Review: UNDERTOW by Michael Buckley

Title/ Author: Undertow (Undertow Trilogy #1) by Michael Buckley
Genre: YA, Urban Fantasy
Rating: 5/5 stars
Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Lyric Walker’s life is forever changed when she witnesses the arrival of 30,000 Alpha, a five-nation race of ocean-dwelling warriors, on her beach in Coney Island. The world’s initial wonder and awe over the Alpha quickly turns ugly and paranoid and violent, and Lyric’s small town transforms into a military zone with humans on one side and Alpha on the other. When Lyric is recruited to help the crown prince, a boy named Fathom, assimilate, she begins to fall for him. But their love is a dangerous one, and there are forces on both sides working to keep them apart. Only, what if the Alpha are not actually the enemy? What if they are in fact humanity’s only hope of survival? Because the real enemy is coming. And it’s more terrifying than anything the world has ever seen.

Action, suspense, and romance whirlpool dangerously in this cinematic saga, a blend of District 9 and The Outsiders. 

Review:

Thoughts on the Overall Book: It's been a long time since I read any of Michael Buckley's books, but I did enjoy the first couple Sister's Grimm books that I read and really wanted to see how he did with YA. I was not disappointed, in fact, I think this is definitely one of the best books that have come out this year so far.

Cover--Yea or Nay: I do really like the cover, it makes me curious to see what the story is about.

Characters: I'll admit that at first I wasn't really sure if I would connect with Lyric. She wasn't a bad character, it was just that she seemed a little je ne sais quoi. As the story progressed, however, she grew into a wonderful heroine, strong yet still seeming to be on the unassuming side, without an attitude, and had the ability to push past her fears and inner demons to do what needed to be done. My favorite character was Bex, though. She was just an awesome best friend and I think we all hope to have a Bex. Just the fact that she was one of those people who could always smile and and always bounce back even when her life was utter rubbish to put it mildly made me love her all the more. Shadow was also an awesome guy friend and I really liked him too. I really enjoyed the Alpha characters too. Fathom was actually really surprising, because I was expecting your typical YA brooding hero, but he was actually more of the kind of quirky, quiet and awkward type. He did have anger management issues but it was because he was thrown into a new life and he was a prince, but he was kind of adorable too. I will admit that I really did have mixed feelings about Lyric's mother. I did understand where she was coming from, but I think she should have made some better decisions. There were also a plethora of characters who were SOOO fun to hate. Bex's disgusting stepdad for one, and Bachman and Mrs. Novakova too, because I can't stand busybodies like her, especially when they are dangerous ones. In any case, this was an amazing cast. Oh, and of course Mr. "Coffee" Doyle, I did end up liking him, though I just couldn't not picture him as Phil Coulson for some reason.

The Romance: If you picked this book up from the synopsis expecting it to be a typical YA romance filled with pointless mush, it isn't. There's actually a very sweet and slow attraction between Lyric and Fathom and I totally approve. 

Writing Style: Despite the fact I'm not totally a fan of present tense, I didn't notice it too much in this one, probably because I was so enamored of the story itself. First off, it is nothing like it sounds in the synopsis.The cover makes it sound like a kind of fun YA romance, kind of mainstream. I was totally floored by what we actually get in this story because it is SO MUCH more than that. This is one of the few books about racial discrimination that actually did it right. A lot of authors would totally go all preachy and I hate books like that, but this one didn't. I felt is presented the situation very, frighteningly even, accurately. It wasn't even all the cliche evil scientists and experimentation like most sic-fi novels portray, it was more a presentation of a difference of race. This book isn't really a romance so much as a book about friendship and bonds and getting past differences. Breaking down walls. It taught a lesson without actually saying it was, it had no real agenda apparent, but yet, I saw it, and most readers probably will too. And that's what I love most in these sorts of books. That means it's done right. This book was just so much more serious and realistic than I ever could have thought, even with sea creatures thrown into the mix. So yeah, I was totally shocked but in the best way possible.

Accuracy/ Believability: Despite the fantasy elements, very accurate. As I said previously, I think this book did a really good job of showing exactly what goes on in these kinds of situations. 

Problems/What bothered me: Nothing really to report here.

