Happy Halloween!

Have a safe and happy Halloween! :)

Book Bundle

Torment by Lauren Kate

How many lives do you need to live before you find someone worth dying for? In the aftermath of what happened at Sword & Cross, Luce has been hidden away by her cursed angelic boyfriend, Daniel, in a new school filled with Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans. Daniel promises she will be safe here, protected from those who would kill her. At the school Luce discovers what the Shadows that have followed her all her life mean - and how to manipulate them to see into her other lives. Yet the more Luce learns about herself, the more she realizes that the past is her only key to unlocking her future...and that Daniel hasn't told her everything. What if his version of the past isn't actually the way things happened...what if Luce was really meant to be with someone else? -goodreads.com
The Maze Runner by James Dashner

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind. -goodreads.com
Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

When funny, charming, absolutely-normal Audrey Cuttler dumps her boyfriend Evan, he writes a song about her that becomes a number-one hit—and rockets Audrey to stardom!
Suddenly, tabloid paparazzi are on her tail and Audrey can barely hang with her friends at concerts or the movies without getting mobbed—let alone score a date with James, her adorable coworker at the Scooper Dooper. Her life will never be the same—at least, not until Audrey confronts Evan live on MTV and lets the world know exactly who she is! -goodreads.com


The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs. -goodreads.com

Source:
These were all recently purchased at Barnes and Noble on short vacay with the boyfriend (and his membership card, which saved me at 10% off of everything!). :)

Most Anticipated:
Sometimes I wish I didn't post this question because it's so hard to answer. I am honestly looking forward to reading all of these! I guess my top choice would be The Replacement, which I am reading right now. It seems like a good Halloween-type read. :)

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Book Summery:
“Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Lia and Cassie were best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies. But now Cassie is dead. Lia's mother is busy saving other people's lives. Her father is away on business. Her step-mother is clueless. And the voice inside Lia's head keeps telling her to remain in control, stay strong, lose more, weigh less. If she keeps on going this way—thin, thinner, thinnest—maybe she'll disappear altogether. -goodreads.com

Book Trailer:



Book Review:
I had just finished reading Laurie Halse Anderson's first novel, Speak, when I knew I had to read more of her work. I promptly went to the bookstore and picked up a copy of Wintergirls. Honestly, this one was a little harder for me to get into. I think I was able to identify a bit more with the main character of Speak. Also, I am not a big fan of reading about eating disorders. However, once I was completely enveloped into the story, it was damn near impossible to set down. I would get home after working a 12+ hour shift and settle into a good hour of reading before I couldn't hold up my eyelids any longer. This may not seem significant, but let me tell you when you are working 12 hour night shifts, an hour of reading before bed is practically a miracle.

I found Wintergirls to have a rather haunting tone. My biggest issue (as stated above) was my difficulty with identifying with the main character, Lia. My biggest obsession was two-fold. One, I desperately wanted to know what actually happened to Cassie. This is what pressed me to flip page after page, even when I was dog tired from work. Two, I wanted to know the underlying issue(s) that were going on with Lia. Why was she starving/hurting herself? What caused this behavior? Would she be able to stop this behavior and start living the life she deserved? Overall, this book left me speechless. Though I had a difficult time understanding Lia, I was definitely able to empathize for her. It takes an amazing writer to be able to do that and Anderson delivers. Her haunting prose are beautiful and will leave you thinking about the story long after you turn the last page.

Favorite Quote:

"WhatWhyWhenHowWho?WhatWhyWhenHowWho?WhatWhyWhenHowWho?

What am I afraid of? Why cant I even want to get better? When am I me and how do I know that and who would I be if I did what they want?

How did I get like this?" (p. 215)

Cover Art Commentary:
My favorite thing about this cover is the color. I also like the concept of the girl trapped in ice. It reminds me of Lia, trapped in her own body, unable to control her thoughts and actions at times.

Overall Rating:

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Book Summery:
Since the beginning of the school year, high school freshman Melinda has found that it's been getting harder and harder for her to speak out loud: "My throat is always sore, my lips raw.... Every time I try to talk to my parents or a teacher, I sputter or freeze.... It's like I have some kind of spastic laryngitis." What could have caused Melinda to suddenly fall mute? Could it be due to the fact that no one at school is speaking to her because she called the cops and got everyone busted at the seniors' big end-of-summer party? Or maybe it's because her parents' only form of communication is Post-It notes written on their way out the door to their nine-to-whenever jobs. While Melinda is bothered by these things, deep down she knows the real reason why she's been struck mute... -goodreads.com

Movie-based-on-the-book Trailer:



Book Review:
Raw. Emotional. Honest. Those are just a few of the many words that I would chose to describe Speak. I initially picked up this book in honor of banned books week (though, I know I'm running late at this point), expecting a violent, horrific story about rape. Instead, I read an emotional journey that Melinda took, exercising her right not to speak. Do I agree with all the choices she made? No. But that's life isn't it? Nothing's entirely perfect. Do I respect the choices she made in effort to cope with life events? Yes. Reading Speak took me back to the halls of high school and the hell they contain. Reading Speak was like breathing fresh air. Though sometimes raw, Melinda's story was honest, brave, and captivating. I highly recommend this one if you haven't already read it. For more information, check out Laurie Halse Anderson's website, found here.

Favorite Quote (Believe me, there are many to choose from):

"The First Ten Lies They Tell You In High School
1. We are here to help you.
2. You will have enough time to get to your class before the bell rings.
3. The dress code will be enforced.
4. No smoking is allowed on school grounds.

