Little Red Riding Hood: Review

Remember the Books that made me Love Reading Challenge? The one hosted by Emlyn Chand? Well, for my January pick, I've chosen one of my all time favorites when I was a little kid- Little Red Riding Hood.

Back then, I loved that story. I'd read that same story almost every day! I mean, a little girl goes into the forest to go to her grandma but a wolf targets her? It's a classic. I've probably read different versions- there's one where a hunter comes in and kills the wolf, but there was one I read wherein Little Red Riding Hood herself chased the wolf out with a broom! That one was my personal favorite.

Of course, I probably didn't enjoy it as much as I did before. I mean, let's face it- it's a children's fairytale. But still, I enjoyed it. Though I gotta admit- the whole "But why does your teeth look so sharp, Grandma?" part kinda seems to stupid to me now. But hey, I loved it before, and I'll love it forever! :D

So yes, I know that this is a really short story, but I'm planning to go from children's books, to MG, then adult, then YA through the course of this challenge- actually, that's the way my interests in books changed as I grew up. So yeah, a super short pick for this month, since this was my choice of book back when I was a little toddler! ;) For next month, maybe I'll pick a MG adventure story.

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

Care to Share? Tweet

Fracture by Megan Miranda: Review

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine

—despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.

Wow. Okay, this book was different from any book I've ever read. I started this book thinking I'd be reading about a paranormal book- I mean, who wouldn't, based from the summary? But then I read it, and as I got further, I discovered I was wrong. This book wasn't a paranormal one- it was contempory with a paranormal twist to it.

I don't know what to say. I'm not a fan of contemporary, so this was a first. Fracture was not a light read. It was seriously messed up, and it was dark. Delany awakes from a coma, but she's not the same. She can sense when people are about to die. But not only that, she's broken. Dying, on the inside.

But inspite of that, I liked this book. Fracture might have been dark, but it had a beautiful message. It showed the meaning and beauty of life. Though to be honest, I first got lost. During the first half to the story, I didn't get the point of it. Troy just frankly creeped me out, and I thought Delany was an idiot for talking to him after what happened. But later on, I understood him. Troy was broken on the inside as well, quietly suffering. And as twisted as his actions were, I understood his reasoning behind it. 

And Decker... He was the perfect friend. Loyal to the very end, and fiercely protective. He was my favorite character, and his love for Delany was touching. And Delany was tough. Her world was falling apart, but she struggled amd made it through. I admire her courage and resilience, because she did not give up fighting. She believed in life, and the goodness in it. 

I give this book 4 stars. Like I said before, it was anything but a light read. The turn of events during the end shocked me- I did not see that coming. At all. And not only that, the very last few pages were extremely beautiful and heartwarming, and I loved the way they were written. So this book was a first to me, and I'm happy to say that I didn't hate it! ;)

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

Care to Share?  Tweet

Waiting on Wednesday #5- Black Heart by Holly Black

Cassel Sharpe knows he’s been used as an assassin, but he’s trying to put all that behind him. He’s trying to be good, even though he grew up in a family of con artists and cheating comes as easily as breathing to him. He’s trying to do the right thing, even though the girl he loves is inextricably connected with crime. And he’s trying to convince himself that working for the Feds is smart, even though he’s been raised to believe the government is the enemy.

But with a mother on the lam, the girl he loves about to take her place in the Mob, and new secrets coming to light, the line between what’s right and what’s wrong becomes increasingly blurred. When the Feds ask Cassel to do the one thing he said he would never do again, he needs to sort out what’s a con and what’s truth. In a dangerous game and with his life on the line, Cassel may have to make his biggest gamble yet—this time on love.

I am sooo excited for this book to come out! I LOVE the Curse Workers series! Its the one of the best darkest fantasies out there! I need this book now! I need to know what happens to Cassel and Lila, and now that I've read the summary, the mystery and tension just piles up!

On a side note...

WHY OH WHY DID THEY CHANGE THE COVER! Seriously, publishers should not do this on the last book of the series! Books with non-matching covers suck! And look- the original cover is WAY prettier yet more appropriate for this series!

Hmph. I am not happy with this. But in spite of my cover griping, I still can't wait to read it!

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

Care to Share?  Tweet

Join in on Burns Night!

You guys heard about the epic party Jeri Smith Ready's throwing? No? Then read more about it here!

