Chaos by Megan Duncan

Title: Chaos
Series: Agents of Evil #2
Author: Megan Duncan

Release Date: 30th June 2012

My Rating: 4/5

Previous Book: Released #1

Blurb:

Is any shot at living, worth dying for?

They thought they’d be safe, but a world ruled by chaos doesn’t die easily.

When Max turned on the radio transmissions assuring safety, they came. But, it wasn’t just survivors of the demon apocalypse that crawled their way into the abandoned military base. A myriad of beastly demons unlike any they’ve ever seen, came as well. Abby, and her companions, struggle to survive as the evil around them grows. Desperate to endure, and to defend their fellow survivors, Abby and a squad of fierce fighters, take on a dangerous mission that has deadly consequences.

In A Nutshell: An excellent sequel to Released.

My Review:
In post-apocalyptic America, small groups of survivors hide amongst the ruins in an attempt to live through each day as demons destroy the world they once knew. After finally reaching the military compound, only to find it deserted, Abby, Max, Taya and Carter make it their base, welcoming newcomers as they trickle in, creating some sort of home for those who have already lived through more than anybody should have to in a lifetime.

Abby is tough and doesn’t like to show weakness, mostly because she recognises that as a leader, she needs to stay strong for those around her, otherwise the life they have tried to maintain for themselves will crumble. Like most people, though, Abby has a breaking point and she can only stay strong with the help of Max, Carter and Taya by her side. Along with newcomers Drew, Grant and Remie, the group fight to keep their new charges safe and survive the demons that have decimated their lives.

On a routine outing to scout for supplies, things go horribly wrong when the group accidentally exposes the hiding place of other survivors to a territorial group of spider demons, destroying the safe haven and injuring the group’s leader. Abby offers them safe haven and medical treatment at their compound but it quickly becomes apparent that their basic medical supplies won’t be enough to heal the wounded. Abby’s promise to do everything she can to help the injured, results in Abby and her group ignoring warnings about a potential new breed of demon and entering a deserted hospital in search of medical supplies. When you’re at war with demons, surprises are around every corner and once again, the group run into trouble that not only surpasses anything they have seen before, but proves fatal.

With death always a possibility, our characters learn to appreciate the little, simple things in life and have to wrestle with the possibility that every time they venture out of their base for supplies, someone may not return. Many characters still have their own personal demons to sort through as everyone has lost someone they loved or was important to them. No matter how much danger there is on the outside, internal demons need to be addressed before they resurface at crucial times. In the first book we saw the memories that plague Abby, Max, Carter and Taya and this time the readers are given the opportunity to get a glimpse of Drew, Grant and Remie, which provides depth and heart to their tough, warrior-like personas.

There is plenty of action and suspense with a focus on helping other survivors and doing what they can to improve their shocking living conditions. The return of a character from Released is welcome and provides some comfort for our heroes in such a chaotic time.

Released by Megan Duncan

Title: Released
Series: Agents of Evil #1
Author: Megan Duncan

Release Date: 1st April 2011

My Rating: 4/5

Blurb:
After a demon apocalypse kills their parents and everyone they know, 17-year old Abby Phillips, her brother, Carter, and friend, Max flee their home to travel through what has become the wastelands of America. When radio transmissions of a resistance offering shelter and safety cease, Abby is tempted to give up. Struggling to overcome life-threatening obstacles in their dangerous journey, Abby and her companions quickly discover there are much worse things lurking in the dark than they could have ever imagined.

In A Nutshell:
A kick-butt girl, a post-apocalyptic America and a hot boy who will make you swoon and sweat. Released has plenty of action, suspense, demons and death, with a little romance thrown in as well. Can't wait for the sequel!

My Review:
Released was a novel that got my attention straight away as I love reading books about girls that kick butt and post-apocalyptic-fight-to-survive type stories.

Strange demons have taken over the world and Abby, Carter and Max decide the time has come to set off across America and find other survivors and a place of refuge. As they travel from Washington to New Mexico using whatever means necessary to survive, they each have their roles to play; Carter, the brains and the one his sister and best mate turn to for ideas, and Abby and Max, the ‘brawn’, with their unspoken agreement to watch out for Carter who is less skilled in the self-defence/fighting department. The developing relationship between Abby and Max is sweet and a ray of light in the grim reality of what awaits them around every corner.

