The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

Title: The Darkest Part of the Forest

Author: Holly Black

Length: 336 pages

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic

Release Date: January 13, 2015

Source: ARC (Thank you so much to the NOVL newsletter!)

Read: November 2014

Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.
Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.
At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.
Until one day, he does…
As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?

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***I received an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of this book from the NOVL Newsletter in exchange for an honest review***

My first thought upon finishing this book was "Why in the world did I wait so long to read a book written by Holly Black?!"
I don't really know why the only other thing I have read before this one was the short story that was published in My True Love Gave to Me. 

But after reading The Darkest Part of the Forest, I now know that I need to read more Holly Black! 

This book is awesome! I really enjoyed reading it!

Hazel and her brother, Ben, live in a fascinating world full of humans and fairies. In the town that they live in the humans and fairies not only know about each other, but have been coexisting for years. For the most part, the fairies play pretty harmless tricks that attract curious tourists. But Hazel starts noticing that things are changing and the fairies may be more dangerous than anyone knows. And at the center of it all is the horned boy that has been asleep in a glass coffin in the forest for years. Hazel has to figure what is happening and how to protect everyone as she discovers things that she didn't know before. 

The writing style really pulled me in. The words and details made it really easy for me to be sucked into Hazel's world! 
I was so captivated by the writing, world, and characters, it was hard for me to put the book down. I really tried to take my time so I could savor the book, but I couldn't stop reading. Even when I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about the story and the characters.

I absolutely love that this book has some mysterious elements to the story. The cryptic messages for example. Overall, there were some surprising twists that kept me guessing and the story very entertaining for me! Several things that I didn't see coming. There were a couple small things that I guessed, but these things made me happy.

I find Hazel to be a strong character. I love that she is determined to do whatever to keep doing what she wants to do.

Ben is another fun character. One of my favorite things from this book is the sibling relationship between these two characters. I feel like it is realistic. They are each keeping things from one another to try and protect them. I like the development and love that I see in their bond as brother and sister.

Jack is another character that I really like. I found his part of the story to be really interesting. And I really love how he is a good friend. He really cares about Ben and Hazel.

The horned boy is a bit mysterious. Even though we learn his name and information about him throughout the story, I still feel like I wanted to know a bit more. And a little bit more interaction with the characters. But I still liked this character as well.

My Recommendation:

Read it! I really enjoyed reading this book. I didn't want to put it down and I didn't want it to end. I think that the writing is beautiful and entertaining. I was enamored with the world and the characters. 
I am so glad that I was able to read this book! 
And I am really looking forward to checking out some of Holly Black's other books.

Would I Buy/Pre-order this book? Yes! This is definitely a book that I want to have a finished copy of.

My Rating:

The Princess And The Pig by Jonathan Emmett and Poly Bernatene

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Title: The Princess And The Pig

Author: Jonathan Emmett

Illustrator: Poly Bernatene

Length: 32 pages

Publisher: Walker & Company 

Classification: Children's Book, Fantasy, Fairy Tale

Release Date: September 27, 2011

Source: library book

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There's been a terrible mix-up in the royal nursery. Priscilla the princess has accidentally switched places with Pigmella, the farmer's new piglet. The kindly farmer and his wife believe it's the work of a good witch, while the ill-tempered king and queen blame the bad witch-after all, this happens in fairy tales all the time! While Priscilla grows up on the farm, poor yet very happy, things don't turn out quite so well for Pigmella. Kissing a frog has done wonders before, but will it work for a pig?  Sure to hog all the attention, this story's frequent nods to well-known fairy tales such as Sleeping Beauty, The Frog Princess, and Thumbelina-plus hilarious illustrations-will delight readers of any age. (From GoodReads)

 Cutie Pie’s Rating:

What is this book about?

About a princess getting switched with a pig.

What was your favorite part of the story?

How they thought everything was how it worked in books.

Why did you like it?

Because it wasn't right, it wasn't what was happening.

Is there anything you didn't like about this book?

Nope, I LOVE it all.

Do you like the illustrations?
Yes, they were very good.

Who do you think will like this book?

Whoever likes funny stories.