It's all in celebration of Burns Night, which is a pretty big celebration in Scotland! But here's a rundown on what's gonna happen: (which, I admit, I just copy pasted then edited :D)

Our planned activities for Wednesday, January 25:

"Ask a Real Scotsman" Twitter Q&A with Glasgow native and brilliant photographer Fraser McFarlane.

Time: 4PM EST

Hashtag #RealScotsman.

Twitter chat with Zachary Moore from the Shade series and Aiden MacRae fromCyndi Tefft's Between.

Time: 10pm EST

Hashtag #FakeScotsmen.

Logan and Aura will also be around for the chat.

--Note the plural "men" in this hashtag, and yes, Zach's a man now, having turned eighteen this past winter solstice. You can read all about that in Shine--very soon if you win an ARC!

Other Assorted Nonsense

• Since the celebration of Burns Night centers around haggis, Zachary will at some point recite Burns's "Address to a Haggis," or a shortened version thereof.
• Being a bit defensive about the dish, Zach will post pics throughout the day on the SHADEboys tumblr of Foods More Revolting Than Haggis. (Oh look, he's started already.)
• Possibly there'll be a Toast to the Lassies and a smart-ass response from Aura.
• Cyndi Tefft will be blogging all day long about Scotland and giving away copies of Between and Aiden's Angels swag!
• TeamKilt swag will be given away all week by KiltandKeeley.com.
• Jeri will give away copious amounts of exclusive TeamKilt autographed personalized bookplates for SHADE, SHIFT, and SHINE. These will feature all covers, including new, old, paperback, hardcover, and UK versions. Collect all 9! NOTE: These bookplates will only ever ever ever be available during TeamKilt events.

All Things Scottish giveaway hop, hosted by For What It's Worth. Go to the bottom of the post to see what Favorite Scottish Things people are giving away, or to link to your own giveaway.

Get Your Scot On festival of random fun, hosted by Fictitious Delicious. 

Zachary will post songs, poems, and pics of Foods More Revolting than Haggis on the SHADEboys tumblr.

Sya at Mountains of Instead and Fraser McFarlane of Street Spirit Photography will argue for the superiority of Edinburgh and Glasgow, respectively.

PLEASE NOTE: the official Twitter hashtag for the day's festivities will be #TKBurnsNight, not #BurnsNight. A few million other people might be using #BurnsNight on that date.

So yeah, that's it. More or less. It's all very long, and a bit confusing. ;) So yeah, just check it out! It sounds like fun! :D

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

Care to Share?  Tweet

The Versatile Blogger Award!

Oooh, I got my second award! Thanks so much to Jen Ryland for thinking of me! So, now I have to reveal seven random facts about me, and then proceed to nominate seven other bloggers!

So first off, here are nominations:

1. Jen Ryland

Okay, so I'm not even sure if I can nominate the one who gave to me, but if someone else had given me the award, she'd still be my first nomination. Not only do we have the same name (and it gets pretty funny talking to someone who shares the same name with you), but she's one of the friendliest people around. And her blog is awesome. She not technically a book blogger, but she talks about some pretty awesome books, and her posts are always fun to read!

2. Rachel @ Fiktshun/ Fiktshun's Ramblings/ My Reading Pile/ oh my gosh, I've lost count!

Talk about a versatile blogger! Rachel has been my oldest stalkee (since I'm the stalker, do I call her my stalkee?), and she was the one who inspired me to start blogging. But not only does she manage the epic blog Fiktshun, she has around six, seven more blogs! No kidding. She rambles in Fiktshun's Ramblings, adds books to your TBR pile in My Reading Pile, talk about blogging issues in Blogger's Central, the SSRC in Soul Screamer's Reading Challenge... It's endless.

3. Nausicaa @ Inkytopia

Nausicaa just started her blog this month, but she's proving to be an awesome blogger! You wouldn't know that she's new at this thing from the way her blog looks! I'm a silent stalker at her blog, and even though she's new at this, she's got everything down, from cover reveals to challenges and memes!

4. Patricia @ Book Exhibitionism

I love this self-proclaimed "bitter bookblogger"'s blog. She actually cracks me up with her rants, so I really enjoy reading them. Though they're actually really insightful, and it's nice to read ideas that are stated so bluntly. Patricia not only reviews books, but she talks about issues which she's so passionate about.

5. Bailey @ Novel Nerd

You guys should stalk Bailey's blog- she posts new content, every single day! She has tons of reviews, memes, cover reveals, and her own features. And she's really kind and helpful too! :D Seriously, you guys have no idea how much time I've saved because she helped me out.

So I cheated. I only named five, (four, if not counting Jen), but I'm not so good at this thing. Other blogs I know are award-free. Oh, and if your blog is award-free but I included you, then I'm sorry. :D I did my best to check out if you said so, but I might have missed it.

Now here's seven random facts about me:

1. My grandma's the reason behind my love for books.

2. The novel that got me hooked into reading was a Nancy Drew mystery- The Clue of the Broken Locket.

3. I love minty stuff- ice cream, candies, chocolates- you name it!
4. Me and my friend are currently fighting over Tod from Soul Screamers. (It's so fun! ;) We even include him in random conversatiosn. It's a phase we're going through...)
5. I love wearing fuzzy socks with individual toes!
6. I enjoy watching action and suspense movies, and funny cartoon movies. But NOT romance movies. Weird taste, huh? ;)
7. Before getting addicted to YA, I first started reading children's adventure novels, then jumped to adult books. Yes, I'm talking about Sidney Sheldon, Mary Higgins Clark, etc. Then I went to YA. Talk about plain wrong.

That's it! :D And once again, thanks so much Jen for the award!

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

Care to Share?  Tweet

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor: Review

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

So I never would have bought this book if it weren't for the glowing reviews I'd read everywhere. For one, the paperback is expensive- almost cost as much as a hardbound book! But it was worth it. Oh so worth it. 

The Unique

The names. The names were most definitely unique. And I LOVED them. Karou, Akiva, Madrigal, Issa, Brimstone, Zuzanna... They sounds so beautiful, and they were definitely a refreshing change from all those Jacks and Kates and Johns out there. They have this... lyrical tilt to them, don't you think?

The Awesome

The mythology. Angels and chimaera. Now, have you read anything like that before? No. This was a first, and not only that, it comes with a twist. Reincarnation, wishes- and teeth. 

The writing. Everywhere, I read that Laini Taylor's writing is different. That it's beautiful and lyrical. And now that I've finally read one of her books, I couldn't agree more. She has a way with words, making them flow off the page.

The plot. The plot was amazing. It was brilliant, so twsited. The author dropped bombshell after bombshell. The story literally takes place in different eras and tells about a love so great it withstands death. But it was so much more than a love story. It was way more than what I bargained for.

The Rating

5 stars. Duh. The Daughter of Smoke and Bone was the darkest fantasy I've ever read, and I loved every moment of it. Right from the start, I knew this book would be different, and it was. It whisked me off to this darkly magical yet dangerous world, and I didn't want to leave it. The Daughter of Smoke and Bone left me hanging for more, and you bet I'll read the sequel the moment it comes out!

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

----------

Awsome book, right? Agree or diagree?

Care to Share?  Tweet

2012 TBR PILE Reading Challenge

Welcome to 2012 TBR PILE Reading Challenge!!!

We all have those books. We buy them, win them, they're gifted to us.. Then we put them up on a bookshelf and there they stay, collecting dust, waiting for the time when we'll finally decide to pick them up..

Join us on a quest to dust off your TBR Pile and read all the books you've been telling yourself you'll read next time you'll get a chance.. This is your chance! And we've got PRIZES!!! :D

Challenge guidelines:

This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2012 - Dec 31, 2012.
As we would like to see quality reviews linked up to our monthly wrap-ups, only bloggers can enter. Sorry about that!
Any genre, length or format of book counts, as long as it is a book that's been sitting on your shelf for some time now. Only books released in 2011 and earlier! NO ARCs and 2012 fresh-off-the-press releases allowed!

You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
When you sign up in the linky, put the direct link to your post about joining the 2012 TBR PILE Reading Challenge (You need to include the info + host list + challenge button. You can also grab the button code and add it to your sidebar!)

You can move up levels, but no moving down.
Sign-ups will be open until Dec 15, 2012, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.
At the end of each month one of the hosts will post a wrap-up. Every wrap-up will have it's unique theme, amini-challenge, a giveaway and place for you to link up your reviews from this month. For each review you link up, you will get one entry in a drawing of one book of choice from Book Depository. It's open to INTERNATIONALS. For participating in the mini-challenge you will get +1 entry.

If you miss a wrap-up post + giveaway, you can link up your reviews next month. Do not, however, try to link up one review twice - we will be checking ;)
December is a wrap-up for the whole year. All the book reviews you linked up January-November + the ones you'll link up in December will be entered into a HUGE giveaway - 12 books, 12 winners, INTERNATIONAL.
You don't have to follow all the hosts to join the challenge, but you do have to follow all of us to be entered in giveaways!Levels:

1-10 - A Firm Handshake
11-20 - A Friendly Hug
21-30 - A Sweet Kiss
31-40 - Love At First Sight
41-50 - Married With Children

Hosts:
Evie from Bookish - http://www.evie-bookish.blogspot.com @SeoEvie
Nicole from All I Ever Read - http://www.nicoleabouttown.com/ @Nicoleabouttown
Bonnie from Hands and Home - http://www.handsandhome.ca/ @HandsHomeBlog
Donna from Book Passion For Life - http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com/ @BookPforLife
Caitlin from WatchYA Reading - http://whatchyareading.net @caitlingss
Rie from Mission To Read - http://missiontoread.com/ @missiontoread
Vicky from Books, Biscuits & Tea -http://booksbiscuitsandtea.blogspot.com/ @alouetteuette
Christa from Hooked On Books - http://christashookedonbooks.blogspot.com @ChristasBooks
Jenna from Fans Of Fiction - http://fansoffiction.blogspot.com/ @fansoffiction
Angel from Mermaids Vision - http://mermaidvision.wordpress.com @mermaidvisions

Wrap-up POST Schedule:

January - Donna (Theme: Let It Snow + Book Cover Challenge)
February - Nicole (Theme: Un-requited Love/Love Gone Wrong + Advice Column Challenge)
March - Rie (Theme: Green or Pinched + Green Cover Challenge)
April - Bonnie (Theme: Easter + Mini Challenge)
May - Christa (Theme: MayDay - Disaster Books! + Cover Disaster Challenge)
June - Jenna ( Theme: Camping + Sentence Challenge)
July - Rie (Theme: International Day + Cover Comparison Challenge)
August - Angel (Theme: Summer Memories + Send Your Fav Character On Vacation Challenge)
September - Nicole (Theme: Life Changing Books + Mini Challenge)
October - Caitlin (Theme: Thanksgiving Theme + Share-A-Book Challenge)
November - Vicky (Theme: Spooky Halloween + Book Puzzle Challenge)
December - Evie (Theme: Xmas Bliss + Book Bachelor Challenge)

So I'm thinking of going with A Firm Handshake. For now, anyways. :) Wish me luck!

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

Care to Share?  Tweet

Soul Screamers #1- My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent: Review

She doesn't see dead people. She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next.

This is my second time reading the Soul Screamers series. So why am I doing so in spite of my gigantic TBR pile? Well, first off, Rachel @ Fiktshun is hosting a Soul Screamers Reading Challenge, and I'm participating. Second, Before I Wake is coming out in five months. Five months! And I want to reread the series and refresh my memory. And lastly? This is one hell of a series- I would have reread it anyway, challenge or no!

So for my review, I'm not gonna do my usual review with The Bad and The Good and The Awesome sections. The Soul Screamers is one- and will always be- one my top favorite books, and I can't say a single bad thing about the series. At all. 

My Soul to Take was such an amazing read. (Or should I say reread?) It wasn't just full of paranormal goodness, but it had tons of mystery. This was one of my favorite elements of the book, because there's nothing more I love better than a good mystery. And boy, does Rachel know how to spin a good one! I honestly did not see what was coming. Of course, that was during the first time I read it. This time, I knew who the "bad guy" was, and I gotta say, it made me see that character in a whole new light this time!

And not only that, My Soul to Take had suspense. It had adventure. Romance. Nerve wracking tension. And what's more? It was full of humor. I just had to love Kaylee, our snarky and sarcastic heroine. I loved the way she thinks and how she makes an impossibly dark situation lighter. And Kaylee's not the only funny character- I'm not forgetting about Tod!

Ah, Tod. To be honest, I was looking forward to his appearance the whole start of the book! And when his name finally appeared, I broke out into a wide grin. I mean, dude, it's TOD! Ahem. Anyway, this reread was different- because the first time I read it, I was totally Team Nash. Now though, Team Tod FTW! ;)

(Aren't you just proud of me? Apart from Tod's name is caps, I didn't even go all fan girl on him! :P)

The Rating

Five stars all the way! My Soul to Take is an awesome introduction to this series, and it sucked me in right away. This is my second time reading this, but I enjoyed it as much as I did the first time I read. Even more, I think. I enjoyed being back in the Soul Screamers world, because there's simply nothing quite like it. 

Cover Wars

I just couldn't resist putting this part in. My friend and I were arguing as to which cover was better. US or UK? She likes the US version, and I do too, but I kinda find the UK cover more striking. Any thoughts? 

And that's it. To wrap up this long review, I'll ask you one question: Have you read this yet? If not, then you are missing out big time. Drop what you're reading, AND GO READ THIS NOW!

That is all. 

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

---------

So, have you read My Soul to Take? Loved it? Love Tod? ;) Which cover do you prefer and why?

Care to Share?  Tweet

The Books that made me Love Reading Challenge

Hey guys! I'm participating in yet another reading challenge this year. This one is called The Books that made me Love Reading Challenge, and this is hosted by Emlyn Chand, the author of Farsighted.

I'm really excited about this one, because what's better than rereading the books that made me who I am today? I really hope that I will be able to keep up with this challenge.

As a kid, I loved fairy tales and those good old stories like Little Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. I read them over and over everyday, I kid you not. Then, I grew up and began read MG lit like Spy X by Peter Lerangis and On the Run by Gordon Korman. Then I grew up some more and went to the YA stage, thanks to Meg Cabot's books. I'm still in this stage right now- and will be for a long time. However, I've grown to love some adult books as well, especially those by Sidney Sheldon and Mary Higgins Clark. Hopefully, I'll be able to reread all of these books this year!

So, wanna sign up as well? Click the picture above to be directed to the sign up post!

Wish me luck! With my gigantic TBR pile, I'm gonna need it!

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

Care to Share?  Tweet

The Iron Fey #3- The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa: Review

My name is Meghan Chase. 

I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it. 

This time, there will be no turning back.

Oh. My. Gosh. I'm speechless. This book was just... Ugh, I can't find the proper words! But in three words? I. LOVED. THIS. So so so soooooo much! I would have had reviewed The Iron Daughter, but I didn't want to stop reading, and I plowed straight through The Iron Queen. It did NOT disappoint. 

The Awesome

Everything. I read The Iron King, and I loved it. I read the Iron Daughter, and I loved it even more. Well, guess what? The Iron Queen surpassed both books. Do you guys have any idea just how high my expectations were, yet they were exceeded? Damn it, there wasn't a single thing I hated about it- except that it had to come to an end!

To be more specific...

The plot. Ahh, I loved the plot. Meghan, Ash, and Puck must work together to defeat the False King- the one who pretends to be the new Iron King. They journey throughout the Iron Realm to find his identity and kill him, in order to save both Summer and Winter. The plot was filled with action, with one adventure after another, with heart wrenching romance, hilarious moments, painful goodbyes, and so much more. 

The ending. Gah, that ending! It was heartbreaking! It almost made me cry! And I never cry. Ever. Not once have I cried over a book, but the ending of The Iron Queen almost made me break down in tears! Ahhh, how could Kagawa have ended it like that? It was the ultimate sacrifice, the most painful ending I have ever read. 

The Rating

 6 stars, all the way. If I could, I've give it a bazillion stars, but hey, I'm guessing that would be a tad bit unrealistic. :P But seriously, I've never connected with a book as much as I did with The Iron Queen. I want to live in this book- I don't want this series to end! It has everything that I'm looking for, yet so much more than I expected. 

Ahhh, I want to go to Julie Kagawa, look her in the eye... And tackle her with a big hug. I want to thank her for creating such a wonderful world that I've experienced like none other. Seriously, how does she do this? Reduce me into a gushing fangirl, barely coherent?

The Iron Knight, here I come!

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

----------

Enjoyed this book as much as I did? :) If you have reviewed this book, leave a link! I want to see what others thought of this book which I so obviously adored!

Care to Share? Tweet

Soul Screamers Reading Challenge

Guess what? Rachel @ Fiktshun is hosting a Soul Screamers Reading Challenge! Yes, that Soul Screamers by Rachel Vincent. The one I love so much! It sounds so fun, and I can't wait for it to start! It begins this Sunday, January 14, all the way up to June 14. Interested? Here's other links you're gonna be needing:

The Soul Screamers Reading Challenge Blog (Yes, Rachel created another blog just for this event. This must be her what, 6th, 7th blog? I kinda lost count...)

Link your participation post here.

Wanna join? Sign up here!

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

Care to share? Tweet

2012 Stand Alone Reading Challenge

So this year, I've decided to join the 2012 Standalone Reading Challenge hosted by Icey Books and I Like These Books. It sounds like a lot of fun, and like a good motivation to read more!

So some quick info:

Why a Standalone Reading Challenge? 

There's a challenge for Debuts, there's a challenge for Sophomores, why not a challenge for Standalones? 

So what's the challenge? 

To read 15 standalone YA books in 2012! 

What books count towards the 2012 Standalone Reading Challenge? 

Any Young Adult standalone book that is released between December 27, 2011 and December 31, 2012. Any format (paperback, hardcover, e-book, ARC) counts, but they must be read during the year 2012.

Where can I find out which books can be read for the SARC? 

We have started a list for you HERE. Please note, this list is public and won't be 100% accurate. We will try to keep it updated as best as we can. If you know of any standalones we may have missed, please feel free to add to this list.

Here's a list of 15 books that I'm planning to read for this event. Click them to go to their Goodreads page.

Wish me luck in completing the challenge! :D

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

Nightmare Garden Excerpt

Everything Aoife thought she knew about the world was a lie. There is no Necrovirus. And Aoife isn't going to succumb to madness because of a latent strain—she will lose her faculties because she is allergic to iron. Aoife isn't human. She is a changeling—half human and half from the land of Thorn. And time is running out for her.

 When Aoife destroyed the Lovecraft engine she released the monsters from the Thorn Lands into the Iron Lands and now she must find a way to seal the gates and reverse the destruction she's ravaged on the world that's about to poison her.

I have yet to read The Iron Thorn, but I really want to! This book sounds so unique, and that cover is utterly captivating! Here's an excerpt I found on the author's blog:

Before me stood a figure twice as tall as I, only a shadow, smooth and without feature. I stayed still, unsure of my footing in the dream. I always felt only vaguely attached to my dream-body, as if my mind were floating free in the void of outer space and my body were waiting back on Earth.

Behind the figure, a great gear rose, half of it above the platform on which we stood. Above us, a hundred skies turned by, sunrises and sunsets, skylines and the blackness of space. And in those skies things twisted and writhed, great tentacles of darkness coming down to merge and mingle with the shadow figure before me.

I found I could speak, which wasn’t always the case in these madness dreams—for that was surely what this was, brought on by the iron of Windhaven. “Where am I?”

The figure stared back impassively. I knew he was staring, despite his lack of eyes or any features at all. I could feel his gaze, hot and penetrating. Beyond him, beyond the gear and the platform, the skies spun faster. They were more than skies now—it was as if we were inside a giant dome, and lantern reels in the thousands and millions were projected onto the glass sides.

“Where am I?” I asked again.

The figure reached out a hand. It was fathomless, black smoke in the shape of a human thing, and I felt cold emanate from the shadow as it drew closer to me. The tentacles writhed faster, lashing, and from all around us came a great moaning, which vibrated the dome to its core and came up through my feet into my bones.

“Who are you?” the figure hissed. “Why did you come here?”

“You tell me,” I whispered, my lips barely able to move from the frozen air of the dream and my own fear. This felt too strong, too real, to be purely a result of the iron around me. The madness was getting worse. I was starting to believe my own dreams. I dug my fingers into my palms, but in this dream place, I felt no pain. That didn’t soothe my worries any.

“I don’t know where here is,” I said. The great gear behind the figure began to turn, and as it did the tentacles retreated, the black figures floating in the skies shrinking away. In my ears, and through the dome, a thousand screams echoed.

“You shouldn’t be here,” the figure told me. “This isn’t your dream. This isn’t a dream at all.”

Then, as if I’d fallen from a great height, I snapped awake.

Preorder links!

The Nightmare Garden

• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Books-A-Million
• IndieBound
• Book Depository

The Iron Thorn (paperback edition)

• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Books-A-Million
• IndieBound
• Book Depository

Sooo... are you gonna be checking this book out? I know I will!

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief