Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Blog Re-Design: Ramblings of a Booknerd + Giveaway

Hello lovelies! I have another re-design to share with you today! I just finished re-designing Sara's blog: Ramblings of a Booknerd! I had so much fun working on this design, it was cute, sweet, colorful and just all-around lovely :) Hope you'll like it as much as I do, and be sure to click over to Sara's and follow her! She's a sweet, wonderful new blogger and she writes amazing, insightful reviews! Be sure to chat her up on Twitter, too, she's just such a joy to talk to! 

I forgot to take a snapshot of the design BEFORE xD (kill me)


Ramblings of a Booknerd AFTER:



CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO VISIT THE BLOG!

All graphics were custom designed by me. Cutesy designs are definitely MY THING, I loved playing around with all the graphics, hearts, birds and whatnot :) I really like how the header turned out and I think the french-twist on the design gives it an extra spark! ;D 

What do you guys think?!

Here's a couple other graphics I made for Sara:







Make sure to visit Sara's blog and let her know if you like the new design! :)

Meanwhile, let's celebrate! Here's another giveaway for you lovelies! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally [Review]

Genre:
Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Drama
Publication.Date  March 1st 2013
Pages:304
Published By:  Sourcebooks Fire
WebsiteMiranda Kenneally

Things I Can't Forget on Goodreads
My review copy:E-galley of the book received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Where to get:


Companion to Catching Jordan and Stealing Parker. 

Kate has always been the good girl. Too good, according to some people at school—although they have no idea the guilty secret she carries. But this summer, everything is different…

This summer she’s a counselor at Cumberland Creek summer camp, and she wants to put the past behind her. This summer Matt is back as a counselor too. He’s the first guy she ever kissed, and he’s gone from a geeky songwriter who loved The Hardy Boys to a buff lifeguard who loves to flirt…with her.

Kate used to think the world was black and white, right and wrong. Turns out, life isn’t that easy…

(Goodreads)

I have a billion what-ifs and no way forward.
God is great. God loves me. I don't want to go to Hell. I know some people question whether Heaven and Hell truly exists, but do those people question whether gravity exists? Or oxygen? You can't see those with your naked eye, either. I can't see cologne on a guy's body, but I can smell it. I may not be able to see Heaven, but deep inside, I can feel it. 
I've tried to live a good Christian life. I follow the Bible to a T. I listen to everything Brother John says. I'm trying harder than ever and it just isn't working. This is not the sign I was looking for. I'm a good, good girl who's got no friends. A good, good girl who helped her ex-friend get an abortion. I don't deserve any friends. 
He adjusts his bandana, smiling at me, and my stomach leaps into my throat, and I feel this longing deep inside - a longing to have a friend. 
"Your truth isn't everybody else's truth. Your beliefs matter, right?"



     Things I Can't Forget is a very good book that deals with some heavy subject matter. Featuring themes such as religion, premarital sex, teen pregnancy and abortion, it's a deeply emotional and thought-provoking story that affected me in ways I never thought possible. This book is about many things - love, friendship, faith, making mistakes and dealing with guilt- above all, it's a story of one girl trying to find forgiveness, acceptance, and - ultimately - herself.

      It's one of those books that, despite having a dreadfully unlikeable protagonist, is completely wonderful. I despised Kate, I really did. She was self-absorbed, rude and less than tactless. I honestly didn't have a grain of sympathy for her. All her problems were self-created, stemming from her difficult character and self-righteous attitude. When it comes to hot-topics such as teenage pregnancy, abortion or religious beliefs, I happen to be quite opinionated, and I don't take kindly to people who think themselves better than others just because they believe in God. You go to church, you believe in Heaven and Hell - that's wonderful, but don't go around judging people, telling them what to do, nagging at them to pray for their sins. Don't judge others by your own standards. I was quite surprised by my strong emotional response to this story. There were moments when I was fuming, shocked by Kate's twisted reasoning and selfish behaviour. And I wasn't at all surprised that, despite trying so hard to be a good Christian, Kate was lonely and shunned by others. Honestly? I wouldn't touch her with a stick myself, she represents everything I hate in people. When her best friend, Emily, got pregnant, Kate helped her get an abortion, which obviously went against all her beliefs. It was clearly an insanely difficult decision for her friend, too, and she was having a very hard time dealing with the consequences of it. And yet Kate managed to make it all about herself (yet again). All she cared about was her guilt and the fact that she failed as a good Christian girl. To help her friend she committed a sin, and while I understand that it must have been extremely difficult for her, I don't like how she chose to deal with it. Constantly nagging at Emily to beg God's forgiveness, telling her she'll go to Hell, etc - that is no way to treat someone whose life was just flipped upside down. She didn't care about Emily and her feelings, no, all Kate ever cared about was herself. Even when she cries for Kate and Jacob, and the way their relationship fell apart, she still manages to come across as self-absorbed ("That's not the only reason I cried. Deep down, I was jealous of that love and I wanted a boy to show up, crying for me because he loved me so much."). 

     Kate's nasty personality isn't the reason I found this book to be not as fantastic as Catching Jordan or Stealing Parker, though. As much as I hated her, I must admit she made this story very captivating. Plus, she does show some impressive character growth and while I can't say that by the end of the book I grew to like her (or care about her), I definitely understood her better. What made me enjoy this book a little bit less than the previous two books in the series is the fact that the relationships weren't as thoroughly fascinating as the ones in Catching Jordan and Stealing Parker. There we had all sorts of fabulously depicted relationships between friends and family members, here we only get a few brief glimpses at how the relationship between Kate and her dad looks like. I realize it's probably because Kate is just not a very sociable, warm person. She's withdrawn, shy and always afraid of doing something wrong. She doesn't have many friends and all her relationships with people seem to be strained and awkward. But I still wanted to learn more about her family life and how it shaped her to be who she was. 

     That doesn't mean I didn't love the book, it was still beautifully written, deep, meaningful and harrowing. And I admire Miranda Kenneally for not shying away from difficult topics and for handling them with such grace, honesty and sensitivity. Her stories are always immensely enjoyable, with just the perfect blend of romance, comedy and heart-break. The narrative is believable and insightful, filled with Kate's reflections on life, love and God. Her simple yet poignant prose pulls on your heartstrings and keeps you glued to the pages all the way through. It's just an all-around wonderful read. 

     I adored the love interest in this book, Matt. He was sweet, charming, mature, very understanding and thoughtful. Just a really good guy! On top of his genuinely wonderful personality, he was also handsome and funny. Simply irresistible. Next to Corndog, he's probably my second favorite character so far. 

     One thing I really love about this series is the fact that even though the books are meant to be read as stand-alones, there are still some plot threads that overlap and intertwine with one another. I loved that Parker and Corndog from Stealing Parker made their appearance as supporting cast. If you're familiar with Stealing Parker, you know that after Parker's mom "came out of the closet", the church that Parker belonged to ostracised her and her father. In Things I Can't Forget we get to explore the other side of the story and see those same events through Kate's eyes.

   I think I can recommend Things I Can't Forget to anyone who enjoys a good contemporary novel with interesting characters and meaningful plot line, even to those who - like me - tend to shy away from religious-themed books. With great pacing, engaging plot line and the broad palette of emotions it evokes, this book is a very entertaining and captivating page-turner. If you loved Miranda Kenneally's previous books, you're definitely going to love this one, too!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Trailer Blog Tour: First Kiss by Ann Marie Frohoff + giveaway


Today I have the utmost pleasure of sharing with you the trailer for Ann Marie Frohoff's awesometastic Young Adult novel, First Kiss! Ever since I've read the prequel novella, Skid Out, I knew I'd be a huge fan of Ann and her series! It's an extraordinary book and - get that - it even has its own unique soundtrack! And the trailer?! Guys, it's like the best trailer ever - more of a music video, really! Insanely cool and unique!

Check it out!


