As Red as Blood by Salla Simukka

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Title: As Red as Blood

Author: Salla Simukka
Series: Snow White Trilogy Book #1

Genre: Thriller, Young Adult

Length: 256 pages

Published: original: 2013; version I read: 2014

Publisher: Skyscape

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) In the midst of the freezing Arctic winter, seventeen-year-old Lumikki Andersson walks into her school’s dark room and finds a stash of wet, crimson-colored money. Thousands of Euros left to dry—splattered with someone’s blood.

Lumikki lives alone in a studio apartment far from her parents and the past she left behind. She transferred into a prestigious art school, and she’s singularly focused on studying and graduating. Lumikki ignores the cliques, the gossip, and the parties held by the school’s most popular and beautiful boys and girls.

But finding the blood-stained money changes everything. Suddenly, Lumikki is swept into a whirlpool of events as she finds herself helping to trace the origins of the money. Events turn even more deadly when evidence points to dirty cops and a notorious drug kingpin best known for the brutality with which he runs his business.

As Lumikki loses control of her carefully constructed world, she discovers that she’s been blind to the forces swirling around her—and she’s running out of time to set them right. When she sees the stark red of blood on snow, it may be too late to save her friends or herself.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This is the English translation of the Finnish original. Lumikki is a loner, and slowly throughout the book, during short flashbacks, you learn why she has shut herself off from everyone around her, including her parents. After finding $30,000 in cash hanging in the school's darkroom, and noticing that it had been washed because it was bloody, Lumikki finds herself drawn into the mystery surrounding the money. At first it was against her will, and later, as she herself is targeted, she finds herself wanting to unravel the mystery. 

This book was an incredibly fast read. Everyone involved got what they deserved, in my opinion, and the book ended with the storyline completely wrapped up. I'll definitely be watching for the English translation of the second book in this trilogy. 

You can purchase As Red as Blood through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read As Red as Blood? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

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Title: Speak

Author: Laurie Halse Anderson

Genre: Young Adult

Length: 208

Published: 1999

Publisher: Puffin

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that's not safe. Because there's something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. This extraordinary first novel has captured the imaginations of teenagers and adults across the country.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

All of the awkwardness of high school came rushing back to me as I read this. I always felt like an outcast during high school (sometimes I do still feel like I'm always on the outside looking in), and that's exactly what Melinda is. Her friends hate her, even random people at school hate her because of her actions the night of a end of summer party.

The entire story is from Melinda's point of view. Instead of putting the book in chapters, the author wrote short scenes, following Melinda through her first year of high school. Many times she alludes to the unspeakable thing that happened which caused her to call the cops on her classmates.

All in all an excellent story of a young girl trying to cope with something unspeakable in a hostile environment. Definitely worth the read!

You can purchase Speak through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Speak? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

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Title: Fever 1793

Author: Laurie Halse Anderson

Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult

Length: 272 pages

Published: 2000

Publisher: Aladdin

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) It's late summer 1793, and the streets of Philadelphia are abuzz with mosquitoes and rumors of fever. Down near the docks, many have taken ill, and the fatalities are mounting. Now they include Polly, the serving girl at the Cook Coffeehouse. But fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook doesn't get a moment to mourn the passing of her childhood playmate. New customers have overrun her family's coffee shop, located far from the mosquito-infested river, and Mattie's concerns of fever are all but overshadowed by dreams of growing her family's small business into a thriving enterprise. But when the fever begins to strike closer to home, Mattie's struggle to build a new life must give way to a new fight-the fight to stay alive. 

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

It only took me a couple of hours to go through this book - one of the benefits of a young adult book. The story follows young Matilda Cook as she deals with the hardships of an epidemic of yellow fever which has hit Philadelphia. I love the way the author developed her from the begrudging child at the beginning of the book to the capable young woman at the end - all over the space of a few months. This was an excellent and quick read.

You can purchase Fever 1793 through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Fever 1793? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Final Descent by Rick Yancey

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Title: The Final Descent

Author: Rick Yancey
Series: The Monstrumologist (Book #4)

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Length: 310 pages

Published: 2013 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop have encountered many horrors together—but can Will endure a monstrumological terror without his mentor?

Will Henry has been through more that seems possible for a boy of fourteen. He’s been on the brink of death on more than one occasion, he has gazed into hell—and hell has stared back at him, and known his face. But through it all, Dr. Warthrop has been at his side.

When Dr. Warthrop fears that Will’s loyalties may be shifting, he turns on Will with a fury, determined to reclaim his young apprentice’s devotion. And so Will must face one of the most horrific creatures of his monstrumology career—and he must face it alone.

