Celebrating Debutantes 2017: The Gravedigger's Son by Patrick Moody

Hi guys! I hope you're enjoying Father's Day so far - to the ones with countries celebrating it this Sunday, at least. So when I first started blogging, my genre was paranormal. I read everything paranormal - vampires, werewolves, ghosts, etc. Currently, I am swimming in a fantasy ocean. It is refreshing to encounter an MG paranormal book that is rooted in the traditional act of burying the dead and creating this story.

Before we start with that, I'd like to remind you that we have several giveaways on going both in Fragments of Life and in Blackplume. Please click the event button on the right sidebar and you'll be directed to the list of features and giveaways!

Today, Patrick is going to show you his playlist for The Gravedigger's Son and briefly explain each song and how it is related to the book. Hope you enjoy the music! I like Deep in the Woods!



The Bats-"Boogeyman": This song is basically the theme to the entire story. Playful, poppy, and insightful, with just a hint of spookiness. The boogeyman is coming for you...or is it all in your head?

Calamine-"Horse and Carriage": Perfectly sums up the relationship between Ian, the MC, and Fiona, his best friend. They understand one another's personal struggles, and both try to push the other to achieve their dreams.

Mac Demarco-"Blue Boy": While Calamine's "Horse and Carriage" is an uplifting, hopeful song, Demarco's "Blue Boy" is a more accurate portrayal of Ian's personality. Unsure of himself and more than a little blue. But what eleven year old Gravedigger in training isn't?

Men at Work-"Overkill": "Ghosts appear and fade away." I feel like Men at Work captured a very specific emotion, here: the anxiety we all feel fretting about the future, while constantly replaying events from our past. It's a strange middle ground that stops us from enjoying the present. For Ian, this is all too common...constantly worrying about his path in life, trying to break ancient tradition and carve out his own future. Every choice is difficult. The weight of our own history can be a crippling thing.

My Morning Jacket-"Only Memories Remain": This haunting, melancholy tune about love and loss is a perfect fit for Ian's father, Isaac. The current Gravedigger of House Fossor is trapped in the past, forever brooding and mourning the loss of his wife, taken too soon by an evil magic.

Tennis-"Deep in the Woods": Something is lurking in the woods bordering the cemetery. Ian reluctantly enters. What will he and Fiona find? Rumor has it, a coven of dark-magic witches live somewhere in the depths of the forest, waiting for someone to enter...


Thank you, Patrick!

About the Author:

Patrick Moody is a middle school custodian who draws inspiration from the spooky night-time halls. He lives in Connecticut. The Gravedigger's Son is his first novel.

Find Patrick: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Book Description:

Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication: August 1st 2017 by Sky Pony Press

“A Digger must not refuse a request from the Dead." —Rule Five of the Gravedigger’s Code

Ian Fossor is last in a long line of Gravediggers. It’s his family’s job to bury the dead and then, when Called by the dearly departed, to help settle the worries that linger beyond the grave so spirits can find peace in the Beyond.

But Ian doesn’t want to help the dead—he wants to be a Healer and help the living. Such a wish is, of course, selfish and impossible. Fossors are Gravediggers. So he reluctantly continues his training under the careful watch of his undead mentor, hoping every day that he’s never Called and carefully avoiding the path that leads into the forbidden woods bordering the cemetery.

Just as Ian’s friend, Fiona, convinces him to talk to his father, they’re lured into the woods by a risen corpse that doesn’t want to play by the rules. There, the two are captured by a coven of Weavers, dark magic witches who want only two thing—to escape the murky woods where they’ve been banished, and to raise the dead and shift the balance of power back to themselves.

Only Ian can stop them. With a little help from his friends. And his long-dead ancestors.

Equal parts spooky and melancholy, funny and heartfelt, The Gravedigger’s Son is a gorgeous debut that will long sit beside Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book and Jonathan Auxier's The Night Gardener.

Giveaway

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What's up for grabs: Signed ARC of The Gravedigger's Son
Scope: International

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Celebrating Debutantes 2016: How to Hang A Witch by Adriana Mather (Author Interview + Giveaway)

Hi guys! The weekend is here! And the event has been running for two weeks now more or less. Don't forget to check out our list of authors + giveaways here. For today in Celebrating Debutantes 2016, we're featuring How to Hang a Witch and Adriana Mather!

*** 

Could you tell us a bit about your experience and knowledge as a descendant of Cotton Mather?

