Title: This Song Will Save Your Life
Author: Leila Sales
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Format: Hardcover, 288 pages
Release Date: September 17, 2013
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Source: ARC Received from publisher in exchange for honest review

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Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski’s strong suit. All throughout her life, she’s been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up. Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most importantly, a love for DJing.

Told in a refreshingly genuine and laugh-out-loud funny voice, THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE is an exuberant novel about identity, friendship, and the power of music to bring people together.


DJing is not something I know w lot about, and I will not pretend to know anything about. But I honestly think that we got a taste of it in this novel. I am not going to lie, when I saw the hype surrounding this book I was little skeptical, because hype almost always ruins books. And I didn't want to go into with super high expectations. But honestly I don't think it matter because I loved this book even more than I thought possible.

Elise is not a character that I have read before, only because she is desperately honest with us the readers, and you don't see that very much. I loved that it was like Elise was talking directly to us, trying to get us to understand why she has done what had done. And I thought it was a refreshing way to look at the struggles of feeling lost, or in Elise's case normal. Elise's voice was desperate yet understandable. I did not think I would relate to her, especially after her "incident" but I did. I felt for her and the struggles she dealt with on a daily basis.

I am a music junkie, so when I started reading and saw all the musical references I was ecstatic, and I thought it was a great way to get to know Elise, through her musical taste. And her get caught up in DJing was a bonus for me, because I learned so much about the culture and what so many people love it.

Friendship was a very big part of this book, not only because it was so hard for Elise to have any, but because of how easily she fit into the scene and gravitated towards certain people. In that atmosphere Elise found herself, and I loved reading that. Although not everything was sunshine and rose, very far from actually, this story felt extremely real and heartfelt. At certain moments in the story I felt my fingers gripping the book so hard that I lost the feeling in the tips of my fingers. I was emotionally invested before I knew what hit me, and for me that is a sign of an amazing writer.

This book is a must read for all contemporary lovers, and if you haven't had luck with this genre lately, this book will blow everything else out of the water. This book will change the way you look at the genre, and I guarantee you will compare all other books to this one. It was THAT good!

Title: Fire with Fire
Author: Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Format: Hardcover, 528 pages
Release Date: August 13, 2013
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Source: ARC provided from publisher in exchange for honest review

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What can I saw about this book that has not already been said. When I finished reading Burn for Burn I did not think this series could get any better, but well, it started and ended with such a bang. But man was I wrong. From the minute I opened Fire with Fire I knew that I was in for another roller-coaster ride of emotions, and oh was I excited.

We still follow Kat, Mary and Lillia through their last few months before new years, and seriously was it good. When I finished the first book I hated Rennie and Reeve and so when the three of them hatch a plan to make Reeve fall in love Lillia and break both Rennie and Reeve, I was SO on board. These two characters need to be put down a peg. But what I did not expect was for Reeve character to grow. I know it sounds weird, but I hate when you read a character in one book and hate them, and then in the second book you get a closer look at them and see a different side. And that is exactly what happened with Reeve. I started to like him, even after I tried very hard to hate his guts, Lillia's plan for him to fall in love with her, made me fall for him. And I had a really hard time with this because I did not want him to get hurt the way Kat and Mary wanted him too. I am telling, you was like tug of war with my EMOTIONS!

Also, the end??? WTH, I knew that there was something weird about Mary, especially after what happened at the end of the last book, but THIS? I was taken completely by surprise and I loved it! It made for such a great secondary plot and I seriously cannot wait for the next book to find out what will happen to her, and what will happen when Kat and Lillia find out the truth! AAHHHH it will amazing!

This was amazing, and if its even possible, it is 5x times better than the first book. This one made me care for things I never thought I would and made me question my perception of people. It was a great read and must read! Brilliant!

Title: Antigoddess
Author: Kendare Blake
Genre: YA, Mythology
Format: Hardcover, 33 pages
Release Date: September 10, 2013
Publisher: Tor Teen
Source: ARC received from publisher for honest review

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The Goddess War begins in Antigoddess, the first installment of the new series by acclaimed author of Anna Dressed in Blood, Kendare Blake.

Old Gods never die…

Or so Athena thought. But then the feathers started sprouting beneath her skin, invading her lungs like a strange cancer, and Hermes showed up with a fever eating away his flesh. So much for living a quiet eternity in perpetual health.

