How to Protect Your Neighborhood from Circus Werewolves by Mick Bogerman

How to Protect Your Neighborhood from Circus Werewolves by Mick Bogerman
Series: Slug Pie Story, #4
Publisher: Slug Pie Stories LLC
Format: Paperback
Source: Received for review.

The circus is in town, and Mick Bogerman has a fail-proof plan to sneak inside the adults-only Macabre Pavilion. But there’s something weird about the A. Linville & Purnima Bros. Circus this year. Angry parents and crying kids exit early by the carload. Maybe it’s the clowns. Yes, they wear the standard stark-white faces and red bulbous noses, but underneath their painted smiles, there’s something not quite right. What's more, after the full moon rises . . . they howl. When Mick and his friends rescue a caged boy from the clown’s clutches they set off a series of disasters that threaten their entire neighborhood. Can Mick become the leader his neighbors need and protect them from the pack of hungry predators infiltrating their town?

When I was contacted by the publisher to review this book I was crazy excited to because I have read and reviewed the first three books in the series and absolutely loved them. This book was no different and to be perfectly honest this book has been my favorite so far.

It was great to see that Mick, Finley and their friends were up to their usual shenanigans and back to dealing with paranormal stuff in their little town. These kids have a lot of street smarts and can really handle themselves in any situation. Which is a good thing when you have werewolves hunting you down and threatening your town.

The action was great in this one I felt like so much happened and the book never once got dull. I love how all of the characters seem to be getting closer and helping each other out. That cliff hanger though why would you do that to me? I really want to know what is going to happen with Savannah in the next book!

If you haven't picked up this series yet I highly recommend it. It's great if you have kids or even if you're just a big kid at heart. These books are great fun and have enough action to keep adults entertained as well.

I received a copy of this book for review purposes this has in no way effected my views on this book and all opinions expressed are my own.

 

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
Series: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #2
Publisher: Quirk Books
Format:Hardcover
Pages: 400
Source: Borrowed.

This sequel to the first novel, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended.

Having escaped Miss Peregrine’s island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises.

I absolutely loved this installment in the series. However it did take me a lot longer to get through this one than it did the first. This could be one of two things, maybe I took too long after reading the first book before picking up the second. Or it could have possibly been that I was not prepared to wait for the final book to find out what happened. Either way I still loved the novel and it was great seeing what was happening to the peculiar children.

We are once again with the peculiar children only this time it's not all of them. Quite a few decided to stay behind while they try to save Miss Peregrine. This was probably a good thing considering a huge group of children would have drawn way too much attention.

Just like with the first book the plot is quick moving and there is more than enough action as well as seeing the children just trying to survive so they can get their beloved caretaker returned to her normal state.

Now that the final book is out I can't wait to pick it up and find out just how all of this will end for the children and all of the other peculiars in their respective loops. If you haven't picked up this series yet I highly suggest it. It's full of suspense, mystery, action and even a little bit of a hint of romance.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Series: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #1
Publisher: Quirk Books
Format: Paperback
Pages: 382
Source: Won.

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

 

I was nervous about starting this book because of all the hype surrounding it, everybody seems to love it and I was afraid that I wasn't going to love it as much as everybody else. I am really glad I gave it a chance though because this book was awesome. It was creepy and mysterious and exciting. Though I do admit I had to put it down at night since the pictures really freaked me out.

 

The plot was amazing, going back in time through a time loop was something I hadn't seen before and it was totally unique. The peculiar children were strange and amazing at the same time and the fact that there were pictures included to show what some of them looked like was a nice touch. The monsters in the story were just as strange but they were frightening. I wouldn't want to be chased by one of them things.

 

I liked almost all of the characters. Jacob was kind of annoying at times when everything was pretty much right in front of him and he still thought it was all a joke. Though I do have to admit it was probably a lot to take in. I think that there's more to Miss Peregrine than what was shown and I really hope that there is a lot more of her in the sequel.

 

If you haven't started this book yet what are you waiting for? It is definitely worth all of the hype surrounding it and is full of mystery and action that will have you hurrying to find out what happens next.

 



City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
Series: The Mortal Instruments, #4
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 424
Source: Borrowed

The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She’s training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most importantly of all—she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her—his mother just found out that he’s a vampire, and now he’s homeless. When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.

 

This book was not my favorite in the series so far. To be honest not too much happens in this one and it didn't hold my attention as well as the previous installments. This being said I still liked the book, when everything did start happening boy did it go down. I was not expecting the bad guy to be who it was and the reasons behind it.

