Review: Prince Of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Translated By: Lucia Graves

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Horror, Paranormal

Pages: 218

Published: May 4th, 2010 (English version)

Publisher: Little Brown

Rating: 5/5 Stars

"A mysterious house harbors an unimaginable secret. . . .
It’s wartime, and the Carver family decides to leave the capital where they live and move to a small coastal village where they’ve recently bought a home. But from the minute they cross the threshold, strange things begin to happen. In that mysterious house there still lurks the spirit of Jacob, the previous owners’ son, who died by drowning.
With the help of their new friend Roland, Max and Alicia Carver begin to explore the suspicious circumstances of that death and discover the existence of a mysterious being called The Prince of Mist—a diabolical character who has returned from the shadows to collect on a debt from the past. Soon the three friends find themselves caught up in an adventure of sunken ships and an enchanted stone garden, which will change their lives forever."~Goodreads

You know those book you read as a kid that just drew you in and totally consumed you for hours on end?  If this book had been translated when I was that age this would have been one of those books.  What am I saying?  It is one of those books.  I picked up this little novel (the first in the Niebla Trilogy) on a whim.  I didn't feel like reading the next book on my to-be-read list yet and needed something quick to keep me entertained for a few days.  The Prince of Mist more than did the trick.  It was charming, exciting and truly scary.  It was everything a young adult horror novel should be.

LIKES:

• Beautiful writing: Zafon's writing is really beautiful.  He somehow captures the voices of his characters perfectly while at the same time allowing the reader to make their own observations about the world he creates.  The atmosphere was perfect whether that atmosphere was spooky at the time or charming and quaint.  The story moved along quickly and succinctly and kept me wrapped up in it the whole time.  
• Different take on ghosts:  I love ghost stories, they're probably my favorite kind, but there's usually some sort of formula.  Ghosts are usually dead people who hang around and scare the crap out of the living.  Not in this book though.  These ghosts are unusual.  I'm still not 100% sure how the whole thing went down but apparently they could take different forms, inhabit inanimate objects and resurrect terrifying circus statues.  
• Truly terrifying villains:  Speaking of circuses, there is a ghost clown.  I hate clowns, I find them truly horrifying at their best so when one of them is walking around all incorporeal with razor teeth I just about lose it.  Throw in some creepy haunted home movies, wardrobe monsters and a ghost ship and I will be sleeping with the light on for awhile.  A+ on the scares.

DISLIKES:

• Where are the parents:  About half way through the book something happens and the parents and youngest sister leave town.  They're gone for the rest of the book only to reappear in the epilogue.  I was disappointed in this because I really loved the family dynamic at the beginning of the story and it was sad to see them written out for most of the action.  However, I can see why this was necessary so maybe I can't really count this as a dislike.
• The ending (maybe):  I'm really not sure about the ending.  There are things I loved (the drama and sadness and hope) but I also was kind of disappointed that the story was wrapped up so completely.  It looks like Max won't be the focus of the second book and I really liked him as a character so that was a bummer, but it will be cool to see what the author does with the story from here on out.  After all, this is The Prince of Mist's story right?

I can't wait to read the rest of this series and see what type of terror The Prince of Mist will create. The second and third books involve different protagonists and different time periods which is a really unique and fun idea for a series.  It will be interesting to see what Zafon has come up with (hopefully no more clowns).  I only wish these would have been translated earlier so I could have enjoyed this amazing tale sooner.

Review: The Sweet Dead Life by Joy Preble

Author: Joy Preble

Genre:  Paranormal

Pages: 244

Published: May 14th, 2013

Publisher: SOHO Teen

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Source:  I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"“I found out two things today. One, I think I’m dying. And two, my brother is a perv.”
So begins the diary of 14-year-old Jenna Samuels, who is having a very bad eighth-grade year. Her single mother spends all day in bed. Dad vanished when she was eight. Her 16-year-old brother, Casey, tries to hold together what’s left of the family by working two after-school jobs— difficult, as he’s stoned all the time. To make matters worse, Jenna is sick. When she collapses one day, Casey tries to race her to the hospital in their beat-up Prius and crashes instead.
Jenna wakes up in the ER to find Casey beside her. Beatified. Literally. The flab and zits? Gone. Before long, Jenna figures out that Casey didn’t survive the accident at all. He’s an “A-word.” (She can’t bring herself to utter the truth.) Soon they discover that Jenna isn’t just dying: she’s being poisoned. And Casey has been sent back to help solve the mystery that not only holds the key to her survival, but also to their mother’s mysterious depression and father’s disappearance."~Goodreads

