A very decent count of 7 books this October! Two were for school, but I'm going to count them anyway because they took me ages. Oroonoko - Aphra BehnSYNOPSIS: A prince is sold into slavery. Rating: 3/5 I actually enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. This was for school, so no review for this one. One of Us Is Lying - Karen M. McManusSYNOPSIS: Five kids enter detention. Only four come out alive. Rating: 4/5 This was such a good and tricky book! Link to full review here! Vanishing Girls - Lauren OliverSYNOPSIS: When Nick's sister goes missing she thinks it's a dumb joke at first. But another girl is missing too.. Rating: 3/5 I was super excited for this book, but it was a bit of a letdown. It was still really good, but it just wasn't as thrilling as I expected. Full review here! A History of the English Language - Baugh and CableSYNOPSIS: A history of the English Language. Pretty much. Rating: 2/5 My god, this was so boring. I struggled through this one, I made it, and I'm never touching this book again. Fairly informative though. The Drowning (#1) - Rachel WardSYNOPSIS: A boy wakes up next to a lake, just as his brother is being zipped away in a body bag. Rating: 3/5 This was alright. The story was thrilling, but the characters just didn't do anything for me. Full review here! Check-Out - Juultje van den NieuwenhofSYNOPSIS: During a school trip to Berlin, a group of friends is put into a group chat supposedly created by a friend who committed suicide over the Summer. Rating: 4/5 Unfortunately I won't be reviewing this one as it's only in Dutch, but this was SO GOOD! If you speak Dutch, seriously check this book out!! It's short and scary and I read it all in one sitting. Mice - Gordon ReeceSYNOPSIS: Shelley and her mother have to start standing up for themselves when someone breaks into their house. From that moment onwards, everything spirals out of control. Rating: 4/5 YES!! This one had my throat closing up with how scary it was! Full review here! That's all the books I read for October Spooky Month! What did you read this month? Let me know!
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SYNOPSIS: As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers a powerful new ability, and soon he’s diving through history to rescue his peculiar companions from a heavily guarded fortress. Accompanying Jacob on his journey are Emma Bloom, a girl with fire at her fingertips, and Addison MacHenry, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children. They’ll travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil’s Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England. It’s a place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all. Rating: 4/5
[CONTAINS MILD SPOILERS FOR THE PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES] This was a perfect ending to a great series! I read these books spaced a bit too far apart which was confusing at times because at the start of this book I had forgotten where the heck Addison had come from. Fortunately Wikipedia has in-depth descriptions of what happened in the previous books, so I could rekindle my memory. This book had quite a bit of action from start to end, and it did a good job of keeping my attention all the way through. It was thrilling, as we spent most of the book not knowing where half the Peculiar clan and I really felt like I was looking for them with Jacob and Emma. I think Addison was a nice addition to the story and he was a good character. He gave a new perspective on the story and his sense of smell and ability to talk made him almost like just another Peculiar kid whose power is an incredible sense of smell. Throughout all three books I was very uncomfortable with Emma and Jacob's relationship, and I still am. I've expressed my dislike for teenage girls dating guys who are way too old for them before, but the same goes for the other way around. Jacob was sixteen and Emma was a hundred years old. I don't know if their minds age with them in this universe, but she's still a hundred and way too old for Jacob. She dated his grandfather, for god's sake! The ending was spectacular and lasted hundreds of pages that had me on the edge of my seat, and I read the last 250 pages or so all in one sitting. It was amazing!! (Even though it kind of includes a deus-ex-machina which was weak, but the outcome was good so I'll excuse it this time). I think the ending was overall very good and an excellent ending to the series. Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/24120519-library-of-souls Amazon: www.amazon.com/Library-Souls-Peregrines-Peculiar-Children/dp/159474758X SYNOPSIS: Shelley and her mom have been menaced long enough. Excused from high school where a trio of bullies nearly killed her, and still reeling from her parents' humiliating divorce, Shelley has retreated with her mother to the quiet of Honeysuckle Cottage in the countryside. Thinking their troubles are over, they revel in their cozy, secure life of gardening and books, hot chocolate and Brahms by the fire. But on the eve of Shelley's sixteenth birthday, an unwelcome guest disturbs their peace and something inside Shelley snaps. What happens next will shatter all their certainties-about their safety, their moral convictions, the limits of what they are willing to accept, and what they're capable of. Rating: 4/5
This book was INSANE! It pretty much described the spiralling into madness of Shelley and her mum, and it was so incredible to read. Okay, I'm going to start off with the characters. Shelley and her mum annoyed me at first, because they let everyone walk over them and I just wanted them to DO something for once, but they kept doing nothing. Then when the burglar came, they suddenly turned so badass and I was intrigued. Of course this book isn't realistic in terms of legal stuff, but that didn't make it any less exciting for me, as I loved it anyway. I read some reviews by people who were really bothered by this, but I wasn't. I don't care too much for realism, I just accept the World I am given and enjoy the story there. The spiralling into madness was depicted quite realistically, I would say. I really felt for Shelley and understood why she was doing the things she did. By the end I was really starting to question my own morals. The ending was great too, and without spoiling anything I'll say it was proper creepy and disturbing! The story was so thrilling and it literally had my heart beating faster and my eyes trying to read ahead. If you're looking for a super exciting book, this is definitely a good one! Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/9895889-mice Amazon: www.amazon.com/Mice-Novel-Gordon-Reece/dp/B007K4KAIG There are quite a few books that had me on the edge of my seat, despite them not being horror books. I don't read that much horror, so I have more of these than actual scary horror books anyway. Maze Runner - James DashnerThe Maze Runner series isn't spooky, it's more scary and thrilling. It's mysterious and keeps giving you just enough hints to keep you hooked. Harry Potter - J.K. RowlingGet black magic involved and I'm scared. Honestly, imagine having the Dark Lord just hanging out in your head. No thanks. One of Us Is Lying - Karen M. McManusOne of Us Is Lying is a psychological thriller. While you are reading everyone's points of view, you keep having the title in the back of your mind and wondering which one of these people is lying to you. It's a scary mindgame. What is your favourite scary book? Let me know!
