Book Review: Dreamless (Starcrossed #2) by Josephine Angelini

Title: Dreamless (Starcrossed #2)
Author: Josephine Angelini
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Publishing Date: July 5th 2012
Length: 502 pages
Keywords: YA, fiction, Greeks, gods, romance, underworld, myths, furies
Source: Publisher

Can true love be forgotten?

As the only Scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.

Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out—a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies’ cry for blood is growing louder.

As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen’s sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.

Summary by Goodreads

After a slow start, I fell hard for STARCROSSED, the first book in Josephine Angelini's trilogy. I loved that Scions exist in the 21st century and bring a piece of the past with them. Ancient myths, epic love stories and feuds between Greek houses of Scions and gods, that’s what made STARCROSSED a fantastic read.

The ending of STARCROSSED left me in an emotional turmoil and at that time I wanted to read its sequel so badly, to see the conflicts finally being solved. You can imagine my excitement when I started DREAMLESS. Unfortunately you have to witness my disappointment now after finishing. I had a slow start with DREAMLESS as well. But the story continued like that, I never really got into the story, and it felt strenuous to keep up with Helen's story.

If you read STARCROSSED, you know in how far a certain piece of information influenced Helen and Lucas' relationship. I really didn't like the way it developed in DREAMLESS. Helen and Lucas had a limited number of scenes full of emotions and heartbreak, but it simply wasn't enough to keep my mind and heart hooked on the story.

The storyline and the way Helen spends most of the book, in the underworld  -a barren and colorless setting- trying to break free, appeared sluggish and uneventful to me. Even if something happened, it didn't affect me at all.

One day when Helen descends into the underworld, she hears a voice. And unfortunately soon we'll meet the source of that voice. Orion. His character itself wasn’t that bad. He is protective, smart and helpful, but in context with Lucas and Helen's romance crumpling, I just didn't need him there as her new kind of love interest. I would've easily accepted him as someone else's new companion, but not Helen's! Love triangle stay in the underworld where you came from!

Whereas the secondary characters, especially Ariadne, Hector, Jason and Claire, and their relationships had more power to hold my attention, the enemies and their view on parts of the story in DREAMLESS were rather enervating.

Josephine Angelini continues the story of Scions and Greek myths in DREAMLESS. The most significant in DREAMLESS are definitely the furies. Be prepared to learn more about their unfortunate fate and help Helen find a way to free them, herself and all the other Scions from their violent fate of hatred. There are magical items, new myths to uncover and the Delos' enemies don't keep quiet either.   

1) of a forbidden love
2) of a strong family
3) of a vast dream world
4) of the furies myth
5) the lost can be reclaimed

2,5/ 5 **/* DREAMLESS - Only a shadow of the first STARCROSSED book. What happened to the epic romance of Helen and Lucas?

DREAMLESS comes along with only a weak development of plot and action. Furthermore there are annoying enemies and an infuriating love triangle that kept me from adoring this sequel as much as STARCROSSED. The enormous solidarity of the Delos family, their undying love for Helen and the main romance between Helen and Lucas are things I am counting on in the next book. I'm expecting GODDESS to end the series with a bang!   

* Liked DREAMLESS? Keep looking out for the third book in this series, GODDESS.

* For an excerpt of DREAMLESS click here.

* Watch the DREAMLESS book trailer!

* For further information about Josephine Angelini and her books visit www.josephineangelini.com

* Thanks to Pan Macmillan for sending me a copy of DREAMLESS for review!

 

Book Review: Indigo Awakening by Jordan Dane

Title: Indigo Awakening (The Hunted #1)
Author: Jordan Dane
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publishing Date: December 18th 2012
Length: 304 pages
Keywords: YA, fantasy, special powers, love, friendship, spirit
Source: Netgalley

Because of what you are, the Believers will hunt you down.

Voices told Lucas Darby to run. Voices no one else can hear. He’s warned his sister not to look for him, but Rayne refuses to let her troubled brother vanish on the streets of LA. In her desperate search, she meets Gabriel Stewart, a runaway with mysterious powers and far too many secrets. Rayne can’t explain her crazy need to trust the strange yet compelling boy—to touch him—to protect him even though he scares her.

Summary by Goodreads

 

Set in Los Angeles, INDIGO AWAKENING invites us to follow the story of a whole bunch of characters. The story is told by an omniscient narrator, 3rd person point of view. There should be a character for every reader to possibly identify with. Among them are Rayne, Gabriel, Lucas, Kendra, Mia and Raphael. We mainly follow the three Darby kids, Lucas, Rayne and Mia, on their journeys. Lucas is one of them and he's got to overcome major obstacles to fight for his freedom and discover his true identity.

Both his sisters, Mia and Rayne, are searching for him. Both with very different intentions in mind. INDIGO AWAKENING is a lot about the power struggles between these two girls and overall between children of Indigo origin and their terrific antagonists.

Other characters I really liked, were Gabriel and Kendra. They are similar in their strong and determined personalities, but very contrary in their ways of living. Gabriel is the lone wolf and is always on the move, his only comrade his dog Hellboy. Kendra however is living in a community and is the leader of the Indigo children of L.A. And great parts of INDIGO AWAKENING are about this alliance Kendra has built and the relationships between various members.

Now, with such a big character cast, there are numerous opportunities for intertwinings of their lives. There will be love stories to cheer for and rivalries that demand you to take sides. In the end though there were just too many characters and jumping between perspectives for me. I would've preferred to follow only three or four selected characters and dive deeper into their thoughts and pasts. Further I would suggest to cut the scenes telling the story from the antagonists' point of views, like Boelens, O'Dell and Fiona, in the sequel. These parts of the story seemed to reveal too much and take away aspects of anticipation or surprise I would've hoped for. 

Jordan Dane introduces us to the concept of Indigo and crystal children who are connected through a collective mind and special powers. It's a fascinating world, but it's not safe. They are hunted by a group of people called the Church of Spiritual Freedom. A great battle is about to break and threaten to doom the Indigo children to a life in imprisonment. I'm really hoping for more detailed information and explanations about them in the next book.

1) of the comfort and protection the Indigo community has to offer
2) of becoming a family
3) of its various perspectives who allow a fast reading pace
4) of exceptional talents
5) of a true companion in spirit and soul
 

3/5 *** INDIGO AWAKENING – A multifaceted read with spirit and a bunch of Indigo powers in tow!

There is still a lot of explanation to expect concerning the Indigo powers and the origin of these specially gifted children, which I definitely missed in INDIGO AWAKENING. So expect the sequel to INDIGO AWAKENING to be filled with many new stories fans can be thrilled about. 

* Read an excerpt of INDIGO AWAKENING here.

* Watch the book trailer.

* Want to meet Jordan? Click here for a list of appearances.

* Want to find out more about Gabriel and Kendra? Read my character interviews here.

* Visit www.jordandane.com for further information about Jordan Dane and her books.

Coveresque feat. The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg (US vs. Indonesian vs.German)

THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB, a book title I instantly liked, sounding melancholic and hopeful at the same time. It's Elizabeth Eulberg's debut novel and a cute and entertaining read for every YA fan. Finally out in Germany this month, German readers get to see a book with a beautiful and dreamy cover in stores. I really like its retro style and the candy-colors, even though the legs are a tad irritating and I would prefer the cover with a different front element. 

The Indonesian cover is not for me. The book cover suggests a story for a much younger audience than it actually is for. The characters' facial expressions are amusing, don't you think? Fun fact: the Indonesian translation for heart is 'Hati'.

And the US cover just has to be my favourite. It's on most of the foreign Lonely Hearts Club editions. Fresh and colorful. The imagine section is original, chosen well and the cover has a strong relation to the story, addressing a famous Beatles shot.


