Thornhill

If you have read The Invention of Hugo Cabret you will enjoy the style of this book. It is told in pictures intermixed with a sad story of bullying. The pictures are of a modern girl who can see the abandoned Thornhill Academy out her window. She lives a lonely life as her parents seem to be working all the time. She sees a girl on the grounds of the academy and investigates. Meanwhile, the written story is of an orphan living at the academy in a different time, where she is bullied by another orphan. She lives in a world of dolls/puppets that she creates. No one will help her with her situation as she does not talk. When she tries to tell what is happening to her, circumstances prevent it from being resolved. The two girls find they have much in common and join their fates together. This is not a happy tale nor does it have a happy ending. It is haunting and disturbing and a definite comment on bullying. If you are up for a creepy tale- you may find this to your liking. Happy reading my friends!

Tower of Dawn

Oh dear fellow readers- when people ask what my favorite series is I always say, that's too hard to pick. But let's be honest, I have finally- 8 books and many tears later- decided that Sarah Maas's two series hold the crown. With the Throne of Glass series taking the top spot. This latest installment is the story of Chaol Westfall and what is happening to him while Aelin and the gang are massing an army to defeat the Valg. Chaol is in a wheelchair since his spine was crushed in Aelin's last stand. He is bitter and angry- mainly at himself and all he couldn't prevent during the battle. He is accompanied by Nesryn as they go to find a healer who may be able to fix his legs. Unfortunately for him, the healer is Yrene Towers, who happens to hate him on sight as Adarlan soldiers killed her mother. They come to an uneasy truce as she works to defeat the darkness in him. Nesyrn is sent to help Prince Sartaq with his Ruks to figure out what is happening in the tribal lands. Yes- of course- love interests change and grow. Those who hate come to love. And Chaol's self-hatred is put to the test by a woman who may or may not have been saved by Aelin in the past. Crazy? I've been reading this for a while and I don't know if it is because I didn't want it to end or because I have always loved Chaol and was so afraid that he may not make it through. Now, he may still not make it through, but I can't wait for his forces to join Rowan's to save Aelin from Maeve- who is NOT what she seems. (I won't spoil that one) I love this world and characters and am so happy to see Chaol get a little redemption after he was so unlikeable for a while. I haven't read Assassin's Blade yet, and I may take a small break from this world- it messes with my head a bit, but I wait with great anticipation for the next novel. I would follow them into battle any day. Happy reading my friends!

Genuine Fraud

One of my favorite surprises was We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. Totally surprised by it's ending and that doesn't happen often for me. So I was super excited to see her new book was out. This is an inventively told tale. It starts in the present and goes backwards to the beginning of Jules' story. Jules is a complicated girl. She is rich and on the run. But she is also super shady. One of the most unreliable narrators I have met in a long time. Think The Talented Mr. Ripley and you'd be on the right track. As her story is revealed, the reader will realize nothing is as it seems and she certainly can't be trusted to tell the story with any truth. She is a cold character and doesn't make you like her at any point, which is always problematic for my reading tastes, but I read to the end. It's a little bit much for an average reader, most definitely need to be more on the advance end to follow the backwards plot. And for a while I wasn't sure who was who... had a moment when I thought Jules had multiple personalities. Alas- that was not the case, and all her terrible deeds were indeed her own. I can't say I liked this book, but I am glad I read it. If that makes any sense. I am back in my favorite world with Chaol Westfall now so you won't hear from me for at least 660 pages. Happy reading my friends!

Blood for Blood

Spoiler alert! This one took it out on me. I should have known there is no such thing as a happy ending when dealing with Holocaust books. Even alternative versions. This sequel finds Yael, Luka and Felix captured by the SS guards after Yael attempted to kill Hitler. Unfortunately, it was the wrong Hitler- the SS has been employing skin shifters like Yael and all Yael accomplished was outing the fact that she was alive. After Felix turns traitor, the trio finds themselves on the run trying to reach the resistance and Yael's friends. But Felix can't be trusted and death is around every stop on the road home. A surprise friend from Yael's past returns and suddenly she is no longer alone in her quest for revenge for her wolves. Even Luka seems to be on board with taking out Hitler. There is no time for romance as their quest take them into the heart of the Third Reich and many surprising truths are discovered on the way. Sacrifice and honor will determine the fate of an entire race of people. Yael will discover that maybe revenge isn't as satisfying as it may seem and that forgiveness may be the most powerful tool of all. As Washington tells Hamilton in a song- Dying is easy young man, living is harder. Yael has a choice to make and the one she makes is the honorable one. The end of this made me super sad and super proud of this main character. I most definitely have found an author who's style is captivating and highly entertaining while remaining thought provoking. Happy reading my friends!

