"The Agency: A Spy in the House" by Y. S. Lee

Insurance fraud.
Sunken ships.
Guilt money.
A ransacked office.
There was at least one more missing detail...

Mary Lang is a preteen girl living in the streets of Victorian era London. She picks pockets and breaks into houses to survive, until she is caught and sentenced to hang.
When she is miraculously rescued from the gallows and sent to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls, it's a new life. A life away from the crime and theivery she left behind. It's a new chance to be independent- a rare thing in Victorian era Britain.
But when Mary, now going with the last name of Quinn, finds herself yearning for more, she is hired by the headmistresses of the academy to work for The Agency- a top secret detective agency exclusively for women agents.
Mary's thrilled to be working for The Agency, and even more thrilled when she recieves her first assignment. Posing as a hired companion, she's to assist a more experienced agent in investigating missing ships containing smuggled items. But not all is as it seems in the household, and no one is who they appear to be.

Just before he caught her, she had a moment of sick premonition. It had been the same way the first time- the last time- she'd been caught. A flash of dread, of knowing. And then it happened.

I picked this book up from the library because I'm fascinated by the Victorian era. I decided that it looked interesting, took it home, and read it in what would amount to about 24 hours. It's a pretty fast read, particularly once you get more than halfway into it.

The interesting thing about this book is not just that the characters are amazing, but that it seems like an incredibly realistic portrayal of Victorian era London. The jacket says that the author completed her PhD in Victorian literature and culture, and studied London. You can definitely tell this while reading the book- she includes many details that make the backdrop of this book to be exciting and foreign- and yet utterly realistic.

The characters are also quite amazing- Particularly James and Mary (the main characters), who happen to have some of the most wonderfully witty lines that I've read for a while.
However, although I enjoy the characters, I find the plot to be a little meandering and it has a slightly confusing end in my opinion. There were several times when I had to go back and reread as section because I didn't quite catch what was going on. Several times also near the end things just seem to go a little too good for the characters, with Mary's mysterious instincts. I also didn't particularly like the end- it was a little abrupt and it made me a little sad.
Despite this, I consider it to be a good book and if I see more from this series, I will be getting them from the library.

"This Dark Endeavor (The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein)" by Kenneth Oppell

"Victor and Konrad are the twin brothers Frankenstein. They are nearly inseparable. Growing up, their lives are filled with imaginary adventures...until the day their adventures turn all too real.
They stumble upon The Dark Library, and secret books of alchemy and ancient remedies are discovered. Father forbids that they ever enter the room again, but this only piques Victor's curiosity more. When Konrad falls gravely ill, Victor is not satisfied with the various doctors his parents have called in to help. He is drawn back to The Dark Library where he uncovers an ancient formula for the Elixir of Life. With their friend Elizabeth, Henry and Victor immediately set out to find assistance from a man who was once known for his alchemical works to help create the formula.
Determination and the unthinkable outcome of losing his brother spur Victor on in the quest for the three ingredients that will save Konrad's life. After scaling the highest trees in the Strumwald, diving into the deepest lake caves, and sacrificing one’s own body part, the three fearless friends risk their lives to save another."-goodreads

Okay, if any of you ever saw my review of "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley, you know that I liked it, but also was maybe a little bit underwhelmed after my expectations from the Hollywood portrayal of the Frankenstein monster (yes I realize this is absolutely *blasphemous*). I'm actually re-reading it right now, and appreciating it a lot more. (Give me a break, it was one of the first Gothic 19th century novels I'd read, and it was a lot to take in!). 

I wasn't at all sure what to expect from this book but I loved it! It was so good. The portrayal of young Victor Frankenstein to show the childhood that isn't talked about in Frankenstein was epic. It showed us some of the events that could've lead to the famous Dr. Frankenstein and his *slightly* twisted ways. From reading Frankenstein, I could totally believe that this is what his adolescence would've been like; the culmination of 'teenage-angst', bitterness, and tragedy to warp his future. Victor's character was well developed and the voice of the novel was great. The tension between Victor and Elizabeth (and the different kind between Victor and Konrad) was remarkable.  It did move a bit slow for me at times but so did "Frankenstein", and many other books that I end up liking. The mystery and misadventures were daring and cool to read of, and it was interesting to draw parallels to what occurs in the original novel in Victor's adult life. Also, one might think that "This Dark Endeavor" would be cliche or cheese-y, another one of those unoriginal 'teenage monster' stories but it was much more.

I also looked up the book because I wanted to know if there would be a sequel, which I would be very interested in if that's possible or maybe it would be too much, but anyway I saw that it's going to be made into a movie which would be amazing because I could totally see this book as a movie-- super creepy. Also, for the bottom line of random notes, look at the cover!! So eerie and dark, absolutely perfect for the book! 
Thank you to Simon&Schuster for giving me the opportunity to review this book. Reader's Note: As usual, this in no way swayed my opinion.