Desperately seeking the cause of their slow, miserable deaths, Athena and Hermes travel the world, gathering allies and discovering enemies both new and old. Their search leads them to Cassandra—an ordinary girl who was once an extraordinary prophetess, protected and loved by a god.

These days, Cassandra doesn’t involve herself in the business of gods—in fact, she doesn’t even know they exist. But she could be the key in a war that is only just beginning.

Because Hera, the queen of the gods, has aligned herself with other of the ancient Olympians, who are killing off rivals in an attempt to prolong their own lives. But these anti-gods have become corrupted in their desperation to survive, horrific caricatures of their former glory. Athena will need every advantage she can get, because immortals don’t just flicker out.

Every one of them dies in their own way. Some choke on feathers. Others become monsters. All of them rage against their last breath.

The Goddess War is about to begin.


I am sucker for anything having to do with Gods, Mythology and anything ancient. So when I saw what this book was about, I knew that it was way up my ally and I needed to read it. What I didn't expect was the level of storytelling and writing that I encountered. Unlike most, I have not read the Anna series, and honestly I don't know why. Kendare's writing is phenomenal in this book, and I can only imagine what her other is like.

What I love most about this type of story is the way it can be manipulated and changed in so  many different ways. I mean retelling of Greek myths have been around for centuries, but I honestly don't think that I have encountered one quite like this. Kendare took the gods that we know well, and made them human. And she took out human world and made it fantastical. it was amazing to read, and honestly I could not put this book down because the tension was so intense that I needed to know what happened next.

What I think I loved most about this story was the mixture of ancient characters with human ones. And I thought it was very original the way the gods were integrated into the story. They were not exaggerated versions of the people we have read about, they seemed real and "human" at times, even though their egos could get in the way.

The love story in this book was heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. There was no sexual tension because the two characters were already together, but it is what happens to them that effects their relationship and I loved watching them try and figure out what their true feelings were, especially when the big reveal happens.

I am not one for cliffhanger endings or ending that are incredibly sad, and I will warn you that this one has some of both. I wanted to throw the book again ts a wall at certain point at the end, I had to convince myself that the author would not be that mean, but in fact she was. But I commend her for it, because the more I thought about the more I realized that it was what needed to be done for the story to continue. And I seriously cannot wait to see where this series goes. It was a breath of fresh air in a genre that has grown tired.

Title: Starry Nights
Author: Daisey Whitney
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Fantasy elements
Format: Hardcover, 288 pages
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Source: ARC received from publisher for honest review

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Seventeen-year-old Julien is a romantic—he loves spending his free time at the museum poring over the great works of the Impressionists. But one night, a peach falls out of a Cezanne, Degas ballerinas dance across the floor, and Julien is not hallucinating.

The art is reacting to a curse that trapped a beautiful girl, Clio, in a painting forever. Julien has a chance to free Clio and he can't help but fall in love with her. But love is a curse in its own right. And soon paintings begin to bleed and disappear. Together Julien and Clio must save the world's greatest art . . . at the expense of the greatest love they've ever known.

Like a master painter herself, Daisy Whitney brings inordinate talent and ingenuity to this romantic, suspenseful, and sophisticated new novel. A beautifully decorated package makes it a must-own in print.


Starry Nights was a book that I was extremely excited to read for many reasons. One is was by Daisey Whitney, two has to do with art, and three it was set in Paris, which is by far my favorite place in the world. I went into this book with an open mind, and I will admit that i was disappointed.

I feel like my biggest issue in this book was the characters. Julien, our narrator was very one dimensional. We meet him when he has just been dumped by an American Girl and is now trying to move on. The we meet a whole slew of characters that appear and disappear just as fast as they appeared. I think there was just too much going on for me to follow the story properly. And once the secret of Julien being able to see the paintings come to life happened, I think that was it for me. It was just too much in one book.

Although I thought that seeing painting come to life was a turning point for me in this story, I did really enjoy the history the author put behind them. I really enjoyed getting a history of art while reading this story and honestly you would think it would be info dump after info dump but it wasn't. I felt completely at ease while reading about the stories behind some of histories most prized paintings. And I thought that the author did a very good job of incorporating said history into the story.

Another aspect I loved in this book was the mystery aspect that arrived near the end of the book. it was a great distraction from the rest of the story and I honestly wish it was more prominent in the story itself. Once that aspect of the story started i found myself flipping pages like it was no ones business. I wanted to know what happened at the end. And although the end was a bit cliche, it worked. And it was very sweet.

