The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey #2) by Julie Kagawa *Spoilers*

The final book in Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey Series comes out Tuesday October, 25th. Each week until the release date I’ll Book Talk and Review a book in the series…including those novellas!

I’ve become addicted to the series, so whether this is your first time with the books or you’re eagerly awaiting The Iron Knight‘s debut, a little trip to the Nevernever is good for everyone!

Without further Ado…The Iron Daughter

BookTalk

Meghan Chase has returned to the Nevernever. She must fulfill a bargain made to a Winter Prince…The Winter Prince she’s fallen in love with. But Meghan’s about to find that the infinate time of the Faery and their prejudice between the Summer and Winter courts is all but insurmountable. The Ash she followed into the Wyldewood is not the Ash who delivers her to Queen Mab and the Winter Court. The Winter Prince turns so cold that “Frosty” would be considered a lustful term.

Soon a lost love, a royal assassination, and a dash through the terrible Briars will deliver Meghan on another chase of the Iron King. Alliances with unlikely fey and a relationship Meghan should think better of serve only to bring her closer to her Destiny…

Review

*Spoilers*

Finally Meghan shows a little spunk! I mean, the girl apparently has powers beyond belief, we know that she’s super loyal and empathetic…but there have been times in these books that I’ve just wanted her to stand up and shout “Listen to Me!”. And she did. She took Mab down a notch. Meghan, Ash, and Puck have saved the day in each novel and yet no one gives them any credit for it. When Meghan is in the middle of that battle field, hanging on her last strings I’m happy she finally lets her feelings fly…great scene.

Of course that show of strength doesn’t last long. Ash admits to loving Meghan and though he’s the last of the Winter Princes. The only one still true to the kingdom he’s ousted because he fell in love with a girl who is equally trying to restore peace. Seriously these faery’s annoy me! Can’t they just let the love go and thank these two for trying their best to save the day. What is equally as shocking is that Meghan follows Ash out into exile. She’s been working so hard in the Nevernever and throughout this book she’s shown a few more romantic sentiments to Goodfellow…Even though I don’t like the love triangle I wasn’t sure she had reached the point of blindly following Ash into exile. I guess I was wrong.

Obviously, with two more books to go in the series Meghan and her band of faery boys are not finished with the battle in Nevernever…But I’m sincerely hoping that Puck finds himself a new love interest. I don’t like the love triangle in this series at all. There just isn’t enough draw from Meghan to Puck. And my heart hurts thinking of the day that Puck will finally realize that Meghan is never going to go for him. It’s all just a little awkward and I honestly don’t understand the attraction to Meghan. One guy…yes, Multiple guys…no.

What keeps the reader going is Kagawa’s plots. They always fill in like a cobble stone path, never what you expect but a perfect fit. The Winter Dance right when the human hormones were needed. Iron Horse joining the good guys and staying so loyal. Heck, even Leanansidhe not double-crossing anyone and doing her part to save the day. Was anyone else surprised at how cool and not so scary she ended up being?

And yet I am filled with questions at the end of this book. Is Meghan really the potential Iron Queen? If she is, how will this fix the troubles of Nevernever? How will she and Ash still manage to stay together? How will Puck deal with it all? And serisouly…will we ever figure out Grim’s part in everything?

Rating: 4/5 Because the ending really is that good

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The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

BookTalk

“Anyone who’s had something truly crappy happen to them will tell you: It’s all about Before and After.” (6, ePub ed.)

So begins this tale of After. Laurel Meisner and her once-friend-turned-bad-boy neighbor David ditch their respective families plans to grab ice cream after a seder dinner. David claimed calculus homework with a friend. But given the fact that he’d practically quit school this past year…his excuse was fooling no one. Laurel, however, was in the middle of an intense round of SAT studying. I.E. unyoke: meaning to separate. During Before her SAT Prep mental image for the word was separating the yoke from the white of an egg. When a police officer appears at Laurel’s home hours later to inform her of the car accident that has killed her family her first thought is that she now has a whole new SAT Prep image for unyoke: to separate.

Now begins the After. The grief, the breakdowns, the breakthroughs, and the survival skills. Laurel’s journey is real and at times it’s not pretty. Best friends don’t always know how to be supportive. Hot guys are just trying their best. And maybe the one person she should not fall for is the one she does. After is a hard place to be…but theres no going back to Before. And Laurel will learn that living her life on her own terms is exactly what she needs.

