Mundie Moms

Friday, January 13, 2012

Book Review/Blog Tour: Dark Days by C.A. Kunz


I'm excited to be the next stop in The Childe blog tour, and today's stop includes my review for their sequel, Dark Days.
Published by: self published
To Be Released on: 2012 date not yet released
Source: ARC from authors to review
4 stars: I Really Enjoyed It
Purchase from: n/a
Series: Book 2 in The Childe Series

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Secrets, action and a lot more surprises unravel as Cat not only learns more about who she is, the power that lies within her, but she realizes that there's more to many of the town's people's and it's secrets than she first thought.

What a fantastic sequel! I really enjoyed the fast paced storyline, getting to learn a lot more about Cat and the history of those around her as well as learning more about the series' mythology. I surprised with how wrapped up into the story I became. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see what was going to happen next, and there's a lot of exciting things that go on in this book.

With out giving away any spoilers, I can say that I really liked the direction this series is going in. There's so much that's revealed to both Cat and to readers in Dark Days. A lot of questions I was left with at the end of The Childe are answered and now I have new ones I can't wait to have answered in the next installment. I was pleasantly surprised that it's not just Cat who grows up a bit more in this sequel, but a few other characters do as well. I liked the introduction of some new characters and the way their presences only intensifies the mystery that's a big part of this storyline. There's a few shocking discoveries and some fabulous moments between Ryan and Cat.

I didn't think I could adore Ryan any more than I did in the first book, but he's definitely got that irresistible, charming quality about him that it's hard not to. Plus I love how he is with Cat. He can dish it too when she needs, comfort her, and give her the strength she needs at other times. He's that all around great guy who protects, supports and does what every he can for his girl, while also letting her be who she is. Cat for me really grows more into herself in this story. She asks more questions, seeks out answers and does everything she can to protect those around her. She makes a few minor mistakes that I was expecting her to as she learns to accept her heritage and what she is. There's also a good shake up with the things that happen between her and her friends, as well as some people at school.

If you read The Childe, I highly recommend picking up Dark Days. This story literally picks up right where The Childe ended. I love that when a series does that. I think fans will be pleasantly surprised with all that goes on in Cat's world in Dark Days. Talk about a killer ending! There's a fabulous betrayal and a few twists that I didn't even see coming. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next installment in this series. Like The Childe, this is a clean cut read that even tween fans of YA paranormal books will enjoy reading.

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Don't forget to LEAVE A COMMENT to be entered to win a KINDLE FIRE via The Childe Blog Tour. Find out all the tour giveaway info HERE and follow the entire tour HERE.

Flashback Friday / Book Review: The Childe by C.A. Kunz

Last September I started a new meme here on Mundie Moms called Flashback Friday. The purpose of this meme was to spotlight books that I've had sitting on my shelf to read that have been out for awhile. Since there's a lot of books I didn't get around to reading that were released in 2011 I'm also incorporating those releases into this meme, even though they're out "older" releases. Today's feature is: The Childe by C.A. Kunz

Published by: self published
Released on: February 18th, 2011
Source: Book from authors to review
3 stars: It's A Good Read
Purchase from: Amazon

Cat Colvin
Average Teenager? Or Something Else Entirely? Cat Colvin is pretty much your typical run-of-the-mill teenager. Sure, she’s taller than most girls, has a mane of fiery red hair that’s impossible to tame, is left-handed, and her eyes are two different colors, but that’s where the differences end . . . unless you include the minor detail of her slow transformation into a Childe.
High school can definitely be challenging, and for Cat it’s no different. This is especially true when she’s faced with the daunting task of trying to hide her budding Childe traits as they begin to reveal themselves at the most inopportune times. To make matters worse, her family is oddly dead set against Ryan, the boy she grows to like. But everyone has their secrets: is Ryan really what he seems to be, and what is Cat’s family not telling her?
The Childe is the first book in this coming-of-age fantasy series which follows Cat's life through the twists and turns toward finding out whom and what she really is. Come and take the plunge with Cat into a world filled with mystery, biting humor, and the paranormal -quoted from Goodreads

An intriguing paranormal debut that meshes together mystery, romance, and adds a unique spin to a the vampire world.

I really enjoyed getting to meet Cat, and her good group of friends. They were just fun characters to meet, and I liked that many of them came across as genuine, though I'm sure a few of them may surprise me in the sequel. I liked that each of the characters introduced into the story, good or bad, seem to have a purpose in the story. A few of them added to the story's over all mystery, and I wanted to figure out how they were tied to the tiny town's hidden secrets. I of course loved meeting Ryan, and the chemistry between he and Cat. I liked that Ryan always managed to keep his cool in any sort of situation, especially around Isaac when it was obvious that he was holding back when they were around each other. Even though I wanted to despise Isaac, I found hard to do so, because I felt like I some what understood why he acted the way he did.

While I enjoyed the entertaining plot, getting to know the various characters and the paranormal elements that make up this debut book, I felt the story's pacing hindered my ability to like the book more than I excepted to. The pacing was great for the first and last part of the book, but I sadly lost my excitement with the story line through out the middle part of the book. For me I start to lose interest if there's a lot of build up and then nothing happens for awhile and I felt that's what happened in the middle of The Childe's story line. Luckily the characters kept me engaged with the story during this time and I was pleasantly surprised with how the story picks up more at the end.

This is a clean cut book with a lot of interesting paranormal elements, myths and a fascinating history. I love the story's setting and the interesting web of characters that are introduced through out the course of the book. I'm looking forward to finding out how all these character's connect and what their rules will be in Cat's life as the series continues. This book is targeted more to younger YA readers, and it's one I would even recommend to tweens who enjoy reading YA paranormal books. I can't wait to read the sequel. I have a feeling that book will be a lot more action packed and pick up right where The Childe ended. I want to add that there is a big difference between reading the first copy of the book that C.A. Kunz sent me compared to the second copy, which is much more polished and cleaned up editing wise.

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