Overall, Starry Nights was a cute and easy read that will make anyone who loves art happy. The characters, although at times one dimensional, developed this story into a great mystery.

Title: Conjured
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Mystery
Format: Hardcover, 368 pages
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Source: ARC received by publisher for honest review

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Eve has a new home, a new face, and a new name—but no memories of her past. She’s been told that she's in a witness protection program. That she escaped a dangerous magic-wielding serial killer who still hunts her. The only thing she knows for sure is that there is something horrifying in her memories the people hiding her want to access—and there is nothing they won’t say—or do—to her to get her to remember.

At night she dreams of a tattered carnival tent and buttons being sewn into her skin. But during the day, she shelves books at the local library, trying to not let anyone know that she can do things—things like change the color of her eyes or walk through walls. When she does use her strange powers, she blacks out and is drawn into terrifying visions, returning to find that days or weeks have passed—and she’s lost all short-term memories. Eve must find out who and what she really is before the killer finds her—but the truth may be more dangerous than anyone could have ever imagined.


I am a sucker for magic. This has been true since I was little, so when I saw that Bloomsbury was putting a book about a girl who could do magical things and have no recollection of why she could, made me very intrigued.

I honestly did not know what I was getting into when I opened up this book. I did not expect to get what was written. The prose in this novel was above anything I have read. It was beautiful and poetic at times, but simplistic in others. I loved every second of reading this book because it got me lost in a way I never expected. Sarah Beth Durst is no stranger to writing, but this is the first book I have read from her, and i will tell you right now that I am a fan for life. Her ability to capture your attention with a line is brilliant. She is one talented woman.

What I loved about this book was its originality in combining two very different genre, mystery and magic. Following Eve on her journey to remember her past and how is trying to kill her was amazing. I never knew what was going to happen, and when you finally figured it out, it was probably the creepiest thing I have read, and it was great. I never saw the end coming and i honestly don't think anyone can because it is so out of convention that it made me question everything in the book.

I only had one issue and that was the romance. I understood its purpose and I loved the two of them together, but his acceptance of the magic was a bit hard to believe at times and i questioned is a teenage boy would actually feel that way a lot throughout the novel.

Overall this book blew all of my expectations out the window and I loved that. It turned convention on its head and made me read things I never expected. Sarah Beth Durst created a world unlike I have ever read, and probably will ever read. Fans of The Night Circus will devour this book in one sitting because it will take you on one wild ride that you won't soon forget.

Title: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown
Author: Holly Black
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Vampires
Format: Hardcover, 432 pages
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Publisher: Little Brown, Hachette
Source: ARC received from Publisher for honest review

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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. The only problem is, 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.


Vampires have not been my thing since Twilight blew up into a phenomenon that to this day still makes me cringe. But when I read the synopsis of The Coldest Girl in Coldtown I knew that would be very different from all the other vampire books. And I was right. I have not read a book quite like this one before. But sadly I did not enjoy it as much as I was hoping.

Tana is a young girl who lives in a world that encompasses both humans and Vampires. That in and of itself made me curious. The fact that vampirism was public and celebrated by some was a very interesting way of building a world, and I really liked it. But the awe inspiring world was shadowed by flat characters and too much descriptive writing.

At the beginning of the book I was engrossed more than I thought I would. The gruesome details and mystery aspect was high and I loved it. But everything seemed to fizzle and die after that. Tana, although a very independent character, which I loved, really had no relatable characteristic to her. I tried very hard to feel for her, but it was extremely hard. I found that the story was too much in her head. I was lost in her thoughts most of the time and I never got to see the girl outside of that. I wonder if there was more dialogue I would have liked her better because I believe that is where true characters are revealed. In the way that they interact with others.

The secondary characters were much the same, although I would have loved to have seen more of Gavriel because in my opinion he is the best character in the book. He is the one with the interesting background that deserves to be told. And to be honest I loved his relationship with Tana. The two of them are so different, yet have aspects of their lives that are utterly the same that it made for a great relationship. Aiden on the other hand meant nothing to me. I found him to be winy and unnecessary, in reality I don't understand why he was even in the book. He have no direct effect on the plot of the book and I found him to be very annoying, which made me hate his character even more.

