Review: Made for You by Melissa Marr

Made for You by Melissa Marr
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: September 16th, 2014
Purchase: Amazon

Bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely books Melissa Marr’s first contemporary YA novel is a twisted southern gothic tale of obsession, romance, and murder. A killer is obsessed with Eva Tilling. Can she stop him, or will he claim her?

When Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital, she’s confused—who in her sleepy little North Carolina town could have hit her with their car? And why? But before she can consider the question, she finds that she’s awoken with a strange new skill: the ability to foresee people’s deaths when they touch her. While she is recovering from the hit-and-run, Nate, an old flame, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva’s power to keep her friends—and themselves—alive. But while Eva and Nate grow closer, the killer grows increasingly frantic in his attempt to get to Eva.

For the first time, New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr has applied her extraordinary talent to contemporary realism. Chilling twists, unrequited obsession, and high-stakes romance drive this Gothic, racy thriller—a story of small-town oppression and salvation. Melissa’s fans, and every YA reader, will find its wild ride enthralling.

My thoughts:
I love Melissa Marr.  She is by far one of my favorite authors and I know every time I pick up one of her books I will be in love with it.  Made for You is another great addition to her growing line up and I am so so glad I got the chance to read this one.

Made for You is creepy and I mean CREEPY!  I was on the edge of my seat the entire time while I read this and man was it amazing!  We have Eva who is just trying to get through high school without stepping on any Southern toes and her group of friends who are too wrapped up in the Southern ways.  Throughout the story we learn that certain people are acceptable to date while others are not because of their status in society. This plays a part in several places throughout the story and sets up the stage for our stalker.

This stalker really puts the S in stalker.  I thought Marr did an amazing job at showing just how off their rocker they really were.  Sometimes I find it hard to believe backstories, but this one was just crazy and I could really see the truth in it. Especially with certain current events taking place these days.  I won't say more because I don't want to give anything away, but I can guarantee if you read this you will see what I mean.

The only part that threw me was the death vision stuff.  Every time that part would come up I felt like it just didn't fit.  I kept thinking why is this in here!  The story doesn't need it!  But I stand corrected.  Marr uses this storyline beautifully and by the end I understood why Eva needed these death visions.  I am curious to know if there will be a sequel since Eva does have these abilities and I can definitely see a potential for more stories.

One more thing I have to talk about is the whole parental role. Again Melissa Marr is amazing and finally shows what parents are for.  Were Eva's parents there for her in the beginning, no.  But they more than made up for that and it shows readers the YA can have parents in them.  I have had so many problems with this in the past and I know why parents are usually left out, but it just bothers me.  Marr does such a great job bringing Eva's parents into the story, but she still kept Eva strong and independent.  Loved loved loved this.  Do I want parents in every book no not at all, but they should have a place in more than they do and this book is a great example of how they can be woven in.

I think this is my first official stalker YA book that I have loved and I just want more!  The whole story fit to me and even though I was super shocked at who the villain turned out to be I still think it was brilliant! Marr did a wonderful job setting up her thriller to be believeable and it was definitely a job well done!

4.5 snowflakes

Review: The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich

The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 15th, 2015
Purchase: Amazon

Debut author Dawn Kurtagich is dead on in this terrifying psychological thriller!

Over two decades have passed since the fire at Elmbridge High, an inferno that took the lives of three teenagers. Not much was known about the events leading up to the tragedy - only that one student, Carly Johnson, vanished without a trace...

...until a diary is found hidden in the ruins.

But the diary, badly scorched, does not belong to Carly Johnson. It belongs to Kaitlyn Johnson, a girl who shouldn't exist Who was Kaitlyn? Why did she come out only at night? What is her connection to Carly?

The case has been reopened. Police records are being reexamined: psychiatric reports, video footage, text messages, e-mails. And the diary.

The diary that paints a much more sinister version of events than was ever made publicly known. 

My thoughts:
I love love love this type of book. The whole journal entry, police transcripts, and camera details really put a creepy spin on an already creeptastic book.  Dawn Kurtagich does an amazing job bringing the reader into the mind of a troubled teen and by the end I wasn't even sure what was real and what wasn't.

Carly and Kaitlyn share the same body. Carly comes out during the day and Kaitlyn comes out at night.  After reading we quickly find out that Carly is under the care of a psychiatric hospital to help with DID..dissociative identity disorder.  We learn that Carly underwent a terrible trauma and in the process of trying to cope she created Kaitlyn.  Except Kaitlyn has always been a part of Carly even before the accident so what does this mean?  This means a crazy creeptastic story that will leave you thinking and shuddering for days.

Like said I loved this story.  It was creepy and dark and well that is exactly what I want these days.  The romance was there but not front and center.  The author let Carly and Kaitlyn take center stage and I was captivated by them.  The way the story is laid out you really don't know if Carly has DID or if she really does have the soul of Kaitlyn living in her.  Her friends step in and try and help, but even they didn't know who to believe.  

What I really liked was the way the information was given. It was slow but in a way that when it dropped every time I was like OMG!  So many huge things happened throughout and the author was brilliant in her delivery.

The only part I wasn't a fan of was the mythology spin.  I don't think the story needed it to be honest.  It was strong enough as a psychological thriller  and I would have preferred it to stay that way.  The author did a great job weaving in the mythology so that made it better, but I just wish it would have been left out.  I would love to see a separate book with this type of mythology because it is really interesting and dark as well.

For the creepy fans this is a must read.  It has everything you could ask for and more!!

4 snowflakes 

 

Blog Tour: Interview, Giveaway & Review The Last Good Day of the Year by Jessica Warman

Today on WinterHaven Books we have the amazing Jessica Warman with us again!  I absolutely adore her and I am so excited to participate and kick off the blog tour for her newest book The Last Good Dy of the Year. 

Welcome back Jessica! It's so good to have you with us again!
Thank you for having me! It’s wonderful to be back!

1. The Last Good Day of the Year was amazing! I loved the quiet suspense that was woven throughout the book. Was it hard to keep that kind of momentum throughout the entire book?

Thank you so much! It means everything to me that you enjoyed it, because it actually was so, so tough to stay focused on this book. There was a ton of upheaval in my day-to-day life. I was in the middle of moving from Pennsylvania to Texas with my family for my husband’s work, and we didn’t know a soul. I’m ordinarily quite disciplined when it comes to my writing routine, but once it’s been sufficiently disrupted, I tend to fall apart. And even under the best circumstances, thrillers and crime novels are about bad people doing bad things to good people, which can be an exhausting bummer for an author to spend day after day with. I’m thrilled with how the book has turned out, but I’m also glad I’m finished with it.

2. I have to say that ending was one of the tensest I have ever read. I could actually see it playing out on a big screen! Did you know from the beginning how things would end for your characters?

I did, actually! Plotting can be a weakness of mine, and this book jumps around chronologically so much, as well as switching from the actual book to the nonfiction book-within-the-book… there was a lot to keep track of, so I wrote a detailed outline when I started the first draft. I don’t usually do that. I should do it; it makes the process much easier when I have at least a broad sense of how everything will end. And while I deviated somewhat from the plan and tinkered with the ending over and over again, it was essentially the same in each draft. I knew exactly what I wanted for these characters.

3. Why did Gretchen hide Michael from her family?

It made sense to me that Gretchen would want to keep Michael entirely separate from what was going in in Shelocta. If Shelocta embodies all of Gretchen’s worst mistakes and biggest regrets, Michael represents her new beginning. I also think she wanted to protect him from potentially being accused of knowing why she returned to Shelocta in the first place, and not doing anything to stop her.