Review

This story was just so real. I personally lived through a death in my family while I was in High School. Granted it wasn’t the mass casualty situation that Laurel lived through, but losing my sister was more than enough to have me empathizing with the main character. So much of what Castle was writing was exactly how I remember feeling. Laurel was doing things and responding to stuff the same way I did.

I mean I had no major breakdowns in public places. And I didn’t hit the low that Laurel did but some of the little things. The allowing yourself moments of pretending everything was ok…that the people  you loved were still here…just out, or down the hall, or asleep. I got that.

I know that this book has had some mixed reviews. And it’s for sure not everyone’s idea of a pleasant read. But I think that as adults we sometimes forget that teens can feel a need to and/or even enjoy watching a fictional character go through something tragic. It’s what realistic fiction is all about. Watching a person deal with a situation in a true life kind of way. It appeases that voyeuristic need in all of us.

Really, that’s about it. There is no big bang, no perfect coming of age, no white horse to save the day, or paranormal angel to reconnect the family. What I can tell you is that this book is real. So real it makes me feel like Castle must have experienced something similar in her own life. When Laurel’s potential boyfriend hugs her delicately she thinks “Seriously, Joe, you can touch me without breaking me. In fact, you might even put me a little bit back together.” (142, ePub). My own potential boyfriend at the time showed up at my house during my own day After…he gave me the biggest, warmest, most crushing,  bear-hug I’d ever had. It was a hug that touched me so deeply I wrote about it in our wedding vows 9 years later.

In the end this book might not be for everyone. But if you’re a lover of realistic fiction this well written novel will fit like a glove.

Rating: 9/10 One of the best realistic fiction novels I’ve ever done.

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Dark Parties by Sara Grant

BookTalk

“so long as we know we’re trapped, we still have a chance to escape.” (67, Galley ed.)

Neva is hosting a ‘Dark Party’. She’s planned the details with her best friend for weeks. They’ve snuck her father out of the house. Being he head of rewriting the Protectosphere’s history makes him a figure most teens want to avoid. Neva’s mother thinks this ruse is about a graduation party…one last hurrah before a lifetime of work and baby-making that follows adulthood at age 16. Neva has spent hours tapping up plastic bags over windows, shoving cloth in door cracks. Finally, she’s achieved it: Total darkness. A place where you can lose yourself, where you can forget what is expected of you, a place where in a crowded room you can be alone with another. But Neva isn’t here to mess around with her boyfriend. This party isn’t about one last wild night of love and laughter. Tonight is about the beginning…The beginning of a revolution.

Review

What’s sad is that I really did want this story to work. I liked the plot, I liked the foundation of this dystopian world, the characters could have had potential. But I didn’t understand the plot because the author was very weak in her world building. Yes, logically I knew that these people were in a bubble of sorts, closed off from the rest of the world, because a past generation had wanted to maintain a culture rather than lose a heritage to mass globalization. But I figured this out way past the time I needed to, to feel the motivations of the characters.

But it sounded interesting right? I haven’t seen this reasoning before. Very cool that the segregation of this nation happened out of a mass science experiment rather than a massive war or famine. So it’s just too bad that Grant never made me understand what it felt like to be in this world. I feel like this story started in the middle of something…and I’m walking around a little confused. Neva looking for what she lost with Ethan, The quick attraction to Braydon…I feel like I wanted to walk in on this group about 3 months before I did. Like I missed a whole chapter of the book. I think that the revolutionary aspect would have felt more like a group rebellion if we had seen them pre-dark party. Post-dark party it really begins to be just Neva working alone. Thus, less of a revolution and more of a single person against the government.

So while I liked Grant’s plot points, I felt like I was arriving at them either blind or very rushed. The story quickly built momentum but it was too fast for me to understand where everything was coming from. This appears to be a stand-alone. The ending is one of those “open to interpretation” types. Suitably vague for a world as hazily explained.

I don’t know that I hated this book. I finished it and I wanted to see what happened to Neva. But if you’ve got a long list of Dystopian TBR (Delirium, The Maze Runner, The Hunger Games) read another first. This one really isn’t worth it.

