Happy Halloween!

Have a safe and happy Halloween! 

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Book Summery (Via Goodreads): It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

Book Trailer:


Book Review:
I wanted a spooky read for October and I got one! Ten is essentially a horror movie in a book. Eerie and suspenseful, this book proved difficult to set down. In fact, I read the entire thing in one sitting. Meg makes for a great main character. She is down-to-earth, smart, and easy to relate to. Minnie on the other hand is the exact opposite. Starting when the reader is introduced to all of the characters, I tried to figure out who was the killer. McNeil did a great job at keeping me guessing! I am eager to read her other book, Possess.

Cover Art Commentary:
The cover is dark and ominous. A perfect setting for a creepy bone-chilling mystery! 

Rating:

Top Ten Tuesday: Spooky Reads

 A Feature Hosted by The Broke and The Bookish

 

 This Weeks Topic: Top Ten Books To Get In The Halloween Spirit

 

What books are you reading or have you read to get in the Halloween spirit?!

Body & Soul (The Ghost and the Goth #3) by Stacey Kade

Book Summery (Via Goodreads): Alona Dare has been living as Lily “Ally” Turner for over a month...and it's not been easy. Besides being trapped in a body so not as good as her original one, she's failing miserably at playing the sister and daughter of people she barely knows. Plus, she can't help but think that Will Killian - the boy she hates to care about - somehow wishes the real Lily were back.

She and Will have been trying to find a solution, looking for a two-for-one miracle that would free Alona and keep Lily alive. Visits to local psychics have proven useless, but then they stumble across Malachi the Magnificent, who seems to be different. His office is full of ghosts, for one thing. But Malachi doesn’t seem to hear or see them, which is odd. Plus, he bolts the moment he sees Will. To make things even weirder, Misty Evans, Alona's former best friend, is waiting in Malachi's lobby and claiming that she's being haunted. By Alona.

Will's convinced that Malachi has answers, while Alona is all kinds of pissed that someone's impersonating her. But their efforts to uncover the truth will bring them much unwanted attention and put them directly in the path of a ghost who will stop at nothing for another stab at life. Even if it means destroying Alona.

Book Review:
I've really enjoyed this series. Alona's character has come full circle. I'm glad to have seen the changes in her personality. Also, I've really enjoyed Will's growth as well. Though they've both been through a lot of emotional turmoil, I'm really happy with where they have ended up. The Edmond and Erin subplot definitely makes the story a little richer. I would love to see another book or two added to this series. It's whimsical and engaging without being over the top.

Favorite Quote:
“'My shirt is gray',” I pointed out. 'You’ve expanded my fashion horizons dramatically. I wear three colors now'.” 

Cover Art Commentary:
Honestly, I wasn't a fan of these covers when I picked up the first book, but they've since grown on me. :)

Rating:

Because It Is My Blood (Birthright #2) by Gabrielle Zevin

Book Summery (Via Goodreads): Since her release from Liberty Children's Facility, Anya Balanchine is determined to follow the straight and narrow. Unfortunately, her criminal record is making it hard for her to do that. No high school wants her with a gun possession charge on her rap sheet. Plus, all the people in her life have moved on: Natty has skipped two grades at Holy Trinity, Scarlet and Gable seem closer than ever, and even Win is in a new relationship.But when old friends return demanding that certain debts be paid, Anya is thrown right back into the criminal world that she had been determined to escape. It’s a journey that will take her across the ocean and straight into the heart of the birthplace of chocolate where her resolve--and her heart--will be tested as never before.

Book Trailer:


Book Review:
I honestly didn't think this series could be any better than when I read All These Things I've Done, but I am so happy to be proven wrong! Get ready for an emotional roller coaster with this follow up! Anya so desperately wants to do the right thing, but someone else has a different plan for her. My favorite parts of this book occurred while Anya was in Mexico. I was intrigued by the thought that Mexico had done things right, while the U.S. was floundering as a society. Really interesting stuff. I am really excited to see where things go from here! Zevin is now one of my automatic go-to authors!

Favorite Quote:
"Natty studied my face. She held my cheeks in her hands, hands with disarmingly long fingers. 'You look strong Annie. That's all. But then, you've always been strong'."