Conclusion: 5 stars. The way this book made me feel could earn nothing less. I was just totally floored by what this book was as opposed to what I expected and that's a good thing. One of the most powerful books I've read in a long time, especially for one that wasn't historical fiction. It is a very mature YA read and I really look forward to seeing where the series goes.

Recommended Audience: More girl read, but could be a guy read as well. Seventeen and up. If you're looking for a more realistic fantasy novel, check this out.

ARC Review: REAWAKENED by Colleen Houck

Title/ Author: Reawakened by Colleen Houck
Genre: YA, contemporary, fantasy/mythology
Rating:  2/5 stars
Synopsis: When seventeen-year-old Lilliana Young enters the Metropolitan Museum of Art one morning during spring break, the last thing she expects to find is a live Egyptian prince with godlike powers, who has been reawakened after a thousand years of mummification.

And she really can't imagine being chosen to aid him in an epic quest that will lead them across the globe to find his brothers and complete a grand ceremony that will save mankind.

But fate has taken hold of Lily, and she, along with her sun prince, Amon, must travel to the Valley of the Kings, raise his brothers, and stop an evil, shape-shifting god named Seth from taking over the world.

From New York Times bestselling author Colleen Houck comes an epic adventure about two star-crossed teens who must battle mythical forces and ancient curses on a journey with more twists and turns than the Nile itself. 

Review:

*ARC Review*

Thoughts on the Overall Book: To be honest? Pretty much what I expected. Not horrible, but not great either. Enough adventure to keep me interested, but too much romance to make me really like it. In short, my feelings were pretty much: Meh.

Cover--Yea or Nay: The cover is really gorgeous! I love the Egyptian stuff on it :)

Characters: Lilliana (or Lily, which is better) is pretty much your typical YA heroine. She think she's so great, and isn't really and of course goes all goggly eyed over the first hot dude that crosses her path. She really didn't have much character and was really kind of dumb. She seems to like to think she can read people but she can't really. What she does is people watch and make up stories about people. She is no profiler. Amon was essentially, your typical YA hero. Dark, slightly broody, and, oh yes, very very hot. And without much character. I enjoyed him at first when he was new in NY because he was kind of cute not knowing about anything, but even then it just felt like a Thor rip off to me except Thor was better. Even the Doctor they meet up with later wasn't as interesting as those sorts of characters usually are and the villain was kind of bland and showed up at the last minute without much else going for him. The only characters I did actually like were Amon's brothers, they actually had character and were funny and interesting. I wish they had come in sooner.

The Romance: Since this book in a romance, that's all there really is. And Lily and Amon are annoying as YA romances typically are. Having their feelings cloud their judgement and get in the way of the storyline because she can't help thinking about how hot he is and she gets annoyed when he seems to shun her because she thinks he doesn't like her, when it's obvious to the reader that he's just trying to protect her and trying not to get attached because their relationship can never really happen. (view spoiler)

Writing Style: Nothing special. In fact it was kind of bland and mediocre. I haven't read any of the author's books before and probably won't now. It just didn't do it for me. The only reason this book was remotely interesting is because of the Egyptian angle, and if you want to read it for entertainment and nothing more, then it's not a bad book. I didn't hate it, and it didn't feel like a chore to finish like some books do, but I didn't care overmuch for it. It definitely feels like a rip off of The Mummy and I don't know if that made me like it more or annoyed me. I think because it was familiar, I clung to it to try and ignore some of the romantic annoyance. It was more adventurous than actual Egyptian fact too, but they did seem to get the legends and most of the mythology right at least.

Accuracy/ Believability: Not applicable. In fact, one of the parts that bothered me was that Lily never left any word to her parents. I think she probably could have gotten away with running off on a trip if she had just left a letter. As is, what's to stop her parents from thinking she was kidnapped, and she was using her credit card all over the place. They would have known exactly where she was and where she had gone. So they either didn't care or didn't notice. 

And there was also a stupid part that made me laugh and shake my head because it was so stereotypical. And I don't think it was meant to be sarcastic either because it just didn't read that way. (Although, Lily also thinks she's snarky which she is not. She doesn't have enough character to be snarky. She's only a little above Bella Swan in that department. I don't know why her parents made her curb anything. She didn't have anything to curb.)