In movies it's fairly easy to make a character very scary, like the guy from The Nightmare on Elmstreet or IT, but I feel like in books it's more difficult. That doesn't mean it isn't possible though! Here are some of my favourite scary characters in YA! Bellatrix LestrangeHARRY POTTER - J.K. ROWLING Voldemort I can deal with. Now Bellatrix is a whole other kind of scary. In the books she terrified me and in the movies she was perfectly portrayed and even scarier. RobTHE DROWNING - RACHEL WARD Mr. Creepy Ghost Boy with a Criminal Record in the house. Rob is the last person I'd want haunting me. Anyone who can kill an innocent dog is a monster to me. Coraline's Other ParentsCORALINE - NEIL GAIMAN I don't know if this is YA, but I do know I would not let a child read this, so I'm gonna count it. Coraline's Other parents with their button eyes were terrifying. I have the Tenth Anniversary edition of the book, which has these pictures of random scenes in the book, including some of the parents. Yikes. The QueenRED QUEEN - VICTORIA AVEYARD This one is more of a psychological fear than a genuine fear for my safety. The Queen can read people's minds, which is honestly the most terrifying thing ever. The notion that I am and will always be alone in my own head is scary, but someone else being there with me is even scarier. Those are my favourite scary characters from YA! What are yours? Let me know!
SYNOPSIS: What happens if you've done something terrible? But you can't remember what. And you don't know how to put it right ...When Carl opens his eyes on the banks of a lake, his brother is being zipped into a body bag. What happened in the water? He can't remember And when he glimpses a beautiful girl he thinks he recognizes, she runs away. Suddenly he knows he must find her - because together they must face the truth before it drowns them. Rating: 3/5
This was FANTASTIC thriller-wise. It made me genuinely nervous as it deals with things pretty much everyone is scared of: drowning and ghosts. Those parts were written so well they had me on the edge of my seat, and I was imagining it so much it felt life-like. If you're looking for a good scary book, this definitely is one. I was less of a fan of the main character, as he was a bit of a delinquent which I couldn't relate to at all, and I had a hard time liking someone who spent his time committing crimes. I do have to say that he fit in this story very well, with the people his brother and mum are. I also didn't like Neisha's character, as she didn't pass the 'sexy lamp' test at all. This test basically just checks if a female character could be replaced by a goodlooking lamp, and Neisha definitely could've been. She basically didn't add anything, despite Carl trying to make everything about her. She used to date Rob, but as soon as he's dead she just kind of moves on to Carl. She is also very much treated as being a boy's property. She is "Carl's girl". This leads me to the romantic plot of this story, which made me uncomfortable, with fifteen year old kids telling each other they love them within days of being together and Carl's brother/Neisha's boyfriend dying. Carl then proceeds to obsess over Neisha and act like she is the most important thing in his life. The overall plot was enjoyable. It was a bit slow at times, but not so much that it really bothered me. The scenes with Rob in them were proper scary, and I enjoyed watching Carl go on a quest to figure out who he was before the accident and what actually happened during the accident. Altogether an enjoyable book, definitely a good Halloween read. Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/16120205-the-drowning Amazon: www.amazon.com/Drowning-Rachel-Ward/dp/0545627710 Two weeks ago I made a post about books with witches in (link!) and today's post is kind of a follow-up on that. Here are some of my favourite paranormal creatures in YA! The Drowning of Arthur Braxton - Caroline SmailesWhatever half the characters in this book are, they're not human. There's at least two different kinds of paranormal creature, but I'm not going to say what they are, as that would spoil the book. This book is paranormal without being obviously so, it's too grounded to be a proper paranormal creepy story and that gives the whole thing a bit of a magical vibe. The Drowning - Rachel WardAfter his brother dies, Carl starts seeing and hearing him around. This feels like more than just hallucinations from guilt or whatever, and it gave me the creeps. Coraline - Neil GaimanA creepy classic for all ages. Neil Gaiman made up his own kind of paranormal creatures and he got a hit. They're scary as heck and I can't believe this is actually a children's book. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom RiggsRansom Riggs built this entire world with different types of paranormal creatures and a paranormal setting and everything is insanely good. I can't imagine anyone who loves YA wouldn't have at least read the first book of this series, but if you haven't, this series is honestly a gem and you should definitely try it! Throne of Glass - Sarah J. MaasThis book has elves, witches, magic, pretty much all the paranormal fantasy stuff you could wish for. I haven't finished this series yet, but I'm really enjoying it. Perhaps in later books there are more creatures that I haven't met yet. This series is another YA classic and I'd recommend it to everyone. Another Day - David LevithanI KNOW I should read the original book, Every Day, but I still haven't gotten round to it. I liked Another Day though. The book itself wasn't super great, but I liked the concept a lot. I haven't got a clue what kind of paranormal creature A is, but I love it and would love to read more about this type of creature. I haven't been able to find anything like this so far, however, so if you have any recommendations hit me up! Those are some of my faves! What are yours? Let me know!
