Summary from Goodreads:
Sixteen-year-old Delilah is finally united with Oliver—a prince literally taken from the pages of a fairy tale. There are, however, complications now that Oliver has been able to enter the real world. To exist in Delilah’s world, Oliver must take the place of a regular boy. Enter Edgar, who agrees to take Oliver’s role in Delilah’s favorite book. In this multilayered universe, the line between what is on the page and what is possible is blurred, but all must be resolved for the characters to live happily ever after. Check out our Youtube channel on the right! The Sno-Isle Libraries Teen Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/snoisleteens Twitter: @dontkillabiblio Tumblr: http://booksandthebeasts.tumblr.com/ Alise has her own channel for acting! https://www.youtube.com/user/lilylixi
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Summary from Goodreads:
When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question. I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the meaning of family and finding a way to move forward even in the face of unspeakable loss. The Sno-Isle Libraries Teen Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/snoisleteens Twitter: @dontkillabiblio Tumblr: http://booksandthebeasts.tumblr.com/ Alise has her own channel for acting! https://www.youtube.com/user/lilylixi Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible. But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests. Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought. Summary via Goodreads The Heir (The Selection #4) was written by Kiera Cass and published under HarperTeen in May 2015. Honestly, I have mixed feelings about this book. I really didn’t like the Selection, although I did read them all (and I own them all as well). I found America Singer to be the most annoying protagonist—ever. Eadlyn really wasn’t much better in my opinion. In the beginning of the novel, she pissed me off so much that I considered not reading the book. But I was able to get through America, so I’d be able to get through any protagonist, right? My main problem with America had been her indecisiveness. Thankfully, Eadlyn didn’t have that same trait—but she was full of herself, and it wasn’t until the latter half of the novel that we slowly see her start to grow (yay for character development!). I didn’t like the side characters as much as I did in The Selection, but there’s still one more book to go, so I’ll give them a chance. Also, when I went into this book, I didn’t realize that there was going to be one more novel. I thought that this was the last book and that it was only going to be a single spinoff novel—not two. So the ending did leave me a bit surprised until I realized that yes, there would be one more novel. On a side note, I have to admit that this cover was by far the prettiest. The colors, the sparkles, the dress, the model—I loved this cover way more than the other three (although The One has a pretty good cover as well, The Heir just tops them all). I hope that the next cover will be just as pretty, if not better. Overall, I’d say that if you’ve read the other three, you might as well read this book too. And if you didn’t really like them (hey, I only thought they were okay), I’d still suggest reading it. (And I’ll be honest, I only bought my copy this early instead of waiting to find it cheaper because it was signed that the cover is just gorgeous). So fans of the other three books should definitely pick up this book and check it out. Small discussion below, but there are spoilers so you’ve been warned! Also since Mallory has also read this book, she has a mini summary after thoughts below. -Talia Bree, Olivia, Kitty, and Margot have nothing in common—at least that’s what they’d like the students and administrators of their elite private school to think. The girls have different goals, different friends, and different lives, but they share one very big secret: They’re all members of Don’t Get Mad, a secret society that anonymously takes revenge on the school’s bullies, mean girls, and tyrannical teachers. When their latest target ends up dead with a blood-soaked “DGM” card in his hands, the girls realize that they’re not as anonymous as they thought—and that someone now wants revenge on them. Soon the clues are piling up, the police are closing in . . . and everyone has something to lose. Summary by Goodreads After interviewing Ten author Gretchen McNeil, I decided to read another of her books--this time, the first of the Don't Get Mad series, the second book of which comes out in a few months--I can't wait! This book is dark and suspenseful, almost more so than Ten, in fact, because it's set in such a nonchalant setting instead of a stormy, dark island with no one around. I enjoyed that it was set in a Catholic school, though a bit cliche at times. I think the characters in this book are a little bit static, but overall pretty relatable and their emotions were conveyed nicely through Gretchen's writing style. Fabulous job :) As for plot, it actually moved a tad slowly in the middle, but really fast at the beginning and the end. There seemed to be a lot of unrelated subplots that occasionally distracted from the overall goal, which can get frustrating, but my suspicion is that these subplots tie in to later books--oh, and definitely don't read this if you don't like cliffhangers! Can't wait to see how this one is resolved. However, as far as this book goes, it's a solid eight out of ten! Read on for further commentary/some spoilers! Thanks for reading! -Mallory Summary from Goodreads:
The Earth is dying. Darrow is a Red, a miner in the interior of Mars. His mission is to extract enough precious elements to one day tame the surface of the planet and allow humans to live on it. The Reds are humanity's last hope. Or so it appears, until the day Darrow discovers it's all a lie. That Mars has been habitable - and inhabited - for generations, by a class of people calling themselves the Golds. A class of people who look down on Darrow and his fellows as slave labour, to be exploited and worked to death without a second thought. Until the day that Darrow, with the help of a mysterious group of rebels, disguises himself as a Gold and infiltrates their command school, intent on taking down his oppressors from the inside. But the command school is a battlefield - and Darrow isn't the only student with an agenda. The Sno-Isle Libraries Teen Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/snoisleteens Twitter: @dontkillabiblio Tumblr: http://booksandthebeasts.tumblr.com/ Alise has her own channel for acting! https://www.youtube.com/user/lilylixi It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury. But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine. Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine? I first want to mention that this book takes place in our (the Bibliomaniac's) high school, so we're all familiar with the places mentioned in the book. This novel is definitely suspenseful and keeps you at the edge of your seat. The first time I read it, I was alone at home and it was raining outside and I. was. freaking. out. To think that these events were happening to my fictional classmates and were at a place that I was familiar with. The book is very fast-paced and the people are dying one after the other so you're never bored. The second time I read this, I searched and found all the Easter eggs and references that I didn't the first time around and made all the connections that the reader doesn't make until the end of the book. So overall, reading this book was enjoyable for me both times around. -Alise Read more for a small Q&A with the author and to know why I would give this a 7 out of TEN! Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit. Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London - but no one speaks of that now. Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to another world for her 'proper adventure'. But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive — trickier than they hoped. Summary via Goodreads A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E Schwab (aka Victoria Schwab) was published in February 2015 under Tor. This novel is the first in a series and it Victoria’s second novel in science fiction/fantasy realm (her other books are young adult books). I have to say, I picked this book up on a whim. I kept seeing it on my twitter feed and was like what is this book I see magic hmmmm and so I decided to check it out. Thank the stars I did decide to. The summary itself was enough to intrigue me to the point that I instantly went and bought the book and then jumped into it blind. ADSOM was just fantastic. I had never read any of Victoria’s books so this was a completely unbiased reading. I fell in love with how Victoria wrote out her characters (Kell <3) and her world building was fantastic. At first, I was slightly confused by the worlds but I quickly understood what was happening and kept reading in eager anticipation of the two main characters meeting up. I have to say, if you've never read anything by Victoria Schwab, then this book is the perfect place to start. (Also, if you didn't know, the book went through so many printings. I think it hit 2nd printing just a few days after it came out—if that’s not a sign of a good book then I don’t know what is). I just could not put this book down and it’s definitely one of my favorite books of all time. Also, if you were looking for a great novel without romance, this is the book! There are subtle hints are it, but the book doesn't revolve around romance at all. So if you like London, royalty, badass females, magic, and just fantastic novels, then pick up this book and try it out! I swear you won’t be disappointed. If you haven’t read ADSOM, then go and read the book and then come back to discuss! (warning: long review/rave ahead) -Talia Fourteen-year-old Nick would have been murdered by the drug dealers preying on his family had Peter not saved him. Now the irresistibly charismatic wild boy wants Nick to follow him to a secret place of great adventure, where magic is alive and you never grow old. Even though he is wary of Peter's crazy talk of faeries and monsters, Nick agrees. After all, New York City is no longer safe for him, and what more could he possibly lose? There is always more to lose. Accompanying Peter to a gray and ravished island that was once a lush, enchanted paradise, Nick finds himself unwittingly recruited for a war that has raged for centuries—one where he must learn to fight or die among the "Devils," Peter's savage tribe of lost and stolen children. There, Peter's dark past is revealed: left to wolves as an infant, despised and hunted, Peter moves restlessly between the worlds of faerie and man. The Child Thief is a leader of bloodthirsty children, a brave friend, and a creature driven to do whatever he must to stop the "Flesh-eaters" and save the last, wild magic in this dying land. This is possibly my favorite book of all times. Brom is a gothic fantasy artist and had drawn the picture for the cover and all the illustrations throughout the book, including the glossy character pages in the middle and they're all absolutely beautiful. They add to the story and help the reader imagine just how horrific and beautiful the world he builds really is. This is definitely a more plot-driven than character-driven novel. Still, each character is built, serve their purpose, and there's a favored character for everyone from the crazy Redbone, the strong Sekeu (my personal favorite), the confused and angry Nick, and the ever so beguiling Peter. The plot itself is intricate and the first half of the novel's chapters go back and forth from telling the current story and Peter's flashbacks that explain the current circumstances. Yet, Brom is able to not leave any plot holes as far as I can see. The Child Thief is classified as an adult horror fantasy retelling of Peter Pan, but it definitely also qualifies as YA so it's open to a wide range of readers even though it has some mature content. Read more for a discussion of the themes! -Alise The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers. To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change. Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control. But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win? Summary via Goodreads Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard was published by HarperTeen in 2015. This book is the first in a trilogy and is also Victoria's debut novel. I'd give it a 4 out of 5 stars and I eagerly await the next installment. The plot was super intriguing and I absolutely loved it. There were a lot of plot twists but I did wish that there was more world building. I would definitely recommend reading this book. Spoilers below the cut! -Talia |
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