Review: The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

Age Range: 12 and up Grade Level: 7 and up Hardcover: 336 pages Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (January 13, 2015) Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they're destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she's found the thing she's been made for. Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries' seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once. At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointy as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking. Until one day, he does... As the world turns upside down and a hero is needed to save them all, Hazel tries to remember her years spent pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough? This book was awesome of course! Holly Black's books are fun to read and I enjoy her characters. I read The Coldest Girl in Coldtown after receiving a copy for Christmas, which was the first book I had read by Holly Black, and immediately became a fan of her writing style. I could not wait to get my hands on another, so I used a gift card to pre-order a copy of The Darkest Part of the Forest from Amazon and was completely satisfied with my decision. This book is a fantastic escape into an original, dark, creepy, magical place where I wanted to savour every sentence until the end. I thought there could have been a touch more action but the entirety of this book is blended well. When I should have been studying for exams I would sneak a page or two in and always read more than intended. The Darkest Part of the Forest is a treat for readers, and the characters likeable, so I plan to revisit Hazel's story at least once more. (And I do not like to re-read books) I want more, and would find it hard to believe that anyone would not enjoy this book. I am certainly a fan of Holly Black's books thus far- I'm enchanted by her writing. This book is special, written with quality, and definitely recommendable. Now, I'm off to read White Cat, hopefully soon. Happy Reading... Reesa***

REVIEW: ROOTLESS BY CHRIS HOWARD

17-year-old Banyan is a tree builder. Using scrap metal and salvaged junk, he creates forests for rich patrons who seek a reprieve from the desolate landscape. Although Banyan's never seen a real tree—they were destroyed more than a century ago—his father used to tell him stories about the Old World. But that was before his father was taken . . . Everything changes when Banyan meets a woman with a strange tattoo—a clue to the whereabouts of the last living trees on earth, and he sets off across a wasteland from which few return. Those who make it past the pirates and poachers can't escape the locusts—the locusts that now feed on human flesh. But Banyan isn't the only one looking for the trees, and he's running out of time. Unsure of whom to trust, he's forced to make an uneasy alliance with Alpha, an alluring, dangerous pirate with an agenda of her own. As they race towards a promised land that might only be a myth, Banyan makes shocking discoveries about his family, his past, and how far people will go to bring back the trees. In this dazzling debut, Howard presents a disturbing world with uncanny similarities to our own. Like the forests Banyan seeks to rebuild, this visionary novel is both beautiful and haunting—full of images that will take permanent root in your mind . . . and forever change the way you think about nature. REVIEW 4.5 STARS **** I enjoyed this book. Rootless was well-written and unique. I look forward to continuing on with this series without a doubt. It's been a long time now since I read the first book. I tried to review it and always ran into trouble. (Internet issues at that time) I was frustrated, so I gave up on posting the review. Now, I don't remember enough details about the story to re-write the, in my opinion, glowing review that I did write before. However, I recommend it, and the cover is amazing as well as the illustrations. I hope to re-read it this summer before picking up book 2.

Review: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Product Details Paperback: 448 pages Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (August 12, 2014) Coldtown was dangerous, Tana knew. A glamorous cage, a prison for the damned and anyone who wanted to party with them. Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. And once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave. One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself. REVIEW: 5-STARS ***** I simply fell in love with this book. It was fun to read, and the characters created were great. I'm upset that this was a standalone novel. I would love to read more about this unique vampire story. The ending was left open-ended for the reader to wonder what happened. Although I enjoyed every moment of this book- that really bugs me to no end. However, maybe that's a small portion of what made this book so memorable. This author's writing style drew me in until the end. This was the book I chose for my Christmas present, and I don't regret it for one second. Definitely a fan! Recommended!

Review: The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey

The Girl With All the Gifts: Extended Free Preview by M.R. Carey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Melanie is a very special girl. Dr Caldwell calls her "our little genius." Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh. Melanie loves school. She loves learning about spelling and sums and the world outside the classroom and the children's cells. She tells her favorite teacher all the things she'll do when she grows up. Melanie doesn't know why this makes Miss Justineau look sad. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS is a sensational thriller, perfect for fans of Stephen King, Justin Cronin and Neil Gaiman. I really enjoyed this book. It has a little bit of everything to offer, and kept me on edge, so I had to push through. This is the first book that I've read in awhile that did not waste much time on the love interest aspect. This book is definitely original, and I'm excited to watch the movie whenever it is released. Everyone should read this book. Writing style reminded me most times of Elizabeth Flock's in What Happened to my Sister. The Girl With All The Gifts is well written, unique, and recommendable. The characters are fantastic and the ending had me thinking... this is frightening, and HOW CREEPY WOULD THAT BE. Even if zombies are not your thing- read this. This is a gem, loved it! :) http://lovemebooksandstuffblog.blogsp...