Over the course of one day, Will’s life—and Pellinor Warthrop’s destiny—will lie in balance. In the terrifying depths of the Monstrumarium, they will face a monster more terrible than any they could have imagined—and their fates will be decided.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

Intense. This was perhaps the most intense of all four books in this series. Throughout the series, we have witnessed Will Henry's change from the boy who used to get sick during dissections to the haunted young man who barely blinks an eye at killing someone. 

The narrative jumps back and forth between New York City and forty years after that at Warthrop's home. Bit by bit the story is told, layering out the details in a way that one does not even begin to suspect the ending. This was probably the best of all four of the Monstrumologist books. 

You can purchase The Final Descent through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Final Descent? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey

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Title: The Isle of Blood

Author: Rick Yancey
Series: The Monstrumologist (Book #3)

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Length: 538 pages

Published: 2011 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) 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.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This was the longest book in the series. There is, naturally, a lot of danger. We see many characters from the first two books in here as well: John Kearns, Abraham Von Helrung, and Lilly Bates, just to name a few. It all starts with a mysterious Englishman showing up on Dr. Warthrop's doorstep with a package from John Kearns for him. That package causes Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop to end up traversing the world in search of the Holy Grail of monstrumology: the magnificum. 

Once again, the reader is taken on a journey which poses some pretty deep questions of morality and ethics. Who would you choose: the lady or the tiger? That is the decision Will Henry must make many times throughout the story. Definitely worth the read. I'm excited to read the final volume in this series!

You can purchase The Isle of Blood through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Isle of Blood? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey

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Title: The Curse of the Wendigo

Author: Rick Yancey
Series: The Monstrumologist (Book #2)

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Length: 424 pages

Published: 2011 (originally published in 2010)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) While Dr. Warthrop is attempting to disprove that Homo vampiris, the vampire, could exist, his former fiancée asks him to rescue her husband, who has been captured by a Wendigo—a creature that starves even as it gorges itself on human flesh. Although Dr. Warthrop considers the Wendigo to be fictitious, he relents and performs the rescue—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, and 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.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

I loved this sequel. The first book in this series was excellent, but this one might actually have been better. Dr. Warthrop is convinced that his best friend is not a monster but is delusional. Others, including his former mentor, are convinced that he is becoming a Wendigo. The book takes us to the wilds of Canada and then to the slums of New York City. Will Henry learns a lot about his master and even about himself. 

The author has done a fabulous job with this series, and I'm anxious to read book three: The Isle of Blood.

You can purchase The Curse of the Wendigo through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Curse of the Wendigo? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Burn by Julianna Baggott

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Title: Burn

Author: Julianna Baggott
Series: Pure Trilogy (Book #3)

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Length: 418 pages

Published: 2014

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Inside the Dome, Patridge has taken his father's place as leader of the Pures. His struggle has led him here, intent upon bringing down the Dome from the inside, with the help of a secret resistance force. But things are not as simple from his new position of power and he finds himself tempted by his father's words: perhaps if the world is to survive it needs the Dome - and Partridge - to rule it...

As Partridge's resolve weakens, Pressia and Bradwell continue piecing together the clues left to them from the time before the Detonations. It is their hope that they will be able to heal the Wretches, and free them from their monstrous fusings and the Dome's oppression once and for all. But everything depends, too, on Partridge. Separated by distance and history, can they still trust their friend and ally? Or is the world doomed to an eternity of war and hardship?

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

Nothing is as it seems as Partridge takes over the Dome. He's supposed to be in charge but he quickly learns he has no control over anything. Only his guard, Beckley, might help him. 

Pressia wakes up inside the dome in Ireland and eventually is allowed to return home with Bradwell, El Capitan, and Helmud with the vial and the formula, as long as they take the means to destroy the Dome once and for all along with them.

As I was reading this book I couldn't comprehend how everything could come to a close - much less any kind of happy ending. I don't expect a full on happy ending where everyone in the world is suddenly best friends forever and there are rainbows and puppies everywhere. Just an ending where someone at least manages to be happy. Something where the bad guys don't completely win. But who are the bad guys in this trilogy? That's a question the author really did a good job of leaving the reader with. Is it really the people in the Dome? Is it the wretches? Is it Partridge's father? The author did an amazing job showing that nobody is wholly good and nobody is wholly evil. Reality is never cut and dried. It's never simple. 

This entire trilogy was excellent and I did get the mostly happy ending that I was hoping for. Definitely worth the read!