First Kiss is the first in Heavy Influence trilogy - a sexy, addicting, intoxicating series about love, music, friendship and heartbreaks! Fans of Young Adult contemporary romances should be on the lookout for this book, as it's definitely one of the best in the genre!  You can find out more information about it on the book's FB page: www.facebook.com/heavyinfluence
First Kiss will be released on June 11th 2013
You can get the prequel novella, SKID OUT, here: AMAZON
OR you can get it on Goodreads for FREE!
About Ann Marie Frohoff: 

Ann Marie ("Annie") Frohoff grew up in sunny Southern California. As a teen and young adult she spent her time frequenting and living in nearly every beachside city up and down the coast.

The first installment in her Heavy Influence Trilogy, FIRST KISS, is tentatively set to release June 11, 2013 — The series is a story about young, reckless love between a rising rock star and his younger muse, spanning 10 years of their tumultuous and passionate relationship. Each book in the Trilogy will come with a soundtrack of original music, of which the lyrics will appear in the pages of the books.

Annie is now settled in the South Bay area of Los Angeles with her family.

It was all about the band, until the girl next door. Her innocence is tempting. A sexually charged coming of age story set in the throes of stardom.

About an up and coming teenage rocker on the verge of stardom, when the girl next door becomes something more; they're forced to face the harsh realities on his road to fame and the expectations of their friends and family. Sacrifices are made as everything changes as they know it.
Title: First Kiss (Heavy Influence Trilogy, #1)
Author: Ann Marie Frohoff
Pub. Date: June 11, 2013
Pages: 483
Find it: Amazon & Goodreads
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary


a Rafflecopter giveaway
First Kiss (Heavy Influence Trilogy, #1) by Ann Marie Frohoff

Facebook: Heavy Influence
Twitter: Ann Marie Frohoff
Goodreads: First Kiss (Heavy Influence Trilogy, #1)
Goodreads: Skid Out (Heavy Influence, #0.5)
Website: Ann Marie Frohoff
Amazon: Skid Out - Kindle Edition

Monday, March 18, 2013

Blog Re-Design: Challenging Reads + Giveaway

Hello lovelies! I have another re-design to share with you today! I had the utmost pleasure to work on Johanna's blog - Challenging Reads (International love! :)

This turned out to be a very time+energy consuming project, but one I had lots and lots of fun with. I really enjoyed working on the graphics (love fantasy-themed blogs!) and the color scheme we came up with had me smiling all the time. Johanna wanted something green+brown-ish (natural forest colors), and a girl that is walking through a dark forest towards a book that is grown into a tree. Oh, and the paranormal creatures incorporated into the theme were quite important, too! I think it turned out really beautiful, love the colors and the wolf lurking from behind a tree! And the fairy-themed rating system is another one of my favs!

So.. Take a look at how this design turned out!

Johanna's Challenging Reads BEFORE:


Challenging Reads AFTER:

CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO VISIT THE BLOG!

All graphics were custom designed by me. And guys, I must say, I rally loved working on this project! I especially love how the social media buttons turned out - with a fairy-roll-over :D So magical! (I know, I am totally being full of it, but hey.. self-promotion!).
We did a drop-down, custom menu, which also turned out nicely, and Johanna wanted sidebar headers to stand out more, hence the black+green vines :) 

What do you guys think?!

Here's a couple other graphics I made for Johanna:







Make sure to visit her blog and let her know if you like the new design! :)

Meanwhile, let's celebrate! Here's another giveaway for you lovelies! This one is bigger than usual, as I'm also celebrating the one I did for Linds from The Violet Hour (I didn't get to host a giveaway last time!) :) So - three books will go to one super lucky winner! :D 


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Red Adept Publishing Anniversary Giveaway!

I have something very exciting to share with you today: a super-dooper giveaway brought to you by Red Adept Publishing! RAP is celebrating their first anniversary! They have 8 delicious titles already published and even more awesomeness on the way! And they're having a fantastic contest to celebrate it all! :)

You can see their currently published books below! Be sure to follow them on Twitter (click here), Like their Facebook Page (click here) and subscribe to their website for news on future projects (click here). 



