When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know.... (Goodreads)

So I know many have heard of this…but maybe someone out there hasn’t and shame on me if I didn’t pass it along…. So, if you haven’t heard of Cassandra Clare's exhilarating Mortal Instruments Series that blew me away...then for sure you are missing out!!

Everything that makes fantasy and paranormal outstanding can be found within the pages of The Mortal Instrument Series...every paranormal creature you can think of, thrills, chills, superb writing and even some old school Flowers in the Attic action to make you go {blach}.

Book one- City of Bones immediately immersed me in this thrill read...and for me reading this series was fantastic because I started when the third book City of Glass was released, so I didn’t have to wait in agony for the books to come out. All three books measure up to intense page turners but out of the three, the first one still remains my favorite.

City of Glass (3rd) has probably the most intense fight scenes and the visual detail is so well written I felt like I was inside the book....the ending closes wonderfully and brings closure to all the characters...or leaves it at a point to continue....

Have you read this series? What did you think?

PS- Cassandra---i heart you--------

 

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

September 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 

Hardcover, 193 pages

Purchased

Book Synopsis

In an explosion of his own making, Lucius blew his arms off. Now he has hooks. He chose hooks because they were cheaper. He chose hooks because he wouldn’t outgrow them so quickly. He chose hooks so that everyone would know he was different, so he would scare even himself.

Then he meets Aurora. The hooks don’t scare her. They don’t keep her away. In fact, they don’t make any difference at all to her. But to Lucius, they mean everything. They remind him of the beast he is inside. Perhaps Aurora is his Beauty, destined to set his soul free from its suffering. Or maybe she’s just a girl who needs love just like he does. (GoodReads)

Memorable Quote

When I looked into those topaz eyes, I did feel like I knew him, at least briefly. But that's still not the scary part; I see that now. The scary part is that moment, it was like he knew me......

pg. 28 (The first meeting...)

Review

Beauty and The Beast is by far my favorite fairy tale of all time. So needless to say I know my beasts and I know my beauties. While Aurora and Lucius certainly had aspects of the characters, Aurora with goodness and Lucius with his flawed character before the beastly transformation and his changing heart after beauty walks in- something felt lacking.

I’m not saying I didn’t like this but I didn’t love it. The writing flowed very well, the main characters perspective alternate between chapters in the first person, giving the reader both sides of the story. Some scenes are the characters alone, but we get to read what each person is thinking and feeling. If your familiar with the original fairy tale, its suppose to be dark, dramatic and tender all wrapped in one. Lucius at points in the story defiantly had a darker undertone, but most of his personality was sarcastic, I think there’s a huge difference between sarcasm and darkness. Beauty helps pull beast out of this darkness whereas Lucius basically pulls himself out. Another aspect of Lucius was underdevelopment. His character was likeable but there was so much more I wanted to know. Exactly why (explosion aside) did he blow his arms off- what lead him to these actions- what was in his heart to take him down this journey?

The story had the potential to be great; it had the plot (the background leading up to the explosion, the whole Gallowglass concept, the death of Aurora’s mother) and makings to get deep, gritty and powerful. Baratz-Logsted had some beautiful, awesomely flawed characters to make this an intense read....but it was presented as a fast YA novel consumable to the masses. So take Crazy-Beautiful for what it is- a few hours of a watered down fairy tale, a lot of laughs and a few tender hearted moments. Teen romance yes...contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast...absolutely not.

Rating

Language if any was very minimal, violence, a little bit of kissing and a chapter on male masturbation. Recommended for 14 and up.

3.5/5- YA, Romance

Thoughts/Mini Review

The cover of this novel drew me in at first, It looks peaceful right...? Peaceful is not a word I would use to describe Callahan’s debut novel. Sad and compelling are words I would use- I enjoyed reading this, April and Oliver's journey is a sensitive and emotional account of two people in love at the wrong time with all the odds stacked against them. This is for sure not a love story of happy butterflies and twirling on the hilltop. The relationship although laced with tension, makes for a great story that will frustrate you to the point of "just be together already" moments and also may give you a creepy feeling seeing how April and Oliver were raised as family. It’s sure to engage, tick you off and may even bring a tear to your eye with its bitter- sweetness.................Read my full Review here!

