Cover Reveal: Reaper by L.S. Murphy

Reaper
By L.S. Murphy
Release Date: January 7, 2013
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:
There's no way sixteen year old Quincy Amarante will become the fifth grim reaper. None. Not over her shiny blue Mustang. Her Jimmy Choos. Or her dead body.
 
She’s supposed to enjoy her sophomore year, not learn about some freaky future Destiny says she has no choice but to fulfill.
 
It doesn’t take long for Quincy to realize the only way out of the game is to play along especially since Death can find her anyway, anywhere, anytime. And does.
 
Like when she’s reassuring her friends she wants nothing to do with former best friend Ben Moorland, who’s returned from god-knows-where, and fails. Miserably.

Instead of maintaining her coveted popularity status, Quincy’s goes down like the Titanic.

Maybe ... just maybe ... that’s okay.
 
It seems, perhaps, becoming a grim reaper isn’t just about the dead but more about a much needed shift in Quincy’s priorities—from who she thinks she wants to be to who she really is.

Mini Review: The Sun Zebra by Rolando Garcia

So I know that I have already done an Indie Book of the Week for this week but I just couldn't help but posting a little mini review of a wonderful novella that I read recently.

So here I am posting again.

I was introduced to this book by the author who asked me if I would be interested in reading and reviewing his book, which is actually a collection of short stories, all about childhood and his daughter.

I saw all the wonderful reviews on it already and I thought to myself, why not.

I am so glad that I did. 

Synopsis:

 The Sun Zebra, is best described as a children's book for grownups. Its aim is to encourage us to discover (or rediscover) the amazing things that children and their magical carefree world can teach us, even as we try to teach them about the harsh realities of our own. The book is a collection of five stories that follow the "adventures in living" of an unusual little girl named Nell, her mother Rhonda, and Nell's father who is the narrator of the stories.

My thoughts and review:

 The Sun Zebra is a charming book comprised of four memorizing tales told through a father's love of his child Nell, as she explores the world around her.

These charming tales will bring you back to your childhood as you watch Nell go on one imaginative adventure to the next.

They will truly make you smile and warm your heart. 

This is a great book to read when you don't have a whole lot of time but want something that will make you smile and warm your heart, in fact, this would be a great summer read. 

I highly recommend this one. I think anyone who tries it will really enjoy it. It is very well done.

I give this one 4 very solid Stars.

Review: Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock

Title: Hemlock

Author: Kathleen Peacock
Series: Book One in the Hemlock Series
Published By: Harper Collins (May 8, 2012)
Source: ARC provided by the Publisher
Genre: YA Paranormal
My Rating: 5 Stars

Goodreads Description:
 Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.

Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.

Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.

My Review:

I don't normally seek out books about werewolves, I just don't. Werewolf books and I have a weird relationship. I am always drawn to the idea of them but hardly ever find myself enjoying them. I don't even know why really, I just find myself wanting to skim pages and have it be done with already, with a few exceptions of course.

So when I once again found myself drawn to this book and its gorgeous cover, I didn't really know if I actually wanted to read it. What is I was disappointed? Even after reading some of the other great reviews about it from reviewers I trust?

Did I really want to be disappointed again and potentially waste my time when I have so many other great books to read and review?

So I almost didn't pick this one up. I almost didn't read it.

Goodness I can be an idiot sometimes.

This wasn't like other books about werewolves. These are big fluffy cuddly dogs with occasional attitudes. Nope.

These are beasts that can be blood thirsty and down right evil and scary.

Real monsters that lurk in the night. Monsters that might go to school with you or live next door from you. People you know and trust and people who would turn on you in an instant.

I found myself completely taken in by the story and characters. I really enjoyed the world building and getting to know Mac, Jason, Kyle, Amy, Serena, Tess, Ben and well, all of them really. Even the secondary characters were real and loveable and some just down right evil.

