Beyond: A Ghost Story by Graham McNamee (Review)

Genre:	Young Adult, Paranormal, Ghosts, Thriller, Horror
Publication Date:	September 11th 2012
Pages:	226
Published By:	Wendy Lamb Books
Website	Graham McNamee
	Beyond: A Ghost Story on Goodreads
My review copy:	Received from Evie :]

Where to get:

Jane is not your typical teen. She and her best friend Lexi call themselves the Creep Sisters. Only Lexi knows why Jane is different from anyone else: Her own shadow seems to pull her into near-fatal accidents. Jane is determined to find out why these terrifying things happen, and to overcome her shadow enemy. Her sleuthing with Lexi connects her own horrors to the secret history of a serial killer.

(Goodreads)

After yesterday's hospital checkup, Dad caught me trying to break out in my sleep last night. He says I got pushy this time, shoving him out of the way before I woke up with a heart-stopping shock on the front lawn.

Get used to it, you're a celebrity. A living, breathing magic trick. You danced with death, wrestled with the Reaper. And won.

The day I died the sun was shining and the sky was blue as a dream.

Nowhere is safe anymore. Can't even hide away at home, in my own room.

     This book had a lot of promise, however, I couldn't give it more than three stars. I love the idea and the concept behind the book. However, I just couldn't love the actual book. I liked the book. But I am not sure if I would reread it. I would give the author another shot, because like I said, there is a lot of promise.

     Jane is afraid of her own shadow. Can you imagine ever being afraid of your own shadow? I liked the concept of this. I did want to keep my lights on after reading this novel. But I just couldn't connect with Jane. There was something about her that was off and it took me a while to figure it out. McNamee is a male. What do men really know about being a teenage girl? I feel like Jane was too much of a young boy rather than a girl. I think that if McNamee had made his protagonist in a male POV, I think I would  have connected A LOT BETTER.

     McNamee's writing style is very unique. It's short and choppy and definitely leaves an impression on you after reading. I very much enjoyed his style. Does it need some work, absolutely, but hardly anything is perfect, right?

     Like I said, I will definitely be keeping a lookout for more by McNamee and I did enjoy this book, I just wish the protagonist was from a male point of view because I think it would have worked out way better than the character of Jane. If you're in the mood for a hauntingly, creepy book for the Halloween season, definitely check it out. Just pretend Jane's a boy. ;P

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The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson (Review)

 

Series:	Shades of London #1
Genre:	Young Adult, Paranormal, Horror, Mystery, Ghosts, Historical Fiction, Thriller
Publication.Date:	September 29, 2011
Pages:	372 (hardcover)
Published By:	Putnam Juvenile
Website:	Maureen Johnson
	The Name of the Star on Goodreads
My review copy:	Purchased

Where to get:

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.
(Goodreads)

The words NEW RIPPER? flashed across the screen over a panoramic shot of Big Ben and Parliament. It was as if the news itself wanted to reassure me. Even Jack the Ripper himself had reappeared as part of the greeting committee.

Gators are just something you have to accept where I come from. Most don't go anywhere near the houses, even though there are lots of delicious children and dogs there. Every once in a while, though, an alligator has a lightbulb moment and decides to take a stroll and see the world a bit. One day when I was eight or so, I opened the back door, and I saw this thing way at the end of the yard. I remember thinking it was a big black log - so, of course, I went down to look at it, because what's more exciting than a big black log, right? I know. Children are stupid.

For the next hour, we went around the National Gallery assessing butts. There are  a lot of name butts in classical paintings. Big, proud, classical butts everywhere, sometimes draped with a little cloth for flavor. We favored the bigger butts with the most detail. We gave points for best cracks, best dimpling, and best smiley curvature around the upper thigh. We differed on only one issue: I liked the reclining butts, Jerome like the action butts. Butts leading people into battle, butts about to get on a horse, butts giving speeches, butts looking dramatic. Those were his kind of butts. I liked the way the more relaxed butts squished on one side, and the cheeky over-the-shoulder look most of their owners gave. "Behold," they seems to say. "Amazing, isn't it?"

Reviewer note: Rory, Jazza, and Boo are dressed up as Zombie Spice Girls for Halloween

"Tell me what you ant, what you really, really want," he said.

We had been planning for someone to ask us that.

"Braiiinnnnssss," we said in unison.

"It's both sad and incredibly impressive that you were all ready with that one."

"Fear can't hurt you," she said. "When it washes over you, give it no power. It's a snake with no venom. Remember that. That knowledge can save you."