"City of Orphans" by Avi

"The streets of 1893 New York are full of life: crowded, filthy, dangerous. If you are a newsboy like thirteen-year- old Maks Geless, you need to watch out for Bruno, leader of the Plug Ugly Gang whose shadowy, sinister boss is plotting to take control of all the newsies on the lower East Side. With Bruno’s boys in fierce pursuit, Maks discovers Willa, a strange girl who lives alone in an alley. It is she, stick in hand, who fights off the Plug Uglies--but further dangers await. Maks must find a way to free his sister Emma from The Tombs, the city jail where she has been imprisoned for stealing a watch at the glamorous new Waldorf Hotel. Maks, believing her innocent, has only four days to prove it. Fortunately, there is Bartleby Donck, the eccentric lawyer (among other employments) to guide Maks and Willa in the art of detection. Against a backdrop alive with the sights and sounds of tenement New York, Maks, as boy detective, must confront a teeming world of wealth and crime, while struggling against powerful forces threatening new immigrants and the fabric of family love."-goodreads

I haven't read a really good middle-grade in quite a while (aside that I'm currently re-reading "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" at a snail like pace to go along with Pottermore). I don't read middle-grade very often, but when I do I usually enjoy it (well, actually, specifically, I've said it before and I'll say it again: I enjoy any kind of book, as long is it's good, to me. That's the obvious requirement, and that's all.) "City of Orphans" fulfilled the good book requirement as well as the 'good middle-grade since I haven't read one in a while' requirement.


I really liked Maks, the main character. Throughout the novel, he deals with a whole lot of problems amicably but realistically. He experienced set backs and not everything went as planned, and that seems to happen too much especially in middle-grade. It wasn't a complete fairy tale. Willa was pretty epic too, tough girl who's also sensitive (which has been done a million times, but still). While I thought the characters were likable, I 
didn't necessarily think they had as much depth as I would have liked... 

The overall plot was good, well paced, a mystery that kept you reading to find out who the crook was, and when I did find out I was pretty sad for -insert character here-. I also liked that between the writing and the few illustrations scattered through out I felt the book come to life-- which is really important for the middle grade genre, I think (but any genre for the most part!)! The voice is quite important too and I thought that was also great. The bottom line: A great historical, stand-alone, middle-grade novel!

Thank you Simon&Schuster for the opportunity to review this book, readers, as usual it in no way affected my opinion!

"Leviathan" by Scott Westerfeld

"Prince Aleksander, would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battletorn war machine and a loyal crew of men.
Deryn Sharp is a commoner, disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.
With World War I brewing, Alek and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way…taking them on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure that will change both their lives forever"-goodreads

Leviathan is the first steampunk book I've read. (Note: I still wouldn't understand what steampunk IS if it weren't for: a) Angela who is awesome and kind of a steampunk specialist, b) to some extent, google, and c) this book.) I now understand the appeal. It's also the first novel by Scott Westerfeld that I've read besides Uglies, Pretties, and Specials (which was ages ago and I REALLY need to re-read them as I hardly remember anything except that they were amazing). If they hadn't proved his genius-- Leviathan would have!

First off, oh my gosh I need to talk about the illustrations. There are these really intricate, awesome, brilliant full page and half page illustrations throughout the book. These were both great to look at and good at explaining things. The 'clanker' machinery and the 'Darwinist' creatures were so bizarre that I couldn't quite picture them, but then the illustrations had me seeing them perfectly. So cool. Then another favorite bit for me was how it's both historical fiction and futuristic fiction seamlessly put together, which is the steampunk element, but it was so interesting to read about a World War II world in an alternate society and universe sort of way. I can't wait for those things to be explored more in Behemouth and Goliath, the other two books in the series (although Goliath hasn't come out yet). 

The only negative thing I have to say about this book is while Alek and Deryn are obviously different characters, genders, and very different personalities their thought processes seemed TOO similar sometimes. Also, something to note, although Leviathan seems to have been marketed as a YA book I'd say it could just as easily be enjoyed by a more middle-grade and younger audience-- it has something for pretty much everyone in a broad age range!