My family is firmly rooted in American history. We came over on the Mayflower, fought in the Revolutionary War, survived the Titanic, and lived in Sleepy Hollow. I’ve been hearing stories about forbidden love and adventures since I was little. But nothing tops the infamy of my ancestor Cotton Mather who instigated the Salem Witch Trials. In HOW TO HANG A WITCH, I explore that piece of my family’s history and bring it into present day with a pinch of magic and a good old-fashioned mystery.

How do you manage to balance the various elements in the book - romance, humor, wit, snark and supernatural?

Ha! You know, I never thought about it. The supernatural elements sprung out of the spooky Salem atmosphere; they flowed naturally. And everything I write has some amount of humor. I like to keep my stories fast-paced and intense, so it’s almost necessary. As for the romance, now that was actually the last part of the book I wrote. Everyone kept telling me to add more, and at first I had no idea how to accomplish that. I revised and revised. And the funny thing is that now it’s the romance that is one of the most talked about elements of my book.

Could you tell us a bit about the adorable boys that author Samantha Joyce mentioned in her review?
Elijah is one of my favorite characters. Truthfully, I love the idea of a friendly ghost – Casper, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Hocus Pocus. There just aren’t enough of them. And I also adore difficult personalities, especially ones that wind up being more complex than they appear. We judge each other so quickly, and often times we’re wrong. When you first meet Elijah, you think you’ve got him pegged. But he surprises you.

I have read that some reviewers mentioned that your debut felt like the "novelization of a TV show". Do you think that this has something to do with your writing style and your profession?
Absolutely! In addition to being a writer, I’m an actor and a film producer and those two things have influenced me greatly. My writing is dialogue heavy. Plot is definitely a driving factor - every scene has to inform it in some way. And I often see a story in my head as a visual, much like watching a movie. Scenes play in my thoughts before I write them down and usually while I’m trying to go to sleep.

What is next for Adriana Mather? Are you working on a new story or perhaps a continuation of How to Hang a Witch?
My next book is currently titled HOW TO SINK A SHIP and is a sequel to HTHAW. It’s the same cast of characters, only it has ghosts from the Titanic instead of ghosts from the Witch Trials. My ancestors survived the Titanic with their valet and their dog (one of the only dogs to survive!) and my family has an actual letter recounting their journey. It’s in the book and I’m bursting with excitement to share it with everyone.

Thank you, Adriana!

About the Author:

Add caption

Adriana Mather is the 12th generation of Mathers in America, with family roots stretching back to the first Thanksgiving, the Salem Witch Trials, the Revolutionary War, and the Titanic. Adriana co-owns Zombot Pictures, a production company that makes feature films. In addition to producing, Adriana is also an actress. She lives in Los Angeles where she has a life full of awesome, cats, and coffee.

Find Adriana: Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | Website

Book Description:

Hardcover, 368 pages
Published July 26th 2016 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

It's the Salem Witch Trials meets Mean Girls in a debut novel from one of the descendants of Cotton Mather, where the trials of high school start to feel like a modern day witch hunt for a teen with all the wrong connections to Salem’s past.

Salem, Massachusetts is the site of the infamous witch trials and the new home of Samantha Mather. Recently transplanted from New York City, Sam and her stepmother are not exactly welcomed with open arms. Sam is the descendant of Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for those trials and almost immediately, she becomes the enemy of a group of girls who call themselves The Descendants. And guess who their ancestors were?

If dealing with that weren't enough, Sam also comes face to face with a real live (well technically dead) ghost. A handsome, angry ghost who wants Sam to stop touching his stuff. But soon Sam discovers she is at the center of a centuries old curse affecting anyone with ties to the trials. Sam must come to terms with the ghost and find a way to work with The Descendants to stop a deadly cycle that has been going on since the first accused witch was hanged. If any town should have learned its lesson, it's Salem. But history may be about to repeat itself.

Giveaway

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Scope: US 

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Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Book Description:

Paperback, 608 pages
Published November 11th 2014 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

Danger, betrayal, and enchantment abound in the riveting conclusion to the #1 New York Times bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy.

THE INFERNAL DEVICES WILL NEVER STOP COMING

A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.

Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Will and Jem, will do anything to save her. As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?

The tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

Reviewer's Copy: Paperback

Source: Bought

My Thoughts:

This book has been in my possession for two years. I really don't understand, and frankly I'm quite frustrated with myself. I simply don't know why I waited this long to finish this amazing series. I was not disappointed.

