KEEP CALM AND LOVE BOOKS: thriller

thriller - 7:54:00 PM

Hollow Pike by James Dawson | Review

Pages: 416 pages Publication Date: February 2nd 2012 by Orion Children's Books ISBN: 1444004816 (ISBN13: 9781444004816 ) S...

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: 340 pages

Publication Date: October 13th 2015 by Doubleday Canada

ISBN: 0385684754 (ISBN13: 9780385684750)

Riley Vasquez is haunted by the brutal murder of the couple she was babysitting for.

Max Cross is suffering under the shadow of a life-altering diagnosis he doesn’t dare reveal.

The last thing either of them wants is to spend a weekend away at a therapy camp alongside five other teens with “issues.” But that’s exactly where they are when three masked men burst in to take the group hostage.

The building has no windows. The exits are sealed shut. Their phones are gone. And their captors are on a killing spree.

Riley and Max know that if they can’t get out, they’ll be next—but they’re about to discover that even escape doesn’t equal freedom.

Now, What I Thought:

Kelley Armstrong is considered one of my favourite authors. She is a wonderfully creative and well written author who writes the best paranormal fiction novel. I was a bit surprised when I saw this stand alone book in the book store because I was definitely not expecting that from Armstrong. So I was pretty skeptical considering this is categorized as a 'Mystery Thriller' and 'Mental Illness'. I decided to give it a go.. and lets just say, once again I have not been disappointed by her writing.

From the beginning of the book, where Riley is walking towards the house she's babysitting for and bumps into the man and fully sees the gun but doesn't think anything of it, I knew this was going to be a hell of a ride. Long story short, the couple is murdered and Riley acted quick and hid the child and herself under the bed upstairs to keep safe. She is deemed a hero in society, but obviously, having gone through what she went through, doesn't see herself as such and actually is some what ashamed of how weak she was. It was a traumatizing experience and I just loved how the scene was described. She then gets sent to this closed off weekend getaway for some therapy with other teens going through their own shit. That just sucks. Not like anything can go worse for her right? Wrong. This girl has the WORST luck in the world because then men come in with guns trying to get ransom money for one of the patients there. She meets a boy, of course, but its not sappy or anything.

Amongst all of this killing spree drama, we get to learn about Max and his mental illness. It was very interesting learning about him and reading through his point of view. It reminded me of Mara Dyer and how we can never trust her point of view. Same thing happens here, and we don't really know what he's seeing is true or if it's the illness. I loved Max. He was definitely a highlight of the book. One thing that did shock me was how easily Armstrong killed of characters. I was not expecting so many to go in practically the beginning-middle of the book. Im not complaining but it was definitely shocking because who knew if Max or even Riley will make it by the end of this thriller? After all, like the description says, their captors are on a killing spree ;). This was definitely a mystery thriller type book and I loved it a lot! Also, not one part was slow or the least bit boring. AND, can we just say, W O W to that cover..

Mental Illness - 10:01:00 PM

The Masked Truth by Kelley Armstrong | Review

Pages: 340 pages Publication Date: October 13th 2015 by Doubleday Canada ISBN: 0385684754 (ISBN13: 9780385684750 ) Riley Vas...

Pages: 419 pages

Publication Date: September 3rd 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 0316213101 (ISBN13: 9780316213103)

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.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.

Now, What I Thought:

Guys. I own this book in 3 versions. Paperback, ibooks, and Kindle. Thats how good it is. I need it everywhere I can access it. I find myself coming back to this one a lot. I'll re read it every couple of months just because I need to remind myself of this amazing story!

Now, you might recognize Holly Black's name from her other amazing novels, Spiderwick Chronicles, The Iron Trial, Curse Workers, etc. So you can only imagine how great this stand-alone novel could be, especially with those books under her belt.

Just like the synopsis says, this world we're set in, has already been introduced to vampires. They're feared of but what make it different than any random vampire book, is that they actually don't run free in this world. Coldtowns. A homey, comfortable, welcoming.. cage. For vampires and vampire-lovers. LOOL. This immediately intrigued me! Its really interesting how Black described these towns made for monsters and humans that got a little too friendly with monsters. You can't ever leave once you step in, BUT there is a loophole. And it's crucial for Tana, our protagonist, in the novel to use that loophole, or so we think ;)

This book takes a turn for the worse, for poor Tana. I do feel bad for her, she did wake up and find all of her classmates and friends dead. Yet, LUCKILY, her annoying ass ex boyfriend managed to to 'survive'. How convenient.

In this book, you get to see how kickass Tana is, and her little group of misfits. On the romantic side, its pretty limited but our thirst's are quenched (That sounded less weirder in my head, yikes). I actually enjoyed the fact that this wasn't a star-crossed lover book, like most vampire novels are. It kept it at bay while really focusing on the action filled plot line. The ending is intense and I absolutely loved every minute I spent reading it. And reading it again, and again and so forth.

