The Deepest Cut

Note: This is a free book that can be purchased from iTunes, Kindle (Amazon), Kobo and other e-book websites.

Title: The Deepest Cut

Author: J.A. Templeton

My rating: 4 stars

This was, to my surprise, a pretty decent read. Not the best and not with characters that stay with you long after, but quite interesting all the same. Riley Williams is a 16 yr old teenager who blames herself for her mother's death in a car accident, and to deal with this pain, she regularly cuts herself, hence the title of the story. Riley has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts ever since the car accident with her mother.

Oblivious to her newly acquired skill and trying to make a fresh start, Riley's dad relocates with her and her brother Shane to Ireland and start a new life in Scotland. In their 'new' house, Riley is caught cutting herself. By Ian MacKinnon, a 19-yr old ghost cursed to roam the Earth without peace. They form a truce, which soon turns into a friendship and then love.

Riley must help end Ian's curse and help him cross over to the afterlife. She also must get rid of Laria, the evil ghost also bound to roam Earth and the one who cursed Ian.

Can Riley stop Laria and return Ian to the afterlife?
Can she let go of the boy she loves?
Will she find her mother's ghost and ask for forgiveness?
Okay...this is starting to sound like some typical blurb trying to get readers instead of a couple of catchy rhetorical questions. But, yeah- this is a good read for anyone looking for a good paranormal read but note that Laria is kinda creepy and the book can be well, to be honest, kind of cheesy at times :-/ But well, not everything is perfect and this is an interesting novel well worth a try for anyone looking for a romantic read with a ghostly twist.

Beautiful Darkness (Beautiful Creatures #2)

Title: Beautiful Creatures

Author: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

My rating: 3 stars

I know, I know, despite my vow to discontinue this series, I not only started, but finished this book. But in one of my emotionally vulnerable moments, i.e. me feeling bored and somewhat alone and masochist I began reading Beautiful Darkness. For the record, I thought it to be better than Beautiful Creatures. Still frustrating at times, but a definite improvement from its predecessor.

Despite the fact that Ethan was placed in the typical 'female's place' in YA books, acting all desperate and needy for Lena, who in turn takes the 'male's place' by behaving all surreptitiously mysterious and has become a rebellious bad girl, my liking for Ethan remained hovering well above my liking, or lack thereof; of Edward Cullen.

Lena was as annoying as ever, if not even more so. Who would've thought that possible right?

I LOVED the side characters. Link, Liv, Ridley, Amma, Ethan's great aunt's, heck, I loved Lucille, their cat. My favourite side character once more was Macon, his history was very interesting.

The plot itself was once more, mystifying and captivating but, the main characters could've been executed in a better manner. By which I mean, I would pay for Ethan to have been less pathetic and needy for Lena and Lena to be, well- less like her own self and someone less vexatious.

Also, I wish that the authors would stop using lame cliffhangers, especially the 16/17 moon song. Jeez, how long are they going to milk that cow?!

Anyway, I might continue the series, owing solely to the fact that the synopsis is intriguing. However, I will not hesitate to ruthlessly abandon the book, committing sacrilege in the process if I find the next book lacking.