     Ever since Anastasia came out in 1997, I've had this habit of reading anything (everything) that has to do with the main subject of a fictional movie (that's based off true events or an individual) and developing a mini-obsession. I did this with quite a few films, including Titanic, Marie Antoinette, The Duchess, and From Hell. Sometimes these obsessions wane (Marie Antoinette, Georgiana Cavendish, Jack the Ripper) and sometimes they are stick around (Anastasia Romanova and Titanic). Every once and while though, a book/movie will come out that re-sparks my interest in some of these waning topics. I've had The Name of the Star on my TBR list for a while, but after Joe read From Hell by Alan Moore and watched the movie again, I had to move this novel up and incorporate it into our Spook-tastic Bookish Halloween.

     Maureen definitely starts off on the right foot. Even before we meed any of our characters, we come across the first victim. Just like that. I love when authors throw us into the thick of things right away. "Hey thanks for reading my book. *boom* Here's a dead body!" Of course, after this Maureen takes things easy. She does an excellent job of building the story. We get to know Rory (before her encounters with ghost), her classmates, the school, and all those little details. It was nice to see her living a normal existence before she was thrown into the world of paranormal. So while it was a slow beginning, I enjoyed it.

     I liked Rory instantly. I already knew she was brave/tough as she opted to spend her senior year not in Louisiana with her friends, but in England while her parents were on sabbatical in Bristol. Major points for that alone. She is also very smart and witty girl, with her humor bleeding into her thoughts - both spoken and unspoken. What made her truly believable is that she had a rough time adjusting to the English school system. Not only that, but she wasn't immediately adopted into the "popular" group, nor was she deemed "unworthy." She made friends easily and became very close with her roommate, Jazza, whom I also loved.

     I found the characters to all be believable and likeable, well the ones we were supposed to like anyway. Even the minor characters become well defined and real in my eyes. Especially Jo. We see so little of Jo, but she is easily one of my favorite characters.

     The romance is so minor it seems almost silly to mention it. While Jerome has the appeal of being an English boy - who doesn't love a good accent? - all I really view him as is somebody for Rory to make out with every now and then. There's a small budding (high school) romance, but that's it. I'm not sure if this is something Maureen plans to explore more in the sequels, but I won't be heartbroken if this is all we get from these two.

     As far as the killer goes, I'm flip-flopping. The motive was iffy at best. However, when dealing with somebody who is killing innocent people Jack the Ripper style, does it really matter if we get a legit motive or not? Clearly, they're insane. Let's also consider who they're emulating. Can we really fault the killer for a lame motive, when the (wo)man being emulated didn't have a motive her/himself? At least not that we know of anyway. Yes, I'm insinuating that Jack the Ripper could have truly been Jacqueline the Ripper.

     Maureen did a fabulous job taking this infamous moment in British history and making it something new and fresh. She obviously did her research on the topic and completely delved into it, providing even the reader with the most basic Ripper knowledge a footing to stand on. Not only that, she took the ghost concept to a whole new level. While I've come across ghosts novels of a similar concept, she tweaked it just enough that it was her own.

     If you're looking for an eerily, ghostly read, this is definitely something you should pick up. The dialogue is perfect, the scenery described wonderfully, and the plot intriguing. The ending, while not a cliffhanger, is just enough of a tease that you'll start yelling "Somebody get it The Madness Underneath, stat!"

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Once A Witch by Carolyn MacCullough (Review)

Genre:	Young Adult, Paranormal, Witches, Science Fiction, Fantasy
Publication Date:	September 14th 2009
Pages:	292
Published By:	Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Website	Carolyn MacCullough
	Once A Witch on Goodreads
My review copy:	Received from Evie :]

Where to get:

Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches, and she was supposed to be one of the most Talented among them. But Tamsin's magic never showed up. Now seventeen, Tamsin attends boarding school in Manhattan, far from her family. But when a handsome young professor mistakes her for her very Talented sister, Tamsin agrees to find a lost family heirloom for him. The search—and the stranger—will prove to be more sinister than they first appeared, ultimately sending Tamsin on a treasure hunt through time that will unlock the secret of her true identity, unearth the sins of her family, and unleash a power so vengeful that it could destroy them all. This is a spellbinding display of storytelling that will exhilarate, enthrall, and thoroughly enchant.

(Goodreads)

I was born on the night of Samhain, when the barrier between the worlds is whisper-thin and when magic, old magic, sings its heady and sweet song to anyone who cares to hear it.

“Then one last thought tugs at me, so I turn back.

"So why did you name me Tamsin?" I ask. "You always promised to tell me later. Even though, technically, it's earlier."

