KEEP CALM AND LOVE BOOKS: ghost

Pages: 442 pages

Publication Date: June 14th 2011

Publisher: Hyperion

ISBN: 1423134710 (ISBN13: 9781423134718)

Alexis is the last girl you'd expect to sell her soul. She already has everything she needs--an adorable boyfriend, the perfect best friend, and a little sister who's finally recovering after being possessed by an evil spirit, then institutionalized.
Alexis is thrilled when her sister joins a club; new friends are just what Kasey needs. It's strange, though, to see how fast the girls in The Sunshine Club go from dorky and antisocial to gorgeous and popular. Soon Alexis learns that the girls have pledged an oath to a seemingly benevolent spirit named Aralt. Worried that Kasey's in over her head again, Alexis and her best friend Megan decide to investigate by joining the club themselves. At first, their connection with Aralt seems harmless. Alexis trades in her pink hair and punky clothes for a mainstream look, and quickly finds herself reveling in her newfound elegance and success.
Instead of fighting off the supernatural, Alexis can hardly remember why she joined in the first place. Surely it wasn't to destroy Aralt...why would she hurt someone who has given her so much, and asked for so little in return?

Now, What I Thought:

This was a cool sequel I will admit. Instead of having trouble with little possessed Kasey anymore we now have a different type of possessing, but instead on Alexis and Megan. It was interesting to see the aftereffects on Alexis's family's life after what happened in the last book. Kasey was in a psychiatric home and had just come back from her treatment and we find ourselves living in a whole new different neighbourhood. Kasey is starting her first year of high school and all she wants to do is be normal and have normal friends. Well that's a little hard for a girl to do when she was possessed by an old grumpy vengeful spirit. After all, everyone remembers Alexis's little sister breaking one of the most popular cheerleader's little sister's arm. Who could forget that?

While Kasey is adjusting to high school life she becomes friends with a new girl and weirdly enough, Lydia. Yeah, that weird emo girl from ALEXIS'S old group of friends. Anyways, they join this Sunshine Club where basically all of the girls, including Kasey, get turned into these amazing, beautiful, fashionista type popular girls. Alexis and Megan right away knew that something was up. I liked the friendship between those two a lot in this book. It really shown through how much last book's events bonded them together even though they were enemies just a couple months before. Alexis and Megan then have this bright idea to join the club themselves because again, they smell something fishy going on. Yeah not really a good idea considering the spirit that is turning these girls into psycho's and beauty pageant types isn't all that perfect and innocent as he seemed. Especially with his creepy ass book. LOL.

I couldn't quite believe how serious things got towards the end and a huge twist happened that left me shocked and sad. If you don't want to get spoiled I suggest not reading the description for the next book, like at all. It ruins it on the first few sentences, so just a disclaimer and warning on that. Basically this book made a great sequel to the series and I'm really liking Alender's writing style! It was fun to read and it makes you anxious, just like the first did!

p.s. I know this is in the last book review I did on this series but heres the link for the amazingly well done book trailer!! From Bad to Cursed Book Trailer

ghost - 12:31:00 AM

From Bad to Cursed (Bad Girls Don't Die #2) by Katie Alender | Review

Pages: 442 pages Publication Date: June 14th 2011 Publisher: Hyperion ISBN: 1423134710 (ISBN13: 9781423134718 ) Alexis ...

Pages: 404 pages

Publication Date: August 7th 2012

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's

ISBN: 1599906953 (ISBN13: 9781599906959)

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Now, What I Thought:

This is such a great series, I cannot stress enough! Celaena isn't just bad-ass, she's a 18 year old assassin and kills whomever she wants. I like her. After being set up, the series-long mystery, by a mystery person, she gets caught trying to take revenge on the man who killed her love, Sam. Safe to say the government put her in jail, or in Maas's world, Endovier. After a year of being treated like a slave, Celaena gets an offer of compete in a royal competition to become the King's personal assassin. Obviously, with her background and reputation from being trained by the most deadliest assassin there is known, the King's son, Dorian, thinks Celaena is the perfect winner. He's not wrong, she'd probably be my first pick as well. At first, when I started reading this book, I automatically thought this was going to be a love-sick triangle and romance book. I mean, it is a love triangle, but romance book? Not even close. Maas pulls out all of her cards in this one and delivers an amazing story about how love, desperation and death can all coincide with each other and it was bloody fantastic!

As cringey as love triangles are, this was done in moderation thank god. I felt like it would be an insult towards Celaena if this series turned into a 'romantic fight for love' type of book. I can fully say that it is not, having read all 4 books that are out currently. Celaena is true to her description and is indeed an assassin at heart, obviously out of practice from her year at Endovier, the captain of the guard, Chaol, helps her out and makes a connection with her. Even though she's already spending time with the infamous Prince Dorian, Chaol's bestfriend, Celaena finds herself in a pickle that doesn't concern life or death for once. She even makes a friend that was totally unexpected, Nehemia, the Eyllwe princess. They actually get on great and she even helps Celaena open up a bit about her past, which helps us as readers to connect with our main protagonist.

Lots of teasing happens in this book where multiple times I'd wish I was Celaena. Yet other times, so much gruesome stuff happens to her and you really feel for her because yes, she may be a killer but when we find out what happens in her past.... She really doesn't deserve half the bad crap that's done to her. The ending had a huge shock, 2 actually. The first was heartbreaking and I could feel the tears coming to my eyes just reading it and the second, the final battle. No need to say that there was an epic scene and so brilliantly described, it was a pleasure to read it.

In conclusion, the first novel in the Throne of Glass series was amazing and the perfect intro to the rest of what happens to Celaena, Chaol, Dorian and other new characters we meet on the way!

assassin - 2:17:00 PM

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas | Review

Pages: 404 pages Publication Date: August 7th 2012 Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's ISBN: 1599906953 (ISBN13: 978159...

Pages: 346 pages

Publication Date: April 21st 2009 by Disney-Hyperion

ISBN: 1423108760 (ISBN13: 9781423108764)

Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existence. Dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy twelve-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude. When a family fight results in some tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunction into danger. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green sometimes; she uses old-fashioned language; and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her strange behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in.

Alexis wants to think that it's all in her head, but soon, what she liked to think of as silly parlor tricks are becoming life-threatening--to her, her family, and to her budding relationship with the class president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey -- but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

Now, What I Thought:

This was so cool! I couldn't believe how interesting ghosts and a possessed 12 year old can be. This was my first book I've ever read from Katie Alender and I have to say I'm pretty impressed. It was a cool concept and was written very nicely and well-paced. Everything happened at a perfect time, and I never once got bored. So, Alexis is the typical outsider in school, she wears her own fashion, has different coloured hair and what not. Basically, she doesn't care what anyone thinks, especially the mean cheerleaders. Her little sister now, Kasey, just wants fit in. She's best friends with the ever so mean cheerleader's little sister... until Kasey breaks her arm. I mean just from the synopsis, how Kasey's eyes turn green, she's talking in 18th century language and she is loosing her memory... it's pretty clear that Kasey is possessed. It also doesn't help that Kasey has a strange obsession with dolls, like her whole room has shelves after shelves of dolls just sitting.. staring.. yikes. Alexis, being a normal yet dysfunctional teenager doesn't want to believe anything's wrong with her sister but when dangerous and violent things start happening in her home and to her family, she cant keep overlooking the strange things Kasey does anymore.

This book, to say the least, was... creepy. It definitely had that creepy, ghost, chill factor. Very paranormal and even has romance in it. I loved the events adding up to the end, they were creepy and Kasey especially was creepy. She did a lot of horrible things, to her friends, her family and finally at the end, to her sister. It's gong to be interesting to read how the real Kasey is going to live on seeing as I'm sure she can remember everything she's done, or at least be told. After all, she is just a 12 years old girl. I really can't wait to read and review the next book in this series, and see how Alender can create even more creepiness.

ALSO, the trailer for the next book is up, and hello creepiness!!!!! Here's the trailer:

From Bad to Cursed by Katie Alender Book Trailer

creepy - 2:45:00 PM

Bad Girls Don't Die (Bad Girls Don't Die #1) by Katie Alender | Review

Pages: 346 pages Publication Date: April 21st 2009 by Disney-Hyperion ISBN: 1423108760 (ISBN13: 9781423108764 ) Alexis thought...

Pages: 320 pages

Publication Date: October 17th 2011 by Tor Teen

ISBN: 0765328658 (ISBN13: 9780765328656)

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. They follow legends and local lore, destroy the murderous dead, and keep pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

Searching for a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas expects the usual: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

Yet she spares Cas's life.

Now, What I Thought:

This book was right up my ally! You guys know how much I love the evil, dark, female characters in books. Cas Lowood is basically the new and improved cool ghostbuster, in modern day. At first I mean, how serious can this book be with a ghost hunter traveling across the country with his witchy mom and weird cat? Little did I know that this was going to be a gruesome, dark twisted story about Anna, whom is literally dressed in blood; the title and cover don't lie to you! Come on, the ratings and reviews can talk for themselves, this is Kendare Blake's most reviewed and rated best-seller worthy book! So if you haven't read it yet? Read it. You won't regret it.