Anyway, this is the part that made me laugh:

Seeing the two of them together made it official. They were definitely archeologists. I should've guessed that when I noticed the white fedora. Indiana Jones wore a brown one and probably every archeologist owed at least one.

Problems/What bothered me: What I already mentioned is pretty much what bothered me. It was just silly for the most part, nothing really drastic but nothing that endeared me to it either.

Conclusion: 2.5 stars. It was okay, but nothing special and it was slightly annoying. I'm sure the right people will enjoy this very much but it's not my kind of read. If you're looking for something fun like The Mummy this isn't it. You will be disappointed.

Recommended Audience: Girl read ages 15 and up. If you like Egyptian mythology and YA romance then this is for you. 

(Read this review with spoilers on Goodreads)

Review: VANISHING GIRLS by Lauren Oliver

Title/ Author: Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver
Genre: YA, contemporary, psychological thriller
Rating: 4/5 stars
Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver delivers a gripping story about two sisters inexorably altered by a terrible accident.

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged. When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it's too late.

In this edgy and compelling novel, Lauren Oliver creates a world of intrigue, loss, and suspicion as two sisters search to find themselves, and each other.

"Alarming and uplifting, a rare psychological thriller that has a kind heart at its center. Read it with all the lights on." -- E. Lockhart, author of We Were Liars.

Review:

Thoughts on the Overall Book: This is a book that I have had my eye on since it came out. While I sort of expected more of a page-turning suspense novel, I was greeted by a very surprising and just as page-turning psychological thriller. I was not disappointed.

Cover--Yea or Nay: Meh. It's okay, but it doesn't do anything for me. The title is more interesting than the cover art.

Characters: This is kind of one of those books where I didn't really care overmuch for the characters. Nick wasn't, overall, terrible, I didn't mind reading from her POV. I definitely felt sorry for her, and I think she, as a character, did exactly what she needed to for the story. I was more interested in her overall relationships with Dara. Dara I didn't necessarily care overmuch for. I don't like those kind of crazy party girls. But again, it's the kind of book where the characters serve their purpose whether you like them or not. I did actually like Parker, he was a nice guy and think he was a good addition to the cast.

The Romance: The romance in this book is really just too complicated to explain without too many spoilers so I'll just tell you that, yes there is romance of various natures.

Writing Style: While the writing itself isn't anything horrible special, I loved the way it was put together, and the plotting was definitely really well done. I read this book in two days (most of it the second) because it was just one of those that you literally can't put it down. i think I sat for at least three or four hours and finished it because I actually couldn't stop. I did actually like the random journal entries and news articles scattered throughout it too. I don't always like that, but in this case, I think it helped the reader to know more of what was going on. I really can't say a lot about this book because if I say too much it will spoil the twist which was amazing but it was well done.

Accuracy/ Believability: Again, for the sake of spoiling it, I can't say much, but the problems this book dealt with were portrayed pretty accurately to my knowledge.

Problems/What bothered me: As I said before this is more of the kind of book you read for the plot and not because you like the characters, so I won't say much about my personal feelings about some of the characters. It didn't bother me because I knew it was all part of the story and it had to be. I am continuously skeptical as to how sixteen-year-olds can get around so much and find a steady flow of liquor though. Every once in a while, I can understand, but the amount of times it happened in this book was a little ridiculous. Not to mention them being able to get into clubs.

Conclusion: 4 stars. It was a 3 star book right up until the twist which almost warrants 5 stars, in all honestly because I literally gasped and had to stop and process what I had just read but factoring in everything else, it's a four star book. This is one of those that I really want to re-read not that I know the twist so I can fully appreciate all the little hints throughout it. Overall, really enjoyed it and for my first Lauren Oliver YA book, I was not disappointed.

Recommended Audience: Girl read 17 and up due to content. If you like sister stories and psychological thrillers, you really need to read this one. You will not be disappointed.

