The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle (review)

 

 

The Hallowed Ones (1)

By Laura Bickle

 

 

Genre: Horror, Young Adult, Paranormal

Published: Sept 2012

Pages: 320

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

 

 

 

Summary:  Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers can get a taste of the real world. But the real world comes to her in this dystopian tale with a philosophical bent. Rumors of massive unrest on the “Outside” abound. Something murderous is out there. Amish elders make a rule: No one goes outside, and no outsiders come in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man, she can’t leave him to die. She smuggles him into her family’s barn—at what cost to her community? The suspense of this vividly told, truly horrific thriller will keep the pages turning.

 

 

 

Review:  Creepy! I was not expecting to be wigged out with this book. That does not happen very often. Especially for a 'young adult' book!

Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor (review)

 

The Looking Glass Wars: Seeing Redd (2)

by Frank Beddor

Genre: Fantasy, Fairy Tale retellings, young adult, adventure

Published: Aug 2007

Pages: 371

Published by Dial Books

Summary: "Alyss of Wonderland's rules has only just begun, and already those who prefer chaos to peace are threatening to destroy everything worth imagining. Trailed by newly appointed royal bodyguard Homburg Molly, Alyss is doing her best to keep pace with the non-stop demands of being queen while attempting to evade Molly for a few private moments with Dodge.

Alyss' life is a challenging mix of duty, love and tough decisions, and then a series of phantom sightings set fire to an urban myth of Her Imperial Viciousness' return and have everyone...Seeing Redd.

Has Redd somehow freed herself and her chief assassin, The Cat, from the confides of the Heart Crystal? If not, then who has resurrected Redd's brutal foot soldiers the Glass Eyes and set them loose to attack Wonderland on all sides?

Battles rage, looking glasses explode, and the Alyssians once again unite to defend White Imagination in this fast-paced follow-up to the New York Times bestselling The Looking Glass Wars."

Review:  This is the sequel to The Looking Glass Wars.

Redd has been banished from Wonderland. She is determined to find her way back to her world by any means necessary. Alyss is the new queen who has much to learn about ruling. And a new enemy is making his move. King Arch of Borderlands is determined to have wonderland for himself. He reeks havoc and even kidnaps Molly.

Beastly by Alex Flinn (review)

Beastly  

By Alex Flinn

 

Genre: Fairy Tales, Young Adult
Published Oct 2007
Pages: 304

Publisher: HarperTeen

Buy  Beastly

Summary: "I am a beast.

   A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright--a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

   You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever--ruined--unless I can break the spell.

   Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly."

Review:  'Beauty and the Beast' has always been a favorite fairy tale for me. Therefore reading this had me quite exciting. I had already seen the movie and enjoyed it and I was pleasantly surprised when I learned about the book.

    This retelling takes place in a more modern day world, and starts with our "Beast" - Kyle. A rich, spoiled, popular pretty-boy who seems to have it all. When he plays a prank on the wrong girl he is cursed into a beast and we quickly learn this guy had nothing. He is moved to a private apartment, hidden away from the rest of the world. While at first he comes off as selfish and shallow (and in many ways is) it is quick to learn where his habits come from. His desire to change and grow after awhile impresses me. Especially his love toward his garden.

The Awakening by Marley Gibson (review)

 

Ghost Huntress: 

The Awakening (1)

By Marley Gibson

 

Genre: Paranormal/Supernatural, Young Adult
Published May 2009
Pages: 338

Publisher: Graphia

Summary:  "The first in a trilogy. Get out your tape recorders, crystals, and extra batteries-- you're about to go where our world meets the spirit world.
Psychic Kids, Paranormal State, Haunting Evidence--these and countless other television shows are making believers out of millions of people: Ghosts exist, and they're living right beside us. For centuries, individuals have been trying to prove the existence of ghosts. But without hard evidence, it's been difficult to make the case. But now as science and technology have progressed, ghost hunters have been able to use scientific means, along with more traditional psychic tools, to make their case. Photographs, video recordings, and sound recordings are all producing some amazing results.
In this new series, Ghost Huntress, meet Kendall Moorehead, a seemingly typical teen. When her family moves from Chicago to the small historical town of Radisson, Georgia, her psychic abilities awaken. She's hearing, feeling, and seeing things that seem unbelievable at first, but with the help of the town psychic, Kendall is able to come to terms with her newly emerging gift. So, together with her new BFF, Celia, Kendall forms a ghost hunting team. They've got all the latest technology. They've got Kendall for their psychic. Now they're going to clean up Radisson of its less savory spirits.
The story is fiction. The science is real. Welcome to a new reality."

 

 

 

Review:  Not a bad story with some good potential. Sadly, it ended up frustrating me more than interested me. I can think of several that would love this book but it was not for me.

