Review: Hallow City (Peculiar Book 2)

 Ransom Riggs
Hallow City
Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children - Book 2


Picking up right where book 1 ends off, we are back at it with Jacob, Emma and the gang as they try and figure out a plan to save their beloved Miss Peregrine who happens to be trapped in Bird form.

As they can no longer go back to their loop, and learn that all the Ymbrynes have been taken by the Hallows and Wights, the kids embark on an epic adventure through time (or rather, times) and loops as they try to track down the last hope available to hopefully save Miss P, or have her lost forever; "So it had come to this: everything depended on a pigeon." (p. 290, Riggs)

As we go through the story, we see pieces of history we know, plus we are introduced to different Peculiars as we travel through their loops. Riggs does another amazing job at blending unique and, let's be honest, peculiar,  photos that he has collected and bringing them to life. The characters and worlds he has created are so strange yet striking that you are absolutely entranced by them. Every chapter I changed my mind on who my favourite character was at that moment.

The shocking ending will have readers wide-eyed and gripping at the pages, unable to read fast enough and reaching for the next book the second this one is done. Fantastic!

Review: The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner 2)

  James Dashner
  The Scorch Trials
  The Maze Runner - Book 2 

Picking up right from where “The Maze Runner” ends, we hit the ground running, literally, as the boys and Teresa are taken to a remote building and left alone. No one knows what is going on.

What else is new?

The next morning, Teresa is now gone. So is her and Thomas’ telepathic link. She is replaced by a boy named Aris. He is from Group B.
And he was also in a Maze.
Except his maze was full of girls, and he was the only boy.

They have now entered “phase two” (whatever that means) and have been instructed by a man who looks like a rat that to be cured of the Flare, which they all incidentally have, they must go out into the world, go 100 miles north within two weeks, and reach the safe haven.  Rat Man doesn’t give them any more information.

Off on a whirlwind adventure, battling Cranks (those who have the Flare and have gone crazy from it), the cruel, unforgiving atmosphere that Earth as we know it has come to be, and just basic survival struggles – food, water – the boys must dig deep within themselves to complete this mission…Or die. Good that.

Not.

Dashner’s world is one of horror of both post-apocalyptic possibilities, and of the human spirit. When push comes to shove, the things humans are able to do to themselves or to each other is ferocious.  However, you cannot help but fall in love with everything that is going on. Yes, your heart goes out to these boys, but the writing is so enthralling that you can feel yourself running alongside of Thomas and the gang. As savage as the world you are reading about is, you cannot help but want more. 

Review: The Mirror Sisters (Mirror Sisters 1)

 V. C Andrews
 The Mirror Sisters
The Mirror Sisters - Book 1

Many of the fans were anticipating this series, this reader and Andrewverse-enthusiast included, but it came with apprehension. Lately the ghost writer has been trying new things: more standalone novels, more paranormal plots, more mainstream ideas.  While they have their merits, to some degree, you cannot help but miss the old classic VC Andrew style that we all know and love.

That being said, I went into “The Mirror Sisters” with an open mind. The premise was intriguing and I was willing to give him another shot. Lately, his stuff has been missing the mark with me.

I was pleasantly surprised with the overall story. We have two sisters, Haylee and Kaylee, who are identical twins. Their mother drives this term home in every way she can possible think; to the point of obsession and high on the creep factor scale. If one daughter gets a cut on her hand, she cuts the other daughter in the same place. When one daughter cries, the other must cry too.  The beginning of the book is very jumpy, to be honest – Kaylee, who is telling us the story, gives us lots of puzzle pieces from her childhood. At times she is a child, the next page she is a teenager, the next page she goes back to a story of when she was a child. It got very confusing.

The story really doesn’t get interesting until the final few chapters when the plot thickens. As the girls get older, they are still not allowed to have any independence from each other and one of the girls has 

had enough.

Overall, I did enjoy it and it did hold my attention so I will give it 4 stars, but again, the main point of the story did not start to pick up until the very end and we are left with a heavy and shocking cliff hanger! Fans will be itching to get their hands on the next book, for sure.  I was happy to see that we get a new kind of conflict – this is not typical VCA style, it is way more modern and very “2016”.  Time will tell with how the author takes the story, and just how far the bond of twins and sisterhood can be pushed.  

Review: Celeste (Gemini 1)

 V. C. Andrews
Celeste
Gemini - Book 1

Celeste and her twin brother Noble have always treated different.
Their mother is very intune with the spirits of their ancestors, who have told her things about the twins.
Celeste always felt like Noble was treated better; always got more attention, was always considered more special. Yet one birthday, Celeste finally got "the sight" and was also able to see the spirits.
This made their mother very happy.

While Noble and Celeste got along well enough, Celeste was always made out to be "the older one" and her brother's keeper. Noble liked the simple things - he liked to be outside, playing with bugs or building a tree fort. Living in the country in upstate New York, and being home schooled allowed for this. When the family went into town, they were made fun of because of the mother's beliefs and "weirdness".

When their father dies in a horrible car accident, their mother becomes more strict with how to raise her children. Their father, Arthur, always criticized his wife, Sarah, for her beliefs and how she treated her children.  With him gone, the responsibility to watch Noble became more of a burden on Celeste's shoulders.

When tragedy strikes again, this time it is against the children. Noble and Celeste's bond will forever be changed when Noble is in an accident.

Sarah believes it was not his time - and if Celeste had been a better keeper, it would not have happened. Therefore, Celeste must be the one to have had died and Noble must live.
So her daughter must become her son in order to keep the balance happy.

Unfortunately, no secret can be buried forever.

This story is a unique one; It begins the supernatural theme that the author takes over the next little while.  The writing is alright, but you definitely notice a difference compared to all the previous series as this will only be a trilogy, as opposed to the typical 5-book structure we fans are used to.

The story is told from Celeste's point of view, and it starts at a young age. As we watch her grow, and then become her brother, we see a child who struggles with pleasing her mother yet being true to herself. It is a coming of age novel, of sorts. The struggle Celeste goes through can be parallelled with many a struggle that can be applied to everyday issues that we see nowadays.

*On a personal note, this is the first story I read after I was told that V.C Andrews had passed away (yes, late on the news but I was young when I got into VCA) so for me I noticed a very different writing style. I still love this story, but more for it's uniqueness and supernatural aspect than for the writing.

Review: The Fever Code (Maze Runner #5)

 James Dashner
The Fever Code
Maze Runner - Book 5


The prequel to The Maze Runner is just as action packed and amazing as the rest of the series.

We get a glimpse into Newt's story before Dashner shows us how Thomas and Teresa work with WICKED to create the Mazes, meet the Gladers, and how our beloved characters all came to be.

Told from Thomas's perspective, we see an unique take on WICKED:
How did the kids all come to be in WICKED's protection?
We learn where and why it all started, and what they teach the "elites" of those who are immune...
We learn more about the Flare and it's effect on the world...
We even meet some characters from the later books and pieces of the overall puzzle slowly start to come together.

Dashner's ability to explain big things in the most subtle ways is fantastic. He draws you in from the first page - and I think the fandom is very happy that we got to see a bit of Newt's story (although this poor guy could not have been dealt any worse of a hand in life).
We follow Thomas as he sets up his friends to be put in a prison, yet follows them closely. We read about political conspiracies that come with a world in catastrophe, we see the good and the evil... and how one boy's knowledge and goodness can hopefully save it all one day.

WICKED may be good. This reader has yet to make up her mind.