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Anniversary Red Adept Publishing! And good luck to all the entrants!!! :) 

Monday, March 11, 2013

Blog Tour: Hysteria by Megan Miranda [Review + Giveaway]


Genre:
Young Adult,  Psychological Drama, Mystery
Publication.Date  February 5th 2013
Pages:336
Published By:  Walker Childrens
WebsiteMegan Miranda

Hysteria
My review copy:E-galley of the book received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Where to get:
http://redirect.viglink.com/?format=go&jsonp=vglnk_152526425203611&key=8a69ede45b8445f6b533712ba9899ffb&libId=jgp2ycrc0100r7tw000DAwxwea9qn52lp&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fevie-bookish.blogspot.com%2F2013%2F03%2Fblog-tour-hysteria-by-megan-miranda.html&v=1&out=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FHysteria-Megan-Miranda%2Fdp%2F0802723101%2Fref%3Dcm_cr_pr_product_top&title=Bookish%20Lifestyle%3A%20Blog%20Tour%3A%20Hysteria%20by%20Megan%20Miranda%20%5BReview%20%2B%20Giveaway%5D&txt=%3Cimg%20src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fi1297.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fag31%2FEvie_Seo%2Famazon_zps6088f2a8.png%22%20border%3D%220%22%3E http://redirect.viglink.com/?format=go&jsonp=vglnk_152526425973012&key=8a69ede45b8445f6b533712ba9899ffb&libId=jgp2ycrc0100r7tw000DAwxwea9qn52lp&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fevie-bookish.blogspot.com%2F2013%2F03%2Fblog-tour-hysteria-by-megan-miranda.html&v=1&out=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.barnesandnoble.com%2Fw%2Fhysteria-megan-miranda%2F1111414242%3Fean%3D9780802723109&title=Bookish%20Lifestyle%3A%20Blog%20Tour%3A%20Hysteria%20by%20Megan%20Miranda%20%5BReview%20%2B%20Giveaway%5D&txt=%3Cimg%20src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fi1297.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fag31%2FEvie_Seo%2FBarnesNoble_zpsad901f6d.png%22%20border%3D%220%22%3E http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780802723109






Mallory killed her boyfriend, Brian. She can't remember the details of that night but everyone knows it was self-defense, so she isn't charged. But Mallory still feels Brian's presence in her life. Is it all in her head? Or is it something more? In desperate need of a fresh start, Mallory is sent to Monroe, a fancy prep school where no one knows her . . . or anything about her past.But the feeling follows her, as do her secrets. Then, one of her new classmates turns up dead. As suspicion falls on Mallory, she must find a way to remember the details of both deadly nights so she can prove her innocence-to herself and others. 

In another riveting tale of life and death, Megan Miranda's masterful storytelling brings readers along for a ride to the edge of sanity and back again.

(Goodreads)

I hated that I felt jealous. Hated it. It's not like I'd been on my own waiting for him, just like he hadn't been waiting alone for me. We had lived, for two years. Made choices and mistakes, had good days and bad days
And then I started laughing. Horrible, really. But I was laughing. Because of all the things they could say about me, equal parts horrible and true, this was so far from the mark it was funny.
I knew how I was supposed to feel when I was with him. Well, I knew what I was not supposed to feel. I wasn't supposed to feel anxious. Not tense, either. Or maybe I was. Maybe this was normal. I didn't know. So I let him whisper in my ear and put his hands on my hips. And I listened to him list the ways in which I was slowly killing him.

None of which turned out to be the actual way that I killed him.
I thought that this must be what purgatory was like. Can't go forward. Can't go back. Awaiting some official judgment.



     When I picked up this book, I expected a cracking thriller full of twists and unpredictable, blood-chilling events. The premise sounded so fascinating - a girl who stabbed her boyfriend to death, and has no recollection of how or why it happened, is haunted by an evil presence while staying at a secluded boarding school - and I was so sure that this one was going to creep the living soul out of me! Unfortunately, I can't say that I was right. While the book kicks-off with some downright terrifying scenes and a decent amount of creepy, the latter part of it veers into a very confusing, borderline-ridiculous melodrama. So while I certainly enjoyed this book, it wasn't at all what I expected. 

     Mallory has blood on her hands. She stabbed her boyfriend in her own kitchen and then ran off, leaving him to bleed out on the floor. Her memory of that night is very hazy, she doesn't know the how and why herself. And she's not the only one with doubts. Her own parents don't seem to trust/believe her, they hide the kitchen knives from her and lock the doors of their bedroom at night. When the murder charges are dropped thanks to self-defence proven, Mallory is sent away to a boarding school far away from her home town to forget about the nightmare and recover. That, as it turns out, is not meant to happen. As her hallucinations intensify, she starts hearing weird sounds and voices and is waking up with bruises on her arms, Mallory starts wondering if the things she's experiencing are the result of mental sickness (hysteria), or if someone (or something) is after her

     I know, right? How could you possibly resists this premise? It sounds so intense and atmospheric! However, if you pick it up expecting an eerie, heart-pounding thriller with a hint of paranormal - you'll probably end up bitterly disappointed and frustrated. This is more of a psychological drama, and one that is rather short on scares and thrills. As the book's tone moves from vaguely supernatural murder mystery to sappy, over-dramatic and often totally confusing teen love story, illogicality overpowers the  exciting ambiguities it has established. 

     There are two plot threads - two dead bodies - in this book, the second being a cocky, manipulative and aggressive guy Mallory meets at the boarding school, whose body is discovered on the floor in her room about halfway through the book. Again, Mallory doesn't know what happened and how the guy ended up in her room - which was locked from the insight - with his wrists slashed with the knife she kept for protection in her drawer. Explanations to both of the mysteries, while original and a bit surprising - failed to impress me. They seemed rather silly and improbable, and they were totally unrelated to each other. I hoped for an ending that would knock my socks off, but that didn't happened. This book started off so great and I just couldn't believe how thoroughly anticlimactic the ending was. It didn't even feel like anything was resolved, the big reveals were a bit weak and disappointing. The story felt rushed in trying to wrap everything up in the last two-three chapters, with enough loose ends left over to annoy even the most patient and forgiving reader. 

     Some plot developments were extremely iffy. I don't understand why Mallory was sent away to the boarding school in the first place. Seems to me that if your child's life is in danger, you'd simply pack your bags and leave the town with her, not send her to a creepy, secluded place with no cell reception. The murder charges against Mallory were too easily dropped, too. There was hardly any investigation to try and figure out why she stabbed the guy, not to mention that there was practically no reason to believe that he was a threat to her life. Sure, he was drunk, but he never threatened or hurt her before, and other than punching one guy, he didn't seem to have any history of violence either. It is said that he seemed threatening, but if I'd go around stabbing everyone who "seems" a tiny bit dangerous, I'd ran out of kitchen knives in no time. She killed him, cause he broke into her house intoxicated, repeating "Mallory, wait" and "listen" - am I the only one who thinks this is just plain ridiculous? Not to mention that, as it later turns out, he didn't even break into her house at all, he knocked on the door and she let him in. And the final scenes involving Colleen? Totally unnecessary.

     On the other hand, the atmospheric, eerie setting (boarding school surrounded by dark woods and mountains) worked really great! I definitely appreciated how well described it was. I love books set in small, mysterious towns. The feeling of being isolated and trapped was almost palpable. 

    While I liked some of the characters, Mallory herself was definitely not my type of heroine. First of all, I did not feel any sympathy for her. I can't bring myself to root for a girl who tries to make out with a guy at his father's funeral and then runs off offended when he refuses to do that. Most of the time, I did not approve of her behavior and attitude towards others (especially boys). And I didn't like how she chose to deal with all the threatening situations in her life (popping sleeping pills or running away). Like I said, not my type of heroine. I did, however, like Colleen and Reid, they were both very interesting characters with colorful personalities. 

     In the end, despite it's titillating premise, Hysteria ultimately fails to deliver the chills and thrills expected of a good psychological thriller. It's not necessarily a bad book, just not exactly the book it seems to be at a first glance. As a contemporary drama with a splash of mystery this book works quite well, but don't expect to come out of it scared out of your wits.



Thanks to the fabulous folk at Walker Childrens, we have one finished copy of Hysteria up for grabs! The giveaway is open to US addresses only! Please enter via Rafflecopter below!

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Will Grayson, Will Grayson Discussion Post #1 [chapters 1-5]



Hello and WELCOME to WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON FIRST DISCUSSION POST!

