Fallen Angels is the new vampires. At least at OBS it is, because that’s what we are all reading. Check out the review of Fallen by Lauren Kate.

Brought to you by OBS staff member Britta

Summary
There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.
Source: http://laurenkatebooks.net/

Review
I absolutely loved this novel!

Lauren Kate weaves a story that reads like a classic gothic novel, with ’shadows’ and mysteries behind every turn. The voice is also very fresh, mixing classic undertones with playful banter that keeps the novel flowing.

Luce Price’s story is intriguing, because she is forced to attend Sword & Cross, a boarding school for wayward teens, after she’s blamed for the murder of one of her loved ones. She has been haunted by ’shadows’ that threaten the lives of those around her, from a young age. Her inability to comprehend what the ’shadows’ are and where they come from, cause her parents and psychologists to label her: mentally unstable.

It’s interesting to observe how Luce interacts with the people around her in this new environment. She sets her sights on, Daniel Grigori, a guy who’s completely unwilling to let his guard down. He’s rude and standoffish upon meeting her. Yet she still feels strangely familiar with him, and continues to have surreal dreams that lead her to question who, and more importantly, what he really is. The love story is written in a way that both romance lovers, and realists can appreciate. It’s not too much, but just enough to make you want to continue reading! Meanwhile, she is continually pursued by, Cam, a guy who’s overtly interested in her. Maybe too interested.

Lauren Kate does an awesome job of weaving the setting of Sword & Cross, a place that holds great civil war history, and the harshness of a prison. She has a way of describing that makes the school come alive as a character in its own right. Another great plus, is that she created a cast of characters that are so well rounded, it’s hard not to be interested in each of their stories.

Overall, I rate this novel 10 out of 10 for a love story that’s packed with supernatural twists, intriguing characters, and loads of surprises in the end! I look forward to the sequel, Torment, coming out this Fall.

You know the saying… don’t judge a book by its cover? Well I usually do. Maybe it’s my artist sensibility, but good covers usually mean good books (because well published authors usually hire professional artists). This book has an incredibly appealing cover that gives you a sense of the duality and a character at odds. Let’s see what our reviewer thought.

Brought to you by OBS staff member Katlyn

Summary
The past Janeal thought had burned away is rising from the ashes.

Years ago, the Gypsy Kumpania where Janeal Mikkado lived was attacked by outsiders. With her best friend about to be consumed by a fire, Janeal had two options: try to save her friend–at serious risk to her own life–or disappear with the million dollars that she had just discovered . . .

But the past is quickly coming back to haunt her. Both the best friend and the boyfriend that she was sure were dead have reappeared in her life, as has someone who knows about the money. There’s a debt to be paid for the money she found, but there’s an even greater debt she must face–and if the chaff isn’t burned from her own heart, it will consume her.
Source: http://www.teddekker.com/

Review
Ted Dekker and Erin Healy join forces again after their co-author debut novel, Kiss. Dekker and Healy merged separate ideas into a cohesive novel full of suspense and the choices that people make to survive.

After reading the synopsis for Burn, I thought I had some general idea of where the book would go. I was wrong. These characters took me on a thrill ride that had me hooked until the last page.

The major theme of this novel was choices. The choice between right and wrong. And the choice between surviving and risking your life to save another. These just touch the tip of the iceberg the make up the difference choices that each of these characters face in the wake of a devastating tragedy.

The characters that Dekker and Healy seamlessly created were fantastically shaped. They were deep and complicated, but each were honest and true down to their soul. Janeal was responsible for so much pain and heartache at a young age that she turned into a hard, stubborn, and strong woman who had to make terms with the decision that has haunted her since that day. With the discovery of the two survivors, her best friend and boyfriend, Janeal sets off on a journey to attempt to exonerate herself from the many wrong-doing she committed. Robert and Katie each handled the tragedy in different ways and shaped their lives accordingly.

I don’t want to spoil too much of this book, but I highly recommend this adventure for the twists and turns that will make your head spin and keep you wanting more.

One thing I have to say that really resonated with me was the cover of this book. Before starting to read it, I was enticed by the visual of this woman who is seemed to be made up of fire and ice. You will just have to go out and get the book to understand the significance of this amazingly artistic cover.

I really love books that have angels in them, no idea why, but there’s something about their celestial manner and heavenly heiarchy that just makes them so good, or so bad.