4. Did you do any research into kidnappings?

I did so. Much. Research. It was exhausting and sad and generally not at all enjoyable to spend hour after hour on Wikipedia, reading about one kidnapping after another. Ugh, what a world. It was depressing, and I don’t mean that flippantly; I became genuinely depressed and anxious and overprotective of my kids. Now I know everything there is to know about famous kidnappings – JonBenet Ramsey, the Oakland Child Murders – and it’s not the most pleasant information to have bouncing around my brain. I keep telling my husband that I’m only watching and reading comedy for the next year to sort of cleanse my palate, yet as I’m typing this I have Silence of The Lambs playing on Netflix. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.

5. Out of all your books which one was your toughest to write and which one was your favorite to write?

Without question, this one was the toughest, for all the reasons I mentioned above. Between was probably my favorite book to write. That story poured out of me – it was such a pleasure. I was also incredibly regimented throughout the whole writing process for Between. I would go running every morning and think about the book as I ran, and then I’d come home and write for hours each afternoon. Routine makes such a difference for me.

6. This story will stay with me a long time I can promise you that. What story have you read lately that has stayed with you?

I’m in the middle of reading The Little Friend by Donna Tartt right now, and I already know it’s a book I won’t soon forget. The writing is beautiful – I love all of her books – and the story is exactly the kind of creepy that I’m always looking for in a thriller.

7. Do you have any plans to visit Austin? I would love to meet you!! 

It’s funny you should ask – I’m actually going to Austin for the weekend later today! We’ll be staying way out in the hill country, though, about an hour from the city itself. But I love Austin, so I’m sure I’ll be back soon!

Thanks so much for stopping by Jessica!  I loved your answers and hopefully one day we will meet in Austin!

The Last Good Day of the Year by Jessica Warman
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: May 19th, 2015
Purchase: Amazon

A new powerful thriller from the globally-embraced author of Between.

Ten years ago, in the early hours of New Year’s Day, seven-year-old Samantha and her next door neighbor, Remy, watched as a man broke into Sam’s home and took her younger sister, Turtle, from her sleeping bag. Remy and Sam, too afraid to intervene at the time, later identified the man as Sam’s sister Gretchen’s much older ex-boyfriend, Steven, who was sent to prison for Turtle’s murder.

Now, Sam’s shattered family is returning to her childhood home in an effort to heal. As long-buried memories begin to surface, Sam wonders if she and Remy accurately registered everything they saw. The more they re-examine the events of that fateful night, the more questions they discover about what really happened to Turtle.

Master storyteller Jessica Warman keeps readers guessing in this arresting page-turner.

My thoughts:
I have never read a book that gave me chills throughout.  Some have given me chills in the beginning, some at the end but never throughout the entire book until now.

The Last Good Day of the Year was amazing.  Jessica Warman has written a story that from the first page gave me chills.  This story has a quiet suspense that creeps up on you from the beginning and doesn't let go.  I could feel the suspense, but it wasn't consuming it was just there kinda looking at me waiting.  I knew there was something lurking that would only reveal itself when it was ready and man when it did my mind was officially blown. 

The story is about Samantha a 17 year old girl who has just moved back to her hometown.  This move puts her family right back where they have been running from the past 10 years.  See Samantha's sister Tabitha was stolen 10 years ago and with nowhere else to turn after her dad loses his job they return to the same house that she was stolen from.  That's crazy enough, but when Samantha starts questioning what she saw that night things get even more crazy and the story explodes.

I am a huge fan of creepy and this story is in my top 5 favorites of all time.  What made it truly amazing though was that it was quiet.  I loved that I got so wrapped up in the story and backstory of the characters that I didn't pick up on the subtle clues that were woven throughout. I just fell into this knowing that whatever needed to be revealed would be revealed, I didn't need to figure it out on my own.  I just enjoyed the chills.

Each character plays a crucial part in this story and I was sometimes a little confused at times, but it just didn't matter.  Everything came together at the end and made sense in time.  I trusted the author to take me where she wanted and that's sometimes hard for me, but in this case it was super easy.

Loved this story!  The only thing I want is one more chapter a year down the road.  I need to know where these characters are!!

5 snowflakes

About Jessica Warman

JESSICA WARMAN is the author of Breathless, Where the Truth Lies, Between, and Beautiful Lies, which have received seven starred reviews among them. Between was published in a total of twelve countries around the world. Jessica has an MA in creative writing and recently moved to Houston, Texas. Find her online at www.jessicawarman.com and on twitter @jkwarman.

Giveaway!  This giveaway is sponsored by the amazing Bloomsbury and is open to US residents over 13. Fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter.
Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also be sure to stop by the rest of the amazing blogs participating in the blog tour.

May 18^th à Winterhaven Books

May 19^th à Gone with the Words

May 20^th à Itching For Books

May 21^st à Andi’s ABCs

May 22^nd à Dana Square

May 25^th à Lili’s Reflections

May 26^th à Mary Had A Little Book Blog

May 27^th àThe Hardcover Lover

May 28^th à Happy Book Lovers

May 29^th à Novel Novice

 

 

Review: The Bargaining by Carly Anne West

The Bargaining by Carly Anne West
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: February 17, 2015
Purchase: Amazon

The fact that neither of her parents wants to deal with her is nothing new to Penny. She’s used to being discussed like a problem, a problem her mother has finally passed on to her father. What she hasn’t gotten used to is her stepmother…especially when she finds out that she’ll have to spend the summer with April in the remote woods of Washington to restore a broken-down old house.

Set deep in a dense forest, the old Carver House is filled with abandoned antique furniture, rich architectural details, and its own chilling past. The only respite Penny can find away from April’s renovations is in Miller, the young guy who runs the local general store. He’s her only chance at a normal, and enjoyable, summer.

But Miller has his own connection to the Carver House, and it’s one that goes beyond the mysterious tapping Penny hears at her window, the handprints she finds smudging the glass panes, and the visions of children who beckon Penny to follow them into the dark woods. Miller’s past just might threaten to become the terror of Penny’s future…. 

My thoughts:
This was CREEPY!!!  Like The Ring, The Conjuring, and Children of the Corn creepy and I loved every minute of it!  I have been on the look out for a book that puts the creepy first and everything else on the backburner and The Bargaining does this flawlessly!

Penny having just been shipped to live with her dad after another incident at school learns she has to endure a summer with her stepmom.  The summer will bring renovations on an old house and hopefully a new beginning for Penny.  She isn't happy about her situation, but she goes and well things get extremely strange from there.  The whole town refuses to help them and before long Penny realizes things aren't what they seem.  Four kids went missing in the exact woods that her new home for the summer is located.  These four kids miraculously showed back up six months after their disappearance only nobody could figure out where they went and what really happened to them.  Somebody knows though and through flashbacks and a terrifying mural Penny finds out just what happened in the North Woods.

I had chills pretty much the entire time I read this.  It was scary, intense, spine tingling, and at times really gross.  And yes I loved it!  The only thing that felt off was Penny's friend Rae. I know Rae was a huge part of Penny's story I just don't get how she fit in at the end.  I would have preferred a different conclusion to her part.  Everything else in the story fit, but her.  Even at the time I was reading I kept thinking where does she fit in and when the big bomb dropped I just felt like it was a jumbled mess.  I didn't need her in that part and I felt like Penny really didn't get to resolve her feelings.

Other than that though I loved this.  I really liked Rob, Penny's stepbrother, and I even liked Miller.  I would love to have one extra chapter to see what Miller's life was like after his decision.  I am really curious how that all played out, but I can use my imagination to fill in those blanks.  I have a feeling if I did get that last chapter I would be terrified to sleep at night!

If you are looking for creepy then you have to give this one a try!  Carly Anne West is a master at this genre and I am definitely going to read the rest of her books!

4 snowflakes

 

Review: Servants of the Storm by Delilah S. Dawson

Servants of the Storm by Delilah S. Dawson
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: August 5th, 2014
Purchase: Amazon

A year ago Hurricane Josephine swept through Savannah, Georgia, leaving behind nothing but death and destruction — and taking the life of Dovey's best friend, Carly. Since that night, Dovey has been in a medicated haze, numb to everything around her.