Review: Nether Isle by Nicoline Evans

Title/ Author: Nether Isle by Nicoline Evans
Genre: Contemporary, supernatural, fantasy, YA
Rating: 4/5 stars
Synopsis: Lonely is a state of mind, solitude is a way of life. Confusing the two was never an issue for Theodore Finn, at least not until he found himself immersed in a world where nightmares were real.
Nether Isle is built upon a foundation of secrecy. The unimaginable truths living amongst the locals are kept hushed and often ignored. But when Theodore moves there from Alaska, the secrecy ends up being his worst enemy. His naiveté leaves him prey to the dangers lurking around his new home and when the truth is finally revealed, he is already tangled in a web of trouble. Too late to prevent it and too deep to escape, Theodore is forced to find the strength to fight it. Thrown into this strange new reality, he taps into the locals for help. Home to mystery and magic, the rough and jaded inhabitants of Nether Isle band together to save their home. Used to operating alone, Theodore must learn to trust strangers and adapt to the supernatural world unraveling around him.
Set in a run-down fishing village off the coast of Maine, Nether Isle shows the battle between good and evil, on both a large and personal scale. It reveals the fine line separating the two opposing forces and how light can often stem from a dark place. This paranormal fantasy captures the spooky feel of isolation when facing a force as great as nature. Nautical in setting, gothic in feel, this story is one for our buried imaginations.

Review: 

Thoughts on the Overall Book: I love supernatural/ghost stories, and I especially love supernatural/ghost stories when they are set in misty coastal towns so did this disappoint? No it did not.

Cover--Yea or Nay: I really like the cover it's pretty and creepy at the same time. I think it matches the feel for the book very well.

Characters: Theodore was a very likable protagonist. I instantly felt sorry for him for his situation, being pretty much stuck in the town with no friends and an alcoholic and abusive father. I liked him even more for the fact that we got to see him grow throughout the story. He was a very well-written and realistic dynamic character. I really enjoyed seeing his relationships with the other characters grow as well when he started to become fiends with Ruby and Rowan both of whom I liked, and I loved the mother/son relationship he shared with Adelaide. She was actually one of my favorite characters, I liked how she took Theodore in and gave him family when he didn't have any. As for Bianca's character (view spoiler) I will say that I really loved the Wiccans and Ouijans, they were such colorful and fun characters, I would have liked them to have more page time. Over all, this book presents a really likable and well-rounded cast of very dynamic characters.

The Romance: In reality not a whole ton of romance, again don't want to spoil it: (view spoiler)

Writing Style: It was really good. Very descriptive and colorful. I really was able to feel like I was there in the misty town and I loved the dour and delightfully creepy notes of the ghost storyline. What I think stood out to me most about this book though, was the fact that while it is a supernatural suspense/adventure, there's a lot of lead up and character building that happens. Most people would probably only write half of this story, and the length might make the book drag for some readers, but for me, I loved the time it took to get to the real plot line. The buildup only made it more suspenseful instead of making the book drag, and it kept me turning pages because whenever I thought there was a hint of something, I needed to know where it led. And I think it's because of this that we were given such realistic characters instead of your typical action hero types who really have no personality. This book made me laugh and cry because I cared about the characters.

Accuracy/ Believability: Not really applicable. But I do still enjoy the take on the ghostiness in this story all the same ;)

Problems/What bothered me: Not really any problems to report. The only complaint I could make is that it took me a while to remember all the Wiccans and Ouijans and I wish we had had more time with them initially, but further on in the book, I got them straight.

Conclusion: 4 stars. I really enjoyed this book! I was lucky enough to meet Nicoline Evans at BookCon and got this one signed. I will definitely be checking out her other books now :)

Recommended Audience: Fans of ghost stories or creepy supernatural fantasies who also want a good deeper storyline would enjoy this. Girl or guy read, ages 14 and up.

(read this review with spoilers on Goodreads)

Review: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Title/ Author: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
Genre: Fantasy, retelling
Rating: 4/5 stars
Synopsis: I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.

But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado - taking you with it - you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little bluebirds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still a yellow brick road - but even that's crumbling.

What happened? Dorothy.

They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm - and I'm the other girl from Kansas.

I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.

I've been trained to fight.

And I have a mission.