Rating: 4/10

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Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) by Maggie Stiefvater *Spoilers*

Click Here to enter to win a Signed copy of Forever

*Spoilers*

Review

This was by far my favorite book of the series. I know it ends without resolving the wolf/human problem…but still, it seemed strangely finished to me. Having that last image of a fall leaf as a wedding band around Grace’s finger is a beautiful one. Leaving the couple on the verge of transformation and future. Whether that future be a traditional marriage and family, or a life in the wild as wolves remains to be seen. But I guess ultimately the reader feels as though whatever the choice, the love between Grace and Sam will have its forever together.

I think Isabel and Cole will also have a future. Maybe if Cole is ever cured he’ll join Isabel in California. Their relationship was always far more realistic than Sam and Graces…never an instant forever attraction…instead it seems like one that will grow over time. Not everyone needs to find marriage at 17.

Now for just a few things I loved about Cole and Isabel’s relationship this book:

• The little black mustang Isabel gave Cole, and that scene where Cole drives the car around Isabel’s body. Seeing Cole play with it at inopportune moments. Very endearing.
• The scene where Cole and Isabel are hiding underneath the lab table – making out!? – and getting caught by Isabel’s mom…who (luckily, lol) just kind of rolls her eyes and lets the two of them off the hook.
• Isabel watching Cole give his life for Sam and Grace and then rolling that SUV off the road to save the pack. She, more than anyone, has given to a cause that has done nothing but hurt her throughout this series. For that I will always love Isabel as my favorite character from Mercy Falls. That girl has heart and guts and deserves the kisses and affection of that hot St. Claire boy.

*sigh*

Now more random notes about Forever…

I also loved the scene in the beginning of the book where Isabel loses it at the Italian restaurant and her mother again saves the day with understanding rarely seen in parents in this series. The way her mother instantly understands the situation and helps her daughter was unique and heartwarming. It was just perfect to see Isabel finally show some emotion over all that she’s been dealing with and then getting the support of her mother. That scene made me very happy.

Another happy moment was when Sam and Grace drive off to see the northern lights. Throughout these novels Grace and Sam get one good scene per book. One happy, uncomplicated, field trip where they just get to be two crazy kids in love. The whole thing reminded me of getting lost in the country with my hubby when we were teens. Granted he was never lost because he has a good sense of direction…where as I couldn’t find my way out of a paper bag with a map. Still it’s the thought that counts, and it’s always kind of romantic to be alone in a car watching the stars with the man you love.

I guess I’m a little sad to be leaving Mercy Falls. Part of me wishes I knew what really happened to all the characters in the future. But I think that the strength in the ending is really that Stiefvater picked her battle. She chose to focus on the struggle to find a new leader of the pack and the escape from the shotgun of Tom Culpepper. Her characters matured and are now ready to face their lives as adults. At the age of 18 there’s no way to ensure a happily ever after anyway…Because fans of Mercy Falls are all hoping for a long life and relationship between Grace and Sam and to have a full life is to have one full of both joy and sorrow. The ending of this series is really the beginning of life for its characters.

Who else is hoping for a 10 year update? lol. Maybe Stiefvater will return to the falls someday…

Rating: 9/10

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Linger (Wolves of Mercy Falls #2) by Maggie Stiefvater *Spoilers*

*Spoilers*

Review

One of my favorite parts of this book was when Grace told off her parents. I normally don’t support this type of outburst from teen characters. I often find that either the adult they are ranting at was such a caricature of a person that it seems unfair…or that they aren’t seeing a valid adult point of view. Not so in Mercy Falls. Grace’s parents aren’t super strict or super unfair, they just kind of ignore the fact that they have a child. And they have a good child. A cooking, homework completing, friend-having child. And that they finally care after all these years…after Grace has finally assembled her own support system is both realistic and the epitome of the word injustice. I read the section where she tells them off twice! And my only critique was that if I was Grace…I would have run away that night!

And Sam had his own bit of empowerment. In this book Sam really begins to come into his humanness. It’s like watching the thaw from winter to spring. Even when Grace is dying/changing into a wolf, Sam is still secure in his choice to stay human. It’s what makes their love so heart-wrenching…They’re obviously meant to be together but both are driven by what’s inside them to desire wolf or human. Neither feels the need to force the other to stay one way or another. You can’t help but fall for the connection these two have. Everyone who sees them feels it.

