Destined - Review

Destined by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

House of night book nine.

Available now.

www.atombooks.net

What's it about?

Zoey is finally home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side, and preparing to face off against Neferet - which would be a whole lot easier if the High Counsel saw the ex-High Priestess for what she really is. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx's gift of a human form, Rephaim and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together - if he can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father's shadow...

But there are new forces at work at the House of Night. An influx of humans, including Lenobia's handsome horse whisperer, threatens their precarious stability. And then there's the mysterious Aurox, a jaw-droppingly gorgeous teen boy who is actually more - or possibly less - than human. Only Neferet knows he was created to be her greatest weapon. But Zoey can sense the part of his soul that remains human, the compassion that wars with his Dark calling. And there's something strangely familiar about him...

Will Neferet's true nature be revealed before she succeeds in silencing them all? And will Zoey be able to touch Aurox's humanity in time to protect him - and everyone - from his own fate? Find out what's destined in the next thrilling chapter of the House of Night series.

My review

As a big fan of this series, (I even have HON tattoos!) I can't help but start to feel short changed with these books as the story drags out and nothing much really happens to progress it, by the end of Destined very little was added to the main story arc and I felt like I could've just skipped to the next book, when it's out, without really missing much.

As with some previous books, at some point there was a poem and a vision that predicted a bad event the gang try to avoid, yet somehow it still happens but not how they imagined it was going to. It made the book predictable, this formula isn't surprising any more because it's happened before and as the reader, I was expecting it, there were other parts that were predictable but I don't want to mention them and spoil. It wasn't shocking or gripping, there's no growth in the characters - except one - and I'm sad to say that I'm starting to feel let down with this series, either it should have ended three books ago or a new story arc introduced. 

Never the less, after coming so far, I expect I'll continue to read the books to see how it all ends in the hopes that they will get better because I do love the girls writing and ideas, it's just the story that's feeling stale.

My thoughts on the cover

I do love these covers and this one is no exception, I especially love the red and the necklace.

Favourite quotes

'We lost ourselves in each other then. Stark's touch chased away death and despair and fear. Together we reminded each other of life and love and happiness.' - Zoey and Stark.

'"Yes. I know." He caressed the side of her head, loving the softness of her hair, and let his fingers trail slowly down her neck and shoulder.' - Rephaim and Stevie Rae.

Find the authors
P.C. Casts Website
House of night website
Facebook
Kristin Cast Twitter
P.C. Goodreads
Kristin Goodreads

WWC, (40) UK vs US (7) and UK vs AUS (2)

I love looking at pretty and different and just plain strange covers so these different features give me and Ninfa, who comments with me, an excuse to do it.

However, I would like to know if you think the post is to crowded, if I should split it up or if you like it?

Wednesdays worldly covers is where we share a cover from around the world.

This is a feature I made up myself not long after I started the blog, if you'd like to play along just post a foreign cover and link your post :)

First up is the Slovakian cover of Označená (Designated) by P.C. and Kristin Castová.

I really like this one, I love the pattern and the shade of blue and the girl is very pretty.

And this is the UK cover for comparison.

Here it is called Marked by P.C. and Kristin Cast.

And I like this one to, the girls pink eye is very interesting and the font is cool.

UK vs US is where two covers of the same book from the UK and the US battle it.

This is not one I made up but I don't know where the feature originated either.

UK                                                                US

Drink deep by Chloe Neill

Chigagoland Vampires book five.

US definitely wins for me! Whilst the UK cover is pretty cool and different the models stance is completely lazy so she doesn't pull off that kick ass outfit and kinda ruins the cover. The girl on the US cover looks a lot tougher and I love the red and the lightening.

UK vs AUS

And this last one I did as a special last week when we were doing a double post but then decided to keep it.

Whilst I've not see anyone else do this I doubt I'm the only one lol

Oh and obvs I haven't made a picture for it!



UK                                                                     AUS

Muse by Rebecca Lim

The Mercy series book three.

I love them both I'm not sure I could choose! The golds and the feathers and the butterfly's are all gorgeous on the UK cover but I do love the pinky purple colours on the AUS cover in the end though I think I have to vote UK! I also noticed how both have the girls face hidden, that's interesting! :)

Which do you prefer?

And like I said at the start please let me know if you think there's to much in this post or if it's ok.

Should I split them into separate posts and make some crazy amalgamation; UK vs the world! haha



Awakened Review

Awakened by P.C Cast and Kristin Cast

What’s it about?

Zoey and the gang are back fighting evil (well, duh, that's what being a High Priestess is all about) but with a variety of romantic intrigues to distract them it's a wonder they can get anything done! Zoey's got some serious work to do at the House of Night if only she could concentrate ...

My review:

4/5

The house of night is one of my favourite series but after a disappointing 7^th instalment with Burned I had hopes this latest addition would reawaken (pun intended) the series, which I really felt it did. I found the story slow moving as in the other books but there will still a lot of twists and shocks that I never saw coming and had me gasping out loud. There were also lots of scenes that had me close to tears, in fact I probably would have be sobbing and snotting had my kids not kept distracting me and pulling my emotions from the book! We are still seeing multiple narratives which I liked a lot and thought the adults such as Neferet and Kalona really bought on a darker tone to the book, but at the same time this made Zoey and the gang seem more like kids, I just kept feeling that after what they’d all been through so far that maybe they should’ve grown up a little more by now which would show in their dialogue. I also found myself very frustrated with Zoey and Stevie Rae for about three quarters of the book as they shied away from their responsibilities and didn’t live up to their previous kick-ass characters. But as a whole I enjoyed it very much and am looking forward to the next book Destined.


For more from P.C Cast visit her website: http://www.pccast.net/
or the official House of night website: http://www.houseofnightseries.com/
Buy the book here (UK)