Review:

Thoughts on the Overall Book: I never was a fan of the Wizard of Oz, so this book immediately caught my attention and my expectations did not disappoint. I always love new twists on old stories and this is definitely one of the more unique ones I have ever read. Cover--Yea or Nay: I like the cover. It's obvious what the book is about and it's just simple. The title though, is what seals it for me. Instant interest spiked ;) Characters: Amy Gumm was a sympathetic, and pleasing character to read about. I instantly felt sorry for her, and also appreciated that, while she was put into a very bad position, she wasn't a brat about it even if she had every reason to be. I truly understood her want to get out of where she was, even if that place was a ruined Oz. She was a character who grew to be even better than what she started out to be, and I really enjoyed seeing her grow up in this story and gain more confidence. I really liked the supporting cast in this story as well. Seeing the traditional Oz characters was fun, especially in their new roles in this story. The 'Wicked' witches were enjoyable to read about and I liked Gert, Mombi and Glamora very much. I also really liked Nox, but then I can't help but love the sort of quiet, reserved male characters, especially since I didn't view him as actually brooding so much as just showing little emotion due to his position. The portrayal of Dorothy was frightening to say the least. But I loved her. She made an awesome villain, and I could actually totally see this happen. Power corrupts, right? She was a really awesome female baddie though, and even better for the fact that she actually acted on her threats. The Lion, the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow were seriously creepy too, especially the Scarecrow. I totally approve of the new versions of them. We didn't get to see a lot of the Wizard, but what we did see of him, I did like his portrayal, even if I'm not sure how exactly I feel about him yet. The Romance: A little bit of a crush between Amy and Nox, but there's really no time for it, so it wasn't really even enough to form an opinion on. I wouldn't mind them getting together, but I hope it continues to not get in the way of the plot. Writing Style: I really enjoyed Amy's narration, and this book was really awesome visually. It's obvious the author did much research into the Oz books to be able to create a twisted almost post-apocalyptic version of this world, and it really works. I was able to picture everything perfectly, which I love in fantasy novels, this was one that while I read it, I actually pictured it as a movie (which would be awesome!) so that's always a good thing. Really though, even if I hadn't liked the characters (which I did!) I would have still enjoyed this book for the descriptions of this new version of Oz alone. Accuracy/ Believability: Not really applicable. I haven't read all the Oz books so I can't say much on that end, but I can still tell that the author got things pretty accurate and I do believe this totally could have happened, making it a believable alternate universe sort of story. Problems/What bothered me: Didn't really have any problems. This was just one of those books you go on for the ride. Conclusion: 4 stars. I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to reading more! The ending was a super cliffhanger, so I will be tracking down a copy of the sequel as soon as possible. Recommended Audience: Girl read, ages 16 and up due to some content (mostly just language). Whether you like the original or not, I think you would still appreciate this book.

Review: Beastly Bones By William Ritter

Title/ Author: Beastly Bones (Jackaby #2) by William Ritter
Rating: 5/5 stars
Genre: Historical, supernatural, mystery
Synopsis: “I’ve found very little about private detective R. F. Jackaby to be standard in the time I’ve known him. Working as his assistant tends to call for a somewhat flexible relationship with reality.”

In 1892, New Fiddleham, New England, things are never quite what they seem, especially when Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer R. F. Jackaby are called upon to investigate the supernatural.

First, a vicious species of shape-shifters disguise themselves as a litter of kittens, and a day later, their owner is found murdered with a single mysterious puncture wound. Then in nearby Gad’s Valley, now home to the exiled New Fiddleham police detective Charlie Cane, dinosaur bones from a recent dig mysteriously go missing, and an unidentifiable beast starts attacking animals and people, leaving their mangled bodies behind. Charlie calls on Abigail for help, and soon Abigail and Jackaby are on the hunt for a thief, a monster, and a murderer.

Review:

*ARC Review*

Thoughts on the Overall Book: So anyone who follows my reviews will know how much I have been waiting for this one. I think that's explanation enough. And it didn't disappoint.

Cover--Yea or Nay: I love the covers for these, I think they are very pretty.