But recently she's started to believe she's seeing things that can't be real ... including Carly at their favorite cafe. Determined to learn the truth, Dovey stops taking her pills. And the world that opens up to her is unlike anything she could have imagined.

As Dovey slips deeper into the shadowy corners of Savannah — where the dark and horrifying secrets lurk — she learns that the storm that destroyed her city and stole her friend was much more than a force of nature. And now the sinister beings truly responsible are out to finish what they started.

Dovey's running out of time and torn between two paths. Will she trust her childhood friend Baker, who can't see the threatening darkness but promises to never give up on Dovey and Carly? Or will she plot with the sexy stranger, Isaac, who offers all the answers — for a price? Soon Dovey realizes that the danger closing in has little to do with Carly ... and everything to do with Dovey herself.

My Thoughts:
This book was weird with a capitol W.  Normally I am all about weird, but this one for me really missed the mark.  I am so disappointed to because the cover was amazing and deserved a better story.

This story is about Dovey who after losing her best friend during a hurricane is on meds to help her cope with what happened.  She is just numb to everything, but after seeing her best friend through a restaurant window she knows she has to go off her meds to find out what is going on. Her friend must need help right?  Things go from normal weird to downright bizarre in just a few chapters and I was left wondering what was really real.  Dovey goes on an adventure that leads her to demons and a realization that even she might not who she thinks she is.

The story I was mostly okay with I suppose.  It was interesting, a little gross with all the pinkies being thrown around  but interesting enough to keep me reading until the end.  What I had a problem with the most was the long drawn out story.  There were so many times that I thought this isn't relevant, or this could be cut out completely.  It took forever for the story to really take off and even when it did I still felt like I was digging through too many details and scenes.  Even the scenes that needed to be there were bogged down with too many details and prose. 

I also didn't care for the triangle type thing that was going on.  Dovey had two guys, but wasn't sure which one of them she wanted.  Baker was a childhood friend who has loved her forever and Issac is the new guy helping her navigate this new and dangerous world.  I didn't really care for either guy, but it bugged me that she wasn't straight with either one of them.  She kisses both guys in one night...yeah I wasn't a fan at all of this.  I have read several triangle storylines and some are done right this one wasn't in my opinion.  And honestly the triangle wasn't even needed.  The story could have stood on its own without all that.  I wish the author would have chose one guy to make the love interest and left it at that.

Okay my last big complaint was the language.  I know I know this is a weird complaint, but it really bugged me especially seeing this is a YA novel.  The language was just not necessary and I am surprised the author chose to use it as much as she did.  Every time a certain phrase would pop up I would just cringe.  I am not a huge religious person but I have a limit to the times I can read a certain phrase before I start getting annoyed.  I hit that number really early on.  I am all for freedom of speech and the author is more than welcome to use whatever words she/he chooses but I can be irritated at those choices and deem them unnecessary.  If this had been an adult book I still would have been annoyed so this should tell you something.

One more thing is this supposed to a series?  That ending was really weird and if this isn't a series then I have wasted a whole day reading this.  I expected some sort of closure after 375 pages so someone please tell me this is a series.  I'm not saying I will read it but I will rest better at night knowing that Dovey will get revenge.

2 snowflakes

Review & Giveaway: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke
Publisher: Dial
Release Date: August 15, 2013
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town…until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery...who makes you want to kiss back. Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

Blending faded decadence and the thrilling dread of gothic horror, April Genevieve Tucholke weaves a dreamy, twisting contemporary romance, as gorgeously told as it is terrifying—a debut to watch

My Thoughts:
I love to read creepy books, it has been that way for the past few months and in these past few months I have only read a handful of books that have truly scared me.  Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea has officially shown me what a creepy book can do.  I woke up last night from a nightmare with the night sweats and my heart pounding!  After I settled down I realized that my nightmare was caused by reading this book and I have to admit I was giddy.  Most books don't have that kind of effect on me and when one does I know the book at least in my opinion is amazing and one I will never forget.