**** UPDATE*****

I JUST READ ON HOLLY BLACK'S GOODREADS PAGE THAT SHE WAS THINKING OF A SEQUEL!!! SHE HAS AN IDEA BUT NEEDS TO RUN IT BY HER EDITOR. HALLELUJAH MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED!!! FINGERS CROSSED!!

**** UPDATE *****

amazing - 4:24:00 PM

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Pages: 419 pages Publication Date: September 3rd 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers ISBN: 0316213101 (ISBN13: 9780316...

Pages: 643 pages

Publication Date: May 27th 2014 by Penguin Books

ISBN: 0143126687 (ISBN13: 9780143126683)

August 30, 1975: the day fifteen-year-old Nola Kellergan is glimpsed fleeing through the woods, never to be heard from again; the day Somerset, New Hampshire, lost its innocence.

Thirty-three years later, Marcus Goldman, a successful young novelist, visits Somerset to see his mentor, Harry Quebert, one of the country’s most respected writers, and to find a cure for his writer’s block as his publisher’s deadline looms. But Marcus’s plans are violently upended when Harry is suddenly and sensationally implicated in the cold-case murder of Nola Kellergan—whom, he admits, he had an affair with. As the national media convicts Harry, Marcus launches his own investigation, following a trail of clues through his mentor’s books, the backwoods and isolated beaches of New Hampshire, and the hidden history of Somerset’s citizens and the man they hold most dear. To save Harry, his own writing career, and eventually even himself, Marcus must answer three questions, all of which are mysteriously connected: Who killed Nola Kellergan? What happened one misty morning in Somerset in the summer of 1975? And how do you write a book to save someone’s life?

Now, What I Thought:

WOW. That was an incredible ride. Seriously, I just finished that 2 min. ago and I knew I had to just rant about it! I was not expecting it to be that great! After all the reviews I had read, and there were plenty of mixed ones, I honestly thought I'd get bored but boy was I wrong.

This wonderful story is told by Marcus Goldman, the famous writer, a one hit wonder type of guy. He found his 5 min. of fame and he wanted to make it 10. The plot and story is told by switching from past and present, flash backs to the current events. I found this pretty cool and interesting. Thinking I'd for sure get confused, I was surprised that I didn't. It all made perfect sense, right down to the fast switching dates and years. Very well written in that sense.

The whole concept was so cool! It was a murder mystery yet it also indulged into Goldman's life and his mentor, Harry Quebert. The whole story definitely had this creepy factor about it, I mean the murder of a 15 year old beautiful, coveted girl, just screams creepy. Add a mysterious disappearance and that the famous master and friend of our main character, isn't all that innocent either. Hence the title. As the plot thickens, you really only see it through Goldman's eyes and well, since he's the reporter/writer of the story, not everyone is telling him the truth nor giving him the full backstory. SO we can't really rely on the information we're given, to be correct. Which, obviously having said that, is EXACTLY what happened.

The ending was a bunch of confusingness, I definitely didn't know what was going on haha but, literally the last 2 pages.. everything clicked. I WAS SO SHOCKED GUYS. I couldn't believe it. Definitely, VERY unexpected.

This book brought a whole new level of shocking endings. Definitely did not see any of that coming. Great job, Joel Dicker! I loved it!!

1975 - 4:02:00 PM

The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair by Joel Dicker | Review

Pages: 643 pages Publication Date: May 27th 2014 by Penguin Books ISBN: 0143126687 (ISBN13: 9780143126683 ) August 30...

Pages: 468 pages

Publication Date: February 28th 2012 by Balzer + Bray

ISBN: 0062071041 (ISBN13: 9780062071040)

Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. But sixteen-year-old Kira is determined to find a solution. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that that the survival of both humans and Partials rests in her attempts to answer questions about the war's origin that she never knew to ask.

Playing on our curiosity of and fascination with the complete collapse of civilization, Partials is, at its heart, a story of survival, one that explores the individual narratives and complex relationships of those left behind, both humans and Partials alike—and of the way in which the concept of what is right and wrong in this world is greatly dependent on one's own point of view.

Now, What I Thought:

So to start off, this is a dystopian novel, and it's definitely different than any dystopia world I'v ever read about. The novel revolves around Kira, she's a pretty smart medic. They have her working on maternity, much to her dismay, because the human population is depleting each day. Years back, some scientists wanted to finally win the big war that was happening. They decided to create these human look-a-likes, except they're not even human. Think cyborg meets insanely attractive alien lol. Indestructible. These Partials did in fact win the big war, which was intended, but didn't stop there. They legit. took. out. more. than. half. of. the. earth's. population. TALK ABOUT BIG MISTAKES.