The love triangle. Jem and Tessa were engaged. However, it was a race against time since Jem's life was nearing its end. Jem Carstairs was the perfect gentleman: kind, thoughtful, well-mannered and loving. Jem was burning as brightly as he could for Tessa before his time was up. It was such a weakening thought that someone so beautiful and good as Jem, could not possibly live longer to stay with Tessa. Meanwhile, there was William Herondale, the wild boy who shared Tessa's love for literature and books, who sacrificed so much to keep Jem happy, and who would die protecting the people he loved. He was charming, effortlessly funny and witty. Underneath the sarcastic facade was a fragile heart that continued to break every single day. The three of them were all so honorable, choosing the best possible path and decisions for their loved ones; as a result, each one of them, mostly Tessa and Will, suffered. I was torn along with Tessa, from Clockwork Prince until this book still. And this time around, it hurt twice as hard. I had to stop reading after certain scenes and remind myself that this hurt - this piercing pain - was not actually happening to me but to a fictional character. 

The feels. This book most probably evoked all emotions, in such a way that was effective, intense and long-lasting. I had the feels even after I finished the book. I have become emotionally attached to all the characters at this point, in such a way that no matter who Tessa ended up with, I would suffer the consequences along with her. 

The Magister. The Shadowhunters were tense as the battle with the Magister drew closer. The book crackled with anticipation, danger and inevitable loss. The plans of the Magister were incredibly thorough and downright merciless. It was unusual to see a full blooded human wield so much power over the story world. I liked how Clare showed the entirety of the villain's personality. Mortmain was once a victim before he rose into power.

Magnus Bane. Another character that I enjoyed reading about was Magnus Bane. I've been fond of him since reading about him first in The Mortal Instruments. It satisfied my curiosity to see a younger, less colder version of Magnus. As always, he was a source of entertainment with his humor, sarcasm and quotable quotes.

The minor characters. Another thing that I loved about Clockwork Princess was that the author allowed the minor characters to grow. The Lightwood brothers have become part of the London Institute, becoming part of the London Shadowhunter family. Sophie and Gideon were gradually getting closer, despite Sophie's initial efforts to keep their relationship formal and distant. Cecily's musings were curious and intriguing. She was stubborn and went with her gut and this almost always led to something interesting. Gabriel was also softening under Charlotte's roof and in Cecily's presence. Aside from this, I was most curious about Bridget, the Institute's cook. She spouted and sang depressing songs with bad timing. But what really surprised me was her prowess with blades.

Clockwork Princess is a heart-wrenchingly epic, emotionally charged, tragedy-riddled, adrenaline-infused novel. This book is emotionally raw and will touch the hearts of readers, entertain with its humor, sarcasm, and twists and turns. There is nothing I didn't enjoy in this final installment. It has everything I want in a book. It is so beautifully written that I found myself reading over specific lines. The book was filled with quotable quotes that made my heart skip a beat. I highly recommend this unputdownable novel and the Infernal Devices series to paranormal readers, steampunk readers and most importantly romance readers, especially the ones who delight in well-written love triangles.

Rating:

5 Cupids = Eternal book love. 

I will never, ever, ever forget this book. I highly recommend this!

Review + Giveaway: The Bodies We Wear by Jeyn Roberts

Book Description:

Hardcover, 368 pages
Published September 23rd 2014 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

A streetwise girl trains to take on a gang of drug dealers and avenge her best friend’s death in this thriller for fans of Scott Westerfeld and Robin Wasserman.

People say when you take Heam, your body momentarily dies and you catch a glimpse of heaven. Faye was only eleven when dealers forced Heam on her and her best friend, Christian. But Faye didn’t glimpse heaven—she saw hell. And Christian died.

Now Faye spends her days hiding her secret from the kids at school, and her nights training to take revenge on the men who destroyed her life and murdered her best friend. But life never goes the way we think it will. When a mysterious young man named Chael appears, Faye's plan suddenly gets a lot more complicated. Chael seems to know everything about her, including her past. But too many secrets start tearing her world apart: trouble at school, with the police, and with the people she thought might be her friends. Even Gazer, her guardian, fears she's become too obsessed with vengeance. Love and death. Will Faye overcome her desires, or will her quest for revenge consume her?

Reviewer's Copy: e-ARC

Source: Aisha and Knopf Books for Young Readers(Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

The concept behind The Bodies We Wear was one of a kind. Set in a world that was both startlingly dark, with an abundance of rain, violence, and dire circumstances, The Bodies We Wear became the ultimate dystopic setting. The ambiance was so pronounced, it ripped into the reader with hopelessness and put a weight on my shoulders. It was hard to ignore how realistic it was, given the present times.

