:: Literal Impressions ~ August ::

Book: Waking The Witch
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: Orbit UK
Opinion:
We return to The Otherworld only to find that the feisty, coltish teenage daugther of Eve Levigne has now grown. And what a fine young woman she is. Now, no one could call her angel, but then she is her mother's daughter. To not beat the really dead "apples & trees" anecdote-horse.
Never quite quite descending fully into the darkness, but toeing the line just enough to give us that tantalizing taste of the edge.
When Savannah's presented with her first opportunity to fully lead a case of her own, she grabs it with both hands. Rocking up in the small, dying town, things begin to look oh so clear.
As usual, te rug is repeatedly swept from under us. My favourite part.
Savannah has a delicious encounter with another witch, which is right about when we really see just how like Eve she really is.
Mos exciting is how Kelley is setting Savannah up as the narrator for the next book. (I believe for the following number 13 as well.), by giving her her own network of colleagues and an emerging line of unknown enemies. I never thought of that myself, but the fact that either side of the main spell-caster communities might resent her as her parent's daugther is a most excellent basis for ongoing drama for my favourite bad girl.
Loved this book. Even though I broke down, spent a pretty penny and bought the hardcover so I wouldn't have to wait a whole year for the paperback - I'm really glad I did.
I've been away from The Otherworld since last year and having read so many other worlds, I felt a bit out of touch, as Savannah was familiar as a young teen.
Their world changed in books nine and ten, so I'm curious to see if Kelley brings a bit of that back.
I mean... They can't hide forever...
**grin**

=======================================================

Book: "A Máscara da Raposa" vol I & II (“Foxmask”, 2 x pocket-books)
Author: Juliet Marillier
Publisher: Bertrand
Opinion:
I finally concluded this beautiful two-book series in Juliet Marillier's 'Brilliant-Isles' novels.
I started the first pocket book, excited to see Hrossey twenty years after we left Eyvind and Nessa, in "Wolfskin".
Barely into the opening chapters, Creidhe's friend, Thorvald, is shaken with a big revelation.
His whole world shattered, he seeks the help of his friend and sets out on a small sea vessel. Creidhe, being quite a head-strong girl, like her father, is determined to support her childhood friend.
She stows away, onboard the Sea Dove into what almost becomes a fatal journey to some remote islands. It's instantly clear to Creidhe there are many a thing not quite right in this most miserable place.
The people live in fear and there's something sinister terrorizing these otherwise potentially good people. In a crazy turn of events, we come face to face with someone who appears to be a shadow from the past.
There is tragedy in this book and the suspense is almost greater than "Wolfskin".
" don't know whether I enjoyed this book more than its predecessor, but there was something about this book... "Wolfskin" was a beautiful story, but it was also an incredibly sad one, specially half-way through. This one was sad, but we had a happier ending, in my opinion.
This series was shorter but excellent as always, with Juliet's books.
six out of Five! :)

=======================================================

Book: EverWorld: Entertain The End
Author: K. A. Applegate
Publisher: Scholastic
Opinion:
Any friend of mine will (likely) know how much I loved K. A. Applegate's "Animorphs" series. Growing up, it was my favourite and only series I really collected, almost religiously.
However, it's my opinion that she outdid that series with the following one, "EverWorld".
It begun with a similar setup, with each book being narrated by a different primary character.
Four teenagers with one thing in common: Senna Wales.
Senna.
Senda.
The Portal.
Right from the start, you know she's a class 1 bitch.
How wrong could you be...
Senna Wales transcends that status well beyond the common synonyms. Dragging her half-sister, two ex's and one victim of your insidious, ruthless ambition is just the start of her evil plans.
No, really. Evil in the very sense of the word.
This series had me hooked from start to finish. It's a crazy trip into a world that, as per Scholastic's blurbs; shouldn't exist. Horrors beyond imagining, (if one were to really experience such things for one's self), living myths it's a roller-coaster ride into Crazy Town.
I kept putting off reading the finale, so that I wouldn't feel sad when there was no more to read.
I really enjoyed this series and would recommend it to anyone who can stomach not so dumbed-down teen fiction. Also, whoever can track down these now very much out of print books. hehe