I'm not really sure what I was expecting when I picked up this book.  I haven't read a ton of angel books and most of the ones I've heard of are romances.  This novel is about a brother and a sister so  romance really wasn't part of the equation.  After finishing it I'm still not really sure about this one. It centers around Jenna, an eighth grader with a world of problems.  Her father is missing, her mother doesn't leave the house and her older brother is a pot head.  When she and her brother are in a car accident and he becomes an angel things get even more complicated.  There were definitely things I loved about it, but there was plenty that fell flat as well.   

LIKES:

• The writing style:  The style of the book was really cool.  Jenna definitely had a unique voice and the author did a great job of bringing that across.  The colloquialisms in the writing added to the charm and really pulled me in.
• Jenna's got spunk:  I just loved Jenna.  She was so full of life and laughter despite her dire circumstances and that really got me attached to her.  Throw in her impressive and growing vocabulary and her sense of humor and I was sold on Jenna.  Her relationship with her brother was also really genuine and sweet.

DISLIKES:

• Amber:  I just didn't see the point of Amber, and I don't just mean her character.  I also didn't get why Jenna hated her so much or why Amber was such a pill.  With fun, lovable characters like Jenna and her brother I was hoping that Amber would have been developed a little more.
• Where's the magic?:  This book reads more like a mystery than a paranormal story.  There isn't a lot of angel-ish stuff going on except for Casey's physical changes and some little tricks that go by practically without notice.  I would have liked to see more of the paranormal/angel element.
• No surprises: Everything is sort of laid out for you in the synopsis.  The reader already knows the big twist (cough Casey's an angel) before the book even begins.  So when Jenna finally comes to that conclusion it's not very exciting for the reader.  This could have been avoided completely with a different title and description.  The other big revelation, that Jenna is being poisoned, is also right there in the blurb.  

I started out really loving this book.  Unfortunately, by the time I finished it I wasn't as excited about it.   That being said, the writing style alone is enough for me to want to pick up the author's other work.  I'm excited to see what she what else is out there.  If you're looking for something heavy on the paranormal this book might not be for you.  But if you want a cute younger mystery give it a shot.

Mini Review: Invisibility by David Levithan and Andrea Cremer

David Levithan's work and I have a tumultuous relationship. Although I find his style and passion both beautiful and earnest I have often found that his penchant for pushing his beliefs on the reader abrasive. This seems funny to me because 90% of the time I agree with what he's saying, it's simply his delivery that I am at odds with. As for Andrea Cremer, I am not familiar with her work so I was able to go into Invisibility without prejudice. I was excited to read this book and to see how the authors worked together to build such a unique storyline.

Unfortunately I was mostly disappointed. At first the story was great. The main character, Stephen, was pretty well-developed in the first few chapters and his relationship with spunky Elizabeth opened up a world of possibility. Throw in her adorable brother, Laurie, and I was sure I was in for a good time. Sadly the book quickly developed into a rushed supernatural plot line that seemed too convoluted for the earlier storyline. It just didn't fit. The last section of the book was a mix of insta-love dramatics and info dumps. All in all I was just disappointed. This book could have been something extraordinary but instead it was just strange and rushed.

