Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Taking a bite out of Marked...My Review of Marked by P.C Cast and Kristin Cast



I would like to say that I did begin to read this book with a bit of skepticism.  Still, once I begin a book, I finish it.  I am so glad I did.  First I have to say that I enjoyed the world that P.C. and Kristin Cast created where vampyres are known to humans and not just creatures of myth.  The second thing that stood out with this book is the way someone turns into a vampyre.  It is more a physical and chemical change in the body instead of being bitten or drinking a vampyres blood.  These things draw you in but it's the characters that are truly wonderful.  They are fresh and stick with the idea of what teenagers act like.  
I really do love Zoey as a main character.  She is a typical teenager with dating problems and problems with her parents.  This made her very believable but it doesn't end there.  The rest of the characters have that same believable trait.  You can empathize with them.  You feel sorry for Damien because he isn't accepted by his parents or you dislike Aphrodite because most of us have probably had one of those perfect girls who like to bully breathing down our necks.  
Then, there are the true emotions.  The fear of death is very real.  The friendships are strong and Zoey's hurt over her parents is heartbreaking.
There is one more aspect of the book that is breathtaking and that is the mystery.  It's not just about vampyres.  It's about ghosts and spirits.  There is also a Cherokee vibe to it all.    
The only real complaint I have is that the book tends to be overly judgmental.  I do understand some judgment in a book but this made me cringe.  Thankfully, I do believe it will get better as the series moves forward and Zoey grows up.  
Overall, this book was wonderful.  I look forward to reading the rest of the series.  I recommend this book to anyone who loves vampires, mystery and paranormal.  

My Rating: 4.5 
Cover Rating: 4 

Monday, December 30, 2013

Introduction

Hi! My name is Amanda K. Dudley-Penn.  I am an author but I also find that I read a lot.  Because of that, I have decided that what better way to thank these wonderful authors than to give them reviews.  I read everything I can get my hands on from different genres.  Of course, my favorite genre is paranormal romance.  
However, I will strive to make sure to read as many different genres as I can though I will say that I do not put a time limit on how long it will take to read these books.  I will be writing reviews on old and new books alike.  As an author, I know that it doesn't matter how long ago a book was written, the authors and readers still like reading the reviews.  Plus, the real reason I am doing the reviews this way, is many times I have so much to say about a book and there is too little space.  I don't intend to become a professional book reviewer but I do hope they help the truly good authors to gain readers.  So, here is the list of reviews I will be writing soon.  I hope you enjoy them.  

1.) Marked (book 1) House of Night Series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
2.) Intentions of the Earl (Book 1) Scandalous Sisters by Rose Gordon
3.) Beowulf By Anonymous
4.) A is for Alibi (Book 1) The Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries by Sue Grafton
5.) Invisible by Cecily Anne Paterson
6.) The Bride and The Brute by Laurel O'Donnell
7.) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
8.) Little Altars Everywhere (Book 1) Ya-Yas- By Rebecca Wells
9.) The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
10.) Twilight Phantasies- (Book 1) The Wings in the Night Series- Maggie Shayne

There will be so many more.  Also, if I read one book in a series, I will read the rest even if I didn't like the first one.  I have found that sometimes, book series grow on me.  Thank you for reading.