Now to the eye candy of the novel…I’ll say this first, Cole is hot! But he’s so self-centered. I just don’t think that his issues stand up to his attitude. I mean, I get that stuff went wrong in his life – jaded rock star and all. But others in these books have more valid issues and less trouble interacting with others…Sam’s parents tried to kill him, Isabelle’s parents are on the verge of divorce and she’s lost a brother, and Grace could be dying. What’s so wrong with being Cole St. Claire anyway? He’s a rock star genius whose parents believed in him. Wow, bad luck with that one. When he throws Sam into the bathroom with the tub, or is unable to help Victor…to watch Victor die because of Cole’s decision. I was really seeing no redeeming qualities in Cole. Until he saves the day at the end of the story by finally getting with the program and helping, I was ready to kick Cole out of the pack…call up Tom Culpepper!

But wait…if we got rid of Cole we wouldn’t have the relationship between Cole and Isabelle. There were those scenes where they began to break down each other’s walls. So amazing. Probably my favorite part of the book. Watching them begin to save each other – to see the life and the fight come back to each of them was invigorating. Between the kissing, muscles, and opening up I was hooked. They keep dropping lines claiming that their love is nothing like Grace and Sam’s but I think they aren’t seeing how special it is that they are able to open up to one another.

In the end I admit, sometimes in these novels I get a little lost. There’s so much seriousness…the looks, longing, moments to read into. I can get a little bogged down. But then Stiefvater writes those endings. Victor’s burial where Cole cracks, Grace’s hospital bed yearning for Sam, Cole stepping in at the 11th hour to save the day. Seeing it all come together is worth all the heavy setup. It makes me even more excited to finish the series. For an author who is so amazing at endings the finish of a series should be the ultimate read. Excited to see what she does with it.

Rating: 8/10

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Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

BookTalk

“All right, Miss Teen Dreamers! Yoo-hoo! Over here! I’m wigglin’ my fingers your y’all’s attention! Could ya’ll come on over here, please?”…”Hi. I’m Taylor Rene Krystal Hawkins, and I’m Miss Teen Dream Texas, the state where dreams are bigger and better – nothing against y’all’s states. I’m a senior at George Walker Bush High School and I hope to pursue a career as a motivational speaker.”…”Okay, Miss Teen Dreamers, I know we’re all real flustered and everything. But we’re alive. And I think before anything else we need to pray to the one we love.”…”I’m talkin’ about my personal copilot, Jesus Christ.”…”Ahem. Dear Jesus,”…”We just want to thank you for gettin’ us here safe – “

There was a loud, gurgling groan. Somebody shouted, “Oh my gosh! Miss Delaware just died!”

“- for getting’ some of us here safe,”…”And we pray that, as we are fine, upstandin’, law-abidin’ girls who represent the best of the best, you will protect us from harm and keep us safe until we are rescued and can tell our story to People magazine. Amen.” (9-12, ePub ed.)

So, a plane of Beauty Queens crashes on a deserted island…what happens…go!

Well, hut building, spirit finger practicing, rock-star pirate kissing, hallucinogenic fruit-eating, secret volcano villain killing times happen. It’s one hilarious, wild ride so buckle up and remember your lip gloss because prettiness is the light of the world…

Review

I’d just like to start by saying in my review of Bray’s Going Bovine I asked for footnotes…ask and ye shall receive! I was so excited to see footnotes which, instead of giving clarity to an idea, enhance the satire Bray is known for. Not that Bray sticks to the satirical style in this book, nope, she includes elements of magical realism, fairy tale, campy movie, and commercial breaks. The whole mix serves to entertain while taking on the issues of consumerism and gender roles.

I’ll admit that I wasn’t as interested in the themes of consumerism. They are played to the point of parody and while I can very much see the truth in Bray’s handling of the topic I don’t think it was as well executed as the gender roles theme. Consumerism hits you over the head while the unveiling of the Beauty Queen’s personalities and secrets was oh, so much better. The over the top pagent-ness of the girls. Throughout the book they call each other by their titles (Miss Ohio, Miss New Mexico, ect.) and upon surviving a tragic plane crash begin to practice their routines (three-quarter turn y’all, lol). The horror of the beach-crash site including dead contestants and a girl with a tray-table stuck in her head are juxtaposed with Miss Texas giving a pagent-worthy inspirational speech about prettiness being the light of the world. Forget scavenging for food, in the beginning this plane crash was going to be a diet worthy of a master cleanse.