5. Our football team will win the championship this year.

6. We expect more of you here.
7. Guidance counselors are always available to listen.
8. Your schedule was created with your needs in mind.

9. Your locker combination is private.
10. These will be the years you look back on fondly. " (p. 5-6)

Cover Art Commentary:
The cover of this book is rich with meaning. Most obviously, the girl has no mouth to "speak" from. The tree covering the girls face is symbolic to the story in more ways than one. Also, you'll note the her face softly fades into the background. Simple, yet powerful, this cover art offers a great amount of information for those who seek it.

Overall Rating:

Book Bundle

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems. -goodreads.com

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

“Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Lia and Cassie were best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies. But now Cassie is dead. Lia's mother is busy saving other people's lives. Her father is away on business. Her step-mother is clueless. And the voice inside Lia's head keeps telling her to remain in control, stay strong, lose more, weigh less. If she keeps on going this way—thin, thinner, thinnest—maybe she'll disappear altogether. -goodreads.com

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Since the beginning of the school year, high school freshman Melinda has found that it's been getting harder and harder for her to speak out loud: "My throat is always sore, my lips raw.... Every time I try to talk to my parents or a teacher, I sputter or freeze.... It's like I have some kind of spastic laryngitis." What could have caused Melinda to suddenly fall mute? Could it be due to the fact that no one at school is speaking to her because she called the cops and got everyone busted at the seniors' big end-of-summer party? Or maybe it's because her parents' only form of communication is Post-It notes written on their way out the door to their nine-to-whenever jobs. While Melinda is bothered by these things, deep down she knows the real reason why she's been struck mute... -goodreads.com

Source: All of these were bought at my local indie bookstore. :)

Most Anticipated: I am reallllly looking forward to Beautiful Darkness. I just absolutely adored Beautiful Creatures. However, I am almost done with Speak, and all I can say is that it is one amazing book. I am very hopeful about Wintergirls as well! :)

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Book Summery:
Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie's always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.-goodreads.com

Book Trailer:



Book Review:
What can I say? I bleeping loved this book! I honestly didn't know anything about it, until I read a few reviews. Then I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy. Let me tell you, through all the hype, this book doesn't disappoint! I absolutely loved the main character Evie. She's fun, kick-ass, and boy, does she love her pink! ;) At first everything seems perfect. Evie grew up as a ward of the state until the IPCA found her and took her in. She has a home, a best friend (who just happens to be a mermaid), and a thrilling job. Enter Lend. Mysterious and intriguing, Evie finds comfort in Lend, who raises some good questions...Is what the IPCA does entirely ethical? Could she leave the IPCA if she wanted to? What exactly does her future hold? Most important, who is she? There's also the little problem of the dead immortals and paranormals...who or what is hunting them, and who is next on the list? Paranormalcy is the right mix of dark and light storytelling with some good ole' mystery and romance thrown in. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who is looking to get wrapped up in a good paranormal romance that will have you turning the pages faster than you can read them! :)

Favorite Quote(s):

"He hissed. Just as he reached for my neck, I tased him. I was there to bag and tag, not to kill. Besides, if I had to carry separate weapons for every paranormal I took out, I'd be dragging around a full luggage set. Tasers are a one-size-fits-all paranormal butt-kicking option. Mine's pink with rhinestones. Tasey and I have a lot of good times together." (p.2)

"Bud, my self-defense and combat skills teacher, was still trying to get me to learn knife fighting. 'Silver knives! Painful and sometimes deadly to nearly all paranormals!'

'Tasey!' I countered. 'Hot pink and sparkly!'" (p. 43)

Cover Art Commentary:
I really love this cover. It conveys the overall feeling of the book. Dark and mysterious with some bright pink thrown in for flare! :)

Overall Rating:

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Book Summery:
"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay."
"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"
"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer. -goodreads.com

Book Trailer/Author Intro:



Book Review:
Sarah Ockler takes us on an emotional journey through friendships, loss, love, and beginnings in her debut, Twenty Boy Summer. I was honestly shocked at how much this book impacted me. Though I have never been in this particular situation, reading this book stirred feelings of loss, love, and life in general. Feelings that I have shoved down and all but forgotten about. I love that Ockler narrates this from Anna's voice. The forgotten victim...the best friend. Who feels guilty for grieving. Twenty Boy Summer is story of firsts...first loves, first losses, first flings, first fights...If I had a teenage daughter, I would eagerly pass this book along to her. Ockler tackles a tough subject with a beautiful vocabulary and honest perspective in her debut. Her characters are real, flawed, and easy to relate to. I highly look forward to her next book, Fixing Delilah Hannaford, which is released next month. :) Craving more information? Check out Sarah Ockler's website (found here) for more insight into the author, excerpts of her books, and her offical blog, in which she discusses banned books, and the controversy of censorship (which is one of the main reasons I read Twenty Boy Summer, as it has recently been challenged to be banned from high school libraries).

Favorite Quote:

"After packing our bags, cleaning our room, and eating a light breakfast with Uncle Red and Aunt Jayne, I take a final walk out to the ocean - my sad blue secret keeper. She's witnessed everything on this trip - albatross cast off, secrets unleashed, history destroyed, love and friendships found and broken - yet she remains the same. Reassuring. Undying." (p.274)

Cover Art Commentary:
At first glance, this cover might seem simple. At least, it did to me. After reading the book contents, the cover becomes exceptional with significant meaning. The layers of sea glass pieced together to create a heart, that's not quite whole. With one piece of the ever-coveted red sea glass that will hold a special place, forever.

Overall Rating: