Relatively Honest by Molly Ringle

STORYLINE:  Daniel Revelstoke is all about fun and games in the relationship department. That’s until his family relocates from Britain to America and he falls in love with a family member. Things become even more complicated since his cousin doesn’t know she’s his cousin and Daniel hopes she won’t find out until she’s in too deep to end their relationship.

PLAYERS:  Daniel Revelstoke is eighteen and a girl’s man, who doesn’t tarry long in relationships. He first comes across as shallow, but doesn’t deliberately hurt other people’s feelings. He does, however, go after what he wants and can be charming and devious while he’s at it.

Julie French is a sensible girl who doesn’t fall for Daniel immediately. She knows what to expect from him and becomes friendly with him over time. She’s a strong young woman, who eventually makes the decision that’s best for her, despite opposition.

I LIKED: watching Daniel move from a guy who treats relationships lightly to one who genuinely cares about his friends and the girl in his life. It was also touching to see his concern over his mother as he tried to figure out what was going on with her. Although confident, Daniel has his own insecurities which makes him less than perfect.

Relatively Honest also does a great job of demonstrating that making good decisions involves hard work. Then there’s the matter of determining sexual preferences and coming to a deeper understanding of who we are as individuals.

I COULD HAVE LIVED WITHOUT the anxiety that came from seeing how things would work out for Daniel. I also had anxious moments over what would happen when Julie found out about his secret.

COVER NOTE: The models on the cover hint strongly at the fact that the book is targeted at young people, which works well for the story.

OVERALL COMMENTS: I haven’t read a lot of fiction about people at college age and wondered how serious people at this age can be about each other. Relatively Honest helped to convince me that the younger set can, and do, feel deeply when they find someone they genuinely care about. I’ve read other books from Ms. Ringle and look forward to reading more from her.

SOURCE: I received Relatively Honest from the author.

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Book Review - Demonglass

STORYLINE:  Overwhelmed by the knowledge of the destruction that’s possible through her supernatural powers,  Sophie Mercer decides she wants to be done with that part of her life. She leaves Hecate (Hex) Hall for London, but based on her absentee father’s request, Sophie decides to wait before making a decision.  In England, she discovers that someone is in the business of spawning demons. Danger lurks around every corner: Sophie’s in danger from her own kind and her crush is on the side that’s determined to destroy her.

PLAYERS: 

Sophie Mercer: A little older and a tad more mature, Sophie spews snappy lines from start to finish.   She’s conflicted by her powers, her relationship with her dad, and the fiancé she didn’t know she had, not to mention the crush she thought she was over.

Archer Cross: The warlock Sophie still hasn’t got over. He’s working for the enemy, but that doesn’t stop Sophie from getting attached all over again.

Jennifer Talbot (Jenna): Vampire, and friend to Sophie, who knows her better than anyone else. They have their ups and downs, just like friends in the real world and are a constant in each others lives.

Cal: I wonder if it’s significant that I can’t remember anything of his name other than that his sir name is Callaghan.  Anyway, he’s the groundskeeper-cum-healer at Hex Hall and the fiancé Sophie didn’t know she had until the start of this novel.

I LIKED: Sophie's voice, which is probably the most appealing thing (for me) about this book. She just keeps those one liners coming. (Really enjoyed the banter between herself and Archer in chapter 31, while they battled the ghouls.) I also appreciated the relationships the writer built for her. Jenna is right there with Sophie and the writer mentions/inserts characters from the first book, so it was easy to pick up where the last book left off. 

Also liked how her relationship with Cal developed, but personally, there was a bit of a disappointment there for me. (Yeah, I’m in Cal’s camp.)  The book was realistic in that Sophie was willing to grow into what she was supposed to become based on her lineage.  The pace of the story was as good, if not better than Hex Hall.

I COULD HAVE LIVED WITHOUT:  the angst contained in the story, but what can I say? We’re reading about teens, so that is expected. I wasn’t as devastated by Sophie’s feelings of loss over Archer as I was during the times when she was at odds with her best friend. Strange, I know, but such was the relationship between the two girls. My reaction over the Sophie/Archer situation could also be because I was rooting for Cal.

OVERALL COMMENTS: Again, werewolves, witches and vampire aren’t my thing, but Ms. Hawkins spins a good tale. The plot was credible, based on the storyline coming from Hex Hall and the drama grew in relation to the disastrous events that swamped the characters by the end of the book.

I liked the developing relationship between Cal and Sophie. Some sparks were definitely there, but I was a tad disappointed with the way things have turned out between them. Couldn’t believe Sophie didn’t see/feel that she was also attracted to him. I felt like she was making excuses when she finally admitted how Cal felt about her.  I was a bit let down that Sophie’s dad didn’t suspect or sense that his enemies were so close, him being a mega demon and all.

And on the business of cliff hangers? I loved the way the book ended – with an invitation to step right into the next leg of the story.  If the third book was out there, I’d have picked it up right away. I knew it wasn’t, but still I checked, just in case. Silly me.

Started Demonglass on Monday evening. Read it on my way to and from work. Finished it this evening (Wednesday), but had it on my mind when I couldn’t read. Good story, great characters, interesting plot. The writer kept me invested from beginning to end and I definitely will read the next book.  

Hurry up, Ms. Hawkins!

Demonglass was a mind-blowingly awesome read!

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Little Island - Big Adventures

Storyline:  Little Island - Big Adventures follows the exploits of Sara-Ann, a precocious twelve-year old. The novel is set on a rustic island (somewhere near the Grenadines) that is without electricity and other modern amenities. Not that you’ll notice, as Sara’s capers with her best friend Ruben will entice the reader.  Sara-Ann also experiences some anxiety about her impending separation from Ruben as she prepares to attend school on the mainland.

Players: Sara-Ann is one of four children whose father is the Head Master of the only school on the island. Although they live in a tiny community, there are quite a few colourful characters, including a ‘witch’ and Elsie, a snooty girl, whom Sara can’t stand.

I liked: The island flavor of the novel. There were so many things that were familiar. The fact that children in that time went barefooted, the freedom they had to rove the island, the omens that denoted bad things to come, like the eerie call of a mysterious bird and the significance attached to dreams.And for those who are not entirely familiar with 'things Caribbean', a glossary is included in the back of the book.

I could have lived without: the way in which the story was conveyed, at times. I found the register too high for a twelve-year-old, even one as intelligent as Sara-Ann. I would have thought her affected, but for the fact that her adventures painted her as a down-to-earth girl. To borrow a couple of lines…'…she screeched, sounding positively petrified.' And 'Not your ordinary, garden-variety type of terror; this was a delicious mix of excitement and anticipation,…'

A convincing voice is something I struggle with and have had to look at carefully in my YA (or should I say Middle Grade?) novels as my characters are also of above average intelligence. Still, this did not detract too much from the story.

Overall comments:  Little Island – Big Adventures was an engaging read. It’s always interesting to see how folks live in other Caribbean territories. What made this story different is that the family was not the usual people of African extraction. The closeness of Sara-Ann's family and the caring nature of the community made this a pleasant read. Also, the simple lifestyle captivated me, so too Sara-Ann and Ruben’s resourcefulness in their mischief-making. I’d recommend this book as good reading for children.

Rating: Four-and-a-half stars.

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