Cas had been killing since he was 14! 14!!! That's a crazy childhood to have and to then top it all off, his father dies. Well, Cass makes his dad proud by inheriting the hunter's mysterious and dangerous athame, and he goes to town finishing what his father had started. Until, he meets Anna. Never has he encountered nor heard of a spirit so powerful and angry. Anna was killed in 1958. While walking to prom in her beautiful white dress, her throat was slit, blood covered her body entirely, thus earning her the name, Anna Dressed in Blood. It's described in the novel as:

"Someone cut her throat, but that’s an understatement. Someone nearly cut her head clean off. They say she was wearing a white party dress, and when they found her, the whole thing was stained red. That’s why they call her Anna Dressed in Blood."

Pretty gruesome and frightening stuff. I'd be pretty angry too with what Anna had to really go through that night. This was an interesting book because we didn't only get to read and learn about Cas, being our protagonist. Instead, we also got to learn a lot about Anna; her background, past, personality, why she is the way she is. It was said in the novel that she had been tied to her house and has never been able to step a foot past her front porch. Being as this is a legend and known to the townspeople, many have tried to check it out for silly pranks, and only 27 have gone in, and have never been seen alive again. I loved her character because she wasn't black and white, she was a gruesome killer yet a victim at the same time, evil yet innocent. It really put things into perspective about morality and I loved how Cas handled the situation. Also, there is a huge twist at the end about the real reason why Anna died, and it puts a whole new meaning on cruel and thriller.

This book is actually in talks about being turned into a movie!!! And the director being the one and only.... Stephenie Meyer.... this should be interesting. Though i'm still excited!

Blood - 11:53:00 PM

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake | Review

Pages: 320 pages Publication Date: October 17th 2011 by Tor Teen ISBN: 0765328658 (ISBN13: 9780765328656) Cas Lowood has inh...

Pages: 819 pages

Publication Date: December 26th 2007 by Delacorte Press

ISBN: 0385730306 (ISBN13: 9780385730303)

IT HAS BEEN A YEAR OF CHANGE since Gemma Doyle arrived at the foreboding Spence Academy. Her mother murdered, her father a laudanum addict, Gemma has relied on an unsuspected strength and has discovered an ability to travel to an enchanted world called the realms, where dark magic runs wild. Despite certain peril, Gemma has bound the magic to herself and forged unlikely new alliances. Now, as Gemma approaches her London debut, the time has come to test these bonds. The Order - the mysterious group her mother was once part of - is grappling for control of the realms, as is the Rakshana. Spence's burned East Wing is being rebuilt, but why now? Gemma and her friends see Pippa, but she is not the same. And their friendship faces its gravest trial as Gemma must decide once and for all what role she is meant for.

Now, What I Thought:

I will admit, I didn't like this book as much as the other two. It was still a great way to end a fantastic trilogy thats for sure. I just found that at some parts, I would skim it because I thought they were unnecessary information, but thats just my opinion. Being the romantic kind of person I am, I was a bit disappointed and I feel like the ending and what happens between Gemma and Kartik was a bit odd. There is really no way else to say it. It was an odd ending for him. Im glad Libba Bray didn't kill him but still..hm... I just wish it was better in a way. I know a lot of people agree with me on this one. I wont say what happens for obvious reason of course haha. This reviews going to be pretty short because again, I was a little disappointed with Bray for this book. Nonetheless, it was a fantastic trilogy and I probably will re read the first or second book again because I truly loved them :)

Despite what I said, I think if your a person who has read the first 2 books and now are wary because of other reviews and mine (I'v read a lot and it's the same thing as my review), all I say is, please do read this one, hey maybe you'll like the ending more than us. But ultimately, i think everyone should at least finish the trilogy even if the ending sucked a little hehe.

But I will admit, the covers are amazing. Especially this one :)

angel - 10:50:00 PM

The Sweet Far Thing (Gemma Doyle #3) by Libba Bray | Review

Pages: 819 pages Publication Date: December 26th 2007 by Delacorte Press ISBN: 0385730306 (ISBN13: 9780385730303 ) IT HAS BE...

Pages: 576 pages

Publication Date: December 26th 2006 by Ember

ISBN: 0385733410 (ISBN13: 9780385733410)

Ah, Christmas! Gemma Doyle is looking forward to a holiday from Spence Academy, spending time with her friends in the city, attending ritzy balls, and on a somber note, tending to her ailing father. As she prepares to ring in the New Year, 1896, a handsome young man, Lord Denby, has set his sights on Gemma, or so it seems. Yet amidst the distractions of London, Gemma’s visions intensify–visions of three girls dressed in white, to whom something horrific has happened, something only the realms can explain...