Vi lives with her brother in an old mansion that has been named Citizen Kane by their late grandmother.  Their parents are off in Paris somewhere painting leaving Vi and Luke to fend for themselves.  When they run out of money Vi puts up an ad to rent their guesthouse.  The ad is answered by River, a boy who is as mysterious as they come and admits to lying 99% of the time.  Vi for some reason feels drawn to River, but when the town goes into crisis mode looking for a little girl who appeared to have been kidnapped Vi starts wondering who River really is and where exactly he was when the little girl went missing.  With little kids in cemeteries holding stakes and sticks, druken mad men killing themselves in the town square, and people accused of being witches and burned to death Vi doesn't know what to do.  All she knows is River is the connecting tie to everything, she just has to figure out what he is doing before she falls under the spell.

I can't tell you enough how much I loved this book.  It was creepy and gory and had my heart pounding from the start.  I might have read this somewhere and I agree with whoever said it that this book is for people who will eventually go on to read Stephen King.  The writing to me was very similar of Kings and the story was one that I could see him writing.  When I started reading King I wasn't quite ready so I really wish I would have had this book or one like it to give me a stepping stone into the thriller genre. 

The characters were all a vital part of the story and each had their own quirks.  I will say that these characters could possibly turn some readers off because of the dialogue.  It was a little weird at times but I think it worked with the story really well and it made everything more memorable.   I have seen this type of character writing before and it hasn't honestly worked for me until now.  I know you are probably wondering what I am talking about and it is a little hard for me to explain.  The characters aren't your typical everyday teenagers we see in YA.  They talked different and gravitated more towards old fashioned type things.  I just loved it!

I need to look and see if this is going to be a series because with the way it ended I am hoping with every fiber of my being that it will be.  I want to know more!  Awesome creeptastic book that will leave you with nightmare, I mean really what more could you want?!

4 snowflakes 

I am giving away my ARC copy of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea to one lucky follower!  I love this cover and I have to share it! 

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn

Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: June 11, 2013
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

The spine-tingling horror of Stephen King meets an eerie mystery worthy of Sara Shepard's Pretty Little Liars series in Kate Karyus Quinn's haunting debut.

On a cool autumn night, Annaliese Rose Gordon stumbled out of the woods and into a high school party. She was screaming. Drenched in blood. Then she vanished.

A year later, Annaliese is found wandering down a road hundreds of miles away. She doesn't know who she is. She doesn't know how she got there. She only knows one thing: She is not the real Annaliese Rose Gordon.

Now Annaliese is haunted by strange visions and broken memories. Memories of a reckless, desperate wish . . . a bloody razor . . . and the faces of other girls who disappeared. Piece by piece, Annaliese's fractured memories come together to reveal a violent, endless cycle that she will never escape—unless she can unlock the twisted secrets of her past

My Thoughts:
This was soooo good and all kinds of creepy!  I had an idea when I went into this but I was so wrong and what ended up playing out has to be one of the coolest ideas ever!

Annalise wakes up by herself with no idea who she is.  She has no recollection of anything before waking up and so she starts walking, but she isn't walking to find help she is walking with a purpose. Something is telling her which direction to go and she doesn't understand it, she just knows she has to go wherever that invisible string is puling her.  When she eventually comes upon people everything kind of comes together and her family is found and she gets to go home.  Her story doesn't end there though, nobody knows what happened to her and Annalise isn't the daughter her parents lost a year ago.  Things are different, Annalise knows something is going on but she can't figure it out.  When the pieces slowly start coming together and we start seeing flashbacks all kinds of craziness comes out and holy moly is it insane!

I love creepy stories and I think this one tops my list!  I have never read something like this before and I am still blown away.  The way the story unfolds is brilliant!  We get to see little bits and pieces throughout which for me was like putting a really confusing puzzle together and just when I thought I had the puzzle figured out I realized I put about a million pieces in the wrong place.