"Lily of the Nile" by Stephanie Dray

"Heiress of one empire and prisoner of another, it is up to the daughter of Cleopatra to save her brothers and reclaim what is rightfully hers...
To Isis worshippers, Princess Selene and her twin brother Helios embody the divine celestial pair who will bring about a Golden Age. But when Selene's parents are vanquished by Rome, her auspicious birth becomes a curse. Trapped in an empire that reviles her heritage and suspects her faith, the young messianic princess struggles for survival in a Roman court of intrigue. She can't hide the hieroglyphics that carve themselves into her hands, nor can she stop the emperor from using her powers for his own ends. But faced with a new and ruthless Caesar who is obsessed with having a Cleopatra of his very own, Selene is determined to resurrect her mother's dreams. Can she succeed where her mother failed? And what will it cost her in a political game where the only rule is win-or die?"-goodreads

I've always been really into ancient history of the Egyptian/Greek/Roman varieties, and I recall pouring over Cleopatra's complicated story multiple times. Add that to my love for YA historical fiction and I figured I was sure to like this book. I wasn't let down; Lily of the Nile was stunning. Stephanie Dray wrote a brilliant novel that must have required copious amounts of intense research and much cleverly filling the gaps where necessary. 

The exploration of how Selene and her twin, Helios, dealt with everything and their lives being held captive by the Roman empire was amazing. The raw emotion of Selene as she changed and became more cunning, more like her mother's daughter, more of Isis, were so real seeming. The changing relationship between her and Helios as she made decisions as a strategist and he didn't necessarily was complicated and surprising. The theme of the treatment of women in Egypt in contrast to that in Rome... All fascinating stuff. The ending was explosive, and left me wishing there was more. (There should be a new rule: 'Sequels to books I like are not permitted to come out more than a week after I read said book' HA. No, that won't work.) Apparently there will be a sequel, "Song of the Nile" due in October.

"The Lost Crown" by Sarah Miller

"Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia--like the fingers on a hand, Tatiana the tallest, Anastasia the smallest, Maria the one most desperate for a ring. These are the daughters of the Tsar, the daughters of the last royal Russian family. Acclaimed author Sarah Miller writes with lyricism, criticism and true compassion as she tracks this loving cluster of sisters from the decks of their yacht to the prison walls of their final home. What do abdication and revolution mean to these young women? Told through each of their voices in alternating chapters, we see their day-to-day lives, in many ways, remain the same; they dote on their dogs, flirt with the soldiers, and are followed constantly by guards. But their desires for the future have all but disappeared. As conditions worsen and the provisional government loses power to the Bolsheviks, the girls huddle together to make sense of what is happening. At the same time hopeful and hopeless, naÏve and wise, their voices become a chorus singing the final song of Imperial Russia."-goodreads

The Lost Crown was a fascinating novel. I love historical fiction, especially when it's about a period that I might not have known much about before going into the novel. I didn't know THAT much about Imperial Russia, so this book was very interesting and fresh for me.

The settings were ornate and as the points of view alternated things became different. An interesting point about this novel is that for every chapter the point of view is from a different one of the daughters. I found this really good, and switching up the perspectives did freshen the story a bit each time. The only qualm that I have with that is at times, especially near the beginning, the story switched character's narratives without really changing, but after a while and getting used to it I didn't feel that way at all. 


The way this story was done is just interesting, deciding to do it from the daughter's points of view and showing their side of the story. Sarah Miller seems to have done fantastic job capturing what they would've been like and must have done an impeccable amount of research to pull of this book. Overall, it was a fascinating historical YA with very unique insight on the inside of a period of history that you might not have known much about before. A great read! 


Thank you to Simon&Schuster for giving me the opportunity to review this book. Reader's Note: As always, my reviews are unbiased. Thanks! :)

"Death Cloud" by Andrew Lane

"It is the summer of 1868, and Sherlock Holmes is fourteen. On break from boarding school, he is staying with eccentric strangers—his uncle and aunt—in their vast house in Hampshire. When two local people die from symptoms that resemble the plague, Holmes begins to investigate what really killed them, helped by his new tutor, an American named Amyus Crowe. So begins Sherlock’s true education in detection, as he discovers the dastardly crimes of a brilliantly sinister villain of exquisitely malign intent."-goodreads

Confession: I have not yet read the Sherlock Holmes tales completely. I've wanted to, but I haven't. Upon finishing this clever novel, my interest has been renewed-- I hope to do so soon! This novel, and Sherlock himself, were very good. If I had to compare it to something I'd say Alex Rider. (Getting himself into messes, playing the hero, all that.) Except, you know, it's 1868! Death Cloud is definitely a true mystery book; which I wouldn't say is something I've read a lot of in YA. Although I could probably call Uncommon Criminals a mystery!

