Bengal Reads

Title: Witch World
Author: Christopher Pike Witch World #1 Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Purchase Here: Amazon|Barnes & Noble

Witches are real—and each of us may be one—in this all-new paranormal suspense novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christopher Pike.
Heading off for a weekend in Las Vegas with her friends, Jessie Ralle has only one worry—how to make it through the road trip in the same car with her Ex, Jimmy Kelter. The guy who broke her heart five months ago when he dumped her for no reason. The guy who’s finally ready to tell her why he did it, because he wants her back.

But what Jessie doesn’t realize is that Jimmy is the least of her problems.
 
In Las Vegas she meets Russ, a mesmerizing stranger who shows her how to gamble, and who never seems to lose. Curious, Jessie wants to know his secret, and in response, alone in his hotel room, he teaches her a game that opens a door to another reality.
To Witch World.

Suddenly Jessie discovers that she’s stumbled into a world where some people can do the impossible, and others may not even be human. For a time she fears she’s lost her mind. Are there really witches? Is she one of them?
#1 Bestselling author Christopher Pike offers up another classic edge-of-your-seat thrill ride that keeps you guessing right until the last page.

It has been a while since I have read a Christopher Pike book. Since Thirst No.4 I have been anticipating the release of a new book by this author and was pleasantly delighted when I received this book for Christmas. It has taken me a while to get to it because I have so many wonderful books to choose from, but I am very glad that I read this.

This book follows a girl named Jessie whom is going on a vacation with her friends to Las Vegas for the weekend. Upon arrival things start to get a little crazy. Jessie’s ex boyfriend Jimmy also came along which made things kind of awkward seeing as he rode in the same car as her the whole way there. Jimmy broke Jessie’s heart when he left her for his ex girlfriend. Typical teenage drama, right? NO. The reason why he went back to his ex is heartbreaking, and you’ll just have to read to find out. I know it blew my mind.

Jessie is captivated by this man named Russ one night while her and her friend are gambling. Jessie ends up going back to the hotel with this man after winning a lot of money, and unbelievable and impossible things start to happen. Jessie stumbles upon this unknown world and discovers many secrets about herself and the rest of her friends.

Jessie begins to question her whole life, and struggles with accepting that there are really witches and they have a whole different plane of existence than what she has known her whole life. This book is very complex and you have to give it all of your attention to be able to follow it.
While this book isn’t my favorite of Christopher Pike’s books, this is definitely a good one. I would recommend you read this if you are a Christopher Pike fan, and like complex YA. Jessie is an amazing main character, while she continues to get into heaps of unfortunate situations she still holds her own. Jimmy is also a very respectable guy and I grew to like him a lot. I look forward to reading Pike’s newest release, Thirst No. 5. I am sure that it will be a treat!

Title: Spellcaster
Author: Claudia Grey Spellcaster #1 Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: March 5, 2013
Purchase Here: Amazon|Barnes & Noble

When Nadia’s family moves to Captive’s Sound, she instantly realizes there’s more to it than meets the eye. Descended from witches, Nadia senses a dark and powerful magic at work in her new town. Mateo has lived in Captive’s Sound his entire life, trying to dodge the local legend that his family is cursed - and that curse will cause him to believe he’s seeing the future … until it drives him mad. When the strange dreams Mateo has been having of rescuing a beautiful girl—Nadia—from a car accident come true, he knows he’s doomed.

Despite the forces pulling them apart, Nadia and Mateo must work together to break the chains of his family’s terrible curse, and to prevent a disaster that threatens the lives of everyone around them. Shimmering with magic and mystery, New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray’s new novel is sure to draw fans of the Hex Hall and Caster Chronicles series, and fans of the hit CW TV show The Secret Circle.

Spellcaster was a great, fun, refreshing read. This reminded me so much of the Secret Circle, which I am in love with. I have never read a Claudia Gray book, but have heard great things about her Evernight series so I was excited to dive into this book. In addition to how great it sounded, the book cover is also super gorgeous.

I never tire from reading about witches or anything paranormal for that matter. Come to think of it I’ve been on a witch kick lately.

Spellcaster is about a young girl named Nadia who moves to a small town called Captive Sound with her dad and little brother, after her mother leaves them. Nadia’s family is a line of witches, well the girls in her family. Her mother left her before completely training her to be a witch though, which leaves her vulnerable.

When entering the town of Captive’s Sound, there is a barrier up which causes Nadia’s family to wreck. A stranger pulls Nadia out of the car which saves her. She later finds out his name is Mateo. Things take off from this point.

To the town of Captive’s Sound Mateo is crazy just like the rest of his family, and everyone avoids him at all costs. Everyone except for Gale and Elizabeth (his friends), and of course Nadia. On Nadia’s first day she makes another unlikely friend named Verlaine. Verlaine is another outcast at school, with her long silver hair and funky style no one has anything to do with her either.
Soon Nadia discovers that this small town is not all that it seems, there is a dark evil lurking and she is determined to find out what it is with the help of Mateo and Verlaine. Will Nadia be able to figure things out and fix them without being a full witch is the question.

If you love witchy books, pick this up! It was fun, suspenseful, and creative! I can’t wait for book number two in this trilogy.

Title: Beautiful Creatures
Authors: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Publisher: Little Brown & Company
Release Date: December 1, 2009
Rating: 5 Stars
Buy Here: Amazon|Barnes & Noble

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

After being in a book slump for about a month and a half, this book was just what I needed to snap me out of it. With it's dark and creepy tones, Beautiful Creatures sucked me into its world of mysteries.

This story is being told from Ethan Wate's point of view. I love that it is being told from a guy's point of view, as most Young Adult books are told from the perspective of girls. Ethan Wate is the son of two highly esteemed professors in the town of Gatlin, South Carolina. Gatlin is one of those small towns where news spreads like wildfire, and no one has the luxury of privacy or secrets. Or so everyone seems to think until Lena Duchannes strolls into town.

Lena Duchannes is Macon Ravenwood's niece, Macon is like the Boo Radley of the town. No one has seen him in many years and everyone in town are creeped out by him, his mansion, and his niece.

Ethan Wate lays eyes on Lena for the first time in English class and knows from then on his life will never be the same. He knows he has seen her in his dreams for the past couple of months, but he can't figure out how or even why.

As mysteries and darkness uncovers in the small town of Gatlin things get chaotic. This book will take you for a spin and then spit you out to wait until you recover for more. These authors are both very talented to have constructed a book this special. I thoroughly enjoyed Beautiful Creatures, this is a book I will never forget.