Title: Tortured Souls ( The Orion Circle #1) Author: Kimber Leigh Wheaton Publisher: Sea Dragon Press Publication Date: July 1 2014 Genre: YA, Supernatural,Suspense,Paranormal Edition: eARC My Rating: 4/5 stars ( B+) Blurb: Sometimes Rest in Peace isn't an option... Kacie Ramsey sees ghosts—and it's ruining her life. Her mother left, her father blames her, and no matter how hard she tries, she can't keep the ghosts away. Now a new power has emerged. Nightly visions of grisly murders and a relentless predator draw her to the brink of insanity. My Review: I received an eARC copy from Sea Dragon Press via NetGalley in exchange with my honest review. A stunning Paranormal story that is perfect for The Ghost Whisper and The Medium lovers! I could totally understand now how fitting is this cover with what happens in the story. This is a great fast read packed up with great paranormal events . A great choice if someone is going through a reading slump . There is always something worth anticipating for in the next chapter. I kind of felt that sometimes things where fast paced a bit , well actually. two things where fast paced. Mild Spoiler Alert!!! 1) The love story 2) When her father finally listens to what Kacie says and actually tries to believe. Why not before? I also had the impact that Kacie was too dependent at times, it was a bit annoying, but the story is great so those where kind of easy to disregard. I love the other characters, especially Carl ! Why is everyone so mean to him ?? :D Each character brings in a different shade of awesomeness to add to the story. I can't wait to see how the series go on, literally waiting to grab book 2 whenever is out! I give this book 4/5 stars and a B according to my own scale
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Blurb:
Make him pay, Bayley. Make him pay. It’s as if the wooden chest is luring me, urging me to open it – daring me almost. Open me up. Look inside. Come on, just for a second; it won’t hurt. Celina O’Malley was sixteen years old when she disappeared. Now, almost forty years later, Bayley is sleeping in Celina’s room, wearing her clothes, hearing her voice. What does Celina want? And who will suffer because of it? A ghost story. A love story. A story of revenge. My Review: I received this book from Switch Press via NetGalley in exchange with my honest review. Portraits of Celina is an intriguing story with elements of Mystery and Supernatural events that will keep you guessing what actually happened. The dialogue between Oliver and Bayley is hilarious . I had a ridiculous grin glued to my face while reading them. Although I kind of correctly guessed the mystery, it was still interesting knowing exactly how it happened. Besides, I had at least 3 more guesses, which shows how the author skillfully diverts your thoughts throughout the book. A great read with the theme of everything is not what it seems, which includes burying your burdens, secrets, lies and much more. I really enjoyed reading Portraits of Celina and I am interested in checking out more of Sue Whiting's Novels. I gave this book 4/5 stars and a B according to my own rating scale. Title: Maddy Kettle ( The Adventure of the ThimbleWitch ) Author: Eric Orchard Publisher: Diamond Book Distributors Publication Date: September 3oth 2014 Genre: Children's Fiction,Graphic Novel,Fantasy Edition: eARC My Rating: 4/5 ( B+) Blurb: Eleven-year-old Maddy loved working in her parents' bookstore... especially when joined by her pet flying toad Ralph. But that was before the mysterious Thimblewitch turned her mom & dad into kangaroo rats! Now Maddy's on the adventure of a lifetime. To save her parents, she'll need to sneak past an army of spider-goblins, scarecrow warriors, and much more... Fortunately, an assortment of new friends await, including the cloud cartographers Harry and Silvio, a bear and raccoon who explore the world in their moon-balloon. They'll help her along the way, but in the end, the fate of everyone will depend on Maddy's courage, compassion, and creativity. Full of surprises and stunning artwork, Maddy Kettle is a truly magical debut for Spectrum-Award-winning cartoonist Eric Orchard. Climb aboard and let your imagination soar. My Review: I received an eARC of this Graphic Novel from Diamond Book Distributors via NetGalley in exchange for an honest Review. This Graphic Novel is going to take you on a journey of awesomeness with its fascinating fictional characters and creative settings. The illustrations are beyond beautiful and this was really useful in graphic novels because sometimes looking at the picture alone gives lots of extra information that wasn't told . The plot grabs the readers attention and takes him/her on an exquisite journey filled with magic and friendship. There were few moments were I got a feeling that something was missing in form of text. But it could only be nothing. It might just be that the character was so Naive during that scene. I really enjoyed the first book from the Maddy Kettle series , and i would absolutely read the next installations. This is a brilliant read for children. I highly recommend it. I gave this book 4/5 stars and a B+ according to my own rating scale. Author: Selene Castrovilla Title: MELT Publisher: Last Syllable Books Publication Date: Nov 6th, 2014 Genre: YA, Contemporary,Abuse,Realistic Fiction Edition: eARC My Rating: 5/5 stars ( A) Blurb: MELT is a brutal love story, set against the backdrop of The Wizard of Oz. Sixteen year old “good girl” Dorothy just blew into the small town of Highland