You can purchase Burn through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Burn? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

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Title: The Monstrumologist

Author: Rick Yancey
Series: The Monstrumologist (Book #1)

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Length: 434 pages

Published: 2010 (originally published in 2009)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) 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?

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

For a book that I found randomly at the library while picking up a different book, this was incredible! From the moment I read the blurb on the book jacket, I was excited, intrigued, and fascinated. I'm excited to continue on with the series (there are four books in total), because it was that fascinating. 

Will Henry is an orphan - his parents died in a horrible fire. His father's employer takes him in and he begins his training as a monstrumologist. He's seen some terrifying things. But nothing more terrifying than the Anthropophagi. How did the Anthropophagi come to America? Who brought them there? Why? This is the quest for those answers, as well as the quest to bring down the pod that exist in their quiet town of New Jerusalem. A must read for any fantasy lover, especially those that don't mind the simplicity of a Young Adult novel. I'm anxiously waiting to read the next book in the series!

You can purchase The Monstrumologist through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Monstrumologist? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss

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Title: The Swiss Family Robinson

Author: Johann David Wyss

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 336 pages

Published: 1812 (original) 1999 (version I read)

Publisher: Yearling

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) “For many days we had been tempest-tossed…the raging storm increased in fury until on the seventh day all hope was lost.” 

From these dire opening lines, a timeless story of adventure begins. One family will emerge alive from this terrible storm: the Robinsons—a Swiss pastor, his wife, and four sons, plus two dogs and a shipload of livestock. Inspired by Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe, this heartwarming tale portrays a family’s struggle to create a new life on a strange and fantastic tropical island. There each boy must learn to utilize his own unique nature as their adventures lead to difficult challenges and amazing discoveries, including a puzzling message tied to an albatross’s leg. But it is in the ingenuity and authenticity of the family itself, and the natural wonders of this exotic land that have made The Swiss Family Robinson, first published at the beginning of the nineteenth century, one of the most enduring and imitated stories of shipwreck and survival.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

Similar to Robinson Crusoe, this nineteenth century novel tells the story of a family who is shipwrecked and their adventures. Now I'll be upfront and state that I HATE Robinson Crusoe, so I am really glad to report that while this book does have a few boring parts (which is why this is getting only four stars), it's nowhere near the level of Robinson Crusoe. 

The Robinson family has a huge amount of luck, as they are not only intelligent and hardy, but they are also able to procure most of the stuff aboard the ship, which is conveniently lodged on some rocks. Danger hits them throughout, but they are able to make a home for themselves. Ten years pass and they find another shipwreck survivor on a neighboring island. Eventually they are found by an actual ship and they are faced with a decision of returning back to Europe or staying on their private island alone. I definitely recommend picking this up and taking some time to read and enjoy it. 

You can purchase The Swiss Family Robinson through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Swiss Family Robinson? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle

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Title: The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

Author: Howard Pyle

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 344 pages

Published: 1883 (original) 2004 (version I read)

Publisher: Sterling

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) He stole from the rich and gave to the poor, and in so doing became an undying symbol of virtue. But most important, Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men offer young readers more than enough adventure and thrills to keep them turning the pages. Who could resist the arrows flying, danger lurking, and medieval intrigue?

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

The reason this gets a four and not a five is that I found my attention wandering through some parts of the book. I really did enjoy these tales of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, but some of the dialogue (though accurate for the time depicted) was hard to get through and some of the quarterstaff fight scenes bored me. It's definitely worth a read, though, and I recommend it for anyone that has ever had any interest in Robin Hood.

You can purchase The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Fuse by Julianna Baggott

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Title: Fuse

Author: Julianna Baggott
Series: Pure Trilogy (Book #2)

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Length: 463 pages

Published: 2013

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) We want our son returned. This girl is proof that we can save you all. If you ignore our plea, we will kill our hostages one at a time. 

To be a Pure is to be perfect, untouched by Detonations that scarred the earth and sheltered inside the paradise that is the Dome. But Partridge escaped to the outside world, where Wretches struggle to survive amid smoke and ash. Now, at the command of Partridge’s father, the Dome is unleashing nightmare after nightmare upon the Wretches in an effort to get him back.

At Partridge’s side is a small band of those united against the Dome: Lyda, the warrior; Bradwell, the revolutionary; El Capitan, the guard; and Pressia, the young woman whose mysterious past ties her to Partridge in way she never could have imagined. Long ago a plan was hatched that could mean the earth’s ultimate doom. Now only Partridge and Pressia can set things right.

