Daisy Reviews Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye

Title/Author: Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye
Publisher/Date published: G.P. Putnam's Sons, March 22nd 2016
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley, thanks!

Goodreads summary: "Reader, I murdered him."

A Gothic retelling of Jane Eyre.

Like the heroine of the novel she adores, Jane Steele suffers cruelly at the hands of her aunt and schoolmaster. And like Jane Eyre, they call her wicked - but in her case, she fears the accusation is true. When she flees, she leaves behind the corpses of her tormentors.

A fugitive navigating London's underbelly, Jane rights wrongs on behalf of the have-nots whilst avoiding the noose. Until an advertisement catches her eye. Her aunt has died and the new master at Highgate House, Mr Thornfield, seeks a governess. Anxious to know if she is Highgate's true heir, Jane takes the position and is soon caught up in the household's strange spell. When she falls in love with the mysterious Charles Thornfield, she faces a terrible dilemma: can she possess him - body, soul and secrets - and what if he discovers her murderous past?

So OBVIOUSLY I was excited when I saw the summary for Jane Steele because HELLO, I have so much love for Jane Eyre and to have this be inspired by it, but with a murderous Jane, I just could not resist!

And I'm so glad I picked this up, because it was SO GOOD! I mean, wow, I was a bit anxious when I started it because of said love for Jane Eyre, and the fact that I was wondering whether or not I would be able to connect to a character who murdered people, but I ended up very much loving Jane Steele as a character and I'm really glad that it wasn't just mindless killing but I could understand why she did what she did. And in some cases I definitely cheared her on because holy wow, EVIL people!

Jane definitely has a hard life, it starts with a less than ideal childhood, a complicated family situation and then boarding school, which as in Jane Eyre, is just not run by nice people. I cannot even begin to imagine how you can get out of something like that and still have a shred of humanity left in you, but Jane managed. And in the hardships she makes a friend, but then they flee together and things go South again after that. Which is how she finally ends up at Highgate again and the real fun can begin because YES I SHIPPED IT!

I mean, I love Jane for her strength and her loyalty and that she's willing to just do anything for the people she loves and has a strong sense of what is right. And when she met Mr. Thornfield, Sardar Singh and Sahjara, I was just happy that she was finally with people who appreciated her, and Sahjara is an adorable little girl who has been through a lot, it made my heart happy to see her and Jane interact.
But now let's talk about Mr. Thornfield: I totally adore this man. He has this amazing big heart and sees all the good in Jane and her flaws and just takes it all. I loved his sardonic humour and the way he is with Sahjara, because you can just feel his love for the people at Highgate shining through in the thing she says. I loved that he and Jane both have dark things in their past, but together they find a way to deal with them. Basically, they were just better together and I totally shipped it and wanted to yell JUST KISS ALREADY and had tears in my eyes and just ALL the feelings.

So yes, I'd definitely recommend you read Jane Steele. I love the voice that Lyndsay Faye gives Jane and the whole mystery surrounding Highgate and Mr. Thornfield. And I had lots of feelings over the romance and the ending totally made me smile because what Jane describes must be the best feeling ever!

My rating: 5 stars

Julia Reviews Duke of My Heart by Kelly Bowen

Title/Author: Duke of My Heart by Kelly Bowen

Publisher/Year Published: Jan 2016 by Forever

How I got this book: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Why I read this book: The summary really intrigued me. How could I not want to give it a try?

Rating: 5 stars

Summary

Captain Maximus Harcourt, the unconventional tenth Duke of Alderidge, can deal with tropical storms, raging seas, and the fiercest of pirates. But he's returned home from his latest voyage to find a naked earl—quite inconveniently deceased—tied to his missing sister's bed. And he has only one place to turn. Now he's at the mercy of the captivating Miss Ivory Moore of Chegarre & Associates, known throughout London for smoothing over the most dire of scandals.

Miss Moore treats the crisis as though it were no more serious than a cup of spilt tea on an expensive rug. As though this sort of thing happened on the job every day. Max has never in all his life met a woman with such nerve. Her dark eyes are too wide, her mouth is too full, her cheekbones too sharp. Yet together, she's somehow...flawless. It's just like his love for her, imperfect, unexpected—yet absolutely true.

Review

I have a problem. I am really, really picky on my historical romance novel authors. I rarely try new ones, and when I do the hook has to be good. When I read the summary for Duke of My Heart, I knew I had to give it a shot, and I am glad that I did.

Max and Ivory were super interesting characters. First, you have a hero running away from his lot in life, and coming back to everything in shambles. Then you have Ivory, a woman who built herself from the ground up and continues to adapt and shape her life regardless of what twists and turns life has thrown at her. They meet in the most odd of circumstances, in his sister’s room with a dead naked man tied to her bed and the sister missing. I mean that plot thread right there is enough to get me to want to read on.

The story takes place around finding out what happened to the Duke’s sister. It moves through this at a good pace, though I will say it seemed at times there was a lot going on. At one point you are following thread A and now all of a sudden thread F comes out of nowhere and we are on that train now! But honestly that was a minor quibble and wasn’t enough to distract me from liking and devouring this book.

I really enjoyed the characters, especially the fact that they didn’t lose their sense of themselves as they fell in love. It sometimes frustrates me when the hero or heroine makes a complete 180 by the power of love. I like to see how they grow and change, and grapple with the things that are happening. We get that here.

This was my first book by Kelly Bowen, as I mentioned, and I definitely want to pick up the next in this series

Thanks to Forever and Netgalley for the review copy of this book. 

Jamie Talks Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
Book #1 in the Witchlands series
Genre: High Fantasy, Young Adult
Rating: 5 stars

Buy It | Add It To Goodreads

What It's About: Safi and Iseult are best friends live in a world where some people are born with a witchery that gives them a special skill. Iseult is a Threadwitch which makes her see invisible bonds between people. Safi is a Truthwitch, which is super rare, and she can tell the difference between the truth and a lie. Iseult, whose heritage makes her not always welcomed where they live, and Safi have worked hard to keep that a secret because if any of the three empires caught wind of it they'd want to scoop Safi up and use her for their purposes against the others.  They just want to live free away from all the stuff they are fighting against and the things people want them to be/not be especially as war is on the mind of the empires. Their plan is screwed up when people find out their secrets and they are pulled into things they don't want to be in and they find themselves on the run aboard Prince Merik's ship with his crew with the likes of nobility and dangerous Bloodwitches chasing after them.

If you follow me in any capacity on the interwebs (especially on Twitter) you know that my most anticipated book of 2016 was Truthwitch by Susan Dennard (you should also totally read her debut series!). I was lucky enough to pick up a copy at the Book Expo of America this past June and I devoured it immediately upon returning home. And I have to say....I'm 6 months since my first read of the book and pretty much every month since I just had this very strong urge to reread it already. And I'm not a person who feels that way often. THANK GOD I HAVE MY FINISHED COPY BECAUSE A REREAD IS A HAPPENING.

I think Truthwitch is perfect for people who have been reading high fantasy for 10 years+ and crave some of those classic high fantasy type stories just as much as it is also perfect for readers who are newer to the genre. There's an elaborate world and magic system (which is incredibly enthralling and unique) and, while I found it a little slower for me to get REALLY into the world in the first 50-75 pages or so, I could NOT put it down -- I love the world, the magic, the action, the emotions, the struggle and most importantly the AMAZING characters. I'm honestly still in awe of how truly incredible this book is.

So let's break it down shall we:

1. The world and magic system Susan weaves is incredible: I was so fascinated by all the different witcheries and magic! I loved learning more about how it all worked and specifically how all the witcheries were rooted within the elements. We've got Windwitches, Truthwitches, Threadwitches, Bloodwitches and more! As I said, it took me a little bit to get my bearings with it all in the first 75 pages but once you do it’s like so absorbing and you will not want to come up for air. True story..I didn't.


2. Truly unforgettable characters: I love the main characters so much it's probably borderline a problem. I love books where I can 100% feel the characters struggles and emotions. This was entirely one of those kinds of books. These characters are all fighting for something or really grappling with something big in their life and you can FEEL it. You understand it. They are just characters who have so much heart. They are so incredibly complex and you see that in their individual pursuits as well as the ones that they end up sharing. You can feel the conflict to protect themselves but also to work together. I really loved how well that was clear when Safi and Iseult meet up with Prince Merik and his crew. They all have different goals and things they are pressing matters and I could feel that tension pushing and pulling them in their actions. Even the baddies are compelling as much as the people you are rooting for!


3. Badass ladies abound: What I loved about Truthwitch is how badass all the ladies are in this book -- the main ladies and the side characters alike. And it's not all physical shows of badassery -- they are smart and brave and cunning. I loved seeing all sorts of badassery represented because there were some seriously inspiring ladies.


4. FRIENDSHIP FEELS: This book is just rooted in friendship. It's a friendship story...nay...really it's #friendshipgoals. I'm serious though. I love good, solid friendships and this book had a really great friendship in Safi and Iseult as well as Prince Merik and Kullen. The friendships were real and honest and they made me quite emotional at times as you saw the pure love that flowed between each pair.


5. SO MUCH ACTION I CAN'T EVEN: SO MUCH GOES DOWN. SO MUCH. I don't want to give any of it away but there were so many scenes that made me flip out/gasp/sit straight up from my lounging position/die.




In short: If you call yourself a fan of high fantasy in any capacity, this needs to be on your priority list for this 2016! It's a must read filled with a compelling world and magic system and characters whose journey will make you crave a reread as soon as you put it down.

Daisy's Review of The Vanishing Throne by Elizabeth May

Title/Author: The Vanishing Throne (The Falconer #2) by Elizabeth May
Publisher/Date published: Gollancz, November 19th 2015
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley, thanks!

Goodreads summary: My name is Lady Aileana Kameron.

First the fae murdered my mother. Then they destroyed my world.

Now I’m fighting for more than revenge.

Aileana took a stand against the Wild Hunt, and she lost everything: her home, her family and her friends. Held captive by her enemy, and tormenting herself over her failure, escape seems like only the faintest possibility. But when she gets her chance, she seizes it... to rejoin a world devastated by war.

The future is bleak. Hunted by the fae, running for her life, Aileana has only a few options left. Trying to become part of a society scarred by – and hiding from – the Wild Hunt; trusting that a fragile alliance with the fae will save her; or walking the most dangerous path at all: coming in to her own powers as the last of the Falconers...

***SPOILER FREE FOR THE FIRST BOOK IN THE SERIES***

So I totally adored The Falconer, the first book in the series. If you haven't read it, you really should be doing that instead of reading this post. You can also see some of my fangirling over it here. But really, just go on and read it and then we'll talk some more about this sequel.

For some reason fae books and I don't normally seem to click, which is a shame, cause in theory I should love them. But Elizabeth May makes it work for me! I feel like this series doesn't get nearly enough attention and A Court of Thorns and Roses (though admittely amazing) steals all the spotlight, I think that if you like ACOTAR, you will also really like The Falconer and The Vanishing Throne, but I might be biased as they're basically the only fae books I've liked so far.

I was totally going GAAAAAAAH at the ending of The Falconer, because OMG CLIFFHANGER!! And then I had to wait for what felt like FOREVER for The Vanishing Throne, but you guys, the wait it totally worth it! I loved that Aileana is still her amazing ass-kicking self, but with a little extra something because of everything she's experienced. I love seeing how the relationships shift and how we meet new characters like Kiaran's sister, who fast became of my favourites, along with Derrick, who is still adorable while also being more than a little dangerous.

I also really liked tat Elizabeth May gave us more of the backstory of all the major players and how the Falconers came into being and while I did kinda see what happened at the end coming, I'm SO intrigued to find out how Elizabeth May will make this work in the third book! And also: I totally can't wait to read it because these characters are part of my heart and I think I loved The Vanishing Throne even more than I did The Falconer. This is one of those novels that absolutely did NOT suffer from second book syndrome, like so often happens in a series (and which never fails to annoy me).

And also, this quote:
"Your scars aren't flaws, Galloway. They're not imperfections. They're stories written on your skin."

LOVE.

Mostly, what I'm trying to say is: if you like your fantasy filled with fae (and even if that's not usually your thing), a kickass heroine, a ship that is very much worth shipping, BANTER, lots of characters to love, worldbuilding that is beautiful mixed with a historical setting, you definitely need to pick up this series!

My rating: 5 stars

Lauren Reviews Brother by Ania Ahlborn

Brother by Ania Ahlborn
Published: September 2015 by Gallery Books
Source: eARC
Rating: 5 Stars

Deep in the heart of Appalachia stands a crooked farmhouse miles from any road. The Morrows keep to themselves, and it’s served them well so far. When girls go missing off the side of the highway, the cops don’t knock on their door. Which is a good thing, seeing as to what’s buried in the Morrows’ backyard.

But nineteen-year-old Michael Morrow isn’t like the rest of his family. He doesn’t take pleasure in the screams that echo through the trees. Michael pines for normalcy, and he’s sure that someday he’ll see the world beyond West Virginia. When he meets Alice, a pretty girl working at a record shop in the small nearby town of Dahlia, he’s immediately smitten. For a moment, he nearly forgets about the monster he’s become. But his brother, Rebel, is all too eager to remind Michael of his place...

It comes as no surprise that I'm a die hard Ahlborn fan, but REALLY?!? She did it again. She has written another relentlessly appalling, yet magnetic book that I adored. 

The Morrow family is the stuff of an old school horror family - all the sadistic tendencies included. One day the baby boy of the family, Rebel, decided he wanted something... kind of like when a kid wants a pet. Except Rebel saw a boy outside. Michael was taken from his front yard at a young age and was raised as a Morrow.

The inner dynamics of the Morrow family are soul-crushing. I'm not talking about Lifetime movie qualities here - more like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre family or one of those messed up stories you glanced at on your social media feed and you thought, "Wow. These things really happen?" That's how this book sucks you in. Just like reading that one sentence news line that catches your eye so you'll click on the link to read the full article. If this book had links, I'd have arthritis from so much clicking. 

This book has a story to tell and I  promise it is one you'll want to hear.

Lauren Reviews Serpentine by Cindy Pon

Serpentine by Cindy Pon
Published: September 2015 by Month9Books 
Source: eARC
Rating: 5 Stars

Serpentine is a sweeping fantasy set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology.

Lush with details from Chinese folklore, SERPENTINE tells the coming of age story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing otherness. As she turns sixteen, Skybright notices troubling changes. By day, she is a companion and handmaid to the youngest daughter of a very wealthy family. But nighttime brings with it a darkness that not even daybreak can quell.
 
When her plight can no longer be denied, Skybright learns that despite a dark destiny, she must struggle to retain her sense of self - even as she falls in love for the first time. 

I adored this book. I adore mythology. I adore Chinese mythology even more because I WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING. Instead of just summarizing a book without spoilers speckled with my opinions, for this review, I'm going for short and sweet. 

The author captured the essence of the ancient Chinese Kingdom of Xia so gracefully that I truly felt as if I was there. Historical fiction was my first genre love and this book was just begging for me to pick it up. The world building, the details pertaining to mortals, demons, even the immortals... I could imagine everything so clearly in my mind. The bravery of the main character was inspiring. If I went through the changes she did, were faced with the same challenges... I'm not sure I'd measure up. The plot was seamless, as was the author's writing. I devoured this book in hours and you will too. 

Lauren Reviews A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston

A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston
Published: October 2015 by Disney Hyperion
Source: eARC
Rating: 5 Stars

Lo-Melkhiin killed three hundred girls before he came to her village, looking for a wife. When she sees the dust cloud on the horizon, she knows he has arrived. She knows he will want the loveliest girl: her sister. She vows she will not let her be next.

And so she is taken in her sister's place, and she believes death will soon follow. Lo-Melkhiin's court is a dangerous palace filled with pretty things: intricate statues with wretched eyes, exquisite threads to weave the most beautiful garments. She sees everything as if for the last time.But the first sun rises and sets, and she is not dead. Night after night, Lo-Melkhiin comes to her and listens to the stories she tells, and day after day she is awoken by the sunrise. Exploring the palace, she begins to unlock years of fear that have tormented and silenced a kingdom. Lo-Melkhiin was not always a cruel ruler. Something went wrong.

Far away, in their village, her sister is mourning. Through her pain, she calls upon the desert winds, conjuring a subtle unseen magic, and something besides death stirs the air. Back at the palace, the words she speaks to Lo-Melkhiin every night are given a strange life of their own. Little things, at first: a dress from home, a vision of her sister. With each tale she spins, her power grows. Soon she dreams of bigger, more terrible magic: power enough to save a king, if she can put an end to the rule of a monster.

At first, I got the... "I volunteer as tribute!" vibe when the girl swapped places with her sister. She was sacrificing her life so her sister could live. So... that's basically the same thing, right? This still did not deter me from the book by any means. 

The main character is one brave girl. Not only did she decide to die so her sister could live, but she decided if she was going to go die - she'd go out with a bang. She wanted to kill Lo-Melkhin. I mean, who wouldn't? Lo-Melkhin had killed over 300 girls - all of them his brides to be. But this time would be different. The girl tried something none of the other had... to pique Lo-Melkhin's interest. The first night, when almost every bride died, the girl told Lo-Melkhin a story. Soon dawn arrived and Lo-Melkhin agreed to let her live another day so he could hear the rest of the story. 

Throughout the book, the girl seemingly challenges Lo-Melkhin with her words, which of course just made him more curious. It soon become apparent that Lo-Melkhin isn't really himself and he has some sort of power. The girl starts to see this mysterious power during their long nights full of story-telling. Even Lo-Melkhin's mother can sense her son is different... changed somehow. 

All the while, the girl's sister and the people from the girl's village have been praying to the girl as if she was already dead and considered a smallgod for sacrificing herself. Now the girl starts to sense a sort of power within herself. Maybe now the girl can finally face Lo-Melkhin and prevent more deaths. 