The lure is strong, and before long, Gemma, Felicity, and Ann are turning flowers into butterflies in the enchanted world of the realms that Gemma alone can bring them to. To the girls’ great joy, their beloved Pippa is there as well, eager to complete their circle of friendship.

But all is not well in the realms–or out. The mysterious Kartik has reappeared, telling Gemma she must find the Temple and bind the magic, else great disaster will befall her. Gemma’s willing to do his intrusive bidding, despite the dangers it brings, for it means she will meet up with her mother’s greatest friend–and now her foe, Circe. Until Circe is destroyed, Gemma cannot live out her destiny. But finding Circe proves a most perilous task.

Now, What I Thought:

Just like the first book, the second book was amazing! I really liked the plot of it and where it was going (where I thought it was going). So Gemma is in Spence Academy and she's the last to leave for Christmas break, one night when she's alone, she wanders off and comes across her head mistress and this new teacher that she's been suspicious about for a while. When she's hiding and listening in to their conversation, she gets a 'hunch' and learns something. I think this scene is crucial knowledge to really understand what happens later. After when she's at the train station, she notices a man following her (I would have never noticed haha!) and that's literally where all the drama begins!

I liked this book because Libba Bray had the one main plot and that was enough drama, you would think adding mini little problems would be too much right? well nope. The opposite actually! Gemma meets this man at the train station and by the way he's described, he sounds very handsome, you find out his names Lord Denby and Gemma's brother actually is acquainted wit him. Yeah.. well.. He becomes a bit of an issue for her. Not to mention, her little romance with Kartik is just adding more-- which btw, I absolutely adore Kartik for his mysterious ways ;). ANYWAYS

Surprisingly, Bray did an excellent job, because of all these little dramas, they made me want to read more into the book! And I'm pretty sure thats what she intended to do. Great job, If you loved the first one ( or if you didn't even like it) COME READ THIS! pretty good :)

amazing - 10:47:00 PM

Rebel Angels (Gemma Doyle #2) by Libba Bray | Review

Pages: 576 pages Publication Date: December 26th 2006 by Ember ISBN: 0385733410 (ISBN13: 9780385733410 ) Ah, Christmas! Gemma ...

Pages: 403 pages

Publication Date: December 9th 2003 by Simon and Schuster

ISBN: 0689875347 (ISBN13: 9780689875342)

A Victorian boarding school story, a Gothic mansion mystery, a gossipy romp about a clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy—jumble them all together and you have this complicated and unusual first novel.

Sixteen-year-old Gemma has had an unconventional upbringing in India, until the day she foresees her mother's death in a black, swirling vision that turns out to be true. Sent back to England, she is enrolled at Spence, a girls' academy with a mysterious burned-out East Wing. There Gemma is snubbed by powerful Felicity, beautiful Pippa, and even her own dumpy roommate Ann, until she blackmails herself and Ann into the treacherous clique. Gemma is distressed to find that she has been followed from India by Kartik, a beautiful young man who warns her to fight off the visions. Nevertheless, they continue, and one night she is led by a child-spirit to find a diary that reveals the secrets of a mystical Order. The clique soon finds a way to accompany Gemma to the other-world realms of her visions "for a bit of fun" and to taste the power they will never have as Victorian wives, but they discover that the delights of the realms are overwhelmed by a menace they cannot control. Gemma is left with the knowledge that her role as the link between worlds leaves her with a mission to seek out the "others" and rebuild the Order. A Great and Terrible Beauty is an impressive first book in what should prove to be a fascinating trilogy.

Now, What I Thought:

This is the first book in Libba Bray's trilogy,Gemma Doyle. It starts off with Gemma in India where her and her mother live. I actually really liked where this was set. Iv actually never read a book based out of India, which is interesting because it should happen more often. I definitely liked that about Bray's book.

Some events play out and Gemma finds herself in London with her brother on their way to a boarding school, due to her mothers sudden death. Its basically like every other school book except based in the Victorian Era. It has the mean girls, then the mean girls open their arms toward the slightly vulnerable protagonist which then creates drama. This all happens except, its slightly more paranormal.

I actually liked this book! As soon as I was done it, I knew that I should probably go and buy the next one haha! Of course the book leaves you off wondering whats going to happen next, so thumbs up to Libba Bray, for her writing skills that made me buy the second book in this trilogy :) I would definitely suggest reading this one