SPOOKTACULAR READS 2015

So like 3 years ago, I did this whole Spooktacular Reads Challenge here on Eli to the nth, where I read a certain amount of "spooky" books and reviewed them throughout the month of October.  I didn't have a large following, but it was fun for me and a couple of people did it too, so that was awesome.

Well in trying to keep my reading up, I've decided to bring this idea back,  I am going to be reading "spooky" books all throughout October and then posting the reviews during the last week, leading up to Halloween on the 31st.  But this is just a me thing, and I'm not really marketing it as a challenge.  But, if any of you want to grab the idea (I don't think it's an original on my part) and do it yourself, go ahead!

I am trying to not overload myself, so I have picked only four books I am planning on reading, one for each week that's left of October.  The books are a mix of supernatural/horror/thriller that I think will fit the bill for a Spooktacular Read.

 Bits & Pieces by Jonathan Maberry - This is the 5th book in the Rot & Ruin series, which I ADORE!  It fills in the gaps missing between Benny's adventures in the main books and what was happening in the world outside of his group.  Gotta love zombies during Halloween, and this is the ultimate zombie series!

 Slasher Girls & Monster Boys edited by April Genevieve Tucholke - Ever since I heard about this short story collection, I've been dying to read it (pun in no way intended lol).  It has some kick-ass contributors to the collection and it is all about scary things.  Perfect for Halloween, and I'll probably read this first since I only have until Saturday to finish!

 Asylum by Madeleine Roux - Halloween isn't complete without a good "haunted" house-esque story.  This has been on my shelf for a year, so I want to read it.  I have heard mixed reviews, but it definitely looks creepy to me; of course if I had to stay in an old sanatorium for summer camp I would get the HECK out of there!  

 Liar of Dreams by Libba Bray - I think this book will be terrifying!  With the first book, The Diviners, Bray managed to cultivate a story so creepy that I could only read it during the day.  So with the next book, I'm feeling this will be the case again.  I might have to read a synopsis on like Wikipedia, since it has been sooooooo long since The Diviners came out, but I think it won't matter once I'm trusted back into the story.

Those are my four choices for Spooktacular Reads!  There are a TON of different "spooky" stories out there, so it was definitely hard to pick, but I think I have a good little group all ready.

Let me know if you're doing your own Spooktacular reads in October, and come on back on Halloween for a surprise!  Happy haunting!

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Fallen (Review)

Title: Fallen

Editors(s): Lauren Kate

Edition: Paperback, 452 pages

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publication Date: September 28, 2010

Source: Bought from Barnes & Noble

Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Part of my Spooktacular Books Challenge

The Summary

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There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori. 

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move. 

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

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Another book I read for my Spooktacular Books Challenge, Fallen is a "fallen" angel story.  But with a twist.  Lauren Kate puts an interesting spin on the mythology of angels and demons, but without revealing too much forcing you to continue on in the series.  While I enjoyed the book, it wasn't my favorite.

Daniel wants nothing to do with her, Cam is trying to get her, and Luce is caught in between.  It starts out as that classic love triangle, but with the addition of taking place at a reform school.  Luce has been diagnosed with a mental disorder, and after the horrendous death of her kinda-boyfriend her parents send her to Sword & Cross to straighten out.  when she gets there the weird factor amps up, and all she know is that it has something to do with Daniel Grigori.

We spend much of the book following Luce through her day, and the weird stuff that happens with very little explanation as to why they're happening.  I do like the look into Luce's brain, but I wish there were more actions and less thinking about the actions.  Luce, while not a simpering female, isn't that strong of a protagonist.  She often makes poor decisions and allows things to happen to her.  But luckily, as the story evolves so does Luce, and at the end I feel she is on the cusp of really coming into her own.

The battle between good and evil doesn't come into play until the last third of the book, which is frustrating as you have tons of questions before then.  But the thing done right and what kept me interested through the whole thing were these shadows Luce keeps seeing.  They actually made the book really scary because every time they popped up something horrible happens.  I also liked the twist at the end, I wasn't expecting it and added another layer to the mystery that is Luce.  The writing itself is quick and well developed, which really saved the book for me.

Overall, not my favorite book, but it was enjoyable.  I definitely want to read Torment, the second book in the series, and then Passion and Fallen in Love, the third and fourth book respectively.  I would recommend Fallen to fallen angel lovers, romance lovers, or supernatural lovers.  It is worth the read!