Thank you to all who have signed up for our third Read-A-Long this year, I hope you guys enjoyed reading Divergent and Delirium with us and are having just as much (or more!) fun with Will Grayson, Will Grayson! Today we'll be discussing chapters 1-5 of Will Grayson, Will Grayson!

Before we move on to the discussion questions Rachelia and I have prepared for you, here's a quick re-cap of what happened!

Chapters 1-5 RECAP:

- We meet Will Grayson and learn a little bit about his life and friends (Tiny Cooper). We also meet Jane and learn that Will's feelings for Jane are rather.. complicated.

- We meet the other Will Grayson and learn a bit about his life. We also learn that he lives with his mom and their relationship seems to be very strained. We meet his friend, Maura and get to experience the weird dynamics of their "friendship". We also learn about Isaac, a boy that Will met on-line and got romantically involved with (long-distance romance).

- Will attends GSA meeting, organized to discuss Tiny's musical. Tiny is playing a match-maker, trying to make sure Will and Jane will hook-up. Will tells Jane he is not interested in starting a relationship. Jane helps Will get a fake ID so he can go to a concert.

- Maura asks Will if he's gay. Will doesn't like her being nosy. They get into a fight. Later on, she stops by his house and they work things out, though Will doesn't admit to her that he's gay.

- Will and Isaac decide it's time for them to meet.  They pick a date 6 days from now.

- Tiny asks Will to sing in his musical. Later on, together with Tiny and Jane, Will goes to Maybe Dead Cats concert, but doesn't get into the club because of the wrong birth date on his fake ID. He ends up going into an "adult store" to kill time. He buys a magazine called Mano a Mano there.


     When I was little, my dad used to tell me, "Will, you can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friend's nose."
I am constantly torn between killing myself and killing everyone around me. those seem to be the two choices. everything else is just killing time. 
 i do not say "good-bye". i believe that's one of the bullshittiest words ever invented. it's not like you're given the choice to say "bad-bye" or "awful-bye" or "couldn't-careless-about-you-bye". every time you leave, it's supposed to be a good one, well, i don't believe in that. i believe against that.  
everyone in our school has afterschool activities.
mine is going home
sometimes i stop and board for a while in the park, but not in february, not in this witch-twat-frigid chicago suburb (known to locals as naperville). if i go out there now, i'll freeze my balls off. not that i'm putting them to any use whatsoever, but i still like to have them, just in case.
You like someone who can't like you back because unrequited love can be survived in a way that once-requited love cannot.
Now, onto the discussion!

1) What do you think of the style of writing so far & how it changes for each Will?

2) Do you have a favorite character yet? If so, who?

3) What do you think will happen when Isaac & Will meet? Can you see Jane & Will getting together?

4) What do you think about the strained relationship between Will and his mom? Why is Will so negative towards his mom? 

5) What do you think about Maura? Do you think Will can/should trust her and tell her that he's gay? How do you think she would react?

6) Do you like the alternating POVs? Which narrator do you prefer and why? 

These are all the questions we have for you today! Please leave your answers in the comments below. Feel free to break them apart (1 comment per 1 answer!), or omit the questions you do not feel like answering! I am looking forward to discussing Will Grayson, Will Grayson with you guys! 

Meanwhile, happy reading and remember Discussion Post for CHAPTERS 6-10 will be posted over @Bookish Comforts! 



Discussion Schedule for MarchWill Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
  • 3/8: Chapters 1-5 (hosted @ Bookish)
  • 3/22: Chapters 11-15 (hosted @ Bookish)
Wrap-up:
  • 3/30: Favorite quotes and moments, reflections, review and a place for YOU to link up your review/thoughts! (posted at @ Bookish and @ Bookish Comforts)

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Shadowlands by Kate Brian [Review]

Genre:
Young Adult, Thriller, Paranormal, Mystery
Publication.Date  January 8th 2013
Pages:336
Published By:  Disney Hyperion
WebsiteKate Brian

Shadowlands on Goodreads
My review copy:ARC of the book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Where to get:


Rory Miller had one chance to fight back and she took it. Rory survived… and the serial killer who attacked her escaped. Now that the infamous Steven Nell is on the loose, Rory must enter the witness protection with her father and sister, Darcy, leaving their friends and family without so much as a goodbye. 

