Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

Book: Glass Houses (Morganville Vampires #1)
Author: Rachel Caine
# of Pages: 222 (paperback)
Challenge: 2015 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Rating: 4.5 stars

Goodreads Summary:
From the author of the popular Weather Warden series comes the debut of an exciting new series set in Morganville, Texas, where you would be well advised to avoid being out after dark.

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation. When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life, but they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood. Will she be able to face the town's terror or will she drown like everyone else?

My Thoughts:

I did not know what to expect going into this book. But...WOW! I definitely didn't expect to like it as much as I did.

The writing was really good. But the characters were what made this book for me. Claire, Shane, Michael, Eve, so well-developed and likable. Their banter, their personalities, I loved everything about them. 

There was never a dull moment with all the action, suspense, and mystery, twists and revelations. And a jaw-dropping cliffhanger ending. I am so glad that I finally read this.

An amazing start to the series.

Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Book: Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy #2)
Author: Jennifer Estep
# of Pages: 220 (ebook)
Challenge: 2015 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Rating: 2.5 stars

Goodreads Summary:
I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Acad­emy, and I have no idea how I’m going to sur­vive the rest of the semes­ter. One day, I’m get­ting schooled in sword­play by the guy who broke my heart—the drop-dead gor­geous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invis­i­ble archer in the Library of Antiq­ui­ties decides to use me for tar­get prac­tice. And now, I find out that some­one at the acad­emy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword—with Logan’s help—I just might die by the sword... 

My Thoughts:

I just didn't like this book that much.

The first six chapters were mostly about what happened/what was revealed in the first book. Again I was frustrated with Gwen. While she is determined to prove herself worthy of Mythos Academy, she also makes a lot of careless decisions.

Most of what happens in this book was predictable, and again I preferred the other characters to Gwen. While I did not like this book as much as I hoped I would, I will contiue on with the series. Though it may be a while before I read the next book in the series.

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Book: Touch of Frost (Mythos Academy #1)
Author: Jennifer Estep
# of Pages: 217 (ebook)
Challenge: 2015 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Rating: 3.5 stars

Goodreads Summary:
My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy; a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest. But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why; especially since I should have been the one who died... 

My Thoughts:

While I did find this to be a very interesting book, I had mixed feelings about it.

For the first half or so of the book the protagonist, Gwen, seriously annoyed me to the point where I just wanted to shake her. She kept going on and on and on about how she didn't have any friends. She must have said it at least sixty times! It was so frustrating having to read it over and over again. There were a lot of other things that were repeated throughout the story as well.

I did like the concept of the story, as well as Mythos Academy itself with all the various mythological warriors who attend it. I really liked Daphne. There were times when I kind of wished she was the protagonist instead of Gwen. The love interest, Logan, is amusing, mysterious, and has secrets. I am very curious to learn more about him.

I am hoping that as the series continues, I will like Gwen more.

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Book: Beautiful Darkness (Caster Chronicles #2)
Authors: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
# of Pages: 503 (Paperback)
Challenge: 2013 TBR Reading Pile Challenge
Rating: 3.5 stars

Goodreads Summary:
Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems

My Thoughts:

Book 2 in the Caster Chronicles series was very enjoyable, but I did not like it as much as the first. For starters, I did not get into the story until over halfway through the book. And second, Lena got on my nerves. I love Ethan and the way Lena treated him made me want to smack her. Also, I thought there was too much dialogue and not enough action during the climax of the story.

That being said, I found Ethan's adventure in the Caster tunnels highly entertaining. There were unexpected twists that I never saw coming. I thought Liv was a very interesting character. She's smart, funny, and I thought she was a great addition to the story.

I wouldn't say the ending is an actual cliffhanger, but it does leave you wanting to know what is going to happen next.

Overall, Beautiful Darkness was an interesting, albeit slow read. There were some interesting revelations, but I felt it did not live up to the first book in the series.

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Book: The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey #2)

Author: Julie Kagawa

# of Pages: 359 (Paperback)

Challenge: 2012 TBR Pile Challenge

Rating: 2.5 stars

Goodreads Summary

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

My Thoughts: Meghan is in the Winter Court when the Scepter of the Seasons is stolen. The Winter fey believe the Summer fey are behind it an prepare for war. But Meghan knows the truth, and she is determined to help retrieve the scepter before things turn ugly.

I like the world of the Nevernever and find the creatures that dwell there fascinating. I'm also a big fan of Puck and his sense of humor.

The thing that I disliked most about this book was Meghan. She was stubborn and whiny. She would not listen to what anyone had to say, and she was constantly obsessing over Ash. For the most part, she does not pay much attention to Puck, but depends on him to get her out of trouble. She does not even try to get herself out of unpleasant situations.

The book dragged. I actually stopped reading it at one point not intending to finish it. I did finish it, but I had to push myself in order to do so.

Never to Sleep by Rachel Vincent

Book: Never to Sleep (Soul Screamers #5.5)
Author: Rachel Vincent
# of Pages: 56 (ebook)
Challenge: 2012 Ebook Challenge
Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads Summary
Sophie Cavanaugh is not going to let her freak of a cousin's strange psychiatric condition ruin high school for them both. Not after all the work she's put into cultivating the right look, and friends, and reputation. But then, Sophie sees something so frightening she lets out a blood-curdling scream—and finds herself stuck in a bizarre parallel world where nothing is safe and deadly creatures lurk just out of sight, waiting for her to close her eyes and sleep...forever.

Could this world be real? Or does insanity run in the family...?(

My Thoughts: This is the story of Sophie's brief experience in the Netherworld. She must find a way out of the strange world she has fallen into. She handled the situation better than I expected. She did panic at some points, but she never let her fear take over. Though Sophie is not my favorite character, it was interesting getting to see things from her point of view.

If I Die by Rachel Vincent

Book: If I Die (Soul Screamers #5)

Author: Rachel Vincent

# of Pages: 268 (ebook)

Challenge: 2012 Ebook Challenge

Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads Summary

The entire school's talking about the gorgeous new math teacher, Mr. Beck. Everyone except Kaylee Cavanaugh. After all, Kaylee's no ordinary high-school junior. She's a banshee—she screams when someone dies. 

But the next scream might be for Kaylee. 

Yeah—it's a shock to her, too. So to distract herself, Kaylee's going to save every girl in school. Because that hot new teacher is really an incubus who feeds on the desire of unsuspecting students. The only girls immune to his lure are Kaylee and Sabine, her boyfriend's needy ex-girlfriend. Now the unlikely allies have to get rid of Mr. Beck…before he discovers they aren't quite human, either. 

But Kaylee's borrowed lifeline is nearing its end. And those who care about her will do anything to save her life. 

Anything.

MyThoughts: Kaylee finds out that she is going to die within a week. To add to the stress, the true identity of her new math teacher is revealed and she is determined to disposeof him before her time is up. Kaylee teams up with Sabine to bring him down. I do wonder if Kaylee and Sabine would be friends if it weren't for Nash. 

If I Die was amazing. I liked how Kaylee stands up for herself. I also like that she is more concerned for the safety of her fellow female classmates than for her own imminent death. I don't want to reveal too much, but I will say, Tod fans, there are some awesome Tod scenes.

This series is absolutely addictive. Each book gets better and better.  I know I've said this before in previous reviews for this series, but if you have not yet looked into this series you really, really should.

My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent

Book: My Soul to Steal (Soul Screamers #4)
Author: Rachel Vincent
# of Pages: 264 (ebook)
Challenge: 2012 Ebook Challenge
Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads Summary
Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can't just pretend nothing happened. But "complicated" doesn't even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school, determined to take Nash back.

See, Sabine isn't just an ordinary girl. She's a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. She can read people's fears—and craft them into nightmares while her victims sleep. Feeding from human fear is how she survives.

And Sabine isn't above scaring Kaylee and the entire school to death to get whatever—and whoever—she wants.(

My Thoughts: Kaylee does not know what to do about Nash. She wants to get back together with him, but she is having a hard time trusting him. While she is pondering, a new girl, Sabine, comes to their school. She is Nash's ex and a mara, a literal walking nightmare who feeds off fear. Since the first day Sabine appeared, bad things have been happening at the school and worst of all she wants Nash back.

As always, Tod is hilarious, but we also see a serious, wiser side to him in this book. I like Sabine. She is catty, determined, and a bit intimidating.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting

Book: Desires of the Dead (The Body Finder #2)
Author: Kimberly Derting
# of Pages: 355 (Hardcover)
Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads Summary
Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered—and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.

As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger.

My Thoughts: There never seems to be a dull moment in Violet's life. A new family moves to town, someone starts threatening her, and someone has discovered that she has a secret talent. To top it all off, she is keeping everything from her boyfriend, Jay.

This book was gripping and it gave me chills. I really liked the mystery and the suspense. I also liked Rafe. He's quiet and mysterious and I want to know more about him.

I absolutely loved this book, and I am very excited for The Last Echo.

Reaper by Rachel Vincent

Book: Reaper (Soul Screamers #3.5)
Author: Rachel Vincent
# of Pages: 51 (Ebook)
Challenge: 2012 Ebook Challenge
Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads Summary
Tod Hudson was a typical teenager. He liked girls, sports, food and tolerated his younger brother, Nash. In fact, he had his whole life in front of him--and due to his bean sidhe heritage, it was going to be a very long life indeed. And then the car accident occurred. 
                                                                                               Suddenly Tod's future wasn't so sure, and he had to make a choice. Life... Death... or something Between..
                                                                                                                             My Thoughts: I loved this novella! It is told completely from Tod's POV. It is the story behind his becoming a reaper. His sarcastic humor is entertaining and enjoyable. Though it is short, Vincent crams a lot of Tod info into this story. We also learn a little more about Nash.

My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

Book: My Soul to Keep (Soul Screamers #3)
Book: Rachel Vincent
# of Pages: 246 (ebook)
Challenge: 2012 Ebook Challenge
Rating: 4.5 stars

Goodreads Summary
Kaylee and Nash discover that one of his football teammates is addicted to Demon's Breath, a dangerous Netherworld substance that shouldn't even be available in the human world. Now they must somehow dispose of it and cut off the supply--without socially alienating themselves.

My Thoughts: This contains a couple spoilers. This is my favorite book of the series so far.  We do see a different side of Nash. He is a total jerk to Kaylee. Weirdly enough, I liked seeing this side of Nash. I liked seeing that he isn't flawlessly perfect. It makes him more likable, more relatable. I like how Tod plays a big role in this book helping Kaylee in her time of need. And I like how both Tod and Kaylee stand up to Nash.

This really was a great book. If you have not read this series yet, you really should do so!

Soul Screamers Volume 1 by Rachel Vincent

Book: Soul Screamers Volume 1: My Soul to Lose, My Soul to Take, My Soul to Save
Author: Rachel Vincent
# of Pages: 471 (ebook)
Challenges: 2012 Ebook Challenge, 2012 TBR Pile Challenge
Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads Summary
My Soul to Lose 
— The prequel: never before in print! — 
Kaylee is just your average girl shopping at the mall with friends—until a terrified scream burst from her that cannot be stopped. 
Taken to a hospital ward, will she be able to save her mind—and her life? 

My Soul to Take 
She always felt different, but now Kaylee discovers why. The screams that cannot be denied mean that someone near her will die—and she can never save them. Because saving one life means taking another... 

My Soul to Save 
Going on dates with her boyfriend is still new to Kaylee. But when the singer of the band they're seeing dies and Kaylee doesn't scream, she knows something carzy is going on. Soon she discovers soul can indeed be sold...
                                                                                                                           My Thoughts: I heard that this series was good, but I honestly did not expect to like the first couple books as much as I did. The writing is witty, and I really like the characters. Nash, the strong football player, the sarcastic and mysterious Tod, and Kaylee whose panic attacks turn out to be something more complex then she could ever imagine.

The last few chapters of My Soul to Steal did drag a bit. And we don't know too much about Tod. But, I thought these first couple books were fascinating, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series and finding out more about Tod.

Fracture by Megan Miranda

Book: Fracture
Author: Megan Miranda
# of Pages: 176 (ebook)
Challenges: 2012 Debut Author Challenge, 2012 Ebook Challenge
Rating: 3 stars

Goodreads Summary
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.
                                                                                                                         My Thoughts: This book is nicely written. It has a great first sentence that grabs your attention instantly. Troy Varga is a great character that had me intrigued from his first appearance in the story. He is creepy and mysterious and I'm curious about what the story would have been like if it had been told from his POV.

I admit I am not Delaney's biggest fan. She keeps changing her mind about her feelings toward Troy and does not appreciate her best friend, Decker. After her accident, Delaney refuses to share what she is experiencing with him despite the fact that they have been friends for such a long time. Poor Decker. This is supposedly a standalone novel, but I think it should have been a little bit longer. I felt that there were a couple questions left unanswered.

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Book: The Body Finder
Author: Kimberly Derting
# of Pages: 327 (Paperback)
Challenge: 2012 TBR Pile Challenge
Rating: 4.5 stars

Goodreads Summary
Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself.
                                                                                                                         My Thoughts: This was such a great book. There was mystery, suspense, and romance. I like how the chapters are interspersed with sections for the murderer's POV. I also like how it does not have a cliffhanger ending.

Violet is stubborn and a little reckless, but she is a very likable protagonist. Her ability to detect the murdered and murderers is creepy yet fascinating. I loved her relationship with Jay. It was sweet and I'm so glad that they got together.

I'm really looking forward to reading the sequel and finding out what happens next to Violet and Jay.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Book: Unearthly
Author: Cynthia Hand
# of Pages: 435 (Hardcover)
Rating: 5 stars
                                                                           Goodreads Summary:
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .
                                                                             Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
                                                                                                                         
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
                                                                                                                         As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
                                                                                                                     Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.                         
                                                                                                                             My Thoughts: Wow, this book was amazing! I read Halo by Alexandra Adornetto last year and could not bring myself to read another angel book until now. Hand's descriptions of Wyoming are so beautiful and vivid. I would really like to go see it for myself. I love Tucker. His and Clara's relationship is sweet and believable. I could not help but root for them to be together. As for Clara, I like how her character grows as the story progresses. When she first moves to Wyoming, she seems to be focused on her popularity status. She grows to accept her new surroundings and turns her attention to the purpose she was meant to fulfill. If you like paranormals and angels, then you will definitely like this book. Highly recommended.

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Book: The Name of the Star
Author: Maureen Johnson
# of Pages: 207 (ebook)
Rating: 1 star

Goodreads Summary
The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

My Thoughts: I was really excited about this book. I love ghost stories. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. I read many reviews saying that this was a good scary story, but I found it to be a bit boring. There is just WAY too much description/talk and not enough action. There is one point in the story where Rory goes into painful detail about the differences between the girls' and boys' dorms (Is it really that important for us to know that the girls keep plants on their windowsills?). 

The characters in the story were pretty plain. Sure Rory has a "gift," but even so… As for Rory's love interest, Jerome, we hardly learn anything about him. We find out that he's a prefect and is obsessed with Jack the Ripper and that's it. I'm not even sure why Rory likes him. The only character that really stood out for me was Alistair. He plays a very minor role in the story, but maybe we will see more of him in the next book?

This is an okay ghost story, but once again I think it would have been better with more action scenes.

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Book: The Iron King
Author: Julie Kagawa
# of Pages: 363 (Paperback)
Rating: 4 stars

This is the first book I have read that deals with faeries. I did not know what to expect, but I was very intrigued with the story.

Meghan's little brother, Ethan, is kidnapped. She and her best friend Robbie/Puck must go into the Nevernever to save him. The Nevernever is a magical, faery-inhabited world. I've heard many people compare it to the world in Alice in Wonderland. Though I would like to concoct my own original comparison, I cannot think of one at the moment and so must agree that it is like Wonderland. Interesting creatures roam the land, there is a Summer Court and a Winter Court, and technology is slowly taking over the realm.

I love Puck. He is a great friend to Meghan, a prankster, and is quite funny. Ash is a prince of the Winter Court. He's dark, serious, and has a strong hatred for Puck. Meghan enlists Ash to help them find Ethan, to Puck's great fury. Together they battle their way through the Nevernever as well as the human world encountering obstacles and enemies alike.

One small thing that irked me about Meghan was that she did not seem to learn from her mistakes. When she is told to hide, she just stands where she is until it is too late. This aside, Meghan is brave, determined, and a little stubborn, and it is these things that helps her reach her goal.

This was a great, enjoyable read and I can't wait to read the rest of the series!

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Book: Nevermore

Author: Kelly Creagh

# of Pages: 543 (Hardcover)

Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

My Thoughts: I had read so many great reviews about this book, and I was so intrigued by the Edgar Allan Poe theme that I just had to read it. And it did not disappoint.


Isobel may be  a cheerleader, but she does not let anyone stand in her way. She is not afraid to stand up for herself. I love this quality about her.  The best word I can think of to describe Varen is misunderstood. His classmates assume he is abnormal and freakish because of his Goth appearance. But, if they looked closer they would see that he is just lonely. Varen is sort of the opposite of Isobel when it comes to standing up for himself. Instead of defending himself against the threats and insults thrown at him, he just loses himself in his own imagination and dreams that eventually take over his life.


I got so lost in this book that I ended up staying up until 4 a.m. two nights in a row. I had to know if Isobel and Varen were going to get together. I had to know more about this dreamworld that Varen had created. I just could not get enough of Creagh's amazing writing.


There are so many things that I loved about this book. The strong characters, the unique storyline, the references to Poe, the suspense and romance. This is definitely my favorite book I have read so far this year. I absolutely LOVED it!!! And I know that I will be reading it again (and there are very few books that I am willing to read a second time). The only irksome thing is now I have to wait until January to find out what happens next…