book review, marathon (Personal Demons & Original Sin)

[I shouldn’t be reviewing this book] 

Personal Demons                                           (16/Sept/11)

           

If you had to choose between Heaven and Hell, which would it be? ....are you sure about that?

Prod deets: personal demons series, book one

Pub: 2010, US by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC (New York)

Author: Lisa Descrochers

Cat: fiction, paranormal (hell & heven)

Format: paperback; 365pp w/23 chapters

Age Range: YA

Summary: Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance even her closest friends and it seems like her senior year is going to be more of the same...until Luc Cain enrols in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can t stay away from him. What she doesn’t t know is that Luc is on a mission. He s been sent from hell itself to claim Frannie s soul. It should be easy all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t t stand a chance. But Luc has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can t be far behind. And sure enough, it s not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for. But if Luc fails, there will be hell to pay...for all of them.

Review: so.... that’s what this book was like. It wasn’t that it was all that bad, towards the end it picked up and made you glad you decided to read the things, but....

  So the book is about Luc, I believe more so than it’s about Frannie, though, or course, she plays a big part in it all. And that was interesting, I thought, if demons were your thing, maybe.

  I don’t know, I think, though it had great characters, they weren’t... anything special, anything that made them a reason to read the books, as a demon Luc was so... typically demon, there wasn’t any imagination throughout the whole book, like she pick the most thought up things about heaven and hell and went, ‘that’ll do’. It was a shame that it always seemed to be speaking in most common lines, the only thing I really liked was how Luc fell in love with Frannie, that was one of the most honest bits in the whole book, and it’s worth reading, just for that.

  Gabe, just pops in there and it takes a little while for you to realise he isn’t someone else, or I thought, I had to go back to see what the hell actually happened, even though I read it. And as a angle he was sweet, and confused, that was him, full stop. I feel though he should come into his own in the next one, ‘cause he’s got his own say.

  Then there’s Frannie—why do they always have to be blonde petite and good at working on cars? it was looking at a badly done. Or at least it was a fact that didn’t seem to be need at all. and her with a secret that screamed at the reader (just guess what happen?) she’s predictable, and though not an annoying character, actually, even with her predictability, she was never annoying, in what she thought or what she said, which was her only winning quality – I thought.

Picking on: (what I jotted down when reading this book, it’s like above, a little bit of a bitch, sorry I actually think I was in a bit of a mood while reading it, and the book didn’t help)

            [Notes while reading, so I can remember for the review, as I wrote them]

  Already at page 20 (though the writing started at page 11) I find that it’s really scripted, like the person telling the story is repeating something in a mono toned dribble. I’m finding there’s no real voice to the character—though saying this we have read 9 pages and it’s gone Luc, Frannie, Luc... so what’s to learn.

  [When the hell did the class end? – bottom, page 20]

  Page 30—over it

  It’s really written like they are talking to someone, not themselves. That’s what’s making it... weird.

  Where the hell did Gabe come from? Honestly out of the blue another hot guy—without a thought.

  [Hysterical—Gabrielle, Lucifer & Mary Francis]

  !! A girl that works on cars...?!!! Original or what? Reminds me of ‘Angle burn’ only that female character suited the position a lot better

  Page 59—why would he recognise the emotions in himself for what they are? Though, really, I can sorta get it.

  Frannie uses a word that she just wouldn’t, page 61; it’s more Luc’s thing. (This one was all about me being in a bitch of a mood, sorry)

  One thing, her (Frannie) over use of the word ‘whatever’ seriously I’m surprised there isn’t any TMI’s or OMGing in places they really shouldn’t be.

            Sorry but ‘whatever in a place that... yeah, this book has no real... anything. It’s actually starting to piss me off and more so if something doesn’t really—nah, getting that started, it’s the voice of the book that’s annoying me more than anything.

  Page 76 and something clicks—is this book about Luc? [Spoiler was here]

  Took till page 170 to get use to the way it was written & page 200 to actually start liking were it was heading. And even though I want to read the next, I don’t.

 

&

                                                Original Sin                                                     (17/Sept)

         Is anyone above temptation?

Prod deets: personal demons series, book two

Pub: 2011, [same as above]

Format: paperback; 398pp w/29 chapters

Age Range: YA

Summary: Luc Cain was born and raised in Hell, but he isn't feeling as demonic as usual lately - thanks to Frannie Cavanaugh and the unique power she never realized she had. But you can't desert Hell without consequences, and suddenly Frannie and Luc find themselves targeted by the same demons who used to be Luc's allies.

Left with few options, Frannie and Luc accept the protection of Heaven and one of its most powerful angels, Gabe. Unfortunately, Luc isn't the only one affected by Frannie, and it isn't long before Gabe realizes that being around her is too. Tempting. Rather than risk losing his wings, he leaves Frannie and Luc under the protection of her recently-acquired guardian angel.

Which would be fine, but Gabe is barely out the door before an assortment of demons appears - and they're not leaving without dragging Luc back to Hell with them. Hell won't give up and Heaven won't give in. Frannie's guardian exercises all the power he has to keep them away, but the demons are willing to hurt anyone close to Frannie in order to get what they want. It will take everything she has and then some to stay out of Hell's grasp.

And not everyone will get out of it alive.

Review: I not sure if I liked this book better than the first one of if I hated it more. It was... the same, in every way (which is actually a good thing, if you think about it) the parts of Frannie and Luc where great, it was even good when Gabe came back and his need for Luc. It was Matt that ruined this book for me, seriously, I understand him, and the born jealousy that he holds, it’s for that reason to that he annoyed me, I hate that type of person that can’t look at their own mistakes, that blame everyone else for their own fuckups, but saying this, to me, it felt as if (and this is past history too) that he was born this way, as most are, and if so, would he have ever become a angel, I don’t think so. I also know, like from the end why they did this, put him in, make you be able to see the evil side of things as well, but honestly...yeah, it’s not something I can read, I hated it and more so when you have to read from their heads, especially when you see their own mistakes and they bitch about it not being there fault, oh, and... yeah.

  Sorry but these books annoyed me for so many reason and while I read it I got pissed off, I wasn’t even really sure why, maybe because I was forcing myself to read them. Who knows, but I just...yeah, it not like I’d wish the time back (mostly ‘cause I’m just not like that) they mustn’t have been all bad since I actually finished both of them, so they couldn’t be as bad as I’m making them out to be, but....

Parental note: there’s a very big emphases on sex in these books, and yet there isn’t any. The swearing is low if there at all, I can’t remember it. And unless you don’t want your children reading anything about heaven and hell, this is a book to stay clear of. Though there is a bit of violence, it’s done tastefully.

Next: Hellbent

fingering threw blog's

Cause, really, what else is there to do...

It's also the one thing that I hate to do, as well as love. It’s mostly because, well, all those book I want to read and you are already reviewing them, there already on your shelves (store as well as home) and I still have to wait a goo month or two before I can even begin thinking about reading them. That’s if they even get on the shelves where I can come across them.

Ok, so it's not as bad as it use to be for me. when I first started reading, like full on reading, back in 2007, there wasn't all that many paranormal books out there for us - at least in Penrith, 'cause that's like... yeah, two hours from Sydney and it's the only book store that's big enough to have everything. And so whenever I really wanted a book I was stuck ordering it. There was no scanning the shelf for something to pop out at me. No looking at the back. all the books I wanted never really came out of America (yeah, a lot of them, I still don't have because there not published anywhere but the USA, I kinda like... those weird ones no one else seems too, or at least that's what I've found) and so I'm stuck reading all these books that everyone else likes, and yeah there great and all but... what about the other ones. 

It’s really what I hate the most. But not really what I wanted to get into on this post, sorry!

so the thing is that my blog sucks, compared to everyone else’s, and I sure it's not really all that bad, but I'm new to this and it takes a little to work out how to do a lot of things. Not only that, I do my blog like I am myself, no need to make myself out as more flash than I am. I'm messy, simple and would rather fly under the radar than get noticed, and yet I want you to notice (yeah, it's a girl thing, right. I don't want you to care, but you better!) 

So when I'm looking at these blogs I think - well, one, I have a way to push my books into a overseas market if they are any good and I can afford the shipping. But that's not something I might ever have to worry about. Two, is that I'm shit at reviewing books, really, shit, compared to all you reviewers out there, and I love reading your reviews even if it ends up being.. Well, we've already gone through that crap. 

but you guys are fabulous and I love reading you crap, your enthusiasm for books, you guys actually make me want to write, to shut out the world and get down to business so that I can write something that you can be proud to read. it's amazing how something as simple as reading  a review from a blog, or watching a vlog, or even just the crap you guys talk about in general about your life and how much books and involved in it all. I love it, and you make me want to join in, to created something that's worth reading and even more so, worth a space in your shelf.

it’s also somewhere that you can get information about the people that actually read your books, because every group of people has a spokes person and that one comes from who you read or listen to when your thinking about reading a book. And though I read reviews and watch vlogs more for the fact that I love the entertainment of them, I haven’t really found my voice in any of them yet. But you guys just good advice to people like me. The ones that want something more in their books, I know now not to make sure I put everything into certain aspects of my books – the love interest, so it doesn’t run flat, the villain so they are real, as well as someone you can even love or hate the feeling in them needs to be one way or anything. And more so that it’s finished, that the books satisfies you and more so the people that read it.

I learnt about what characters you like, why you like then, and what was missing, and when I read that book I can see it, and when I think about my own I can make them  more readable.

So thanks heaps for all your help and all the help you will give me in the future.

Vlogs (the ones I watch)

So, I've started watching YA Rebels, (if you don't know, it’s a youtube channel that's got like, seven or something people who are in different stages of publishing, I like - anyway I watch it occasionally because as a vlogger I like watching Danny Marks, though I'm not all that sure about his book, mostly cause I don't think it's the type...anyway, it's more about him as a person to watch than anything else, and he's helpful, or at least I think so. maybe he's just my type of person, thinks the same, and all that.

This is all besides the point. Marks has Sunday and so either Monday or Tuesday I go and have a look at what he has to say. And it was on...um, superstition when writing, which is a cool topic, I’m sure a lot of people have it, mostly because, well people do things like that all the time for one reason or the other, it’s what makes us spiritual, isn’t it?

Anyway, I don’t particularly have one, really I write on my dining table so that I can see the telly when it’s late at night, or look after my kids threw the day, but saying that I can’t watch something without a keyboard under my fingertips or a pen in my grip. That’s a little bit of a things isn’t it. Anyway, it’s something that I have to do, really, I can start to watch on but at least half way through I’m up about, restless, give me something to write on, and I’ll...settled.

This week, as far as I can tell, or maybe it was just Tuesdays one, was ‘what got you into writing?’ yeah she did it nicely, all, the large named way and that shit (Monday Has No Reservations).

So you know me (maybe), mine came from Twilight by Stephaine Meyers, it’s a book I read and then about half way through – hell, I don’t even think I got that far threw it before I thought, ‘hell, I can do that easily’. And really, YA books are all like that, though there are a lot I don’t believe I can do better than, really, but Twilight... hell, do teenagers talk like that?

  And the only reason that I hate about the books. That and the fact that she’s a girl you don’t ever like to hang around, a roll your eye friend, let along trying to read four books with that tone.

Not the point. Really, it’s not. That was the book that got me into writing, though you can read ME to find out more about that shit. Anyway, it’s the book that did it for me, and all the others that have helped me figure out what I want to write (which is funny, cause let’s face it, I haven’t really done that either) but it’s paranormal that I like, and I like it because it’s a little dark around the edges, the people have to go through harder things, more life changing. They pull at your heart more than anything else, and they are...well something more to those people out there that have it tough but doesn’t really want to see it.

Well, I thought it was good question, or more so I wanted to answer it, spill to others, and maybe plug something that doesn’t need help.

Once as a Teen

Skipping back in time (I'm thinking nearly ten years ago - shit I'm old)

you know when you are sitting, let's say, at the pool, it's school sports day (if you don't know, that's when you get the last half of the day to do a sport, or you know, go somewhere fun) and you’re doing something you shouldn't be, like let's say- hypothetically, smoking without getting caught by the teachers (Yeah, I was bad, but back then it was actually cool to smoke, now, really, where the hell you getting all the money from?).

anyway, so we were all sitting there, me and my friends, and one of them (name not mentioned) new of this thing, she said, physiologist use to tell it someone is a killer, or evil – I’m not sure know what is was meant to prove, but hell it was something along those lines. But anyway it was something (hopefully I get it right) like this:

Answer with the first things that comes to you

You’re at a funeral and you meet the hottest guy in hell, so why’d you kill your sister?

I hope I got that right, but honestly, it’s just popped into my head but I know it went something like that. But still, it’s all the same, the first part and the last.

So what’s your answer....?

Everyone in our group shouted out answers to it. Mostly in the lines of, ‘cause the guy was her sister’s boyfriend, or you know that sort of crap. And apparently they were the right answers, but she – the friend – kept on shaking her head as the answers went out and out. And while that was happening I was thinking or what the right one must be – or wrong as the case may be.

Then it popped, and I answered, “’cause she wanted to see him again.”

Yeah, she went a little serious and then said I was a killer or something, though there was a tread of a joke threw her words I remember – and it’s only that – that she got a little scared. Though saying this, I was the type of person that went with it. I would tell her, mostly, that I was going to become a killer, that I would kill random’s cutting there pinkie finger off, stick it up there noises (funny). I would also cut a flower (cause it’s a ring that I use to wear) on their body somewhere and call it a day.

  This, by the way, never happened, nor was it ever going to back then, I am not a killer and would not like to become one. Thank you very much.

Anyway, it was so cool that I actually figured it out – at least I thought so – no one was even close to it, but when I said the words it made sense, and I remember that they all saw that too. It wasn’t just me honest. But from that point on life was a little more fun. Really, she thought I could become a killer, me. though, I was the quite kid that slunked in the background without much to say, and it’s not like I’m a looking, you can forget anything about me if there’s someone else around that fill your attention. I know this; actually used it threw my teen years.

Anywho, it was just a thought that popped in there, and I was doing something else on this blog and thought, why the hell no. So... yeah. Little more info on me.

I AM NOT A KILLER, JUST IMAGINATIVE.