RDB Review #20 | Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1) by Maggie Stiefvater

Book info:
Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1) by Maggie Stiefvater | 390 pages/10h 45m | Published August 2009 by Scholastic | Teen fantasy, romance (external image)

Summary:
For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without.

Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

My thoughts:
Read May 24-31, 2016 | 4-stars

RBD Review #13 | The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1) by Maggie Stiefvater

Book info:
The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1) by Maggie Stiefvater | 408 pages. Published 2012 | Teen Fantasy, Mystery, Paranormal

Summary:

• First and foremost I DO NOT AGREE WITH THE BOOK JACKET SUMMARY. Read the review if you’re interested in knowing why. 

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them--until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her.

His name is Gansey, a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul whose emotions range from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She doesn't believe in true love, and never thought this would be a problem. But as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore (courtesy of Goodreads).

My thoughts:
Read April 07-24, 2016 | 4/5 stars

RBD Review #19 | Believarexic by J.J. Johnson

Book info:
Believarexic by JJ Johnson | 464 pages | Published October 2015 by Peachtree Publishers | Biological novel, YA realistic fiction (external image)

Summary:
Fifteen-year-old Jennifer has to force her family to admit she needs help for her eating disorder. But when her parents sign her into the Samuel Tuke Center, she knows it’s a terrible mistake. The facility’s locked doors, cynical nurses, and punitive rules are a far cry from the peaceful, supportive environment she’d imagined.

In order to be discharged, Jennifer must make her way through the strict treatment program—as well as harrowing accusations, confusing half-truths, and startling insights. She is forced to examine her relationships, both inside and outside the hospital. She must relearn who to trust, and decide for herself what “healthy” really means.

Punctuated by dark humor, gritty realism, and profound moments of self-discovery, Believarexic is a stereotype-defying exploration of belief and human connection (courtesy of Goodreads).

My thoughts:

• I was given a digital copy of Believarexic in exchange for an honest review by Peachtree Publishers. 

*NEW* RBD Review #31 | The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich

Book info:
The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich | 448 pages | Published August 2016 (my edition) by Little Brown Books | YA Horror, Mystery, Paranormal, Thriller

Summary:
Welcome to the Dead House.

Three students: dead.

Carly Johnson: vanished without a trace.

Two decades have passed since an inferno swept through Elmbridge High, claiming the lives of three teenagers and causing one student, Carly Johnson, to disappear. The main suspect: Kaitlyn, "the girl of nowhere."

Kaitlyn's diary, discovered in the ruins of Elmbridge High, reveals the thoughts of a disturbed mind. Its charred pages tell a sinister version of events that took place that tragic night, and the girl of nowhere is caught in the center of it all. But many claim Kaitlyn doesn't exist, and in a way, she doesn't - because she is the alter ego of Carly Johnson.

Carly gets the day. Kaitlyn has the night. It's during the night that a mystery surrounding the Dead House unravels and a dark, twisted magic ruins the lives of each student that dares touch it.

Debut author Dawn Kurtagich masterfully weaves together a thrilling and terrifying story using psychiatric reports, witness testimonials, video footage, and the discovered diary - and as the mystery grows, the horrifying truth about what happened that night unfolds.

My thoughts:
Read October 14-20, 2016 | 4 stars

RBD Review #18 | The Crow by James O'Barr

Book info:
The Crow by James O’Barr | Published 1989 | 240 pages | Adult Graphic Novel, Horror, Supernatural, Paranormal

Summary:
Eric has returned from the dead, driven only by hate and the need to wreak revenge on those who killed him and raped and then killed his beloved Shelly. 

My thoughts:
Read May 17-18, 2016 | 5/5 stars 

RBD Review #17 | Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea! by Ben Clanton

Book info:
Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea! by Ben Clanton | 64 pages | Expected publication, October 2016 by Tundra Books | Children’s graphic novel.

Summary:
Narwhal is a happy-go-lucky narwhal. Jelly is a no-nonsense jellyfish. The two might not have a lot in common, but they do they love waffles, parties and adventures. Join Narwhal and Jelly as they discover the whole wide ocean together.
A wonderfully silly early graphic novel series featuring three stories. In the first, Jelly learns that Narwhal is a really good friend. Then Narwhal and Jelly form their own pod of awesomeness with their ocean friends. And finally, Narwhal and Jelly read the best book ever -- even though it doesn't have any words...or pictures!
Ben Clanton showcases the joys of friendship, the benefits of working together and the power of imagination in the delightful Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea.

My thoughts:
Read May 17, 2016 | 5/5 stars

• I was given a digital copy of Narwhal and Jelly in exchange for an honest review by Penguin Random House Canada.

RBD Review #16 | Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3) by Maggie Stiefvater

Book info:
Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3) by Maggie Stiefvater | Published 2014 | 391 pages | Teen fantasy

Summary:
There is danger in dreaming. But there is even more danger in waking up.
Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.
The trick with found things though, is how easily they can be lost.
Friends can betray.
Mothers can disappear.
Visions can mislead.
Certainties can unravel (courtesy of Goodreads).

My thoughts:
Read April 29-May 07, 2016 | 4/5 stars

RBD Review #15 | the princess saves herself in this one by Amanda Lovelace

Book info:
the princess saves herself in this one by Amanda Lovelace | Published 2016 | 154 pages | Poetry, Feminist, Non-Fiction, Contemporary, Mental Illness, Mental Health

Summary:
“ah, life-
the thing
that happens
to us
while we’re off
somewhere else
blowing on
dandelions
& wishing
ourselves into
the pages of
our favorite
fairy tales.”

a poetry collection divided into four different parts: the princess, the damsel, the queen, & you. the princess, the damsel, & the queen piece together the life of the author in three stages, while you serves as a note to the reader & all of humankind. explores life & all of its love, loss, grief, healing, empowerment, & inspirations (courtesy of Goodreads).

My thoughts:

Read May 05, 2016 | 5/5 stars

RBD Review #14 | The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle #2) by Maggie Stiefvater

Book info:
The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle #2) by Maggie Stiefvater | 439 pages | Published 2013 | Teen fantasy (external image)

Summary:
If you could steal things from dreams, what would you take?
Ronan Lynch has secrets. Some he keeps from others. Some he keeps from himself.
One secret: Ronan can bring things out of his dreams.
And sometimes he's not the only one who wants those things.
Ronan is one of the raven boys—a group of friends, practically brothers, searching for a dead king named Glendower, who they think is hidden somewhere in the hills by their elite private school, Aglionby Academy. The path to Glendower has long lived as an undercurrent beneath town. But now, like Ronan's secrets, it is beginning to rise to the surface—changing everything in its wake.
Of The Raven Boys, Entertainment Weekly wrote, "Maggie Stiefvater's can't-put-it-down paranormal adventure will leave you clamoring for book two." Now the second book is here, with the same wild imagination, dark romance, and heart-stopping twists that only Maggie Stiefvater can conjure (courtesy of Goodreads).

My thoughts:
Read April 25-28, 2016 | 5/5

RBD Review #12 | The Martian by Andy Weir

Book info:
The Martian by Andy Weir | 435 pages | Published 2011 | Adult, Sci Fi

Summary:
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive — and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills — and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit — he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him? (courtesy of Goodreads)

My thoughts:
Read April 6-14, 2016 | 5 stars

*NEW* RBD Review #30 | The Merciless (The Merciless #1) by Danielle Vega

Book info:
The Merciless (The Merciless #1) by Danielle Vega | 282 pages | Published June 2015 by Razorbill | YA Horror, Thriller, Paranormal, Mystery

Summary:
Brooklyn Stevens sits in a pool of her own blood, tied up and gagged. No one outside of these dank basement walls knows she’s here. No one can hear her scream.

Sofia Flores knows she shouldn’t have gotten involved. When she befriended Riley, Grace, and Alexis on her first day at school, she admired them, with their perfect hair and their good-girl ways. They said they wanted to save Brooklyn. They wanted to help her. Sofia didn’t realize they believed Brooklyn was possessed.

Now, Riley and the girls are performing an exorcism on Brooklyn—but their idea of an exorcism is closer to torture than salvation. All Sofia wants is to get out of this house. But there is no way out. Sofia can’t go against the other girls...unless she wants to be next.

By the shockingly twisted end, readers will be faced with the most haunting question of all: Is there evil in all of us?

My thoughts:
Read October 5-10, 2016 | 2.5 stars (3 on GR)

*Minor spoilers*

RBD Review #11 | The Coldest Girl in Cold Town by Holly Black

Book info:
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black | 422 pages | Published 2013 | Teen, Fantasy, Paranormal, Vampires, Horror

Summary:
Coldtown was dangerous, Tana knew. A glamorous cage, a prison for the damned and anyone who wanted to party with them.
Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. And once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.
One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself (Goodreads).

My thoughts:
Read March 29-31, 2016 | 4.5 stars (5 on GR)

RBD Review #10 | After Alice by Gregory Maguire

Book info:
After Alice by Gregory Maguire | 256 pages | Published 2015 by Headline | Fantasy, Retelling, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale

---This is the UK cover, which I found more appealing than the US one---

Summary:
When Alice fell down he rabbit hole, she found Wonderland as rife with inconsistent rules and abrasive egos as the world she left behind. But how did Victorian Oxford react to Alice’s disappearance?

Gregory Maguire turns his imagination to the question of underworlds, undergrounds, underpinnings - and understandings old and new, offering an inventive spin on Carroll’s enduring tale. Ada, a friend mentioned briefly in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, sets out to visit Alice but, arriving a moment too late, tumbles down the rabbit hole herself.

Ada brings to Wonderland her own imperfect apprehension of cause and effect as she embarks on an odyssey to find Alice and bring her safely home from this surreal world below the world. The White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat and the bloodthirsty Queen of Hearts interrupt their mad tea party to suggest a conundrum: if Eurydice can ever be returned to the arms of Orpheus, or if Lazarus can be raised from the tomb, perhaps Alice can be returned to life.

Either way, everything that happens next is After Alice (blurb on book).

My thoughts:

Read March 24-29, 2016 | 5 stars

RBD Review #9 | Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's #1) by Ransom Riggs

Book info:
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's #1) by Ransom Riggs | 352 pages | Published 2013 by Quirk Books | Teen, Paranormal, Fantasy (external image)

Summary:

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.

A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography (courtsey of Goodreads).

My thoughts:

Read March 18-23, 2016 | 3 stars

*NEW* RDB Review #29 | A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle #1) by Libba Bray

Book info:
A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle #1) by Libba Bray | 403 pages | Published December 2003 by Simon and Schuster | Teen, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, Magic, Supernatural, Paranormal, Mystery

Summary:
A Victorian boarding school story, a Gothic mansion mystery, a gossipy romp about a clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy—jumble them all together and you have this complicated and unusual first novel.

Sixteen-year-old Gemma has had an unconventional upbringing in India, until the day she foresees her mother's death in a black, swirling vision that turns out to be true. Sent back to England, she is enrolled at Spence, a girls' academy with a mysterious burned-out East Wing. There Gemma is snubbed by powerful Felicity, beautiful Pippa, and even her own dumpy roommate Ann, until she blackmails herself and Ann into the treacherous clique. Gemma is distressed to find that she has been followed from India by Kartik, a beautiful young man who warns her to fight off the visions. Nevertheless, they continue, and one night she is led by a child-spirit to find a diary that reveals the secrets of a mystical Order. The clique soon finds a way to accompany Gemma to the other-world realms of her visions "for a bit of fun" and to taste the power they will never have as Victorian wives, but they discover that the delights of the realms are overwhelmed by a menace they cannot control. Gemma is left with the knowledge that her role as the link between worlds leaves her with a mission to seek out the "others" and rebuild the Order.

My thoughts:
Official re-read September 6-21, 2016 | 5 stars

RBD Review #8 | Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1) by Leigh Bardugo

Book info:
Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1) by Leigh Bardugo | 465 pages | Published 2015 by Henry Holt & Company | Teen fantasy (external image)

Summary:
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...
A convict with a thirst for revenge.
A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.
A runaway with a privileged past.
A spy known as the Wraith.
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.
Kaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first (courtesy of Goodreads). 

My thoughts:
Read March 3-17, 2016 | 4 stars

Horror Read-a-Thon List | October 2016

So, for October, the booksandtea Discord group and I decided on a horror read-a-thon instead of a read-a-long like we usually do. For the longest time, I've been searching for the best and spoopiest horror novel I can find, so this was the perfect opportunity to find some new ones.
We ended up with more than 30 titles to choose from for the read-a-thon. Since there's so many and I recommended a lot of them, I thought I'd get started early because it's never too early for Halloween.

Also, here's a post Lauren made for our challenge.