Cover Art Commentary:
Ok, I seriously have ISSUES when they change up the covers mid-series. STOP DOING THAT!!!! What makes me happy is that both hardcover books look like giant bars of Balanchine chocolate once you remove the dust covers. Hazzah for that! :)

Rating:

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Comtemporary YA Authors

A feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 

This weeks topic: Top Ten Favorite Contemporary YA Authors

 Maggie Stiefvater author of The Raven Boys and The Scorpio Races

 Sarah Ockler author of Bittersweet and Fixing Delilah 

Brenna Yovanoff author of The Space Between and The Replacement

Sarah Beth Durst author of Vessel and Drink, Slay, Love 

C. C. Hunter author of the Shadow Falls series 

Gabrielle Zevin author of All These Things I've Done and Because It Is My Blood 

Tera Lynn Childs author of Sweet Venom and Oh. My. Gods.  

Kristin Cashore author of Graceling and Fire 

 Kendare Blake author of Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares 


Stephanie Perkins author of Lola and The Boy Next Door and Anna and the French Kiss

What are your favorite YA contemporary authors?  

Whispers at Moonrise (Shadow Falls #4) by C.C. Hunter

Book Summery (Via Goodreads): Even at a camp for supernatural teens, Kylie Galen has never been normal. Not only can she see ghosts, but she doesn’t seem to belong to any one species—she exhibits traits from them all. As Kylie struggles to unlock the secrets of her identity, she begins to worry that Lucas will never be able to accept her for what she is, and what she isn’t…a werewolf.  With his pack standing in their way, Kylie finds herself turning more and more to Derek, the only person in her life who’s willing to accept the impossible.

As if life isn’t hard enough, she starts getting visits from the ghost of Holiday, her closest confidante.  Trouble is, Holiday isn’t dead…not yet anyway.  Now Kylie must race to save one of her own from an unseen danger before it’s too late—all while trying to stop her relationship with Lucas from slipping away forever.   In a world of constant confusion, there’s only one thing Kylie knows for sure.  Change is inevitable and all things must come to an end…maybe even her time at Shadow Falls.

Book Review:
This series just keeps getting better and better! I remember when I picked up the first book in the series. The cover had caught my eye at the bookstore. I hadn't heard of the title, but decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised, and Hunter just keeps on surprising me! I love learning more about Kylie's supernatural power. I think we'll learn even more in the next book. The Holiday twist was a real asset to the story. The love triangle is as hot as ever. Personally, I am rooting for Derek, but we'll see what happens. Sadly, I've learned that the next book in the series is the last. I am not anywhere near ready for this series to be over! 

Favorite Quote:
“You couldn't always control life, just your response to it.” 

Cover Art Commentary:
Gorgeous! Don't these covers just look fantastic altogether?!

Rating:

 

The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle #1) by Maggie Stiefvater

Book Summery (Via Goodreads): It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Book Trailer:


Book Review:
Wow. Oh. Wow. I am breathless. I had my first taste of Maggie's writing when I read The Scorpio Races. While I plan to read her Wolves of Mercy Falls, I have yet to be successful of putting said plan into motion. I digress...The Scorpio Races were phenomenal. So when I heard Maggie was planing to release The Raven Boys, I knew I had to read it immediately! By page one, I was enchanted. By the end of the first chapter, I knew I would have a difficult time setting this book down. I gulped down this story as fast my scheduled allowed. Maggie has a wonderful ability to create complex story lines with flawed characters who are easy to related to. I just adored Blue's character. I crave to learn more about her and her family. I also am dying to learn more about the Raven boys. This was an excellent first book. I can not wait for the rest of the series! By the way, how awesome is the trailer? Maggie made it herself!

Favorite Quote:
“She wasn't interested in telling other people's futures. She was interested in going out and finding her own.” 

Cover Art Commentary:
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this cover!  The colors are rich and the raven has multiple meanings in the story!

Rating:

Every Day by David Levithan

Book Summery (Via Goodreads): There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.
It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

Book Review:
I had a lot of questions going into this book. How was "A" born? Did "A" have parents? Was "A" just soul or something more? Unfortunately, these questions didn't get answered. However, I still rather enjoyed the story. Levithan was able to take me out of my "comfort zone" and keep me interested all at the same time. I docked half a point because I felt that Levithan had the possibility to go deeper with this story. It's almost like skimming the surface of an ice burg whose top is peeking out of the water. There's definitely more that could be written/read here. Perhaps Levithan will makes this into a series? Either way, I enjoyed the overall story. Viewing the world through "A's" eyes was interesting and unique.  

Favorite Quote:
“There will always be more questions. Every answer leads to more questions. The only way to survive is to let some of them go.” 

Cover Art Commentary:
Love the cover of this book! It gives the illusion of endless possibility. 

Rating: