Review: Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Title: Dairy Queen
Author: Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Narrator: Natalie Moore
Published: May 23, 2006  (first published April 30, 2006)
Publisher: Listening Library
Series: Dairy Queen #1
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Length: 6 hours and 7 minutes
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 4.5 stars
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“Everyone I looked at, their whole lives, did exactly what they were supposed to do without even questioning it, without even wondering if they could do something different.”
― Catherine Gilbert Murdock, Dairy Queen

Synopsis
When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.
Harsh words indeed, from Brian Nelson of all people. But, D. J. can’t help admitting, maybe he’s right.

When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.
Stuff like why her best friend, Amber, isn’t so friendly anymore. Or why her little brother, Curtis, never opens his mouth. Why her mom has two jobs and a big secret. Why her college-football-star brothers won’t even call home. Why her dad would go ballistic if she tried out for the high school football team herself. And why Brian is so, so out of her league.

When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.
Welcome to the summer that fifteen-year-old D. J. Schwenk of Red Bend, Wisconsin, learns to talk, and ends up having an awful lot of stuff to say. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
When I picked up Dairy Queen, I wasn’t expecting it to be a new favorite. Since this book has a lot to do with football and dairy farming, subjects I have very little interest in and know absolutely nothing about, I went into Dairy Queen skeptical but also hopeful that it would take me by surprise given all of the positive feedback it received. And lo and behold, Dairy Queen ended up being a delightful read, filled with wholesome, heart-warming scenes while at the same time fraught with so much tension and emotional feels.

Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Throne of Glass
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Published: August 2, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
Series: Throne of Glass #1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Pages: 404
Source: Gifted
Rating: 2 stars
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“Libraries were full of ideas–perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.”
― Sarah J. Maas, Throne of Glass

Synopsis
In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Given the hype surrounding this series, I went into Throne of Glass with high expectations. As you most likely know by now, I am a huge fan of anything fantasy, so I thought this book was a perfect Courtney read. I mean, how could it not be? There’s magic, court scandals, assassins and so many elements that should make for a wonderful fantasy! Unfortunately, it did not impress. I think if I had gone into this expecting nothing, I would have enjoyed it more, but, alas, that was not the case. Throne of Glass was a fast-paced, entertaining read, and I was never bored, but it was just way too dramatic for my tastes.

Review: Half A King by Joe Abercrombie

Title: Half A King
Author: Joe Abercrombie
Published: July 15, 2014
Publisher: Del Rey
Series: Shattered Sea #1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Rating: 3 stars
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“The fool strikes. The wise man smiles, and watches, and learns. Then strikes.”
― Joe Abercrombie, Half a King

Synopsis
“I swore an oath to avenge the death of my father. I may be half a man, but I swore a whole oath.”

Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain a throne he never wanted. But first he must survive cruelty, chains, and the bitter waters of the Shattered Sea. And he must do it all with only one good hand.

The deceived will become the deceiver.

Born a weakling in the eyes of his father, Yarvi is alone in a world where a strong arm and a cold heart rule. He cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge.

The betrayed will become the betrayer.

Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast and the lost, he finds they can do more to help him become the man he needs to be than any court of nobles could.

Will the usurped become the usurper? 

But even with loyal friends at his side, Yarvi finds his path may end as it began—in twists, and traps, and tragedy. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts

There are some books that sneak up on you unawares, books that you weren’t eagerly anticipating or counting down the days till their release, but somehow fall into your lap nonetheless. Half A King was one of those books for me. A couple of weeks ago, I was unaware of its existence, but after reading one review and spotting it on Netgalley, I knew I had to have it. Less than a day later, I found myself lost in its pages, always happy to explore another fantasy world. Half A King was a challenging book to review, and I put off writing this review for far too long. While I enjoyed it, I also had some major issues with it, leaving me torn and unable to express my feelings. Half a King may have fallen short of my expectations, but it still offered an enthralling tale full of adventure and friendship, betrayal and revenge.

Review: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Ruin and Rising
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Published: June 17, 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Series: The Grisha #3
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Pages: 417
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3.5 stars
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*Warning: This book review contains spoilers for Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm*

“I wanted to believe anything so that I wouldn’t have to face the future alone. The problem with wanting is that it makes us weak.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

Synopsis
The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
First off, let me apologize because this is a really long review, and probably longer than any of my others. But I had so many feelings and emotions that I needed to express, and they all just poured out when I started writing this review. So here we go...

Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Siege and Storm
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Published: June 4, 2013
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Series: The Grisha #2
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Pages: 432
Source: Purchased
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*Warning: This book review contains spoilers for Shadow and Bone*

“The ox feels the yoke, but does the bird feel the weight of its wings?”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

Synopsis
Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts

I had already read Siege and Storm once before during my blogging hiatus last year, but I wanted to reread it and give it the positive review it deserves before I read Ruin and Rising. If possible, I enjoyed Siege and Storm even more the second time. I fell in love with the Grishaverse all over again, and I loved revisiting Ravka and all of its surrounding countries. Rereading it, I noticed small details I had missed the first time I read it. Since I already knew what was going to happen, I could pay more attention to the little things, such as the secondary characters and their developing personalities. Even though I had read it before, I was still deeply immersed in the storyline. I found it difficult to put the book down when food, sleep and work interfered with my reading time. I could have easily read it in one sitting if it hadn’t been for life and responsibilities getting in the way.

Review: Perfect Fifths by Megan McCafferty

Title: Perfect Fifths
Author: Megan McCafferty
Published: April 14, 2009
Publisher: Crown
Series: Jessica Darling #5
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Pages: 258
Source: Library
Rating: 2.5 stars
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*Warning: This book review contains spoilers for Sloppy Firsts, Second Helpings, Charmed Thirds and Fourth Comings*

“We just want to be where we're supposed to be. We just want to be with the people we want to be with. I don't think that's asking for too much, ya know what I'm saying?”
― Megan McCafferty, Perfect Fifths

Synopsis
Captivated readers have followed Jessica through every step and misstep: from her life as a tormented, tart-tongued teenager to her years as a college grad stumbling toward adulthood. Now a young professional in her mid-twenties, Jess is off to a Caribbean wedding. As she rushes to her gate at the airport, she literally runs into her former boyfriend, Marcus Flutie. It’s the first time she's seen him since she reluctantly turned down his marriage proposal three years earlier–and emotions run high.

Marcus and Jessica have both changed dramatically, yet their connection feels as familiar as ever. Is their reunion just a fluke or has fate orchestrated this collision of their lives once again?

Told partly from Marcus’s point of view, Perfect Fifths finally lets readers inside the mind of the one person who’s both troubled and titillated Jessica Darling for years. Expect nothing less than the satisfying conclusion fans have been waiting for, one perfect in its imperfection. . . (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
The Jessica Darling series has taken us on a long and eventful journey, detailing the young adult years of one Jessica Darling who we cannot help but love even with all her imperfections. From teen angst and first love to broken hearts and college graduate woes, we have witnessed all of Jessica's mistakes and triumphs, trials and comforts. Alongside Jessica, we have experienced the thrill of accomplishment, the sting of betrayal, and the unconditional love of true friends and family. Everything that has happened in the last four books has led to a single outcome, the strange but true reunion of Marcus and Jessica. Three years have passed since they parted ways, but have their feelings really changed? While Perfect Fifths gives readers some much-needed closure and a few touching scenes, it fell far short of my expectations.

Review: Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

Title: Stolen Songbird 
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Published: March 30, 2014
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Series: The Malediction Trilogy #1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Pages: 480
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3.5 stars
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“Dying was an easy thing to accomplish, effortless in its agony. It was living that was hard, requiring endless toil and labor, and for all one's efforts, it could be stolen in an instant.”
―Danielle L. Jensen, Stolen Songbird

Synopsis
For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Having just finished Stolen Songbird not even 10 minutes ago, I am left reeling from the ending and I just had to pour out my thoughts immediately. Stolen Songbird has all the makings of a wonderful fantasy, with an underground kingdom cursed to remain hidden away, a strong but slowly maturing protagonist discovering her secret abilities, and a romance that will linger in your mind long after you've finished the last page. Yes, I'll admit that Stolen Songbird had its faults, but this did not lessen my appreciation of Jensen's enchanting debut.

Review: Fourth Comings by Megan McCafferty

Title: Fourth Comings
Author: Megan McCafferty
Published: August 7, 2007
Publisher: Broadway Books
Series: Jessica Darling #4
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Pages: 307
Source: Library
Rating: 5 stars
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*Warning: This book review contains spoilers for Sloppy Firsts, Second Helpings and Charmed Thirds*

“I wish our love was right now.”
―Megan McCafferty, Fourth Comings

Synopsis
Is the real world ready for Jessica Darling?

At first it seems she's living the New York City dream. She's subletting an apartment with her best friend, working for a magazine that actually cares about her psychology degree, and still deeply in love with the charismatic Marcus Flutie.

But reality is more complicated than dreamy clichés.

When Marcus proposes, giving her only one week to answer, Jessica must decide if she's ready to give up a world of late-night literary soirees, art openings, and downtown drunken karaoke to move back to New Jersey and be with the one man who's gripped her heart for years. Jessica ponders this and other life choices with her signature snark and hyper-intense insight, making it the most tumultuous and memorable week of her twenty-something life. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
In Fourth Comings, Jessica Darling has graduated from college and is officially in "the real world." She lives in an apartment in New York City with not only her best friend Hope, but also her "friend" Manda and Manda's girlfriend Shea. She's struggling to pay off her college loans while also trying to have enough money for real food, not a ramen only kind of diet. She works as an editor at a pop psychology online magazine/journal called Think and babysits her niece Marin 10 hours a week, but even two jobs isn't enough when she's living in New York City, which isn't exactly cheap. On top of all this, she has only a week to decide if she wants to marry her boyfriend Marcus or leave him instead. If I were her, I would have exploded from all this stress a long time ago.

Review: Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

Title: Hold Me Closer, Necromancer
Author: Lish McBride
Published: October 12, 2010
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Series: Necromancer #1
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Pages: 343
Source: Library
Rating: 3.5 stars
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“Next time a talking head ended up in my easy chair, I would have all sorts of points of reference, but at that moment, I was completely at sea.”
―Lish McBride, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer

Synopsis
Sam leads a pretty normal life. He may not have the most exciting job in the world, but he’s doing all right—until a fast food prank brings him to the attention of Douglas, a creepy guy with an intense violent streak.

Turns out Douglas is a necromancer who raises the dead for cash and sees potential in Sam. Then Sam discovers he’s a necromancer too, but with strangely latent powers. And his worst nightmare wants to join forces . . . or else.

With only a week to figure things out, Sam needs all the help he can get. Luckily he lives in Seattle, which has nearly as many paranormal types as it does coffee places. But even with newfound friends, will Sam be able to save his skin? (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
I was looking forward to reading Hold Me Closer, Necromancer because of its dark humor and its male POV, a rarity in YA. I just couldn't ignore a tale that makes light of raising the dead, and I'm happy to say that Hold Me Closer, Necromancer was, for the most part, a delightful read filled with laughs despite its disturbing subject matter.

Review: Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor

Title: Dreams of Gods & Monsters
Author: Laini Taylor
Published: April 8, 2014
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Series: Daughter of Smoke & Bone #3
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Pages: 613
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3 stars
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*Warning: This book review contains spoilers for Daughter of Smoke & Bone and Days of Blood & Starlight*

“Once upon a time, an angel and a devil pressed their hands to their hearts

and started the apocalypse.”
―Laini Taylor, Dreams of Gods and Monsters

Synopsis 
By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

When Jael's brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz ... something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky?

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter? (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
With deep regret and sadness, I read the final pages of Dreams of Gods & Monsters and finished a beloved series. As this trilogy comes to a close, I am left feeling conflicted. While I couldn't help but admire Taylor's gorgeous writing style, as always, I also had higher expectations. I was hoping that the ending would leave me feeling hollowed out as if I had lost something precious. I wanted tears; I wanted to cry from the aching beauty that is Taylor's writing. Instead, I felt like the final book in this trilogy was kind of a letdown compared to how much I loved Daughter of Smoke & Bone and Days of Blood & Starlight.

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin Book Review

Title: A Game of Thrones
Author: George R. R. Martin
Published: August 6, 1996
Publisher: Bantam
Series: A Song of Ice and Fire #1
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Pages: 837
Source: Gift
Rating: 5 stars
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“When you play a game of thrones you win or you die.”
―George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

Synopsis
In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes of the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective Wall.

At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Some time ago, there was girl named Courtney who decided to take a chance and buy the first season of Game of Thrones without having watched a single episode. From that day on, her life would never be the same. But seriously, it wasn't the same and it has changed for the better. After discovering this extraordinary tv series, I knew I had to read the books. Finally, I have started this popular series, and, so far, I have no regrets.

Review: Night of Cake & Puppets by Laini Taylor

Title: Night of Cake & Puppets
Author: Laini Taylor
Published: November 26, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Series: Daughter of Smoke & Bone #2.5
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Pages: 79
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 stars
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“It’s not stalking if you don't follow them home, right?”
― Laini Taylor, Night of Cake & Puppets

Synopsis
In Night of Cake & Puppets, Taylor brings to life a night only hinted at in the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy—the magical first date of fan-favorites Zuzana and Mik.

Told in alternating perspectives, it’s the perfect love story for fans of the series and new readers alike. Petite though she may be, Zuzana is not known for timidity. Her best friend, Karou, calls her “rabid fairy,” her “voodoo eyes” are said to freeze blood, and even her older brother fears her wrath. But when it comes to the simple matter of talking to Mik, or “Violin Boy,” her courage deserts her.

Now, enough is enough. Zuzana is determined to meet him, and she has a fistful of magic and a plan. It’s a wonderfully elaborate treasure hunt of a plan that will take Mik all over Prague on a cold winter’s night before finally leading him to the treasure: herself! Violin Boy’s not going to know what hit him. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Usually, when it comes to novellas, I'd rather just skip them and stick with the actual series. I've never been one for concerning myself with the side characters and their POVs because they are secondary characters and I believe they should remain that way. I'm much more interested in the main storyline. I'm also not a huge fan of alternating perspectives, even though there are some cases where it does work. Yet I was willing to ignore all that for Night of Cake & Puppets. Why? Because it was written by Laini Taylor, the author of Daughter of Smoke & Bone and Days of Blood & Starlight, and her writing has yet to disappoint me. And, oh boy, did I make the right decision.

Review: Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

Title: Monsters of Men
Author: Patrick Ness
Published: May 3, 2010
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Series: Chaos Walking #3
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian, Science Fiction
Pages: 603
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 stars
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*Warning: This book review contains spoilers for The Knife of Never Letting Go and The Ask and the Answer*

“War makes Monsters of Men.”
― Patrick Ness, Monsters of Men

Synopsis
In the riveting conclusion to the acclaimed dystopian series, a boy and girl caught in the chaos of war face devastating choices that will decide the fate of a world.
As a world-ending war surges around them, Todd and Viola face monstrous decisions. The indigenous Spackle, thinking and acting as one, have mobilized to avenge their murdered people. Ruthless human leaders prepare to defend their factions at all costs, even as a convoy of new settlers approaches. And as the ceaseless Noise lays all thoughts bare, the projected will of the few threatens to overwhelm the desperate desire of the many.

The consequences of each action, each word, are unspeakably vast: To follow a tyrant or a terrorist? To save the life of the one you love most, or thousands of strangers? To believe in redemption, or assume it is lost? Becoming adults amid the turmoil, Todd and Viola question all they have known, racing through horror and outrage toward a shocking finale. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
I'm simply at a loss for words. Yet somehow, I'm still typing, still forming coherent, hopefully, sentences, while my mind is a churning mess of emotion and feels. Monsters of Men was everything I wanted and so much more. It was the electrifying finale to a series I have fallen head over heels for, and I just want to reread it again and again so I never leave the world of the Chaos Walking series behind. I know what you're thinking. She's talking all sorts of weirdness. But I'm dead serious, and if you've read this series, you must know exactly what I'm going through. It is rare for a series to continue to be exceptional as it progresses, and it is even rarer for a series to get better with every book when you thought it was impossible for it to improve. But the impossible is now possible. The Chaos Walking series is that series, and you need to read it right now. I told you I wasn't kidding.

Review: The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey Book

Title: The Isle of Blood
Author: Rick Yancey
Published: September 13, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Series: The Monstrumologist #3
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Horror
Pages: 538
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

*This book review is spoiler free*

“There are those who labor in the darkness, that the rest of us might live in the light.”
― Rick Yancey, The Isle of Blood

Synopsis
When Dr. Warthrop goes hunting the "Holy Grail of Monstrumology" with his eager new assistant, Arkwright, he leaves Will Henry in New York. Finally, Will can enjoy something that always seemed out of reach: a normal life with a real family. But part of Will can't let go of Dr. Warthrop, and when Arkwright returns claiming that the doctor is dead, Will is devastated--and not convinced.

Determined to discover the truth, Will travels to London, knowing that if he succeeds, he will be plunging into depths of horror worse than anything he has experienced so far. His journey will take him to Socotra, the Isle of Blood, where human beings are used to make nests and blood rains from the sky--and will put Will Henry's loyalty to the ultimate test. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
The Isle of Blood is the heart-pounding third installment in The Monstrumologist series. Once again, Rick Yancey does not disappoint when it comes to horror and suspense, and he manages to write gory books without crossing the line into cheesy. The Monstrumologist series has reminded me of how horror should be done and it has become one of my favorite series.

Review: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Title: The 5th Wave
Author: Rick Yancey
Published: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Series: The Fifth Wave #1
Genre: Young Adult Post-Apocalyptic
Pages: 480
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

“Some things you can never leave behind. They don't belong to the past. They belong to you.”
― Rick Yancey, The 5th Wave 

Synopsis
After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
First off, I apologize for being MIA this week. Every once in awhile, I check out. It has been a tough and excruciatingly long week, and I am ready for it to be over. I needed a break from blogging and, well, just life. So I'm sorry I completely failed at doing anything Bout of Books related and for not posting on my blog. I was just in a weird funk. Now the review...

Review: Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty

Title: Charmed Thirds
Author: Megan McCafferty
Published: April 11, 2006
Publisher: Broadway Books
Series: Jessica Darling #3
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Pages: 359
Source: Library
Rating: 4 stars
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*Warning: This book review contains spoilers for Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings*

“That's what all love comes down to, doesn't it? We help others only as much as they let us.”
― Megan McCafferty, Charmed Thirds

Synopsis
Jessica Darling’s in college!

Things are looking up for Jessica Darling. She has finally left her New Jersey hometown/hellhole for Columbia University in New York City; she’s more into her boyfriend, Marcus Flutie, than ever (so what if he’s at a Buddhist college in California?); and she’s making new friends who just might qualify as stand-ins for her beloved best friend, Hope.

But Jessica soon realizes that her bliss might not last. She lands an internship at a snarky Brooklyn-based magazine, but will she fit in with the überhip staff (and will she even want to)? As she and Marcus hit the rocks, will she end up falling for her GOPunk, neoconservative RA . . . or the hot (and married!) Spanish grad student she’s assisting on a summer project . . . or the oh-so-sensitive emo boy down the hall? Will she even make it through college now that her parents have cut her off financially? And what do the cryptic one-word postcards from Marcus really mean?

With hilarious insight, the hyperobservant Jessica Darling struggles through her college years—and the summers in between—while maintaining her usual mix of wit, cynicism, and candor. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Not even a year ago, I had no idea who Jessica Darling was. That is unbelievable. After falling in love with this series, Jessica Darling has become such a solid fixture in my life. I think to myself regularly, what would JD do? The Jessica Darling series is witty and hilarious, emotional and thrilling, and I find myself continuing to love each book as I watch Jessica grow into herself.

Review: The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey

Title: The Curse of the Wendigo 
Author: Rick Yancey
Published: October 12, 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Series: The Monstrumologist #2
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Horror
Pages: 424
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 stars
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*This book review is spoiler free*

“There are things that are too terrible to remember, and there are things that are almost too wonderful to recall.”
― Rick Yancey, The Curse of the Wendigo

Synopsis
While attempting to disprove that Homo vampiris, the vampire, could exist, Dr. Warthrop is asked by his former fiancé to rescue her husband from the Wendigo, a creature that starves even as it gorges itself on human flesh, and which has snatched him in the Canadian wilderness. Although Warthrop also considers the Wendigo to be fictitious, he relents and rescues her husband from death and starvation, and then sees the man transform into a Wendigo.

Can the doctor and Will Henry hunt down the ultimate predator, who, like the legendary vampire, is neither living nor dead, whose hunger for human flesh is never satisfied?

This second book in The Monstrumologist series explores the line between myth and reality, love and hate, genius and madness. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
I thought it was impossible to love The Curse of the Wendigo as much as I loved The Monstrumologist. I was wrong. While The Curse of the Wendigo is not as terrifying or gruesome as its predecessor, it is a beautifully written, suspenseful and evocative read in a series that continues to impress.

Review: The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Title: The Monstrumologist
Author: Rick Yancey
Published: September 22, 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Series: The Monstrumologist #1
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Horror
Pages: 434
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 stars
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“Yes, my dear child, monsters are real. I happen to have one hanging in my basement.”
― Rick Yancey, The Monstrumologist

Synopsis
These are the secrets I have kept. This is the trust I never betrayed. But he is dead now and has been for more than forty years, the one who gave me his trust, the one for whom I kept these secrets. The one who saved me . . . and the one who cursed me.

So starts the diary of Will Henry, orphaned assistant to Dr. Pellinore Warthorpe, a man with a most unusual specialty: monstrumology, the study of monsters. In his time with the doctor, Will has met many a mysterious late-night visitor, and seen things he never imagined were real. But when a grave robber comes calling in the middle of the night with a gruesome find, he brings with him their most deadly case yet.

A gothic tour de force that explores the darkest heart of man and monster and asks the question: When does man become the very thing he hunts? (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Do you know that feeling you get when you've discovered a new favorite series? In my case, I am on cloud nine. I want to dance a jig, frolic through a meadow of flowers...you get the idea. This was how I felt after I started The Monstrumologist. I was captivated from the beginning. In fact, after finishing my library copy of The Monstrumologist, I proceeded to purchase all of the books that are currently out in the series, including the one I just read which I bought for rereading and loaning purposes. And after recommending the first book to my mom - well, actually after thrusting it in her face and forcing her to read it - I devoured the rest of the series. It's that phenomenal. It's creepy, spine-tingling, brillant writing, and I just might be obsessed with Rick Yancey now. Don't worry. I'm not the stalker type. Or am I?

Review: Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Title: Sweetly
Author: Jackson Pearce
Published: August 23, 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Series: Fairytale Retellings #2
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy, Retelling
Pages: 310
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3.5 stars
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“I should be mad. I should hate her. I should judge her. But there is some madness in love.”
― Jackson Pearce, Sweetly

Synopsis
As a child, Gretchen's twin sister was taken by a witch in the woods. Ever since, Gretchen and her brother, Ansel, have felt the long branches of the witch's forest threatening to make them disappear, too.

Years later, when their stepmother casts Gretchen and Ansel out, they find themselves in sleepy Live Oak, South Carolina. They're invited to stay with Sophia Kelly, a beautiful candy maker who molds sugary magic: coveted treats that create confidence, bravery, and passion.

Life seems idyllic and Gretchen and Ansel gradually forget their haunted past -- until Gretchen meets handsome local outcast Samuel. He tells her the witch isn't gone -- it's lurking in the forest, preying on girls every year after Live Oak's infamous chocolate festival, and looking to make Gretchen its next victim. Gretchen is determined to stop running and start fighting back. Yet the further she investigates the mystery of what the witch is and how it chooses its victims, the more she wonders who the real monster is.

Gretchen is certain of only one thing: a monster is coming, and it will never go away hungry. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
It is official. I am a klutz. This week was all sorts of weird. Not only was I recovering from a nasty sinus infection, but, on top of that, I sprained my ankle because I am one of the clumsiest individuals ever, and I am apparently incapable of walking. I will not divulge the details of how I sprained my ankle because it's embarrassing and pathetic, but suffice it to say that it was painful. Fortunately, the discomfort of walking/hobbling around has minimized to an annoying throb so I am almost back to tip top shape. Yay! So onto book reviewing from the comfort of my couch...

Sweetly is a retelling of the classic fairy tale Hansel and Gretel. As I'm sure you all know, Hansel and Gretel is the tale of two siblings that find themselves lost in the woods and threatened by a cannibalistic witch that lives in a house made of sweets. It's a horrific tale that was recorded by the Brothers Grimm and published in 1812. German folk tales seem to largely deal with the macabre and are most likely traumatizing to small children. But I will probably read The Grimm Fairytales to my children. Does that make me messed up in the head? Most definitely. But anywho, as with Sisters Red, Sweetly is a dark, gruesome tale that was inspired by Hansel and Gretel, but greatly deviates from the original tale's storyline.

Review: Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty

Title: Second Helpings
Author: Megan McCafferty
Published: April 22, 2003
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Series: Jessica Darling #2
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Pages: 349
Source: Library
Rating: 5 stars
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*Warning: This book review contains spoilers for Sloppy Firsts*

“We are perfect in our imperfection.”
― Megan McCafferty, Second Helpings

Synopsis
Jessica Darling is up in arms again in this much-anticipated, hilarious sequel to Sloppy Firsts. This time, the hyperobservant, angst-ridden teenager is going through the social and emotional ordeal of her senior year at Pineville High. Not only does the mysterious and oh-so-compelling Marcus Flutie continue to distract Jessica, but her best friend, Hope, still lives in another state, and she can’t seem to escape the clutches of the Clueless Crew, her annoying so-called friends. To top it off, Jessica’s parents won’t get off her butt about choosing a college, and her sister Bethany’s pregnancy is causing a big stir in the Darling household.

With keen intelligence, sardonic wit, and ingenious comedic timing, Megan McCafferty again re-creates the tumultuous world of today’s fast-moving and sophisticated teens.(Goodreads)

My Thoughts
When I first heard about the enigma that is Jessica Darling, I was skeptical. I've never been one for high school drama or angst-ridden, hormonal teens obsessing over bodily image and the sexual activity of their classmates. Who wants to revisit the dreadful insecurities and stress of our high school years? So I was shocked when I finished Sloppy Firsts and realized that I was hooked. Second Helpings was no exception, and I actually found myself enjoying the sequel more. This book was jam-packed with exciting developments that had me frantically turning the pages to find out what happens next.