March 2010 by Random House/Alfred A. Knopf BFYR

Paperback ARC- 282 pages

Review Copy

Book Synopsis

Sixteen-Year-Old Jace Witherspoon arrives at the doorstep of his estranged brother Christian with a re-landscaped face (courtesy of his father’s fist), $3.84, and a secret. He tries to move on, going for new friends, a new school, and a new job, but all his changes can’t make him forget what he left behind—his mother, who is still trapped with his dad, and his ex-girlfriend, who is keeping his secret. At least so far. Worst of all, Jace realizes that if he really wants to move forward, he may first have to do what scares him most: He may have to go back. First-time novelist Swati Avasthi has created a riveting and remarkably nuanced portrait of what happens after. After you’ve said enough, after you’ve run, after you’ve made the split — how do you begin to live again? (GoodReads)

Memorable quote

Count to ten and visualize. One, two, three….my dad would have the table overturned by now. Four, five, six…….twisting an arm behind her back………………………seven, eight, nine…..Counting is not working, and I have a feeling these are the wrong visualizations.

Pg. 77 (Jace trying to control his anger)

Haunting quote

He hits her she cleans. He shoves her down and stomps on her, boot marks imprinted on the small of her back, she scrubs the floors. He rapes her; she gets out the Q-tips to bleach the grout.

Pg. 18

Review 

You would think Jace had it all. Good looks, popularity, wealth and everything needed to fit into the social standards coming from an influential family. Only Jace has been harboring a terrible secret, a secret that slowly like toxic mold begins to spread in every corner of his life.

Ever since Jace can remember his father has beaten his mother. When he was very young the beatings his mother endured silently began to transfer to his older brother Christian. A brother that stood in front of his mother to take the hit, a brother who provoked a father to protect the rest of the family, a brother who years back- ran away from the brutality of his father’s fists. Always the silent witness to his father’s evil, one quiet evening after seeing Q-tips on the counter, (a sight that signified rape for his mother) Jace finally strikes back and hits his father in the face, this lands him a beating and a one way ticket out the front door.

Alone and scared Jace’s only option is find his brother Christian and hope that he lets him in. When Christian sees Jace it comes with shock and hesitation, but he does let Jace move in and together they work through the garbage left in their hearts from a father who long ago created a cycle of pain and evil that either one has managed to shake off. The brothers, who are not close,come to realize that their father’s abuse has left different taints in both of them. Christian who protects himself and shuts down and Jace whose anger is so out of control he envisions hitting and choking and even at some points does just that.

As we the readers reflect back with Jace on past memories, we see the awful abuse the family went through. One particular scene “the garage incident” was so frightening I literally felt trapped with them as that garage door went down. Avasthi's writing practically pulls you into the pages and as connections to the past help us see where Jace is coming from, and why at the same time you can’t stand what he is becoming- you understand why he is. The odds are entirely against him, but the story doesn’t leave us without hope- we see strength and normalcy represented in healing characters and we see that there is survival after the snare of domestic abuse- that one who was lost can break the cycle and move forward.

Swati Avasthi has written a profound debut novel, raw with emotion and a stomach clinching page turner that tosses the reader about with frustration, horror and hope. If anyone has ever grown up with abuse or has been a part of a family with abuse this book although fiction can really strike close to home.

Rating

Not for the faint of heart, Split is very violent and contains graphic language, graphic sexuality, abuse and abandonment. Recommended for the mature teen (11th grade and up) and adult.

4.5/5 – YA, Abuse, Domestic Violence

Review Copy Provided by Around the World/ Princess Bookie Tours

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos. Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own. Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: Jem, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all....................................(Goodreads)

Cassandra Clare's novels beg for a rainy day, so you have an excuse to do nothing while reading them.....I cannot wait to dive into this one!!!!!!!!!!!

After reading through a few more chapters I honestly felt it was time to put the book down. Those of you who follow the Blog with Bite should know I’m defiantly the more cautious reader when it comes to demons. I can handle fantasy and magic and pretty much anything on the scary side when it comes to mythical creatures……but when we start getting into demon possession and taking spirits into yourself, that’s where my red flags come up. As a person who enjoys the paranormal and fantasy realm my lines have many gray areas. The one area for me that’s completely black and white is handling subjects like witches, mediums, demons and occult like activity teetering on the edge of Satanism.

Familiar Spirit: The word familiar is from the Latin familiaris, meaning a "household servant," and is intended to express the idea that sorcerers had spirits as their servants ready to obey their commands. Those attempting to contact the dead, even to this day, usually have some sort of spirit guide who communicates with them. These are familiar spirits. ( Source)

In other words Sparky represents a demon and no offense to Ms. Bickle’s novel -but Sparky and I were not going to get on a familiar basis. Nor were me and Anya going to be pals for a few hours while she sucked demons into her body.

