Shadows on the moon by Zoe Marriott - 2011
Blurb...
On my fourteenth birthday when the sakura was in full bloom, the men came to kill us. We saw them come, Aimi and me. We were excited, because we did not know how to be frightened. We had never seen soldiers before."
Suzume is a shadow-weaver. She can create mantles of darkness and light, walk unseen in the middle of the day, change her face. She can be anyone she wants to be. Except herself.
Suzume died officially the day the Prince's men accused her father of treason. Now even she is no longer sure of her true identity.
Is she the girl of noble birth living under the tyranny of her mother’s new husband, Lord Terayama? A lowly drudge scraping a living in the ashes of Terayama’s kitchens? Or Yue, the most beautiful courtesan in the Moonlit Lands?
Everyone knows Yue is destined to capture the heart of a prince. Only she knows that she is determined to use his power to destroy Terayama.
And nothing will stop her. Not even love
Set in ancient Asia and using many terms and folklore from Japan and China, it provides a beautiful backdrop for a story full of passion, betrayal, survival and vengence. Suzume's world is turned brutally upside down on her 14th birthday and her journey for survival and revenge is breathtaking. I absolutely loved this story and I desperately hope that Zoe writes a sequel.
Visit Zoe's site: http://www.zoemarriott.com/
The Hunter by Tom Wood - 2011
Blurb ....
Forget James Bond.
Forget Jason Bourne.
Forget Jack Bauer.
Meet Victor.
He's an assassin - a man with no past and no surname. But when a Paris job goes spectacularly wrong, Victor finds himself running for his life across four continents, accompanied by a woman too beautiful to trust, pursued by enemies too powerful to escape.
This is Tom Wood's first novel and has just finished writing the 2nd installment to Victor's adventures. I really enjoyed this story and it had me wondering just what is really going on in our world. Just how many 'spies' and contract killers are out there doing their 'thing' while we blissfully go along with our lives? I must admit I didn't like what Woods had done to the Rachel character, just when things were getting really interesting. Not Happy! Anyway, I can highly recommend this story if you love fast paced, gripping, edge of your seat action.
Visit Tom's site: http://www.tomwoodbooks.com/
The power of six by Pittacus Lore - 2011
Book two of the Lorien legacies.
Blurb....
Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We’re hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we’ll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I’ve been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?
They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.
I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.
And I’m ready to fight.
Picking up from the ending of 'I am number four'. this installment has two stories running simulainiously. One, in America on the run with John, Sam, Six and Bernie Kosar and two in a convent/orphanage high in the mountains of Spain where we meet number seven. This book is faced paced and edgier and the ending leaves you wanting more. I'm enjoying this series and I am really looking forward to the next one.
I am number four by Pitticus Lore - 2009
Blurb ....
We were nine, three are dead, I am number four.
Nine teenagers and their guardians are hiding on Earth … protected by a charm that means they can only be killed in numeric order, three are already dead. John Smith is Number Four. And his mortal enemies are hunting him down.
The only way to keep off radar is to keep moving, never staying in one place for long. Finally in the firing line, all he can do is adopt the guise of a student and pray his unusual gifts – his legacies – stay hidden long enough for him to settle into this new community.
But others seem to sense his otherness and when small-town life sucks him into its intrigues, it's only a matter of time before his true nature is revealed. And that means there's no space for love, friendship or a future if it means protecting not only himself, but the other five …
Visit Pittacus Lore's site: http://iamnumberfourfans.com/the-lorien-legacies/