October is one of my favourite months of the year. It's the prettiest, with all the leaves and candles and the nicest colours, my birthday is in October (next Saturday!) and HALLOWEEN! I love to watch Halloween movies (family ones, I'm not big on actual horror films), decorating my room with pumpkins and leaves and things like that, and going for walks in the woods. One of my other favourite October activities is reading scary books. Here are some of my favourites! Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom RiggsStarting off with a classic on the YA scene. I've never heard of anyone who didn't love this series. The story is just the right cocktail of creepy and fun, and the vintage pictures give it that extra wow factor. 172 Hours on the Moon - Johan HarstadMy absolute favourite scary book of all time. Three teenagers are sent to the moon for 72 hours to raise some money for more space travel, but once there, the crew suddenly start dying. Even though they should be the only ones on the moon, right? This had me on the edge of my seat, and years later I'm still recommending this book to everyone. One of Us Is Lying - Karen M. McManusThis book isn't exactly scary, but I feel like mystery books fit with the Halloween theme too. One of Us Is Lying is mysterious Who-Dunnit and had me hooked from start to finish. Vanishing Girls - Lauren OliverThis book is also more of a mystery than a thriller, but it did have a spooky setting with an abandoned ride in a theme park that some girl died on once. Yikes. To make it worse, the girl's father still shows up to stare at it every now and again and it's said that the girl haunts the ride. PERSEFoNE - Michelle GagnonThis series isn't too well known, but I feel like it deserves more recognition. A girl wakes up in a makeshift hospital with a mysterious scar. She escapes, and is set on finding out what's going on. This series is so creepy and a bit scifi-ish. Those are some of my favourite scary books. What are yours? Let me know!
SYNOPSIS: Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged. When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it's too late. Rating: 3/5
This book was quite enjoyable to read once it got going properly. It was a bit slow at times, mainly the first half of the novel was just background story and getting to know the characters. Nick was an alright character, though she seemed a bit too perfect, but edgy. She didn't like her father's new girlfriend for no particular reason at all, apart from maybe the fact that she had lipstick on her teeth sometimes? Not sure about this. The mystery itself was intriguing and pulled me in all the way. The search for Madeleine was realistic and I wanted more of that. I spent most of the book waiting for Dara to finally go missing to deepen the mystery, but that took ages and only really got going in the last 100 pages or so. Fortunately the filler parts weren't too boring, but I'd have liked more mystery over all this background story, though I understand that the author wanted to have a proper world to set it in. The setting then, was pretty cool. The theme park had this creepy ride that someone died on once and allegedly it's haunted by her now. This was creepy and cool, and the victim's father still showing up at the ride occasionally gave it that extra bit of spookiness. The ending was alright. I half liked it, half didn't. What I'm going to say without spoilers is that I liked the Dara resolution, but the Madeleine resolution was quite disappointing to me. If you've read this book, please let me know what you thought as I'd really like to hear other people's opinions! Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/22465597-vanishing-girls Amazon: www.amazon.com/Vanishing-Girls-Lauren-Oliver/dp/0062224115 I love creepy books! My favourite settings are either really normal ones or really spooky ones. For example, I just read One of Us Is Lying, of which the setting was just a normal town with a normal school. This makes the story creepier, as it makes you feel like this could happen to you! You live in a town like this and go to a school like this too! Another book in a normal setting is Vanishing Girls, by Lauren Oliver, which is also set in a normal town. However it also has a setting that's more of the second type, which is a theme park with a creepy abandoned ride that someone died on years ago. Nothing better than a good old haunting. My second favourite type of creepy setting is the one that is set up to be creepy. These are usually kind of paranormal, like with ghosts in a haunted asylum or, like in The Drowning of Arthur Braxton, dead people in an abandoned bath house. Vanishing Girls doesn't have any real paranormal things, but it gives the illusion it does, just by speaking of the haunting and making the ride seem scary. The TV show American Horror Story is the true Queen of creepy settings like these! Those are my favourite types of creepy settings! What are yours? Let me know!
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AuthorHi! I'm Marcella. As you might have guessed, I quite like YA books.. Archives
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