Review: Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock

HEMLOCK
By: Kathleen Peacock
Published By: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Series: Hemlock (#1)
Pages: 416
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA Midwinter
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.

Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.

Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.



Sometimes you start reading a book and you know from the first five pages that it's going to be great. Hemlock was one of those books, and I was certainly not disappointed.

Mac lost her best friend Amy to a werewolf attack. Months later, the white werewolf who killed Amy still hasn't been found, and Mac is continually haunted by Amy in her dreams. Then, one day, the werewolf attacks start again, and Trackers - aka werewolf hunters - arrive in Hemlock to search for the killer. However, Mac would rather not have the Trackers in town. They seem to be causing problems, not to mention the fact that Mac's friend Jason is spending more and more time with them. Mac decides to take on the search for Amy's killer herself. But once she starts gathering information, she finds out that she might be in over her head, dealing with secrets she never imagined and situations she might not be able to escape. In a town full of secrets, who can Mac trust?

One of the things I love about YA is how books so easily cross genres. Hemlock blends elements of paranormal and mystery stories, bringing a fresh twist to werewolves. In Hemlock, everyone in the US knows about werewolves - or those that suffer from Lupine Syndrome - and they all hope to avoid werewolf attacks that come with the threat of being changed or killed. Beyond those things, there is still so much to love about Hemlock. One of my favorite things about Mac was her dedication to her friends. She was determined to help all of them, even those who weren't her "best" friends. I also really enjoyed the way Mac's dreams with Amy were incorporated; it provided a great glimpse into Mac's psyche and made their relationship that much more real. Then there was Mac's best guy friend, Kyle. Who could help but fall for him? And even though at first it seems like there's a hint of a love triangle, in reality things are much more complicated.

The story of Hemlock is so engrossing that I forgot everything else while reading. I was swept away by the mystery as well as the excellent writing, and even though I was able to figure out some of the secrets, there were still unexpected surprises. The synopsis definitely doesn't lie when it promises "provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love."

Hemlock is a fabulous debut novel that is not to be missed. Everything about this book left me wanting more, and I cannot wait to read the next installment of the trilogy!

Review: In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton

IN THE FORESTS OF THE NIGHT
By: Kersten Hamilton
Published By: Clarion Books
Release Date: Oct. 22, 2011
Series: Goblin Wars (#2)
Pages: 288
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Disclaimer: This summary may contain spoilers if you have not read Tyger, Tyger. To read that review, please click here.

Goodreads Summary: The battle against goblinkind continues . . . but which side will Teagan be on?

Teagan, Finn, and Aiden have made it out of Mag Mell alive, but the Dark Man’s forces are hot on their heels. Back in Chicago, Tea’s goblin cousins show up at her school, sure she will come back to Mag Mell, as goblin blood is never passive once awoken. Soon she will belong to Fear Doirich and join them. In the meantime, they are happy to entertain themselves by trying to seduce, kidnap, or kill Tea’s family and friends. Tea knows she doesn’t have much time left, and she refuses to leave Finn or her family to be tortured and killed. A wild Stormrider, born to rule and reign, is growing stronger inside her. But as long as she can hold on, she’s still Teagan Wylltson, who plans to be a veterinarian and who heals the sick and hurting. The disease that’s destroying her—that’s destroying them all—has a name: Fear Doirich. And Teagan Wylltson is not going to let him win.



I really loved the first book in this trilogy, Tyger Tyger, not only because of the story but also because of the inclusion of poetry and musical references. I was very excited to be back in this Celtic-infused world and revisit some great characters.

In the Forests of the Night picks up shortly after Tyger, Tyger. Teagan is still trying to adjust to the news that she learned before, and this causes her to be much more cautious. Finn, however, is insistent that nothing has changed, and he wants to be with her as much as ever. But the problems associated with Mag Mell and Fear Doirich have not simply disappeared. Tea and especially Aiden are in as much danger as ever, but this time, they know exactly what they're up against. But Tea can only do so much to keep the goblins away from her family and friends, and soon she realizes that if she is going to defeat Fear Doirich she will have to take even more drastic action. In fact, she may have to give into the side of herself that she swore she never would...

So much of this book focused on the characters themselves and developing their relationships. Teagan and Finn had some incredibly sweet moments, as did Thomas and Roisin. I also enjoyed the dialogue between Abby and Finn. Abby and especially her Turtle cousins did a great job of adding humor to the story. Once again, Aiden has to be one of the most adorable younger brothers there is. I wanted to reach into the book and hug him more than once. Aside from the characters, the danger and suspense were quite palpable in this book, as was Teagen's internal conflict. I really appreciated as she grew into her own and did what was needed to take care of those she cared about, including the chimps at the zoo (yes, even Cindy and Oscar are back). Throughout this book there were plenty of twists and turns that kept me reading right until the end.

While I loved getting to know the characters better, I have to admit that I missed some of the world-building as well as the inclusion of poetry and music that was in the first book. In addition, I wished that there had been a bit more of a reminder about what had happened at the end of the first book; it took me some time to remember all of the details when I wanted to be immersed in the story instead.

Both books of the Goblin Wars have to be two of the most inventive stories in YA right now, and they are both rich with folklore, magic, poetry, and romance. I cannot wait to see how everything comes together in the next book!

Review: A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

A TOUCH MORTAL
By: Leah Clifford
Published By: Greenwillow Books
Release Date: Feb. 22, 2011
Series: Touch Mortal (#1)
Pages: 432
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Book Expo America
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Eden didn't expect Az.

Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick-up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.

Yeah.

So long, happily-ever-after.

Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.

She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else's game. Her heart is her own.

And that's only the beginning of the end.



When I read that stories are about angels and/or fallen angels, I tend to think that the story is going to follow a fairly familiar pattern. A Touch Mortal was definitely something different and gave more complexity to the age-old good vs. evil battle.

Eden's life isn't what she would call happy. It seems as though she's becoming more and more invisible to everyone around her, and she's struggling to find something to live for. Then she meets Az and Gabe. There's something different about them, but she can't quite place it. Against her better judgement, she goes to dinner with Az. Two weeks later their relationship has become very involved, but Az knows this can't happen. To protect Eden, Az does the unthinkable... Eden is suddenly plunged into an unknown world, one of good and bad angels (Bound and Fallen) and Siders, other people like her. As Eden spends more time in this new world, she finds herself at the center of an old battle, unsure of whom she can trust with her life...or her heart.

A Touch Mortal is a new take on an angel story, one with a much darker edge. I enjoyed the inventiveness of this story as well as the gradual transformations of Eden and Gabe. They both grew stronger throughout the book, proving that what is expected is not always what's right or what will happen. I also especially liked Kristen's character and her poetry quotations. Her interesting shopping habits and her snappy dialogue with Eden added yet another dimension to the book. The suspense of what side would win built throughout the book, and I was kept guessing until the end about what exactly would happen and what the truth behind everything was.

However, I did have a few problems with this novel. I felt as though it was missing some important connections and explanations, causing the world-building to feel incomplete. While the story is worth deciphering things, there were several scenes that still left me confused. It is worth noting that there are several mentions of suicide in the book, and while the the subject is not explored, it is not treated lightly either. Finally, there are two time skips in this book, but rather than hurt the story, they actually move it forward.

With interesting characters and an even more intriguing world, A Touch Mortal is the first book of what promises to be a good trilogy. I'll be looking forward to reading A Touch Morbid!