The Blood She Betrayed
By Cheryse Durrant
Rating: 5
"He's dead." Max's fingers clenched around the kitchenware. "You...you chopped off his head!"
"There are two ways to kill a Taloner - chop off its head or rip out its heart. You would rather I let him live so he could kill you?"
"No, it's not that, it's just..." The frypan clattered against the bench. "He was so nice."
"Until he tried to kill you."
Either this girl had a passion for medieval costumes, or he'd died and gone to heaven and she was his leather-scented welcoming committee.
Max McCalden's drunken fall from a balcony could have turned out worse.
Instead of dying due to his stupidity and a slippery ledge, he is saved by a Goth Angel with ivory skin, violet eyes and midnight-black hair. Introducing herself as Shahkara, the girl's stilted accent, costume, sword and lack of social awareness make her all the more intriguing to Max. When she asks him to point her to the nearest 'tavern', he offers her to stay at his place...totally unaware of how his life is about to be turned upside down.
She must remain incognito. Besides, she had been abandoned by her people. She was no longer the Princess Royal. She was a shahkara, a peasant in a foreign land.
Shahkara is in awe of her surroundings. Earth is unlike anything she has every seen before, with carriages that move thanks to something Max calls 'science', showers that don't fall from the sky, and a thing called 'Maccas' that provides humans with spicy burgers with cheese.
But Shahkara isn't here for cars, hot showers or McDonald's burgers. The survival of her people and her world is at stake.
Taloners prowl both Gorias and Earth. They are creatures that resemble humans, but with one deadly difference - the long talons they hide between their knuckles, which they use to sink into the chests of their prey...and to rip out, and eat, their hearts.
Having travelled between Earth and her home Gorias through the Twilight Mists of a new moon, when the fabric between the worlds is at its thinnest, Shahkara has been sent to Earth on a pressing mission: to activate The Elnara, an ancient death lantern with the ability to destroy all Taloners once activated.
And being shackled to a seventeen year-old human boy with a Taloner target on his back is not an ideal situation.
Max thought Taloners were an old Celtic myth. He certainly never expected to have one turn up in his house and try to kill him.
Saved once again by the half-human, half-Taloner Shahkara, Max strikes a deal with her: he'll help her find the death lantern, if she keeps him safe and lets him come along. With little choice, seeing that her meager knowledge of Earth won't suffice on her trip if she's to make it undetected, Shahkara agrees.
But with Taloners after them both and time slowly running out, will Shahkara be able to activate the lantern before it's too late? And at what cost?
Brawls, wicked intentions, romance, destiny and magic collide in a novel that is sure to have you hooked until the very last word.
With effortless humour, vivid detail and a cast of relatable characters, Cheryse Durrant's The Blood She Betrayed is a refreshing change from your usual YA fiction, reshaping myths and creating worlds that will entice and engage readers across the world.
Taloners may eat your heart. But humans can steal it.
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Join Shahkara and Max's journey today!
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Soul Ties (Soul Ties #1)
By Lisa Swallow
Rating: 4.7
**Some graphic language**
'She would fail.
A hateful tear split from her eye and she blinked it away. Keir wasn't going to see her fear as he killed her, he couldn't have that triumph. If Keir wanted to kill her she would look into his eyes as he did. She locked her gaze with his, willing the teardrop sliding down her face to disappear.
The point of the dagger pressed into her cheek, and pierced her skin. Dizziness started blacking her vision.
Keir shifted his gaze to the unwanted tear running down the frightened girl's dirt-covered cheek. As the teardrop touched her ear, he hesitated.
The dagger clattered onto the floor. Keir stood and ran into the night.'
Working as a Soul-Hunter is like Purgatory. It's not Hell...but it's close.
Ava has hunted down countless demons, retrieving souls from them. It's her job - one she signed up for without fully understanding how tiresome and exhausting a life being followed by the constant threat of death would be.
Now only one things stands between her and her freedom. A final assignment...the retrieval of a Nephilim soul. The key to ending her servitude.
No one has ever beaten her yet and she won't be letting anything get in the way of success now.
Two steps ahead. Two steps back.
Upon pinpointing her target, a Nephilim male by the name of Keir, Ava prepares herself for an easy hunt. An English university campus only has so many places to hide, and sooner or later the perfect chance will arise for her to confront him and retrieve the soul.
But Keir is much more than he seems.
Very aware of Ava's true mission, he thwarts her plans to end him time and time again, both amused and angry at her feeble attempts. Ava can't seem to figure out how to deal with an enemy stronger, quicker and sneakier than herself. Time is against her - failure not an option.
She needs a plan of attack, and soon. Or she can kiss her freedom goodbye...forever.
Friend...or foe?
Days pass, and Keir continues to challenge everything Ava thought she ever knew about Nephilim. Why would Keir fight a demon if demons and Nephilim were allies? Why doesn't he kill her already? His actions confuse her, throwing her off her game.
Not to mention the irritating feeling that has begun to grow inside of her...something awfully close to attraction.
He is living proof that what she has been told isn't all true. And Ava isn't sure she'd ready to accept that she's been living a lie.
Secrets crawl to the surface.
She didn't expect to fall in love.
She didn't expect to discover the truth.
She didn't expect to question all she knows.
She didn't expect such a difficult choice: her life...or Keir's?
Sacrifices will be made. Hearts will be broken.
Discover a world of vivid emotions and unbreakable ties - Lisa Swallow's compelling narrative will take you on an unforgettable journey, leaving you wanting more.
Through 7 fiery rounds, numerous strong, confident, talented and amazing female characters have battled, supported by their authors, readers and fans.
The Grand Final saw:
- Alexandria Andros from Jennifer L Armentrout's Covenant series
- Maggie Masters from Shelly Crane's Significance series, and
- Ruby Moore from Skyla Madi's Guardian Angel series
go neck to neck, separated by only a handful of votes.
I am proud to announce that the winner of the YA Feisty Female Tourney title for 2013 - with 933 votes/49%, is...
MAGGIE MASTERS!
A big congratulations to Maggie, Shelly Crane and those who are fans of Maggie and got her through all seven rounds! This is an amazing achievement :)
A big thank you to Jennifer and Skyla, for their support and for their amazing female characters - as well as to all the other females who didn't make it into the Grand Final, their authors, their fans and a special thanks to my beautiful advocators, who took the time and effort to spread the word about this tourney and rally support for their faves!
I'm looking forward to doing this all again next year...but for now let's hear three cheers for Maggie, the YA Feisty Female for 2013!!