Brought to you by OBS staff member Katlyn

Summary
Seventeen-year-old Teagan McNeel falls for captivating Garreth Adams, her guardian angel come to earth. But where there is light, dark follows, and now she is torn between one angel’s sacrifice and another angel’s vicious ambition that threatens not only her life, but the lives of everyone she knows.
Source: http://www.jennifermurgia.com/

Review
Jennifer Murgia’s debut young adult novel, ‘Angel Star’, was a marvelous, fast-paced adventure of a young girl faced with a new awareness of non-human beings and the danger surrounding her knowledge. Murgia explores symbolism and the existence of ‘guardian angels’ that will take you on a journey of a lifetime.

One aspect of ‘Angel Star’ that I highly enjoyed was the picture that Murgia painted with her words. The details that she illustrated were very concise and specific without being overdone. I appreciated the world that she created and I felt welcome to jump right in for the ride.

Along with being in the young adult genre, ‘Angel Star’ explored teenage issues, such as insecurities, bullies, best friends, and first love. All Teagan wanted was a regular high school experience, since growing up without a father made her home-life not so normal. She lacked an outward confidence that her best friend, Claire, made up for during the constant harassment by most popular girl in school. And first love, le sigh, in walks in Garreth, her Guardian Angel (literally). But with light comes the dark to balance it out, and Garreth opens Teagan’s eyes to a frightening truth and dilemma that only she can undertake.

I adored the characters that were portrayed in this book. Teagan was so easily identifiable as the normal girl that just tried to survive adolescence unscathed. Claire was so likable as the fun-loving partner in crime that challenged Teagan’s boundaries each day. And I was absolutely smitten with Garreth. He was the most perfect angelic love interest. His unwavering love for Teagan was sweet and charming.

On the other spectrum was the mysterious and provocative dark side that threatened to tear Teagan from her world and her new-found love. She had to learn to use what she has buried inside of her to save what matters most in her life. But the dark side explores passion and the excitement of danger that overwhelms and confuses her during this momentous situation.

The fight between light and dark consumed me while reading, I was not sure at any point what would happen. As a whole, I really enjoyed this book. The concepts that Murgia introduced were so creative and fresh that I was on my toes the whole time. This story had so many twists and surprises I was completely mesmerized and never wanted the story to end! This story left a big cliffhanger and I cannot wait to read the next installment called ‘Lemniscate’.

Brought to you by OBS staff member Krystal

Summary
Fuming with rage and bitterness six friends band together to avenge the destruction of a small human settlement. Through sheer determination and stoic resolve they succeed, though at what cost? Because of their actions, one of them will fall to the enemy and Velthanjantle, the demonic avatar of Kargonis is resurrected. Though weak, the demon breaks free to reign havoc once again upon the world.

Review
Awakenings was an enticing book that draws you in from the beginning to end. Andrew takes no time in getting the the actions and meat of the story, but holds back enough to keep the reader interested in the story.

For someone who really likes books such as Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, Awakenings throws my mind into the heavy detailed reading that some readers may find difficult. The actions is so heavy detailed that I can imagine the blood, sweat and pain that the characters are feeling.

Andrew spent a great deal of time fleshing out the character’s individual stories, allowing them great character development, rather than simply writing with no idea who his characters are (like some new writers). My favorite character, for unknown reasons other than being an elf and the first character you meet, is Eldorion. Maybe I’m just bias and love elves because of their pointy ears, but getting back to the book, there are so many character’s and none of them feel underdeveloped so much that they couldn’t be a favorite character.

Everything in this fantastical world was thought out before hand, the true makings of a D&D player, and the reader may find themselves sucked into this magical world of magic and races. If you love role-playing, Dungeons & Dragons, World of Warcraft or even Tolkein type genres, than Awakenings is a great read.

Overall a good book and I hope the next one is as good and detailed, because I have a ton of questions that need answers. (Somehow this makes me feel how people must have felt waiting years between “Luke I am your father” and the third Star Wars film)

Check out the exclusive interview with Andrew HERE.

Brought to you by OBS founder Dawn

Summary
Michael Kirkpatrick is an athlete who takes care of his younger handicapped brother. Their father is dead and they are being raised by their mother. Michael does all he can to help as he blames himself for the accident that left his brother handicapped.

When Teddy is targeted by a local drug dealer, Michael must take action. He cannot allow Teddy, who doesn’t even understand what’s going on, to be manipulated and used.