This book was a wonderful reboot of Arabian Nights... or at least it had a few similarities. I loved the main character and the snide comments she made to Lo-Melkhin all the while knowing she could be breathing her last breath. I recommend this book to everyone... seriously. Even if you don't care for the YA or fantasy genres, I still think you'll love it. 

Cross-posted at The Tattooed Biblio

Kimberly's review of "The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line (Veronica Mars!)

Book: Thousand-Dollar Tan Line

Author: Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

Why I read it: As a Marshmallow I couldn't resist!

Rating: 5 stars

 

“Ten years after graduating from high school in Neptune, California, Veronica Mars is back in the land of sun, sand, crime, and corruption. She's traded in her law degree for her old private investigating license, struggling to keep Mars Investigations afloat on the scant cash earned by catching cheating spouses until she can score her first big case.

Now it's spring break, and college students descend on Neptune, transforming the beaches and boardwalks into a frenzied, week-long rave. When a girl disappears from a party, Veronica is called in to investigate. But this is not a simple missing person's case. The house the girl vanished from belongs to a man with serious criminal ties, and soon Veronica is plunged into a dangerous underworld of drugs and organized crime. And when a major break in the investigation has a shocking connection to Veronica's past, the case hits closer to home than she ever imagined.”

As a proud Marshmallow, I eagerly downloaded the audio book for this, especially after I learned that it was narrated by VMars herself, Kristen Bell.

It was everything I could have hoped for! (Well, minus ONE thing. I could have used a bit more of a certain character… ;) ) It has the sass, the mystery, the genius, the laughter and tension of the TV series and movie. It was so fun to be back with these characters! Every time a familiar character entered the scene it was like a reunion for me. Old favorites back together again. All of the references and inside jokes! It kept me on my toes and challenged my Veronica Mars trivia! I was weirdly pleased every time I made the connection and remembered the right facts and details.

The mystery itself kept me guessing throughout the story. I’d start to suspect someone, then change my mind. Then I’d start wavering again. The “who done it” was pretty surprising, and I was so pleased that I was actually surprised, that doesn’t happen all that often! I did guess a few of the twists.

Overall, it was a great story. Made even better by Kristen Bell’s narration. If you haven’t watched the series, you’d probably be very very lost. I also recommend the audio over print. I’ve been told that the style of writing is a bit too script-like, which makes for a great audio book.

5 stars! 

Now... Where are my fellow Marshmallows???  

Lauren Reviews Minotaur by Phillip W. Simpson

Minotaur by Phillip W. Simpson
Published: September 2015 by Month9Books
Source: eARC
Rating: 5 Stars

“Where shall I start?” asked Minotaur.
Ovid made an expansive gesture with both hands. “Where else but the beginning of course.”
Minotaur nodded his huge head. “Yes,” he said. “Yes,” his eyes already glazing over with the weight of thousand year old memories. And then he began.

So begins the story of Asterion, later known as Minotaur, the supposed half bull creature of Greek legend. Recorded by the famous Roman poet, Ovid, Asterion tells of his boyhood in Crete under the cruel hand of his stepfather Minos, his adventures with his friend, Theseus, and his growing love for the beautiful Phaedra. And of course what really happened in the labyrinth. 

This is the true story of the minotaur. Ovid, a scholar who has written a huge volume of myths/legends, travels to the site of the minotaur's labyrinth. His tour guide Asterion, who is known as the minotaur, leads Ovid up the mountain and to the crumbling labyrinth.

Eventually Asterion decides to tell Ovid that he is the infamous minotaur, still alive and living close to the labyrinth. At first Ovid is just humoring Asterion, allowing Asterion to tell his story... this is when the book really starts for me. Asterion weaves the threads that bind story of his life together simply, yet with a heavy heart. The hardships he faced during his childhood... how he was ridiculed and looked down upon because of his appearance, how his father despised him because he was the bastard son of a god. The love of his life and how she was stolen from him. And then the most impressive twist of the story... the minotaur's time in the labyrinth. We all know the story. Asterion tells the true version, which of course is much less gory and extremely compelling. I felt so many emotions during Asterion's life story. But it was Asterion's perseverance that really resonated with me. I don't think I could have kept my own and not turned into the monster everyone thought I was if I was treated as he was.

This was a very thought-provoking read and I absolutely adore mythology, so basically the author wrote this for me. :) So thanks, Phillip.

Tahleen reviews: "William Shakespeare's Star Wars Collection" by Ian Doescher

Title: William Shakespeare's Star Wars Collection
Author: Ian Doescher
Publisher: Random House Audio, and Books on Tape, 2014
Narrator: Full Cast

Rating: 5 stars. No question.

Do you like Shakespeare? What about Star Wars? Would you ever think to combine the two? Ian Doescher did, and he is a genius. What a brilliant production this was! If you have any inclination to listen to an audiobook at all, this should be next on your list.

We start with Verily, a New Hope. Of course, most of us already know the story of young Luke Skywalker, strong with the force but naive, thrust into a rebellion he had not initially intended on joining. Doescher has thought out every detail in how to translate George Lucas's creation into Shakespearean drama and language, not to mention form. Blank verse, prose, iambic pentameter; all are in here, and all work exceedingly well. Nice afterwords describe why Doescher chose to write certain things in certain ways.

As for the actual production? Absolutely fantastic. We have a full cast, complete with actors I assume were chosen because they sound so much like the movie actors (I mean, Han Solo might as well as been voiced by Harrison Ford; it's so good. With the exception that he can't seem to pronounce Millenium Falcon?). In addition, there are sound effects, MUSIC FROM THE MOVIES, alien languages, AND some of the characters get their own SONGS. That they actually SING. It's amazing.

If you haven't experienced the beauty of this audiobook trilogy, get thee to a library and partake! I promise you won't regret it.

Disclosure: After a long awaited release for an audio CD, I was finally able to check these out from my local library.

Lauren Reviews The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Title: The Girl on the Train
Author: Paula Hawkins
Published: January 2015 by Riverhead Books
Acquired: Purchased from Amazon
Rating: 5 Stars

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life - as she sees it - is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up this book. I felt every single character's feelings... I felt angry, depressed, hopeless, hopeful, satisfied, imaginative. Rachel isn't a character I can relate to, but she allowed me to see alcoholism from a different perspective. I was around an alcoholic for most of my childhood and in my early teenage years. I was never an enabler and I have pretty strong views on drunks in general. That being said, Rachel is an alcoholic. She has blackouts and knows the consequences of drinking before she takes a sip, but still decides to drink at some times. This small aspect of the novel angered me, but it was integral to the story.

Rachel rides the train every day and observes the people around her. Her daily commutes to and from home take her by the same house, where she become slightly obsessed with the couple living there. One day she sees something different than the usual. This enrages Rachel and she takes her anger out by drinking more alcohol and harassing her ex-husband. Then she blacks out. Feeling guilty and not knowing what happened on a very important night, she starts investigating herself. She rips off small pieces of paper, writes down details, and then stuffs them in her purse. She wanted to be a part of something, but we find out quickly that sometimes it's not good to be in the inner circle. My favorite quote in the book...

"Life is not a paragraph, and death is no parenthesis."

I enjoyed this novel to rate it 5 stars. I don't normally read thriller/suspense novels, but this one surprised me. It is very hard to review this novel without giving details that I know a reader would want to discover themselves. So I'm basically saying to quit reading everyone's reviews and just go buy this book. I promise... you'll thank me later.

Daisy Does an Early Spotlight on The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

Title/Author: The Mime Order (The Bone Season #2) by Samantha Shannon
Publisher/Date published: Bloomsbury, January 27th 2015
How I got this book: borrowed it from my friend Debby, as she was lucky enough to get an ARC!

Goodreads summary: Paige Mahoney has escaped the brutal penal colony of Sheol I, but her problems have only just begun: many of the fugitives are still missing and she is the most wanted person in London.

As Scion turns its all-seeing eye on Paige, the mime-lords and mime-queens of the city’s gangs are invited to a rare meeting of the Unnatural Assembly. Jaxon Hall and his Seven Seals prepare to take center stage, but there are bitter fault lines running through the clairvoyant community and dark secrets around every corner.

Then the Rephaim begin crawling out from the shadows. But where is Warden? Paige must keep moving, from Seven Dials to Grub Street to the secret catacombs of Camden, until the fate of the underworld can be decided. Will Paige know who to trust? The hunt for the dreamwalker is on.

Ok, first off: have you read The Bone Season? If not, why not? Cause you should. You should probably stop what you're doing right now, including reading this post and go read it. Just go. Go and be blown away by the awesomeness of Samantha Shannon's writing.

So now that we've got that established. Let's move onto me telling you exactly why you should be hovering around your mailbox on January 27th or stalking your bookstore or whatever method you decide on to get your hands on The Mime Order:

-While The Bone Season had a whole lot of info-dump in it (which I was ok with, because hello amazing worldbuilding!), The Mime Order doesn't and it just builds and expands on this knowledge we've gathered in The Bone Season and it was AWESOME. I love re-immersing myself in this world and the characters and just gloriously revelling in Samantha Shannon's beautiful words.

-Paige grows and grows as a character and she's just this strong, badass person who isn't afraid to make hard choices and fights for what she believes in and actually has a LOT of common sense and just, I love her ok?

-WARDEN! I can go all caps on him because he's AMAZING and just LOVE! We read The Bone Season with our book club and all three of us who were there to discuss the book just went *sigh* after someone mentioned him. He's very swoonworthy and he becomes even more so in The Mime Order. Also, the chemistry he and Paige have is just wow. It is SO good.

-THAT ENDING!!! Basically I have ALL THE FEELS and I had some serious book hangover after finishing this and even though I slightly saw it coming I was still like WHATTTT??

So go forth and covet this book. I'm DYING for the next one!

My rating: 5 stars

Daisy's Review of Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Title/Author: Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Publisher/Date published: Dutton, August 14th 2014
How I got this book: bought a shiny hardcover

Goodreads summary: Love ignites in the City That Never Sleeps, but can it last?

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.

So we read Isla for Book Club October and it was AMAZING! 3 of us loved it and our fourth member not so much, she actually DNF-ed it, but we still gushed about it over dinner (sorry Mel!). It was probably one of the most anticipated books of 2014 and it was very much worth the wait!

Let me start off by saying that I'm a huge fan of Stephanie Perkins' writing. She manages to pull me into the story and it just flows and I wanted to keep reading and had me laughing and going NOOOOOO!!! and just made me FEEL everything. It was awesome.

I liked Isla, she and Josh made sense together and the way their relationship developed felt real. And then they were blissfully happy and I was like: we have over half of the book left, this has to go wrong somehow right?? And it did. And it was painful and I wanted to shake Isla and tell her to stop sabotaging her relationship and just OMG I could just SEE it go down like that and it was awful.
But the book isn't called Isla and the Happily Ever After to mess with you, it's really a happy ending and I adored it. It was sweet and just fit Isla and Josh's personality and their bond and it made me swoon and just all the happy sighs.

I really liked the way sex was handled in this book. It was realistic and even though it's obviously a big deal, it wasn't overly so. Am I making sense? It was just a natural part of their relationship and also: I can now never look at bunnies the same way again (you'll know what I mean if you've read the book), so thanks for that.

I also loved the return of Anna, Etienne, Cricket and Lola, I so love those characters, especially Etienne with his 'Anna and I are headed out for a celebratory dessert. I'd ask you all to join us, but I don't want you there', AWESOME. If Anna one day decides she doesn't want him anymore, I volunteer to soothe his broken heart!

I could probably go on and on about all the things I loved about Isla and the Happily Ever After, especially after re-reading some of the quotes (which are all AMAZING), but I'm just going to say this: READ THIS BOOK. And Anna and the French Kiss (which is still my favourite of the 3 and now I'm dying to re-read it) and Lola and the Boy Next Door and let them make your heart happy, like they did mine.

My rating: 5 stars

Tahleen reviews: "Sabriel" by Garth Nix, narrated by Tim Curry

Title: Sabriel
Author: Garth Nix
Publisher: HarperTeen, 1997 (first published 1995 in Australia)
Narrator: Tim Curry

Rating: 5 stars

Sabriel has been around for 17 years at this point, and I read it back when I was in 8th or 9th grade for this first time. Recently I discovered a prequel is coming out in October of this year, and to prepare I decided to reread the three books in the series.

Sabriel is 18, and gets excellent marks at Wyverly College, where she has been a student since age 5. Her father, Abhorsen, visits every once in a while, either in the flesh or via the spirit world, as his work requires he be in the Old Kingdom across the wall. He is Abhorsen, necromancer and sorcerer who lays the dead to final rest, when they might walk the earth instead of staying in death. But when Sabriel receives her father's sword and his bandolier that holds the bells which control and banish the dead, she knows something is wrong and sets out to find her father, whom she suspects is trapped in death. Little does she know what kind of journey she will be undertaking; there is much more than her father's life at stake, and it is up to her to bring the Old Kingdom back from the chaos that has taken hold.

Garth Nix is a master. The world he has created is incredibly lush, dark, and complex, one that stuck with me long after I finished reading the books. And Sabriel is one admirable and amazing heroine. I remember wishing I were brave like her, comparing some of my discomforts with what she has to go through in this book and thinking my life wasn't so bad. Plus, the magic (both free and Charter) and dead creatures that walk in life are thrilling and chilling. I don't think I realized this is kind of a zombie book when I first read it; I loved it just as much upon rereading it, and zombies usually freak me out. So high fives to Nix for creating world with all kinds of zombies that is creepy, but won't give me nightmares. There is too much beauty and excitement in the Old Kingdom to keep me from reading about it.