Characters: What else can I say? I adore Jackaby and Abigail. Abigail is a lovely narrator and I continue to love her just as much in this book as the first one, and Jackaby is just such a fun, eccentric character and the way Abigail describes him makes him even more so. I was glad we got to see Charlie again in this book, as he is definitely one of my favorite characters and I liked him just as much in this one too. This book had quite a few new characters introduced who I really liked as well. Mr. Hudson the trapper was fun to meet, as well as the two paleontologists who were constantly at each other's throats--very reminiscent of your typical archeologists of the day. My favorite though was the reporter, Nellie Fuller (view spoiler) She was just a really awesome, spunky female character, the kind I love to pop up in stories like this. So many awesome characters in one cast, and perhaps a new official nemesis? So excited to see where the plot goes with the pale man.

The Romance: (view spoiler)

Writing Style: Just as awesome as the first one. Abigail might be one of my favorite female narrators. Her descriptions are witty and enjoyable to read, she doesn't have an attitude, and I have no complaints being stuck in her head. While the first one might have been more frightening and presented a scarier villain, I still really enjoyed the mystery in this one, and while I guessed a couple things, several of the clues jumped out at me and the way two seemingly unrelated cases melded together was very cool. It's fast-paced without seeming to be just filled with action, and had a well-plotted storyline just like the first.

Accuracy/ Believability: Not really applicable here.

Problems/What bothered me: My only problem is that I wish it was longer! Not because it needed to be, but because I hate having to finish another Jackaby book!

Conclusion: 5 stars. LOVED IT! This is definitely a new favorite series of mine. The end promised interesting things to come, and can I just say that I am very sad to hear about the demise of Jackaby's nymph-made yeti wool hat.

Recommended Audience: If you enjoyed the first one, you will love this one as well. Fans of supernatural mysteries must try these! Girl or guy read ages 13 and up.

(Read this Review with Spoilers on Goodreads) 

Books of Note: June Reads

Well, I didn't read as many books as I wanted to get to this month due to trying to get a few writing projects finished, and then going away for a long weekend, but I did get more than I probably would have otherwise, thanks to the Sweet Summer Read A Thon I was able to take part in which was really fun.

Complete June Reads List:

Curse of the Thirteenth Fey by Jane Yolen (3 stars)
Game (Jasper Dent #2) by Barry Lyga (4 stars)
This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel (4 stars)
Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer (3 stars)
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin (4 stars)
The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood and Co. #1) by Jonathan Stroud (4 stars)
Moonshine (Cal Leandros #2) by Rob Thurman (4 stars)
Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer (4 stars)

Books I Bought:

I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent #1) by Barry Lyga
Nightlife (Cal Leandros #1) by Rob Thurman
Moonshine (Cal Leandros #2) by Rob Thurman
Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer
The Falconer's Knot by Mary Hoffman
The Unfortunate Son by Constance Leeds
Shelter (Mickey Bolitar #1) by Harlan Corban

Favorite Reads of the Month

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: I never read Sci-Fi, but I had it on good authority that this series was good, and I love any retelling, and this one was so strange I had to give it a try, and it turned out that I was glad I did, because I ended up enjoying it very much.

Cover--Yea or Nay: I do like the cover. It pretty much makes you realize it's going to be a Cinderella retelling, but since you can see the cyborg element in the leg, you can tell it's not going to be a normal one.

Characters: I really liked Cinder right off the bat. She doesn't have an attitude, and when she gets angry, it's really for understandable reasons. Her stepmother and oldest stepsister are really horrible. I liked how she was resourceful and could take care of herself, but was also not afraid to ask for help or welcomed it when it came unexpectedly. Kai was also a great character. He was so sweet and had just the kind of character I love seeing in princes or your rulers. He was humble and yet he was also willing to do his duty and what was best for his people. There was a lot of great supporting characters too. I really didn't know how I felt about Dr. Erland until probably the very end of the book. I still think he's kind of creepy though, I never got over my initial reaction. Peony was sweet and a great little sister character. Levana, the Lunar queen was super creepy, but I loved her character. She reminded me of the classic fairy queens with her domineering attitude and her glamour. I also almost never like robot/android characters (except in Star Wars) but I did like Iko, she was adorable.

The Romance: I actually ship Cinder and Kai a lot. I love them together, and I think they are just adorable.

