We're an Open Book
“We’re all looking glasses, we girls, existing only to reflect their images back to them. . . Hollow vessel of girls to be rinsed of our own ambitions wants and opinions, just waiting to be filled with the cool tepid water of gracious compliance. . . a fissure forms in the vessel. I’m cracking open.”
– Libba Bray, A Great and Terrible Beauty
A Great and Terrible Beauty is a witty, dark and funny novel that pulls readers into late 19th century England and the misadventures of Gemma Doyle.
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“When given a choice between money and the good opinion of society, a lady must always choose her reputation.”
– Dianne K. Salerni, We Hear The Dead
Synopsis: It started out as a harmless prank. But soon enough, spiritualism was the fastest growing movement of the nineteenth century, and Maggie Fox was trapped in a life of deceit.
Meticulously researched by the author, We Hear the Dead reveals the secret of how the Fox sisters faked their rapping sounds and their motives for inventing the séance and founding spiritualism.
I won this book from the Dianne K. Salerni during the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop and I’m glad I did. If I hadn’t I don’t think I would ever picked this book up. For some reason, I was wary of independent and small book publishers and was surprised by We Hear The Dead. It is a thoughtful and thorough novel with an interesting story to tell….
“You ever watch Clash of the Titans or read any Greek fables? Well those gods are real and yeah, I’m sort of a descendant of them.”
– Jennifer Armentrout, Daimon
Ever since I’ve started book blogging, I’ve heard so much about a certain author named Jennifer L. Armentrout. Everyone simply adores her. I’ve even sat in on some of her video chats and I can see why everyone thinks she is (to say as she would) so awesomesauce. Which is why I was overjoyed when I won a copy of the prequel novel Daimon from Shellie over at Creative Reads.
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“Sometimes the only choice is between acceptance and madness.”
_ Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel
“Only the very weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry.”
― Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel
I thought Clockwork Angel was excellent and as much as I didn’t want to compare it to The Mortal Instruments…I did.
But, let’s answer the banner question: Do I need to read The Mortal Instruments to understand Clockwork Angel? No. In fact, unless you just want to read them, I would skip TMI. You just can’t have the “Hey! It the thing/person/place from the thing !” moments. Don’t worry, in my opinion, it’s a fair trade.
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“Maybe there is hope in the fragments, that what is lost can always be filled in by someone who knows.”
– David Levithan, The Realm of Possibility
This summer I read Will Grayson,Will Grayson a novel co-written by David Levithan. I got it because I had recently become a fan of John Green and to be honest I didn’t expect to like Levithan’s writing. However, within a few pages, I fell in love with it. He is an amazing writer. Levithan’s style is so unique and he is one of the few well known YA writers who is writing about gay and lesbian teens.
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“I can be anyone I want to be when I’m online and I don’t even have to wear makeup.”
– Sarah Darer Littman, Want To Go Private ?
Synopsis: Abby knows she’s not supposed to chat with random guys online. But Luke isn’t random, and he isn’t a stranger. Best of all, he really loves her. So what if she never goes out with her friends anymore and her grades are slipping? All she needs is Luke. Luke is her secret, and she’s his — it’s perfect that way. So when Luke suggests that they meet each other in person, Abby agrees. And then she’s gone. Missing. Without a trace. And everyone is left to put together the pieces. If they don’t, they’ll never see Abby again…
No amount of Law and Order: SVU could have prepared me for how deeply disturbing this novel was for me at times. What starts off as a cute scene of best friends arguing over whether Aragon or Legalos is cuter quickly turns into something much darker and more emotional.
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