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REVIEW: SCARLET BY MARISSA MEYER

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison--even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner. Scarlet was a bit slow for be in the beginning, but overall this series is just awesome, and after a small while of adjusting to Scarlett's character, I flew through this book as I would any other that I loved. Cinder is a fantastic character and I really enjoyed reading about her. I knew this book was going to be about Little Red Riding Hood, but I think I was still wanting more of Cinder at the time. This series is unique and captivating and I cannot wait to read Cress. However, I'm going to give myself a break from the series before I pick up the next book. The idea of blending the characters from previous books into the next is just brilliant. This is definitely a favorite of mine that I will always highly recommend. Everyone should read this series.

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Review: The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book two of the dazzling Winner's Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love. The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement... if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret. As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them. REVIEW 5 STARS ***** I chose The Winner's Crime as one of the titles I would like to receive as my birthday gift from a friend. I can say that I devoured this book and simply loved every moment of it. There is something about Marie Rutkoski's writing style that just grabs and holds my attention. I have been blindsided by the ending and plot twist taking place in this trilogy. I'm in shock right now, why? I will most definitely pre-order book # 3. This book was a major distraction from my homework, but that's okay. I need to find out what happens in the next book. The ending is seriously going to make this a brutal wait... Love this series. The author makes this world effortless for readers to envision. (Thank you Sunni, for my cliff-hanger gift, so loved it)

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Review: Reluctant Concubine by Dana Marton

Publication Date: March 1, 2015 -- Please note that this is an updated edition of the book previously titled "The Third Scroll". "A terrific epic fantasy ~ magical, compelling, and romantic!" Susan Mallery, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author "It's impressively easy to become immersed in Marton's fantasy world. Readers will find it impossible not to care what happens next..." Kirkus Review An ambitious, vividly imagined epic fantasy. Marton has created a promising and immersive world that is, at the same time, darkly brutal... the splendor of the author's vision cannot be overlooked." RT Book Reviews To escape punishment, Tera, a maiden healer sold to barbarians must hide the truth: she has not yet come into her healing powers. Born into a much gentler world, she struggles to survive in a land of savage warlords and their cruel concubines. When ancient prophecies begin to come to pass, can the healer-slave save the realm and awaken the High Lord’s heart? "I ADORED.. (the hero). From his initial appearance and those gentle words of promise that no harm would come to...(the heroine), to his accepting manner of all that was her, to his tenderness shown when a barrier for which he waited so patiently to fold was finally crossed. He has to be one of my favourite male counterparts I've read in a while. LOVE him." Bookaroo-Ju Review "The writing is just beautiful. It flows sometimes like water. I don't know how else to describe it other than to say i enjoyed how it felt reading it." 5 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick Stars For anyone who enjoyed the fantasy worlds of George Martin's Game of Thrones, C.L. Wilson's Lord of the Fading Lands, Elizabeth Vaughan's Warprize, or the memorably crafted healer heroines in Jean Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear and Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, THE THIRD SCROLL is the next epic adventure to get lost in. REVIEW: 5 STARS ***** I won Reluctant Concubine in a giveaway for free on Goodreads First/Reads and I'm hooked. This story is awesome! This story was a part of my thoughts for weeks after reading it. Reluctant Concubine is a favorite of mine, and definitely recommendable- Reluctant Concubine is captivating, unique, and refreshing. It was not long before I developed a compassionate connection with the main character Tara, and I was sucked into her heartwrenching world. This was the first book I read of Dana Marton's and I enjoyed the writing style as well. I'm impatiently waiting for the rest of Tara's story, and eager to purchase every book to come in the Hardstorm Saga. I have become a stalker of Dana Marton's Facebook page trying to find out exactly when the second book is going to be released. :)