Review: Neferet's Curse by P.C. and Kristin Cast (House of Night Novellas #3)

Publisher - Atom Books
Publication Date - 19th February 2013
Paperback - 160 pages
Genre - YA Urban Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 2 out of 5: It was ok

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - That was the first time I saw it, what I have come to think of as the burning look. It was as if his eyes stared so violently into mine that I feared they would cause me to combust.

I found I could not speak. I only shivered and nodded.

Neferet, the darkly seductive High Priestess at the House of Night, wasn't always a powerful vampyre, but she has always been beautiful. Raised in turn-of-the-century Chicago, her beauty makes her the prey of unwanted attention and abuse, leaving her with scars that will never heal - and a Darkness that will eventually need to find its way out.

So when she is Marked and gains strength, both physical and magickal, she turns her anger into power and looks for a way to regain what was stolen from her.

From victim to High Priestess, beautiful young woman to powerful seductress, Neferet's journey begins...

My Thoughts - I have to admit that I went into this book expecting something completely different to what I got, and as a result I ended up not liking it perhaps as much as I could have done. From the book description I was expecting a story of a girl overcoming a painful past to become a better person. I was expecting a story that at the end was uplifting and gave a positive message to the reader. But this was not the case at all. In fact, I didn't really like the ending at all. It was dark and left a very bitter taste in my mouth for quite a long time after finishing it and this is the main reason that i have given this book such a low rating.

However, the rest of the book wasn't all that bad. I liked Emily (this is Neferet's name when she was a human girl so it is mainly this name that is used throughout the book) quite a lot. She can be very self-absorbed which I found quite irritating at times, but then considering the situation that she is in I think it's understandable, and perhaps even forgivable. At the start of the book, Emily is only fifteen years old and she witnesses the death of her mother during childbirth. After such a traumatic experience, and at such a young age, she is then expected to take over her mother's duties around the house and as a volunteer. Yet she takes on the role and tries her best with all of her new responsibilities, even though it means that she now has no time to spend with her friends and doing the things that she previously enjoyed. Add to this the fact that her father has been drinking a lot since his wife's death and that he is starting to look at Emily in a way that a father shouldn't be looking at his daughter, and you really have to admire the strength that Emily must possess just to be able to get through each day.

I was expecting more of the book to be after Emily is Marked to become a vampyre, perhaps explaining her journey to becoming a High Priestess, but only the first week after she is Marked is included in the story. I know that because this is a novella that the authors are limited as to how much they can include, but I really would have liked to read more about what happened to her after she becomes a vampyre.

Although there are ten books in the House of Night series and Neferet's Curse is the third House of Night Novella, this book actually works really well as a stand-alone. I have only read the first House of Night book, and it was a few years ago so I can't really remember much of it, but I had no trouble following the story. Although that is probably due to the fact that so much of the story is about Emily's life before she is changed so not much knowledge is needed about the paranormal world that is created by the authors.

Summary - Although I liked the main character, this is a very dark story and I found the ending to be disappointing. This is a quick read and I think it would be great for fans of the series, and Neferet in particular. But I'm not sure that it's inspired me to go out and read the rest of the series.

Other books in the series:
1. Dragon's Oath
2. Lenobia's Vow
3. Neferet's Curse

UK Reviewers Wanted!!!

Hi people. I know... you're shocked to see me again aren't you? I haven't been around for ages and I've missed you guys heaps. But the fact of the matter is that I'm just on my way out of the biggest reading slump ever known to man (or woman!). But that is over and done with now and I'm ready to return to the world of reading and blogging and this blog will become active again some time in the next couple of weeks. But there is a slight problem. I have a lot of review books that I need to get through and just nowhere near enough time to read them all. And this is where you come in. I'm looking for some reviewers to join the Once Upon a Series team. Well, not that it's a team yet as it's just little old me, but i'm hoping to put together a team. In doing so I am hoping to give the visitors of this blog more content, and therefore more reasons, to keep returning to Once Upon a Series as well as taking the pressure off of myself a little bit too.