My Rating:

While browsing the children's book section at our local library, this title caught my eye. My daughters enjoy reading books that has princesses in it. So I pulled it out and showed them the cover and asked if we should check it out.
I am so glad that we stumbled upon this book!
Such a cute story! And it isn't your typical fairy tale princess story. I love the story and the pictures!

A kind farmer on his way home with his newly acquired piglet named Pigmella, stop to rest in the shade beside a castle. The queen is spending time with her baby daughter, Priscilla, on the castle balcony. And she ends up dropping the princess off the balcony (without noticing)! The baby princess lands in the farmer's cart which makes the piglet fly through the air and into the baby's crib. And the story continues from there.
I absolutely loved how the characters kept referring to the events as "It's the sort of thing that happens all the time in books."
This book kept us all entertained the entire time I read it to my girls. We all laughed and smiled. It is a wonderful read.
I love everything about this book. And the illustrations are beautiful! They really help bring the story alive!
I highly recommend reading this fun story! 

One Past Midnight by Jessica Shirvington

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Title: One Past Midnight

Author: Jessica Shirvington

Length: 352 pages

Publisher: Bloomsbury-Walker Books

Classification: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Contemporary

Release Date: July 22, 2014

Source: ARC (Thank you so much Bloomsbury!)

Name of overseas edition of Between The Lives. Above all else, though I try not to think about it, I know which life I prefer. And every night when I Cinderella myself from one life to the next a very small, but definite, piece of me dies. The hardest part is that nothing about my situation has ever changed. There is no loophole. Until now, that is...
 For as long as she can remember, Sabine has lived two lives. Every 24 hours she Shifts to her ′other′ life - a life where she is exactly the same, but absolutely everything else is different: different family, different friends, different social expectations. In one life she has a sister, in the other she does not. In one life she′s a straight-A student with the perfect boyfriend, in the other she′s considered a reckless delinquent. Nothing about her situation has ever changed, until the day when she discovers a glitch: the arm she breaks in one life is perfectly fine in the other.
 With this new knowledge, Sabine begins a series of increasingly risky experiments which bring her dangerously close to the life she′s always wanted... But just what - and who - is she really risking? (From GoodReads)

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***I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review***

My Rating:

Amazing! What a unique story! I haven't read anything quite like this one before. The idea of this book is just so fascinating! And I really like the author's writing style. 

Sabine has two lives. And it has been this way since she can remember. Every stroke of Midnight sends her to her other life. And it looks as though she is the only one in this situation. At least, she hasn't found another person quite like her. She tries to accept and understand what is happening to her. She tries to balance between these two completely different lives. Not knowing which one she really belongs in. Until something happens that changes everything. Now she has to figure out what to do with this knowledge.

I really enjoyed reading this story. It really pulled me in and made me want to find out what would happen next. 
At first I was a little worried about becoming lost and frustrated with the switching of lives. Since this happens every chapter or every couple of chapters. But it wasn't difficult or frustrating for me at all. I actually really found it interesting and it was easy for me to shift lives with Sabine. Following the storyline and the characters in each life was also easy. And I think that the storylines transitioned smoothly and at a great pace!

I think for the most part I was equally interested in both of Sabine's lives. They are so different and each one was fascinating for different reasons. 
I really like that even though this is a Science Fiction/Fantasy book, it had a Contemporary feel to it as well. I was very interested in the relationships that Sabine has with her family and friends from each of her lives. I especially love the relationship developments between the siblings, in one life Sabine has a little sister and in the other she has brothers. 
And for me, her actions and results of those actions felt pretty realistic. 
I was really able to connect with Sabine's character. I felt so bad for her because she was struggling so much with what it meant to live two different lives. She really goes through a lot. I couldn't really imagine having to go through my awkward teenage years and high school twice (and at the same time!) And I love her character development through the story. 

There were several events and plot twists that I didn't see coming. And there were a couple things that I guessed while reading, but it did not take away from my love of the story at all! In fact one of them I was pretty happy I was correct. 
This book was a roller coaster of emotions for me. And I even cried a little bit at one point. 

My Recommendation:
Read this book! I highly recommend it! I really love the story. It was entertaining and deep. The story really made me think about life. Not only did I enjoy the plot, but I really enjoyed the characters and their relationships with Sabine! 