As the trio get closer to New Mexico, they stumble upon other survivors and take in the distraught Taya who joins them on their journey and turns out to be more capable than originally thought. They also come across what appears to be a well-organised refuge, although something about the relationship between the leader and those who live there doesn’t fit right with Abby, Carter and Max. When they try to help, they are thrown into a whole unexpected bout of trouble other than the demons. Fighting for their survival suddenly got a lot more complicated than they thought it would and Abby has to question which lines she will cross, and how far she will go, to protect the ones she loves.

Released has plenty of action, suspense, demons and death, with a little romance thrown in as well. Our characters have managed to hold on to their humour despite their dire circumstances and they are smart and tough teenagers who readers will become attached to. There are no boring bits and I can’t wait to read the sequel, Chaos, when it is released early 2012.

Mammon by J.B. Thomas

Title: Mammon
Author: J.B. Thomas

Release Date: 1st September 2011

My Rating: 3/5

Blurb:
Forget anything you ever heard about possession, exorcisms, salt circles and pentagrams. The modern demon is far more difficult to catch - and even harder to destroy.

After the savage death of their parents, Grace and Joe Callahan learn that they they are descendants of the sarsareh - mercenaries who hunt very special prey. Grace and Joe take their place in the Order, but are treated with hostility and fear by other recruits.

For the Callahan siblings have powers that fascinate and terrify.

Joe is a Ferryman, capable of opening dimensional rifts, while Grace's telepathic abilities surpass anything the Order has ever seen.

But none of that will matter if the powerful demon Mammon manages to convince Joe to open a gateway to his demon world and overrun Earth with his armies.

If he succeeds: game over.

In A Nutshell:
An urban fantasy story with a spy/action type feel to it where demons are fought, rifts to the underworld are opened, good guys turn bad, powerful abilities are developed and people die.

My Review:
Mammon is a suspenseful, urban fantasy novel with a spy/action-type feel to it. Our main characters, Grace and Joe, become part of a secret group of demon hunters, but these demons are not your run of the mill beasties.

J.B. Thomas has created a whole new demon mythology where the majority of demons are created from ordinary people who choose less savoury life choices which lead them down the wrong path. They are people who have had plenty of chances to change their lives around but always pick the evil path. Of course, there are also your supreme demons that have scuttled up from somewhere unimaginable, such as Mammon, the big-bad of this novel, who looks like a normal guy. Did I mention that some demons have powers? That’s ok, so do some of our good guys.

What is Mammon’s main goal and why do Grace and Joe want to fight him? He not only killed their parents but also wants to use all his evil human demon friends as hosts for his otherworldly beastie friends to use once they come through a rift, a rift that Mammon wants Joe to open.

Part one of Mammon starts with strange things happening to Grace and Joe. They are confused by them but they don’t know what to do. When Joe decides to show his dad what he can do, his dad freaks out. It is then that their parents tell them that they have unique abilities, and by using them, they have alerted demons to their whereabouts. While waiting for their safety escort, the house is attacked and their parents are killed. It is here, in part two, that the story really begins, when Grace and Joe arrive at Renfield, a secure facility where their parents used to work, and their aunt still does. Here they learn how to fight and use their unusual talents with others whose lives have been influenced the same way.

To be honest, I struggled a bit at the beginning and didn’t really feel connected to what was going on, although once part two kicked off (there are three parts to the story) I was fully involved. I liked the different relationships that existed at Renfield and that many of the others there were incredibly hostile to Grace and Joe when they arrive. Aren’t people supposed to be nice to the new kids?? Well they’re not here. Everyone has an ‘axe to grind’ so to speak.

Grace and Joe’s behaviour is quite real. They make mistakes and act the wrong way. They underestimate what it is they are doing and typically, Joe gets led astray by power and a pretty girl. Grace is not without a little crush too. With a slight channelling of Vampire Academy (sexy older Russian trainer), Grace quickly falls for her team leader Ivan. While this is quite significant to Grace, it doesn’t detract from the real purpose of the story.

