involving the supernatural, so this book is perfect for me. Also, the "forbidden love" aspect isn't bad. After the reveal in the previous book, it's been played out well. I like how the author handled it.

Reviewer Grade: 12

Reviewer's Name: Alex M.
City of Bones
Clare, Cassandra
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

Clary Fray is an ordinary girl with an ordinary life. When she goes out to a club, the last thing she expects is to witness a murder, let alone one that only she can see. The next day, her mother disappears and she finds herself thrust into a world that she didn't even know existed. Now, she must find a way to save her mother without jeopardising the fate of the world as well.

I really enjoyed this book. It has the perfect mix of action, romance, and suspense. I found myself completely absorbed in it from start to finish.

Reviewer Grade: 12

Reviewer's Name: Alex M.
Ruined
Morris, Paula
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

Of all the books I have read, this book’s chilling story-line has remained ingrained in my head the most vividly for the longest. This book is about a young girl who uncovers the buried secrets of her family while on a vacation in New Orleans. The discovery of her only friend being a ghost led to more mystery and cliff hanging than any reader could handle! This book has heartbreak, love, suspense, and adventure. A must read book for all teens!

Reviewer Grade: 9

Reviewer's Name: Gerilyn M.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Riggs, Ransom
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Actual Rating: 4.5
This book is fun and thrilling from start to end. If you like something with a Tim Burton's feel, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is for you. We follow the journey through the eyes of a 16 years old boy named Jacob Portman. When Jacob was younger, his grandfather would always tell him stories about these strange children at the home he grew up in. The pictures that come with every story are creepy yet at the same time intriguing. After the mysterious death of his grandfather, Jacob followed the clues that he left behind in order to discover the world his grandfather grew up in. There are lots of mysterious elements that I don't want to spoiler in my review. If you're up for a fun, thrilling and easy read, definitely pick up this book.
Reviewer Grade: 12

Reviewer's Name: Vy D.
Lady Midnight
Clare, Cassandra
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

If you are looking for a fantasy novel to swift you away into a new and complex world, this is the book for you. This is the first book to the sequel trilogy of the Mortal Instruments series, which you must read before this, if you wish it to make any sense.

Emma Carstairs' parents were murdered by Sebastian Morganstern. Or else that's what the Clave has declared. She, however, is not convinced that is the whole story. When murders similar to her parents erupt in the city, her and her friends, Julian and Cristina, are desperate to find the truth. Finding Emma's true parents murderer is not the only thing at stake. Julian's older brother, Mark, was captured by the Wild Hunt years ago. They are a group of Faeries that took Mark in, seeing that he is half Fae. Now, someone is murdering the Fae, and they have offered to give Mark back, in exchange for Julian and Emma bringing them the murderer. They have two weeks, to not only find the murderer, but to also convince Mark to stay with them.

These are not their only worries though. Emma and Julian are parabatia, meaning they are connected in the deepest kind of friendship possible. However, it is forbidden for parabatia to fall in romantic relationships. This is a problem for Julian and Emma, seeing that they might not be able to contain their love for much longer. The repercussions for their love includes banishing them from ever seeing their family again, which means everything for Julian and his seven brothers and sisters.

I have read all other books written by Cassandra Clare, and I did not believe this was the best of them. I did think that Julian and Emma's love was a bit too overpowering, and made the action and rest of the book seem like sides to the main dish. I would have preferred more action and battles, rather then deep conversations about infatuation with one another.

She was able to surprise me at the end, with multiple plot twists and action. Not everything was easy to guess, and it made for good brain exercise. I am looking forward to the rest of the series, which should come out sometime in 2017.

Reviewer Grade: 9

Reviewer's Name: Kaitlyn C.
Book Review: Blackout
Wells, Robison E.
3 stars = Pretty Good
Review:

Blackout changes perspectives throughout the story. It does get kind of annoying because it leaves you at a cliffhanger but other then that is a great book. I really hated how it didn't make sense before but then you see the entire story for what it is. I chose this because it's a Battle of the Books book and the cover looks really interesting. I wish that I had more details.

Reviewer Grade: 7

Reviewer's Name: Isabella Z.