One little note: I did listen to the audiobook the second time around, and as it's narrated by Tim Curry, it was pretty great. I did find myself having to rewind a lot though, as Curry's voice is pretty soothing and I found myself zoning out. But, I recommend it.

Disclosure: I got this audiobook from my local library.

Julia Reviews Evernight by Kristen Callihan

Title/Author: Evernight by Kristen Callihan
Publisher/Year Published: August 2014 by Forever
How I got this book: I was provided with a Netgalley book in return for an honest review
Why I read this book: I really love this series. 
Rating: 5 stars

The Darkest London series is one of my favorite series out there. It’s got everything: steampunk, romance, paranormal, an overarching plot, and characters that practically leap off the page and into my imagination. The latest book in this series, Evernight, is no exception.

Evernight picks up a year after the events of Shadowdance. Our lead characters, Holly Evernight and William Thorne, both had things happen to them in Shadowdance that effect their actions in the book greatly. So that said, I wouldn’t recommend jumping into this series with this book. And since I love this series so much and want people to read it without being spoiled, I am going to be vague about the particulars. So let's just take a peek at the characters.

First we have Holly, the intelligent inventor working with the supernatural agency in London. She creates some wickedly awesome inventions. We've seen her pop up in the series before, notably in the last book where she was forced to use her mechanical brain for evil. That whole ordeal has affected her and it carries over into this book in what I think is a realistic portal of how someone could react to traumatic events. She is very literal and speaks her mind without a second thought, a good a bad thing. She meets up with William Thorne when he tries to kill her.

Thorne is a demon known for their savoring of lust and life (and blood). He is the complete opposite of Holly: very devil-may-care, sarcastic and has worked for the enemy. They are stuck together because his heart is metal and causing an adverse reaction with the rest of his body. Holly can control metal and thus can help him keep things under control. She reluctantly pairs up with him so he can help figure out who is trying to kill her. It's a mutual trade that turns into something more.

They mix just as well as oil and water, and it is entirely believable and awesome. I love opposites attract stories. The plot is super interesting and expands on the story that is currently unfolding with this series. But like I said I don’t want to talk too much about that. Take it from me. If you are reading this series, the story just sucks you in and picks you up right where you left off with it.

One thing that I think Ms. Callihan does well is keeping her characters consistent. Frequently in series that I read, secondary characters become the heroes in their own stories. I've seen it happen so many times where a lovable secondary character that you are super excited is getting their own book, completely changes characterization when becoming the hero or heroine. It annoys the hell out of me. This series does not do this at all. Everything is consistent and I love it! The character's are still the ones you know and love (or hate) but you just get to see more of them and more of why they are the way they are. You don't backtrack on their characterization either. Things build. In my mind, this is what marks this as a great series. The characters just blossom in my mind.

One downside though is keeping track of the overall plot across books as well as of the supernaturals, their powers, who runs them, etc. It gets a little frustrating at times when I can’t remember something that I know I've read somewhere. It’d be nice if there was an online reference or something to just boost my memory.

Overall though, I really like this series, and Evernight is a wonderful continuation. It doesn't stand alone though so I would recommend starting at the beginning instead (or maybe at least reading Winterblaze and Shadowdance). The characters are wonderful, their chemistry is amazing and hot, and it’s a book that is easy to lose yourself in.

I've reviewed this whole series: Firelight, Moonglow, Winterblaze, and Shadowdance

Kimberly discovers Lola and the Boy Next Door

Book: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Series: YES!!!

Rating: 5 stars

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion...she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit--more sparkly, more fun, more wild--the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket--a gifted inventor--steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

A month ago I had NO idea that Lola was a sequel/companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss (which I adored). I started reading the book and nearly dropped it when Lola started talking about her coworker, Anna and her boyfriend… I LOVED that little glimpse that we get of what happens after Anna and the French Kiss ended.

As for Lola? She is adorable. I liked her from the start. Her style. Her sense of humor. Her FAMILY. (Her Dad’s are hilarious. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do”, “Honey, that saying doesn’t really work when you’re gay.”

All of the characters were, as to be expected of Stephanie Perkins, so fully developed and imagined that I connected with them. I loved them and hated a few of them. I was so invested in Lola’s relationship with her rocker boyfriend, half the time I was seeing him through her eyes, which made his character an interesting one for me. Cricket was also quite nice… ;) I first thought “what kind of dumb name is that??” It didn’t take me long to change my mind.

If you want a fun, contemporary read, with characters that you will love, with a romance that you will love, give this a read. Don’t forget to pick up Anna and the French Kiss first!

Have you read Lola? Or Anna? Tell me about it in the comments!