ARC Review: Hellraisers by Alexander Gordon Smith

Title: Hellraisers (The Devil's Engine, #1)
Author: Alexander Gordon Smith
Published: December 1st 2015 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Young Adult
Rating: 3 Stars
Synopsis:
When a sixteen-year-old troublemaker named Marlow Green is trapped in a surreal firefight against nightmarish creatures in the middle of his New York City neighborhood, he unwittingly finds himself amid a squad of secret soldiers dedicated to battling the legions of the devil himself.

Powering this army of young misfits is an ancient machine from the darkest parts of history. Known as the devil's engine, it can make any wish come true-as long as you are willing to put your life on the line. Promised powers beyond belief, and facing monstrous apparitions straight out of the netherworld, Marlow must decide if he's going to submit to a demonic deal with the infernal machine that will enable him to join the crusade-if it doesn't kill him first.

From the author of the Escape from Furnace series, here is the opening salvo in an explosive new horror trilogy about an ordinary American kid caught up in an invisible war against the very worst enemy imaginable.

My Thoughts

Let me start by saying I'm a big fan of Smith's Furnace series so I was thrilled to find Hellraisers on NetGalley. I love me some gore and this one did not disappoint but I'm still having a difficult time deciding whether I really liked this or am just completely meh about it. The synopsis pretty much sums up exactly what does happen in this book and it was quite confusing trying to figure out what the Devil's Engine was and how it worked, and then trying to understand who the soldiers and such were until we finally received a crash course about everything when Marlow did.

I love to read anything with a male POV so that was a plus and Marlow was a pretty likable character. He screws up a good bit of course, runs from most responsibility, and has a crappy home life but deep down he's a good kid thrown into a crazy mess. Pan was a firecracker, strong and kick-ass but sometimes you wanted to slap her but once you find out her backstory you get why she could be so cold and harsh. Herc, Truck, and Night were an interesting lot too. There were also plenty of creeps and baddies, I can't decide if Hanson will end up a bad guy or not and Mammon was came across as pretty evil, although he wasn't in the book much.

Overall, Hellraisers was a decent and pretty quick read. I love Smith's writing and it's easy to get sucked into the story. Granted, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would but it has an interesting story to it and after that cliffhanger I need to know what happens next. So, if you're a fan of blood and gore, devilish creatures and tough characters then you should give Hellraisers a try.

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About the Author

Alexander Gordon Smith is the author of the Escape from Furnace series of young adult novels, including Lockdown and Solitary. Born in 1979 in Norwich, England, he always wanted to be a writer. After experimenting in the service and retail trades for a few years, Smith decided to go to University. He studied English and American Literature at the University of East Anglia, and it was here that he first explored his love of publishing. Along with poet Luke Wright, he founded Egg Box Publishing, a groundbreaking magazine and press that promotes talented new authors. He also started writing literally hundreds of articles, short stories and books ranging from Scooby-Doo comic strips to world atlases, Midsomer Murders to X-Files. The endless research for these projects led to countless book ideas germinating in his head. His first book, The Inventors, written with his nine-year-old brother Jamie, was published in the U.K. in 2007. He lives in England.

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Review: Omnilogos by Michele Amitrani

Title: Omnilogos (The Omnilogos Series, #1)

Author: Michele Amitrani
Published: October 4, 2014 by Michele Amitrani
Genre: Sci-Fi, Young Adult
Rating: 3 Stars
Synopsis:

With the departure of the Space Shuttle Atlantis an era comes to its end. The crowd follows the trail of light that dominates Cape Canaveral, but only one of them will be struck by a revelation. 

Wei is a six-year-old boy when he watches the departure. He’s different from the other children. A mind that is at once, isolated and rebellious, bright and restless. These characteristics make him understand the message that eludes others. 

Humanity has come to a dead end, a corner of history that leaves no escapes and the departure of the Atlantis is a concrete proof of that. 

This truth will never abandon Wei, who decides to embark on a dangerous journey, using his skills to start a titanic project capable of reversing this trend. 

His quest will last for decades, while he gathers the resources and the people needed to realize his vision. Among machinations and conspiracies, the nature of his project will be slowly revealed along with the nameless force that threatens to destroy everything he fought for. 

This is Wei’s story. 

This is the world of the Omnilogos.

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I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks Michele!


*Isn't that cover AMAZING?*

 My Thoughts 
Omnilogos is one of those books that is so hard to review because you really have to read it to begin to understand what it's about.

Wei Wang is the Omnilogos.