To save millions of innocent lives, Partridge must risk his own by returning to the Dome and facing his most terrifying challenge. And Pressia, armed only with a mysterious Black Box, containing a set of cryptic clues, must travel to the very ends of the earth, to a place where no map can guide her. If they succeed, the world will be saved. But should they fail, humankind will pay a terrible price...

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

This one was just as fast-paced as the first book in the trilogy, but in some ways it just didn't feel as exciting. It was still a good follow up, but I spent the whole book thinking how much our six heroes (Bradwell, El Capitan, Helmud, Lyda, Partridge, and Pressia) do not know and how much they are fumbling through everything. I can't hold that against the trilogy or the author, as most YA dystopian storylines are really a series of events where the protagonists stumble on the facts, or what is presented to them as fact by the antagonists. I read these books for fun, so I try not to nitpick over things like this.

I did enjoy seeing that other people have survived in other places (Ireland, for example). Either the Irish had a much better plan in place before the Detonations or they were just plain less crippled by the Detonations. As Pressia and the others hadn't managed to leave Ireland before the end of the book, I'm hoping to see more of the Irish in the final book and learn some more things about what happened there. Maybe they'll gain some additional allies in their quest to take down the Dome and destroy Partridge's father. 

I'm anxiously awaiting a copy of Burn from the library so as soon as I have it, I'll be starting in on it. I can't wait!

You can purchase Fuse through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Fuse? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Pure by Julianna Baggott

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Title: Pure

Author: Julianna Baggott
Series: Pure Trilogy (Book #1)

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Length: 431 pages

Published: 2012

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . . Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . . 

There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her. 

When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

The Young Adult genre is one of those genres where you know you can pick up a book and have it done within a day or two, because they're generally fast reads - even at 400+ pages. I especially enjoy the dystopian future sub-genre because it touches on things that could seriously go wrong with our own society. This is one of those type of trilogies. 

Ten years ago, a series of bombs went off - what survivors call the Detonations. Most of the world's population died and those that did not became twisted creatures, fusing with objects that were near them at the time of the Detonations. In Pressia's case, her hand fused with her beloved doll. Her grandfather's throat became fused with a handheld fan. Others were fused with glass, pavement, metal, animals. Yes, animals. Some fused with the earth itself or rock. These are called Dusts and they have lost most semblance of humanity. Some are called Beasts as they have lost all humanity and have been taken over by the animals side of them. 

However, some people survived in what is known as the Dome. They are called Pures. Everything about their lives is controlled: what they eat (pills formulated for optimum nutrition), what they learn in school, etc. Some day they will leave the Dome (when the world outside is safe again) and they will have the entire world at their disposal. They will rebuild. The boys who live in the Dome are sent for coding to improve their skills - speed, strength, etc. Some are picked out for Special Forces and not seen again. The girls are not coded, as they must be able to reproduce eventually and coding is not safe for them.

But what will happen to the "wretches" - those who were managing to survive in the outside? 

This first book in the trilogy doesn't completely answer that question, but, then again, that's why it's the first book in a trilogy. There are hints at what is believed to be the motive of those in the Dome. Pressia and Partridge (a Pure, who is the son of the most influential leader of the Dome) are placed in the middle between the Dome and those who oppose the Dome. Along with Bradwell, El Capitan and his brother Helmud (who are fused together), and a female Pure named Lyda, they must figure out how to stop Partridge's father and to keep themselves alive in the process. 

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to start in on Fuse, which is book two of the trilogy.

You can purchase Pure through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Pure? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Monsters of Men (#3) by Patrick Ness

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Title: Monsters of Men

Author: Patrick Ness
Series: Chaos Walking (Book #3)

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Length: 603 pages

Published: 2010

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) "War," says the Mayor. "At last." Three armies march on New Prentisstown, each one intent on destroying the others. Todd and Viola are caught in the middle, with no chance of escape. As the battles commence, how can they hope to stop the fighting? How can there ever be peace when they're so hopelessly outnumbered? And if war makes monsters of men, what terrible choices await? But then a third voice breaks into the battle, one bent on revenge - the electrifying finale to the award-winning "Chaos Walking" trilogy, Monsters of Men is a heart-stopping novel about power, survival, and the devastating realities of war.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This was an amazing conclusion to the trilogy. You really get to see the way the Mayor has evolved throughout the story, as this super-villain that's supposedly turning good. Viola is, of course, completely unconvinced, but Todd thinks he's really making a change in the Mayor. And he has. 

Whether it's for the better or not, you will have to see for yourself in this harrowing conclusion.

