Printables #1 | YA Recommendation Bookmarks, Vol. 1

So, the other day, I decided to make some book rec bookmarks for the teens in my library. Since I put them up on Tumblr yesterday, they've gotten more than 400 notes, and I decided they would be better suited here because it takes up less room on dashes.

I set these to gray-scale and printed them on colored cardstock, for better stability. I'm not laminating them or anything because I intend to make more, different ones, when these run out.

I'm making these available for use, as long as they're used for non-profit, as I am. If you don't want to use the pictures here, email or PM me, and I'll send you the Publisher file. And please don't remove my watermark. I tried to make it inconspicuous

Also, I'd love it if you could send me your thoughts on how they worked in your community. I'd love to feature them sometimes. Pictures are welcome!

RBD Review #26 | Ice Crypt (Mermaids of Eriana Kwai #2) by Tiana Warner

Book info:
Ice Crypt (Mermaids of Eriana Kwai #2) by Tiana Warner | 426 pages | Published July 2016 by Rogue Cannon Publishing | Teen fantasy/SciFi, LGBTQA+ > Lesbian

Summary:
Meela has just returned from the Massacre—the annual attempt to wipe out the mermaids threatening her people’s survival. After forming an unlikely connection with Lysi, a mermaid she was trained to kill, Meela is determined to stop the war between humans and merpeople for good. She knows of a legendary weapon that could bring peace if she uses it against King Adaro, ruler of the Pacific Ocean. But her people have plans for future Massacres and refuse to help her uncover it.

While Meela works in secret to unearth the Host of Eriana, Lysi is held captive under Adaro’s tyranny. Sent to the battlefront, Lysi joins forces with a band of rebels that could either bring her freedom—or have her executed for treason.

Separated by the vast Pacific Ocean, Meela and Lysi must find a way to defeat King Adaro and end the war that has been keeping them apart (courtesy of Goodreads).

My thoughts:
Read July 25- August 24, 2016 | 5/5 stars

RBD Review #25 | Ice Massacre (Mermaids of Eriana Kwai #1) by Tiana Warner

**I was given a digital copy of this book by NetGalley in return for an honest review.** I also want to mention that I did purchase this book after the fact, from Amazon for my Kindle as well as a physical copy, because I want to support the author.

Book info:
Ice Massacre (Mermaids of Eriana Kwai #1) by Tiana Warner | 375 pages | Published September 2014 by Rogue Cannon Publishing | YA, Fantasy, LGBTQA+ > Lesbian

Summary:
The Massacre is supposed to bring peace to Eriana Kwai. Every year, the island sends its warriors to battle these hostile sea demons. Every year, the warriors fail to return. Desperate for survival, the island must decide on a new strategy. Now, the fate of Eriana Kwai lies in the hands of twenty battle-trained girls and their resistance to a mermaid’s allure.

Eighteen-year-old Meela has already lost her brother to the Massacre, and she has lived with a secret that’s haunted her since childhood. For any hope of survival, she must overcome the demons of her past and become a ruthless mermaid killer.

For the first time, Eriana Kwai’s Massacre warriors are female, and Meela must fight for her people’s freedom on the Pacific Ocean’s deadliest battleground.

My thoughts:
Original read July 19-21, 2016 | 4.75 stars

RBD Review #24 | The Accidental Cannibal by Dale Rutter

**I was approached by the author and given a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

Book info:
The Accidental Cannibal by Dale Rutter | 301 pages
| Self-published, June 2016 by the author | Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Supernatural

Summary:
Samuel is a cannibal by accident.
The year is 1071. William the Conqueror is King and the land is still ravaged after his conquest of England.
In a small dystopian village, a famine ensues. Some resort to cannibalism. It wasn't Samuel’s choice. Unbeknownst to him, his parents fed him human meat when he was younger. He doesn't blame them, times were hard but he now has an ongoing battle with his unwanted addiction to cannibalism. He is flawed.
However, he isn't a normal cannibal, it's changed him in ways he didn't know possible.
He acquires abilities from his cannibalism but at great sacrifice to himself.
Part of the abilities torment Samuel though, it questions whether the cannibalism is right. He considers quitting but it's not that easy. The urges are too overwhelming.
Too controlling.
Also, whilst hunting, he runs into a mysterious sinister stranger, a fellow ‘powered cannibal’ who complicates things beyond comprehension; Samuel wants to quit but what if he needs his abilities if things get ugly? When things get ugly. Will he even keep his abilities if he quit the cannibalism?
Together with his friend Lizzie; his rock and voice of reason, they must battle Samuel’s demons as well as the pompous stranger who has big dark plans for the world.
Lives will be lost and Samuel will unravel a world unimaginable to him including more ‘powered cannibals’ just like him but how far will he delve into the unknown world before it costs him and those around him? (courtesy of Goodreads)