My grandmother's smile flickers, deepens.

"It's how you introduced yourself to me tonight. I just assumed that's what you wanted to be named."

“Okay," I gasp. "I can't really breathe, but other than that, okay."

"Breathing's overrated," Gabriel advises me."I'm discovering that right about now with this damn tie."

“You and I are more alike than you think,” Alistair says.

“I don't see that at all,” I say.

“Besides the fact that we both lied about our names,” I add."

What's so great about this book is the fact that Tamsin is a witch that's not a witch. She was born into this powerful and talented witch family and she is talentless and not powerful. It was awesome connecting with a character that had struggles fitting in with her family because I think a lot of us come into that problem at least once in their lifetime.

I really loved the essence I got from when reading this novel. MacCullough does a wonderful job and giving us a little bit of everything a teenager would go through and weaving in a beautiful essence of magic and time travel. The dialogue I felt was mature enough for  young adults and adults to understand and relate to, yet at the same time it wasn't too mature that you didn't think it was coming from a teenager. If that makes any sense at all.

The characters are all great. I mean for the story. Obviously I like others more than some within the book. I just mean that MacCullough does a great job giving the characters depth and personality. I loved Tamsin and Alistair. Gabriel wasn't a big hit for me. At times I just wanted to punch him.

I'm really looking forward to reading the sequel. I've always been a fan of witchcraft and sorcery and I am so happy I have finally read this story! It's a definite interesting and quick read that can easily be done within one sitting if you have the time to. This novel seriously has a little bit of everything and is weaved in with magic and fantasy. I think parts of it could have been edited or rewritten a bit but all-in-all it is a great first book in a series!

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Unbreathable by Hafsah Laziaf (Interview & Giveaway)

Genre:	Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopian, Romance
Publication Date:	October 29th 2013
Pages:	379
Published By:	Hybrid Fiction
Website	Hafsah Laziaf
	Unbreathable on Goodreads

Where to get:

One hundred and fifty years ago, Earth was destroyed, and the remaining humans fled to the dusty red planet of Jutaire, where the only oxygen is manufactured, food is scarce, and death strikes often.

When Lissa's father discovers Earth still exists, she accidentally inhales the toxic air of Jutaire, and in one breath, discovers she isn't quite human.

Her father hangs for his discovery, and Lissa knows the Chancellors will come for her, for she saw the Earth that night too. With nothing to lose, she sets out to expose the truth. It isn't long before she meets Julian, a beautiful boy who can breathe the toxic air like she can - and shows her that the Jute, the original inhabitants of the planet, are more tangled in their lives than she knows.

But the Chancellors are only pawns in a greater game - one where the Jute control everything. Worse, the Jute plan to leave Jutaire for Earth, but to get there, they need her. And they'll stop at nothing until Lissa is in their clutches, even if they kill every human in the process.

The race for Earth has begun.

Unbreathable is a tale of love, redemption, and sacrifice, and one girl's struggle to find her place in a world where she doesn't belong.

(Goodreads)

What inspired you to write UNBREATHABLE?

Unbreathable was inspired by it's ex-first line: They search for Earth everyday. I never set out to write a space story, but when I sat and brainstormed lines that had never been used before, lines that could make someone sit up straighter, this was what came to mind.

Were there high times and low times during your writing process?

Hmm, not really! Unlike my other manuscripts, UNBREATHABLE was easy to write - the story never stopped flowing. 

Where do you do your best writing?

In bed. On my cell phone. In the dark. Really! But it might change. That was how the process was for UNBREATHABLE though.

What is your favorite thing about Halloween and why?

Candy! Chocolate! Must I give you a reason?

What are your favorite thing(s) to do during the fall season?

Oh, I love fall. Mostly because of the gorgeous weather and pretty clothing. My favorite thing would have to be hunting for fall desserts and making them. 

What is your favorite Halloween candy, fall drink, and fall food/desert?
I don't have a favorite candy, though I do prefer chocolate to candy. I don't have a favorite fall drink either. But fall food? Anything with pumpkin/pumpkin spice. Mmmmm.

What is your favorite book to read around the Halloween season?

I don't celebrate Halloween, so there's nothing specific. But this Halloween, I'm pretty sure I'll be reading ALLEGIANT, along with readers' reactions to UNBREATHABLE - which releases just two days before!

So, since I haven't been able to write the review for this book yet. I have decided to postpone the review at a later date (probably November or something) and instead for today I will be giving away 3 e-book copies of Unbreathable! This is my treat to you guys! So, enter the rafflecopter below and possibly win one of the 3 copies!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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