Review: Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Author: Vera Brosgol

Genre:  Paranormal, Graphic Novel

Pages: 221

Published: June 7th, 2011

Publisher: First Second

Rating: 4/5 Stars

"Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn't kidding about the "Forever" part...
Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century.
Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya's normal life might actually be worse. She's embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she's pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend—even a ghost—is just what she needs.
Or so she thinks. Spooky, sardonic, and secretly sincere, Anya's Ghost is a wonderfully entertaining debut from author/artist Vera Brosgol."~Goodreads

What is it about graphic novels that is so enticing?  The beautiful artwork, the clever story lines, the challenge of fitting an entire narrative into a comic strip?  Yes, of course, but let's be real for a second.  Pictures!  Here is the excuse that the petulant twelve year old in all of us has been looking for to read a book that's mostly pictures and still feel like we've accomplished something.  These puppies are great for pulling you out of a reading slump, plus they're nice to look at!  So I decided to delve into more graphic novels this year and one of my first was Anya's Ghost.  I'm not sure what I was really expecting but this spooky little read was completely satisfying!

LIKES:

• The Art: The artwork in this book is really beautiful in a quirky sort of way.  It's very cartoonish but it works for the story.  The visual element of the story fits in really well with the plot development and enhances the book rather than simply illustrating it.  This becomes especially important as certain characters start to evolve toward the middle of the book.  It simply would have been lacking without the visual element.
• Actually Scary: At first I had my doubts about whether or not this would actually be a scary read.  Sure, it's about a ghost, but the cartoonish art style and the beginning of the story line made me skeptical.  Then the story started taking a dark turn and the book just got downright creepy.  I think that was my favorite part of the book.  It was so unexpected and such a pleasant surprise.
• Great Message:  The underlying message in this book is less about restless spirits and more about a girl who is uncomfortable with her place in the world.  Anya has to see first hand how important her family and her life are to really appreciate her value and what she has.  
• Anya and Her Family: The characters of Anya and her mother and brother are very well-written.  They are incredibly realistic and endearing and have obviously been created with love by the author.  In the few hours it took to read the book I became very attached to these characters.  I always love it when I can hear a character's voice and really get to know them.

DISLIKES:

• Some of the secondary characters: Unfortunately I felt like some of the secondary characters weren't very well-developed.  I realize that this is mainly a story about Anya and her family but I would have liked a little more depth in some of the other characters.

This was a great graphic novel to start out with.  I loved it.  It was heartwarming, funny and actually pretty spooky at times.  It will definitely stick with me for a long time and I will absolutely be re-reading it.  I would recommend this if you you're looking for a super fast, fun book or an intro to graphic novels. 

Let me know what some of your favorite graphic novels are as I'm trying to build up a reading list for them!  All input is greatly appreciated.

Blog Tour Review: The Devil's Triangle by Toni De Palma

Author:  Toni De Palma

Genre:  Paranormal, Fantasy

Published: February 15th, 2013

Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Source:  I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"When 17 year old Cooper dies in an attempt to burn down his school, he finds himself in the afterlife. Lucy, the Devil's sister who has crossed party lines, decides to give Cooper another shot at heaven. The deal? Cooper returns to Earth and has to find a girl named Grace. The rest is up to him.
While Cooper figures out his mission, he's thrown into the life he's always wanted. Great parents, a spot on the Varsity football team and a real future are all within reach. But what he really wants is Grace, a feisty girl with an abusive boyfriend who can pound Cooper into pulp if he doesn't watch out.
While Lucy plays demonic-puppeteer, clues to an unknown past between Cooper and Grace start to unravel. Cooper discovers that what's keeping him and Grace apart is far more sinister than anything this bad boy could have ever imagined."~Goodreads

 I thought I knew what to expect going into this book.  I was wrong.  Just judging by the cover and the synopsis I assumed that Cooper would be some bad boy seeking redemption while maintaining his snark and that the "triangle" in question would be one of the love variety (luckily that wasn't the case). I was nicely surprised on both points.  

LIKES:

• Male POV: With YA books I get a little burnt out reading from a teenage girl's perspective all the time.  I always like it when authors switch it up and write from a guys point of view.  I felt like the author did a great job of getting into the character of Cooper and he really felt like a guy.  He reacts to situations differently than his female counterparts would and that makes the story more interesting.