Park – where the social headquarters is Munchkinland (Dunkin’ Donuts.) There, she meets Joey – a “bad boy” who tells no one about the catastrophic domestic violence he witnesses at home. Can these two lovers survive peer pressure, Joey’s reputation, and his alcoholism? And then there’s his family's secret – about to be unleashed. Told in dual first person, Joey's words are scattered on the page - reflecting his broken state. Dorothy is the voice of reason - until something so shattering happens that she, too, may lose her grip. Can their love endure, or will it melt away? MELT is based on true events. It is both a chilling tale of abuse, and a timeless romance. It will hit you like a punch in the face, and also seep through the cracks in your soul My Review: I received Melt from Last Syllable Books via NetGalley in exchange with an honest review. No, this isn't a plot twist of The Wizard of Oz, but the author finds a way to revive some sub meanings in her story. Does that even make sense ??? Melt is a tale that will give you knots and butterflies in your stomach, yes both at once ! You are going to MELT on these pages. This is such a captivating read from the start. I got so involved with the characters that I was afraid to leave them, afraid that I might miss out on something big if I stop reading. The abusive scenes and acts are truly brutal and anyone who has gone through similar things would strongly relate to it. I loved Doll, I mean Dorthy :) I liked how she doesn't care about what people say, how she gives people a chance to switch into their better side .She sees the good in those who were forced to undergo metamorphosis to withstand this harsh life. It was very interesting for the characters to share their point of views in the same chapter. That way you get a good sense on what each character feels at that specific moment. I did not like they way it was written at first, then I got used to it, then, I guess I understood why it was written in that way. I believe it was written in a way that the reader would catch what the character is saying or thinking in the same rate as the characters says or thinks it. And I ended up liking it. Since I dive into stories without reading the entire blurb, I was surprised at the end when the author said that it was based on a true story. I was mind blown by that fact. It also gave me that feeling of , although there is lots of evil in this world, there is also good! I am looking forward to read more of Selene's work. I am giving MELT 5/5 stars and an A according to my rating scale Title: The Night Garden Author: Lisa Van Allen Publisher:Random House, Ballantine Books Publication Date: October 7th, 2014 Genre: Women's Fiction, Magical Realism My Rating: 5/5 stars ( A- ) Blurb: For fans of Sarah Addison Allen, Aimee Bender, and Alice Hoffman, The Night Garden is a luminous novel of love, forgiveness, and the possibilities that arise when you open your heart. Nestled in the bucolic town of Green Valley in upstate New York, the Pennywort farm appears ordinary, yet at its center lies something remarkable: a wild maze of colorful gardens that reaches beyond the imagination. Local legend says that a visitor can gain answers to life’s most difficult problems simply by walking through its lush corridors. Yet the labyrinth has never helped Olivia Pennywort, the garden’s beautiful and enigmatic caretaker. She has spent her entire life on her family’s land, harboring a secret that forces her to keep everyone at arm’s length. But when her childhood best friend, Sam Van Winkle, returns to the valley, Olivia begins to question her safe, isolated world and wonders if she at last has the courage to let someone in. As she and Sam reconnect, Olivia faces a difficult question: Is the garden maze that she has nurtured all of her life a safe haven or a prison? My Review: I received an eARC of The Night House from Random House via edelweiss in exchange with an honest review. This book is a great collision of Shatter Me's Juliette and the beauty of The Secret Garden , two of my favorite reads. Lisa Van Allen has such an exquisite way of painting such a creative magical realem, then bringing to to life with her amazing description. Her writing is not only limited to this, but also the beauty of portraying a person's state of mind and the credibility of storytelling. It took me a while to be absolutely into this book, but once I did, I couldn't but it down.This book gave me butterflies in my stomach and a few tears rolling down my face. You learn lots of important lessons about life, like how you may not fit in like anyone else and still be happy and like sometimes people do stupid things with intentions to protect you, then end up hurting you.That life can take something very important from you, yet you should keep looking for a way to cope with it and make the best of it. It was told mainly from three different perspectives, where you got more up close and personal, and you get to learn about the character's past memories before any of the other characters, making you feel like a secret keeper. Sometimes I got lost to if a certain character was dead or not. There was also that one sentence that I found to be a bit creepy, in an awkward way, but that did not effect my overview of this book. I am looking forward to read more from this outstanding author with her beautiful descriptions, down to earth characters, and finally but not least, the captivating story. I gave this book a 5/5 stars and an A- according to my own rating scale. Title: War Kids Author: Hayley J Lawson Publisher: Unknown Publication Date: August 20, 2014 Genre: War, Fiction My Rating: 3/5 stars (C+) Blurb: When fourteen-year-old Jada wakes up in a hospital, the last thing she thinks is that her life has completely changed forever. But when the very real civil war forces her to flee from every open space, she must use the firearm skills her father taught her to reunite with him and protect herself. Armed with a single gun and a key to an unknown locker, Jada crosses Syria on a journey with a group of children called the Fearless Freedom Fighters. With the leader, Zak, they mount a plan to rescue their fathers while they try to cope with the merciless murders of their families. As Jada and Zak lead the group together, love blossoms, but with soldiers hot on their tail, they need to stay vigilant in the face of war. My Review: I received an eARC copy of this book directly from the author in return of an honest review . This book is a great magnifying glass on what children in war witness and go through. When one of them loses a family member and shed a tear, I also shed a tear. This is great to raise awareness on what kids are going through in countries with wars. A lot of people would not consider researching what injustice is happening outside their own country I loved how the author has showed how children, no matter what they go through, try to be happy even if it is after a great loss, even if it lasts only for a few moments. The book is told from different point of views and sometimes we get an old memory of one of those characters;however, Jada dominates the story , as in, it basically revolves around her. I believe that this is a work of fiction, as only few would go and do all of these things. I think that there should be at least on group of people who are willing to find the bad guy. Perhaps the freedom fighters could be this group, but I was looking for people who were not seeking a safe place. Someone to fight the bad guy, even if they are few, or if they end up dead . The start of the story was the strongest part in this book. In my opinion, it was more important to show the world the concepts of tragic loss. I am not sure if the book has a sequel, but it would be great if it did. The ending was very interesting and I would be looking forward to read it if it did. The profit of this book will go to helping kids in Syria, so buy purchasing this book, you enjoy a great read and support a huge cause. I gave this book 3/5 stars, and C+ according to my rating scale. Author: David Lapham Tt h Title: Murder Me Dead Publisher: Captin Publication Date: January 30th, 2002 Genre: Graphic Novel, Comics, Mystery My Rating: 2/5 stars ( D+) Blurb: Hanging from the ceiling fan in their lavish Hollywood home. That's where Steven Russell finds his estranged wife, a tear-stained note in her pocket pouring out years of pain and regret. Is it suicide? My Review: This comic is influenced by the old times and the old movies. It focuses on human traits such as being naive, curious, abusive, abused, in love, selfish,and much more. In my opinion, the author has failed to show these characteristic in a proper way.Most of the reactions to certain events were unrealistic.Even the most naive person would wake up after being showered with lies for like a zillion times. I did not like the characters. They seemed to show how second chances should be a really REALLY fresh start. You can't go from not caring to absolutely loving in one day and continue to be that through out the long run. Change is supposed to come over time accompanied with a some screw ups! And then the mystery of a murder that no one seems to actually investigate. One group thinks that only one person did it, the others think that it was a suicide. I did not see any investigations happening or suspects being questioned . Is not this supposed to be a murder mystery. Then comes the big ending; I honestly have no idea what that was supposed to mean.I did not understand what the ending was supposed to explain. If someone did, please help me understand the ending. Now, speaking of the illustration, I think it was good. I like the drawings and scene building. However, there were sometimes conversations that were not very clear. I am not sure if it was done on purpose or just a mistake. I gave this book 2/5 stars and a D + according to my rating scale. Title: The Maze Runner (#1) Author: James Dashner Publisher: Delacorte Press Publication Date: January 1st, 2014 Genre: Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Ya My Rating: 5/5 stars ( A + ) Blurb: "If you ain't scared, you ain't human." When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He's surrounded by strangers--boys whose memories are also gone. Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It's the only way out--and no one's ever made it through alive. Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying. My Review: This is not your typical Ya Dystopian book!This is a mind blowing,exciting, terrifying, action packed read; All in just one book. The world building in this book is phenomenal. I was able to visualize such a creative place and enjoy every single description from the moving walls of the maze to the creepy and dangerous Grievers .In other words, the vivid imagery is beyond being Epic ! The story was not particularly told from Thomas's point of view, but the entire story revolves around him; as in, we always see what he sees. I really liked character building of almost everyone. From curiosity to fear to hate, this book shows you, no, makes you be in the character's shoe of emotions. Although it took me a while to get into the story, The Maze Runner turned to be a fantastic read with both great writing and an amazing plot. Many people found the slang language used annoying;however, i really enjoyed it. They only use a couple of slang words !Some of these slang words often have a funny origin, adding the element of humor to the book. I give this book 5/5 stars and an A+ according to my own rating scale. Title: The Panopticon Author: Jenni Fagan Publisher: Hogarth Publication date: April 22 2014 Genre: Adult Fiction, Mystery, Thriller My Rating : 1/5 stars ( D- ) Blurb: Anais Hendricks, fifteen, is in the back of a police car. She is headed for the Panopticon, a home for chronic young offenders. She can't remember what’s happened, but across town a policewoman lies in a coma and Anais is covered in blood. Raised in foster care from birth and moved through twenty-three placements before she even turned seven, Anais has been let down by just about every adult she has ever met. Now a counterculture outlaw, she knows that she can only rely on herself. And yet despite the parade of horrors visited upon her early life, she greets the world with the witty, fierce insight of a survivor. Anais finds a sense of belonging among the residents of the Panopticon—they form intense bonds, and she soon becomes part of an ad-hoc family. Together, they struggle against the adults that keep them confined. But when she looks up at the watchtower that looms over the residents, Anais realizes her fate: She is an anonymous part of an experiment, and she always was. Now it seems that the experiment is closing in. My Review : The plot of this story is definitely intriguing as it focuses the lens on events that could surprisingly be a true reflection on what happens in reality. It discusses issues that one would not easily find in other books. I thought that this was going to be a YA read, but i came to realize that not every book with a teenage protagonist is going to be a YA book. However, this is not the reason I disliked the novel as I read books from almost every genre. The writing was what pushed me away. This is the very first book that I could not finish reading it. I would understand if there are 3 or 4 characters who talk in slang due too poor education, low livings standards and so on, but not every single character in the book. The words couldnea and shouldnea got on my nerves , but still weren't the reason why I did not finish reading the book. Oh, by the way, those are slang Scottish words. Transition was the reason; the way the author moved from one scene to another did not work for me. I would get lost on how the character reached that place and lose the connection of what happens in the events. Did I mention that the word FUCKING is repeated at least twice per page? Like fucking brush, fucking couch,etc.. Overall I think the story has a strong plot with non appealing writing. I gave this book 1 /5 stars and D- according to my own rating scale. Author: Holly Black Title: The Coldest Girl in ColdTown Publisher: Little, Brown Books Publication Date : September 3rd 2013 Genre: Paranormal, YA, Vampires,Fantasy My Rating: 5/5 stars (A) Blurb: Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave. One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black. My Review: This is not " another vampire book ", the tale is captivating , dark, and embraces the Vampire Cult perfectly. The Coldest Girl in ColdTown reminded me of my favorite vampire book, A Darker Dream by Amanda Ashley, which i have reread it about 4 times because I could not find something as awesome as it. I guess it is Holly Black's The Coldest Girl in ColdTown turn for a future of multiple rereads ! I love how each chapter is marked with a dark quote from many writers, a few of which are my all time favorite. This book being my first read to any of Holly's books, she gained my respect just with the mention of Edgar Allan Poe, Emily and Charlotte Bronte , Emily Dickinson ,and Charles Dickens . Although the those quotes where written in cursive, which i struggle to read, I still loved the concept of it. The chapters are sometimes told from different point of views, but it does not have a specific pattern. The story is mainly told from Tana's point of view, but sometimes other characters get to show us flashbacks or something else in the story. There are a few of Holly's quotes that I don't agree with, so that is just an opinion ,but I loved most of the quotes. I was really engaged with what you call a story within a story, it is full of symbolism and the beauty of creativity, all of which were drowning in the element of darkness. I wanted more, i was really sad when I saw that the book was about to end. I wish there was an extra chapter or that maybe in the future we would get a Novella with more flashbacks and perhaps a few more chapters :) Although I had a kind of a slow start, I end up loving the story as well as the style of writing. Holly Black is officially one of my favorite authors, and I can't wait to read more of her books. I also liked how she stated the vampire books she read that she read and kind of inspired her to write this book, so now I have a couple of book recommendations to add to my TBR. If you like Neil Gaiman, Tim Burton, Edgar Allan Poe, then I highly recommend that you read The Coldest Girl in ColdTown. I give this book 5/5 stars and according to my own rating scale an A. |
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