REVIEW: Cirque Du Freak series as a whole By: Darren Shan

Cirque Du Freak
By: Darren Shan

Synopsis from A Living Nightmare

Darren Shan and his best friend, Steve, get tickets to the Cirque Du Freak, a wonderfully gothic freak show featuring weird, frightening half human/half animals who interact terrifyingly with the audience. In the midst of the excitement, true terror raises its head when Steve recognizes that one of the performers-- Mr. Crepsley-- is a vampire!

Stever remains after the show finishes to confront the vampire-- but his motives are surprising! In the shadows of a crumbling theater, a horrified Darren eavesdrops on his friend and the vampire, and is witness to a monstrous, disturbing plea. As if by destiny, Darren is pulled to Mr. Crepsley and what follows is his forrifying descent into the dark and bloody world of vampires.

This is Darren's story. 

Review:
Prior to a friends boyfriend telling me about this series I had never heard of it. Read the synopsis and was like eh another vampire book, then my best friend told me how much he loved this series. Keep in mind he doesnt read. So I said screw it and picked the first one up.

Darren Shan did a fantastic job with this series. Not only did he take a different twist on vampires, he created this amazing little world that kept me coming back for more. I loved the characters so much, and his writing style was awesome.

Couple things I didnt enjoy was there were a few filler books in my opinion[but thats not a huge deal], and well I wasnt a fan of the ending. The last book kinda seemed like a cop out to me. Yes some things he touched on in Sons Of Destiny was cool and interesting to learn about, but I didnt leave satisfied. There were still questions I felt werent totally answered. He could have wrapped this series up in such a better way without me going Uh wtf..

All in all I found this series short, fast, and a good read.

Review: Alice in Zombieland By: Gena Showalter

Alice in Zombieland
By: Gena Showalter
 Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real….

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….


I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently.
I'd tell my sister no.
I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad.
I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words.
Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mom and my dad one last time.
I'd tell them I love them.
I wish... Yeah, I wish

Review:
The idea was fantastic. The writing was amazing! I loved this book. I loved our characters so much. I didnt pick this up for so long until the magical day I heard its not alice in wonderland. Yes theres her name Alice.. and the white rabbit, but besides that nothing is alike. I cannot wait to finish this series. Its fantastic. Im hoping the next books live up to this and continue getting better.

Review: The Darkest Minds By: Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds
By: Alexandra Bracken
 When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government "rehabilitation camp." She might have survived the mysterious disease that's killed most of America's children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she's on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her-East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can't risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

Review:
Love this. Love the idea. It was  fun intense read. The road trip aspect of it was fantastic. I loved the characters. I loved the world. It was funny, sad, and plainly just intelligent. I think she set this world up very nicely. Yes in some areas I was a little bored, but I think this is a great first book to what may become an insanely amazing series.

Review: Shatter Me Series By: Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me Series
By: Tahereh Mafi
Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Review:
I went into this series extremely unsure. So many mixed reviews, so I decided im ganna go into this thinking its ganna suck. Well to my surprise I liked it.
At first I found Juliette very annoying, but then thinking about it if that was my situation Id most likely annoy the pants off myself too. With each book she grew and became so much better. Much more enjoyable to  follow and be apart of her strange little world. wasnt expecting the ending of book one at all. I really was expecting something completely different, but it wasnt to bad of a twist I guess you could say.

The world building well sucked in my opinion,but I can over look it due to it seems like a much more character driven book. Now with the love triangle.. lets just say you'll have to read the series and make your choice... Im still totally on the fence about the two boys. I found the last two books funny.
Only thing I really dis like was when she tended to repeat a thought. Example I hate myself I have myself I hate myself.  Ya really annoyed me.

All in all I did like this series even with its faults. I would recommend them but HIGHLY suggest getting to the second book before throwing it down and giving up. Yes, it isnt for everyone but honestly no one book is meant for every single person in the world.

Review: Hex Hall Series By: Rachel Hawkins

Hex Hall
By: Rachel Hawkins
Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.
By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.
As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.
 
Review:
I had fun reading this. I kept wanting to see what happen next. Maybe Its cause I really love the whole supernatural boarding school type thing with the nice hint of mystery. I found it to be fun and light read. I loved the characters, Sophia was so funny I kept catching myself laughing at the things she said or did. Love her.. I loved the little bit of mystery it had to it. Of course theres the love triangle... Seems to be all the rage in YA yet authors arent catching on that the love triangles are getting old.

Anyways if you enjoy supernatural, boarding schools, and sassy/funny characters. This is for you. Its fantastic and I would recommend this highly!!!

REVIEW: Castor Chronicles series in a whole By: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Castor Chronicles
By: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
 Synopsis of Beautiful Creatures book 1
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Review:
First, Love those covers! I enjoyed this series. Yes wasnt the best written, story wasnt as solid as it could have been, world building wasnt great and yes Lena was kinda annoying and whiny. Really though if you were Lena, a teenage witch, and you got the news she got would you be all sunshine and happy? No most likely not. Looking back at the teen years, well we all tended to be dramatic over little silly things. Her stuff is way more serious. There were parts of these books where I was sitting there going Uhh wait what and had to re read. Some of it just didnt make sense. But I did enjoy it. Definitely wouldnt be on my must read list but I did like the world and the characters.. most the time.