Demons are fought, rifts are opened, good guys turn bad, new abilities are developed and people die. The sequel will open up a whole new can of worms!

Mammon is book one in The Ferryman Chronicles and in book two, I would really like to get to learn more about Joe, as we see quite a bit of Grace and are able to get a feel for her in book one. I also hope that the unanswered questions concerning Marcus and the goings on at the asylum have some light shed on them. In Mammon, I really liked the small appearances by Sarah, Seth and Lucius (some of the other people at Renfield) so I would personally like to see more of them in the sequel.

Thankyou to Random House Australia for this review copy.

Ministry of Pandemonium by Chris Westwood

Title: Ministry of Pandemonium
Series: Pandemonium Book 1
Author: Chris Westwood

Release Date: 1st May 2011

My Rating: 4/5

Blurb:

Another night shift, another lost soul - pray the good guys find it first...

When Ben Harvester meets the mysterious Mr October in Highgate Cemetery, nothing could have prepared him for the strange and dramatic turn his life is about to take. Soon Mr October is leading him towards his true calling - his work at the Ministry of Pandemonium, helping to guide the dead to the afterlife.

But Ben quickly discovers that there are terrifying forces keen to thwart the work of the Ministry and lead the newly-dead astray. And when Ben's mum suddenly becomes seriously ill, he questions whether he can continue with the important job he has been given.

My Review:
Thirteen year old Ben used to be a solitary kid who hung out in cemeteries with his sketchbook. But after his chance meeting with Mr October, he now helps protect the souls of the departed with his new friends Becky - who senses people, Sukie - who is clairvoyant, and Lu - a contortionist, from the Deathheads and the Mawbreed's. For every good guy there is a bad guy and as they travel the streets of London, looking for the next departed soul, they must keep their wits about them. With demons creeping behind every shadow, Ben and must use his gift to help protect others, if he can ever figure out what it is or how to use it.

Ministry of Pandemonium is a supernatural thriller that is fast-paced and filled with repulsive demons, confused souls and bizarre deaths. It can be funny, it can be sad, and it can be spooky!

It would be great for fans of Michael Scott, Derek Landy and Darren Shan and is aimed at the ten to fifteen age bracket.

My only criticisms are that I would have liked some more background on Mr October and how the Ministry came to be. I also thought there could have been a bit more throughout the book involving his mothers illness. But these are small things and and I'm probably nit-picking!

Thank you to Walker Books Australia for this review copy.

Torment by Lauren Kate

Title: Torment
Series: Fallen Book 2
Author: Lauren Kate

Release Date: 30th September 2010

My Rating: 3/5

Blurb:

Lucinda is sure that she and Daniel are meant to be together forever. Now they are forced apart in a desperate bid to save Luce from The Outcasts, immortals who want her dead. As she discovers more about her past lives Luce starts to suspect that Daniel is hiding something. What if he has lied to her about their shared past? What if Luce is really meant to be with someone else?


My Review:
For those of you who have read my review of Fallen, you will know that I had mixed opinions about the story. Once again I am in the same frame of mind.

First off, do not read Torment until you have re-read Fallen. I read Fallen more than 6 months ago and have read at least 50 books since so I spent the first few chapters trying to remember what had happened, what the mythology was and which side different characters were on.

In Torment, Daniel sends Luce off to Shoreline, another school, to keep her safe while he focuses on keeping away those who want her dead. Shoreline is nothing like Sword and Cross and Luce manages to actually have a good time and make new friends, especially with Shelby and Miles. These characters are great and I love the time she spends away from Daniel.

I enjoyed Torment more than Fallen and I think the main reason is because I really dislike Daniel's character and he isn't in this book as much as he was the first. He is still very secretive and cryptic and it's so frustrating! I feel as if I am Luce and all the secrets are being kept from me because, as the reader, we don't know much more than Luce does. The suspense is built up a lot as we have to wait until the end to really find out any big revelations, but even then we are still left in the dark about many things!

Also, for those who pay attention to fantastic book covers, we once again have another stunning cover.

This is a frustrating series and I can't decide if I love it or hate it. As you know, I don't post spoilers, but I will give you a little something to keep building the suspense until this is released...I am totally Team Miles...