Season's Greetings by Kira Snyder- Review and Giveaway!

 

Parish Mail: Season's Greetings (#2.5)

By Kira Snyder

Genre(s):  Mystery, Young Adult, Paranormal, Novella
Published Nov 2013
Pages: 242

Publisher:  Coliliquy

View on Goodreads

  

Summary:  "Celia Macarty is eager to enjoy her first New Orleans Christmas, but school has barely let out for the holidays when she learns that mystery never takes a vacation. Using the clues on a Christmas card from 1933, Celia must unravel a supernatural riddle that takes her all over festive New Orleans—and deeper into her family’s past. As Christmas Eve draws closer, shady community secrets come to light, and Celia enlists an unlikely ally to set things right.

With the help of her witchy best friend Tilly and a trio of to-die-for suitors, Celia navigates a mystery and, in the process, her heart. Because in the Crescent City, Christmas is a time of enchantment and surprises, and a little romance might be Celia’s best present of all.

Celia’s latest Parish Mail adventure is an active fiction title from Coliloquy. Your reading choices will help Celia solve the crime!"

Review:   WARNING!  Potential spoilers ahead if you have not read at least the first book of the Parish Mail series!

This was a great addition to the Parish Mail series. The book appears to take place after book 2 (which I still need to read) and they days are creeping closer to Christmas!

Dead Letter Office by Kira Snyder (review)

 

Parish Mail: Dead Letter Office (1)

By Kira Snyder

Genre(s):  Mystery, Young Adult, Paranormal
Published Feb 2013
Pages: 379

Publisher:  Coliliquy

Buy it or View on Goodreads 

Summary:  "When Celia’s father is killed in Afghanistan, she moves with her mother to New Orleans, the city where her father grew up. Struggling to adjust and haunted by troubling dreams, Celia finds comfort in new friends like Tilly, a practicing witch, and Donovan, the son of a police detective. On Halloween, bizarre supernatural occurrences rock the city. Celia meets the mysterious Luc and finds a letter, over a hundred years old, addressed to her.

The paranormal repercussions continue when Celia learns that Luc is the restless spirit of a young man murdered in 1854, only able to assume solid form at night. And then, to her shock, Celia finds that the letter, which describes the suspected murder of a man in 1870, contains uncanny parallels to the present-day death of Abel Sims, a homeless veteran.

With help from Luc, Tilly, and Donovan, Celia races to solve the murder—and the mystery of the letter—using both magical and forensic clues.

This is an Active Fiction title
"Active fiction" is a new type of e-reading experience that allows the reader and the author to interact with each other and the text in new and different ways.

Kira has written Parish Mail like a TV series–there are over-arching mystery and romantic story arcs that extend between the episodes, while each episode has a smaller case that is presented and solved. Along the way, she asks you, the reader, to make several small decisions as you read. These choices do not impact the overarching storyline, but certain combinations “unlock” clues to the series’ mystery, which are embedded in the text. Kira also asks you to cast a vote at the end of the episode, to get additional feedback from her fans about their preferred love interests in future episodes."

Review:  Dead Letter Office is an interesting mystery novel. Yet this is unlike most mysteries one may have read. In this book the reader helps decide the course of action for the story. For those who enjoyed the 'Choose Your Own Adventure' books as a child (or even teen/adult), then this is the next step up!

Daughter of Isis by Kelsey Ketch (review)

  

Descendants of Isis: Daughter of Isis (1)

By Kelsey Ketch

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mythology/Lore

 Published Oct 2013
Pages: 272

Buy it or View on Goodreads.

Summary:  "“Her mouth parted slightly, waiting for Seth to breathe life into her own body, just like in the story. She wanted him to awaken her senses.”

Their worlds collide in California’s high desert.

The last thing Natara “Natti” Stone wants to do is to start anew at Setemple High School. She wished she had never left London. Yet the brutal murder of her maternal grandmother has made her life very complicated. The only clue related to her murder is an ancient, encrypted necklace Natti discovered after her grandmother’s death. And if trying to adjust to American life is not enough, Natti is being stalked by a mysterious, charming high school senior, Seth O’Keefe, who is annoyingly persistent in his attempts at seduction.

Seth O’Keefe is secretly a member of the Sons of Set, an order that worships the Egyptian god of chaos. Seth’s blessing from Set, his “charm,” never failed, except with one person: Natti Stone. Her ability to elude him infatuates and infuriates him, and he becomes obsessed with the chase. But the closer he gets to her, the more his emotions take a dangerous turn, and he risks breaking one of the most valued covenants of his order. The punishment for which is a fate worse than death.

The adventure this unlikely couple becomes engulfed in could cost them their lives and their souls."