So to be fair- because I did not finish this book, I cannot give it a rating or opinion on the writing technique.

What I can tell you is I don’t recommend this for anyone who is cautious of demonic novels.

DNF- PNR, Demons, Arson, Ghosts

BWB Discussion Questions

1.So if you had the chance would you have a pet elemental, even with the inconvenience of broken microwaves? NO---I will live demon free thanks.

2.What did you think about the relationship between, Brian, Anya and Drake?

N/A --I didn't read enough to answer this question

3.Did the book make you want to visit Detroit or steer clear?

I don't have to read this book to stay clear of Detroit......have you ever driven through a rough part of that city.....scary.......

4.A big part of Embers surrounds paranormal activity and the whole Scooby style system....What do you think of shows like Ghost Hunter, Paranormal State and the such? I think they are a crock...frankly it all just seems fake, if you've ever been a witness to real "paranormal activity" it doesn't look anything like those shows.

5.Do you believe in the paranormal world around us or chalk it up to complete fantasy and make believe? I believe demons and angels are real, as well as believing that God is real. I think vampires, werewolves, faeries, goblins, ghosts, greek gods and what not are all myths.

Escape by Carolyn Jessop

October 2007 by Broadway Books

Hardcover, 413 pages

Purchased

Book Synopsis:

The dramatic first-person account of life inside an ultra-fundamentalist American religious sect, and one woman’s courageous flight to freedom with her eight children. (GoodReads)

Review

How does one write a review on a person’s life…? You can’t- what I can do is share with you what the book is about and how I reacted reading Carolyn’s story.

I almost feel guilty that Big Love was one of my favorite shows. Leave it to Hollywood to glamorize a warped few of Polygamy. Bill, Barbara, Nikki and Margene live a life of glamorous luxury compared to the horrendous life Carolyn survived. Neglected, abused and once starving, the horrors growing up in Polygamy and becoming an actual polygamist was enough to make my stomach turn.

Carolyn at the age of 18 is forced to marry Merrill Jessop a 53 yr old man…….(insert gasps and gagging sounds) Could you imagine being 18 and having your first time be with a creepy, stinky 53 yr old man with yellow teeth. My stomach is turning over right now with the thought of it. On their wedding night which closely resembled -Laura Ingall’s meets the creepy old man from Phantasm- a scared and shocked Carolyn finds herself alone for the first time with her husband Merrill, who hasn’t spoken to her yet. Right before he forces himself on her resulting in a disastrous first wedding night he utters “um, maybe we should talk a little”.

Nothing really gets better from that night on. Carolyn is the new wife (which eventually becomes a house with six wives and later more) and has sexual favor in the beginning, she soon learns that if Merrill is sexually gratified, that she would gain power in the house. The six wives competed with one another for that status and when tempers and jealousy would strike some of the wives would pay a huge price.

One of those prices included children. By the polygamy law, a child belonged to all the wives in the marriage -that meant they could help in the raising and ….disciplining. When anger was targeted towards a wife (which was usually Carolyn) that anger was also directed to that wife’s child. I tried to put myself in this situation, and because I was never -brain washed to believe this was right- I might be thinking harsh, BUT if another woman ever put her hands on my child in the form of discipline I might just wind up in jail for beating the crap out of her. Carolyn of course did not have that option, Merrill would support the beatings and punishments of his thirty some children. He never protected any of the wives, except for his first wife, who had the main power in the home. The abuse targeted at her children seemed to be the last straw, after years of mental and emotional abuse, having sex with an old nasty man, eight kids and more wives showing up, Carolyn finally got the courage to……ESCAPE………..

It took a while to get through Carolyn’s story- and only because you don’t sit to read this for entertainment. You read it because of the bravery and courage Carolyn had to save her eight children. You read it to get a true insight of what polygamy looks like- and it’s not an HBO television show. You read it to see a woman become victorious and make it into a new life, after the battles with the FDLS church are won and the battles with the courts are won, Carolyn comes out a stronger, smarter and more hopeful woman.

The only part of Carolyn’s story that I wish was elaborated on was her view point of faith. The book ends with an update, but nothing about Carolyn’s stance on being a Mormon or if she still is one.

Rating

Recommended for adults- the entire book is sexually graphic. Violence, brainwashing, religious cults, divorce, polygamy and abuse are all topics surrounding Escape.

3.5/5- Memoir, Polygamy

Its always great getting an award...over the last week I recieved The Beautiful Blogger Award from Chung at The Bibliophiles Lounge........If you haven't seen Chung's blog yet take a minute to welcome him to the blog community and say hi. Chung was also the winner of Parajunkees mentorship program, so Im sure we will be seeing some fun things in the future.

This Week Im Reading

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

Recommend Me is a weekly meme featured by Kate at The Neverending Shelf, in which participants will pick one of their all time favorite reads to share. This could be a book that you read yesterday or years ago.

To play along, grab a favorite read and tell us about it. You can include your thoughts about the novel, its summary, your favorite memory related to the novel... the possibilities are limitless.

This week my pick is The Compound by S.A Bodeen

Eli and his family have lived in the underground Compound for six years. The world they knew is gone, and they've become accustomed to their new life. Accustomed, but not happy.

For Eli, not amount of luxury can stifle the dull routine of living in the same place. with only his two sisters, only his father and mother, doing the same thing day after day after day.

As problems with their carefully planned existence threaten to destroy their sanctuary - and their sanity - Eli can't help but wonder if he's rather take his chances outside. Eli's father built the Compound to keep them safe. But are they safe - or sorry?  (GoodReads)

Thoughts/Mini Review

Want to read a gripping novel that will leave knots in your stomach and leave you with that pesky question....WHY WOULD SOMEONE DO THIS........

I actually read The Compound last year and it was on my top ten of YA novels, you can read my full review here. Getting into the mind of Eli was like a riding the Mean Streak at Cedar Point a slow- but steady climb and then a drop so fast it takes the wind out of you-The Compound is laced with shocking revelations, on the edge of your seat moments and gross situations that make you go eewwww.

Recommended for anyone who loves to gasp at shocking situations.......

Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze

March 2010 by Multnomah Books

Now, a mysterious woman appears at Crossroads seeking answers and help—a victim who eerily resembles Ben’s deceased wife, Susan. A woman robbed of her identity, her life, of everything except her faith—and Susan’s necklace. The connections between the two women mount, exceeding coincidence, and to keep the truth hidden, someone is willing to kill. Finding out who and why turns Ben and the mystery woman’s situation from dangerous to deadly. Their only hope for survival is to work together, trust each other, and face whatever they discover head on, no matter how painful. But will that be enough to save their lives and heal their tattered hearts?  (GoodReads)

Review

Jane Doe wakes up in the woods beaten, her head bashed by a rock and her memory gone…….the only thing keeping her alert is the killer headache pounding in her skull and the old man’s head she’s about to smash. Luckily for Clyde (the old man) he escapes the head beating and convinces the woman he’s there to help. All that she has is a business card with the name Susan on it and a cross necklace. For reasons unbeknownst to her, she decides she must be Susan and trusts Clyde who then takes her to Crossroads.

Shortly thereafter “Susan” meets Ben- the owner of Crossroads and husband to deceased Susan, who has an uncanny resemblance to the living Susan. The meeting is not friendly and although intense I couldn’t help cracking up at the dynamic of these two characters. I knew once Ben could get through all the glaring and necklace snatching he would see “Susan” in a different light………

Never a dull moment and the plot moves very fast. Almost too fast-We go from murder, to beatings, to a huge mystery to love and romance with no breather in between. The first few chapters are confusing, it was hard to make connections to the prologue and pull the pieces together until about mid-way through. It’s pretty much non-stop until the end and has a great climatic finish.

This is defiantly a book for Christian fiction readers. The faith aspects while never pinpointing to Jesus specifically- drive a deep message of God and love. Anyone who loves a mystery can enjoy the action of the story even with the faith elements heavily coated throughout.

Rating

Violence, murder, drugs, terrorism and abuse are all subjects touched on with the majority based upon intense action and dramatic scenes. Suitable for the mature teen and adult.

3.5/5- Christian Fiction- Mystery
Thanks to Waterbrook Press for Review Copy

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the greats at Random House and Waterbrook Press I have two copies of Forget Me Not up for grabs. Anyone can enter and for extra entry's please let me know if you follow me or tweeted this contest. Winners will be picked April 30th. Visit Waterbrook Press to purchase your own copy......

Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin

Releasing September 7, 2010

There is yet to be a synopsis....only a beautiful cover...but as I devour Nancy Werlins books like cake, Im sure this one will delight.

Find out more info about Nancy at her website. Also if you havent had the chance to pick up Impossible or The Killers Cousin....you are missing out!!