Tell me, which cover do you like best?

Blog Tour: Indigo Awakening by Jordan Dane Character Interviews & Giveaway

The INDIGO AWAKENING blog tour is the first I'm being a part of in 2013. What a great book and blog tour to kick off the new year! I got to ask two characters, Gabriel and Kendra, a few questions and then Jordan Dane tells us who she would want to play her INDIGO AWAKENING characters in a movie if she'd got to pick. 

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Interview with Gabriel

Landon Libroiron as Gabriel Stewart

When did you first notice that you were different than other kids?

I knew I was different when I heard my mother and father arguing in the middle of the night—about me. That was the first time I ever heard my father say the word “freak” and knew he meant me. My mother never made me feel bad about the way I am. Quite the opposite in fact, but I still hear his voice. I questioned everything back then. After my mother helped me embrace my gift, the dead found me and it seemed natural. They never scared me, not the way my father did.

The dead don’t always have sad stories. Sometimes they make me laugh and there’s another advantage to having them as friends. Whenever I order a pizza, I can make it pepperoni and pickles if I like, and there’s more slices for me.


Can you remember your first vision and what it was about? 

Rayne is the one who made me believe I actually have visions. Before her, I thought what I drew came from weird dreams. The first time it happened, I woke up to see I had the face of some dude on my stomach. I thought it was a damned tattoo. When I realized the only explanation was that I had done it with an ink pen in my sleep, I washed it off and bought my first sketchbook. It was embarrassing, really.


Who is your favourite action hero? And if you could pick a superpower what would it be? 

I named my dog after my favorite comic book super hero, Hellboy. Who wouldn’t want to be a demon monster hunter without fear? For me to pick a superpower feels rather redundant, but it would come in handy to be invisible. That would give me a good laugh. Yeah, I’d like that.


What are your most cherished childhood memories?

Opening day at the circus, my mother had a good luck ritual that involved Hellboy and me. Straight away she’d make me blueberry pancakes, with butter no syrup. When Hellboy was alive, he’d be invited too. His cakes were in the shape of cats. My mother had a rather peculiar sense of humor.

I also have very fond memories of picnics with her in the Bristol Mountains. Behind my uncle’s manor house, there is a worn path. We’d hike to the high meadow with me carrying our basket. She had a favorite spot near a large boulder and she made sure that everything in our picnic basket would be an adventure for me to try. My mother lived life as if every second counted. That was her gift to me.

What did you think when you met Rayne for the first time? And what had your life been like before you met her?

I hated seeing her so afraid. That made me angry. Not a good thing for me. I didn’t think about anything that night except helping her and scaring the piss out of the bastards who were after her. I worked up my best stuff at the old zoo. Rather proud of that actually.

But the absolute best moment for me was catching her in my arms when she fell. Things might have turned out differently if I had dropped her, but I think about that very second all the time. Up close her eyes are amazing. My sweet, precious girl. Being on the run, I never had much experience with girls. She made it easy for me.

What had my life been like before her? I had nothing and didn’t even know it. I’m not sure I would have ever found my way home without her. She talks about how I saved her that night, but she’s the one who saved me.

You're very good with books. Ever thought about becoming a librarin? ;)

Quite a noble profession, but I wouldn’t know how to be quiet, I’m afraid. 

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Interview with Kendra

Emma Watson as Kendra Walker

How does it feel to be connected to other Indigo Children?

That’s hard for me to explain to anyone who is not Indigo, but I’ll try. Experiencing the collective is like touching the face of God and understanding His purpose, the way humanity is supposed to be. There is nothing more beautiful. I wish everyone knew how that feels. I hear the voices most when I tend my garden. With my hands in the soil, I feel connected to everything.


What did you think when you first sensed your special mental connection to Lucas?

It frightened me and thrilled me at the same time. Lucas is special. For someone so young, he is powerful. That first intimacy of connecting to an Indigo soul is always extraordinary, but with Lucas it felt as if we were first time lovers. Most days I feel inadequate in his presence.


