Ethereal Knights: Review

Synopsis:

Young Adult Paranormal Romance

A point of view novel: Ethereal (Celestra Series Book 1) rewritten through Logan and Gage’s perspective.

Angels still roam the earth through Nephilim bloodlines. The battle for power between angelic factions intensifies when a new girl moves to Paragon Island.

Logan and Gage Oliver are captivated by Paragon’s newest resident, Skyla Messenger. Logan believes she is the Celestra destined to grow to a ripe old age with him, and Gage believes she’s the girl prophesized to be his.

The battle lines are drawn as both Olivers vie for her attention while danger lurks around every corner, and they must work together to keep Skyla safe. Logan fights to keep his new relationship with Skyla, but destiny alters his plans and he must make a decision that might cost him Skyla forever.

*Language/ mature situations.

***

Okay, I have no idea why I even read this. Because I don't like Celestra series. I'm definitely not into Ethereal, and I don't like Tremble, and I can't even finish Burn. But I guess curiosity can rule. I mean, it's a point of view NOVEL, not just a scene but an entire novel rewritten. I guess that's kind of new for me. Hey it never hurts to read point of view novels, especially when it's rewritten in a boy's point of view.

So this book is not about impressing readers with excitement, because if you read this, you pretty much know what Ethereal is about, and all it's left are the... feels, I guess? That's where the problem lies. I'm totally not into Logan or Gage, and I cannot understand why they are so into Skyla just because of some prophecy (maybe it's because of the whole "prophecies can change" from Covenant series). Anyway, so their affections matters little to me. If you like Celestra series, I think you will love this book, but since I'm not one of them, the whole affection part doesn't work for me.

But there's a good thing though. It's kinda hilarious with the words, especially in the first few... uh, rewritten chapters. I have no idea why it's so hilarious to see them curse, but it is. At least the words are more, what, lively than before. Certainly better than Ethereal. But the bad thing is, that's pretty much the ONLY good thing I can think of.

Since this is a point of view book rewritten from an original one, I feel like I can never rate this properly. But if you really want me to say something, I can only tell you that I'm not into this book.

Rating: 6/10

P.S. I'm not so sure about picking up Burn again and finish the series. I can't promise that I will never pick it up again. But for now, I just can't keep on reading it. Time to move on.

Tremble: Review

Synopsis:

TREMBLE is the sequel to ETHEREAL (Celestra Series Book 1)

Sixteen year-old, Skyla Messenger is determined to bring back the dead.

For Skyla, being an angel from the coveted Celestra faction hasn't been easy.

An entire band of wicked angels is after her blood, a Sector is after something far more sinister, and her newfound powers lead her on a quest to save her dead father.

Skyla and her boyfriend Logan try to piece together a plan to take down the Countenance in order to maintain their relationship, but will Skyla's burgeoning feelings for Gage get in the way?

And when Skyla decides to use her powerful blood to change the fate of another deceased soul, just who is going to stop her?



*This book also works as a stand-alone novel.


**Look for Book 3 in the Celestra series COMING SUMMER 2011!

***

My hopes aren't high after reading the first book, Ethereal. But I decided to give it a chance. Damn if that wasn't a wrong move. I like it even less than Ethereal. There's just nothing likable in this book.

First problem is the plot. The whole prioritizing thing sucks in Tremble. I mean, after Skyla finds about her powers as a pure Celestra, she is on a quest to save her dead father by time traveling/light driving/whatever the heck her skill is. And to find ways to defeat the oh-so-bad Countenance. But the first twenty or so chapters of the book is literally about cheesy teen romance. You know, the boy rejecting the girl for fear of some paranormal danger caught up, and the girl is heartbroken. Meanwhile she's stuck with another boy and her feelings are torn, blah blah and blah. This is not Twilight, for crying out loud. The rest of the book is slightly better. But by the time things get a little more interesting, I've already lost interest in the book so I can say I read the book without really soaking in all the words.

Second problem are the characters. Starting with Skyla. I hate to say it so harshly, but she's stupid and selfish. Oh and she's a slut. Stupid, because anyone with brain cells knows that time traveling/ light driving to the past can change things so drastically that it can well be irreversible. And she uses it to meet Chloe and her dad, thinking that maybe the outcome won't be so horrible? Seriously? Selfish, because she uses her power to time travel/ light drive back to the past to meet her loved ones. Hell, an apocalypse can happen when she does something stupid like that and all she cares about is saving her dad and Chloe for her to be happy? And not to mention she uses people like they're her tools. That is so selfish. The slut thing is even worse. Do I even need to point out that she practically jumps between Logan and Gage, holding Logan this minute and the next kissing Gage? I don't care if she has the power to kick some Countenance butt. I hate her, almost as much as Evie from Poison Princess.

Logan is not much better either. He's cruel and jealous. At the same time! Normally these two things don't match and thus doesn't matter much. But he is cruel to Skyla one minute by practically ignoring her and saying cruel things to her just to prove a point that he's not with her publicablly (when Skyla's only greeting him!), and the next he's hurt all over the place because Skyla's with Gage and she's happy? I don't care if you are protecting her from the Counts or the Fems or whatever danger she will eventually have to face. He's frustrating. Gage is probably the most tolerable character in Tremble. But he's too soft and he practically allows Skyla to date both boys at the same time without even complaining about anything openly. Really? I almost yell "grow a pair, jeez" while reading the whole thing.

The only slightly better thing about Tremble is the writing. But even I have a hard time to digest the words and let them sink in. This book is 107 pages in Kindle Edition. Short enough to be a short story. But damn, 3 days to read Tremble when I can read a three-hundred-something-page book in one and a half day? You get the picture.

Despite all the flaws, I still will continue to read the series, but only because I want to see how Chloe is resurrected and how Skyla drags herself into serious trouble. Yep, karma is a fair bitch.

Rating: 4/10

Ethereal: Review

Synopsis:

***

This book has a good setting. Okay, this is still about angel stuff and Nephilim. Nothing new. But hey, factions sounds kinda good to me. And the Nephilim has a killa name too. Earthbound angels. Because they don't have wings. Cool name. And there are wars between factions. That's better. I hate Nephilim being all good or all bad. Some of them has to be good or bad. (Lame as it sounded, this whole thing kinda reminds me of Divergent simply because of the word "faction". Jeez)

Another relatively good thing about Ethereal is the writing. The words are easy to understand and not too melodramatic. They are easy to sink in especially when you like the book. But unfortunately I'm not a big fan of it. Here's why:

1. The characters: None of them are remarkable enough to make an impression of me. In my conscious mind I know how the characters are and where their positions are. But that's it. I just know it. I don't feel it. That's a huge downside. It's not like I don't like the characters. But none are strong characters. Not even the supposedly main characters.

2. The plot: It's smooth, I'd give it credit for that. But too smooth is exactly the problem. I mean, come on, moving to a new town, meet the boy(s) and bam! Things are suddenly a little crazy and they fall in love AT FIRST SIGHT? I hate to say it, but it's a little lame. Sorry, I'm not who I used to be and I'm not down with the whole love-at-first-sight thing. And the mysterious parts just aren't as mysterious as they should be. Things are way too predictable here. And there's already drama and scandal. I heard that those kind of things will only get worse in this series. Le sigh.

Despite all the flaws and imperfections, I'm actually okay with this book. But I'm not so sure about reading the sequel, Tremble. It seems like things won't develop much in the sequel because hey, it's only slightly more than 107 pages. What can you expect?

Rating: 6/10