Heaven's Dream, also more popularly known as Heam, was all the rage in Faye's world. Affordable and accessible, it could bring you to your own personal cloud nine for just 20 bucks a hit. The drug's aftermath and long-lasting effect was apparent in how the society had changed and how strong the stigma of being a Heam addict was. In present day, there is a stigma and ever-present-judgment of drug abusers. In The Bodies We Wear, once a Heam addict, always a Heam addict. There was no salvation, no second chance and no opportunities. It was the ultimate dead end. Studies showed that almost all Heam abusers cannot recover. This made me realize how we sometimes judge drug abusers and bring them down instead of helping them recover. This was an eye-opener for me.

Faye was eleven years old when she was forced to take Heam. One out of 100 people who take Heam, overdose. She was one in a hundred. As a souvenir, she got a web of scars over her heart: purple-colored veins that would never let her forget. With the help of Gazer, the ex-police officer who saved her, she managed to get on decently. She went to Sebastian Clover, on a full-ride scholarship, and was fit from intense daily training. It was not hard to connect to Faye, given all the things she has been through. But sometimes, her burden passed on to the reader. The writing was that effective: the weight of her past, her present and her future jumped out of the pages.

One night, as Faye was stalking her target, Chael appeared. Handsome, fidgety, with piercing green eyes, Chael was not someone that Faye expected to interact with. She mostly kept to herself, even at school. The weird guy seemed to know where she was, what she was thinking and even a part of her past. She has no memory Chael but she was determined to find out his secrets. I found Chael to be affectionate and gentle and sweet. He has this boynextdoor thing going on. I loved how Chael and Faye's relationship developed from being strangers sharing a conversation in the rain to being emotionally-invested in one another. It was the kind of relationship that I would like to call effortless. It was just like breathing, natural and easy. All they had to do was keep it going.

The ending broke me. I was too attached and too invested with Faye and Chael that the ending tore my heart into a million tiny pieces and put it back together again with super glue. The story was wave after wave of obstacles, observations and realizations, dreams - realistic and not, flashbacks, and emotions. By the time it was over, I was tired but relieved for Faye and Chael.

The writing itself was good, the kind of good that could make readers lose themselves in the story. The Bodies We Wear was a crossover of dark contemporary and supernatural. It was both sweet and bitter, offering a mouthful of flavors of life and reality. This tackled various relationships within the book: daughter to father figure, daughter to mother, friends, lovers, enemies. I recommend this to readers who are looking for a heavy read - dark/emotional contemporary with a dash of supernatural.

Rating:

4 Cupids = Strong book love.
I really enjoyed this. I recommend this!

Giveaway   Two lucky readers from Fragments of Life will win a finished copy of The Bodies We Wear by Jeyn Roberts! US/CA only, as per publisher's request. Sorry my lovelies. There will be an international giveaway soon.


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[Blog Tour] Review: Waterfell by Amalie Howard

Book Description:

Paperback, 350 pages
October 29th 2013, Harlequin Teen

THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE QUEEN

Nerissa Marin hides among teens in her human form, waiting for the day she can claim her birthright—the undersea kingdom stolen from her the day her father was murdered. Blending in is her best weapon—until her father's betrayer confronts Nerissa and challenges her to a battle to the death on Nerissa's upcoming birthday—the day she comes of age.

Amid danger and the heartbreak of her missing mother, falling for a human boy is the last thing Nerissa should do. But Lo Seavon breaches her defenses and somehow becomes the only person she can count on to help her desperate search for her mother, a prisoner of Nerissa's mortal enemy. Is Lo the linchpin that might win Nerissa back her crown? Or will this mortal boy become the weakness that destroys her?

Reviewer's Copy: eARC from JKS Communications and Print ARC from Harlequin Teen

Source: Samantha + JKS Communications + Harlequin Teen (Thank you!!)

My Thoughts:

Let me start by saying that Waterfell was not what I expected it to be. Instead of the normal mermaid mythology that I was expecting, I got something much more sophisticated and out of this world. Amalie's twist on the deep sea creature mythology was refreshing and original. Both mythology and science fiction readers alike will enjoy this.

Nerissa, was an interesting heroine. There were so many things that made her seem so human to me, like how she thought and acted. She would always fall under the teenager category for me with all the angst, rebellious moves and impulsive decisions. Her inhumanity also came into play with how she carried herself. She might seem like an all-too-selfish brat but as a reader, I considered that she was royalty. She grew up as royalty and was used to getting things her way. She was definitely not a perfect character with her temper and bursts of talk/act-now-think-later-scheme from time to time. But that made her realistic in my eyes.

Let's move on to Lo, the confident and charming surfer boy. He was magnetic with his boyish allure but at the same time, there was a sarcastic, overconfident part of him that just pushes me away. He was quiet though, always in the shadow of mystery. I liked getting to know Lo. He was what I would imagine to be the kind of boy labelled as "delicious," "rebel," and "carefree." I loved it when his enjoy-life-now-do-everything-else-later attitude came up. But what I really loved the most were (1) digging into his life and unearthing bits and pieces of him, to be examined closer under a microscope, and (2) reading about Lo surf. I just wish that Lo and Riss got to know each other in a longer time frame; more relationship development. But don't let that discourage you, there are fireworks when these two are in the same room together.

The secondary characters like Jenna, who I loved to bits, and Speio, who made me think twice, were significantly present. There were novels wherein the story was 95% focused on the main characters. But in Waterfell, we also got to know the secondary cast. They added life to the story and breathed reality onto the pages.

The world of Waterfell was all about vibes. It was 100% atmospheric. Amalie mastered storytelling with vivid descriptions of the water. She made me feel relaxed, thrilled, excited and she even made me sit at the edge of my seat.

Waterfell gave me both sides of the ocean, still and stormy, through the wondrous simplicity of human life and the violent and challenging ups and downs of friendship, love and otherworldly affairs. Beautifully written, atmospheric and out of this world, Waterfell will capture the hearts of readers of mythology and paranormal.

Rating:

4.5 Cupids = Obsessive book love.
Almost made it as one of my favorites! I strongly recommend this!

AMALIE HOWARD grew up on a small Caribbean island where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or being a tomboy running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure.

An aspiring writer from a young age, Amalie’s poem “The Candle,” written at age thirteen, was published in a University of Warwick journal. She was also a recipient of a Royal Commonwealth Society essay award (a global youth writing competition). A Colby College graduate, she completed simultaneous Honors Theses in both French and International Studies, and graduated Summa Cum Laude/Phi Beta Kappa. At Colby, she was cited for research and criticism in Raffael Scheck’s article, “German Conservatism and Female Political Activism in the Early Weimar Republic,” and his subsequent book, Mothers of the Nation. She also received a distinction in English Literature from the University of Cambridge (A-levels) as well as a certificate in French Literature from the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, France.

Her debut novel, BLOODSPELL, was selected as a Seventeen Magazine Summer Read. She is also the author of the Aquarathi series from Harlequin TEEN (WATERFELL, October 29, 2013 and OCEANBORN, August, 2014), as well as THE ALMOST GIRL from Strange Chemistry in January 7, 2014, and ALPHA GODDESS from Sky Pony Press coming March 2014. Click on the BOOKS page for more information.

Follow Amalie: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Review: The Weight of Souls by Byrony Pearce

Book Description:

Paperback, 350 pages
August 6th 2013, Strange Chemistry

Sixteen year old Taylor Oh is cursed: if she is touched by the ghost of a murder victim then they pass a mark beneath her skin. She has three weeks to find their murderer and pass the mark to them – letting justice take place and sending them into the Darkness. And if she doesn’t make it in time? The Darkness will come for her…

She spends her life trying to avoid ghosts, make it through school where she’s bullied by popular Justin and his cronies, keep her one remaining friend, and persuade her father that this is real and that she’s not going crazy.

But then Justin is murdered and everything gets a whole lot worse. Justin doesn’t know who killed him, so there’s no obvious person for Taylor to go after. The clues she has lead her to the V Club, a vicious secret society at her school where no one is allowed to leave… and where Justin was dared to do the stunt which led to his death.

Can she find out who was responsible for his murder before the Darkness comes for her? Can she put aside her hatred for her former bully to truly help him?

And what happens if she starts to fall for him?

Source: Byrony Pearce (Thank you!!)

My Thoughts:

The Weight of Souls easily drew me in with its vivid storytelling an sinister vibe. Taylor, the heroine, was a very interesting character albeit a bit too troubled and battered in more ways than one. I cheered her on despite the too often gloom mood she was in.

I rarely read about Egyptian mythology in YA that it has become a breath of fresh air for me, leaving me hungry and breathless for its exotic tang. The Tale of Oh-Fa, the translated account of Taylor's family curse, broke the tension of Taylor's narrative. The otherworldly experiences of Oh-Fa alternated with the modern struggles of Taylor in school. The colliding spheres of the past and the present created a sense of balance in the story, as well as maintained the level of unpredictability and interest.

Taylor and Justin shared a passionate hate relationship. But when Justin died, the bully and the bullied learned to work together for both of their sakes. Through the weeks, they got to know each other better and most of all, they learned to care for one another. It was ironic seeing them like this when they could have done it before when they were both alive. Taylor and Justin were more connected now than they ever were before. Reminiscent of Hereafter's couple, they appealed to my inner romantic. But their relationship seemed a bit rushed for me. Although I loved their sweet moments, I felt that the transition should have been longer.

One of the things that I liked most in The Weight of Souls was the diversity. The book had a little bit of everything from Chinese and British culture, to paranormal and mythological concepts that clash and contrast with modern scientific ideas, to the popular clique and the outsider duo. I simply got the best of many worlds in one single story sphere.

Although the novel was paranormal, enough contemporary-ness was injected into the story to delve into social politics and high school student body hierarchy. Bullying, peer pressure, manipulation, loss and grief came into play, bringing out the raw feelings out of the characters. The ups and downs of friendship were also explored, centering on Hannah and Taylor. With their friendship pulled taut and strained by secrets and unexplained absences, the two took uneasy steps towards one another, knowing that sooner or later one of them might just quit.

All in all, The Weight of Souls is a refreshing take on ghost hunting and afterlife. Beautifully written, tragic, heartfelt and exotic, this gem was easy to read and get lost into. I recommend this to paranormal readers and mythology enthusiasts.

Rating:

4 Cupids = Strong book love.
I really enjoyed this. I recommend this!

Review: Ink by Amanda Sun

Book Description:

Paperback, 377 pages (Reviewer's Copy: ARC)
June 25th 2013, Harlequin Teen

I looked down at the paper, still touching the tip of my shoe. I reached for it, flipping the page over to look.

Scrawls of ink outlined a drawing of a girl lying on a bench.

A sick feeling started to twist in my stomach, like motion sickness.

And then the girl in the drawing turned her head, and her inky eyes glared straight into mine.

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.

Source: Kai + Harlequin Teen (Thank you!!)

My Thoughts:

When I started reading Ink, I immediately noticed how Katie was trying to immerse herself in a foreign land. Sun did an amazing job with integrating the Japanese culture, language and mythology into the novel, so much so that I felt that the Japanese-ness of Ink became some sort of skeleton, supporting the story. She made me feel like I was actually there, going to a high school. One of the things I really appreciated was the integration of phrases, expressions and sentences in Japanese.

Katie was still mourning the death of her mother. In Ink, I got to see a mature, down-toned sadness that made it all the more pronounced. Katie did not whine about it much nor did she let this melancholy swallow her whole. One of the reasons why I like her was that she always found things to laugh about, joke about or simply point out. Her curiosity was ablaze. She knew what she wanted in life and made sure that she got it.

Tomohiro was mysterious, attractive and hard to read. There was always a sense of mystery around him – hanging questions in the air. He was rude one second, sweetly smiling at you in the next. He was a walking unpredictability, drawing my attention in every chance. As the story progressed, I got glimpses into his life. Tomohiro was so hard to read at first because he wore ‘layers’ over his true self. He was complex, 100% endearing, soft and gentle and so unforgettable.

The paranormal element of Ink was something I have never encountered before and for that, it became all the more unforgettable. I will not reveal anything more than necessary but I will just say this: the kami, the descendants of Amaterasu, and their legend were interesting points for me. As ‘supernaturals’ walking amongst humans, they were both a threat to the public and threatened by people who want to wield their powers. The ink-related abilities in this novel creeped me out, shocked me and amazed me all at the same time.

The writing was beautiful. Ink had the best qualities of an Anime: fun, cute, sweet and imaginative. The action was not overly dramatic but instead it was detailed, coming in bursts of violence and speed. I loved the twists and turns woven into the story, although they were to be expected, walking in this exotic story world left me guessing what was going to happen next. The secondary characters were also great. Yuki and Tanaka were radiant personalities, constantly bringing color and humor into the story.

Katie and Tomohiro’s relationship started out strained and generally soaked in annoyance, rudeness and glares. So I admit that it wasn’t the perfect beginning. After a series of stalker moves, shared secrets and confrontations, the two start to develop feelings for one another. Right now, you might be thinking: typical YA. I beg to disagree. Katie and Tomo have a link, the unavoidable ‘bond’ between YA lovers and this time it was neither entirely destiny nor something supernatural. It was simple shared experience, shared sadness: the deaths and loss of their mothers. This emptiness inside them made them understand each other better. That bridged the gap – cultural and emotional – between them. The attraction and emotional and a bit of sexual tension zinged between Katie and Tomo, a bit blush-inducing, smile-inducing and just so sweet and passionate. Hopeless (and not so hopeless) romantics will love these bits.

Ink is an oriental gem that is masterfully-written and unforgettably engaging. I officially label this as one of my favorite YA reads for 2013, as well as one of the best debuts I’ve ever read. Overall, Ink is intoxicating with its romance, paranormalcy and atmosphere. Pick this up! You won’t regret it. I highly recommend this to readers of paranormal romance and mythology-themed YA books. Full of life, fun and humor, Ink will appeal to readers looking for reads that follow the tradition of our beloved Anime and adventures. At the same time, Ink will appeal to readers who are looking for something unique and oriental especially when it comes to Asian/Japanese mythology.

Rating:


5 Cupids = Eternal book love.
I will never, ever, ever forget this book. I highly recommend this!

Review: The Beautiful and the Cursed (The Dispossessed #1) by Page Morgan

Book Description:

Paperback, 343 pages
May 2nd 2013, Hot Key Books

Ingrid Waverley is a young woman to be reckoned with. Faced with her brother's mysterious disappearance after an abrupt move to Paris, she is determined to discover what has happened to him. Soon she and her sister Gabriella are drawn into a Parisian underworld more terrifying than they could ever have imagined, but watching over them are two impossible (and impossibly handsome) young men. Luc is a 'Dispossessed', an ancient gargoyle whose sworn duty it is to protect the humans who inhabit his abbey. Nolan has secrets of his own too. He is a member of the Alliance - a shadowy group dedicated to keeping Paris safe from the demonic forces that threaten to destroy it.

Secrets, danger and hidden powers stalk the girls in this beautifully imagined paranormal romance that will keep readers gripped from beginning to end - and one thing is for sure - you'll never look at a gargoyle in the same way again...

Source: Olivia + Hot Key Books (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

The ambiance of The Beautiful and the Cursed was unforgettable. Cold, gloomy, slightly creepy in morning and creepier at night with the tang of a hundred disastrous and startling possibilities in the air, this story world left its mark in my mind.

What I appreciated most in The Beautiful and the Cursed was the paranormal element: gargoyles. To be honest, this is the first gargoyle-related novel that I’ve read. Seeing les grotesques in a different light was refreshing. Their connection to the Angelic Order was something that I would never imagine. The Dispossessed were cursed creatures, bound to protect people albeit unwillingly. They harbored bittersweet feelings: grateful for not being sent to hell but not so excited to feel the intense pull to protect their humans.

Ingrid was admirable because of her persistence and optimism. She was determined to find her twin, Grayson, no matter what other people said, no matter how much discouraging things she heard and no matter how much everybody thought that what she wanted to do was irrational and impossible. In her search for clues about the whereabouts of Grayson, she found otherworldly creatures and abilities, a secret organization and unearthed secrets instead. Her transformation throughout the novel was one of the highlights for me.

Luc, our resident gargoyle, was not the usual YA guy. Although he was the brooding type, he was more mature, responsible and undeniably enigmatic. Luc and Ingrid’s relationship was a strained in the beginning. They performed a dance of pull and push. Eventually they were drawn towards one another in dangerous circumstances and sparks flew.

Gabby, the younger Waverly sister, was overly curious, daring and bold. In the middle of her investigation, she bumped into Nolan. Scottish, mischievous and clever, he was both annoying and charming. Their relationship started with back to back banter and palpable annoyance, with their always-clashing perspectives. As they got pulled deeper and deeper into the mystery of Grayson’s disappearance, they both started falling, seeing beyond the arguments.

Although I was a bit distracted with the onslaught of character introductions in the beginning, to the point that I was struggling to remember who was who, I eventually adjusted and enjoyed the story. The writing was very movie-like to me. The Beautiful and the Cursed was written in such a way that would be suited to movies. The successive presentation of the story from various points of view, that I consider the reader’s ‘glimpses,’ was quite cinematic.

The Beautiful and the Cursed is atmospheric, romantic and cinematic. With dual romance, twists and turns and otherworldly revelations, this gem will keep readers entertained. Readers of paranormal will enjoy this breath of fresh air. It’s high time that we reserve a spot for gargoyles on our shelves.

Rating:

4 Cupids = Strong book love.
I really enjoyed this. I recommend this!

Review: Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr + Giveaway!

Book Description via Goodreads:

Paperback & Hardcover, 306 pages

September 4, 2012, Harper Collins

In a city of daimons, rigid class lines separate the powerful from the power-hungry. And at the heart of The City is the Carnival of Souls, where both murder and pleasure are offered up for sale. Once in a generation, the carnival hosts a deadly competition that allows every daimon a chance to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures--if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live.

All Mallory knows of The City is that her father--and every other witch there--fled it for a life in exile in the human world. Instead of a typical teenage life full of friends and maybe even a little romance, Mallory scans quiet streets for threats, hides herself away, and trains to be lethal. She knows it's only a matter of time until a daimon finds her and her father, so she readies herself for the inevitable. While Mallory possesses little knowledge of The City, every inhabitant of The City knows of her. There are plans for Mallory, and soon she, too, will be drawn into the decadence and danger that is the Carnival of Souls.

From Melissa Marr, bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely series and "Graveminder," comes a brand-new tale of lush secrets, dark love, and the struggle to forge one's own destiny.

Source: Pinoy Book Tours (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

From page one I was sucked into the beautiful and dangerous world of Carnival of Souls. Marr created a very detailed and vivid story world from the social hierarchy to its history. The prologue reminded me of the Downworlders of the Mortal Instruments series but this first impression eventually faded into solid awe as I read on. Carnival of Souls had the same dangerous and exciting vibe as Daughter of Smoke and Bone did. I loved this world.

The yearly competition nestled in the Carnival of Souls was filled with blood, danger and losses. As fighters bled and killed for survival and power, the stakes get higher. Marr delivered feral, as well as graceful, action. Imagine watching an action movie a-la-matrix with the daimons’ dual forms (human form and daimon form – resembles a werewolf) in action. I could easily picture the fight in my head with all the details given. It was enough to keep on the edge of my seat as I cheered on for Kaleb and Aya.

The character I was most interested in was Kaleb. He was a cur, lowly ranking in the social hierarchy of his world. He not only had a dark past but he lived a dark life as an assassin and a seller of flesh and pleasure. I felt for him. In the competition, not only was his life at stake but his chance of changing his life and making sure that he and Zeke had enough coin to sustain their needs. Beyond the tough, scarred skin, he had a heart. He deeply cared about Mallory.

Mallory was kept in the dark by her father for her entire life. She was an obedient daughter, always following her dad’s rules and requests. She was even stopping herself from getting close to the cute boy with the intense gaze, Kaleb. I sympathized with her. It was hard to keep her questions to herself when deep inside, she wanted and needed answers.

The attraction between Kaleb and Mallory was simmering behind their simple conversations, silenced statements and stares. Their romance might be considered insta-love but I consider it fated love. As creatures that aren’t human, they are not bound by human romantic rules. Although their strong desire to be with one another could be denied and even suppressed, it was a part of their being. They were anchored to one another whether they liked it or not. The connection between the two was undeniable. Marr wrote beautifully intimate scenes that made my toes curl.

Aya was daimon elite. Gorgeous, smart and badass, she had managed to stay in the competition for as long as she could with her strategies. Girls weren’t supposed to fight in the competition, much less elite girls. Through her pretty face and sleek dresses, she hid a dark secret. She carried this burden on her shoulders. Aya fought for freedom and the right to rule. She wanted to break free from the shackles of daimon norms. I admired her for that.

But happily ever after didn’t exist in the daimon world. The truth behind Mallory’s real identity will give birth to chaos not only in her mind but in both the human and the daimon world. As she struggles to find the pieces of her true self, she will doubt and question everything she has ever known.

My only complaint was the ending. I feel that it was too abrupt, cutting off my connection with the characters with a quick snip. However, I am still 100% interested in finding out what happens next in the sequel. It was just that I felt that the story of Carnival of Souls needed a hundred or so more pages.

Carnival of Souls is an engrossing paranormal romance that will keep readers entranced and on the edge of their seats with its romance, action, danger and twists and turns. If you liked Daughter of Smoke and the Mortal Instruments, you will enjoy reading this! I highly recommend this to paranormal romance readers!

Rating:

4.5 Cupids = Obsessive book love. 

Almost made it as one of my favorites! I strongly recommend this!

Giveaway: Paperback of Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

Because Pinoy Book Tours and Harper Collins love you…we’re giving away a paperback!

Rules:

You don’t have to be a follower.

Open to PH residents only (sorry US/international peeps!)

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