"Tiago had heard of what some called the 'human database' or 'omnilogos', but nothing could have prepared him for this."

The story begins with a six-year-old Wei and ends with a twenty-five-year-old Wei so it covers a lot of time and it was one of the things that kind of frustrated me. I understand that to be able to accomplish what Wei was planning that we'd have to have the story cover that much time but I had trouble keeping with the story as this went on. I also understand the need for changing POVs but I would have loved for it to be have stayed with Wei, to see his changes firsthand from the quiet and angry kid to the feisty teen and adult. Omnilogos definitely keeps you guessing as to what Wei is up to as you read.

"I am a collector of hopes and peregrine truths, a shepherd of thoughts, ideas, projects and dreams too important not to be realized. I'm an abstract concept that has no body, no smell, no boundaries, no shape and no color. I am the omnilogos."

It's hard to say much without giving the book away but it is a short and original read and that ending caught me off-guard, I did not see that coming! Made me a little sad, made me a little happy.
So, Omnilogos has a smidgen of romance and a lot of heart and is perfect for sci-fi fans.

 About the Author 

Michele Amitrani is a young indie author from Rome, the "Eternal City." He has grown up reading and watching virtually everything concerning Sci-fi and Fantasy. He now spends his days traveling through time and space and, more often than not, writing about impossible but necessary worlds.

As strange as this may sound, he still believes in dreams and quiet places.

When he is not busy chasing dragons or mastering the Force, you can find him at MicheleAmitrani.com or hanging out on Facebook at /MicheleAmitraniAuthor.

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Review: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Unravel Me (Shatter Me, #2)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Published: 2013 by HarperCollins
Genre: Dystopia, Romance, Young Adult
Rating: 3 Stars
Read Count: 1
Synopsis:
tick
tick
tick
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it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, 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.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

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 My Thoughts 

I really had high hopes for Unravel Me but it just left me wondering why I bothered to spend my time reading it.
The story continues at Omega Point, where Juliette, Adam and James have been for a few weeks. Juliette isn't adjusting and Adam is acting odd while my favorite misunderstood little soldier Warner is still searching for Juliette, heaven knows why though...I really don't understand the attraction Warner has to her.
Good points, was that we learn Warner's name (though someone had already ruined it for me on Twitter and yes I am bitter xD), there is more KENJI ('nuff said) and yes, Chapter 62 was hot but I'm just not a fan of Warner/Juliette being together.
Bad points, Juliette was so freakin' self-centered and cruel to Adam in my opinion. Warner was also self-centered and cruel, I know he is supposed to be a sorta-bad guy but after reading Destroy Me and parts of Unravel Me you know he can be loving and kind but then he just turns around and acts like an ass, I still like him but want to smack him.
Overall the story was decent but I just couldn't love it like I did Shatter Me. The characters are likeable and learning about the other residents of Omega Point and having a deeper back story for some was nice but Juliette being obnoxious just kills it for me.

 About the Author 

Tahereh Mafi is a girl. She was born the youngest child with four older brothers in a small city somewhere in Connecticut, and currently resides in Orange County, California. She graduated from a tiny liberal arts college two miles from the shores of Laguna Beach, has varying levels of competency in eight different languages, and spent a semester abroad in Barcelona, Spain, where she had the opportunity to study Spanish literature in its native form. 

Mafi has traveled all over the world, lived on both sides of the United States, and even spent some years writing really bad poetry. When unable to find a book, she can be found reading candy wrappers, coupons, and old receipts.

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Review: Wants of an Incubus by Ashley Hill

Title: Wants of an Incubus (Annabelle's Erotic Nightmare, #1)
Author: Ashley Hill
Published: November, 19, 2013 by Ashley Hill
Genre: Paranormal, Erotica, New Adult
Rating: 3 Stars
Read Count: 1
Synopsis: Nineteen year old Annabelle hasn’t seen her boyfriend in months, let alone heard his own voice. One night her emotions take over and she can’t help but think of him. When sleep comes, so does her boyfriend. But it’s only a dream, right? 

Deep down, she knows that this one night stand with the love of her life is but a dream. However the next morning she’s in for a shock.

Those nagging feelings she had while with her dream Henry may have been real, telling her that that dream might actually have been a nightmare after all. A nightmare where she may have bonded her soul to a creature that goes bump in the night.

With the help of her mother, who’s a witch by the way and in more ways than one, her talking cat and her unwanted desires towards the nightmare that looks like her Henry, Annabelle will have to defeat the demon that has now crept into her life. 

Readers 18+ for sexual content.