I loved the slight romance, the mystery, secrets, lies. It had a little bit of it all. I don't want to say too much more because quite frankly, I don't want to ruin it and give anything else away. So I will finish with saying this. I can't wait for the second book and I really think this is one you will want to try for yourself. Lover of weres or not.

Indie Book of the Week; The Faustian Host by Dave Becker

This week I get to bring you something a little different. Something filled with lots of adventure and intrigue.

This week I bring you Dave Becker's book, The Faustian Host, book one in the Apocalypse Signs series.




Synopsis:

Plymouth Rock is bleeding. Day has turned to night. Hundred-pound hailstones level buildings. The small town of Clement seems cursed, and the residents know who's to blame: the new kid, Tony Marino.

After losing his family and his home, 14-year-old Tony is forced to move from Florida to Massachusetts to attend Kalos Academy, an unconventional school for gifted children. Strange things begin to happen the day he arrives, and soon stories of plagues, monsters, and mystical objects surround him. Refusing to believe superstitions, Tony struggles to explain the occurrences logically, until he comes face to face with a satanic cult determined to bring about the end of the world.

My Review:

Dave Becker has managed to create a world filled with mystery, adventure, plagues, curses, cloaked figures, angels, death and yes even religion which all fill this wonderfully written story of one boys adventure into discovering his destiny.

In fact I would go as far to say this is a tale fitting for any lover of a good old fashion Indiana Jones adventure.

This was such a great, different story that truly will appeal to anyone that loves to be caught up in mystery surrounded by legends and myths of old.

This was a fast paced story that kept me turning the pages and interested the whole way through.

I give this one 3.5 to 4 Stars!

 
 

Review: The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland

Title: The Summer My Life Began
Author: Shannon Greenland
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: Speak (May 10, 2012)
Source: ARC provided by the Publisher
Genre: YA Realistic Fiction
My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Description:

 Elizabeth Margaret—better known as Em—has always known what life would contain: an internship at her father’s firm, a degree from Harvard and a career as a lawyer. The only problem is that it’s not what she wants. When she gets the opportunity to get away from it all and spend a month with the aunt she never knew, she jumps at the chance. While there, Em pursues her secret dream of being a chef, and she also learns that her family has kept some significant secrets from her, too. And then there’s Cade, the laid-back local surfer boy who seems to be everything Em isn't. Naturally, she can’t resist him, and as their romance blossoms, Em feels she is living on her own terms for the first time.

My Review:
 

Elizabeth Margaret, affectionately known as Em by her sister, wants something different. Her whole life has always been planned out for her. Where she will go to school, what she will be, what she will become, who she will marry, even how she will spend her last summer at home.

All of it.

And she has finally had enough. She wants something different than what her parents expect of her, than what they have planned out for her.

When she gets an invitation to stay with an aunt that she didn't even know existed for the summer in North Carolina, she finally decides that this is it, her chance to make a stand and demand a little time to get away and just breathe.

What she doesn't realize is how much her life is about to change.

I immediately liked Em, maybe it was because I could relate to her so well and I truly felt for her.

Tilly, Fredrick, Cade, Domino, they were all just fabulous. I couldn't even tell you which one I liked more.

Cade and his sweetness, quietness and strength. I loved watching him overcome his demons and move on as well. But Em was the one that stole the show. She was the one that had to overcome so much. She had to find herself and learn to stand on her own two feet. She had to become her own person and she did beautifully.

This was such a sweet tender coming of age story that will really speak to your heart. I loved every minute of it and am sad that it is over.

Winners Announced For a Copy Of Between by Cambria Hebert!

First, a huge thank you to everyone who entered for a chance to win Cambria's newest novella in the Heven and Hell series, Between. This is a fantastic addition to the series and I know you will love it!

And now, on to the winners!

Our first winner is...

 Anna!!

And the next winner is...

Kenia!

I will be contacting you both through email and will let Cambria know who you are so she can send along a copy of her book to you!1

Also please keep checking back, in May I will have a ton of giveaways going on that you won't want to miss!!

 

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday!

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Cambria Hebert .

   
This is a fun weekly question she asks other bloggers in the hopes that we will all get to know one another a little better.

This question this week is:

If you could meet anyone (dead or alive) who would that person be and why?

Gah! I really truly have no idea who I would pick! 

No really. I am stumped.

I have had people ask me this question before and I never know how to answer it. 

There are so many choices. So many people that have walked the Earth that would be wonderful to meet and so many people that are still alive that I would love to meet. How do you pick just one? 

How do you choose?

I could get personal and name a relative that I never got the chance to meet. 

I could get even more personal and name a famous person from Biblical times.

Or I could pick a great literary author or explorer or leader.

What about all the ones out there today? Leaders, artists, authors, scientists, doctors. People who are shaping our lives and future. 

Do you see the dilemma this question causes?

The possibilities are endless. 

So instead I am cheating because I simply can't name one person. I just can't.

But there are so many possibilities I can't even choose two lol! So I am going to make it a little easier on myself and narrow it down to writers only. That way I won't be here all night trying to decide.

I think one person I would love to have met would be Jane Austen.

I just adore all her work and it would be fascinating to have a conversation with her. 

Another great one would be C.S. Lewis. He was a fascinating person and I love how he incorporated his beliefs into his writing and made something absolutely brilliant in the process.

 Edgar Allan Poe would be another fascinating person to meet. He was such a tortured soul.

And who could forget William Shakespeare. His mind must have been something else. All those tragic love stories and twisted family relationships and deaths and well...just all his work. 

As for modern day authors? Well again there are a million (okay maybe not a million) that I would love to meet.

Cambria is one of them! Jennifer Armentrout, Kristan Higgans, Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, Richelle Mead, Rick Riordan, Jeanine Frost, Janet Evanovich, yeah, I really will be here all night if I listed them all. 

So, who would you want to meet and have a conversation with?

Please tell me this answer didn't come easy to you too! :P

Summer Lovin' Blog Tour: While He Was Away by Karen Schreck

Title: While He Was Away
Author: Karen Schreck
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: Sourcebooks (May 1, 2012)
Source: ARC from Publisher
Genre: YA Realistic Fiction
My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Description:

 "This is just something I have to do, okay?" I hear David say. "The right thing."

He cradles my face in his hands. He kisses me hard. Then he lets go of me. His eyes dart from me to whatever's next.

All she wants is for him to stay. She's been doing pretty well, pretending he doesn't have to go. But one day, after one last night to remember, she wakes up and there's no denying it anymore. He's gone.

When Penna Weaver's boyfriend goes off to Iraq, she's left facing life without him. As summer sets in, Penna tries to distract herself with work and her art, but the not knowing is slowly driving her crazy. Especially when David stops writing.

She knows in her heart he will come home. But will he be the same boy she fell in love with?

My Review:

It is hard to write a review about a book that you still aren't too sure how you feel about.

Not expecting the unexpected with this one, I didn't imagine it to be different than what I thought it would be, a love story.

This wasn't exactly a love story, at least not the kind I was hoping it would be. Yes there is a soldier and yes there is a girl and yes he is away at war and they do correspond but yet...that is about the extent of the love story between them. I was over half way through the book and was still waiting on the love story I was hoping it would be.

When they correspond through email or through the phone, it is sweet and heartwarming and even a little sad as David's fear comes out little by little. But the rest? The rest of the story is a little slow and just felt a little confusing. The story wasn't confusing but the main character was. Her thoughts were all over the place at times and it was hard to keep up with her. It was hard to keep up with what was really going on.

Is this about fixing her mother and grandmother's relationship? Is this about Penna's relationship with David? Is this about Ravi? Is this about Penna finally fitting in somewhere and making friends and having a life outside of David?

What is this story about exactly? Because it was about all of those things, sometimes all at once.

And as the story progressed, well, it got sadder but it also got better.

I will say this, I cried. I truly did. I think my heart may have broken or at the very least cracked a little. For Penna. For David.

This was a good story. Not a happy story. But one that probably happens every day to someone, somewhere.

And I can appreciate that. I can. I can accept how true this probably is for a lot of people that know and love someone overseas. Someone fighting for our freedom. I can see how that can change a person. Make you grow up and see things in a new light. Make you fear. Make you scared.

But I can also see how it can give you hope and make you believe in good again too.

So for that, for that, I have to give this nothing less than the 4 stars it deserves. 

Book Release Party and Giveaway of Between (Heven and Hell #1.5) by Cambria Hebert!

To help celebrate that latest novella in Cambria Hebert's amazing series Heven and Hell, being released today, I am hosting a giveaway for not one, but TWO lucky winners to get an ebook copy of her new book Between!! As always international followers are more than welcome to participate as long as they can accept ebooks (through the gift option) through Amazon.

Synopsis:

 I grew up in a comfortable house with two parents and a white-picket fence. My brother, Sam, and I used to play with sticks in the backyard and pretend they were swords. There were always cookies on the table and milk in the fridge. Then, one day, things changed.

Sam changed.

Life was never the same again. Sam left. My parents abandoned him when he needed them most, and I was left to survive in a house that was merely a shell of what it used to be. Mom cried all the time and Dad expected me to fill the void my brother left behind. But mostly, all we did was pretend. We pretended that things weren’t messed up. We pretended that Sam never existed.

Until I changed, too.

Now, everything’s a mess and I’m so confused. It’s like there are two different people trapped inside one body—my body—and one of them wants out. I do things. Bad things and I don’t know how to stop. I’m not sure I want to. The only way I can be normal again is if I find Sam. He’ll know what to do.

He has too.

This is a fabulous series and Cambria is truly a very talented author and I am so excited to be able to share her work with you!!

 For those of you who may have missed my review of Between you can check it out here.

All you have to do to enter is be a follower and leave a comment below with an email address where you can be reached if you are the winner.

I will pick two winners using Random.org on Monday April 23rd and contact them through email letting them know they won.

Good luck to everyone!! 

Indie Book of the Week; Shaman, Friend, Enemy by M. Terry Green

I am so excited for this weeks indie book of the week.
Yes I know, I am excited a lot but, I can't help it. I love discovering new talented authors and new series even more.

I recently reviewed the first book in the series, Shaman, Healer, Herectic and loved it so I was really excited to be starting the next book in the series( and this weeks book of the week), Shaman Friend, Enemy.

Synopsis:

 Patients with fractured souls, clients threatened by deadly ancestor spirits, and now the paparazzi–it’s all in a day’s work for techno-shaman Olivia Lawson. Livvy has rocketed to the top of the shaman world, bringing old friends with her but also attracting new enemies.
Even as her career soars, her personal life spirals downward. Broken bonds and lost love finally force her to confront the terrible secret of her beginning in shamanism. Despite being attacked by dark shamans and navigating a spiritual plane that seems out of control, Livvy’s single-minded quest steers her into dangerous territory and puts her on a collision course with those dearest to her.
No longer interested in walking a fine line, Livvy discovers that–when the one thing you need is the one thing you can’t have–you’ll risk everything.

My Thoughts:

After reading the first book in the Olivia Lawson Techno-Shaman series, Shaman, Healer, Heretic I knew that the second book was going to be a must read.

Green quickly won me over with her amazing writing and storyline. I was really looking forward to learning more about Livvy, Min, SK and the other shamans. I knew there was so much more to their stories than what we got in the first book and I couldn't wait to discover them, in fact I was suppose to be reading a couple of other books before this one but after finishing the first book, I had to start this one right away. I knew it couldn't wait.

The sequel starts out months (about a year) after the first one ended, with the shaman having defeated Tiamat and the shaman world has drastically changed because of it.

Suddenly shamans everywhere are in demand and have become celebrities of sorts, well maybe not all of them, but Livvy sure has. In fact she is constantly in the media's attention and in high demand so much so that she is attracting attention from not only admirers, but enemies as well.

We also learn early on that Livvy is up to something, something that could be dangerous and have very real and very bad consequences on her life and the multiverse. What she is up to and why, however, we aren't told right away.

I really love how this story unfolded. I loved SK in this one even more than the last. He is such a great guy. Min was wonderful and I love that we even got to see Ursula, Mamacita and Alvina again and meet some new people as well, both good and bad.

I liked the fact that we weren't left hanging with any of Liv's secrets or past, that every question I had was answered, even some that I didn't think to ask.

While the ending wasn't exactly a cliffhanger, it does make you wonder where the series will go from here and it will leave you eagerly anticipating it. In fact, I need to go look up when it will be because I want it soon!

This has quickly become a must read series for me and I plan on reading every single last one of the books Green writes in it, which is why I have no issues giving this book a very solid 5 out of 5 Stars.

Review: Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

Title: Unraveling
Author: Elizabeth Norris
Series: Stand Alone/Possible Sequel
Published By: Balzer + Bray (April 24, 2012)
Source: ARC from Publisher
Genre: YA Sci fi/ Fantasy
My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Description:
 Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she's opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn't possible, she knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her revival, and Ben's possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father's files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what's right in front of her: Everything that's happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben's sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she's going to need to uncover Ben's secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl's fight to save herself, her world, and the boy she never saw coming.

My Review: 
 

I have been super excited to read this book since reading the synopsis of it months ago and then the release of the book trailer made that excitement grow even more.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this, a mystery? A little parnormal even. I certainly wasn't expecting the whole sci fi factor it had going on. I don't know why, but that concept never even crossed my mind when I read the synopsis.

I don't normally read sci fi, with a few exceptions, so to say I was pleasantly surprised to see all the sci fi factors of this novel unfold as the story went on may not be the best way to put it, but I was surprised by how much I really did enjoy this story, sci fi and all. And how I was never turned off by that aspect of it.

It is going to be hard explaining what I liked most about this story without revealing any spoilers so I will say this about it, it had some pretty great twists and turns and some pretty good characters. And while I never felt a connection with any of them, not even the main character J, I will say that I did feel for them when things got rough and when people started to get hurt and worse. And with all the action it had, it never once felt dull, in fact it kept me pretty entertained throughout.

It is rare that I quote books but this one quote stood out to me so much that I had to write it down, so I am going to share it with you.

“Lives are made of strings of moments and every once in a while, one of those moments is pivotal and defining. It changes everything, alters you so completely that when you look back, there's a clear before and after.”

I think that is a great quote to describe all the befores and afters in this book, because there are a lot of them and there were all significant to the story, to the characters and to their world.

It was a great story. I wish the ending would have been a little more...heartwarming? maybe but it will be fun to see what the author can do with a sequel and I do want a sequel. That can't be the end for them all. Their story isn't over yet, in fact, I think it has only just begun.

Tell Me Something Tuesday!

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Cambria Hebert .

   
This is a fun weekly question she asks other bloggers in the hopes that we will all get to know one another a little better.

This question this week is:

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and could bring 5 items what would they be?

This is such a fun question! And truly the first thing that came to mind when I thought about it was that if I had my Eagle Scout of a husband with me, truly that is all I would need. Not because I love him and would want him there with me just because of that (although yes, that is true) but because the man is a genius and could make anything work. Truly, he is like MacGyver. He would be able to find things to eat and make shelter and even find a way to be rescued, no sweat and all from a Popsicle stick.

So yes, I would want him by my side in any kind of crisis but assuming that this is just me we are talking about, well, I guess I will have to be more practical and actually pick some items  and be prepared to fend for myself. 

So it is strange that besides the basic "duh" answer of water proof matches, a knife, some string, food and water, first aid kit and maybe even a tarp, I would want my Kindle with me?

Yep you heard me right my Kindle. Yes I know, there would be no electricity but truly, that thing can run for days without a charge and it has like 1000 books on it. I know I would have something to do while working on my tan at least for a short amount of time. And once again, assuming I wouldn't need to fight for my life on this deserted island, I would need something to do right?

But in all seriousness I have watched the movie Cast Away and yes I know I would need much more with me than my handy and faithful Kindle.

So if I had to make a serious list, here are the 5 items I would want with me:

1. A small but very sharp knife (preferably a Swiss Army knife with all the contraptions that go with it)

2. A canvas or tarp of some sort to not only catch water but help provide shelter if needed.

3. Water proof matches or a lighter of some sort that is water proof as well. 

4. First Aid Kit.

5. Heavy duty fishing line and hook of sorts to be able to catch fish or food.

So there you have it. My hopefully very reasonable list of items that again, hopefully, would be able to help me survive. 

Now my not so serious list? Well that is way different. If I were on a deserted island that also was equipped with fresh running water, plenty of food, shelter and everything else a girl would need? Then of course my Kindle (actually maybe my Kindle Fire would be better in this case?) would be right up there on my list of things I would want with me, along with my phone with internet access, my trusty sunglasses, sunscreen, swim suit (heck lets just say a whole suit case full of wonderful clothes), yep, that should do it. 

So what would you want with you?

Cover Reveal: After Dark by Emi Gayle

After Dark
The 19th Year Trilogy - Book 1
by Emi Gayle
Release Date: October 31, 2012
Target Reader: Young Adult
Keywords: Paranormal Romance

Back of the Book
What eighteen year old Mac Thorne doesn’t know will probably kill her.

In exactly eight months, five days, three hours and thirteen minutes, Mac has to choose what she’ll be for the rest of her life.

She has no choice but to pick. As a Changeling, it’s her birthright. To Mac, it’s a birthchore. Like going to school with humans, interacting with humans, and pretending to be human during the pesky daylight hours.

Once darkness descends, Mac can change into any supernatural form that exists — which makes her as happy as she can be. That is, until Winn Thomas, the biggest geek in her senior class figures out there’s more to what hides in the dark than most are willing to acknowledge.

In this first of the 19th Year Trilogy, Winn might know more about Mac than even she does, and that knowledge could end their lives, unless Mac ensures the powers-that-be have no choice but to keep him around.

URL: http://www.jtaylorpublishing.com/books/16
Previous books in this series:
None. This is the first of three.

Review: Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Title: Masque of the Red Death
Author: Bethany Griffin
Series: Book One of Two
Published By: Harper Collins  (April 24, 2012)
Source: ARC from the Publisher
Genre: YA Dystopian
My Rating: 5 Stars

Goodreads Description:

 Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

My Review:

Steampunk meets dystopian.

That statement up there, is the very best way I can describe my firsts thoughts as I started reading this dark gothic book.

There is an ominous vibe in the air and immediately you are transported into another time, another place. A place where a plague runs rampant and nightmares are an everyday part of life and death is a welcome sight.

Here is where we get to meet Araby and like any good Poe story, here is where her dark tale unfolds.

I loved Poe in high school, I went through this stage of devouring most of his stories and poetry and just loving it, I think there for awhile, my mom was nervous.

So it was with a smile on my face that I remembered those times and once again immersed myself into a world full of darkness. A world without much hope. Where things were bleak and many would die. And you know what? I loved every minute of it.

This story was just so captivating, yet horrifying at the same time that you couldn't help but be drawn into the beautiful writing, the hints of romance and into the harsh world that Griffin created.

It was sort of like driving by an accident, you don't want to look, you don't want to see the horrors that may be there but yet, you just can't help yourself and you find your head turning towards the scene without your consent.

Griffin did a masterful job with the description. She made the atmosphere seem completely realistic. I saw what the characters saw and felt what they felt. I wanted to reach up several times and make sure my mask was in place so that I too would be protected from the plaque.

All of the characters were complex and mysterious

Araby's story and Elliot and Will's secrets will stay with you long after you have finished the story. Their haunting world will remain a part of you and you will be left wanting more.