Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey

Title: Stolen Away
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Publication Date: January 17, 2012
Source: Thanks Netgalley and Walker!
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Summary: For seventeen years, Eloise Hart had no idea the world of Faery even existed. Now she has been abducted and trapped in the Rath of Lord Strahan, King of Faery. Strahan was only meant to rule for seven years, as Faery tradition dictates, and then give up his crown to another. But he won't comply, and now chaos threatens both worlds.

The only one who can break his stranglehold on the Faery court is his wife. . . Eloise's aunt Antonia. Using Eloise to lure Antonia, Strahan captures his wife, desperate to end the only threat to his reign. Now Eloise must become the rescuer. Together with her best friends Jo and Devin, she must forge alliances with other Fae, including a gorgeous protector named Lucas, and Strahan's mysterious son, Eldric-who may or may not betray them. 

Review: Stolen Away is a unique spin on Faery lore that is done exceptionally well. Though there were some things that I didn't care for in Stolen Away is still proved to be a fun and enjoyable read!

One of my main problems with Stolen Away is the characters. I just didn't understand the need for alternating chapters between Eloise and Jo. Jo, in my mind, had almost nothing to do with the story. She's was just Eloise's friend. She really didn't have to be a main character. It would have been better, though, if you could tell the difference between the two narrations. They read very similar.

The beginning of the story was a tad slow at first, and I was so lost! I felt like I was just thrown into Stolen Away. It was clumsy and just a tad uncomfortable.

But, after awhile, I was drawn into the plot and the book just flew! The faery plot line gets very intriguing.  It's hard to put down Stolen Away after you're quite a way through the book, because it actually gets good! The end was simple and sweet, too. I definitely enjoyed that.

There was also some romance that I liked. I did not enjoy Jo's insta-love but Eloise's romance was awfully cute! I adored it! Eloise and Jo did grow on me after awhile but they just were SO similar, voice wise.

Overall, Stolen Away is a fun read. There's nothing too spectacular in it in terms of characters but I did appreciate the plot line and Harvey's writing. Since Haunting Violet is such a favorite of mine, I'll probably pick up more of her books. Yet, I'm just disappointed that I didn't like this one as much as I could have.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

Title: Haunting Violet
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Publisher: Walker Books
Publication Date: June 21, 2011
Source: Bought

Summary:  Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.

Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?

Review: Haunting Violet was part ghost story, part romance, and part mystery. It was everything I could ever ask for. It was amazing, and it was one of the best ghost stories. It was one my my favorite books of the year.

From the moment I started reading Haunting Violet I was hooked in Violet's historical world. I'm not exactly certain how accurate the historical aspects were but they were a nice touch to the story. But the rich setting that was created was priceless. I enjoyed every second that I spent in Violet's world.

Violet was full of spunk and she longed for a life where she didn't have to deceive people. I immediately loved her character. The fact that she could see ghosts was hilarious. I mean her Mother conducts fake seances! Violet had quite a sense of humor, she had me laughing in a few parts. It was nice to have some humor in an otherwise dark story.

Colin, Violet's love interest, was just the sweetest, funniest, hottest boy that ever walked the literary earth! I fell for him at the same time Violet did.

The mystery had me guessing till the last pages. It was original and finely woven with little clues dropped here and there. Let's just say that I was surprised and I figure out mysteries pretty easily!

And I loved that ending. It was tied up nicely and I had no questions. And while it would be nice to see Violet and Colin in the future, I'm glad this is a standalone. (It would be more than nice to see Colin in the future!)

Haunting Violet is a must-read. It captivated me and hasn't let go.

Rating: 5+++++!