I really enjoyed the writing.  The author had a wonderful way of bringing everything to life and I felt like I was right there in the story.  I so didn't want to be there but I was and I was completely lost in the story.  I wanted to know what was going on and I know I made that "OMG" face about 100 times because the imagery is just so gross and icky but again I loved every single page!

The only thing that bothered me was Logan.  I really felt like he got a horrible deal in this story and I really wish that he had a better ending.  Yes he did a jerky thing, but he was influenced and I am not sure if he would have done certain things of his own free will.  In the end I really hoped things would have turned out differently for him and I felt like his story didn't add anything at the end except for shock value.  I was completely shocked and so sad by what happened.

Other Logan's part of the story I loved this!  It was creepy and insane and just what I was looking for!

5 snowflakes

Review: Doll Bones by Holly Black

Doll Bones by Holly Black
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Release date:May 7, 2013
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Zach, Poppy and Alice have been friends for ever. They love playing with their action figure toys, imagining a magical world of adventure and heroism. But disaster strikes when, without warning, Zach’s father throws out all his toys, declaring he’s too old for them. Zach is furious, confused and embarrassed, deciding that the only way to cope is to stop playing . . . and stop being friends with Poppy and Alice. But one night the girls pay Zach a visit, and tell him about a series of mysterious occurrences. Poppy swears that she is now being haunted by a china doll – who claims that it is made from the ground-up bones of a murdered girl. They must return the doll to where the girl lived, and bury it. Otherwise the three children will be cursed for eternity . .

My thoughts:
I love Holly Black, she is creeptastic and just all out darkly wonderful. This story *shudders* deals with one of my biggest fears dolls.  Yes I am a grown woman, but growing up I had all these weird mop dolls laying around my house and well I have been terrified ever since.  It probably doesn't help that my cousins use to scare the daylights out of me with them, but anyway that's beside the point.  I have been avoiding reading this because I just knew it would scare me and I was right (I started it last night and I would not go to sleep until my husband did if that tells you anything).  Even though this is middle grade it still gave me goosebumps and I truly loved every single minute of it!

Zach, Poppy, and Alice have basically grown up together and they have created an imaginary game sort of like an RPG if you will.  This game is very important to all three and honestly I was captivated by what they had created. It was an intense game that centers around pirates and this world Game of Thrones time world just like I said with pirates.  Kinda cool if you ask me.  But when Zach's prize action figures get thrown out he is devastated and thinks his days of adventuring are over.  He lies to Poppy and Alice about why he can't play and so the girls decide to get the Queen out for one more round of adventure. The Queen is a china doll that is locked in Poppy's moms cabinet.  This doll is all kinds of creepy and when Poppy takes it out both girls discover that The Queen may have a story of her own.  The three set out together on a quest to put the Queen to rest and along the way they have to figure out ways to coexist with each other and the growing fact that they are all growing up.

The underlining story in this is fantastic.  Everybody eventually does grow up, but you can't forget where you came from and how to have fun.  I loved this story and the characters.  I felt so bad for Zach because he is trapped in this boy world where he is expected to grow up and be a man and not play with action figures.  I just wanted the poor boy to be happy and watching him learn from the quest was awesome.  Each character needed to learn something and in the end I think they all managed to do that.

Now I haven't talked about the doll so I guess I should *looks behind back*  This doll was creepy with a capitol C.  Throughout the story it does (well it never really says for sure if it is the doll but we all know it was) some pretty wicked stuff.  Not harmful mind you just creepy.  I can tell you right now I will never own a doll and if someone brings one into my house I don't think I will be able to sleep until it is gone.  The story behind the doll was way cool and so dark!  I give Ms.Black major props for creating it and I personally think it would make for an amazing story all on its own.

Whew okay moving on. If you are a fan of Ms. Black then you won't want to miss this one.  It is a wonderful addition to her collection that will leave you shuddering for more!

4 snowflakes