Zodiac (Romina Russell)

Good morning readers! How is everyone enjoying the first days of August? I hope everything is well and that you are enjoying your summer - unless you are somewhere like Australia, then I hope you're keeping warm in your winter. The following review is for a book I discovered through Tumblr, having seen it a lot on my dashboard; however, I read about 2 months ago, but never got around to writing about. Therefore, I apologize for the short review as my memory of books upon starting another is actually quite terrible.

Zodiac is a science fiction book written by Romina Russell, that creates a physical world around the 12 astrological signs. Each of the signs are visualized into individual planets, all of which are governed by a single Guardian. The 12 planets lived in harmony and peace until a violent blast struck the moons of Cancer. This worldly disaster left Rhoma Grace (Rho for short), a 16 year old student, with a lot of responsible and an eye for astrology that the elder Guardians couldn't understand. Rho is left to convince these Guardians that the disaster is not some of natural cause, but of a a 13th figure. But does Rho really know what she is fully leading herself into?

Before starting this novel, I was very intrigued with the both the cover art and the actual concept of the story. Creating physical beings and planets from the astrological signs, is a unique plot that I had never read before; thus I had relatively high expectations. But regardless of my standard, the book left me disappointed, and at times confused. The beginning of the short became an overwhelming blurb of information and I found character introduction to be vague and confusing; too many characters in a short time frame, each with little guidance as to who they were. Once I had found my footing of the world and the people who existed in it, I noticed the story to be relatively captivating, but it was also slightly dry. It lacked the suspense or thrill that I hoped to find in the story - it was very standard heroine-villain relations.

Upon writing this review, I have discovered that a sequel is due to release in December, titled Wandering Star. I'm currently unsure if I will read the novel or not, but perhaps this will allow for clarification and a better sense of closure to what felt like a slightly disorganized book.

Overall I would rate this book a 3.8/5 because it was a rough start with a decent plot. I think if I had taken the time to read this story in one go, without being in school, I would have found it more enjoyable. This is definitely a need-to-binge type of plot line.

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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Followers (Anna Davies)

Before I start writing the review, I want to formally apologize for my absence from this blog. I finished reading the book in this review about 3 or 4 weeks ago, but I just couldn't find any words when I sat down to write. Being in University through the summer is tough because usually this is my busiest time for reading; but that's not the case this time. The past few weeks have been quite overwhelming with school work and exams, but I hope to make up for it with the next few reviews. So let's get started with this one!

I came across this book after seeing it on the "New" shelf in my library, and something about the cover caught my attention. I'm not sure if it was the hard-faced girl on the front or the font, but I know that it stood out that day I was there. Followers by Anna Davies is labelled as a horror book in my library, though I would say it's more so a suspenseful mystery. The book follows a girl named Briana as she enters a summer boarding school of the arts, more specifically aimed at theater. Pushing herself from her comfort zone and the shadows that she has existed in for a while, Briana tries out for their school production of Hamlet; though things don't go as planned. In fact, it's not just Briana's role in the production that doesn't go to planned - the production itself is in jeopardy. Someone seems to have a sick sense of humour when a Twitter account predicts numerous tragedies, ones that Briana is being blamed for. Will the perpetrator be revealed, or will Briana be left with her back against the wall?

Upon finishing the book, I was left with mixed emotions. The plot itself sounds pretty exciting, when I put it as I have; that's the plot that I got from the brief description I had available to me. Even reading the description, I knew it wasn't going to be the horror book it was labelled as, but I wanted to give it a try. The story itself is relatively unique, but the way it is written makes coming to a conclusion fairly easy to do. The book tries to lead you to different people, but it's clear that those people are too obvious of suspects. All of the characters in the book have a clear cut personality and an identity, which is nice to read and not always found. But without a convoluted plot, that nice factor no longer feels as prevalent as it should.

Overall, I would rate Followers 2.5/5 because I am still on the fence with my thoughts about this book; maybe that's another reason why I was stuck in a slump. All I know is that the plot was a little predictable, but the characters were believable.

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

Leave a comment with your thoughts on this story or with a suggestion of another book I should read & review!

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Update #4

Hey there everybody! 

How are you today? Hopefully you're doing well :)

I just wanted to update you guys on the fact that I have created an Official Facebook page for this blog! My hopes with this page is to keep you guys connected/updated on a more regular basis, as well as allow for easier requests and suggestions. 

The link can be found HERE!

Let me know your thoughts on the page so I can make it even better for you as the readers.

Your fellow bookworm,
Kelly

Baygirl (Heather Smith)

Hello there everybody! I'd first like to start off by apologizing for my absence for the last month. As my first co-op work term came to a close, I was quite swamped with the tasks at hand which left me pretty tired in the evenings; this meant my reading schedule was placed on hold until I had regrouped and rested. Now that I'm back in school, and working hard on keep my grades up, I will still try my best to put out a new review at least once a month, but please don't hold me to that! Now, without any further delay, let's move forward with the review! :)

Baygirl by Heather Smith is a Canadian novel and a nominee of the White Pine Award. For those of you who aren't aware of the White Pine Award, it is an annual award presented to a young adult book that promotes reading for enjoyment and Canadian culture, and is sponsored by the Ontario Library Association. The nominated books are provided to students in high school (Grades 9 - 12) who then have the opportunity to vote for a winner as the program ends. I was excited to read this book, being a fellow Canadian, because I feel as though I don't appreciate "local" authors as much as I should; I really want to support some more Canadian authors. I was also excited to pick up this book because the cover is gorgeous!

The novel follows the story of 16 year old Kit Ryan, a local in a fishing village in Newfoundland. Kit has grown up in the small village her whole life and has grown attached to the little things that make it wonderful; the salty breeze, the cranky old man, and the hill that overlooks the village. Despite living the almost perfect life, Kit is faced with the reality of moving to St. John's after her father loses his job. Once the car is packed up and driven to St. John's, Kit must learn to fit in with the new kids whilst hiding the truth about the horror found at home: her alcoholic father. The plot follows Kit as she learns to adapt to a new place and fall in love, while dealing with her father and a tragedy back home.

The author does a wonderful job of creating very real characters. Each one of the characters has a personality filled with both good things and flaws; this is an aspect that I truly enjoyed. While I was reading the book, I felt as though I was looking into someone's actual life - not just a story. That in itself is an amazing thing to do because everything feels real. I was engrossed in the characters, the houses, the town, the atmosphere - I could go on but I shall spare you every detail. I highly recommend experiencing it for yourself.

Author, Heather Smith

Overall, I would rate Baygirl 5/5 because it was beautifully written and just felt so real to how life actually is. Glad to support my fellow Canadian authors, and I look forward to future books by her!

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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Where She Went (Gayle Forman)

Looking at the title of this review, you may be a little confused as to why this is being posted without the first book review being up. To diminish the confusion, let me explain. This is indeed the sequel to If I Stay but I have a confession: I didn't actually read the first book. I watched the movie a couple months back, not knowing it was based on a book. When I discovered that, I was mildly horrified that I had watched a movie before the book. But instead of going back and reading the first book, I just had to jump right into the second one. I needed to find out what happened!

Where She Went by Gayle Forman, as I mentioned before, is the sequel to the bestseller book (and movie) If I Stay. Just as a recap for the first book: Mia is a cello player and Adam plays guitar in a band. The unlikely pairing become inseparable until a tragic events happens in Mia's life. She is left hanging in this unknown in-between and has to decide on whether she should stay or leave. Of course, Adam wants her to stay though he makes a promise that may cost him later. That's the first book, without giving away too much. The second book begins three years after the devastating accident. This book follows Adam more closely as he faces the challenges of being in a band that is rising through the ranks. He also faces challenges when he crosses paths with his old love Mia. Will the come together again, or are old wounds still to raw to allow that to happen?

The writing of this book is beautiful and I thank Gayle Forman for writing such a lovely novel. The characters are so real and you begin to feel what they are feeling. Any happiness became my happiness; any sadness became my sadness; any pain became my pain. That is a difficult thing to do, but Gayle managed to do so in such an incredible manner. There is no "sugar-coating" the emotions in the book and I love the reality of it all. For me, I find teen fiction can become a little washed-out leaving behind a feeling that my life isn't as wonderful as it should be based on the characters I'm following. But Where She Went (and the movie If I Stay) doesn't look at just the happy parts of a relationship or the teeny tiny "fights", it looks at the whole picture and how life is a long journey; there may be heartbreak, but perhaps things will find a way of healing if you give it time.