Review:  This was a fantastic read! When I choose to read this book, it sounded intriguing and I figured I would enjoy it. However, it turns out that this novel was better than I had anticipated!

Defy the Dark-anthology collection (review)

 

 Defy the Dark

By Saundra Michell and 

other authors!

Genre: Young Adult, Anthology
Published June 2013
Pages: 480

Publisher: HarperTeen

View on Goodreads

Summary:  "Defy the Dark, an all-new anthology edited by Saundra Mitchell.
It features 16 stories by critically-acclaimed and bestselling YA authors as they explore things that can only happen in the dark. Authors include Sarah Rees Brennan, Rachel Hawkins, Carrie Ryan, Aprilynne Pike, Malinda Lo, Courtney Summers, Beth Revis, Sarah Ockler, and more.

Contemporary, genre, these stories will explore every corner of our world- and so many others. What will be the final story that defies the dark? Who will the author be?

Review:  Not a bad little collection of stories. Some stories are disturbing, others creepy. We had modern tales, medieval fantasy, urban fantasy, dystopian, science fiction and more in this book! If it has to do with darkness or nighttime it could be in hear. Many of the stories leave you with a feeling of wondering what happened as you use your imagination to fill in the blanks.

So here are my thoughts (briefly) for each story.

Sleepstalk by Courtney Summers
The main character stalks her ex-boyfriend who she finds sleepwalking. something happened betwwen them that is stimulating their behaviors, but what? The girl terrifies me slightly with her though process a bit.

Nature by Aprilynne Pike
Dystopina cast system for what you will be for one's adult life. Due to her physical measurements, a girl is put into the ‘wrong’ caste. This story left me wanting more! i loved it but so much of the girls life, the world around her, is left unanswered. If the author ever writes more of this world, I will jump on the chance to read it! 

The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller (review)

 

The Summer I Became A Nerd

By Leah Rae Miller

Genre: Young Adult, Chick-Lit, Romance
Published May 2013
Pages: 267

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Buy it on Amazon or View on Goodreads

 

Summary: On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn’t just unknown, it's anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.

WARP-The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer (review)

W.A.R.P.: 

The Reluctant Assassin (1) 

By: Eoin Colfer

Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi
Published May 2013
Pages: 341

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

  View on Goodreads 

Summary:  "Riley, a teen orphan boy living in Victorian London, has had the misfortune of being apprenticed to Albert Garrick, an illusionist who has fallen on difficult times and now uses his unique conjuring skills to gain access to victims' dwellings. On one such escapade, Garrick brings his reluctant apprentice along and urges him to commit his first killing. Riley is saved from having to commit the grisly act when the intended victim turns out to be a scientist from the future, part of the FBI's Witness Anonymous Relocation Program (WARP) Riley is unwittingly transported via wormhole to modern day London, followed closely by Garrick.

The Acadian Secret by Tammy Lowe (review)

 

The Acadian Secret

By Tammy Lowe

Genre(s): Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Youth
Published April 2013
Pages: 183

Publisher:  MusilItUp Publishing

  View on Goodreads 

Summary:  "Elisabeth London is keeping her new friends a secret from her parents. Not only do they live on the other side of the world in the Scottish Highlands, they lived more than three hundred and fifty years ago. Her mom and dad would never allow her to go gallivanting about seventeenth century Scotland. They won’t even let her go to the mall by herself yet.

Twelve-year-old Elisabeth is old enough to know there is no such thing as magic, but when her quartz crystal necklace has the power to transport her back and forth in time, she no longer knows what to think. The only thing she is certain of is that she loves spending carefree days with Quinton, the mischievous nephew of a highland warrior, and sassy little Fiona, a farmer’s daughter.

However, Elisabeth’s adventures take a deadly turn when she is charged with witchcraft. At a time and place in history when witch-hunts were common, those found guilty were executed, children included. Elisabeth must race to find her way back home, while trying to stay one step ahead of the witch-hunter determined to see her burned at the stake."

Review:   Overall, I liked this book. It was a good mix of adventure, magic, fun, friendship and traces of potential romance. A time-travelling adventure layered with plots and sub-plots.

The main character is a girl named Elisabeth who is of current time and soon finds herself in Scotland, back in the 1600's! Yikes! What a change that must be. She soon learns it is connected to a necklace she bought. She meets makes some new friends and she teaches them about the future a bit by introducing them to 'modern' music, video games, chocolate, etc. Her problem is not everyone likes what she seems capable of doing ans think she is a witch. 