• Different "back from the dead" set up: Okay, with this one I feel like I have to be vague or I'll give major plot points away, but I loved the way De Palma set up the "back from the dead" scenario.  I expected Cooper to be zapped back to his old school before the fire as a totally different him.  It didn't quite work out like that and the result a kid who still has to deal with the consequences of his actions while getting used to a much better life.  I can't be more specific than that without spoilers, so you'll just have to read it to find out ;) 

• Cooper's growth:  This goes hand in hand with my last point.  Cooper does a lot of growing in his new life.  He finally gets to see what life is like with a loving family and friends.  This is both a kindness and a cruelty.  He knows that it could all go away at any moment and that knowledge makes him fight to keep it.  He transitions from a selfish, insecure delinquent to a kid that people might actually want to be around.  A guy who loves his family and his life and finds value in it and I really loved watching that transition.

DISLIKES:

• Rough start:  I have to be honest, I didn't think I was going to be able to get through the book after the first chapter.  Cooper was so obnoxious.  He kept referring to St. Peter as "St. Pete" which annoyed me to no end and his bravado and snark was a little much.  Luckily things really started turning around after that and I was able to get into the story.

• Grace: I'll just say it.  Plain and simple, I didn't like Grace.  She was so beaten down and weak.  I realize that her character is supposed to be showing strength by self-denial and not fighting back but I just couldn't take it.  Half-way through I just wanted to shake her and yell "DO SOMETHING".  Hopefully she finds a voice in the next book.

• The ending seemed incomplete:  The ending was something of a let-down.  It seemed like the action had just gotten going and then the book was over.  Everything was kind of left up in the air.  I always like it when books have some sort of solid ending, even if they're part of a series.  Unfortunately this ending was lacking.

The Devil's Triangle was not what I expected and that is a good thing.  I'm really glad that I got a chance to give it a read.  If you're looking for a new paranormal series that's a little brash and quirky with some great character growth I would give this a try.

Review: Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

Author: Amy Garvey

Genre: Paranormal

Pages: 292

Published: September 20th, 2011

Publisher: Harper Teen

Rating: 2/5 Stars

"It was a beautiful, warm summer day, the day Danny died.
Suddenly Wren was alone and shattered. In a heartbroken fury, armed with dark incantations and a secret power, Wren decides that what she wants--what she "must" do--is to bring Danny back.
But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy Wren fell in love with. His touch is icy; his skin, smooth and stiff as marble; his chest, cruelly silent when Wren rests her head against it.
Wren must keep Danny a secret, hiding him away, visiting him at night, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school, and Wren realizes that somehow, inexplicably, he can sense the powers that lie within her--and that he knows what she has done. And now Gabriel wants to help make things right.
But Wren alone has to undo what she has wrought--even if it means breaking her heart all over again."~Goodreads

I got Cold Kiss last year as an Amazon freebie.  I'd heard great things about it and the sequel was coming out so I thought I'd give it a shot.  The only thing I really knew about the plot at the time was that it involved a girl raising her boyfriend from the dead.  I expected it to be a fun, if sort of cheesy, read.  Unfortunately I found that instead of fun, it was kind of gross and more than a little disturbing.  That's all fine and good if that's what the author is going for, but I feel like this one just missed the mark.

LIKES:

• Exploding squirrels, geriatric cats and other things that make me giggle:  There were some things in the story that gave it personality and humor.  Wren has magical powers that she doesn't know how to control and this can cause some major outbursts when she gets freaked out.  This includes the downfall of a particularly unlucky squirrel who happens to be in the line of fire.  This sort of dark humor mixed with real-life everyday problems like a pet cat who seems to suffer from feline dementia could have been used to really give the story some much-needed levity.  Unfortunately these were few and far between and it just wasn't enough to take my mind off of the ick-factor of the book.
• There is some heart to the story:  even though this wasn't my favorite story, there were times where I was drawn into Wren and Danny's plight.  There were some scenes that were very emotional and really touched on grief, loss and sacrifice.  