I liked the setting of this book. The areas of England (and everywhere else Sherlock ends up, you'll see) that it takes place in are described really well, a clear picture was painted in my head. I liked Sherlock a lot, along with Matty, Virginia, and Mr. Crowe. A strength for the characters in this novel is that each of the side characters had a back story without it feeling like too much, like they were the main character all of a sudden, which seems to happen quite a bit if you know the other characters too well... Sherlock was really likable, and I think his biggest strength was that while clever, witty, and quick to react, he didn't seem perfect, and the whole mystery didn't seem completely easy for him to solve. 


The pace was slightly slow at times, and I noticed some inconsistencies sometimes... for example, I recall in one paragraph, I think it was Virginia, was sitting down, got up, and was fighting someone and then all of a sudden she was sitting next to Sherlock again; which I didn't really get. Other than those though, I can't really think of any problems! A very good book overall; it paints an awesome portrait of teenage Sherlock Holmes! I'd definitely recommend this as a pre-read to the complete Sherlock Holmes as if you haven't already read it, it will inspire you too; and surely a must for anyone who has enjoyed those stories. I'm very excited for the sequel coming this fall!

"Aphrodite's Blessings; Love Stories From the Greek Myths" by Clemence McLaren

"If I were racing against someone as handsome as Milanion," Filomena said, "I'd let him win... by just a little." She gestured with thumb and index finger.

Atalanta, princess, has been brought up to be an athlete. When her father and his advisers decide, however, that she must get married, she is terrified. The fate of married women is clear- to be kept inside all the time, except with their husband.
But it gets worse.
Her father decrees that if any man can win a race against Atalanta, they will be her husband, and rule over Arcadia. But if they lose? Death.
Atalanta doesn't want the men to die... But which is worse? To marry away your life... Or to destroy someone else's?
...
Everyone knows not to boast too much. Say the wrong thing, and the gods will punish you thoroughly.
Well.
Maybe not everyone.
Andromeda's mother is beautiful... And boastful. When she says that she and her daughter are more beautiful than all the daughters of Poseidon, everyone is worried, except for her. Andromeda is engaged to a wealthy (if short and old) man, she's still beautiful, and the gods never really pay attention to mortals... do they?
But, if the myths are true, and the queen is wrong... How are they to be punished?
...
Psyche has been gifted with amazing beauty, but it seems like it won't do her any good. When a message from a god comes, however, telling Psyche's family to wed her to a mysterious "Lord of the Hidden Valley", Psyche is hopeful.
But even when all seems well, trouble comes in the form of a jealous sister. When Psyche unknowingly ruins her happiness, how far is she willing to go to get it, and the man she loves, back?

Everyone admired my courage, yet it wasn't really courage. I simply wasn't as frightened as they expected me to be. I was actually relieved that I would not have to look at my father's solemn face, or listen to my sisters whispering about me any longer. Even in a wealthy family, an unmarried girl is a burden, because of the shame she brings. I was ready to remove that burden.

I quite liked this book. Greek myths fascinate me (heck, all myths fascinate me), and it was interesting seeing them written out in this way, from the girl's point of view. I found a lot of them to be much more emotional this way, and the characters were interesting.

However. The problem I had with this book was mostly about the last story, of Psyche. I like the story, but I did not like how things just seemed to happen in her favor, with no explanation. I know this isn't the author's fault, but what I do credit the author with is saying something along the lines of "I wouldn't know why until later", and then just not explaining it after all.

Besides that, though, I did like this book, and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes the stories anyway.

"Nevermore" by Kelly Creagh

"At once an homage to one of America's greatest writers and a page-turning psychological mystery that is equal parts horror, humor, and romance, NEVERMORE is the story of Varen -- a Poe-fan and goth -- and Isobel -- a cheerleader and unlikely heroine. When a Lit. project pairs the two together, Isobel finds herself steadily swept into Varen's world, one that he has created in his notebook and in his mind, one where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life. Isobel slowly learns that dreams can be much more powerful than she'd ever expected, and that pain and despair come in all sorts of shades. As labels of "goth" and "cheerleader" fade away, she sees more in Varen than a tall, pale outcast, and a consuming romance is braced against the ever-clearer horror that the most terrifying realities are those within our own minds.
When Isobel has a single chance to rescue Varen from the shadows of his own nightmares, will she be able to save him -- and herself?"-goodreads

I am a Poe enthusiast! I have been meaning to read this book for quite a while because of that. Several people recommended this book to me because I like the Edgar Allan Poe stuff I've read, as in, really like it! Thus, I was extremely excited to read Nevermore. I was not disappointed by the Poe element at all-- there were quotes, it was a totally gothic book, they talked about Poe, the project was on Poe, and you know, it turned out everything had more to do with Poe than it seemed. *queue the spooky music*

This is a very LONG book. It's over 500 pages. That doesn't deter me, I don't care about the length of a book as long as it's a good book. This was a good book. It wasn't the BEST BOOK EVER (which I kind of hoped it would be...). It was a good book. I do think it could've been shorter--I felt like it spent a lot of time building up to what was going to happen, and then when stuff actually started happening, it felt kind of rushed (which might've just been the contrast of the pace moving rather slowly and then all of  a sudden we were getting places, figuring things out, etc...).