You can purchase Monsters of Men through Amazon in either hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Monsters of Men? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Ask and the Answer (#2) by Patrick Ness

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Title: The Ask and the Answer

Author: Patrick Ness
Series: Chaos Walking (Book #2)

Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Length: 519 pages

Published: 2009

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Reaching the end of their tense and desperate flight in THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO, Todd and Viola did not find healing and hope in Haven. They found instead their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss, waiting to welcome them to New Prentisstown. There they are forced into separate lives: Todd to prison, and Viola to a house of healing where her wounds are treated. Soon Viola is swept into the ruthless activities of the Answer, aimed at overthrowing the tyrannical government. Todd, meanwhile, faces impossible choices when forced to join the mayor’s oppressive new regime. In alternating narratives — Todd’s gritty and volatile; Viola’s calmer but equally stubborn — the two struggle to reconcile their own dubious actions with their deepest beliefs. Torn by confusion and compromise, suspicion and betrayal, can their trust in each other possibly survive?

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This was a great follow up to The Knife of Never Letting Go. Todd and Viola are separated and held in different locations. The Mayor spends his days using them to get what he wants. We get to read the story in both Todd's and Viola's voices. The plot thickens, lies are told, lies are revealed, and both Todd and Viola do things they don't wish to do - all in the name of trying to get back to each other. 

Everything comes to a head after they are reunited. Todd learns things about himself that he never knew were possible. If you read the first book in this trilogy, definitely keep going. The action seriously does not stop.

You can purchase The Ask and the Answer through Amazon in either hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Ask and the Answer? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Knife of Never Letting Go (#1) by Patrick Ness

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Title: The Knife of Never Letting Go

Author: Patrick Ness
Series: Chaos Walking (Book #1)

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Length: 478 pages

Published: 2008

Publisher: Walker

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee -- whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not -- stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden -- a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives.

But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

Once the action started (a few chapters in), it really never stopped. First, Todd finds some mysterious silence in the swamp outside of town: an oddity in a world where everyone hears everyone else's thoughts and there's no way to turn it off. Then, he finds he must flee town sooner than anticipated: as quickly as he can. He soon finds out that the silence he encountered is a girl roughly the same age as he is. Together, with his dog Manchee, the pair take off into the wilderness fleeing from the men of his town. 

Everything Todd knows is a lie, as he finds out soon enough. As they flee the advancing army, the pair end up relying on each other to keep safe. Through loss, surprise re-appearances of old friends, re-appearances of old enemies, and friendship, the trio make their way to Haven, a town that Todd never knew existed; armed with nothing but their own innocence, hope, and luck.

The ending is a bit of a surprise, but almost not too much of one, if you look back at all of Todd and Viola's adventures. 

This is really an amazing tale. I'm eager to get started on the sequel and will definitely be letting you all know whether or not it's any good. It's a fast, action packed read, despite being nearly 500 pages long. Definitely pick up a copy of this soon!

You can purchase The Knife of Never Letting Go through Amazon in either hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Knife of Never Letting Go? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

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Title: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Author: Ransom Riggs

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Length: 352 pages

Published: 2011

Publisher: Quirk

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience.

As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here - one of whom was his own grandfather - were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason.

And somehow - impossible though it seems - they may still be alive.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

Fantasy has always been my favorite genre. I enjoy all books and genres, but fantasy is the one genre I will always come back to. So I was really excited to grab this one off of the shelf at the library (who uses libraries these days? that's right, this girl) and start reading. I was hooked within a few paragraphs. 

Jacob's grandfather has always told him stories about the years he lived in an orphanage in Wales. He was a refugee when he arrived there and he left in order to fight in World War II. As a child he believed his grandfather's fantastical tales, but as he grew older he stopped believing. After his grandfather passes away, and Jacob witnesses a creature no one else can see, Jacob is forced to see a psychiatrist about his anxieties and horrific nightmares. Eventually he ends up heading to Wales to find the orphanage his grandfather grew up in. With his psychiatrist's approval and his father, he heads off to the mysterious Welsh island. 

The adventure is only beginning when Jacob and his father arrive on the island. 

I really enjoyed every aspect of this book. The old photographs that the author inserts throughout the story really help you visualize the characters and their abilities as well as enhance the reading experience. I'm really excited to read the sequel when that is finally published (seems to be slated for publication in 2014) and I hope that the author is able to insert more photographs to enhance things. Definitely recommend this book for any fantasy lover. 

You can purchase Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children through Amazon in either hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.