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 My Thoughts 

Wants of an Incubus is pretty short at 40 pages but it was a fun way to pass the time. Annabelle misses her boyfriend who is away, so when she has a sexy dream about him that feels pretty real, she doesn't think much of it. Even as she catches glimpses of something sinister pretending to be her boyfriend she figures it's just her imagination but she soon learns that she's been with an incubus and that they're now bonded.
Overall, this wasn't an absolute favorite for me but I loved that it was an incubus story, which I haven't read a lot of but it was an interesting creature choice. The story is fast-paced and there is a talking cat, which is just the coolest in my book so I can't wait to check out the next in the series.

*Thanks to Ashley Hill for my review copy!*

 About the Author 

In the last year I’ve discovered the dreams I had aren’t what I really want. I wanted to open a book store but in reality I’d rather spend my time writing them instead of going to school to learn how to sell them.
I’ve learnt that finding a job is great but finding one you have a true passion for is so much better. So instead of trying to go for the norm I’m working hard on kick starting my writing career now instead of later.
I’ve also found a new dream, my boyfriend. He motivates and supports me to no end, he brings me to life in a way I didn’t think possible. Now I’m accomplishing the impossible with the most amazing guy by my side.
All you really need to know is that I’m stubborn and will go after my dreams even though all odds are against me, even though I don’t have everyone’s full support. It’s just one more thing that motivates me.

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Review: Another Faust by Daniel Nayeri and Dina Nayeri

 About the Book 

Another Faust (Another, #1)

One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish-only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city's most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor's extraordinary "gifts." But as the students claw their way up-reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty-they start to suffer the side-effects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most unforgivable sins. At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary re-imagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption.

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 My Thoughts 

Let me start off by saying that I'd never heard of the Faust legend before reading this. Pretty simple idea: mortal, demon, soul, selling of said soul.

The prologue starts off five years before the rest of the book where we're introduced to our main characters who are Victoria from England, Christian from Scotland, twin sisters Belle and Bicé from Italy and Valentin from France who only have age and unhappiness in common. Then one night they all disappear from their beds.

The children reappear five years later in New York with their beautiful governess, Nicola Vileroy who's only outward imperfection is an odd left eye which pretty much scares the hell out of everyone. About a quarter of the book takes place before they're enrolled at Manhattan Marlowe School where the kids wreak havoc using "powers or gifts" that Vileroy has given them...for a price. As we learn very slowly throughout Another Faust and don't know for sure until the last hundred pages (well I didn't at least), Madame Vileroy is a demon! Was I surprised much? Not really since I'd been guessing she was a witch or something since each chapter has a flashback to some of the others our governess has "helped". The woman literally has an EVIL EYE! xD

Overall it wasn't a bad story but I didn't enjoy the characters. Victoria was a bitchy hag, Valentin was a liar and kind of lost his mind/any decency he may have ever possessed at the end, evil Vileroy (I know I'm supposed to hate the bad guy but sometimes I don't) and Belle who was so vain to start off with. I did like the story idea but I might have connected better if it was someone who had sold their soul for family or love...maybe. My biggest problem was that I felt like there wasn't a real ending and I don't do well with maybe they had a happily ever after.

So if you enjoy books about evil governesses and pretty dumb kids who will sell their souls for petty reasons, then you should read Another Faust.

3 STARS

to

Another Faust

 About the Authors 

Daniel Nayeri is a writer and editor in New York. He wrote and produced "The Cult of Sincerity," the first feature film to be world premiered on YouTube. He has had all kinds of jobs around books, including book repairman, literary agent, used bookstore clerk, Official Story-Time Reader Leader, editor, copy-editor, and even carpenter (making bookshelves). He's also a professional pastry chef. He loves Street Fighter 2, hates the word "foodie," and is an award-winning stuntman.

Dina Nayeri graduated from Princeton where she first discovered her passion for fiction. However, being a stubborn know-it-all, she had to spend five years in the business world first. She worked as a consultant at McKinsey in New York City and as a project manager for Saks Fifth Avenue. Dina then received an MBA and an M.Ed. from Harvard, where she was a Zuckerman Fellow, a teaching fellow in economics, a resident advisor, and a speaker on topics in business and marketing. Next she's off to the Iowa Writers Workshop for her MFA. Dina lives in Amsterdam. In her spare time, she loves to cook, travel, read, and collect fancy degrees to decorate her future sarcophagus.

Dina and Daniel were both born in Iran and spent many young adult years in Europe. There they learned several languages between them and tried Frosted Flakes for the first time.

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