If you could pick a perfect first date what would it be like and with who?

I’ve never thought of myself as normal. Too much has happened and dating seems like something others do, but since you expect an answer, I’ll try to give you one. If I had one day where I didn’t feel fear for my Indigo family, I would take the children to the circus. Gabriel might have influenced me to say this, but there is magic in a circus and children should believe in magical things. As for the boy I’d take, there is someone special and I’d love to see him smiling and happy. He always brings me gifts, but a day at the circus would be my present to him. Sharing his name would jinx it, but I think you know who I’m talking about.


If you could change anything about your past what would it be?

I don’t regret my gift and being an indigo, if that’s what you’re asking. I’m blessed with an Indigo soul. It’s a privilege that I wouldn’t trade, even for a better life. Anything else about my past is off limits. 

What would you wish for the Indigo Childrens' future?

As for my Indigo children and their future, I wish freedom and acceptance for them. Anything else they can handle. They are extraordinary.

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The Indigo Awakening cast

You've already seen Emma Watson as Kendra Walker and Landon Libroiron as Gabriel Stewart. Here areWilliam Moseley as Lucas Darby, Nikola Peltz as Rayne Darby and Tyler Posey as Rafeal Santana. 

 

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 About Indigo Awakening

Because of what you are, the Believers will hunt you down.

Voices told Lucas Darby to run. Voices no one else can hear. He’s warned his sister not to look for him, but Rayne refuses to let her troubled brother vanish on the streets of LA. In her desperate search, she meets Gabriel Stewart, a runaway with mysterious powers and far too many secrets. Rayne can’t explain her crazy need to trust the strange yet compelling boy—to touch him—to protect him even though he scares her.

A fanatical church secretly hunts psychic kids—gifted “Indigo” teens feared to be the next evolution of mankind—for reasons only “the Believers” know. Now Rayne’s only hope is Gabe, who is haunted by an awakening power—a force darker than either of them imagine—that could doom them all.

Find Indigo Awakening

 Goodreads |Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound | Book Depository 

About Jordan Dane

Jordan Dane launched her back-to-back debut suspense novels in 2008 after the three books sold in auction. Ripped from the headlines, Jordan's gritty plots weave a tapestry of vivid settings, intrigue and dark humor. Publishers Weekly compared her intense pacing to Lisa Jackson, Lisa Gardner, and Tami Hoag - and named her debut book No One Heard Her Screamas Best Book of 2008. INDIGO AWAKENING will be the third YA novel written by Jordan Dane.

Find Jordan Dane

website | twitter | facebook | goodreads | HarlequinTEEN website

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 Tour Schedule

Friday, January 4th - Harlequin Paranormal Blog


Monday, January 7th - Bumbles and Fairytales

Wednesday, January 9th - Miss Page Turner's City of Books

Friday, January 11th - Supernatural Snark


Monday, January 14th - The Page Turners

Wednesday, January 16th - Fiktshun

Friday, January 18th - Bewitched Bookworms

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Giveaway

Contest Info:  There are two giveaways for his tour!

1.) The first giveaway  is a copy of Indigo Awakening for your Tour Stop.

Enter via Rafflecoper!

2.)The second giveaway is Harlequin Grand Prize Package, including 2 copies of Indigo Awakening, 1 copy of Speechless, 1 copy of Pushing The Limits, 1 copy of Hooked and 2 Harlequin Notebooks.

The Grand Prize winner will be drawn from entries from all Tour Stops!

Simply enter via the Rafflecoper widget and get extra entries for tweeting (once per TourStop), following Jordan on twitter, leaving your mailing address (for faster shipment of the prize) and for leaving a comment at each Tour Stops (one extra entry for each TourStop)  

See full contest rules here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks to Heather and Danny for organising the tour and letting me be part of it! And huge thanks to Jordan Dane for contributing awesome special content!