Although the prose of this book was beautiful and complex I found that it was detached from the plot. I couldn't really connect with the characters or the events because I was too focused on what was being said and that was a big distraction. I wanted to feel the emotions of the characters, especially Tana, but that never happened and that was very frustrating because I absolutely loved the world that Holly Black created. Ms. Black has always been amazing at taking a genre that is well known and turning it on its head, and I give her credit for doing it once again in The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, but sadly that was one of the only aspects of the book that I loved.

If you love Vampire novels then this one is for you. If you are on the fence about this genre and are getting sick of hearing about them, then I would tread carefully here. Although the world is different from everything out there, it is still a vampire novel. This book was not for me, but honestly there are a lot of people who will love this book, so give it chance and see for yourself!

Title: The Beginning of Everything
Author: Robyn Schneider
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: ARC received by Publisher for honest review

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Golden boy Ezra Faulkner believes everyone has a tragedy waiting for them—a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. His particular tragedy waited until he was primed to lose it all: in one spectacular night, a reckless driver shatters Ezra’s knee, his athletic career, and his social life.

No longer a front-runner for Homecoming King, Ezra finds himself at the table of misfits, where he encounters new girl Cassidy Thorpe. Cassidy is unlike anyone Ezra’s ever met, achingly effortless, fiercely intelligent, and determined to bring Ezra along on her endless adventures.

But as Ezra dives into his new studies, new friendships, and new love, he learns that some people, like books, are easy to misread. And now he must consider: if one’s singular tragedy has already hit and everything after it has mattered quite a bit, what happens when more misfortune strikes?

Robyn Schneider’s The Beginning of Everything is a lyrical, witty, and heart-wrenching novel about how difficult it is to play the part that people expect, and how new beginnings can stem from abrupt and tragic endings.


What makes a good YA contemporary, is it the characters? the setting? or the combination of both? Well let me tell you that The Beginning of Everything has both great characters and great setting and it is probably one of my favourite YA contemporaries of the year.

Ezra was such a great character to read because of his past. Characters are always defined by what they have done and never by what they will do, and that is also another reason why I liked this book so much, but it showed that your past does not define you, especially in high school. Ezra used to have the perfect High School life, and then that was all shattered one night at a party where he was forever changed by two events, his girlfriend cheating, and the crippling car crash.

After the accident Ezra has to relearn his place in his school, and it is not where he thought it would be. His friends dismiss him and leave him wondering of they were ever really true friends. He sees a different side of them that he never knew existed and he doesn't like what he sees. But then he meets a new group of friends that change his perspectve, and a girl that teaches what love really feels like.

Ezra's relationships are the best part of this novel, especially his relationship with Cassidy. She is the complete opposite of Ezra in every way, but that doesn't stop him from falling for her. He learns the true meaning of friendship and is forever changed by the girl who would rather stand by the sidelines then be a part of something she didn't believe in.

The writing by Robyn Schynder is nothing short of amazing. She has amazing talent and honestly if you have never read anything from her, please do. It will change you. The Beginning of Everything will remind you how hard high school was and remind you that it is okay not to the person everyone thinks you should be. There is more out there. This is an amazing novel that needs to be read by many because it is brilliant in a way that I have never seen. it captivates a young mans struggles to fit in so well that as a reader, you actually believe it is happening to you. Breathtaking.

Title: Descendant
Author: Lesley Livingston
Genre: YA, Mythology
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: ARC provided by publisher for honest review

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The last thing Mason Starling remembers is the train crossing a bridge. An explosion . . . a blinding light . . . then darkness. Now she is alone, stranded in Asgard—the realm of Norse legend—and the only way for her to get home is to find the Spear of Odin, a powerful relic left behind by vanished gods.

The Fennrys Wolf knows all about Asgard. He was once trapped there. And he’ll do whatever it takes to find the girl who’s stolen his heart and bring her back—even if it means a treacherous descent into the Underworld. But time is running out, and Fenn knows something Mason doesn’t: If she takes up the Spear, she’ll set in motion a terrible prophecy. And she won’t just return to her world . . . she’ll destroy it.

In this pulse-pounding sequel to Starling, Lesley Livingston delivers another electrifying blend of nonstop action and undeniable romance that will leave readers breathless.


Whenever I pick up a Lesley Livingston book, whether it be about fairies, time travel, or norse mythology, I know it will be an amazing read, and I am so glad to tell you that Descendent was even more than I ever expected.

In Descendant we continue to follow Fenn and Mason has she travels to Asgard, alone and frightened about what just happened to her. Fenn is desperately trying to get her back but doesn't know how. He has to trust his friends in getting him into Asgard safely and getting Mason out without turning herself into the Valkyrie her father wants her to become.