So here is what I'm looking for:
- People from the UK as postage overseas is too expensive.
- People who can contribute reviews on a regular basis, preferably one a week.
- Primarily I need people to help me conquer my mountain of review books but I am happy for regular reviewers to submit reviews of their own books that they have read too.
- Obviously this is not a paid position. I don't get paid to do this, therefore I can't afford to pay anybody else either. But I can provide books and I'm hoping that if you're reading this then you are a book lover and that will appeal to you as much as it would appeal to me.
- I read a wide variety of genres (both adult and YA) so hopefully there will be something there to tempt most people.
- I don't mind if you already have your own book blog or if you've never blogged before. If you do have a book blog then I'm happy for you to post reviews of the books that I send you on your own blog as well as having them appear on mine. I would obviously link to your blog in the review.

I have added all of my review books to a shelf on Goodreads (you can find it here) so please feel free to check it out to see if there is anything there that appeals to you.

If you feel that this is something that you would like to do then please send me an email at onceuponaseries@live.co.uk with the following information:
- Any previous experience writing reviews or if you already have your own blog.
- How often you will be able to contribute.
- What genres you enjoy reading.
- An example of a book review that you have written copy and pasted into the text of the email.

I hope to hear from you soon if you feel as though this is something that we could work on together.

Chrissie

It's Monday! What are you Reading? (12th November 2012)

This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey that gives us all a chance to list the books that we read last week and what we hope to read this week.

Books Read Last Week:

None

Books Reviewed Last Week:

Planning for Love by Christi Barth (Aisle Bound #1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Books I'm Currently Reading:

Run the Risk by Lori Foster (Love Undercover #1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Books Up Next:

Long Shots: Books 1-3 by Christine D'Abo

Review: Planning for Love by Christi Barth (Aisle Bound #1)

Publisher - Carina Press
Publication Date - 1st August 2012
Genre - Contemporary Romance

Source - Purchased

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Book Info - Hopeless romantic Ivy Rhodes and anti-Cupid Bennett Westcott request the pleasure of your company for their disaster of a courtship.

Wedding planner Ivy Rhodes is the best in the business, and she's not about to let a personal problem stop her from getting ahead. So when she's asked to star in the reality TV show Planning for Love, it doesn't matter that the show's videographer happens to be a recent—and heartbreaking—one-night stand.

Bennett Westcott admits he didn't handle his encounter with Ivy very well. But looking at her beautiful smile—and great body—through a camera lens every day? He can't be faulted for suggesting they have some no-strings fun.

The more time they spend together, the more Ben realizes Ivy isn't the wedding-crazed bridezilla he'd imagined. But if he doesn't trust himself to make a relationship last, how can he convince Ivy to give him another chance?

My Thoughts - I admit now that I absolutely love stories about wedding planners. Mainly because I loved planning my own wedding and thought for a while about how much I'd love to be a wedding planner myself. Well, that was until I realised just how stressful it must be to have the responsibility of another couple's big day on your shoulders and I decided against it. As soon as I started seeing reviews of Planning for Love on other blogs I knew I wanted to read it and I was very excited to start it. And for the most part, Planning for Love totally lived up to my expectations.

It is a very sweet contemporary romance that will have you falling head over heels in love with the main characters, Ivy and Ben. They are a couple who, on paper, just should not work. A woman who is obsessed with romance and who always seems to be wearing her rose-tinted glasses, with a man so pessimistic he will make you want to tear your hair out at times. But when they get together the chemistry sizzles, sparks fly and it feels so right. My only complaint about the main characters would be that Ivy comes across as slightly manipulative when she hatches a plan to get Ben to fall in love with her, although not to such an extent that it made me dislike her.

The book comes with a great cast of supporting characters and I am very much looking forward to reading the other books in the series to read about their happy ever afters. I am especially looking forward to reading Daphne's story, Ivy's best friend and roommate, as she was probably my favourite character in this book.

The storyline was an enjoyable one and, although it was fairly predictable at some points, the author did bring out a pretty good twist in the tale near the end that I wasn't expecting. After this, Ben does act in a way that makes him pretty difficult to like (although I won't say anymore than that to avoid spoilers) but this does give him an opportunity to grovel as though his life depends on it. And that's something I always enjoy reading :)

Summary - A cute and fun read that will leave you wanting more. I really enjoyed Planning For Love and I'm looking forward to reading more from the series as they are released.

It's Monday! What are you Reading? (5th November 2012)

This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey that gives us all a chance to list the books that we read last week and what we hope to read this week.

Books Read Last Week:

Planning for Love by Christi Barth (Aisle Bound #1)

Books I'm Currently Reading:

Run the Risk by Lori Foster (Love Undercover #1)

Books Up Next:

Long Shots: Books 1-3 by Christine D'Abo