REVIEW: Cinder By: Marissa Meyer

Cinder

By: Marissa Meyer
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future


Review:
Honestly, I avoided this first book for so long. First thought.. Ehh Cyborgs... UH yeah no. Well walked into a used book store and bam Cinder and Scarlet brand new copies sitting there staring at me. So I picked them up and walked around going ehh do I really want them.. The lady working comes up and goes you gotta read them. They are fantastic!! Pretty much a nice intro into sci fi. Well now we know what happen.. They came home with me.

First, love retellings so much but hot dang this one was so so so much more. and so much fun. I flew through it. When I had to set it down I couldnt stop thinking about it. There were so many fun twists it kept it fun and exciting. Of course you feel bad for Cinder and the crap she has to go through but then you see shes pretty bad ass. The characters just wow. In. Love. I did keep forgetting we were in New Beijing though but besides that the technology she includes in the story was awesome. We'll just say I adore her writing style so much. It was a fast fantastic story and I can not wait to finish this series. I now understand the hype and this book deserves every ounce of hype it has gotten. Keep doing your thing Marissa Meyer cause you're a total BOSS at writing.

DOUBLE REVIEW- Born Wicked and Star Cursed By: Jessica Spotswood

Born Wicked
By: Jessica Spotswood 
Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.



That cover is OHHHMEEGERDDD beautiful. Saw that, read the synopsis and that beauty came home with me. I very much enjoyed the story. It was realistic, the action, speech and the emotion was done in such a great manor that you could feel it. I flew through this book!! AHH the secrets, the secrets unraveling, the love story. Wow such a good witch book [yes ill admit i havent read many but this one was so fun and intense-ish] Thats all im saying because I dont wanna reveal anything out of the second book, but yes LOVED these two books in this series so freaking much. My childish insides are saying I want the 3rd one already! Give me Give me!


Only down fall.... ya look at the cover of Star Cursed... Uhh what the heck were you guys thinking with cover change... Born Wicked had such an enchanting gorgeous cover... and then you switch to that? Yes still pretty but not as fabulous as Born Wicked. Oh well I buy the books for the words, not the covers haha
Star Cursed
By: Jessica Spotswood
With the Brotherhood persecuting witches like never before, a divided Sisterhood desperately needs Cate to come into her Prophesied powers. And after Cate's friend Sachi is arrested for using magic, a war-thirsty Sister offers to help her find answers—if Cate is willing to endanger everyone she loves.

Cate doesn't want to be a weapon, and she doesn't want to involve her friends and Finn in the Sisterhood's schemes. But when Maura and Tess join the Sisterhood, Maura makes it clear that she'll do whatever it takes to lead the witches to victory. Even if it means sacrifices. Even if it means overthrowing Cate. Even if it means all-out war.

In the highly anticipated sequel to Born Wicked, the Cahill Witch Chronicles continue Cate, Maura and Tess's quest to find love, protect family, and explore their magic against all odds in an alternate history of New England

REVIEW: The Graveyard Book By: Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book
By: Neil Gaiman 
In this Newbery Medal-winning novel, Bod is an unusual boy who inhabits an unusual place—he's the only living resident of a graveyard. Raised from infancy by the ghosts, werewolves, and other cemetery denizens, Bod has learned the antiquated customs of his guardians' time as well as their ghostly teachings—such as the ability to Fade so mere mortals cannot see him.
Can a boy raised by ghosts face the wonders and terrors of the worlds of both the living and the dead? And then there are being such as ghouls that aren't really one thing or the other.



Review:
Lets start by saying how freaking amazing this idea was! So stinking good and the way he did it was so awesome. Yes this book gets lots of hype, but come on good things deserve good words.
It took me a little longer to read it, no doesnt mean I didnt like it.. more or less means I enjoyed the world and the characters. I wanted to make it last. I loved Bods story, watching him grow up and following him in his little adventures. I dont even know what to say about this book but I LOVED IT.
The author did such an amazing job with the story. I like how he wrapped it up, it was a very good ending to a great and unusual story.

REVIEW: Howls Moving Castle By: Diana Wynne Jones

Howls Moving Castle
By: Diana Wynne Jones
Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye



Review:
The world, story, heck everything was fantastic!!
I loved the characters so much. They all mixed so well together, their personalities were so good and funny.

My only issue was, in my opinion, was there seemed to be some filler chapters. Other then that it was so good. Most likely would have been way better if i was younger, but still it was so magical. Like come on who wouldnt love a moving castle, a drama queen wizard, a door with more then one exit and a talking flame in the fire place. The author wrapped this book up so perfectly. I loved how everything came together in the end. I say take a leap into this creative mind behind this book and read it!!!