Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi

4.5 Stars.

Date Released: 5th February 2013
Pages: 461
Blurb: 
Our lips

touch

and I know I'm going to split at the seams. He kisses me softly then strongly like he's lost me and he's found me and I'm slipping away and he's never going to let me go.

Juliette has escaped from The Reestablishment. Now she's free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch. Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible. Haunted by her past and terrified of her future, Juliette knows that she will have to make some life-changing choices. Choices that may involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life

Although I did give Unravel Me a 4.5 star rating, there was something a bit... off about this book. It was a combination of the slow start, the weird suit they made Juliette wear and the fact that I just missed Warner. 

Thrall (Daughters of Lilith #1) by Jennifer Quintenz

MILD SPOILERS!

3.5 Stars

Date Released: 16th May 2012
Pages: 281
Author: Jennifer Quintenz
Blurb: Braedyn is a normal girl just trying to survive high school with her two devoted friends, Royal and Cassie. Together they’re doing a pretty good job of shrugging off the slings and arrows cast their way by the popular crowd when a new boy, Lucas, moves into the house next door. Suddenly Braedyn finds herself falling in love for the first time.

But as her sixteenth birthday approaches, Braedyn discovers humankind is at war with the Lilitu, an ancient race of enticing demons that prey on human souls. Her father is a member of the Guard fighting against the Lilitu - and so are the new neighbors, including her crush, Lucas.

As her world starts to unravel at the seams, Braedyn learns the right answers aren’t always clear or easy. And as for “good” and “evil” – it all depends on how we choose to act.

Inspired by the ancient Mesopotamian myths of Lilith and her offspring, Thrall explores first love, strong friendships, and taking on adult responsibilities against the backdrop of powerful supernatural forces and life-and-death stakes

*I was given a copy of this book on kindle in return for an honest review*

Thrall is just what you need if you are craving a new, unique, paranormal story with a likable main character, but also a plot filled with equal parts romance and kick-ass action.

I must admit, there are so many YA paranormal books now, that I struggle to find a story that is interesting and unique. However, I found Thrall to be a breath of fresh air - in fact it was my first time reading a succubi-related book, and I found it to be a pleasant experience.

Let's start on the main character; Braedyn.
I really appreciated that Braedyn wasn't one of those stupid, gullible characters that believed everything that they were told - I mean, let's face it, if someone came up to you and told you that demons were real, what would you think? That they were off their rocker. If you actually saw the demons? Well... maybe they slipped you something... So Braeyden had a completely normal what-the-hell response, and from then on I loved her.
Don't get me wrong, she was a bit of an idiot sometimes too. You know that you're reading a good book, if when a character does something embarrassing, it just makes you want to shrivel up and die. I also found it quite amusing when Braeyden turned out to be a better fighter than Lucas - she was a nice change to the usual Mary-Sue- type characters who just rely on the love interest all the time.

The love interest; Lucas.
Lucas was the main problem that I had with Thrall - I just didn't like his character very much, and I thought that Braeyden deserved better... He just didn't stand out to me, unlike many of the other characters, and I didn't understand his and Braeyden's relationship. Let's just say that I hope there is another love interest in the second book, Incubus.

A character I loved; Gretchen.
I must admit that I hated Lucas' (sort of) sister at the start of the book. She was mean and just plain rude to Braeyden. But over the course of Thrall, I learned to love her, and she actually turned out to be really cool (another female character who can fight brilliantly!).

Overall, Thrall is definitly worth a read if you enjoy YA Paranormal Romance books, with main characters that can actually kick butt!

By Katherine.  

Defy (Defy #1) by Sara B. Larson

MILD SPOILERS!

3.5 Stars

Date Released: 7th January 2014
Pages: 336
Author: Sara B. Larson
Blurb: A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

*I was given a free copy of Defy by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review*

The first thing which drew me to Defy, before the eye-catching title and intriguing description, was the cover. I'll be honest here, I am totally one of those people who love to judge a book by its cover. Sometimes incorrectly, as the book is really amazing,*cough* Bloodlines *cough*, but when I see a cover like Defy's, I HAVE to check it out - it looks so badass! 

Although it did remind of some other covers, all with vaguely similar concepts; 

All very nice covers (in case you haven't already realized, I am a sucker for a beautiful cover!).

Although I found the start of the book to be quite slow, the majority of Defy was fast paced, action packed and an easy, enjoyable read. Particularly as I was reading a proof copy, it was very well edited, the only thing wrong was the way the paragraphs had been set out so that they would 

randomly 

stop like this

in a few of the sentences. It was irritating, but easy to ignore, and was probably only there because I was reading it as an Ebook.

Now, onto the three main characters:

Alexa/Alex: I did love Alexa at the start; she was strong, but loving, the relationship between Alexa and her brother was sweet. She was fearless, and yet her reaction to the horrific breeding houses brought actual tears to my eyes. I already loved Alexa by the beginning of the Defy, so it was that much more disappointing when she turned out to be just another by-obsessed idiot, betraying me and crushing my dreams. 

Prince Damian: I got the feeling in Defy that I was supposed to love Damian and root for him, but I just... didn't. The mysterious, tortured, forbidden prince? No thanks. He lied too much, and was seriously just confused me. Sorry.

Rylan: Here! Here is a character that I can actually like, and understand (well apart from Marcel, Alexa's twin brother). Rylan seemed to actually like Alexa for valid reasons, and there was no instalove like there was between Damian and Alexa. He was just a nice guy that got treated like shit - although I must admit, his name did bother me a little; Rylan. Rylan? A bit modern for a book set years ago, with peasants and swords, but whatever, I'll go with it...

Overall, do not be surprised when you find that Defy is focused almost completely on the romance, it does say in the first line of the blurb "a thrilling love triangle"! However, do be pleasantly surprised by how well written this book is, and, although it may not be the most unique plot in the world, Defy is definitely an interesting and satisfying read for those looking for a romantic fantasy.