I would definitely buy this book!

Thank you SO MUCH, Bloomsbury for allowing me to read this wonderful book!

Waistcoats & Weaponry by Gail Carriger

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Title: Waistcoats & Weaponry
(Finishing School #3)
Author: Gail Carriger
Length: 304 pages
Publisher: Little Brown Books
Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Steampunk
Release Date: November 4, 2014
Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thanks Little Brown!)
Read: November 2014

Class is back in session...Sophronia continues her second year at finishing school in style--with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown, of course. Such a fashionable choice of weapon comes in handy when Sophronia, her best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and the charming Lord Felix Mersey stowaway on a train to return their classmate Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland. No one suspected what--or who--they would find aboard that suspiciously empty train. Sophronia uncovers a plot that threatens to throw all of London into chaos and she must decide where her loyalties lie, once and for all.  Gather your poison, steel tipped quill, and the rest of your school supplies and join Mademoiselle Geraldine's proper young killing machines in the third rousing installment in the New York Times bestselling Finishing School Series by steampunk author, Gail Carriger. (From GoodReads)

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***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

***This is part of a series. There will be spoilers of things that happened in the other book(s) so if you haven't read it and don't want to know things that happened, please stop reading now.*** 

My Rating:

Wow! For me, the books in the Finishing School series just keep getting better and better! This book pulled me in quickly and I devoured it. I started it late one night and easily finished it the next day.

There is a lot of action packed into this book. There were some moments where I was extremely anxious to see how the scene was going to play out. There were a lot of things revealed in this story and some of my questions have been answered. The author has done an amazing job creating a story that leaves me with new questions due to the interesting turn of events in this installment. 

Waistcoats & Weaponry takes back up a little bit after the ending events in book two. Sophronia and her friends are all back at their schools. The girls are back in classes learning fun new skills like fighting with a fan and the art of seduction. And the boys are back at Bunson's. Sidheag receives some troubling news which makes her want to get back to Scotland quickly. Which makes Sophronia, Dimity, Soap, and Lord Mersey accompany Sidheag on an adventure to get her home.

I was a little sad that some of the characters that have had bigger parts in the other two books were not in this story very much. Pillover has a fun small part in the story. Though I did find those scenes to be entertaining. And Vieve is just mentioned a few times. But even though these characters had minor parts, the story was still captivating and unique. 

We learn more and more about our favorite characters in this book. 

Sophronia continues to be a good friend. She always helps her friends and also not stand in the way of their decisions and desires at the same time. To me it does seem that Sophronia makes up her mind about where her allegiance lies. 

We also learn and see a bit of a different side of Soap in this book. We see more of Soap as well. At least that is how it felt to me. And I am dying to know more about Soap in the next book!

Felix also has an interesting role in this story. Though I feel like things are still a bit mysterious with him. I am not sure what to think really. I am anxious to see what happens next with this character.

I found the parts with Dimity in this book to be a bit humorous. Sidheag has a lot of challenges that she is facing in this story.

This story made me love the characters more and also made me have a lot of different feelings. I felt happy, frustrated, angry, sad, and a little heartbroken at various points of the plot. And more than anything I hooked on this unique book series and can't wait to find out what happens next!

My Recommendation:

If you have read the first two books, DEFINITELY pick up this one. I found it to be a great addition to this unique storyline. I think that this book is fun, entertaining and serious all at the same time. We find out a lot of different things in this story, but are left wanting to know what else will happen to our group of characters!

Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger

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Title: Curtsies & Conspiracies 
(Finishing School #2)
Author: Gail Carriger
Length: 310 pages
Publisher: Little Brown
Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Steampunk
Release Date: November 2013
Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you Little Brown!)
Read: October/November 2014