Writing Style: I guess there's not anything majorly special about the actual writing style itself, but the way the story is told and the world it is set it was awesome. I usually don't like future-set stories (In fact I can't even remember reading one before this) but I liked this because it didn't portray society as completely destroyed. It was more like a Star Wars setting, which is the kind of Sci-Fi I like, so I appreciated that. It seemed normal and okay, and not freaky and disturbing, is what I'm trying to say. I would not mind living in this future apart from the plague outbreak. But the descriptions were great, and I was able to visualize it all very easily. I loved how the author worked in elements of Cinderella and yet gave us a really fun twist to the original story as well. It's a pretty action-packed book, but you also get to learn a lot about the characters too, which I like. There's also bits of rather subtle humor which I always appreciate.

Accuracy/ Believability: Not applicable. But again, I liked the world building, and as far as that goes, I guess it kind of is a pretty believable future setting.

Problems/What bothered me: Nothing major, only personal preference. I hate plague books, I don't like reading them, and I hate medical experimentation. But apart from those bits, I had no problem with the book and none of it was as bad as I feared either.

Conclusion: 3.5 stars. I enjoyed this book, and I'm very glad I decided to give it a go. I think the author has something really unique here, and I hope she continues to write more of this calibre.

Recommended Audience: If you are getting tired of normal retellings, try these, because they're unique. Probably more a girl read than a guy read ages 13 and up.

Victor Frankenstein leads a charmed life. He and his twin brother, Konrad, and their beautiful cousin Elizabeth take lessons at home and spend their spare time fencing and horseback riding. Along with their friend Henry, they have explored all the hidden passageways and secret rooms of the palatial Frankenstein chateau. Except one.

The Dark Library contains ancient tomes written in strange languages and filled with forbidden knowledge. Their father makes them promise never to visit the library, but when Konrad becomes deathly ill, Victor knows he must find the book that contains the recipe for the legendary Elixir of Life.

The elixir needs only three ingredients. But impossible odds, dangerous alchemy and a bitter love triangle threaten their quest at every turn.

Victor knows he must not fail. Yet his success depends on how far he is willing to push the boundaries of nature, science and love—and how much he is willing to sacrifice.


Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: I've been wanting to read this one for a while, but finally waited until I had read Frankenstein itself before I did so. I've not read a Kenneth Oppel book I didn't like, and this one was no different.

Cover--Yea or Nay: Yes. While it has a character on it, I really love the cover. It has a very cool gothic feel to it.

Characters: I'm one of the people who actually felt sorry for Victor and liked him inFrankenstein so I enjoyed reading a book about him when he's younger (though this is really only a few years before the original book takes place.) Victor is an interesting character, because he is a wonderful brother and a wonderful friend but he also has a jealous streak that makes him a little dark at times. In contrast, his twin brother, Konrad is the sweet one, and works well to keeping Victor on his feet. I really enjoyed their relationship, that undying loyalty that I love to see in brothers. I liked getting to see more of Elizabeth and I have always liked Henry, so while there wasn't much of him, I enjoyed having him along. Polidori was also a very interesting character (view spoiler)

The Romance: This was the only problem I had with the book. While I love Kenneth Oppel's stories, he sometimes has the penchant for introducing love triangles and this one being between Victor, Elizabeth and Konrad and I can't stand it when brothers fight over a girl, it always goes bad. It this case, it didn't play a huge role in the story, but it was still more than I liked, and the fact that whenever I wanted to shake my head at Victor the situation had something to do with Elizabeth, also made it someone intolerable.

Writing Style: As usual, Kenneth Oppel presents a wonderful adventure story with a dark, gothic feel. This is probably the darkest book I have read by him. I always love his writing. This one reads like a classic, and I loved Victor's first person narration. Everything seemed to fit the time period well and I have no complaints about that whatsoever. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and makes for a quick read. It actually fits pretty well with Mary Shelly's novel in style, though of course isn't exact. But I liked how it kind of gave backstory for the original and gave a reason for why Frankenstein did what he did.

Accuracy/ Believability: I really don't know much about Germany during this time period but it seemed all right to me. Anything that seemed a little fantastic, was obviously meant to be, and I liked how science was pretty much regarded how it was back then, as magic and alchemy. The things that they used and did actually made sense to me.