Mia & Adam (as portrayed in the movie If I Stay)

Overall, I would rate Where She Went 5/5 because it was beautifully written and just felt so true to what life and relationships are. Again, thank you Gayle Forman for writing a two-book series that I am now in love with; I promise to go back and read the first one!

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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The Dream Thieves (Maggie Stiefvater)

Another month has gone and past, but I am back from the land of the student zombies! Exams are over and that means I am finally free to breathe and read. The first thing I did was finish reading the sequel to The Raven Boys and I have to say, I couldn't put it down once I truly started it!

The Dream Thieves continues to follow the lives of Blue and the Raven Boys, as they work to repair the ley line that they desperately searched for in the first book. The ley line, which seemed to hold so strong in the first book, now seems to be draining as if an external source is squeezing it dry of all its powers. What is this external source? That's what they are trying to figure out. They need the ley line to continue their initial quest, and without it there is no hope in succeeding. As the story progresses, it seems to that one of the Raven Boys themselves might actually unknowingly have a part in the draining of the energy; but is he the only one capable of such things?

The suspense holds throughout the entirety of the novel and I must say, I didn't think Maggie could write a story better than the first book; but she did and it's incredible! I'm still not sure what it is about Maggie's writing that leaves me feeling completely consumed by the world that she creates, but whatever it is, wow! The characters feel so real when you read about them and they grow and feel just like people do in the land of the reality. This book allows you to really understand the characters and also see them come to terms with various things. I absolutely love it!

Overall, I would rate The Dream Thieves 5/5 because it was perfect! With two out of three books in the series receiving a perfect rating from me so far, I can't wait to begin reading the final installment! Definitely check out this series!

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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The Eye Of Minds (James Dashner)

The Eye Of Minds is a story that I have been wanting to read for a while and have only just gotten around to grabbing a copy from my library. I heard about this novel from YouTuber Joey Graceffa in one of his videos - he often plugs Audible and the books he's reading - and I was immediately fascinated since I loved the author's Maze Runner series.

The Eye Of Minds follows the journey of three young and dedicated gamers: Michael, Sarah, and Bryson. All three of these gamers have dedicated their time (and money) to invest in the full experience of the VirtNet; they experience everything in the "Sleep" as if it were real, as if it were happening in the "Wake". However, the game changes the minute Michael is taken by the VNS and told his hacking skills (and his friends' hacking skills) are needed to stop a dangerous man: Kaine. With no way to refuse, the three gamers take on the very difficult mission of stopping someone, or something, from destroying the VirtNet.

The Book Cover

The focus of the novel is mainly on Michael, a character who I was instantly intrigued by due to his curiosity of the unknown and his grounded nature; they're two things that shouldn't work well together, but somehow work for him. Sarah gives the novel that excellent girl power punch, showing that girls can rock in the gaming world just as much as guys. Bryson gives the novel a sense of strength through is bold personality.

The Eye Of Minds is the beginning of a new series by James Dashner. The second novel The Rule Of Thoughts was published early in August this year. A third novel is set to be released Fall 2015. I look forward to continuing this series.

The Sequel

Overall, I would rate The Eye Of Minds 4.8/5 because it was essentially perfect. The only thing is there were a couple of moments where I found myself a bit confused; something's could use a bit more explaining.

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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Catching Air (Sarah Pekkanen)

After having a week off from blogging - and catching up with life - I am quite excited to be back to doing what I love. While on that week hiatus, this blog passed the 500 page view marker since starting earlier this year, and all I can say is WOW! I am so excited that anybody takes the time to stop by and check out the blog and the reviews I've been posting, so thank you!

This week's review is of Catching Air by Sarah Pekkanen, a romance-survival-lifestyle themed book. I say there's three categories because the book follows the lives of two couples and a stand alone female: Peter and Kira, Alyssa and Rand, and Dawn. Their lives all become intertwined in the craziness that is running a B-and-B. Being brothers, Peter and Rand go way back but they also have a rocky history; something that must be worked through. Kira and Alyssa, being sister-in-laws, face their own challenges apart; Kira in regards to catering a wedding and Alyssa in regards to becoming a mother. Dawn faces her own hardships, as she tries to escape from a haunted past.

The Book Cover

I've never read a book quite like this one, but I don't necessarily say that as a bad thing. Yes at first I found myself confused as to which character was being placed into my point of view, but as the story begins to develop - and you get an understanding of the characters - the switching of views becomes quite easy to pick up on.

The plot itself is again something quite unique to itself and I definitely fell in love with it, along with its characters. A few parts I found a bit "wordy" but other than that, I recommend this book from start to finish! Might find myself reading some more of Sarah Pekkanen's work in the future!

Other Books by Sarah Pekkanen

Overall I would rate Catching Air 4.5/5 because there was the initial (yet minor) confusion, as well as the slight wordiness in parts; other than that, definitely give this a read!

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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Crossed (Ally Condie)

Crossed is the second book in the Matched trilogy and it is definitely as good as the first (perhaps even better if that's possible)! This book remains in the same genre as the first, that corrupted futuristic society that begins to fall apart; however, this one does differ from the first as it now follows the perspectives of both Cassia and Ky. When I discovered this, at first I was quite hesitant to see the change in writing, but as I continued on through the pages, I realized that having two perspectives is quite important to the dynamic of the story.

The Book Cover

The plot picks up roughly where the first book left off, and the action is there immediately. From the moment I started reading, all the way until the end, my heart was pounding from the suspense and unknown. Would Cassia survive or would her quick decisions have her caught in a bad situation? Would Ky find a way out or would he just become another statistic in the Society? I know I say this every time I review a series, but this time I truly can't say much without giving it all away.

What I will say is that I love the characters that join the "cast" in this book! Along the way you meet Indie, Vick, and Eli who are all brilliant additions to the already established characters from Matched. They add a new layer of what the Society has done and how their world was effected; it adds more dynamic to the story.

I would rate Crossed 5/5 because I couldn't put it down and it was definitely as good as the first! I was NOT disappointed for a second! I'm currently now reading the final book and I look forward to reviewing that one next week!

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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Matched (Ally Condie)

Matched is a book that I became aware of via Tumblr (no surprise there!). As I was scrolling through my dashboard, I saw a photo of someone's book haul and was immediately drawn to the cover of the book. I did a little bit of research about the book and discovered that it is the first book in a series of three. When you see all three of the books side-by-side, you are instantly draw in as the cover's themselves tell a story.

Matched is a futuristic story with a very restricted society and way of living. In a certain sense, it reminded me of Divergent: you have Officials who oversee the day-to-day activities and you have your Match Banquet which decides the rest of your life. Apart from that, Matched also stands apart from the other corrupted society novels that I've read. It does have a love story, but that's not the main point. The point of the plot is discovery and pushing the boundaries for knowledge.

The Book Cover

The story follows the life of Cassia, who recently turned seventeen, as she becomes of age for the beginning of her life in the society. In her world, everyone follows the rules and never dares to be different for fear of the consequences that are always certain to follow. However, Cassia - who is faced with a strange happening - begins to question how the society is run and dares to step out of the box. Her character is thrilling because she is in the dark as much as the reader so, as you read the story, you begin to fill her shoes and become engrossed in her world.

Matched - as mentioned at the start - is book one of three. The second novel is entitled Crossed and the third (and final) book is entitled Reached.

The Trilogy

I would rate Matched a perfect score of 5/5 because I honestly couldn't stop reading it! I read the full book in less than 48 hours and was never once disappointed. I can't wait to read the next one!

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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The Search Angel (Tish Cohen)

The Search Angel is an adult fiction story about perseverence and independence. The novel follows the life of Eleanor Sweet as she approaches the end of the adoption process to bring home baby girl Sylvie. As the process comes to completion, Eleanor is suddenly faced with a mountain of obstacles and the realization of loneliness. Eleanor hires a “search angel” to help her delve into her past to discover more about her own biological mother.

The Book Cover

The story is not one that I would normally pick off a shelf, and is more in fact something that I would find my sister reading; however, something about the cover and the synopsis left me feeling intrigued. As you can tell by what I’ve reviewed, I find a genre that I enjoy and I just read those books; I don’t branch out. But with this book - and the last one - I decided that it was time for me to try to branch out a bit.

The main character Eleanor Sweet is a strong, independent female character and, as mentioned before, that’s something I love to see in books; however, this novel applies a certain twist on that role when a new tenant moves in next door: Noel. His character is written to perfection and I actually feel sad that he doesn’t have more of a dominant role.

Alternative Book Cover

Overall I would rate The Search Angel 4.8/5 because it was so close to perfect! There were a few moments I found myself skimming, but they were only short moments.

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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This House Is Haunted (John Boyne)

This review is being written because my friend Laura wrote a review on her blog about this book (You can read that here). She said she absolutely loved it and, to be honest, I was quite intrigued by the book cover. So, upon reading her blog post, I searched for the book in the library database, and voila! They had a copy available to read, so here are my thoughts!

This House Is Haunted is an adult fiction (the first adult one to be reviewed here - all previous were teen) that follows the troubles of Eliza Caine as she takes on a new job in a new place. The story written takes place in 1867 in the city of London initially, before transitioning to the Norfolk countryside. Eliza Caine must learn to survive through troubling times whilst putting the lives of two young orphaned children before her own. Again, as always, I never like to expose too much of the plot line in fear that I might give away something important; however, I will say that the main plot follows that of a ghost story.

The Book Cover

The main character Eliza Caine is one whom I strive to be. I feel that I often put myself first - much like the character H. Bennet - far too often and therefore tend to forget that there are others who I should care for in addition. I apologize ... that was a very complicated way of putting that! Eliza is a strong woman in the story who doesn't let herself be pushed around by anyone, one who sets her mind to a task and doesn't quit until she has succeeded. That's something I like to see in female characters!

Alternative Book Cover

Though I did thoroughly enjoy watching the ghost story unfold before my eyes, I have to say that the book did take me a long time to feel engrossed in it. It took perhaps nine chapters before I felt myself fall into the story completely. The first few chapters were majorly skimmed on my part as I felt the story lacked something; the plot missed a sense of purpose and the writing style was far too descriptive for my liking. It felt as though the author was simply trying to lengthen his novel.

With all of that said, I would rate This House Is Haunted a mere 2.7/5 because of what I stated in the previous paragraph. A slow start to a plot, along with an over descriptive style, is something I can not ignore to be a negative; however, once started, the story was rather enjoyable.

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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Bitterblue (Kristin Cashore)

I'd like to start of firstly by apologizing for the few weeks where I did not post any reviews! I just got back from a vacation where I traveled to England for two and a half weeks. But I'm back and ready to go, so without further ado, let's get reviewing!

As I just mentioned, I recently went to England and of course (for me) a book is a necessary item to bring along for the ride (or flight in this case). A seven to eight hour flight is a very long time, especially if you can't sleep during it. For this journey I brought along the book Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore, which is the sequel to Graceling that I last reviewed.

The Book Cover

Bitterblue closely follows the style of writing that Graceling possessed and very much so remains a fantasy novel. The plot follows the growth of Bitterblue as she learns how to run her kingdom after the distress of the previous novel. The book itself is split into five parts either due to an amount of time passing or because of a new revelation in the plot. I can't mention too much as I liked the component of the unexpected when I read it, and therefore want the same for you!

Alternative Cover

I read this book far too quickly and was left without something to read for the second half of my vacation; I think that proves just how good it was!

I would rate Bitterblue 5/5 because I ABSOLUTELY loved it! Definitely take the time to read this and it's prequel. Also, if you get the chance, try reading Fire (the companion novel) and tell me how it is!

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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Graceling (Kristin Cashore)

Graceling is a fantasy novel with a side romance story. It's quite a long story - reaching over 400 pages at relatively small font - and one that I did struggle to get into at first. I managed to persevere through my initial struggle, and aren't I glad I did! The plot grew and became increasingly captivating; by the end of the book I truly found myself itching to finish it and eventually read the last 50 pages in one sitting!

The Book Cover

Graceling follows the story of a lady named Katsa and her mission to discover herself, as well as to solve a mystery sweeping over her world. The world in which the story takes place is split into seven kingdoms, each led by a King or Queen. The title of the novel comes from those of the world who are "Graced"; this means that they posses a magical power and a pair of distinctly unique eyes. For Katsa, she is one of those Graced and therefore quite unique in her fighting abilities. The story develops as a young prince named Po enters her kingdom in search of help; he too is one of the Graced people among the world. As the two travel in search of answers, they grow close and begin to learn a lot from and about each other.

Hopefully my plot summary isn't too detailed in such a way that gives the plot away to you as a reader; I think it's a decent amount of description... I hope!

I'm not sure how far in it was that I truly began to feel myself becoming engrossed in the story, but it was the development of Katsa - and her journey with Po - that drew me in. Whenever a story shows a character's personal growth, I'm instantly in love with the story. I find it difficult to read books where all the characters remain in the cookie cutter shape that they were originally depicted as.

Katsa (From Alternative Book Cover)

There is a sequel to this book, entitled Bitterblue, that takes place eight years after this novel. Those who read Graceling will understand the title and I'm sure will be just as excited as I to read it. In addition to this sequel, there is a side story entitled Fire which takes place in the same world and kingdoms, but follows the story of a new character; my library does not stock this novel and therefore unfortunately will not be reading it, but please do and tell me your thoughts!

The Set of Three

I would rate Graceling 3.8/5 because I did struggle in the beginning to want to keep reading it, but it did become extremely good in the end!

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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Linger (Maggie Stiefvater)

Linger is the second novel in the Shiver trilogy and it was just as good as the first one! After 24 hours, I had already finished half of the book and really had to try to pace myself whilst reading the remainder of the story.

The Book Cover

Much like the first, it remains a supernatural/fantasy romance story. The plot itself picks up where the first left off, not losing any pace, and has the same "feel" to it. There is one big difference between the first and this one:

... there are FOUR first-person perspectives. The first two are the same as the first novel, that being Grace and Sam. The third is the perspective of Isabel and the fourth is that of Cole. 

I'm still not too sure how I feel about the four perspectives. In some cases it added to the depth of the story and the emotions, but in other cases I felt lost or confused as to who I was. That second case was even more true in certain chapters when the perspective changed three times in one chapter. This story really begins to show character development amongst all four of the characters.

I can't really talk too much about the plot or the characters without giving away the suspense that I felt. It's a story that you really need to experience for yourself!

I would rate Linger 4.5/5 because I felt that having four first-person perspectives to be a little too much to follow. Of course, as always, that is only my opinion and you might think differently.

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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Shiver (Maggie Stiefvater)

Shiver is a short novel that I came across whilst browsing my library's online database. I had never heard of it before or heard of anyone talking about it. Upon collecting the book from my library, I discovered that it is actually the first novel in a trilogy. I had made a personal decision, after reading many trilogies, that I didn't want to read another trilogy for a little while because I really wanted to a find an excellent single book; however, looks like it's time for another trilogy!

Shiver, like I said, is the first novel in a trilogy. The story is a supernatural/fantasy novel with the main storyline following the developing romance between Sam and Grace. The book itself does switch between first-person perspectives of those two characters, and I think that it is important to the plot and emotions of the characters. Grace is a girl with an unusual past who has a fascination with the woods behind her house, and the animals that roam within. Sam is a boy that is far from ordinary as he is not quite himself through the winter months. Their lives become entwined when Sam is faced with an injury that changes him.

The Book Cover

The characters - and even the story itself - drew me in drastically and had me struggling to put the book down every night. I can't say much about the storyline itself because it would definitely ruin the surprise and suspense of the novel. What I will say is that I found the style of writing (and the story) to be very refreshing and simple. I say simple, but it is also a unique story.

I would rate Shiver 4.9/5 because I am always wary of given a story a perfect rating. There were a couple of spots where I found myself skipping over some paragraphs, but I can't decide whether it was because the story was slow or if it was more just my excitement to get to the end.

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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Erebos: It's A Game. It Watches You. (Ursula Poznanski)

Erebos: It's A Game. It Watches You.
Where do I even begin with this review? I read this book in less than 24 hours and I'm sat here - having just finished reading it - unsure of what to say other than, WOW! If you haven't read this book before, then you are seriously missing out.

The Book Cover

Erebos is a book that I'm also unsure as to how to classify it. It's not supernatural, although at times it feels as such, and it's not fantasy, but again you could say it has aspects of it; it's a book that stands on it's own as far as I'm concerned. The story follows the life of Nick Dunmore and a mysterious computer game that begins to circle around his school. However this game is not like a normal game as it seems to live, breathe, and think like a human. The virtual world begins to tie itself to the real world, harmless at first but quickly becoming daunting and trying to those who play the game. As the back of the book says, "Erebos watches its players and begins to manipulate their lives in frightening ways. It soon becomes clear the game has a deadly agenda. When Nick sets out on a dangerous mission, reality and the virtual world begin to blur..."

As far as characters in the story go, I can't say that I felt a personal connection to them; however, in the case of this book, that was necessary. The story itself and the game in which the people play was enough to hold my attention completely!

I know this review is short, and I've really only discussed the plot, but you must read this book!

I would rate Erebos 5/5 because it's left me speechless and wanting more!

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

Leave a comment telling me your thoughts on this book or a suggestion as to what I should read next.

The Gravesavers (Sheree Fitch)

The Gravesavers came to my attention while I was searching for a different book on my library's online database. It appeared on the side bar entitled 'Recently Rated', as someone had given it 4 out of 5 stars; the title of the book, as well as the cover, intrigued me. I immediately put a hold on the book and began reading it without any prior knowledge of the storyline. Upon arrival of the book, I noticed that it was both a Canadian novel as well as a Red Maple Award winner; for those of you who may not know what that is, it is (simple put) a reading program offered to students in Grades 7 through 9 with a small selection of books on which you get to vote on at the end. I was excited to read the story since it was a winner of this reading program because I once participated in this program myself.

The Book Cover

Upon beginning this novel - about one third of the way through - I would have placed this story into a Historical Fiction category; however, as I approached two thirds of the way through, the storyline took a different path that I would instead class as a Supernatural Fiction category. This novel actually is composed of not one, but two story lines that become entwined:

The first story follows the life of a young girl named Cinnamon "Minn" Hotchkiss who is forced to go spend the summer with her grandmother following a rather unfortunate event. Much to her distaste, Minn actually begins to enjoy that summer upon discovering the graveyard in the town at which she is staying; however this grave site is in terrible condition and is not faring well to the sea.

The second story follows the life of a young English boy named John Hindley in the year of 1861. His family decides to uproot and travel across the seas on the magnificent SS Atlantic.

SS Atlantic

The stories entwine as Minn discovers more about the graves and the connection they have to the past, and more specifically John Hindley's family. I won't say much more as I hate over sharing a novel's plot, however I wanted to intrigue you readers to perhaps try a different genre other than the Science Fiction novels I have reviewed previously.

I instantly fell in love with the character Minn because she, in a way, reminded me of myself. Her imagination is wild and when she becomes passionate about something, she truly sees it through until the very end; I found her character to be a breath of fresh air.

As for the plot, I loved it. I really am at a loss for words because I think it's a book you need to read for yourself to understand the feeling I got. I wasn't in tears, it's not that type of feeling; if anything, I think I felt at peace at the end. The main message I got out of it was, "the past may be unsettling and may never quite leave you, but if you find a way to come to terms with it and let it go, you will find a sense of happiness and peace."

I would rate The Gravesavers 3.9/5 - which may seem low - only because I found the story to be a little slow and over descriptive at the beginning, otherwise it was a very good book. It's not my usual pick of genre, but I am very glad to have read it.

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

Leave a comment telling me your thoughts on the book or a suggestion of what I should read next.

Update :)

Hello Fellow Bookworms :)

Before I start talking about the main reason for this post, I just want to start off with a huge thank you! I am overwhelmed by the amount of interest since I started 6 and a half weeks ago. I've had more page views than I ever thought I could accomplish in a year - I'm sure it's minimal compared to most blogs on this site, however I am very grateful for each and every one - so thank you from the bottom of my heart <3

Is this too cheesy to add to this post?

Anyways, onto the main reason behind this update post!

I finished my first year of University last week on Friday, and also finished all of my pre-written and scheduled book reviews. That means two things for this blog:

1. Since I have finished University for the year, I will be "off" for 4 months; the off is in quotation because I'm currently having interviews for jobs, which means I don't know how much free time I'll actually have. With that said, that means I will have more time to read and often in the summer read books a lot faster. Of course this is because I will binge read a book whilst sitting outside in the sun with a cool glass of fresh lemonade. Therefore you can expect lots of reviews in the upcoming future! I have a list of books lined up that I want to read - both single novels as well as series - and I can't wait to get started.
2. Since my scheduled posts have run out, it means there will be a delay for the next review. I am currently halfway through the novel I am reading now, and I am hoping I will have it done in time to review for Friday; however, there will definitely not be one up on Monday, unless I find an old book I've read to review that I still have a clear memory of.

Therefore, that's both good and bad so I hope they balance each other out! Also, I would love it if you bookworms would leave a comment suggesting a book that I should read.

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)