My thoughts:
DNF at 10% (3 chapters) on July 16, 2016 | 1.5 stars

October 2016 @spooksandtea Read-a-Thon Wrap Up

So, a week after Halloween, I finally decided to post about what I read in October. I had so much fun trying to find the perfect spooky read last month. Unfortunately, this picture is missing a few books because I lent one out and the others are library books that I've since returned. I did write reviews on most of them, which is pretty impressive for me. I'm also including the ones I read before October, because I was too excited to wait until October started to start reading horror.

@spooksandtea info, if you're curious.

Posession by M. Verano | September 12-14. Letitia loves to sing, but when she starts having horrific dreams and seeing things, her blog and love for singing fall to the wayside. Her mother think's she's possessed, but is she really?
What interested me: I read the first one, A Diary of a Haunting and I really enjoyed that (until the author put himself into the narrative). I didn't write a review for this one. I did enjoy it, but I didn't like it as much as the first book. I think there was a lot of lead up and it lacked climax. I think the ending was quite disappointing as well.
Spoop factor: 3 out of 5 skulls.



I am a Zombie Filled with Love by Isaac Marion | September 15. This is the short story that bore Warm Bodies. A zombie with thoughts? Who knew?
What interested me: I had just purchased The New Hunger and I came across this in adding it to Goodreads. I loved it. Probably because I love Warm Bodies.
Spoop factor: 1 out 5 skulls. This isn't exactly scary, unless existential crises scare you.




House at the End of the Street by Lily Blake | September 15-16. A girl and her mother move into a high-end cul-de-sac neighborhood, but their neighbor is hiding something no one expected.
What interested me: I saw this at BAM one day and it was only a few dollars, so I thought, "Why not?" I actually had not seen the movie when I read this, and I did watch it afterward. My verdict is that it works much better as a movie than a book. But how often do books-from-movies work?
Spoop factor: 3.5 skulls.

Ouija by Katharine Turner | September 16-17. A girl looses her best friend to suicide. But was it really suicide, or were there other forces at hand?
What interested me: I actually really enjoyed the movie when it came out, though it's definitely not the best horror movie I've seen. This was another one I just happened to see at the bookstore and picked up for a few bucks. I think this worked really well as a novel, better that House at the End of the Street for sure. Also, the pre-sequel was coming out soon after I read this, so I thought it was pretty appropriate.
Spoop factor: 3.5 skulls, only because I knew what was going on.

The New Hunger by Isaac Marion | September 16-19. Before R found new life, he woke up lost and confused. Before Julie found R eating her boyfriend's brain, she was a young only child, travelling to find safety. Before Nora becomes Julie's best friend, she struggles to protect her younger brother from the corpses that have decided to come back from the grave.
What interested me: I LOVE LOVE LOVE Warm Bodies. LOVE. It's so different and original. No one thinks to write from the zombie's perspective. The New Hunger is so much darker and more thought provoking than it's predecessor. I thought it was wonderful.
Spoop factor: 2 skulls, only because, again, it's not really scary, per se, just really good.

A Midsummer Night's Scream by R.L. Stine | September 24-26. A film maker's daughter is cast in a remake of a horror film that went horribly wrong. Will history repeat itself?
What interested me: Stine is known for his scary stories, for both children and adults. How could one for YA be bad? Well... I wasn't that impressed. I found the characters to be shallow and frustrating and the story to be unbelievable, even for magic and misfortune. This doesn't mean I've given up on Stine, just on his YA books, I think.
Spoop factor: 3 skulls. Some things were unsettling to read, but the characters got in the way.

The Merciless by Danielle Vega | October 5-10. Mean Girls meets The Exorcist, basically. Sofia moves to a new school and is graciously welcomed into the cool-girls circle. Little does she know that they're not cool at all, just crazy.
What interested me: The cover, to be honest. It's neon pink with a gold pentagram. It's so intimidating. Unfortunately, it fell short for me. I may read the sequel, but I haven't decided yet.
Spoop factor: 3.5 skulls. Though I was very disappointed in the ending, it was really unsettling to read at times.



The Grownup by Gillian Flynn | October 11. A "psychic" takes a house call where the mother thinks her step-son is possessed. Is he? Who freaking knows.
What interested me: It's super short, I actually detest Gone Girl and I have not one clue why I decided to read this. Flynn's writing style is not for me and yet I read it. Thankfully, it didn't take up much of my time. I felt that it was trying to hard to be clever and also tried to cram too much into such a short story. There was a lot that was left unsaid or unexplained, or just added in for shock value. I probably won't be reading another Flynn book. She just frustrates me.
Spoop factor: 2 skulls. Tried too hard to be spooky in such a short time.

The Fever by Megan Abbott | October 11-14. A girl has a violent seizure in class. Soon, other girls are getting sick all over the town. Is it a disease or just hysteria?
What interested me: @ladybookmad/Amanda Lovelace posted about it on twitter or tumblr, I don't remember. But, I trust her judgement and wasn't disappointed. I really enjoyed this and was also recommended Conversion by Katherine Howe, as it's a similar idea.
Spoop factor: 3 skulls. It was very thriller-y, but not necessarily scary.

The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich | October 14-20. Carly lives during the day, Kaitlin, at night. One body, two souls. Can one save the other from evil forces? Probably not.
What interested me: OMG. THIS BOOK. Oh man. It's written as a compilation of found diary entries, case files, interview recordings, and video transcriptions. Every page is different. There are warnings against reading it or reading without a parent's consent. It really sells the scares. I do find things missing in the plot, but Kurtagich is a wizard with horror. She tosses little things in. They could be ignored, but if you think too hard about them, you get chills. Well, at least I did.
Spoop factor: 4 out of 5 skulls.

The Women in the Walls by Amy Lukavics | October 20-22. A girl and her cousin live in bliss in their manor home when her aunt walks into the woods and doesn't return for months. Then, her cousin begins hearing her mother in the walls, and soon, Lucy hears them too. Who are the women in the walls, and what do they want with Lucy's family?
What interested me: The cover, I suppose. I love disembodied voices, they creep me out. Unfortunately, this book went sideways and I was exhausted. The elitist attitude of the characters was tiring, but I appreciated the incorporation of self harm and working to end it.
Spoop factor: 4 skulls. Though the characters were frustrating, the scares were good.

You by Caroline Kepnes | October 22-29. Joe works at a bookstore. He sees you, Beck. He likes you. He finds your home, steals your phone, reads your emails, dates you. Joe is a good boyfriend. He takes care of bad ex-boyfriends and girlfriends that take you for granted. Soon, he'll take care of you.
What interested me: A book written in both first and second person. It's directed at me?! AWESOME! Until the main character no longer scared me. I give Kepnes credit for the creative writing, but I was thrilled for about 1/3 of the book, then it just got tedious.
Spoop factor: 2.5 skulls. I think if the scary parts weren't glossed over like they didn't matter much, it would've been better.


Honorable mention 

And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich | October 31-November 2. Silla and Nori run away from their abusive father to their aunt's mansion in the woods. Soon, their aunt Cathy begins to act strangely, locking herself away in the attic for years. Then, the forest begins to move closer. Will Silla and Nori survive the creeping woods?
What interested me: Reading The Dead House. I now stalk Kurtagich, waiting for a new book. She writes horror superbly, dropping hints here and there that are meant to unsettle if you're paying attention. This was just *muah*. Oh, I love it so much. I was so invested, everything surprised me.
Spoop factor: 4.5 skulls, definitely. I NEED MORE, DAWN.


And that's it. I did a lot of horror reading the last 2 months, it's unreal. I'm having such a hard time getting back into reading other things, things I have to read. And though I found a few contenders for the Best Horror Book Ever, I'll continue to search FOREVER!

Find me:
Instagram | Goodreads | Tumblr | Twitter | Bookish Discord Tumblr post & the join link hosted by @booksandtea <3 p="">

RBD Review #23 | Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell

Book info:
Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell | 96 pages (actually, the story is like 54, but there’s an excerpt for another book at the end) | Published February 2016 | YA Contemporary, Short Story

Summary:
'Everybody likes everything these days. The whole world is a nerd.'
'Are you mad because other people like Star Wars? Are you mad because people like me like Star Wars?'
'Maybe.'

If you broke Elena's heart, Star Wars would spill out. So when she decides to queue outside her local cinema to see the new movie, she's expecting a celebration with crowds of people who love Han, Luke and Leia just as much as she does. What she's not expecting is to be last in a line of only three people; to have to pee into a collectible Star Wars soda cup behind a dumpster or to meet that unlikely someone who just might truly understand the way she feels. Kindred Spirits is an engaging short story by Rainbow Rowell, author of the bestselling Eleanor & Park, Fangirl and Carry On, and is part of a handful of selected short reads specially produced for World Book Day (courtesy of Goodreads).

My thoughts:
Read June 11, 2016 | 5 Stars

RBD Review #22 | Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #2) by Maggie Stiefvater

Book info:
Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #2) by Maggie Stiefvater | 360 pages/10h 40m | Published July 2010 by Scholastic Press | YA Fantasy

Summary:
Once Grace and Sam have found each other, they know they must fight to stay together. For Sam, this means a reckoning with his werewolf past. For Grace, it means facing a future that is less and less certain.

the loss.

Into their world comes a new wolf named Cole, whose past is full of hurt and danger. He is wrestling with his own demons, embracing the life of a wolf while denying the ties of being a human.

the linger.

For Grace, Sam, and Cole, life a constant struggle between two forces--wolf and human--with love baring its two sides as well. It is harrowing and euphoric, freeing and entrapping, enticing and alarming. As their world falls apart, love is what lingers. But will it be enough?

My thoughts:
Read May 31-June 6, 2016 | 3.5 stars (3 on GR)

RBD Review #21 | The Raven King (The Raven Cycle #4) by Maggie Stiefvater

Book info:
The Raven King (The Raven Cycle #4) by Maggie Stiefvater | 439 pages | Published April 2016 by Scholastic Press | YA Fantasy (external image)

Summary:
For years, Gansey has been on a quest to find a lost king. One by one, he’s drawn others into this quest: Ronan, who steals from dreams; Adam, whose life is no longer his own; Noah, whose life is no longer a lie; and Blue, who loves Gansey… and is certain she is destined to kill him.

Now the endgame has begun. Dreams and nightmares are converging. Love and loss are inseparable. And the quest refuses to be pinned to a path (courtesy of Goodreads).

My thoughts:

Read May 19-27, 2016 | 5-Stars

*NEW* RBD Review #32 | The Women in the Walls by Amy Lukavics

Book info:
The Women in the Walls by Amy Lukavics | 288 pages | Published September 2016 by Harlequin Teen | YA Horror, Paranormal, Mystery, Supernatural, Suspense

Summary:
Lucy Acosta's mother died when she was three. Growing up in a Victorian mansion in the middle of the woods with her cold, distant father, she explored the dark hallways of the estate with her cousin, Margaret. They're inseparable—a family.

When her aunt Penelope, the only mother she's ever known, tragically disappears while walking in the woods surrounding their estate, Lucy finds herself devastated and alone. Margaret has been spending a lot of time in the attic. She claims she can hear her dead mother's voice whispering from the walls. Emotionally shut out by her father, Lucy watches helplessly as her cousin's sanity slowly unravels. But when she begins hearing voices herself, Lucy finds herself confronting an ancient and deadly legacy that has marked the women in her family for generations.

My thoughts:
Read October 20-22, 2016 | 3 stars
Trigger Warning: self harm (at the end)

*NEW* RBD Review #33 | You (You #1) by Caroline Kepnes

Book info:
You (You #1) by Caroline Kepnes | 422 pages |  Published September 2014 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books | Adult Mystery, Contemporary, Thriller

Summary:
When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.
My thoughts:
Read October 22-29, 2016 | 3 stars

*MINOR SPOILERS*