I have to tell you right now that I loved this book, I think I read it in one day, on my two subway rides to and from work. I couldn't seem to put it down and after finishing it I declared that this book was better than the first. This is something I do not say often because most often it is not the case. In a trilogy it is usually the second book that usually sufferes in comparison, but not Descendant.

This sequel had way more mythological creatures which were both terrifying and amazing at the same time, and I found the cast of characters more interesting this time around. Especially a certain Norse god we meet near the beginning. He was one of my favourites of the whole book, even though his spotlight was only for a short time, I hope he is the next book? Lesley?

What I think I loved most about this book was the amount of perspectives we got in the narrative. We did not only get Fenn and Mason, but also her brothers and some friends as well. This made for interesting perspectives on a story that was somewhat one sided in the last book. And just to warn all you readers out there that hate cliffhanger endings? This one is a big one, and it was something i thought would never happen. And I commend Lesley on her ability to take the plot to a place that not all readers might be ready for, but ultimately needed to happen. I seriously cannot wait to see where this series ends.

Title: Omens
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Adult, Thriller, Paranormal
Format: Hardcover, 496 pages
Release Date: August 20, 2013
Publisher: Random House Canada

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Twenty-four-year-old Olivia Taylor Jones has the perfect life. The only daughter of a wealthy, prominent Chicago family, she has an Ivy League education, pursues volunteerism and philanthropy, and is engaged to a handsome young tech firm CEO with political ambitions.

But Olivia’s world is shattered when she learns that she’s adopted. Her real parents? Todd and Pamela Larsen, notorious serial killers serving a life sentence. When the news brings a maelstrom of unwanted publicity to her adopted family and fiancé, Olivia decides to find out the truth about the Larsens.

Olivia ends up in the small town of Cainsville, Illinois, an old and cloistered community that takes a particular interest in both Olivia and her efforts to uncover her birth parents’ past.

Aided by her mother’s former lawyer, Gabriel Walsh, Olivia focuses on the Larsens’ last crime, the one her birth mother swears will prove their innocence. But as she and Gabriel start investigating the case, Olivia finds herself drawing on abilities that have remained hidden since her childhood, gifts that make her both a valuable addition to Cainsville and deeply vulnerable to unknown enemies. Because there are darker secrets behind her new home, and powers lurking in the shadows that have their own plans for her.


I have always said my favourite author of all time is Kelley Armstrong, only because I have read pretty much everything she has every written, but also because of the stories and characters she writes. She has this was of creating everlasting characters and plots that resonate with a lot of readers. Me included. and I am happy to say that Omens continues the trend of perfection. It was a breath of fresh air for me, not only because it is an adult novel, but also because it was a story that I never expected to read. It was incredibly unique and amazing.

Omens follows Olivia, a privileged 20 something young woman who seems to have everything she could ever want. A fiancee that is good looking ad has money, an all the possibilities in the world. Until one day everything changes. Olivia finds out that she is the daughter of two very notorious serial killers; The Larsons. Now Olivia must face reality and figure out if she believes she was raised by killers or not.

What I love most about Kelley is her ability to hook a reader right from the beginning, and this book is no exception. I was hooked right from the Prologue, and I soon figured out anther of her talents. Melding two genres together. Although most of the novels reads like a mystery novel with Olivia looking into her parents past, it also has a very subtle paranormal element that reveals itself at times throughout the novel. I loved that these paranormal elements were hinted at but never explained, and it made me so intrigued by it that I cannot wait for her next in the series.

Omens is unlike anything I have read. It has everything I love in a novel, strong female who does not need a man to save her, a great mystery that stayed a mystery until the end, and a secret paranormal aspect that remains a mystery. I really cannot say anything bad about this book because I did not find anything that would be considered bad. The characters were strong and fleshed out, they were relate-able as well as mysterious. And the plot itself was amazingly well crafted. Fans of Kelley will love this novel but for those who have never read her before, what are you waiting for? She is a Canadian talent I am so proud to read, and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next!

Title: Asylum
Author: Madeleine Roux
Genre: YA, Horror
Format: Hardcover, 320 pages
Release Date: August 20, 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins

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Asylum is a thrilling and creepy photo-novel perfect for fans of the New York Times bestseller Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, New Hampshire College Prep is more than a summer program—it's a lifeline. An outcast at his high school, Dan is excited to finally make some friends in his last summer before college. But when he arrives at the program, Dan learns that his dorm for the summer used to be a sanatorium, more commonly known as an asylum. And not just any asylum—a last resort for the criminally insane.