Extras

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Final Rating

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Book Cover: 5/5 (I think it is gorgeous!)

Book Title: 3.5/5

Plot: 7/10

Characters: 8/10

Writing: 9/10

Ending: 7.5/10

Overall: 40/50: B-

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Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (Review)

Title: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side 

Editors(s): Beth Fantaskey
Edition: Paperback, 351 pages

Publisher: Graphia

Publication Date: January 18, 2010

Source: Bought from Books-A-Million

Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Read as part of my Spooktacular Books Challenge

The Summary

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The undead can really screw up your senior year ... 

Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. 

Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion
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One of my many awesome bargain purchases, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side had been sitting on my shelf for a bit.  I think I was tuckered out of the many, many vampire books I had read; and after Twilight I was hesitant to read a vamp story more romantic than scary.  But then I decided to do my Spooktacular Books Challenge, and thought that it would be a perfect opportunity to read a few of the books that have been sitting.

I'm glad I picked this one!  Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side was a great book!  I was entertained the whole time, laughing out loud and arguing with the characters all at the same time.  Beth Fantaskey did an excellent job of mixing the romance with the danger, and that is the one thing that I really loved.

I loved the characters of Jessica and Lucius!  Jessica wasn't a simpering damsel, in fact she thinks Lucius AND her parents are crazy for believing he's a vampire!  Lucius is a wonderfully snarky, stubborn, and romantic man with the best intentions, but of course you don't realize that yet.  When they get together in scenes, the writing is awesome, as the chemistry pours off the page.  Obviously, they don't get along at all at first.  Lucius was raised as royalty, and vampire royalty at that.  He is used to geting his way, and by the ladies wanting to please him.  Jessica was raised by anthropologists who live on a farm in the middle of no-where, eat weird vegan food, and are all lovey-dovey believe in yourself!  Opposites do not attract!  But then Lucius realizes he needs to really learn who Jessica is, and they start falling for each other!

Jessica's Guide is a romantic and funny read.  But Fantaskey doesn't let it go all squishy.  It contains a good creep factor, and a layer of violence.  I think these two thing are important, especially when dealing with vampires!  They are otherworldly creature who need your blood to live!  THEY ARE SCARY!  The fact that Lucius has to fight against this and what he was raised to do is the aspect I love the most about him.  Their love never reads false, and matures in a natural way.  The pacing is great that way, and we learn what is up with the whole deal in a good amount of time.  That's one of my pet peeves wiht some books, not telling the reader what the heck is going on until the end of the book, but Fantaskey avoids this which earns her bonus points!

I really recommend this book, for both the lovers of Twilight and the lovers of traditional vamps!  I can't wait to read Jessica Rules the Dark Side, the sequel to Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, which comes out in January 2012.  Go pick up your copy at your local bookstore, and get ready to be entertained!

Extras

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Read a excerpt of Jessica's Guide to the Dark Side & it's sequel, Jessica Rules the Dark Side, which comes out next year.  There is also a short story of Lucius' and Jessica's wedding on Beth Fantaskey's website, which connects the two books together!!

Final Rating

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Book Cover: 4/5

Book Title: 3/5

Plot: 9/10

Characters: 9.5/10

Writing: 9/10

Ending: 8.5/10

Overall: 43/50: B

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Rot & Ruin (Review)

Title: Rot & Ruin 

Editors(s): Jonathan Maberry
Edition: Hardcover, 458 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Publication Date: October 5, 2010

Source: Purchased from Barnes & Noble

Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

The Summary

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In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

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Rot & Ruin was an amazing read!  Intense and scary; just what you want out of a zombie book.  This is a world I never want to live in, and that is a compliment.  The pacing was great, there was so much tension, and I got scared for the characters all the time.  This was the perfect book to read for my Spooktacular Books Challenge!

Okay, so the plot and world building was the best part.  Immediately, the reader gets sucked into the story because Maberry does an amazing job of setting the pace.  Reading the first line, "Benny Imura couldn't hold a job, so he took to killing.", you just have to read on.   Even in the "quiet" moments there is a hint of urgency.  The fact that there are zombies right outside the fence of Mountainside in the great Rot & Ruin was always known (And isn't that a terrific name for the wasteland that is America?) no matter what was going on in the story.

The plot develops quickly, with Maberry always eluding to a bigger mystery.  There are a bunch of cracks leading from the main plot that all circle back around during one point or another.  It was great, because as soon as I thought I had it figured out, something else would splinter.  To make a book like this work, that surprise and tension is needed, otherwise it would have come off as slightly silly in some places.

The world building is masterful.  As the reader moves through the book, she is told more and more about the places and people living in this new America.  And each detail builds such a clear picture in your mind that it's like a movie playing.  The differences between Mountainside and the Rot & Ruin are great.  Both places are painted in a certain light, but as you move through the book that light switches, so you never really know where you're safe!

Rot & Ruin is now on my list of favorite books for good reason.  It was so captivating that I wanted more.  Luckily, the second book, Dust & Decay, is out and I have it waiting on me at my local bookstore.  If you're looking for a scary read for Halloween, have an interest in zombies, or just want a really good book, then go check out Rot & Ruin!  You'll love it!

Extras

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Check out some great bonus content from Rot & Ruin here

Final Rating

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Book Cover: 5/5

Book Title: 5/5

Plot: 9/10

Characters: 8.5/10

Writing: 9/10

Ending: 9/10

Overall: 45.5/50: A-

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In My Mailbox (28)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren and inspired by one of her friends, Alea of Pop Culture Junkie where we get to post about the books we receive each week through publishers/authors, our own purchases, contests won, and libraries.

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Welcome to Random House's Teen Book Community!
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Book Reviews!
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1st Reading Challenge!
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FTC Disclaimer: Some of the items you see may have been given to me as a gift or are from giveaways I have won from other bloggers. None of the authors/publishing companies/or other bloggers mentioned are paying me for this video or even know their items may be shown. All opinions are my own and this is a 100% non-sponsored video.

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Teaser Tuesday (21): Better Late than Never!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following!

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share a few teaser sentences from somewhere on that page.
• MAKE SURE NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (you don't want to give too much away and ruin the book for other readers)
• Share the title and author too, so that other readers can add your book to their TBR list if they like your teaser!
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  Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
  
  

  
  

       The Lost Girl's eyes held infinite answers, but he couldn't hear a word.  He sighed, tucked the card into his pocket, and headed into the house.
  
  

       Fifteen minutes later Tom tried to kill Benny with a sword.

  (page. 167)

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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  I've started reading this for my Spooktacular Books Challenge (you guys should join up with this!) as my required zombie book.  I have to say that the world building is amazing so far, and the pacing is quick.  I started it this morning and I'm almost done!  Definitely should check it out!

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Evernight (Review)

Title: Evernight (Evernight #1)

Editors(s): Claudia Gray
Edition: Paperback, 327 pages

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: May 1, 20o8

Source: Bought from Barnes and Noble

Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

                          Part of my

The Summary

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She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.

Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.

"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would." 

But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion
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I won Afterlife by Claudia Gray from a stop on the Dark Days of Supernatural tour earlier this year.  As it is the fourth book in the Evernight series, I went and bought the first three, Evernight, Stargazer, and Hourglass to be able to read it.  But then it sat and sat and sat on my shelf.  So when I started my Spooktacular Books Challenge I figured it would be the perfect opportunity to read the series.  And I can't believe I waited this long because Evernight was amazing!

It started out with action right away.  Bianca runs away from Evernight Academy, which instantly makes the reader start questioning, and you never stop!  The plot is what really makes the book great.  You think you know what's going  and then BAM everything switches.  The way that Gray did this was genius and the only way you saw it coming was if you knew about the series.  Seriously, I didn't see the switch coming at all and that's all I can say without spoiling it!

Bianca (I love that name by the way) is a great protagonist.  I think she's funny, sweet, a little sarcastic, but full of strength.  I would love to be her friend because she is faithful and protective.  The connection she shares with Lucas feels organic.  Everyone always complains about "insta-love", but that isn't what this is.  Gray writes the relationship exactly how I remember feeling at 17.  Yes, Bianca and Lukas have a connection and it feels so large and engrossing that they never want to be apart.  But what Gray does right is write the fights and the distance that can happen.  This is what makes the "insta-love" real for me, as a reader who hates "insta-love" (ala Twilight though, so that makes sense).

All I can say is that I am really happy I have the next three books in the series, because I can't wait to see what happens with all the stuff you learn in Evernight!  If you are looking for a really great supernatural romance, then pick up Evernight.  You'll become hooked!

Extras

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Final Rating

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Book Cover: 3/5

Book Title: 4.5/5

Plot: 9/10

Characters: 8.5/10

Writing: 9/10

Ending: 8.5/10

Overall: 42.5/50: B

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