DISLIKES: 

• Gross:  By this point in my reading life, I've read and loved plenty of love stories about the undead.  Of course usually they are vampires or at least they don't look like/smell like zombies.  This allows me to ignore the fact that our hero should be rotting away in a box somewhere.  Unfortunately there were too many scenes where Wren and Danny were kissing and Wren kept talking about how cold he was and how he smelled like dirt and dead leaves (or, you know, a graveyard).  In the meantime, Danny keeps wanting to go farther and farther and I couldn't help but be grossed out.
• Gabriel or The Guy With The Worst Timing Ever:  seriously dude, this girl's dead boyfriend is living in the garage and you're going in for the kiss?  So, not the time.  I just do not understand why we needed an undead love triangle.  It didn't add much to the story and frankly I would be pissed if some guy kept hitting on me after he found out about my zombie slave boyfriend.  Timing is everything guys.
• I just didn't care about the characters:  They all seemed pretty foolish to me.  Wren and Gabriel for the reasons mentioned above and Danny because, well, he's dead.  He only ever thinks about Wren and is either lost without her or physically attacking the guy who's trying to be her new boyfriend (which to be fair is pretty understandable).  

Overall, I just didn't care for this one.  It wasn't terrible, but it just wasn't for me.  The writing style is nice and the concept had some promise, but I don't think I'll be checking out the next one.

Let me know if you've read Cold Kiss and what you thought down below!

Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Genre: Paranormal

Pages: 323

Published: March 2, 2010

Publisher: Hyperion

Rating: 4/5 Stars

"Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her." ~Goodreads

I have an admission to make.  I am a giant cover whore.  I can't help it, if I see a cover I love I have to have the book.  Now, of course, I read the description and make sure the story sounds mildly interesting before I blow twenty bucks on a hardback, but the cover definitely is the first draw for me.  Sometimes I even keep books that I really didn't like, just because I love the cover so much. And trust me, with my lack of shelf space, this is a sin.  So naturally when I saw the cover for Hex Hall (well the American cover at least, some of the international covers are just terrible) it was love at first sight, add in a reform school for wayward magic-types and we have some real long-term relationship material here.  But, as with all budding love affairs, there was some apprehension.  What if it was cheesy?  What if it was a thinly-veiled Harry Potter knock-off?  Worst of all, what if there was (dun dun....duuuun) INSTA-LOVE?!  Luckily for me and everyone else, my fears were unfounded.  I got totally wrapped up in Sophie's world and thoroughly enjoyed this magical read.

LIKES:

• Sophie and Jenna: Sophie, our main character, is not your average YA fledgling witch.  She likes having powers, isn't afraid to use them, and is pretty sure of herself.  Once she gets to Hex she realizes she has some major improving to do and works hard to better herself.  There's none of the usual "but I don't want to be a witch" or "I just want a normal life, why must I be so awesome? why?" crap.  She has moments where she questions where her life will go, as we all do, but she is a strong character with plenty of personality to boot.  Jenna is a vampire.  A blood-sucking beastie who happens to love hot pink and sleeps with a stuffed lion named Bram.  She is also Sophie's new roommate and the only vampire student in the whole school.  Her character represents being strong in the face of stereotypes and adversity and I love that about her. 
• Cliches (but in a good way):  Normally cliches are frowned upon in this day and age, but I loved the classic elements of this story.  It was cool to have witches that actually fly on broomsticks, vampires who (without a special talisman) can't eat garlic or go out in the sun and  fairies that have fairy wings and bad attitudes.  It made the book so much fun and it felt so much more familiar.
• So many surprises:  I'm a sucker for twists and this book had quite a few.  Maybe I'm just bad at foreshadowing but most of them caught me off guard and that always makes reading more fun.
• It was just lots of fun.  Nuf said.
  

DISLIKES:

• Atmosphere: The author chose a great setting and I was really looking forward to a creepy, atmospheric feel to this book.  However,  I just don't feel like it was developed enough.  I wanted to know more about the school and its grounds and I found that I could really picture much of it.  I'm hoping this gets better in the next two books.