As Dan and his new friends, Abby and Jordan, explore the hidden recesses of their creepy summer home, they soon discover it's no coincidence that the three of them ended up here. Because the asylum holds the key to a terrifying past. And there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Featuring found photos of unsettling history and real abandoned asylums and filled with chilling mystery and page-turning suspense, Madeleine Roux's teen debut, Asylum, is a horror story that treads the line between genius and insanity.


I am not one for horror movies, i refuse to see them and when certain trailers come on *cough* The Conjuring *cough* I tend not to watch. I hate the feeling of being scared, it is not a feeling I love so when I saw that HarperTeen was publishing a YA horror novel I deliberated for a very long time on whether I actually wanted to read it. It is one thing to watch something scary, but it a totally another beast all together when you let your imagination take over for the written word. And I will tell you now that Asylum was not a book I should have read alone, and at night. But I am so glad I did!

One of the many things I loved about Asylum was its choice of narrator. I found it very refreshing to see not only a guy narrating, but also a guy that loved knowledge and school in general. Too often we've been subjected to the typical "bad boy" and "misunderstood soul" characters that are so rampant in YA fiction. But in Asylum, the boys actually wanted to learn and were excited about it.

Another aspect I loved about this story was the build-up to the mystery behind the abandoned asylum. I thought it allowed for the pace of the book to speed up because I kept wondering what was going to happen next. I loved that the end surprised me, this is a big deal for me considering I spend a lot of my free time watching Criminal Minds and Castle and have developed a weird ability to figure out the end half way through. So the fact that I didn't figure it out is a plus for the author!

I also loved the characters, minor and main, because of the fact that they seemed real to me, Their reactions to certain situations were perfect and I found myself laughing out loud on more than one occasion because of the dialogue and the chemistry between characters. This is one of my favourites from the summer! It is definitely a must read for all horror and mystery fans!

Title: The Bone Season
Author: Samantha Shannon
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Format: Hardcover, 480 pages
Release Date: August 20, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

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It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing.

But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army.

Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives.

The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine—a young woman learning to harness her powers in a world where everything has been taken from her. It also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.


I am always weary when it comes to hype, if a book is called "brilliant" "outstanding" etc. I always think, "well it should blow my mind then," and then I get disappointed when it doesn't. So when I was told by many people at the Penguin Canada office to read The Bone Season because its the best thing they have ever read, I was hesitant but excited. And I will tell you right now, the hype was well deserved.

The Bone Season is hard to categorize for many reasons, many people think it should be YA, others think it should be Adult. To me it is in between. Although the main character is young, she is not young enough to be a young adult. Also, the subject matter is little intense, and honestly the writing style is above the young adult genre. Samantha Shannon has a extraordinary way with words and she has the ability to suck you into her world full of amazing powers and characters.

What I loved most about this novel was its originality and the way the world built upon itself the more you read. This is not a one sitting read, although I did finish it quite quickly. It is quite complex and deserves your full attention from beginning to end. The characters are well developed and the conflict was heart pounding, especially at the end. Although many are comparing this new series to Harry Potter, I find that quite wrong. With Harry potter the world grew with every book, and the characters grew with it. But in The Bone Season I think it is the way a series should start; strong and powerful. It is full of energy and action that will leave you turning the ages faster than you can read.

Now, I cannot write this review with mentioning Warden because he is seriously A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. Anyone who has already read this book will attest to my love for this man. He is complicated, tender, and incredibly sweet. I loved him from the moment him and Paige met. Their sexual tension was amazing and well built throughout the novel, and I won't say what happens but I can tell you I would love for Shannon to write the next book ASAP.

The Bone Season is for hardcore lovers of Fantasy who love a well built world full of fantastical things and characters. It is for people who want to read something that will take the world by storm and create a new set of obsessions for a new generation. This book is a must read for 2013. You will not be disappointed.

Title: The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls
Author: Anton DiSclafani
Genre: Adult, Literary Fiction
Format: Hardcover, 400 pages
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Canada
Source: ARC received by publisher for honest review

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It is 1930, the midst of the Great Depression. After her mysterious role in a family tragedy, passionate, strong-willed Thea Atwell, age fifteen, has been cast out of her Florida home, exiled to an equestrienne boarding school for Southern debutantes. High in the Blue Ridge Mountains, with its complex social strata ordered by money, beauty, and girls’ friendships, the Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls is a far remove from the free-roaming, dreamlike childhood Thea shared with her twin brother on their family’s citrus farm—a world now partially shattered. As Thea grapples with her responsibility for the events of the past year that led her here, she finds herself enmeshed in a new order, one that will change her sense of what is possible for herself, her family, her country.

Weaving provocatively between home and school, the narrative powerfully unfurls the true story behind Thea’s expulsion from her family, but it isn’t long before the mystery of her past is rivaled by the question of how it will shape her future. Part scandalous love story, part heartbreaking family drama, The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls is an immersive, transporting page-turner—a vivid, propulsive novel about sex, love, family, money, class, home, and horses, all set against the ominous threat of the Depression—and the major debut of an important new writer.

I am not one to gravitate towards adult novels, but there are certain ones that pull me in, and The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls was one of them. I received my review copy at the Penguin Canada Spring/Summer preview event, and it was one of the only piles of arcs that were not touched. I picked up the book, read the back and decided that I would give it a try. And I am so glad that I did, because I would have missed a breathtakingly beautiful novel.

Although the protagonist in this novel is only fifteen, this is far from a novel a fisteen year old girl should be reading. Set in the heart of The Great Depression, this story is heartbreaking and painful to read at times. It made me wonder if I could have survived during that time in history, and it made me wonder how our protaginist, Thea, did survive. She was sent to the Camp because of a unmentionable incident that happened earlier on in the year, and it threatened not only Theas repuation in society, but her families as well. This incident is hinted at throughout the novel, and I loved that the author reveal it to us through a series of small flashback that added so much tension to the story.

The best part of the novel was how true it was to its time period. Obviously I did not live through The Great Depression but I have family who did, and I thought the author did an amazing job at representing a very difficult time in history. I also loved that most of the confict came through the flashbacks, but also the letter correspondence  between Thea and her family, mainly her mother. This was the part that broke my heart the most because Thea just wanted approval from her parents that everything was going to be okay, and it was that lack of aprroval that lead her on a path that would shape the rst of her life.

During the progress of the novel we watch Thea grow up and make certain choices that are frowned upon by many, but they also made her into a different person. She grew up very fast at Yonahlosee and it was hard to read at times because she was only fifteen, yet after that year at the camp she seemed much too old. I really enjoyed this book, mostly for betrayal of a time period that was so foreign to my way of living and for making me invest in a character that, in the end, was not very likable. It was a great read. 

Title: The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die
Author: April Henry
Genre: YA, Thriller
Format: Hardcover, 244 pages
Release Date: June 11, 2013
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Source: eARC provided from publisher for honest review

Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD| Goodreads





“Take her out back and finish her off.”

She doesn’t know who she is. She doesn’t know where she is, or why. All she knows when she comes to in a ransacked cabin is that there are two men arguing over whether or not to kill her.

And that she must run.

In her riveting style, April Henry crafts a nail-biting thriller involving murder, identity theft, and biological warfare. Follow Cady and Ty (her accidental savior turned companion), as they race against the clock to stay alive.


I was really intrigued by this book for many reasons, because of the cover-I mean come on, it is so captivating, and because the content seemed very daring and interesting. The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die is a very interesting story that essentially left too much to be desired.

We first meet Cady when she wakes up in a cabin with two men who are about to kill her. She remembers nothing-not who she is or why she is in this situation. I thought teh story started off very strong, Cady seemed like a great character and the plot line was extremely fast paced. I thought it got even better near the middle when you start to question Cady as a narrator when certain events make you question her sanity. But after that, it seemed like everything when down hill.

I found the story itself, once it was revealed, to be a little unbelievable, especially when we find out why Cady was taken and why these men are after her. Every twist I saw coming and that might be because I watch too many episodes of Criminal Minds but it kind of ruined my reading experience. The secondary characters felt a little flat to me and I thought the "bad guys" were not portrayed that way at all. I was not as frightened of them as I wanted to be. I found them to be more stereotypical than anything else.

The end. Now normally in a thriller the end is where everything makes sense when it is revealed. But here I felt like it was rushed and too quick for me to take in. I mean it only took about 4 pages for the bad guy to be defeated and everything was all happy again. It just didn't make any sense to me. I wanted a lot more than what I received.