Problems/What bothered me: Apart from the love triangle, I didn't really have any complaints.

Conclusion: 4 stars. I enjoyed this a lot, and even though it's sad and I cried at the end, it will just be another favorite by Kenneth Oppel.

Recommended Audience: If you liked the original novel, you'll probably enjoy this. Anyone who enjoyed gothic adventure novels should try it. Girl or guy read 16 and up.

(Read this review with Spoilers on Goodreads) 

When the dead come back to haunt the living, Lockwood & Co. step in . . .

For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions.

Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career. Instead she finds herself joining the smallest, most ramshackle agency in the city, run by the charismatic Anthony Lockwood. When one of their cases goes horribly wrong, Lockwood & Co. have one last chance of redemption. Unfortunately this involves spending the night in one of the most haunted houses in England, and trying to escape alive.

Set in a city stalked by spectres, The Screaming Staircase is the first in a chilling new series full of suspense, humour and truly terrifying ghosts. Your nights will never be the same again . . .

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: I always love a good ghost story, and what's better than professional ghost hunters? I thought this book had a really cool twist to the traditional ghost story and was overall a really awesome adventure with cool characters.

Cover--Yea or Nay: Yes! I really love the cover. While there are people on it, you can't see any definitive features and I think it works. It has a cool ghostly look to it to indicate the kind of book this is.

Characters: Lucy is the protagonist and narrator of the story and I really liked her a lot. She's a sensible heroine, she knows what she's doing and when she does make mistakes it's more in the way that people are human and not because she does it out of stupidity. In fact, usually her mistakes ended up being for the better in the long run. Lockwood was also a totally awesome character. I loved him; he's just the kind of guy character I love to read about. He was humble, somewhat quiet, and not afraid to speak his mind. He was a very mature individual and he also had an awesome fashion sense ;) George was your typical quirky member of the group, the geeky one, but he definitely stepped up to the plate when needed, and despite his shortcomings, I liked him as well. What I loved most about them was that there was no romance at all between them. They worked as partners and had a very familial relationship which was totally awesome. I'm not going to say much about a lot of the supporting characters because I don't want to give away spoilers, but I liked the supporting cast a lot too, and the baddie while not totally present was creepy even if he did monologue a little more than needed.

The Romance: None!!

Writing Style: I really loved the writing style; Lucy's narration is awesome, because she has a very dry sense of humor which I always love, and though the book never really became actually scary, at least in my opinion (but it takes a lot to creep me out) it had a really almost noir feel to it. The book is actually set in modern days, but it has the feel of a Victorian novel. In fact, I had to keep reminding myself it wasn't, even though modern technology does show up. Apart from being a ghost story this was an awesome mystery and I loved how all the seemingly unconnected bits fit together. The story itself is set in kind of an alternate version of our world; it's all the same places and everything, but for some reason in Britain, there has been an influx of ghostly activity and that's why they have to create ghost fighting companies. Since Children are able to see ghosts better than adults, they make up the most of the companies. It was all a very clever and unique idea, even if the reason for all the ghostly activity is never really explained. No one knows why in the book either, so it didn't really bother me, and is not entirely relevant to the plot, at least not in this book. It also had a very British feel to it which I loved. My only complaint, which isn't even really a complaint because it's not the author's fault at all, was that when the book was published in America they Americanized it and I HATE it when they do that. It sounds so wrong to have American words in place of British ones that should be there and it kind of took the feel away for me on occasion. I never understand why they do this anyway, it's not that hard to figure out. It will teach kids something. Kids aren't stupid, after all. I was also insulted when people spelled things out for me in books when I was a kid.

Accuracy/ Believability: Not applicable. But the ghostly lore from what I've known prior is pretty traditional; iron, salt, that sort of thing, but I loved the gadgets they used too. Very fun!

Problems/What bothered me: No problems, I enjoyed the book a lot.

Conclusion: 4 stars. This is the first book I have read by Jonathan Stroud and I can't believe I haven't read any of his books before. I really enjoyed this a lot, and I'm looking forward to continuing the series.

Recommended Audience: If you enjoy ghost stories, this is a great one to add to your shelves. Girl or guy read 12 and up.