Book Review: LETHAL INHERITANCE

Title: Lethal Inheritance
Author: Tahlia Newland
Release date: October 10, 2012
Rating: 4/5
Publisher: Catapult Press
Book Synopsis:

If last night was real, Ariel should be dead. She’s not, but her mother has disappeared, there are bruises on her neck and the hideous beast in the photo looks frighteningly familiar.

You can’t send police into a tunnel that doesn’t exist after a villain they can’t see, so when shadow demons kidnap her mother, Ariel has to mount the rescue mission herself. Hot on the trail, she enters a hidden layer of reality only to find that the demons are hunting her, and they feed on fear. Ariel must defeat them before they kill her and enslave her mother. But how do you kill terrifying demons when your fear makes them stronger?

A quirky old guide teaches her how to locate and unleash her inner power, and while battling hallucinogenic mist, treacherous terrain, murderous earth spirits and self-doubt, she falls in love with Nick, a Warrior whose power is more than either of them can handle.

Ariel’s journey challenges her perception, tests her awareness and takes her deep into her heart and mind to confront, and ultimately transcend, her fear and anger.

Review:

If you like demons and crazy adventures than this book is the one for you!

Waking up to demons taking my mother would probably be the worst thing in the world.

Finding out that I'm the only one who could save her would probably scare the crap out of me.

Discovering that this was planned since before I was born would probably worry me to no end, since there are people who are looking to me to save them.

Those are just the things that Ariel faces in Lethal Inheritence by Tahlia Newland.

I loved the descriptions and the characters themselves. It was told very well, but I think the only thing that made me a little disappointed was how the demons were killed. I liked the whole idea that the demons feed on fear, but the way the die isn't the most "heroic" I guess I would say.

It was a very good page turner that anyone any age would enjoy!

I thoroughly enjoyed the book! Thanks, Tahlia for including me in another tour!
 

Review: You Can't Shatter Me

Title: You Can't Shatter Me
Author: Tahlia Newland
Release date: June 2012 (Paperback, mid August)
Rating: 4.5/5
Publisher: Catapult Press
Book Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Carly wants to be a superhero, but when she stands up to a bully, he turns on her. Words fly, and Carly battles with a silver hook, a giant thistle, a doubt dragon and a suffocating closet. Dylan, a karate-trained nerd who supports her stand, turns out to be a secret admirer, and while he struggles to control his inner caveman, Carly searches for her own way to stop the bully.  An old hippie shows her an inner magic that’ssupposed to make her invincible, but will Carly learn to use it before her knight in shining armour risks all in a battle with a fire-breathing dragon? Or is he the village idiot?

This heart-warming magical realism story will inspire and empower teens and adults alike.

Review:

In this little novella, the reader follows Carly and Dylan through an epic journey of good vs. evil, handwritten scripts and the thought that life can be written the way a person wants it to be written.

Ever since I first picked up a book, I've thought changing point of views were a really awesome way of conveying a story. Whether it be changing points of view in third-person or it be changing points of view in first person, I liked the idea that a reader could see into the thoughts of multiple characters in the story instead of one. It really suited this novella very nicely. Looking through Carly's eyes as well as Dylan's helped make the world that they were living in.

I enjoyed the fact that it was edited "according to Australian conventions" and that it took place in Australia. My best friend is from Australia so I was able to connect some things together from her first trip over there this summer. It was different and I really enjoyed it.

Also--note to the author if you do read this-- thank you for putting the glossary of words in the front. It really helped me understand some of the lingo.

The only problem point that I would have for this whole thing is the areas that were meant to be symbolic. I understood them, and I get them. I liked them very much. Then they stretched over the chapters and it started losing that feeling on me. I feel like they took too much away from the situation as they stretched out. What started as words attacking turned into a battle with a sword. I understood it, but it could have been shortened just a teensy bit.

Overall, I loved the story, the plot, and the message it gave out. The characters were strong and readers could really relate to them. I liked the moments of "writing" that Carly had and the moments of "script editing" that Dylan had. It all made the story and I really liked it.

Thank you, Tahlia! I would like to hear more from you soon!