 

I wasn't a huge fan of the Simon focus in this. I wasn't a fan of Simon before and I'm still not. My favorite character still remains Magnus and I have a feeling that this will stay the same for the rest of the series. Even though we don't get much of Magnus or Alec in this book the little bit that is shown with them was angsty and I couldn't help but want more.

 

 I cannot wait to finish this series. I hope that the last two books are more action packed like the first three books in the series because that is where this book really seemed to lag. I can't wait to find out what happens to the gang next, because the ending to this one left me holding the book wondering what horrible things were to come.

 

 

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
Series: The Raven Cycle, #2
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 437
Source: Purchased

Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same.

Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life.

Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after...

 

I've had this book sitting on my shelf for a while now and I wasn't too keen on starting it right away. The first book wasn't exactly my favorite having gotten 3 stars but I found myself enjoying this installment much more. I think the whole difference between this one and the first is that it starts right where the previous left off and isn't slow in the beginning like the first one was.

 

I loved the fact that it was told from Ronan's point of view, which various chapter's told in other character's points of view. Ronan was an interesting character for me, he comes across and withdrawn and kind of a jerk yet deep down he really cares about his group of friends and his family.

 

So much happened in this book that I don't even know where to begin, it was fast paced and had adventure and creepy things. And the dreams, they were pretty cool, I found myself highly enjoying that aspect.

 

Blue really seemed to develop more in this book which was fantastic, I'm really starting to like her more and more. She's a fun character who brings wit and sensibility to the group dynamic. And then there's Gansey. I wasn't a huge fan of him in the first one but it's safe to say I pretty much adore him now, I'm really hoping something happens between him and Blue. Adam's a strange one. His story is a sad one and we get to see a lot of what he's feeling in this book. I felt bad for him yet at the same time he has so many people who want to help him but he continuously shoves them away. Noah, I don't know what to say about him without just talking about how much I love him for the rest of the review. There's one scene that is really sweet and adorable with him and at the same time really made me sad. He's one of my favorite characters and I wish he had been in the book more than he was.

 

The ending of this installment was like the last, it left off with a major cliffhanger and left me wanting even more of the story. I can't wait for the next book to see what happens with Blue and Gansey and the rest of their group.

 



Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent, #1
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Format: Paperback
Pages: 487
Source: Purchased

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

 

I really enjoyed this one. I was not convinced that I would since I had attempted it a while ago, back before I began my blog and just couldn't even finish it. I'm glad that this time I was able to finish it and really enjoy the story.

 

The action in this had me on the edge of my seat hoping that Tris and Four would be able to get out of the sticky situations they found themselves in. The romance was another fantastic part of the story, and thankfully it did not take over the entire plot. The romance takes time and it's really sweet but not cheesy at all.

 

As far as the characters go I liked Tris at times. She made some good decisions but then she would do something that was extremely hypocritical (like think Al was pathetic for crying when she herself was crying silently at night) that left me liking her less. In the end I found myself liking her more than I disliked her though. I loved Four. He was tough yet vulnerable at the same time. He was relatable and completely swoon worthy.

 

I cannot wait to continue on with this series and if you haven't started this one yet I highly recommend you go out and get yourself a copy. 

Splintered by A.G. Howard

Splintered by A.G. Howard
Series: Splintered, #1
Publisher: Amulet Books
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 371
Source: Purchased

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

 When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

 

I really love Alice in Wonderland re-tellings and this one did not disappoint. However this Wonderland isn't anything like the one we know. It's twisted and dark and the characters, while tie in with the ones in the original Alice in Wonderland are much darker and strange yet lovely at the same time.

 

I have to admit the beginning leaves much to be desired. It's slow and it takes over 100 pages for Alyssa to reach Wonderland. The beginning fills us in on the story behind Alyssa and let's us see her mother in the mental hospital. Once Alyssa gets to Wonderland everything begins to pick up.

 

I loved Alyssa. She kicks some serious butt and goes through all of the trouble to save her family. She wants to help her mother and that's the main driving force behind her actions. She knows what she wants and she doesn't let anything stand in her way. I'm probably going to get a lot of hate for this but I wasn't a fan of Jeb. He's seriously whiny. He keeps secrets from Alyssa (though Morpheus does the same thing) while he's supposed to be one of her best friends and I just really didn't like him. He got on my nerves.

 

Now Morpheus however, I loved him. He's the bad boy. He's manipulative and controlling but he truly cares about Alyssa and that really came through the more we got to see of him throughout the novel. While he's manipulative he also does what he can to help Alyssa. I was honestly praying for Morpheus to get a chance with Alyssa in the end but only time will tell.

 

If you haven't already checked this one out I highly recommend you do. All the hype is well worth it and if a retelling isn't enough to make you want to read it just remember it's a lot darker and more twisted than the Wonderland you remember.