I liked Varen as a character... I wasn't a huge fan of Isabel. She kind of reminded me of a certain other Bella that is part of a popular YA series... and not in a very good way. That and I just never really connected with her as a character, I never really felt any sympathy or otherwise for her.

I did like how the story unfolded, the Poe element, and the writing was gothic and beautiful. It was awesomely psychological and creepy. I'll definitely be picking up the sequel when it comes out next year (I thought it was supposed to be a stand-alone, but BAM, CLIFFHANGER.) but it just wasn't overall my thing. But if you enjoy gothic types of books, Edgar Allan Poe, paranormal, and aren't afraid of a big book-- give it a try, you might think it's the best book ever. :)

"The Devil's Arithmetic" by Jane Yolen

"Hannah is tired of hearing about the Nazis during the Holocaust, but when she opens the door for Elijah at the Passover Seder, she is transported in time to 1940s Poland, where she is captured and put in a death camp. A girl named Rivka befriends her, teaching her how to fight the dehumanization of the camp and hold onto her identity."-goodreads

I said 'painfully realistic', 'important', and 'powerful must-read' when I reviewed Between Shades of Gray a while back. The same can be said for The Devil's Arithmetic. 


This is a very hard book to read; and I don't mean that because it was a bad book. It's very sad and it's terrifying. It's terrifying, because just like Hannah does, you know what is happening, you know what's going to happen. The characters may not have been real people, they were just reflections of survivor's accounts of the holocaust, but their situation (like that of Lina's in Between Shades of Gray) and their journey is dreadfully accurate. 


These things really happened. The whole book was very realistic, with the exception of the obvious Hannah traveling to the past and such. It's an important story, and while we witness the important story unfold, we learn the equally important lesson that Hannah learns over the course of the book: that we must remember our history, our heritage, and the hardships that our relatives (distant or close) had to endure so that we could be here.


The writing was good, the story important and unglamorized. It's brutally honest, and a very important but powerful read. These people tried to keep hope, as Hannah and her relatives did. I recommend this book because it's all around important, and for people that liked Between Shades of Gray for all of the above reasons.

"Beautiful Darkness" (Caster Chronicles, #2) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

"Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.
Sometimes life-ending.
Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems."-goodreads
Remember that time I wrote a review in which I was totally crazy about a Paranormal/Contemporary/Historical book called Beautiful Creatures? This is the sequel to that book and I loved it just as much!

The Paranormal/Historical/Contemporary elements are back and all there. The book is still written in a way that captivates you and makes you really see what is going on, at times rather poetic. The story is still fascinating. It continues to surprise with twists that you can't forsee no matter how hard you try. It's still a rather gothic novel. It was great!

There's always those times where I'm disappointed with the sequel as compared to the first book, but this wasn't a let down. Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness both start out rather slow-- even though it's good, it's slow-- but it's good that way. It doesn't take away for me. It just builds on and prepares you for the very complicated but very good things to come. It's a long book just like the first at about 500 pages, however, it's 500 pages of greatness. The way the world of Casters and the mortal world in Gaitlin combine in these books is seamless. The book was more emotional than the last, because of some very traumatic experiences going on and the ones that went on in Beautiful Creatures (which I can't talk about without ruining the whole thing).

I can't wait for the third in the series of the Caster Chronicles to come out, Beautiful Chaos in (fittingly) October! I'm sure there are more great things to coming yet in this series.

"Clockwork Angel" by Cassandra Clare (Infernal Devices, #1)

Tessa Gray's parents are dead. She lives with her Aunt in New York. Her brother, Nathaniel, went away a while ago to London for work. Her aunt has died and she's going to travel across the seas to her brother so they can live in London. Little does she know, her brother doesn't wait for her in London, but terrible forces do. There's evil and lots of knowledge waiting for Tessa in London; along with her brother. She'll also meet up with a lot of shadowhunters, including an attractive; seemingly emotionless one. That's how Clockwork Angel starts.

Clockwork Angel is the first book in a planned trilogy that is going to be a prequel sort of series to The Mortal Instruments. The other two books in the Infernal Devices series are going to be called "Clockwork Prince" and "Clockwork Princess".

I have a confession: I haven't read the Mortal Instruments yet. I plan to, especially after reading this book, but I haven't yet. My friend told me there weren't any spoilers and I could start with Clockwork Angel if I liked. I decided to.

It was really good. I haven't read a whole lot of books regarding demons, so that was a plus. There were vampires, but not cheesy sparkly ones. There was talk of warlocks, which is cool. The thing I like about that is the multiple types of paranormal, not just one.

Tessa, Jem, and Will were fascinating characters, as were pretty much everyone else. I enjoyed their back stories, all unique. Tessa's unknowingly not being totally human. Jem's disease due to poison and torture. Will's mysterious background.

There was a lot of fighting and action, along with mysteries and good stories and descriptions, so that was good. A lot of enjoyable elements. It's another book set in the 1800s, which was kind of cool after having just read The Vespertine. It was very creepy and gothic.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think I will appreciate it even more after I read The Mortal Instruments! (Which I plan to do. Soon!) I'm also very much looking forward to Clockwork Prince!

"The Vespertine" by Saundra Mitchell

"It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.
When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause."-goodreads

I've read lot's of Paranormal books, and many Historical books. Those are basically my two favorite sub-genres of YA, so you can probably imagine that when I found out about a beautifully written, pretty covered book by the name of The Vespertine, I was very excited by the prospect.

I was NOT disappointed at all. It was amazing, just like everyone kept telling me it would be. It was soooo beautifully written, I felt like I was in the 1800s with Amelia and really involved in the story, and the writing just flowed nice and painted a brilliant picture of what was going on at all times. I really didn't think that Paranormal could flow very well for me in the 1800s, because I'd just never read anything like that, but I was proved wrong.


Amelia's unpreventable glimpses into the future and their unpredictable, usually messy consequences were filled with lots of different emotions. Just the way she and Zora handled her ability and going around to people and using it with no worries at first... it was very interesting. Amelia and Zora's relationship was particularly interesting because their friendship was boring at first but then they came to be kind of rebels together. Well, as close to rebelling for a young lady as you could be in that period, I suppose. It was funny.


Zora and Amelia's friendship leads me to their dances and their gentlemen. Zora and Thomas were cute. And of course then there's Amelia's love, Nathaniel. It was interesting, him being a fourteenth and socially unacceptable because he's an ARTIST. A deep starving artist, right? Yeah. The twist about what he actually was, wasn't something that I expected and that was really good.


Overall, The Vespertine was an amazing story and I can't wait for the sequel! I can't wait to read more of Saundra Mitchel's writing and I'm eager to pick up Shadowed Summer, a horror novel that she released before The Vespertine. If you like historical stuff from the 1800s, paranormal elements, and a 'forbidden' romance because the guy is an artist, you'll love the Vespertine; because it was amazing.

"Beautiful Creatures" by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

"Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything."-goodreads

I have to admit, I almost didn't read this book. There were several reasons involved in this: when it came out, it was during the time where every single book was about VAMPIRES. Read the description. The 'secret' could easily be vampires, right? Second; it's LONG. I LOVE long books, because as long as a book is good it can go on forever and I'll be happy about that. But, despite people saying good things about it I thought it was about vampires and I'd read enough of those.

Fast-Forward to 2 weeks ago at the library. I saw this book sitting on the shelf and read the description again. I recalled thinking it was about vampires, but realized it never said that, and a couple of my friends are really into this book and had recommended it to me. I decided I'd read it and if it was bad or about vampires or it was Twilight with a different cover, I wouldn't finish it.

I finally got around to picking it up and oh. my. god. It was so good! I loved how it was paranormal and a paranormal romance but it wasn't vampires. It wasn't poorly written- in fact, it was SUPER-written. It was 566 pages of AWESOME. It was a long book- but even after reading 566 pages of it I found myself not wanting it to end. Why? Read on.

First: Setting. This novel is paranormal and it's in the modern world, but it's set in the South in an area with constant Civil War reenactments and a lot of history. I think this is the first book that I've ever read that was a Contemporary/Paranormal/Historical/Romance all at the same time, without a lot of over-empowerment from any of those.

Characters. I loved Ethan. He seemed really cool. I haven't actually read that many books that I've enjoyed that are narrated by guys, and I definitely liked this one the best. I also just liked him as a character. Lena was really cool, obviously, and she was just unique all around.

Casters. The whole witch-type-of-thing-but-not-quite was pretty unique and I really liked it.

I'm not going to go on much more because I'll get overly gush-ish and I'll probably spoil everything for you, but all I can say is that if you're not afraid of large books (with equally large sequels, Beautiful Darkness is just as long), with cool writing, interesting characters, a great setting, and overall a book that I'm calling Contemporary/Paranormal/Historical/Romance, then I recommend picking up Beautiful Creatures.

"Deadly" by Julie Chibbaro

"A mysterious outbreak of typhoid fever is sweeping New York.
Could the city's future rest with its most unlikely scientist?
Every week more people fall ill, and despite thorough investigation, there's no cause in sight. It's not until sixteen-year-old Prudence Galewski takes a job as an assistant in a laboratory that the evidence begins to fall into place. It seems one person has worked in every home the fever has ravaged: Mary Mallon, an Irish immigrant quickly dubbed "Typhoid Mary" by the press. Strangely, though, Mary hasn't been sick a day in her life. Is the accusation against her an act of discrimination? Or is she the first clue in a new scientific discovery?
    Prudence is determined to find out. In a time when science is for men, she'll have to prove to the city, and to herself, that she can help solve one of the greatest medical mysteries of the twentieth century."-the inside of the book

Deadly was a good historical fiction novel, portrayed by Prudence's diary entries beginning a little while before she takes the job as an assistant and goes on until the end of Mary Mallon's court case. I was actually surprised about how much I liked it, because until I started reading it I hadn't realized it was going to be a 'diary' style book; which I'm not usually a big fan of. However, it does usually work with me for Historical Fiction, and this is no exception. It reminded me of Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, which I remember really liking, although I haven't read it in a long time.

My favorite part about Deadly was probably Prudence and her journey throughout the book. She starts out a kind of shy girl who wants to work as an assistant for the Department of Health and Sanitation, but she still doesn't really know what she wants. By the end she's more opinionated and she knows what she wants and that she's going to go get it; and she's not nearly as timid.

I really appreciated how Prudence wanted to explain to Mary and treat her nicely although she wouldn't allow it. She was the only character to truly attempt to understand her. I know there had to be 'that' character, but it was still good. I kind of felt myself thinking that although she took a journey, and we're reading her 'diary' entries, we weren't that close to Prudence. I didn't feel completely immersed in her character, even though it was in first person which for me helps.

I did feel immersed in the story of the historical fiction novel, and overall really enjoyed it. I'm loving historical YA lately and this is no exception. If you like historical fiction in diary form for pretty much any age then you'll probably like Deadly. Also, this is a rather quick read, probably because diary entry books tend to be that way, and also because there's all these cool drawings from Prudence in her 'diary'.

"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne

"If you start to read this book, you will go on a journey with a nine-year-old boy named Bruno. (The this isn't a book for nine-year-olds.) And sooner or later you will arrive with Bruno at a fence.

Fences like this exist all over the world.
We hope you never have to encounter one." -back of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is the incredible story of the Bruno, the son of a Nazi 'commander' who works at one of the work camps, during the Holocaust. Bruno has led a normal life in Berlin, where he's had friends, and a very nice house as long as he can remember. Then, one day, the Fury comes to dinner, and after dinner, everyone is very excited because his father has been promoted, he's a commander. Shortly after this event, Bruno comes home one day to find the servant girl, Maria, packing his belongings. He finds out that him, his mother and father, and his sister are all going to be moving. They end up at place called Out-With, which is a home located right next to the work camp. Eventually, Bruno goes exploring around and finds another nine-year-old boy who shares his birthday, and they become friends. His name is Schmuel. He's a Jew who 'lives' at the camp. The rest of the book is mostly in regards to their friendship and all of the events surrounding it as perceived by a rather naive nine-year-old, who really doesn't understand what's going on between the Germans and the Jews, or even what a Jew is.

It was a great book. It was sad. It was odd, because nothing was very dark or scary in reading simply because you were seeing it through Bruno's eyes, and as I said- he's very naive. He doesn't understand any of the bad things, so you don't really see them- although you know what's happening if you know anything about history-, (the end is a good example). It's great because even though Bruno's dad is a major Nazi, Bruno doesn't get any of that -no one ever told him-, so it's not focused around that and he doesn't hold the same ideas. It was a sad, but good book.

If you're looking for a fantastic historical, or want to read more about that terrible part of history, or just want to read a book that deals with an important issue, you should read "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas". I also recommend it to people that enjoyed "The Book Thief" or the upcoming "Between Shades of Gray".

"Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys

Release: March 22nd
"Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.
Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously—and at great risk—documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart." -from Goodreads

This book was amazing. It was touchingly emotional and beautifully written; as well as painfully realistic and with terrifying circumstances, situations, and other details. The characters were as deep as the story. The characters in this book go through so many terrible and awe-inspiring things that it's incredible, as well as terribly upsetting and heart breaking because the situation under Stalin happened. Author Ruta Sepetys even says that a lot of the things that happened in the story are based on real survivors' accounts. It was scary at times, depressing, encouraging, depressing, and all of those elements just made it so authentic. This beautiful book is not an easy book to read, at times I wanted to cry or put the book down or something when I read more about the journey Lina was on, because it was just that emotional, but all of those things that made the book are just so important I think because so much of it is true. A must-read if you're into historical fiction, finding out more about history, or just a dramatically amazing story, you'll adore Between Shades of Gray!

If you would like to find out more about Between Shades of Gray go to the website here or Ruta Sepetys's website here.

ARC through program at my library! Thanks! 

"The Eiffel Tower's Daughter" by Bethany Huang

 "The Eiffel Tower's Daughter is a story about love, compassion, family, and life. A girl who has to face it all with no one to help her. She runs away from home the day after her divorced mother unknowingly marries a spy. Swanilde has to deal with rivalry and vengeance on her way to warn her father and ask for help. Swanilde thinks she's on a quest for truth, but her family reveals all of the secrets and lies they have been hiding from her for years. As Swanilde's world crumbles under her, she realizes how precious life is and how short it is. She tries to deal with all of the obstacles in her way to find who she really is-until disaster strikes and she's running again." (From the back of the book.)

This was a good story! Anyone over 10 or 11 could probably enjoy it. It was fast-paced, and emotional. The story was pretty vivid in my mind. It was a nice quick read- there's something to be said for a book that can be even slightly good that's both only 100 pages, and a stand-alone book. I also liked that the story crossed many countries (France, Egypt, Greece). I give this book 4 Stars!

There's also obviously something to be said about the fact, HELLO, the author of this book wrote it when she was 10! When I was 10, I wasn't trying to write an actual novel and get it published. Trust me. I know everyone's been talking about the fact that she's 11, but still! It's just really inspiring and impressive that she wanted to write and publish a book at such a young age, and achieved her goal. If you want to find out more about "The Eiffel Tower's Daughter" go to the facebook for the book here.
Thank you (author) Bethany Huang for giving me a copy of your book to review after we'd been talking. 
Again, note to readers, receiving a review copy from an author/publisher doesn't alter my review, THESE ARE MY REAL OPINIONS. 

"The House of Dead Maids" by Claire B. Dunkle

"The House of Dead Maids" is a short 'prelude' to the classic literary novel "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte. If you want a reason to get into "Wuthering Heights" or have already read it and enjoyed it, this is a good book for you. However, if you have no interest in the old English type of writing style and the gothic elements with that type of story, you might not like it. I already read "Wuthering Heights" for my literature class last year, so I knew what they were talking about and enjoyed it fairly well!

Tabby has no parents and no family that she knows of. She has always been an orphan so long as she can remember. She has worked at various places, helping to be housekeeper and such, and is now finally at a knitting school where she's learned to knit well, when someone named Miss Winter comes to collect her. Tabby has been bought by this Miss Winter woman, from being at the school. She ends up at "Seldom House" where she finds that she's going to be the maid of a young boy; by various names. When she's taking care of the little boy -and when she's not- she finds herself haunted by a girl spirit that seems to be an old maid of the house. Soon, her and 'himself, heathen git' in their explorations of the house discover the dark house's very dark secret.

This book was alright. It was pretty sure which (a rare case) I found myself kind of glad about. It's written in an old english style like "Wuthering Heights" and is filled with Gothic era elements and the like. It's a complicated to story, and some might think it's a sophisticated type of book. I give it 3 stars ***. And also: the cover is creepy.

"The Red Pyramid" (Kane Chronicles, Bk 1) by Rick Riordan

"The Red Pyramid" is the first book in one of the new series by Rick Riordan, "The Kane Chronicles". Rather than following the lives and events of Greek demi-gods (children of the Greek Gods and a mortal parent) and Camp Half-Blood like in "The Heroes of Olympus" and the "Percy Jackson" series, it's the epic adventure tale of Sadie and Carter Kane (brother and sister) who have the 'Blood of the Pharaohs' from their mother and father. These two siblings have been living on different continents since the death of their mother years before, but when it's 'visiting day' for Carter and his dad (Julius Kane, acclaimed Egyptoligist) and they visit the British Museum to see the original Rosetta Stone artifact, they're brought closer together in light of a crisis. Now, they begin the adventure of discovering everything no one ever told them about themselves, with their blood of the pharaohs. Pick up the book to see what happens!

I really liked this one. I would give it 5 stars! I've never disliked the books I've read by Rick Riordan, though so yeah.. When the 2nd one comes out in May I'll be sure to read it too! I think this is a very promising first book for the series. It's an exciting and rather epic adventure filled with suspense, godliness, and mythology (like Percy Jackson and the Lost Hero)!

If you'd like to find out more about "The Kane Chronicles" and the rest of Rick Riordan's books go to his blog here, and the website for "The Kane Chronicles" here.