Isn't it just lovely when cover-love works out?  I can't wait to get my hands on Demonglass and see where Sophie and Jenna's adventures take them.  Oh and did I mention that even though this series is through Rachel Hawkins is coming out with a new spin-off series starting with School Spirits in May of this year?  Yes, we don't have to say goodbye just yet.  I'm so excited to see what Hawkins has planned.  I haven't even finished this series and I'm ready for the next one.  Oh, and in case you were wondering, the cover for School Spirits is just as awesome.  My addiction continues.

Review: On The Day I Died by Candace Fleming

Author: Candace Fleming

Genre: paranormal, anthology, short stories

Pages: 208

Published: 2012

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade

Rating: 3/5 Stars

"Set in White Cemetery, an actual graveyard outside Chicago, each story takes place during a different time period from the 1860's to the present, and ends with the narrator's death. Some teens die heroically, others ironically, but all due to supernatural causes. Readers will meet walking corpses and witness demonic posession, all against the backdrop of Chicago's rich history—the Great Depression, the World's Fair, Al Capone and his fellow gangsters." ~Goodreads

I was so excited to read this book that I didn't even wait for it to go on sale.  I bought it at full price right after Christmas (which is something I normally don't do).  After all, I love a good ghost story more than almost anything.  So I cracked into it almost as soon as it arrived on my doorstep.  Unfortunately I think I built it up a little too much before hand.  It wasn't a total disappointment but it didn't really live up to expectations.

Let's start on a positive not though, shall we?  There were things that I loved about this book.  The premise, for one, was great.  A teenage boy gets stranded in a graveyard surrounded by teen ghosts after trying to return the shoes of a phantom hitchhiker.  He has to listen to their stories before he can leave.  Super creepy right?  I know.  The plot is set up with Mike's story as the backdrop with each short story tying the book together.  This was a really great set-up and It made for a fast-paced, interesting read.  I also really appreciated that Fleming gave each ghost it's own unique voice which tied in with their social background and time period.  This really helped draw me into the stories.  

Unfortunately this is where the positives stopped for me.  There were several problems with this book.  First of all, many of the stories are retellings of well-known short stories.  And while retellings can be fun and all, ask yourselves, do we really need another incarnation of The Monkey's Paw?  I think not.  Not only that, but they weren't even switched around to be their own versions of the classic stories for the most part.  The next issue I had was in the silliness of some stories.  I wanted a book about ghosts not killer sea monkeys from outer space.  It was a cute idea, but it just wasn't what I was looking for or expecting.  Finally, I would have liked it if the stories would have tied together instead of just moving the plot along.  I think that would have really improved the reading experience for me.

Overall, I did have a good time reading this little book and I would recommend it if you're looking for something slightly creepy but not terrifying.  It's a good book for those of you who don't like the really scary stuff but want to be a little spooked.

Make sure you check out my video for a more in-depth review.

 

Review: Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown

Author: Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown

Genre: Paranormal

Pages: 262

Published: May 1, 2010

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Rating: 3/5 Stars

"Jennie Lovell's life is the very picture of love and loss. First she is orphaned and forced to live at the mercy of her stingy, indifferent relatives. Then her fiancé falls on the battlefield, leaving her heartbroken and alone. Jennie struggles to pick up the pieces of her shattered life, but is haunted by a mysterious figure that refuses to let her bury the past." ~Goodreads

 I'll be very honest and say that I had some preconceived notions about how awesome this book was going to be because it had three of my favorite things: ghosts, the civil war and PICTURES!  Yes, I'll admit that I'm basically 12 at heart and love illustrations to go along with a story.  I'm a very visual person so the right illustrations can really enhance my reading enjoyment.  Many people scoff at such things but I welcome pictures in novels!  Ghosts and the Civil War kind of go hand in hand for me so if a book has both, it is a must read.  Throw in an author like Adele Griffin and a super spooky plot and I expect nothing less than awesome.  Picture the Dead  mostly lived up to this expectation.  Mostly.