Starting over in a new town with only each other is unimaginable for Rory and Darcy. They were inseparable as children, but now they can barely stand each other. As the sisters settle in to Juniper Landing, a picturesque vacation island, it seems like their new home may be just the fresh start they need. They fall in with a group of beautiful, carefree teens and spend their days surfing, partying on the beach, and hiking into endless sunsets. But just as they’re starting to feel safe again, one of their new friends goes missing. Is it a coincidence? Or is the nightmare beginning all over again?

(Goodreads)


I climbed the stairs, sand down on the bed, and stared up at the wood-beamed ceiling with a sigh. So this was it. This was my new life. With my family but entirely alone. At least something about this place was familiar.
Not dead, he prayed as he slipped deeper into the oncoming darkness. Please don't let her be dead. If she was not dead, here was still a chance. If she was not dead, he would find a way. He always, always found a way.
"I told you I'd get you," he rasped once more, a small smile flitting across his bloody lips.  



     Shadowlands is like a jigsaw puzzle - even though you try very hard to figure it out, you don't get to see the whole picture until the very end. And the pieces of this particular puzzle snap together even more tightly when you read the book the second time. Reading it is a phenomenal - I'd even go as far as to say diabolical - experience. It grips you from the opening lines and the ever-increasing tension never lets up. In the end, you're left completely breathless, confused as hell and eager to start from the beginning to try and figure out what in the world have you just read. 

     The story centres around Rory Miller, a teenage girl who somehow miraculously survived an attack from a serial killer. The killer - who also happens to be her teacher - have been watching her for months, obsessing over everything she did and said. And now he's determined to finish what he started. 

    After her brush with death, Rory and her family are sent away to a Juniper Landing (a small vacation town on a remote island) as part of a witness protection program. But what was supposed to be a fresh start quickly turns into yet another nightmare. The town is creepy. Weird and unexplainable things are happening, people act very suspiciously and it all adds up to a very disturbing and deeply bone-chilling picture. Things get even more intense when a local girl disappears without a trace and Rory catches glimpses of someone following her, someone who looks exactly like her former teacher. 

     Kate Brian evokes Rory's paralysing fear, pain and disorientation quite brilliantly. I couldn't help but to feel thoroughly creeped out - I swear I had goosebumps on my arms half of the time (must be some sort of a record!). The first person narrative only enhances the dream-like, foggy quality of this book, as the heroine herself doesn't have a clue what is happening, what's real and what's just her imagination playing tricks on her, causing her to see the person who almost ended her life around every corner. Is she losing her mind? Is she growing more and more paranoid? Is it shock? Fear? Or is something really happening? Is she in real danger here? Well, you can wreck your brain as much as you want, you'll never actually be able to guess what the big twist is! I was completely blown away reading the final pages of this novel. Not only did I not see it coming, I felt like someone just dropped a bucket of ice-cold water on my head. Multiple times. 

   I really connected with Rory, though I can't say that about any other characters in this book. I simply did not care for anyone else except the lead heroine. She stole the spotlight, her feelings and thoughts were completely absorbing. One thing for sure, I strongly disliked Rory's sister, Darcy. I couldn't stomach her whiny, annoying character. I hated how she always wanted to be the centre of attention, how she made everything about her, as if she was the only one affected by the situation. She was difficult, self-absorbed and downright unlikeable. As the story progresses, we learn more about her and some of the reasons behind her behaviour and attitude, but for me that just wasn't enough to redeem her in my eyes. One thing I really loved, though? The occasional glimpses into the twisted mind of the serial killer. They were incredibly well-written, thoroughly blood-chilling and shocking. 

    Overall this story is a total winner. Kate Brian's prose is nothing short of amazing - everything she describes feels too real, too convincing not to be totally freaked out. The author literally takes your hand and leads you straight into darkness, into world that is both intriguing and terrifying. Shadowlands is filled with sadness that wraps itself around you like a blanket and eventually breaks your heart into pieces. This mind-bender of a book is absolutely not to be missed.
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