The Wrong Side of Right

Kate is about to start the summer before her senior year. She has survived the tragic death of her mother and has moved to South Carolina to live with her aunt and uncle. Then the unexpected happens. She finds out who her father is. He is Mark Cooper. He is a senator. He is running for president. And to avoid what will be a huge scandal, he invites her to join the campaign and meet her family. Now, Kate has a stepmother named Meg and a sister and brother- 8 year old twins Gabe and Gracie. Kate doesn't know if they will accept her. After all, Meg and the Senator were married when he cheated on her with Kate's mother. But Kate is hungry for a family and she loves history, so being on the campaign trail intrigues her. Unfortunately not all of Cooper's politics align with Kate's and she may have to compromise her beliefs to fit into the 'platform' of the party. To make things worse, the actual president's son Andy has taken an interest in Kate. Is he really interested in her, or is he trying to spy for his father's campaign? As the campaign rolls on, Kate finds herself pulled in many directions and making many mistakes, all the while trying to find a way to get her father to love her. After the last election, I found this book very interesting and entertaining. At the heart it is a love story. Yes, between Kate and Andy, but also between Kate and her new family. And all love stories have rocky parts. It's getting through them that makes it worth while. Happy reading my friends!

Wolf by Wolf

The age old question- what if Adolf Hitler had won the war. What would the world look like? Yale doesn't have to wonder. She is living it. As a child, she was transported to a concentration camp and chosen by the doctor in charge to be a part of his special experiments. When her barrack mates realize what new powers these experiments have given her, they find a way for her to sneak out of the camp. See, Yael can skin shift. So she shifts into a little German girl and walks out of camp where she is found by the resistance. And she becomes part of the resistance's plan- get close to Hitler and kill him. To do this she becomes Adele Wolf, a Victor in the cross continent motor cycle race. Adele is chosen because Hitler took a fancy to her at the last Victor's Ball. But in order to get to the ball, Yael must WIN the race against 16 other victory hungry competitors. They don't play fair. They aren't nice. Oh, and Adele's twin brother is also in the race and keeping a close eye on Yael. Yael doesn't know if she can pass as Adele with her twin looking on. And then there is the matter of Luka. He also has some mysterious past with Adele that Yael doesn't know about. There is danger around every hairpin turn and the stakes couldn't be higher. I enjoyed this book and Graudin's writing. It was refreshing to see someone actually get out of the concentration camps and exact some revenge, even though this ends in a MAJOR cliffhanger. No worries, I immediately ordered the sequel and it will be devoured soon enough. Hope this catches your fancy and you give it a read. Happy reading my friends!

The Beauty of Darkness

This is the conclusion of an amazing trilogy. Lia, Rafe and Kaden must race to save their kingdoms while the Komizar is coming after them. Lia and Rafe are in constant conflict as they fight over which of their kingdoms are in the most danger. Lia is sure she knows what the Komizar will do but no one will believe a runaway princess. Rate finds himself as not the prince, but the King after his father dies. If he follows Lia, he may lose his own kingdom to greedy generals. And Kaden has his own decisions- does he follow Lia, kill his father or resume his place with the Komizar as his assassin. So many decisions, so many paths that can be followed. Do you do your duty or follow your heart? Can you give up what you want the most for the good of everyone else? How far do you follow your instincts when everyone is telling you they can't be right. I love the characters in this book, especially Lia who never wavers in her belief in herself. She is no damsel in distress. She puts her trust in her friends and her own mind and faces losing the love of her life. And Rafe and Kaden are worthy sparring mates. Each brings out a different side of Lia. Both make her more powerful and confident. This is a great adventure with fun and interesting characters. I loved reading each of the three books and will check for more by this author. So, if you want to begin the journey with Lia, find Kiss of Deception and be sure and bring your sword and walking boots. Happy reading my friends!