Does one need four fully grown foxgloves for decorating a dinner table for six guests? Or is it six foxgloves to kill four fully grown guests? Sophronia's first year at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality has certainly been rousing! For one thing, finishing school is training her to be a spy (won't Mumsy be surprised?). Furthermore, Sophronia got mixed up in an intrigue over a stolen device and had a cheese pie thrown at her in a most horrid display of poor manners. Now, as she sneaks around the dirigible school, eavesdropping on the teachers' quarters and making clandestine climbs to the ship's boiler room, she learns that there may be more to a field trip to London than is apparent at first. A conspiracy is afoot--one with dire implications for both supernaturals and humans. Sophronia must rely on her training to discover who is behind the dangerous plot-and survive the London Season with a full dance card. In this bestselling sequel to New York Times bestselling Etiquette & Espionage, class is back in session with more petticoats and poison, tea trays and treason. Gail's distinctive voice, signature humor, and lush steampunk setting are sure to be the height of fashion this season. (From NetGalley)

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***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*** 

***This book is part is part of a series, and so this review may include spoilers from previous books***

My Rating:

A fun and entertaining continuation to Etiquette & Espionage! I really enjoyed reading this book. In fact I liked it more than the first book in the series.

I think that Curtsies & Conspiracies picks up not long after the end of the first book. Sophronia is now in her second year of Finishing School. She is back on the airship school with her group of friends, Dimity, Sidheag, Agatha, Vieve and Soap. The girls are tested for the skills that they have been learning. And friendships are tested as well. Sophronia continues to do quite well at the school and quickly learns new skills and techniques.

This book (at least for me) had a bit more action and espionage. Which made the book really fun and entertaining to read. I was quickly drawn into the plot of the story. And found the addition of some of the boys from Bunson's to be very interesting. It was fun for the girls to practice their skills on the boys. As well as, learning more about the characters like Pillover and Felix.

I loved that there is a bit of mystery to the story and there were some surprising plot twists that kept me longing to know what would happen next. I like that the story doesn't really have much of a cliffhanger at the end, but I am still left wanting to read more so I can find out what else is in store for these characters.

I already liked the characters going into the second book, but I feel like I became a bit more attached to them while reading this sequel.

Sophronia is still a very likable character. She is quite smart and very entertaining. And I like that I am not sure where her loyalties lie. And I think she doesn't know for sure either. I love that she gathers information and likes to make her own decisions. Sophronia has some tough decisions to make during the events of this book and it is interesting to find out what happens. I really love the friendships that she has with the other characters. Their interactions are some of my favorite parts of the story.

I really liked that I learned a bit more about Dimity and Pillover and their family in this book. I really like both of these characters to it was awesome to feel like I knew them a little better. I still find Dimity to be Sophronia's opposite. But I think that is why I love their friendship so much. They really fit together well and help each other out.

I also enjoyed the parts with Sidheag and Agatha. They are fun characters that made excellent additions to the group of friends. I really like how well Sidheag and Sophronia get along. They have similar interests.

Felix is a new character. I love how he is a bit of a mystery to me. I am really curious to see what happens next for this character. I love the interactions with Sophronia.

My Recommendation:

If you have read the first book of this series and enjoyed reading it, I highly recommend reading this sequel. I found it to be just as unique as the first story, with a little more action and spying. I was very entertained and can't wait to find out what happens in the next installment!

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

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Title: Etiquette & Espionage
(Finishing School #1)
Author: Gail Carriger
Length: 307 pages
Publisher: Little Brown Books For Young Readers
Classification: Young Adult, Steampunk, Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Release Date: February 5, 2013
Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you Little Brown!)
Read: October 2014

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is the bane of her mother's existence. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper etiquette at tea--and god forbid anyone see her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. She enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. But little do Sophronia or her mother know that this is a school where ingenious young girls learn to finish, all right--but it's a different kind of finishing. Mademoiselle Geraldine's certainly trains young ladies in the finer arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also in the other kinds of finishing: the fine arts of death, diversion, deceit, espionage, and the modern weaponries. Sophronia and her friends are going to have a rousing first year at school. (From GoodReads)

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***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
My Rating:

(Between 3.5 & 4. I've rounded up to 4 because I did enjoy the story and was left wondering what will happen in the next book.)

This story wasn't really what I was expecting, but I am glad that I read it. It is a fun story with a fascinating world and entertaining characters.

Sophronia is not your typical girl. She doesn't care much for fashion. She cares more about climbing around and snooping. She likes to see how things work. Which is not proper etiquette. Her mother agrees that finishing school seems to be the right fit for Sophronia to learn more about proper etiquette and manners.

I think that this is a promising start to an interesting trilogy. This is a very imaginative world full of inventions and fun characters. There are vampires, werewolves, mechanicals, and flywaymen.

At first some of the vocabulary was surprising. I haven't really read many books that have the same words. But I really enjoyed the way that the characters spoke and the language used. I feel like it really fit in well with the story. The names were also different than I am used to. Some of them I am not sure I pronounce them the correct way, but I love how the names add to the story.

This book has some action, but not as much as I thought there would be. There were some times while I was reading, where I felt like the story dragged a little slowly for me. I was interested to find out what would happen next.

I like that the story focuses more on friendship than romance. Yes, there are male characters in the story. And yes, there are boys that the girls will mention are handsome. But there wasn't really any romance in the story.

I really like the characters.

Sophronia is a fun and entertaining main character. There were several times where I was anxious to find out what she would do next. She really likes to explore and find things. I really like that she is smart. She figures things out for herself.
I especially love the friendships that she develops through the story.
Dimity is a great character. She reminds me of myself because I also hate the sight of blood. I like that in some ways she is the opposite of Sophronia. I also love how well they get along. Dimity is a wonderful friend and she really is there for Sophronia.
Soap is another fun character. His friendship with Sophronia is also very enjoyable. I like that he also is there for Sophronia and helps her.
Vieve is one of my favorite characters. So smart and clever! I also love the inventions. And this friendship with Sophronia is also loyal and heartwarming.
There are several other supporting characters that I really enjoyed reading about and like their interactions with the main characters.
I also like the little feud between Sophronia and Monique. I had no problem picturing Monique in my head. And I was very interested in the interactions between these two characters.

My Recommendation:
I think this is a fascinating world. I enjoyed reading the story and I am looking forward to reading book two and finding out more about these fun characters and what is going to come next!

Compulsion by Martina Boone

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Title: Compulsion
(The Heirs of Watson Island #1)
Author: Martina Boone
Length: 448 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Southern Gothic
Release Date: October 28, 2014
Source: e-galley (I was approved for an e-galley via Edelweiss. Thank you Simon Pulse!)
Read: August 2014

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Three plantations. Two wishes. One ancient curse.

All her life, Barrie Watson had been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lived with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt’s South Carolina plantation instead--a prison guarded by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding families of Watson Island and gave the others magical gifts that became compulsions.

Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who knows what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family's twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn’t what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead. (From GoodReads)

***I received an e-galley of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review***

My Rating:

I love this cover. It is so gorgeous. I really do try to not base wanting to read a book based on the cover, but after seeing the cover for COMPULSION, it just made me even more excited to read the book!

The Story:

A fascinating story about a girl whose life has been turned upside down due to the loss of her mother and being sent to live across the country with an aunt she has never met. Not only does Barrie have to get used to living somewhere new, she discovers and tries to get to the bottom of some old family secrets.
The author creates a southern setting that is realistic and beautiful. The type of world that readers will want to visit.
I found this to be a wonderfully written story that balances the paranormal, mystery, and romance.

This was so hard for me to put down. I was quickly drawn into this world. I love the interactions between the characters. I love the supernatural things that are happening on the island. And I really love the mystery that surrounds it all.

And even though I think the book ends with some closure. I was left wanting more. I wanted to know more about Watson Island. Especially the past history. I am really interested in finding out more about Barrie's parents and what else happened in their pasts on Watson Island. And I am really looking forward to finding out what else is going to happen to Barrie, Eight and Cassie.

The Characters:

I really love these characters.
I think that the characters were all well-written. I wanted to get to know them and was very interested in finding out more about their lives and what would happen.

Barrie: She is full of curiosity. Especially curiosity regarding her gift, which just added to my own. I also like that she is curious about her roots and her mother's past. After the loss of her mother, her life changed and part of what she has to discover deals with things that she never knew about her own mother.  I love that she is a strong character. She looks for answers and doesn't really rely on others figuring things out for her.
And I just absolutely loved the relationship between her and Mark. I love their phone conversations. I love that even though there are not a lot of scenes of them together, I still get the understanding of how important they are to one another. It is a very special bond and relationship.

Eight: He is so strong and dependable. He wants to try and protect Barrie, even if she doesn't let him. I loved finding out more about his character as the story went along. He is caring and trustworthy. I enjoyed watching the conflict between him and Barrie. I really like his gift and how it affects his character and his interactions with other people.

Cassie: I found her to be one of those characters you think you aren't going to like much, but yet you are drawn to them and want to know more. She is a complex character. I felt like I wasn't sure how to see her and how her relationship would be with Barrie. And even after finishing the story, I am not sure exactly how to view Cassie. I find her character interesting and there are a lot of times that I feel bad for what she is going through. But there were also times where I did not like the decisions that she was making. But I found that she not only adds some conflict to the story, but she also left me wondering what would happen next to not only her but with the relationship between her and Barrie.

I really love all the other characters in the story too. Like Barrie's Aunt Pru. She is a very intriguing character. I feel like she has so much weighing on her and she tries so hard to keep everything together. And I loved watching her relationship with Barrie bloom. Also, Eight's dad, Seven. I love the mystery surrounding his past and the connection to Barrie's family.

My Recommendation:
I love this book and can't wait to dive into the next book. The story is unique and has mystery, romance, tension, and a fascinating supernatural element. I highly recommend reading this one!

Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper

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Title: Salt & Storm
Author: Kendall Kulper
Length: 416 pages
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Witches, Magic, Historical
Release Date: September 23, 2014
Source: e-galley (I was approved for this ARC via NetGalley. Thank you Little Brown!)
Read: July 2014

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A sweeping historical romance about a witch who foresees her own murder--and the one boy who can help change her future.
Sixteen-year-old Avery Roe wants only to take her rightful place as the witch of Prince Island, making the charms that keep the island's whalers safe at sea, but her mother has forced her into a magic-free world of proper manners and respectability. When Avery dreams she's to be murdered, she knows time is running out to unlock her magic and save herself.
Avery finds an unexpected ally in a tattooed harpoon boy named Tane--a sailor with magic of his own, who moves Avery in ways she never expected. Becoming a witch might stop her murder and save her island from ruin, but Avery discovers her magic requires a sacrifice she never prepared for. (From GoodReads)

***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***



My Rating:

After seeing the cover of this book and reading the summary, I was so glad that I was approved by Little Brown via NetGalley to read an ARC!
The cover is so lovely. I really like that the picture is simple, but at the same time pretty. And I love the font used for the title!

I really liked this take on Witches. I really found their abilities and how they do magic/charms very interesting. 

The Story:

I really like that the story wasn't only about what was happening to the characters in the story, but also about the history of the island and the Roe witches. I think the author did a great job at including a lot of background and information while not overshadowing the plot and storyline. 

I really like the  setting and the descriptions. There were times where I wished I could be on this island, seeing what the characters would be seeing. 

I like that there was a mystery feel to the story as well. I was very interested in the mysterious dream that the main character, Avery, kept having. I also really enjoyed the mystery surrounding the other characters. I felt like they all were mysterious in their own ways. I had fun trying to figure out what was going on with those characters individually and how it relates to Avery.  
 For most of the book, I was left guessing what would happen next. But around the middle of the story, I made a guess for what I thought would happen and ended up being close. But it didn't take away from me enjoying the book. And it definitely did not keep me from feeling emotions about the events and the ending. 

The Characters:

 I think that the characters are well written with well-developed backstories. I found them to be very fascinating characters and I enjoyed learning more about them as the story progressed.

Avery is interesting, determined, and at times stubborn. But I really like that she knew what it was she wanted and that she would do whatever she could to fight to achieve it. 

Tane is a very mysterious character. While reading the story, I kept thinking about how there was so much more I wanted to know about his character. I was very happy with the development and found his backstory to be captivating. 

Avery's Mother is a frustrating character for me. We view her from Avery's POV (point of view) and as a reader I could feel the anger and frustration that Avery had for her mother. 

My Recommendation:

If you like reading about witches and like informational stories, then I would recommend giving this book a read. The story was fascinating and mysterious. I liked the characters and the island.