LIKES:

• Scrapbooks:  Not only was this book beautifully illustrated, the illustrations were done as a scrapbook.  They included letters and drawings as well as photos.  Each scrapbook page pulled you farther into the story and helped to move it along at an exciting pace.  The only problem with this is that I did catch myself cheating and jumping ahead to see what pictures were next.  Bad!
• Twists and turns:  I thought at one point that I new exactly what the "twist" was going to be and I was feeling pretty smug about the whole then.  Then the story did a one-eighty and I was completely at a loss.  I just didn't see the end coming and It hit me hard.  I love it when a story surprised me.
• Jennie:  Jennie was a genuinely likeable character with a lot of spunk, especially for a nineteenth century girl.  I really felt for her and cared about her plight.  She pulled me into the story and made it very real.

DISLIKES:

• Kissing cousins, no seriously:  First off let me say that I understand that it was common practice until fairly recently (in the grand scheme of things) for people to marry cousins.  That being said, it still creeps me right out.  For whatever reason I just can't put it in the context of "that was then, this is now".  This is probably because I grew up being very close to my cousins.  They were like my siblings so the idea of being romantically involved with one of them makes me want to heave.  Jennie isn't just involved with one, but two cousins, with whom she has lived for the past several years after the deaths of her parents.  This is probably the thing that bothered me most about the book.
• It could have been scarier:  I was looking forward to a scary read and, while spooky, I wouldn't call this book scary.  It really read more like an historical fiction with some ghostly elements.  I would have like to have seen a bit more creepiness. 
• Jennie's Uncle:  This character really didn't add much to the story except to underline Jennie's desperate situation.  I wish he would have been developed a bit more.

When all is said and done, Picture the Dead is exactly what it claims to be: a spooky, romantic story with some really great twists and turns.  The illustrations and the scrapbook idea only adds to the story and the overall ambiance of the tale.  This is a quick, fun read that is sure to keep the reader guessing.

Review: The Devouring by Simon Holt

Author: Simon Holt

Genre: Paranormal, Horror

Pages: 231

Published: September 1, 2008

Publisher: Little Brown

Rating: 4/5 Stars

"The Vours: Evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice. When Reggie reads about the Vours in a mysterious old journal, she assumes they are just the musings of an anonymous lunatic. But when her little brother, Henry, begins to act strangely, it's clear that these creatures exist beyond a madwoman's imagination, and Reggie finds out what happens when fears come to life.
To save the people she loves, Reggie must learn to survive in a world of nightmares. Can she devour her own fears before they devour her?" ~Goodreads

 October was supposed to be a month of spooky reads.  I set it all up ahead of time and had everything planned out for maximum scariness.  Unfortunately, most of the books I read in October lacked in horror, gore and basic spine-tingliness.  That is, until I read The Devouring.  I picked it up on a whim from the bookstore.  I hadn't heard a lot about it but what I had heard had been positive so I decided to go for it.  I pushed the rest of the TBR pile aside and dug right in.  It was the best decision I could have made.  Simon Holt managed to take the concept of our own fear and use it against us in the best possible way.  The story was unpredictable, fun and absolutely terrifying.  It is a tale of how we let our own fear control us and hold us prisoner.  

LIKES:

• Horror that is actually horrifying: I find that in a lot of YA horror there isn't much, well, horror.  This book had it all though.  It was both psychological and gory and it worked beautifully.  In case you don't believe me let me set the stage for you.  Killer, hatchet-handed clowns in a mirror maze.  I was beside myself at around 2 AM and couldn't shake the creepiness.  If clowns aren't really your thing, it also has spiders, zombies, ghosts, demon babies and possessed Christmas carolers.  If that isn't enough for you, then I can't make you happy.
• Great protagonist: Reggie was great.  She's a teenage girl who's taking care of her little brother after her mom skips town.  She is incredibly loving and self-sacrificing but she's far from one-dimensional.  When called upon Regina Halloway is not someone you want to mess with.  She is tough as nails and more than willing to fight for the people she loves.
• Wonderfully spooky imagery:  Holt creates a world that is instantly recognizable which is what makes it so terrifying.  He has a way of making the vours seem so realistic.  More like people with severe psychosis than actual monsters.  In the fearscape things get even creepier.  Holt's nightmare world is incredibly imaginative and the way he describes it is at once enticing and horrifying.
• No cheesy romance (or any romance for that matter): I like a little romance in most books, but when I want to read really great horror the last thing on my mind is the awkwardness of first love.  It just doesn't usually add much to the plot.  In fact, most of the time it detracts from it and seems like a time-filler.  There is none of that in this book.  Reggie and Aaron are friends who are on a mission.  They don't have time to make out in the back seat or make googly eyes at one another.  There are ass kickings to be distributed.