It doesn’t take long for the fake exteriors of these girls to fall away revealing the real person underneath. A trans-gender contestant, a girl lying about her upbringing, child abuse victims, a journalist assuming a role, and a lesbian brought up in the juvie system, among others. It’s easy to see the metaphor in each of these girls hiding under the guise of a Beauty Queen instead of simply being who they are. Their childhood has taught them that no one will understand them, no one has time for a girl who isn’t simply pretty. In the secluded world of this island the girls will shed their defenses like a facial mask, coming together to build a new world and way of thinking that doesn’t make a woman say “sorry” for having an opinion.

This book is a wild ride of fun…and should be required reading for every girl, teen or not. This book will make you laugh out loud and take a look at what type of Beauty Queen you present to the world. Mascara and eyeliner or no, we all choose to present a version of ourselves to the world. This book gives insight to what would happen if we let that persona fall and accepted each other for who we are, not what we should be.

Loved it, Loved it, Loved it…

Rating: 10/10

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Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

BookTalk

Emma thought her life couldn’t get any worse. Within a year she’d lost both her mother and her twin brother leaving her with a grieving alcoholic of a step dad to take care of her. After her stepfather wrapped both of them around a tree Emma is left not only with a massive scar on her arm but a wounded soul as well.

Brendan is the creme de la creme of New York society. The richest, most attractive, athletic guy at Vincent Academy. He doesn’t even own a hairbrush…that’s how naturally hot his features are…straight out of bed he’s rock star perfect. But he’s sickened by the cliques that come with wealth. He’d trade it in a heartbeat for something wild and real.

Emma will move to New York and as the wounds of her past begin to heal she’ll find herself involved in a thousand-year old curse…and find her soul mate in Brendan. But their path is not straight, instead full of ancient history, witchy spells, and the gossip mill that is an Upper East Side private school. They’ll have to trust in each other because the only thing worse than a curse is a trashed high school reputation.

Review

I. Loved. This. Book.

It surprised me, it was so funny from the start. Emma is kinda snarky, a little geeky, and super funny. I officially liked her when she referred to super-sweet-teen-perfume as a “unicorn fart”. Where has that expression been all my life?! The writing was witty, and the way Emma narrates her experiences was by far my favorite part of the book. From random comments about teen life, to watching her fall for Brendan, the way Emma described it all gets an emotional response from the reader.

And now for the insta-love. I’ll admit in the beginning of this book I wondered if this was going to be too much like the Fallen series. It’s hard not to compare the two as Spellbound is about soul-mates finding each other. The plot involves the souls of Emma and Brendan being reincarnated again and again over the span of 1,000 years which is very Fallen-esque. But, I was happy to find that aside from the reincarnation/curse aspect the two tales are very different.

First off, neither Emma nor Brendan are aware of the curse. Sure, Brendan admits to it being an old family joke, but nothing that he’s ever taken seriously. It was cool to see these two fall into insta-love and figure out their connection. It was a great twist that it was a new concept to both of them, rather than one being more knowledgeable about the situation than another. Plus, they have a lot of swoon-worthy moments over their brief courtship. Brendan plays a little bit of the too-cool-for-school guy in the beginning, but it’s the little things he does for Emma that make the reader swoon.

Another thing that I loved was that this book was a stand-alone. The whole story was wrapped up in one book. Shultz gives a teaser at a potential companion novel starring Angelique, but the curse that is the center of this story concludes within the pages of a single book. The end action may have happened a bit dramatically in comparison to the rest of the novel but it was an end I didn’t see coming and I’m always happy when that happens. I am now excitedly awaiting more info on Angelique’s title…If Spellbound was any indication it’s bound to be a fun and funny romp filled with lots of love.

Rating: 9/10

P.S.

Brendan is always joking that Emma is a ‘musicologist’ but really both characters are constantly pictured in the book with ear buds in their ears…Shultz has taken this obsession one step further for Spellbound fans by creating a playlist on iTunes featuring songs that are special to both Brendan and Emma. Check out the back of your book for the reasoning behind each song choice.

Download the Playlist on iTunes: Brendan & Emma’s Playlist

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Mondays Bite (2)…Twilight Discussion Questions: Ch. 6-10

Chapters 6-10 Questions Provided by: Lisa The Reading Nerd

Monday’s Bite is a weekly meme hosted by GReads, Lisa the Nerd, Secret Life of an Avid Reader, and The Reading Housewives. It’s a reread of Twilight. Taking us all back to the time where we fell in love with the story…And definitely clearing up a few misconceptions I had about the fact of the book and the fiction the movie has clouded my mind with!

This week we read chapters 6-10.  The Reading Housewives of Indiana will be answering Lisa’s discussion questions from chapters 6-10, as well as proposing new questions for chapters 11-20.  Be sure to check out her blog for all that fun stuff!

Without further ado…The Questions:

1. because we have to talk about it sometime – are you Team Edward or Team Jacob?  does that impact how you re-read the book?

I’ve ALWAYS been Team Edward. I’m a purist, lol. So I don’t know that it impacts the way I’m rereading. What did throw me is the movie’s entrance of Jacob vs. the book’s. I forgot that we didn’t actually meet Jacob till the day on the beach. And he’s described as being very young. Coming back to the beginning I don’t know that I would ever have pegged him for a future love triangle. But maybe that’s why he has such impact in New Moon. Not just going from kid to hottie, but a hottie who sweeps in and saves the day. So while now I can see the future reasons for the obsession…I’ve just never been a member of Team Jacob.

2. Bella spends a lot of her time by herself in her room when she’s not at school. what do you think this says about her as a character? can you relate to her introverted nature?

I’m a person who is very ok with being alone. I have no problem spending a day by myself…just thinking and reading. In the reread I get the feeling that Bella would actually be ok with being more social than she is. She regrets having so much time for homework and does really interact with her friends on the shopping trip. The movie clouds this participation by having Bella never pay attention to her friends. But she really does interact quite normally. I think she’s just ok being by herself, and isn’t a girly girl.

3. probably my favorite chapter of the entire book, chapter eight brings us dress shopping, nearly getting assaulted, and then wraps up nicely with a quaint dinner and confession time. in this we see the blend of typical teenage existence starting to get tainted by the paranormal world. if given the choice right then, would you push to know more about the paranormal, or bury your head in the sand and live the teenage dream?

I’d straddle the line like Bella…Remember, it’s one of the reasons why Edward is so attracted to her. Bella’s ability to be ok with the paranormal while not push either of them too far, too fast. Plus, I think it would be a lot to take in the entire realm of paranormal the Cullens have going on in one very short dinner.

4. already, it’s pretty clear that Bella is falling for Edward. is this happening too quickly to be plausible, or is it totally reasonable to you? what about Edward do you find to be swoonworthy at this point?

Well, I always like to leave “plausible” at the door with my paranormal reading. I think that for this book what makes Edward so attractive is that it’s obvious he’s falling for Bella as quickly as Bella is falling for him. Watching him try to distance himself while at the same time be sooo concerned with her is very sexy. What woman doesn’t want a man who is that interested or aware of her. I’ll admit, I swoon a bit 😉

5. Jessica has to forcibly remove all of the details on what’s going on from Bella, but through that we learn more about how she’s feeling and how she’s falling for Edward already. if you were in Jessica’s shoes, what would you say to Bella?

I’d ask for a double date 😉 So I’d get to see it all in action. Plus, I definitely would have texted Bella the night of the dinner. I totally would not have taken “Dad is listening to the phone call” as an excuse. I’m far noisier than Jessica…Though I may have phrased my questions a little better…and show a little more depth, Jessica can be a little air-headed for me. However, I was surprised to find how much the conversation with Jessica helped Bella sort through her thoughts about Edward. Jessica is def. a better friend than I remember her being.

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Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

BookTalk

Do you remember the stories of your childhood? Tales of magic and creatures who lived among us? When do we stop believing in them? When do we lose the faith? What happened if little red riding hood and the wolf showed up in your backyard? Better yet, what if Queen Mary did appear after three “Bloody Mary’s” spoken into a mirror at midnight?

I’ll tell you what would happen…Everyone would call you crazy

Then we’d hype you up on antipsychotic medications and send you to a shrink. At least that’s what happens to 16 year old Jacob. Jacob grew up on his Grandfather’s tales of the freakish. You see, his Grandfather claimed to have grown up on an isolated Island in Wales, “Miss Peregrine’s home for Peculiar Children”. Jacob was fed stories and photographs of the levitating girl, the invisible man, and the girl who ate with the back of her head. Yep, a full set of teeth under her glorious curls.

But when Jacob’s Grandfather dies Jacob sees the killer, and the killer is decidedly not a normal human. Across the seas, Jacob will search to find the root of his childhood stories, and to find the history of his Grandfather. And there is no way to prepare Jacob for the reality that all of his childhood tales are true…

Review

This book had me at hello. I mean, look at that cover…how can you not want to simply tear into this book. And that freaky victorian-art deco-gothic-horror vibe continues throughout the story with photos. Yep, it’s a multi-media type read. Riggs scoured photography collections featuring the old and freaky so all the photos within Miss Peregrine’s pages are real! Super cool.

But wait…it doesn’t stop there. Riggs’s writing style conjures up instant images with his word choice. The first time Jacob enters Miss Peregrine’s decrepit home well written. There are walls fuzzy with mold, walls splattered with food burst from jars, rooms with trees growing due to exposure. For me this was by far one of the creepiest parts of the novel.

That being said, maybe it’s just me…but I wasn’t all that scared. If I had to judge a book by it’s cover (haha) I was expecting a ‘scary story’ and I’m not sure if I’m disappointed or not that this didn’t turn out to be the point. Surprisingly, this novel was run-through with themes including WWII, father relationships, and the contemplation of the choice between a single safe, perfect day of the extraordinary (Ground-Hog-Day style) or a life time of ordinary. Jacob is beginning to realize that a 70 year old family hurt has passed down from the holocaust to bombings, to an abandoned son, to a stress disorder. It’s amazing to see how big a role the sins of the father play in this novel. So family issues…check…scary scenes…miss.

As for the famous creepy kids of Jacob’s youth? Peculiar is truly the best word for them. After the reader becomes aquatinted with the group they seem surprisingly ordinary and yet extraordinary at the same time. While I’m not saying that if a levitating girl and an invisible boy popped up in the middle of my day I wouldn’t be freaked out…Riggs presents it all with a normalcy that is usually found in magical realism novels or tall tale movies like Big Fish.

I’m not gonna lie, I was really hoping for creepy…maybe a little sleeping with the light on…if that’s what you’re looking for this isn’t the title for you. However, what you will find is a delightfully written tale with surprising twists and turns of language that make the reader feel like you’re there. But Warning: this seems as though it’s not a stand-alone book. You follow the final frantic chase to one big cliff. I was a little disappointed in this I think that simplifying the story could have resulted in a strong stand-alone. Not sure that this is a cliff I’m gonna jump to the next book…we shall see what the teaser summaries result in.

Rating: 6/10

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Waiting on Wednesday (4)…Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

Waiting on Wednesday is a blog post hosted by Breaking The Spine in which bloggers post about up-coming releases they’re dying to read.

My Pick:

The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

(Publication: October 4th 2011)

I love the cover from this book! Plus, it’s set in Ireland and as I’m about to travel there this coming week I’m super excited for all things Ireland related. A destiny revealed, some paranormal-ness, and a cute guy. Sign. Me. Up.

P.S. Did I mention Ireland? Hello, that in itself is enough for me 😉

Summary from Goodreads

A move to Ireland is about to introduce Megan to her destiny, her real destiny, can she embrace it and will she survive it? 

A tragedy in Megan’s past set her on a predetermined course. A chain of events has been set in motion that brings Megan to Kinsale, a small town in the south of Ireland where her destiny awaits her. Her life starts to fall into place as she makes new friends and settles into her new school. However, the reclusive and distant Adam DeRís calls to her body and soul.

She finds herself increasingly drawn to Adam and his strange family. Adam knows a secret from her past and he and his family hold the key to her future. A future that binds her to Adam and his world, a world of power, mystery and ancient orders. A world that unbeknownst to her, she very much belongs in.

What are you Waiting On this Wednesday?

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