Amongst this theme was another story, taking place in the late 1700's with young John who is determined to find and prove there is treasure on Oak island. This story-line kept alternating with Elisebeth's story. While I liked the history lesson here about the early excavations, we do not see how this ties in until the end. Where a certain man crosses both stories. Frankly, I do not think this line was needed. Just seemed like an odd filler. The only way I could fuller appreciate this is if the author does a sequel bringing this man to light more. We see him periodically but never seem to really learn much about him. 

Some odd things I also noticed in the story is when Elisebeth beings a game from Quinton to play at first is sounds like a handheld game (DS, PSP, etc) but then it is referred to as a computer game a couple times. So I want to know what she brought. A laptop? Also, at one point she helps Fiona dye her hair using her mother's home dye kit. Now, Fiona's hair is black. But after just one dye and a quick jump in the local Lock, and she comes up from the water with golden blonde hair. Now, I have dyed my hair blonde from both auburn and brown. Never once did it go blond after just 1 home kit use. I want to know what brand that was. I want it!

The Scotland setting was well done, the voices, the clothing, the food, etc. Also the witch hunts and how those suspected of witchcraft were tested, Nicely done. The author did her homework. From the setting, to Oak Island. I was very impressed with that.. If I see a second book come of this explaining Elisebeth and the 'mystery man' I will likely bump this up in rating a bit.

Special thanks to the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book. The book was given in return for a fair and honest review.

 

The Warble by Victoria Simcox- Giveaway, Book excerpt and Review

 

The (Magic) Warble (1)

By Victoria Simcox

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Youth

 Published Feb 2009
Pages: 268

Publisher:Two Harbors Press

View on Goodreads. 

Summary: "Twelve-year-old Kristina Kingsly feels like the most unpopular girl in her school. The kids all tease her, and she never seems to fit in. But when Kristina receives an unusual Christmas gift, she suddenly finds herself magically transported to the land of Bernovem, home of dwarfs, gnomes, fairies, talking animals and the evil Queen Sentiz. In Bernovem, Kristina not only fits in, she's honored as "the chosen one," the only one who can release the land from Queen Sentiz's control. But it's not as simple as it seems. To save Bernovem, she must place the gift she was given, the famous "Magic Warble," in its final resting place. She must travel through the deep forest, climb a treacherous mountain, and risk capture by the queen's "zelbocks" before she reaches her destination. Guided by her new fairy friends, Clover and Looper and by Prince Werrien, a teenage boy, and an assortment of other characters, Kristina sets off on a perilous journey that not only tests her strength but her heart." 

 Book excerpt- Chapter 18, Off to Treachery Island

Viral Nation #1 by Shaunta Grimes (review)

 

Viral Nation #1

By Shaunta Grimes

Genre: Dystopian, Young Adult, Sci-Fi

 Published July 2013
Pages: 320

Publisher: Berkeley Trade

View on Goodreads.  

Summary:  "After a virus claimed nearly the entire global population, the world changed. The United States splintered into fifty walled cities where the surviving citizens clustered to start over. The Company, which ended the plague by bringing a life-saving vaccine back from the future, controls everything. They ration the scant food and supplies through a lottery system, mandate daily doses of virus suppressant, and even monitor future timelines to stop crimes before they can be committed.

Frostbite

Vampire Academy: Frostbite (2) 

by Richelle Mead

Genre(s): Paranormal, Young Adult, Romance  
Published April 2008
 Pages: 327
Publisher: Razorbill

 Please Note: This book is the sequel to Vampire Academy.




Summary:  "Rose Hathaway’s got serious guy trouble. Her gorgeous tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason has a huge crush on her, she keeps getting stuck in her best friend Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian.

Then a massive Strigoi attack puts St. Vladmir’s on high alert, and the Academy crawls with Guardians—including the legendary Janine Hathaway... Rose’s formidable, long-absent mother. The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks. This year, St. Vladmir’s holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only provide the illusion of safety. When three students run away to strike back against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. Only this time, Rose—and her heart—are in more danger than she ever could have imagined."

Review:  I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. This books picks up shortly after the first book in the series. Rose is still in training with Dimitri and feelings run strong between the two but cannot be acted upon, with both of them being Lissa's (a Moroi princess and Rose's best friend) future guardians. There are some attacks on the Moroi royal families. This sends fear of what should be done to stop the Strigoi. Some feel it is time for the Moroi to fight beside their guardians and learn offensive magic, whilst others believe its not their place to fight. While the adults argue, some of the students sneak away to deal with the threat themselves. 

The thought process of Rose is easy to be sympathetic with and believable. The characters are great and very individual to themselves. I continue to enjoy the vampire hierarchy in this book, combined with the differences of Strigoi, vdampir, and Moroi.

 **Mild Spoiler**: There is one character death that was sad to witness but Rose's reaction to it was very well written. I am excited to continue with this series. It has definitely exceeded expectations.