Now with only a couple ten-thousand humans left that did manage to hide and survive from the Partials, they're slowly dying as well. A virus, in which Kira thinks the Partial's made, RM, is killing the newborns in the maternity ward. Literally, not one baby has ever survived. Due to this and the fact that the population is lacking, laws have been put in place to ensure that at a certain age, you are eligible to produce babies. That doesn't bode well for Kira, considering she's 16 and there about to make the age from 18 to 16.

Kira, being the strong and independent individual that she is, went off looking for the RM cure. Lots of exciting things happen and its crazy to read about the after math of the world. The way Wells describes New York, Chicago, and the various other hot spots and how destroyed they are, is impeccable. Now, with every strong female protagonist, comes the love interest. I won't get into too much detail about him but lets just say.. yum hehe.

Great book, different type of story which was refreshing and I did not regret it one bit!

amazing - 12:00:00 PM

Partials (Partials Sequence #1) by Dan Wells | Review

Pages: 468 pages Publication Date: February 28th 2012 by Balzer + Bray ISBN: 0062071041 (ISBN13: 9780062071040 ) Humanity is a...

amazing - 11:24:00 PM

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (Gallagher Girls #2) by Ally Carter | Review

Pages: 236 pages Publication Date: October 2nd 2007 by Disney-Hyperion ISBN: 1423100050 (ISBN13: 9781423100058 ) Cammie Morg...

Pages: 310 pages

Publication Date: July 30th 2013 by St. Martin's Griffin

ISBN: 1250017599 (ISBN13: 9781250017598)

In this breathtaking debut that reads like Gossip Girl crossed with Twin Peaks, a Queen Bee at a blue-blooded New England prep school stumbles into a murder mystery.

Anne Dowling practically runs her exclusive academy on New York’s Upper East Side—that is, until she accidentally burns part of it down and gets sent to a prestigious boarding school outside of Boston. Determined to make it back to New York, Anne couldn't care less about making friends at the preppy Wheatley School. That is, until her roommate Isabella’s body is found in the woods behind the school.

When everyone else is oddly silent, Anne becomes determined to uncover the truth no matter how many rules she has to break to do it. With the help of Isabella’s twin brother Anthony, and a cute classmate named Brent, Anne discovers that Isabella wasn’t quite the innocent nerdy girl she pretended to be. But someone will do anything to stop Anne’s snooping in this fast-paced, unputdownable read—even if it means framing her for Isabella’s murder.

Now, What I Thought:

What could I possibly say that can get you guys to understand how much I'm DYING for the next book? Like holy crap! I started this book at 11 pm and finished at 2 am... And I had to get up early the next morning.. This book was impossible to put down, I refused to go to sleep, though I also knew I wouldn't fall asleep because this book is kind of creepy and gets you thinking, you know? It's very much like Twin Peeks (a television show- on Netflix). Kara Taylor even says in the summary that its a crossover between Gossip Girl and Twin Peeks and I will be honest, the Twin Peeks reference is what got me to read the book hehe. During the book, Taylor makes it LOOK obvious who the killer is but then makes you double think it and starts introducing you to another possible suspect..

The story starts off with this sassy, kick ass girl who gets expelled for burning half of her school down. But its not even all her fault and the dumbo that contributed ran away when she called the police, totally unfair in my opinion. Seeing as her father is the biggest lawyer in New York, she's lucky enough to get accepted into this boarding school in Boston. Of course, she hates it and she wishes to go back home, I don't really blame her. I would hate that school too. Her roommate, Isabella, who looks shy and sweet turns up dead a week in. This is where the creepy mystery begins. Speaking about the school, everything in that school just spells trouble! HOLY CRAP!

You get shocked at how much crap this school is hiding, and not to mention how much of it will be revealed in the next book as well. There's STILL a mystery and it has to do with that school and the same old disappearance that happened years before and that everyone just HAPPEN to forget about. It's all so fishy. Like, knowing Taylor and her ways of writing, the "good" characters will probably end up bad and be psychos and the "bad" characters in this book will be portrayed as 'miss understood'. It definitely would not surprise me. Also I would like to say that there is a love triangle and if you have read this book, your probably going for the sweet and clean-cut guy, right? Well me? I prefer she went with the rougher, edgy guy because, HEY, who doesn't love a bad guy ;) I'm only telling you about the love triangle because you hear about these two boys quite a lot. Her mind is in typical teenage girl mode, where most of her thoughts include boys. But I like that! Now, the ending did shock me a bit. I expected the killer to be someone else entirely and what you find out is kind of disturbing to imagine. Be prepared to be shocked!

Anyways, I loved this book so much, I'm actually considering reading it again just for fun. I am definitely counting down the days for the second one!