Michael struggles to figure out the best way to deal with the situation. Michael stands up to the drug dealers and gets hurt a couple of times before he decides what he should do. Unbeknownst to Michael, his mother gets involved when she notices the mood changes and strange “friends” Michael has picked up.

Review
For Love of Teddy is a touching story dealing with family love and loyalty. In the story, everything works out okay. In real life, that is not always the case.

Michael is an enjoyable character with strong moral values. His daily care of Teddy is very moving. He will do whatever it takes to protect his family. I understood his need to care for and protect his family.

It was difficult to read about the bullying of a mentally handicapped teenager. But sadly, things like this happen often. I found it slightly unbelievable that Michael was able to “fall” out of trouble so to speak. He didn’t always make the right choices but in the end he was rewarded for his good intent.

I was a bit disappointed that Michael and Teddy’s mother, Eleanor, wasn’t very aware of the things going on their lives. Michael often kept things from her but she quickly got involved when she realized Michael was in over his head.

For Love of Teddy is an enjoyable short read and provides a good story for young adults about a very serious topic.

Brought to you by OBS staff member Karolina

Summary
When Richard Mayhew moves from Scotland to London for work – he isn’t expecting much of a change. He’s a successful businessman, rents a flat in mid London, and has met a beautiful woman, who, despite their differences, has agreed to marry him. Little does he realise, that isn’t going to last very long. On the way to dinner with his fiance’s high-profile boss, a girl, beaten and covered in blood, falls through a wall and collapses at his feet. Ignoring his fiance’s calls, Richard picks up the bloodied girl and rushes her back to his apartment. The girl comes to the next day, and As Richard and the girl are getting to know each other, two men, Croup and Vandemar appear at his door looking for their ’sister’ who had run away. Richard warily turns the two men away, and the girl (who introduces herself as “Door”) quickly (via a pigeon) contacts a friend, the Marquis de Carabas, to take her home. Richard meets the Marquis, after following directions delivered by a rat, and takes him back to his place and to Door. Door apologises to Richard, and she and the Marquis leave. Once they disappear, Richard’s life is thrown into upheaval. All of a sudden he has no identity. His apartment is no longer his, his phone doesn’t work, he has no job, and, strangely enough – no one really seems to notice him when he tries to search for answers. This leads him to follow Door and the Marquis to ‘London Below’, a world beneath the streets of London. He travels with Door and the Marquis in hopes to reach the Angel Islington – who may have the answer to why Door’s family were murdered and why she is being hunted by Croup and Vandemar- as well as a way for Richard to find his way home.

Will Richard be able to regain the life he once had?

Review
“Neverwhere” started its’ life as a TV series written by Neil Gaiman and Lenny Henry, back in 1996. The story does not change between the TV series or the book adaptation, however, the book allowed Gaiman to expand and flesh out certain aspects of the story and characters that were missed in the TV series, as well as add scenes that were cut. There are parts of the book that read like a scene from a TV series, but this in no way deters the reader from the journey.

Gaiman’s writing style allows the reader to easily follow Richard and Door and their companions through the levels of London Below. The descriptions are simple yet vivid, and it is easy to picture what London looks like, even if the reader has not been there. London’s tube is almost a character in itself in this book; a lot of the characters having some connection to the places (Islington being a perfect example), and a lot of the action takes place there – the tube seeming to be the link between London and London Below.

The characters have their own charm to them. Richard is your bumbling, normal man who you would never expect to be a hero, Door is your mysterious young girl who is very much on the cusp of adult-hood and the Marquis de Carabas is aloof and fanciful- yet quite down to Earth and loyal, when the price is right. Croup and Vandemar are the dangerous, yet not very smart, killers after the heroes. There are many other varieties of characters that they come across along the way that bring another element to the story. All of them have their endearing qualities and are quite real in their actions and interactions.

Also Gaiman does a great job of re-imagining the ideas of a world within a world – and angels are usually a very good selling point for sci-fi fantasy books. He uses these two concepts to create a world that is known, yet unknown – beautiful and chilling all at once.

The story is not a new one, but the humour, the suspense and characters that Gaiman infuses into the story and gives life to makes it a very fun and new twist to it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and didn’t really want the journey to end. The ending is quite an open-ended one, allowing the reader to come to their own conclusions on what happens next – or for Gaiman to write a sequel, if he chooses to do so.

Neverwhere; Author’s preferred text, is what Neil Gaiman states in his introduction, the definitive version of Neverwhere as it combines the UK text and the US text, and he has made whatever other changes he felt the story needed in this version.