On The Day I Died

Salute Your Shorts is a meme featured over at Bunbury in the Stacks highlighting and reviewing short stories and novellas.

On The Day I Died

Candace Fleming

July 10, 2012

The phenomenally versatile, award-winning author, Candace Fleming, gives teen and older tween readers ten ghost stories sure to send chills up their spines. 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.

I am not a huge fan of short stories but I am definitely a huge fan of GHOST STORIES! I was so excited to receive this advance copy from Netgalley because it looked and sounded extremely creepy and I was not disappointed!

The story opens with a boy named Mike who is racing to get home by curfew. As he is coming to the bridge he sees a mysterious looking girl standing in the middle of the road (sound familiar, anyone?) he becomes intrigued and decides to give her a ride home. Suddenly, she disappears, leaving nothing behind but her shoes. Being that she has just told him exactly where she lives he decides to drive her shoes home to make sure she got in okay. An old woman opens the girl’s front door and explains to Mike that her daughter has been dead for almost fifty years and every year on the anniversary of her death she obtains a ride from someone driving over the bridge and requests that her shoes be placed on her grave in White Cemetary, a cemetery dedicated solely to teens who have died before their time. Mike ventures to the cemetery and finds the girl, along with many others who wish to tell their tale. Each story is intriguing and many are oozing with supernatural elements that really raise the hair on the back of your neck.

At the end of the book, the author provides some background evidence for each story and the real life inspirations for the characters and their untimely deaths. Though this book was showcased as a middle grade novel and I can’t say that I was ever actually scared while reading it, I was definitely freaked out in the best possible way. The author caters to different needs for the reader. For example, some readers will appreciate the “back from the dead” stereotype where I ADORED Scott’s story. His story was set in a mental hospital and I am slightly obsessed with anything supernatural relating to mental asylums. For some reason it just creeps me out in this magnificent way that has me craving more. Another fun story was based on the legendary “Monkey’s Paw.” There are few people who haven’t heard one version of this fable (or who haven’t seen The Simpsons Halloween Special) and Candace Fleming provided a really interesting new twist. When explaining where she obtained her inspiration she stated that she always wondered what happened to the monkey’s paw at the end of the story and she always imagined it ended up in a garage sale somewhere, which is exactly where her story picks up.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book, the stories were just the right amount of creepy to keep me wanting more and I think that any lover of ghost stories will appreciate the different worlds that Candace Fleming creates.

Wintercraft: Blackwatch

Blackwatch

By Jenna Burtenshaw

Kate has escaped the clutches of the High Council and Silas has left Albion for the continent. But their lives are forever linked and as the veil weakens, causing Albion's skilled to fear for everyone's safety, Silas and Kate find themselves drawn together by the mysterious and corrupt Dalliah Grey.

Blackwatch begins with Kate on trial because she has been falsely accused of murdering one of the leaders of the Skilled. Kate learns who she truly can and cannot trust while on trial and she is disheartened to find that those she believed loyal to her, those she risked her life for, are really not as loyal to her as she believed. Kate and Edgar escape from the Skilled into the underground caverns only to be caught by the Blackwatch, the Continent’s most elite warriors. Across the sea, Silas is also being hunted by Blackwatch and it is through Silas and Kate’s blood tie that they are both captured and forced to try both Silas’s patience and Kate’s power.

This story delves deeper into the tie between Silas and Kate and the powers that Kate has inherited as one of the Skilled. One of the reasons I adored Shadowcry was because of how dark it was as a young adult novel, and Blackwatch was no different. Jenna Burtenshaw delves deeper into what the veil represents and how it affects both Kate and Silas as well as how Edgar’s role as Kate’s only confidant will affect her power over the veil. The novel also provides the reader with glimpses into past which assists the reader in understanding both how Wintercraft came to be and how easily one can be consumed by darkness.



A new character, Dalliah Grey was introduced in this novel and she was a nice addition after the absence of Da’ru, though it is still a little unclear if her motives are going to be detrimental to Kate or not. It is no question that she does not have Kate’s best interests at heart and only wants to use her to accomplish her own (less than godly) goals. The shift in POV between Kate and Silas also offers a nice addition so the reader is able to glimpse some of Silas’s inner turmoil as he starts to gain a conscience. That being said, the last few pages of the novel were probably my favorite as they really gave the reader a more solid view on the man that Silas is growing into, no word yet on the romance but one can only hope (okay, pine for.)

Like in Shadowcry, Jenna Burtenshaw uses impeccable descriptions to describe the world Silas and Kate travel through. As I was reading about the caverns underground and the city housed in them I was amazed at how vivid they were in my mind. The climax of the novel was also brilliant in my mind and I found myself feeling a range of emotions as Kate struggled with the situation she was thrown into. I am thrilled to say that my copy of the conclusion to this trilogy, Wintercraft: Legacy, just arrived yesterday and I can’t wait to find out the extent of Kate’s power and Silas’s strength.

This series comes highly recommended!

Wintercraft: Shadowcry

Wintercraft: Shadowcry (Book one in the Wintercraft trilogy)

Jenna Burtenshaw 

Ten years ago the High Council’s wardens took Kate Winters’ parents to help with the country's war effort. Now the wardens are back...and prisoners, including Kate's uncle Artemis, are taken south on the terrifying Night Train. A far more dangerous enemy hunts Kate and her friend Edgar. Silas Dane -- the High Council's most feared man -- recognizes Kate as one of the Skilled; a rare group of people able to see through the veil between the living and the dead. His spirit was damaged by the High Council's experiments into the veil, and he's convinced that Kate can undo the damage and allow him to find peace. The knowledge Kate needs lies within Wintercraft -- a book thought to be hidden deep beneath the graveyard city of Fume. But the Night of Souls, when the veil between life and death is at its thinnest, is just days away and the High Council have their own sinister plans for Kate and Wintercraft. To help Artemis, Edgar and herself, Kate must honor her pact with a murderer and come face to face with the true nature of death.

In Wintercraft, we meet Kate Winter’s, a young girl living with her uncle tending to a small bookstore not realizing that she is one of the Skilled and that she is wanted by many. One day, Kate and her uncle notice hundreds of birds flying over their small town; suddenly, the birds all plummet to their death and Artemis warns Kate to hide because he knows that the birds are a sign that the wardens have come. Kate has been given little to no information on the wardens, save that they took her parents for the war so she doesn’t immediately heed his warning. Instead, the picks up one of the poor birds and finds that the bird is brought back to life with her touch. Thus begins a whirlwind adventure for Kate and her friend Edgar in which Silas Dane, the most feared man in Albion, hunts them. Silas works for the High Council but he has an agenda of his own. Silas has been given a half-life, his soul has been separated from his body and he is forever trapped in the land of the living while still keeping half of himself in the veil between the living and dead. Silas is convinced that Kate has the power to find him the peace he has been longing for and therefore does what is in his power to keep her safe while still acting as if he is loyal to the council.

I found this book while perusing on Goodreads one day and fell in love with the cover. It seemed like such a different type of story from the blurb and I am always intrigued by the “dark” young adult novels so I decided to pick it up from my local library and I am so happy that I did! I flew threw this book in an afternoon and immediately started book two.

The characters in this book are fascinating to me. Kate Winters is a strong female character but she isn’t without fault. Jenna Burtenshaw gives all of her characters many layers (okay, maybe not Da’ru) and the reader is able to appreciate the conflict Kate faces as she comes into her “power” and determines the morally “right” decision in the face of danger. Though she seems stubborn, it is in an educated way so that she doesn’t look like a child. Though the reader can still understand that Kate really is just growing into a young woman and is facing dangers that she has never fathomed. Edgar is Kate’s best friend and though he provides some comedic relief he is far from a silly character. Edgar is faithful and caring yet there are many things about him that Burtenshaw has only alluded to. Many other characters make allusions that there is more to Edgar than meets the eye and I am really intrigued to see who his character turns into. Finally, it is no surprise that Silas Dane is by far my favorite character in the novel. Though he is a foreboding and one can argue, evil, character he is still a loyal soldier who doesn’t make promises he doesn’t intend to keep and he always fulfills his debts. Like Kate and Edgar he is also extremely layered and grows into someone the reader can empathize with come the end of the book. I should probably add that he is extremely swoonworthy. He is intelligent and brooding (my favorite!) and he has a pet crow! Who wouldn’t love that in a guy? I have to add that as of right now there is no romantic plot in the story and though I may have yearned a little I really loved and appreciated the story in a different way. I hadn’t noticed how much more depth a story can have when the “I do everything for love” plotline is taken out of a novel.

The world Jenna Burtenshaw creates is richly imaginative and in a word, magical. It completely drew me in as a reader and I found myself savoring every part of the novel in a wonderful way. I recommend this book to lovers of fantasy and darker young adult fiction.

Make sure to check back later in the week for my review of book two in the Wintercraft series, Blackwatch.

Heart's Blood

Heart’s Blood 

By Juliet Marillier 

Whistling Tor is a place of secrets, a mysterious, wooded hill housing the crumbling fortress of a chieftain whose name is spoken throughout the district in tones of revulsion and bitterness. A curse lies over Anluan's family and his people; those woods hold a perilous force whose every whisper threatens doom.

For young scribe Caitrin it is a safe haven. This place where nobody else is prepared to go seems exactly what she needs, for Caitrin is fleeing her own demons. As Caitlin comes to know Anluan and his home in more depth she realizes that it is only through her love and determination that the curse can be broken and Anluan and his people set free.

Caitrin is a young woman running from the horrors of her household. Her father has died, her sister has married and gone and all she has left are kinsmen who are abusive to her both mentally and physically. Under their abuse Caitrin has become a ghost of the strong scribe her father taught her to be. It is a dreary, cold evening as Caitrin ventures toward Whistling Tor, a secluded village which houses secrets of its own. It is in this village that Caitrin overhears that the local chieftain is in need of a scribe who can read and translate Latin. Though the stories surrounding this chieftain and his household are enough to make any brave warrior wary, Caitrin believes this is her best hope of escaping her kinsmen who she believes will certainly come looking for her.

Caitrin makes her way up to Anluan’s home and finds that it is a curse that plagues the chieftains of the Tor. A curse that no one believed would ever be broken, until Caitrin came. Caitrin comes to love the Tor and its inhabitants and with her hope she acts as a beacon of light to those plagued by centuries of darkness.

The setting of this book was something I was very interested in. I love Juliet’s Sevenwaters series and adore that it centers on the forest, however, I was happy to find a more unusual setting and time period. Another significant change in this book was the element of magic. True, all of Marillier’s books focus on magic in some way but most center around “Other” magic, whereas Heart’s Blood is rooted in dark human sorcery. Caitrin must do her best to unravel the mysteries of the house and find a way to break the curse in order to help the friends she has come to love.

Another difference in this story is the way Caitrin must go about breaking the curse. In many of Juliet Marillier’s books the central female character must overcome certain tests usually given to her by Otherwordly beings. In this story it is a much more direct approach in which Caitrin must educate herself on the past wrongs done by the chieftain’s and arm herself with knowledge and strength in order to defeat the evil still dwelling there. Though I absolutely love reading tales regarding the “Old Ones” I also really appreciated the way this story was a tad more paranormal.

The secondary characters in this story were so fantastic I can hardly describe them. Some were rather creepy, the mysterious Muirne gave me a chills a few times as did the ethereal child who became attached to Caitrin and cried when she was left alone. Eichri and Rioghan were dependable and quite funny. Fianchu, whose name means “hound of a warrior band” was a huge, sweet and mysterious dog (think Dire Wolf) that I loved immensely. One cannot forget Magnus who was like a father to Caitrin and though very strong and dependable had an immense heart that showed throughout the novel.

As is her style, Marillier included some dark elements to the tale that really drew me in as a reader. I was invested in the characters, I felt their pain and disappointment as they did and found myself on the edge of my seat hoping for a happy ending. Reminiscent of Son of Shadows and Heir to Sevenwaters, both Anluan and Caitrin have things to learn and many ways in which they can grow. It is Caitrin’s strength that shows Anluan how to be a good chieftain and defeat the evil taking over his heart and home. Anluan helps Caitrin grow back into the woman she used to be before her father died. As many of you know, Juliet is the queen of slow burning romances. This story did not disappoint, every look and small gesture radiated with something more and as always, Marillier broke my heart a little just to put it back together.

Heart’s Blood was an obvious choice for me, Beauty and the Beast rewritten by the master Juliet Marillier was sure to be a hit in my mind. However I am always wary reading books by an author I love because my hopes are so high I fear that they will never be met. Thankfully, Juliet Marillier made my heart sing per usual. She stayed true to her path of weaving so many elements into a beautifully layered story. She creates friendships between characters (both human, Other and animal) that bring tears to my eyes and warmth to my heart.

This book comes highly recommended; it is an absolutely unique and gorgeous retelling of an age old tale. For those of you who have read this and are looking for another retelling by Juliet Marillier, check out my review of Wildwood Dancing!

A Beautiful Evil

A Beautiful Evil

By Kelly Keaton

Myth and mayhem inhabit a richly reimagined New Orleans in this sequel to Darkness Becomes Her. After the epic graveyard battle at the end of Darkness Becomes Her, Ari and her friends know what they’re up against: Ari is facing the Medusa curse and is haunted by the image of what she will become. To make matters worse, the heinous goddess Athena has kidnapped young Violet and is threatening to destroy Ari.

Ari, along with the superhot Sebastian, is doing everything she can to learn more about Athena and to get Violet back. But the battle of good and evil is bigger than she realizes, and she’s about to be pulled into a world more horrific than she could ever imagine...

This is the second book in Keaton’s Gods & Monsters series, it continues where the first book Darkness Becomes Her left off. Ari has started training at the academy and is preparing herself for when she meets Athena the next time, she intends to get Violet and her father back and take Athena down. As the story progresses she does get more than one chance to overtake Athena. However, Athena has a new plan up her sleeve and she uses Sebastian as a new pawn in her game, which leads Ari to make some very hard decisions that may determine the outcome of their entire relationship.

This addition to the series provided more insight to some of the characters while introducing some new faces as well. I was disappointed that Violet was again left a mystery but I found the part of Athena’s back-story to be interesting and I was very intrigued by Henri’s little secret. This novel also shed light on Sebastian’s true self and his relationship with Ari. Both characters are put through significant trials and I was thrilled with the way they both handled each situation.

Unfortunately the book as a whole disappointed me. I found it to be slow paced yet also filled with entirely too much action. I know that seems impossible but Ari kept going after Athena with no plan in place and just thought she could get lucky overcome the Goddess. Each time she failed miserably she turned right around without a plan and went after Athena no better prepared than she was the last time. This made me think of her as extremely immature and though I know this was a fantasy novel it still felt rather silly and unbelievable to me. I am not sure at this point if I will continue reading the series or not.

Much like the first book, I recommend this book to those that enjoy retellings of Greek mythology with a little paranormal fantasy thrown in.

Darkness Becomes Her

Darkness Becomes Her

By Kelly Keaton

With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can't be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is. Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long-dead mother: Run.

The story begins with Ari desperately searching for answers regarding her dead mother. She was brought up in foster care and like a lot of foster children she longed to know more of her parents. Ari is not only different because she comes from a foster home but she was born with teal eyes and silver hair, these characteristics greatly add to her beauty but they also make her feel even more alone in the world. After Ari obtains information on her mother she is attacked by a mysterious man and decides that her only choice is to venture into New 2, an area designate to those that are not “normal,” so that she can better understand where she came from.

I honestly don’t enjoy dystopian novels and therefore I wasn’t as excited to read about Ari and the ruined New Orleans. However the author does not focus on the dystopian elements but more on Ari’s story and her need for knowledge about her heritage.

The characters in this novel were so diverse and I really loved them all. Ari was really a strong heroine who doesn’t need to rely on anyone but herself. I really appreciated her strength, though I felt that her language was a little vulgar and at first it made me think of her as really immature. Sebastian was actually a pretty sweet character; he really cared about Ari it seemed. I am so used to the whole “falling in love after knowing each other for five minute” plot line that I have become desensitized. Their relationship was done in the same way on one level but at the same time I can relate to how she became close to her after she woke up to find him caring for her in a vulnerable state. Also Violet was such a neat character, she was very unique and she really helped to develop the story. Plus she has a miniature pet alligator named Pascal and I think that is so cool and also, I want one.

This book is a blend between the paranormal mystery type books and a Greek mythology retelling. It was quite unique in the way it blended the two genres and I was very impressed with the way the author set up the story. I am also happy to say that I didn’t completely figure out the plot twists before they occurred. It is always a pleasant feeling when parts of a book surprise me.I do have to say that the story went by too quickly for me and I believe the author could have doubled her page count and not decided to turn the book into a series. It really read more like a short prelude to a much longer story that is to come and I am highly anticipating A Beautiful Evil so that I can learn more about Ari and see her get revenge on those who tried to harm her.

I recommend this book to those that enjoy retellings of Greek mythology with a little paranormal fantasy thrown in, this book really is one of the best in this genre thus far.

I will be reviewing the sequel, "A Beautiful Evil" this weekend so make sure to stop by!

Fury

Fury

By Elizabeth Miles

Sometimes sorry isn't enough....

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

Em and Chase have been chosen.

When I first read the blurb about this book I thought the idea was so cool, there are retellings popping up all over the place but the idea of the FURIES being showcased really caught my attention. I love a good tale of revenge, and I have a serious love for karma. However, I went into this book with expectations too high, I had expected to read a book with serious mythological elements and instead was met with a story about serious repercussions in relation to high school problems.

I was pretty much annoyed by the characters almost immediately. Em is in love with her best friend’s boyfriend, Zach, and even though she completely 100% knows the severity of what she is doing she does it anyway and starts messing around with him while her best friend Gabby is on vacation. When her lies come undone she cries and talks about how horrible of a person she is but just wants Gabby to “listen” to her so they can talk everything out. Do I think her punishment from The Furies was too harsh? Yes, but we will get to that in a moment. Chase is the other person The Furies have come after; he did something pretty terrible that to me is more unforgiveable than Em being a boyfriend stealer. Despite this terrible behavior (it's kind of a plot twist so I can’t really say what he did) I found myself sympathizing with Chase and feeling bad for him because he is poor and does everything he can to maintain his reputation. He falls head over heels for one of The Furies and she humiliates him to a point of no return, it made me sad and a little frustrated. The secondary characters were more likeable and I found myself really enjoying Em’s neighbor JD. Drea was also a neat character and I wish we saw more of her than just her assisting Em in finding out more information on The Furies. I shouldn’t even mention Zach because he is a cheating scumbag who gets no punishment, though the ending hints that he may show up in the sequel.

It’s no mystery that I love horror stories and I love vengeance so I really thought I would enjoy this story more than I did. Em’s punishment from The Furies was slightly more justified to me than Chase’s and I will say that the author had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. Chase meets a much different end and I really didn’t enjoy it. I understand the justification in minds of The Furies but really I was just annoyed by it and thought it slightly dramatic and not at all teaching a lesson but getting rid of the situation all together. I really do hope that Elizabeth Miles brings back Zach in the second book because he was the only one in this story I thought needed serious punishment for being such an arrogant jerk, and he got away in the end unharmed.

There were parts of this book I really liked, it was definitely suspenseful but didn’t scare me in the least. It was also very different in the way it brought in both juvenile and adult themes and molded them together. I have been on a total mythology kick lately and though the retellings I have read have been okay, they aren’t mind blowing amazing. Fury by Elizabeth Miles falls into the same category as a sort of take it or leave it book that fell short for me in a few ways, perhaps my expectations were too high. However, this book IS worth reading; just don’t go in expecting much in relation to the Greek myths. Don’t be deferred from my opinion, like any good doctor will tell you, a second opinion is always a good idea! My friend Heidi posted a magnificent rave about the book on her blog a few weeks back.

Liesl & Po

Liesl & Po 

By Lauren Oliver 

Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice—until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone.

That same night, an alchemist's apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable.

Will's mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.

Liesl has been locked in the attic by her evil stepmother for 13 months, this was bearable until Liesl’s father died without her getting to say goodbye to him. Now the life that Liesl tolerated has been turned upside down. She doesn’t take pleasure in drawing anymore and is simply “existing” instead of “living.” One night a ghost named Po and its pet named Bundle visit Liesl. These two are not what you would think when you hear the word “ghost,” Po is neither a girl nor a boy and Bundle is neither a cat nor a dog, they simple are. Liesl forms a friendship with these two and they assist her in escaping from her stepmother’s clutches, stealing her father’s ashes and taking off to a town far away so that she can bring her father “home.” As Liesl is living this adventure there is a young boy named Will, the apprentice to an alchemist who has just created the “most powerful magic in the world.” Will has a mission to deliver this magic to someone very important but he misplaces it and there is much confusion that follows. His adventure becomes entwined with Liesl’s adventure and many other characters are thrown into the mix.

Liesl & Po was an absolutely lovely story. Lauren Oliver really has a way with words and I found myself reading parts of the story out loud to people around me because some of the lines from the novel were very thought invoking and all together beautifully written. This story centers around death, neglect and forms of abuse yet the way in which it was written really focused on the hope, love and joy of the characters presented. Some of my favorite parts are the interactions between Liesl and Po. For example, after Po comes back to Liesl with information on her father Liesl is very agitated at Po’s lack of enthusiasm, which he brushes off as him being tired…

“I’m very sorry to hear you are tired,” she said stiffly, her inside voice screaming: Tell me what you know about my dad! Tell me or I’ll kill you again! I’ll make you a double ghost!

“What does that mean? What does it mean to say you’re sorry?”

Liesl groped for words to describe it. “It means – it means what it means. It means that I feel bad. It means that I wish I could make you untired.”

Po flipped upside down and righted itself, still obviously confused. “But why should you wish anything for me?”

“It’s an expression,” Liesl said. Then she thought hard for a minute. “People need other people to feel things for them,” she said. “It gets lonely to feel things all by yourself.”

Oliver hit it right on the nose at that moment for me; misery loves company and so forth. There were many moments like this in the story, the book was well written and it provided a nice backdrop to the middle grade novel with characters so young. It is also important to note that the author wrote this novel after losing someone very close to her and she explains how the story helped her to heal. I have lost someone close to me as well and I have to say that this story shed a new whimsical light on something that cuts deep.

Though there were illustrations that made the physical book very appealing, the audio book is read by Jim Dale and from what I have heard he gives a magnificent performance. This book comes highly recommended it’s a sweet story and overall made me ineffably happy.

Plucker

Plucker
By Brom 

World-renowned dark fantasy artist Brom in this illustrated novel intimately combines his dramatic storytelling with his uniquely arresting images, to create a work of striking imagination, a world where fairy-tale tradition collides with vileness and depravity, love and heroism, suffering and sacrifice. A shadowy land of make-believe where Jack and his box are stuck beneath the bed with the dust, spiders, and other castaway toys, forced to face a bitter truth: children grow up and toys are left behind. Jack believes this is the worst that can happen to a toy. But when the Plucker, a malevolent spirit, is set loose upon the world of make-believe and Jack is thrust into the unlikely role of defending Thomas, the very child who abandoned him, he finds out there is worse that can befall a toy-far worse. As desperation mounts, Jack is thrown together with Thomas's other toys-Monkey, the Nutcracker, and the ethereally beautiful porcelain doll Snow Angel-as they struggle to rise above their simple roles as playthings in an effort to save the boy they love.

Plucker is an illustrated novel by Brom and it is a dark, twisted tale about children’s toys and their love for children. Don’t think of this as another Toy Story, it is absolutely NOT a children’s book.

This is the story of Jack (as in, Jack in the Box) who lives in a room with dozens of other toys who belong to Thomas. These toys come alive once Thomas is in bed and gallivant through his room, living it up as toys do. The only problem is that Jack has been shoved under the bed and is now a discarded toy that is to be shunned from all the others. Soon after Jack is shunned, Thomas is brought a spirit doll from his father. They place the doll above his bed and it falls, cracks open and releases a Soul Plucker who needs to feed on children’s gusto to flourish and survive. Jack becomes transformed into a Plucker killer and he sets out against the evil taking over the child’s soul.

I was very excited to read this book. I loved Brom’s The Child Thief and I think his illustrations are absolutely amazing. However this story was very different from The Child Thief, it read more like a picture book than a novel but the illustrations completely complemented the storyline.

Jack was transformed from a child’s toy who cowered in his box for comfort to a killer with a snake’s heart. African magic and voodoo play a significant part in the story and it helped create more depth, giving the story a little more than a straightforward path.

Some of the Plucker’s “minions” were gruesome and maggot filled and I found myself physically gagging over the intense descriptions. But that’s part of the reason that I enjoyed it, I love a good horror story filled with vivid imagery. Jack’s illustrations were also incredibly intricate, even his stitching was beautiful. I recommend this book to any fans of Brom or for those who like a twisted re-telling of a childhood fable.

"All around the mulberry bush,
The monkey chased the weasel,
The monkey thought ‘twas all in fun,
Pop goes the weasel."

Goddess Interrupted

Goddess Interrupted 

Aimee Carter 

Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

I obtained an ARC of this book via Netgalley, the publish date for Goddess Interrupted is March 27, 2012.

WARNING: THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR BOOK ONE IN THE SERIES, THE GODDESS TEST. I SUGGEST YOU READ THAT BEFORE READING THIS REVIEW!

It has been six months since Kate passed the tests to become Henry’s wife and the queen of The Underworld. It has also been six months since she has seen Henry, six months that she has spent exploring the world with her best friend James. Kate can’t wait to get home and see Henry, unfortunately he isn’t as excited to see her and he barely acknowledges her presence. Kate brushes this aside and decides to go forward with her induction ceremony but right as she is about to be crowned, Cronus, the “father” to the six most powerful Gods begins to break free of his prison and he attacks the group of Gods gathered for the ceremony. It comes to light that Calliope is behind this attack and she is doing everything she can to free Cronus to take revenge on Kate and Henry. Cronus captures Henry, Walter and Philip and Kate decides she has no other choice but to go after them. James and Ava accompany her and they soon realize that they need some serious help from the only other person besides Henry who knows all the secrets of The Underworld, his first wife Persephone.

At first I was a little annoyed over Persephone’s characteristics but overall I really liked her personality and the way she bantered back and forth with Ava. She is a really forward character and knows exactly what she wants. I have to say that for the most part I liked her significantly more than Kate. A lot of the story was focused on Kate struggling with her emotions toward Henry, She knew she loved him but one moment she was leaving because she didn’t think he loved her and the next she was 100% sure that he did. Not to mention the fact that she felt completely inferior to Persephone in relation to every aspect of her life. I felt like she was so stuck on comparing herself to her sister that she couldn't appreciate her gifts and her strengths as much as she did in the first book. Then there was Henry, I wanted to punch him in the face a few times, especially when SPOILER ALERT Persephone goes to him in his “secret” hideout and they have a LONG reunion in which they keep kissing!!! I understand that Persephone was apparently trying to prove to him that he didn’t love her but are you kidding? They just kept going and going and I had a really hard time liking Henry after that. It just felt like he was settling for Kate because she was devoted to Henry and Persephone was not. END SPOILER I think by the end I was just tired of the back and forth in Kate’s mind and I just wanted some hint of love or emotion from Henry.

I know it seems like I was not satisfied with this book but I really was. It was adventurous and heartfelt and it made me want more. I was SO happy with the ending. The first book ended in a total meh way and that’s what I had expected from this novel as well. Thankfully I was surprised and it was a total I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING moment that really has me anticipating the next book. Despite my frustrations over certain parts of this book it was very entertaining and I recommend it to those liking books filled with conflict, emotion and Greek myths with a twist.

Entwined

Entwined 

By Heather Dixon 

Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it.

The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.

Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.

But there is a cost.

The Keeper likes to "keep" things. 

Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

I was initially drawn to this book based on its cover, when I read the synopsis I was hooked, I love retellings and the story of The Twelve Dancing Princesses is one of my favorites! I also thought it would be interesting to read this book after reading Juliet Marillier’s version, Wildwood Dancing.

This story follows Azalea and her sisters, all named in alphabetical order after flowers. They live with their mother and father and their favorite thing in the world is to dance. Their father is a somewhat intimidating figure; they usually call him by “sir” or “the king” and are not close to him at all. They are, however, extremely close to their mother and savor her dance lessons above all else. Unfortunately, their mother dies giving birth to their youngest sister and the palace goes under a period of mourning, in which no dancing is allowed. Azalea finds out some information regarding the secret passages in their castle and they discover a magical wood beyond their castle that contains a dancing glen, taken care of by a man who only goes by the name Keeper. After time, Keeper’s real intentions come to light and Azalea must do all she can to protect her family.

I’m going to be honest, at first I couldn’t stand this book. It literally took me about 100 pages before I actually started to like the book and the characters. I couldn’t stand that Bramble was so outspoken, I was annoyed that every single conflict or happy moment related back to a dance (and I was a ballerina for 13 years!!) and I absolutely HATED the way in which Ivy just ate and ate and ate and all the characters were all “oh father let her be (obese)” it honestly turned me off to where I almost put the book away and marked it as a “did not finish.” However, I was intrigued enough and kept going and I am so happy that I did. After the mother dies, and the girls meet Keeper, the book starts to get good. Keeper was all kinds of awesome; he was handsome, mysterious, compassionate and evil. That’s right, EVIL! There comes a point in the story where Azalea finds out that there are people who’s souls have been captured, these "people" have had their mouths sewn shut so they are bound to live forever trapped in this in-between world with the inability to speak. How horrific?! I loved this. Then, the evil comes to the castle and there is this epic battle and all of these love pairings come about in a non-obvious way and it was so sweet and refreshing from the immediate I-have-to-have-you-now that comes in most YA romance novels. Also? I cried. This alone makes me like this book because it was so unexpected. The relationship between the girls and their father is even better than the romantic relationships in the book, which is rare and beautiful.

I didn’t love this book as much as I loved Wildwood Dancing, but I appreciated it in a completely different way. It was much more of a fairytale than the dark and layered tale of Marillier’s and I liked that. It’s highly recommended to those who like a good fairy tale with a less obvious, but still endearing, love story.

Wildwood Dancing

Widlwood Dancing 

By Juliet Marillier 

High in the Transylvanian woods, at the castle Piscul Draculi, live five daughters and their doting father. It’s an idyllic life for Jena, the second eldest, who spends her time exploring the mysterious forest with her constant companion, a most unusual frog. But best by far is the castle’s hidden portal, known only to the sisters. Every Full Moon, they alone can pass through it into the enchanted world of the Other Kingdom. There they dance through the night with the fey creatures of this magical realm.

But their peace is shattered when Father falls ill and must go to the southern parts to recover, for that is when cousin Cezar arrives. Though he’s there to help the girls survive the brutal winter, Jena suspects he has darker motives in store. Meanwhile, Jena’s sister has fallen in love with a dangerous creature of the Other Kingdom–an impossible union it’s up to Jena to stop.

When Cezar’s grip of power begins to tighten, at stake is everything Jena loves: her home, her family, and the Other Kingdom she has come to cherish. To save her world, Jena will be tested in ways she can’t imagine–tests of trust, strength, and true love.

Jenica is the second eldest in a household of five sisters. Jena and her sisters live with their father in Transylvania in an old castle called Piscul Draculi. Though Jena isn’t the oldest of these girls she is the most responsible and clear-headed. Her best friend is a frog named Gogu, he has been her constant companion for many years and they understand one another in a special way. Every night of the full moon the sisters are able to open a secret portal in their room and travel to the Other Kingdom where they dance and laugh with the folk who dwell there.

Jena and her sisters enjoy their life and are very upset when their father takes an extended leave on a trip, leaving their cousin Cezar to look over things at their castle. Cezar is an angry man and has a lot of bitterness and hatred toward the Other Kingdom. Cezar’s hatred comes from the loss of his brother as a child, he believes the witch from deep in the forest to be the cause of his brother’s death and has never forgiven her or the forest that keeps her.

The girls continue going to the dancing glade and take comfort while they’re away from the sorrows in their life at home. This comfort is short lived when a new group of creatures known as the Night People become frequent guests at the glade. After this group’s first night in the Other Kingdom, Tatiana, the eldest sister, meets a young man named Sorrow and immediately falls in love. Soon this love takes over and Tatiana stops eating and nearly dies as it consumes her. Meanwhile, Cezar’s wrath starts to consume him and he threatens to burn the entire forest, and the Other Kingdom along with it. Jena and Gogu must do all that they can to overcome Cezar and keep Tatiana alive and well enough until Sorrow can come for her.

If I absolutely HAD to choose a favorite author I would choose Juliet Marillier. Her Sevenwaters series are books so close to my heart I have a hard time recommending them to people because I want them to be mine, all mine!! As is her fashion, Marillier creates a strong female character that has to overcome many trials and tears before finding herself and her happiness. I was worried that this book would not live up to my high expectations, but Juliet Marillier delivered an absolutely gorgeous novel filled with adventure and love in many forms.

This book comes highly recommended; it breaks the heart into tiny pieces and then mends them one by one.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

By Michelle Hodkin

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.


The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was another majorly hyped book of 2011 that I was excited to read. I was somewhat wary after reading a review on one of my favorite book blogs that portrayed this book as another paranormal romance with no depth or intrigue. After reading it for myself I have to say that I completely disagree and that this book really did live up to the hype for me.

At the beginning of the book, Mara is involved in an accident, which kills three of her friends and leaves her in a very fragile mental state. Her family decides it would be best to move away from the town in which the scene of the crime happened so her life is upturned again and she is forced to start a new school while dealing with major mental anguish.

After starting at the new school it seems like this story will play by the same “new kid at the high school” plot line where Mara gets on the wrong side of the most popular girl in the school because the most popular (and good-looking) guy shows her some attention. Thankfully these scenes are short and necessary to show that Mara has much more that post traumatic stress to deal with. Unexplainable things begin happening to Mara and she starts imagining things that aren’t really happening, as well as seeing people who aren’t really there – like the friends who died in the accident.

I had a love-hate relationship with the characters. I really liked Mara and thought she was a strong character but there were some choices and some one-liners that really turned me off. Then there is Noah, the typical gorgeous, mysterious jerk who really is sweet on the inside. Parts of me HATED him and wanted to slap Mara for even bantering with him and parts of me melted into a puddle on the floor every time he talked. What can I say? I’m a complicated woman. I was also a little confused by his “powers” and some other strange occurrences, like how Noah basically dies when Mara kisses him. These things weren’t really explained in this book but the sequel is due out this fall and I assume the author will be delving deeper into these characters and their “special” abilities.

The entire time I was reading this book I kept trying to figure out what was going on and why these things were happening. Is it magic? Is she really just insane? Maybe she is dreaming? Things finally start coming together in the end, as in, the last page of the book was absolutely jaw dropping and made me want the sequel right now, please! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a paranormal romance with a little more depth to it.

The sequel is still untitled but Michelle Hodkin has given us a bit of a teaser on her website and oh my does it add to the intrigue!

Anna Dressed in Blood

Anna Dressed In Blood

By Kendare Blake

“Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas’s life.”

Anna Dressed in Blood was one of the hyped debuts of 2011 and I was initially drawn to it when I saw its awesome cover. Plus I was on a horror kick after reading The Child Thief and I hoped this would live up to my expectations.

The story follows Cas, a sarcastic ghost hunter who follows a “tip” to the town in which Anna resides. Cas was a very unique character, he is following in his father’s footsteps and lives up to his father’s name by following tips around the country and hunting down ghosts to send them to wherever it is ghosts go after they are done hanging on the Earthly plane.

After some research, Cas meets Anna, who I immediately loved. This character was so twisted and layered that I felt all kinds of emotions toward her. The story was beautifully done as her history is revealed in a slow, mysterious way. She starts off as this terrifying character who is disemboweling anyone who ventures into her house and slowly, as her history is revealed, she mellows out in an almost tragic way.

Overall, this story wasn’t as horror filled as I like my novels but it was a good amount of gore for a young adult debut and definitely enough intrigue to keep me guessing and wanting more. As a side note **spoiler alert (kinda)** I HATED THE PART ABOUT THE CAT!! Out loud I literally screamed “Not the cat!!!” and it kind of made me angry because I did NOT think it was necessary! **end spoiler**

I am eagerly anticipating the second installment of this series; it is one of my most anticipated reads of 2012. I recommend this book to anyone who likes horror (that isn’t too horrifying) and a sweet love story (that isn’t too lovey).

Wolves!

Shiver

By Maggie Stiefvater

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf–her wolf–is a chilling presence she can’t seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It’s her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human–or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

When Grace was younger, she was attacked by wolves in the woods surrounding her home. As she lay dying, a wolf with bright yellow eyes fended off the other wolves and saved her life. As the years went on, Grace continued to find the wolf staring at her, keeping her safe. Grace begins to think of this wolf as “her” wolf and when a hunting party ventures into the woods she becomes terrified. Once at her house, Grace finds a naked, shivering boy on her porch who has been shot in the shoulder. Grace soon learns that this boy, named Sam, is indeed “her” wolf and has been watching and protecting her for years. The catch of his “disease” is that every summer, when it is warm, Sam turns into a human and once the temperature drops he becomes a wolf again. As the years go on however, Sam’s summers become shorter and shorter and he fears he will soon lose the ability to turn into a human all together. The story progresses and Sam and Grace work together to keep him warm, and human.

The cover of this book was what initially drew me in, and the fact that it was a book with a werewolf as a focus, a change from the typical vampire love story. I also really appreciated that the “change” for the werewolf isn’t brought on by the full moon but by the change in temperature. Unfortunately that was not enough to make me enjoy the story, I had a very hard time reading this book and found myself fighting against the storyline. I can definitely see why most readers would LOVE this book. For me, it was like the Twilight series, minus the vampires. The two main characters were head over heels, nothing can stop us, will do ANYTHING for the other in love. I had a hard time buying this, the characters were not very developed and their love was just supposed to be understood, with little evidence as to why they had fallen in “love” in the first place. Overall, I was a bit bored with the story and couldn’t really get into it; however I would definitely recommend it to readers who like teen romance and books like Twilight.

Rating: 2 out of 5

Graveminder

Graveminder

By Melissa Marr

Three sips to mind the dead . . .

Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the attention her grandmother Maylene bestowed upon the dead of Claysville, the small town where Bek spent her adolescence. There wasn't a funeral that Maylene didn't attend, and at each one Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual: She took three sips from a silver flask and spoke the words "Sleep well, and stay where I put you."

Now Maylene is dead, and Bek must go back to the place she left a decade earlier. She soon discovers that Claysville is not just the sleepy town she remembers, and that Maylene had good reason for her odd traditions. It turns out that in Claysville the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected; beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D. If the dead are not properly cared for, they will come back to satiate themselves with food, drink, and stories from the land of the living. Only the Graveminder, by tradition a Barrow woman, and her Undertaker—in this case Byron Montgomery, with whom Bek shares a complicated past—can set things right once the dead begin to walk.

Although she is still grieving for Maylene, Rebekkah will soon find that she has more than a funeral to attend to in Claysville, and that what awaits her may be far worse: dark secrets, a centuries-old bargain, a romance that still haunts her, and a frightening new responsibility—to stop a monster and put the dead to rest where they belong.

Graveminder is best selling young adult author Melissa Marr's first novel for adults, though it has been said to be “a young adult book for adults” as the genres can overlap at times and the storyline is relatable to both young adult and adult readers. The atmosphere of this story was very interesting, the way in which Melissa Marr describes the alternate world ruled by Mr. D was extremely detailed and really heightened the intensity of the story. I really felt for Bek as she struggled with her choices in this story and I appreciated how conflicted she was as she worked to find her proper place in the world. This story is filled with love, through many different types of relationships, but it is also a horror story filled with murder mysteries and the residents of Claysville rising from the dead. A good mix, I must say!

Overall, Graveminder is a richly imagined story with a relatable and interesting plot filled with likable characters. Melissa Marr sets up the story so it can be turned into a series if she wishes. Personally, I hope the author runs with the story and decides to continue the story of Bek and Byron!

4 out of 5 stars

For more on Melissa Marr check out her website and best selling young adult novels!

The Child Thief

The Child Thief

By Brom

I first saw this book showcased on the shelf when I was working at Barnes & Noble. I was immediately intrigued and drawn in by the illustration on the cover. I thought to myself, “That looks like Peter Pan!” and lo and behold, it IS Peter Pan! Kind of...

Based in our modern world, Peter searches for children needing an escape from their brutal lives. Peter finds the desperate children, the ones grasping for any sense of light in a dark world. Peter waits until the opportune moment to reveal himself, knowing that at that time the children are most likely to follow him into the “paradise” he promises. However, as these children follow Peter they find that this paradise he promises is really a terrifying wilderness filled with things from your worst nightmares.

As time progresses, the children learn that this world, the world of Avalon, is slowly dying. Peter is dedicated to saving this world, his paradise, and the Lady that lives there. Peter believes the only way to save his world is to amass an army of children called the “Devils” to fight for the land he loves.

A little disclaimer: This story is NOT for children. It is NOT the story of Peter Pan from your childhood. It is harsh, sadistic and at times over the top. The children (and they are children) swear, maim and kill and they are tortured and killed in gory detail. That being said it is also one of the best books I have ever read.

Brom completely re-imagines the tale of Peter Pan, turning it into a thoroughly detailed and layered story. Avalon was once a magical and beautiful paradise, until man showed up on its shores. The “man” in question being the Captain and his crew (saw that one coming, didn’t you?) The crew is made up not of not savage men, but puritans (but really, what’s the difference?) looking to start a new civilization. As the story progresses these men do turn into beasts but the Captain remains whole and the reader gains a glimpse into his mindset. The question of who (or what) is evil is presented and as a reader I found myself wavering between the two, into an almost gray area. Brom tells the tale of horror, betrayal and dedication through a child narrator named Nick, a narrator I quickly fell in love with. Nick is a strong minded boy, who attempts to stand up for what is right while shirking away from what would be “easy.”

Although this was one of the best novels I have ever read I do admit that some parts were not so perfect. Most of the characters are extremely developed and layered with a detailed back-story. However, the character Uthger is barely fleshed out though he pays a very important part in the overall story. Also, I did not enjoy the ending. At all. I can’t go into much detail here but I will say that overall it felt rushed. The whole story leads up to this final act and suddenly it is over with no pretense. I do understand why the book ended in this way, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it!

4.5 out of 5 stars

Check out Brom’s website for a gallery of his amazing illustrations, many found in The Child Thief!

Lost Voices

Lost Voices

By Sarah Porter

Fourteen-year-old Luce has had a tough life, but she reaches the depths of despair when she is assaulted and left on the cliffs outside of a grim, gray Alaskan fishing village. She expects to die when she tumbles into the icy waves below, but instead undergoes an astonishing transformation and becomes a mermaid. A tribe of mermaids finds Luce and welcomes her in—all of them, like her, lost girls who surrendered their humanity in the darkest moments of their lives. Luce is thrilled with her new life until she discovers the catch: the mermaids feel an uncontrollable desire to drown seafarers, using their enchanted voices to lure ships into the rocks. Luce possesses an extraordinary singing talent, which makes her important to the tribe—she may even have a shot at becoming their queen. However her struggle to retain her humanity puts her at odds with her new friends. Will Luce be pressured into committing mass murder?

Luce has hard life, she tries her best to fly under the radar and keep away from her abusive uncle as much as she can. Unfortunately, Luce is unable to stay invisible for long and she is abused to a breaking point and she decides to leave her "before" life forever. As she is running Luce falls and plummets off a high cliff into the icy water below. Instead of dying, however, Luce starts to transform. Soon after she is found by a group of mermaids that explain that she is a mermaid as well and has been turned into one because of the horror she experienced in her life as a human.

Luce begins learning the ways of the mermaid life and finds that she has one of the most beautiful voices any of the mermaids have ever heard. This is both a great compliment and a source of anxiety for Luce as a mermaids voice is also her weapon. Part of the mermaid lifestyle is to sing their beautiful song, making ship passengers become enraptured so they crash or fall to their death. Luce doesn’t want to hurt anyone but she fears rejection from her new family so she faces a very hard choice on how to live her new life.

This novel is a new twist on a somewhat warped coming of age story. Luce begins finding herself after a traumatic event spirals her into what she believes is a point of no return. A refreshing difference in this novel is that there is no romantic relationship; it is not a story that centers on a romance. Instead, the relationships are between the girls in the mermaid tribe and many characters are fleshed out enough that you learn to appreciate their individual characteristics. Sarah Porter’s debut novel is the first in a very promising new series; I can’t wait to see how Luce’s choices in Lost Voices affect her new life as a member of the mermaid tribe.

Rating: 4 out of 5