DISLIKES:

• Unanswered questions:  There were some things that went unanswered.  I was really hoping to find out more about Reggie and Henry's mom and what the deal with Eben was.  Fortunately there are two more books so I'm guessing these questions will be answered.  Not really counting this as a dislike since it's mainly just me being impatient.
• Aaron could get a bit annoying:  I really liked Aaron, don't get me wrong, but sometime he was so obnoxious.  He was either playing captain obvious, being skeptical when there was clearly no more reason to be or generally offering up pretty useless information about 50% of the time.  However, he was pretty loveable and he did man up eventually so I'll give him that much.

I'm so happy that I decided to give this book a chance.  It was just the right mix of kooky and scary and it really helped me end the month with a bang.  I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the trilogy!

Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Author: Patrick Ness

Genre: Paranormal, Horror

Pages: 215

Published: September 27, 2011

Publisher: Candlewick

Rating: 5/5 Stars

"The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.
But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting. He's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming...
This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.
It wants the truth." ~Goodreads

 When I picked up A Monster Calls I figured it would be the perfect Halloween read.  I mean, monsters, hello!  I new that this was supposed to be a sad story as well, but I assumed (incorrectly) that it was more of a thriller than anything else.  After finishing this book, I can promise you that while it is a horror story, the horror here lies in the real life problems that the main character, Conor, is dealing with.  He is bullied at school, abandoned by his father, largely ignored by his grandmother and on top of everything else he is dealing with his mother's cancer.  That's a lot for a kid to deal with.  Then the monster starts showing up.

LIKES:

• The legacy of the book: The idea for this book was originally thought up by Siobhan Dowd.  Unfortunately she passed away from cancer before the idea could come to fruition.  Although Ness and Dowd had not known each other personally, he was a huge fan of her work.  So, when he was asked to write the book he did so with the utmost love and respect.  One of the reasons that this book is such a masterpiece is because Ness was memorializing and celebrating Dowd in its writing.  This makes the story all the more touching.
• The realism: Again, this story is less about a monster and more about Conor's internal struggle with his mother's cancer.  However, that doesn't mean that the story is sappy.  The emotions are so raw and real that it is impossible not to feel totally immersed in Conor's grief.
• The monster: The monster is such a dynamic character.  He is a terror but he is also a nuturer.  He is not only there to scare Conor, he is also there to teach him and to help him.  At the end of the day, it is the monster who makes Conor look at his true feelings and come to terms with his mother's potential fate.
• The illustrations: Jim Kay's amazing illustrations complement the story without overshadowing it.  They are both terrifying and melancholy.  While the story stands on its own, the book would not be the same without these wonderful pieces.
• All the feels: Especially during the last third of the book I just could not stop crying.  It takes a lot for a book to make me cry and this one just would not let up.  I suggest having a jumbo pack of Kleenex on stand-by if you are planning to read this one.

DISLIKES:

Absolutely nothing.  I can't think of a single thing that I didn't love about this book.  You've stumped me Patrick Ness. Well played, sir.

This book is, in a word, flawless.  If you are looking for a different kind of heartfelt read with just a little creepiness, this is your book.  If you aren't crying by the end, you may want to have your tear ducts checked out, there could be a problem.  From, idea to plot to writing and illustrations this book is incredibly well-formed.  I know it will have a place of honor on my shelf for years to come.