Synopsis:

“When dark creeps in and eats the light,
Bury your fears on Sorry Night.
For in the winter’s blackest hours,
Comes the feasting of the Vours,
No one can see it, the life they stole,
Your body’s here but not your soul…”

THE VOURS: Evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice.

When Reggie reads about the Vours in a mysterious old journal, she assumes they are just the musings of an anonymous lunatic. But when her little brother, Henry, begins to act strangely, it’s clear that these creatures exist beyond a madwoman’s imagination, and Reggie finds out what happens when fears come to life.

To save the people she loves, Reggie must learn to survive in a world of nightmares. Can she devour her own fears before they devour her?

The Devouring is an engrossing tale of terror that will have you wondering: what if your worst fears became your living nightmare?

Review: Woooooooow.

If I can be corny for a moment, I am pretty sure this book is called The Devouring because it’s how you will absorb this book. I completely devoured it. In one sitting. Start to end.

Definitely, unquestionably the best horror novel I have ever read, YA or otherwise. I was completely engrossed and sucked into this storyline by the first chapter. I have never ever read a book quite like this, the story line was so original. I can imagine this book making an incredible movie. If it’s not already in the works, then it should be!

I really cared about the characters. Regina (Reggie) showed so much strength and courage which I really admire in my female protagonists. The types of things she had to overcome were huge in order to try and save her brother Henry when he becomes possessed by a Vour. I really cared for little Henry who was so scared and vulnerable - I was rooting so much for Reggie to save him!

Vours…… oh my gosh. Completely terrifying. They prey on the very things you are fearful of. They paralyse you. They can completely destroy you. There were certain scenes in this book where my heart was racing, I was completely scared. I adore this book.

If you’re going to read any scary books over Halloween, this one should be at the VERY top of your list. This book is the first in a series, the sequel is called Soulstice and the third book is titled Fearscape. Start reading!

Rating: 5 out of 5

Hello readers!

You may have noticed the changed layout for Halloween! We don’t get to really celebrate it in Australia like many folks do overseas… and I am one of those people who really wished we could embrace it more since it’s probably my favourite time of year - so I can at least dress the site up a little right? ;)

I am currently almost finished on my first Halloween read and there will be other scary books coming your way as well! I hope you enjoy my reviews as I post them and certainly if you have any suggestions on some scary reads, I want to know! I am being a bit over ambitious.. I have about 7 books I’d love to review (in an ideal world), but we shall see!

Lola (and my other upcoming reads) have been put on hold for a bit until Halloween is over.

Currently I am almost finished with The Devouring by Simon Holt - my review will be up shortly to kick off the festivities! :D

So tell me… what’s your favourite scary book?

Good morning readers! It’s Sunday! I had a very late night last night doing a ghost tour in an old town called Ballarat!! Oooooo! hehe But that story can wait until later!

It’s time for me to tell you what was in my mailbox this week!

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme bought to you by the lovely Kristi at The Story Siren.

……… I love reading comics.

I mean YA is my favourite book category by far which is why I blog about YA fiction, but I actually frequent comic book stores a bit…. and where I live that trip takes me over an hour and a half by train and tram. Dedication right? haha

I never used to be into them. My last boyfriend though was really into them… and in the 6 years that we spent together I guess the mentality of “if you can’t beat them join them” took over - I mean, I’d always been a fan of Batman so surely there’d be some comics out there for me! Even though that relationship has ended, I am still buying comics.

Something more recently has happened, and that is that I bought 4 comics for my 7 year old nephew last week and he just absolutely ate them up. It’s encouraging him to read and he’s really enjoying them. So there are kickbacks to comics!

Over the years I have bought some really good comics - comics that I think others would love EVEN if you’re not a fan of comics in general because they read like books and have beautiful illustrations. And in some cases…… are based on YA books anyways! Yes you read that right!

Now if you’re like I was before I understood comics… I want to explain the terminology. Comics themselves are usually sectioned into issues. So one series for example might have 8-12 seperate issues or comics that you buy and it’s like buying the chapters of a book seperately - one story divided into issues.

Often once all the issues are published, they will eventually bring out the graphic novel version, which is often a hardcover book and it binds all the issues together in a book. That’s usually what I buy - they read as a whole story from start to end, so you can pick it up without having known anything about comics and enjoy them. All the books presented below are like this, so if you like the sound of any - seek them out!

So without further ado I am presenting to you:

Book Nerd Reviews Top 5 Graphic Novels

	The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - L. Frank Baum Published by Marvel Comics It was love at first site when I saw the beautiful graphics in this book. Adapted from the original works by L. Frank Baum, this has stayed true to the books. This was followed up by The Marvelous Land of Oz and more recently Ozma of Oz which I bought last week! I highly recommend this series to ANY Wizard of Oz fans.. I was constantly amazed everytime I turned the page. Just gorgeous.
	True Blood Volume One - Published by IDW OMG right? I bought this one last week… it’s pretty awesome! It’s drawn in the likeness of the HBO series so straight away you know who is who. It’s different to the show though. Volume Two just came out a few weeks ago also.
	Twilight Volume 1 This is the book to start with if you’re not a fan of comics! Whilst I liked it because it stuck with the book in terms of story, the illustrations aren’t REALLY my style. This is a Japanese style of illustration which IS pretty, but for me, not preferred. But still, really good collectable! Volume 2 is out also.
	Kick-Ass This comic is so original and so good they made a movie out of this! You may have seen it a couple of years ago with Chloe Grace Moretz as Hit Girl. More violent than any of the ones I’ve talked about so far, but if that doesn’t phase you, HIGHLY recommend this - it’s amazing! Kick-Ass 2 is almost out too!
	Anita Black Vampire Hunter - Guilty Pleasures Published by Marvel Comics I still finished the book, but I have read parts of it, and it matches the Graphic Novel in parts word for word so it’s true to the book! This is a great novel to transition from books to comics!

I read a lot of Batman comics also like Gotham Central which is a detective style graphic novel, but above are my top 5 if you’re not a comic fan presently, but are thinking about picking one up!

I would have the True Blood vamps confront the Cullens from Twilight and show them what being a real vampire is all about!! ;) hehe

“What is your favorite spooky book (i.e. mystery/suspense, thriller, ghost story, etc.)?”

I really loved Bad Girls Don’t Die by Katie Alender which is a ghost story at its finest! I own but am yet to read its sequel From Bad To Cursed! Also Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake was amazing and scary! Read it!!!!

I also highly recommend Stephen King books… he is the master!

I am completely excited for the upcoming movie One For The Money based on the book with the same title by Janet Evanovich. You might know this as book number 1 of the Stephanie Plum series? I read this book a few years back and rememeber completely adoring it. And now the movie is set to come out soon with Katherine Heigl and it makes me want to read the book all over again. In fact, I may just do that. But I wanted to share!

Thoughts?

Synopsis: SWEETLY is a modernization of Hansel and Gretel and a companion book to SISTERS RED.

Twelve years ago, Gretchen, her twin sister, and her brother went looking for a witch in the forest. They found something. Maybe it was a witch, maybe a monster, they aren’t sure—they were running too fast to tell. Either way, Gretchen’s twin sister was never seen again.

Years later, after being thrown out of their house, Gretchen and Ansel find themselves in Live Oak, South Carolina, a place on the verge of becoming a ghost town. They move in with Sophia Kelly, a young and beautiful chocolatier owner who opens not only her home, but her heart to Gretchen and Ansel.

Yet the witch isn’t gone—it’s here, lurking in the forests of Live Oak, preying on Live Oak girls every year after Sophia Kelly’s infamous chocolate festival. But Gretchen is determined to stop running from witches in the forest, and start fighting back. Alongside Samuel Reynolds, a boy as quick with a gun as he is a sarcastic remark, Gretchen digs deeper into the mystery of not only what the witch is, but how it chooses its victims. Yet the further she investigates, the more she finds herself wondering who the real monster is, and if love can be as deadly as it is beautiful.

Review: I stayed up until 1am last night JUST so I could finish Sweetly. It certainly surpassed the hype for me, I really loved this read.

It’s surprised me in many ways, same as Sisters Red. Since these are a part of the Fairytale Retelling series, honestly I went into Sweetly with the story of Hansel & Gretel in my mind, and I was waiting… waiting.. waiting for the moment the witch would strike. I think Jackson Pearce knew that her readers were anticipating it, because her writing style completely alludes to the fact that if you just wait, you will get what you came for.

I really love how Jackson goes into these stories. She bases her books so loosely on the original stories. The foundation if you will.. and then rather than simply retelling the story, she creates this whole new situation, in a way that when you read it, you know you’ve never heard anything like this before. She is a gifted writer!

The characters were easy to get hooked on. Ansel and Gretchen have always been the super close brother and sister since Gretchens twin sister was killed by a witch. Now due to a series of unfortunate events, they find their car broken down in the middle of a small almost deserted town when they meet Sophia, a chocolatier who owns a store in the woods. She seems lovely and sweet on the surface, but she is hiding a terrible secret.

Keeping in mind that I don’t want to spoil this book, I do want to add how much I adored the fact that Jackson found an absolutely amazing way to tie Sisters Red in with Sweetly. They are both companion books, so can be read in any order, but that consistency throughout the books was so clever and something that to be perfectly honest I wasn’t expecting - but loved!

This is going on the bookshelf next to my copy of Sisters Red. Sweetly has reinforced my fan girl status of Jackson Pearce’s work.

Rating: 5 out of 5

It’s Wednesday! Which means it’s time to tell you what I have been up to for the last week! W..W..W.. Wednesdays is a weekly meme bought to you by MizB from Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading?

I am over half way through Sweetly by Jackson Pearce… it’s SO good!

What did you recently finish reading?

Most recently I finished Dear Bully, and also Vixen by Jillian Larkin. Reviews for both are in the reviews section!

What do you think you’ll read next?

DEFINITELY Lola & The Boy Next Door… I cannot wait!!

I feel like SUCH a traitor right now.

You see, I own a perfectly good Kobo reader. It’s been there for me whenever I’ve needed it for the last 18 months. It’s cute, sturdy, dependable and durable. And it looks completely cute in this cover I bought it from etsy…

And then I went out and bought an Amazon Kindle. *sigh* Bad owner… bad bad owner.

They only just recently have been released in retail stores in Australia. I’ve always wanted one, and many a time have found myself loitering around the website hovering over the purchase button, but the sheer cost combined with postage to Australia was enough of a deterant that I didn’t buy. Plus, who needs TWO e-readers right? Right.

And then last week I walked into Big W and was doing my usual thing, where I lurk around the YA bookshelves. I had 3 books in my hands and decided that it was probably time for me to go home before I do more damage. And then I spotted it. The pile of Kindles fresh in. 3G + WiFi. And I grabbed it… and put it back. After all, I am saving up for a trip to the US right now, I have my Kobo at home - I don’t NEED it.

Fast forward to last night. Doing my groceries at Woolworths. And I swear… these Kindles are stalking me! My grocery store never sells electronics like this. And all of a sudden, they decide to stock these! Argh! I pick up the demo… it feels so smooth and light. It’s pretty. And I buy it. :(

Now… don’t get me wrong, because I don’t regret it. But really, I am a marketers dream because I crack too EASY! But it’s sleek and gorgeous. And it has internet capabilities and a keypad, and it loads faster and pages flick way quicker.

I’m so so sorry Kobo. I promise I will use you every now and then. But for now it’s back on the shelf for you. Don’t get me wrong, the Kobo has many great defining features. But the Kindle is my new toy. lol I will shortly post a comparison between the two in the next week for those interested in e-readers!

I ended up buying Sweetly by Jackson Pearce for my Kindle (As well as the hardcover a couple of weeks ago) and I’m wizzing through it. Here’s a picture of me reading it on the train ride home today:

Synopsis: You are not alone.

Discover how Lauren Kate transformed the feeling of that one mean girl getting under her skin into her first novel, how Lauren Oliver learned to celebrate ambiguity in her classmates and in herself, and how R.L. Stine turned being the “funny guy” into the best defense against the bullies in his class.

Today’s top authors for teens come together to share their stories about bullying—as silent observers on the sidelines of high school, as victims, and as perpetrators—in a collection at turns moving and self-effacing, but always deeply personal.

Review: An absolutely critical book for teenagers today I believe. Dear Bully shares the real experiences of 70 authors, from being bullied, to seeing bullying happen in the school yard, and some of those that were the bullies and hearing their experiences. I wish this book existed 10 years ago when I was in high school - as someone who was a bit overweight and came from a family that didn’t have much money I was often talked about and excluded. To have a book like this give me some hope at the time would have been like gold to me.

Whilst some stories pehaps aren’t as strong as others, collectively the book has a big impact and certainly I believe will help save lives and I hope…. will help to reinforce that message that bullying is not on.

An important book with some very clear messages throughout. All teens should read this. From 13 through to 18 it’s all relevant.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Good afternoon readers! It’s Sunday which means it’s time for me to tell you what was in my mailbox this week!

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme bought to you by the lovely Kristi at The Story Siren.

MASSIVE week this week! This are all boughts. Not including books that I borrowed from the library because then my IMM would be rediculously long. I might share those next week.

	The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer - Michelle Hodkin I may have squeeled a little when this arrived! The first impression is that the cover is so much prettier in person, and it has this silky feel about the paper! I cannot wait to read this.
	Lola & The Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins If you thought I squeeled when I got Mara Dyer, then I had a cardiac when Lola arrived in the post! I absolutely lapped up Anna & The French Kiss, and I absolutely became a fan of Stephanie Perkins with that one book. I cannot wait to start Lola & The Boy Next Door. In fact, I might start today!
	Ashes - Ilsa J. Bick This cover is so much prettier than the US one in my opinion. The cover is bronze and it’s actually foiled, and all shiny and metalic. It’s beautiful! I don’t know too much about this, but I believe this is the first book in a triology and it’s dystopian. It’s received excellent reviews!
	The Luxe - Anna Godbersen After reading Vixen by Jillian Larkin, I’ve been told by many people I should be reading this book! Vixen was my first venture in historic fiction and I was surprised at how much I loved it, so I am keen to try more!
	A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harknes A girl at work actually told me I should read this. She used to work in a book store and has so many good recommendations, but she said to her, this book was as addictive and as good as the Twilight series. Big call to make! She said it was refreshing to have a book about witches instead of vampires for once, so I am keen to see if it lives up to the hype!
	Between - Jessica Warman I hadn’t heard of this book before but the cover grabbed my attention at the book store. It doesn’t give too much away on the blurb on the back of the book, but it sounds like an extremely compelling contemporary book. I could be wrong, but intitial reactions from the cover sound like something like If I Stay and Here Lies Bridget.

What’s in your mailbox? Let me know - leave your links in the comments section as always!

Synopsis: Jazz . . . Booze . . . Boys . . . It’s a dangerous combination.

Every girl wants what she can’t have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle—and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she’s engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago’s most powerful families, Gloria’s party days are over before they’ve even begun . . . or are they?

Clara Knowles, Gloria’s goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch—but Clara isn’t as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she’ll do anything to keep hidden. . . .

Lorraine Dyer, Gloria’s social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria’s shadow. When Lorraine’s envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone’s going to be very sorry. . . .

Review: This is the first historic fiction I’ve read. Ever! I was one of those people that wrote off the genre because I don’t necessarily care too much for other eras. Not out of ignorance, but I mean… there’s usually other books that I would choose first! So this for me was completely out of my comfort zone.

I am SO glad I read this. I am already planning on reading other historic novels as we speak!

I hate comparing and don’t like to do it often, but I feel this analogy works. This book reminds me of Gossip Girl set in the 1920s. And I mean that in a GREAT way, because this completely worked for me! It showed me that not all books set in this era need to be boring and drab. It was cheeky, scandalous and daring.

The story is written from the perspective of the three girls, Gloria, Lorraine and Clara - each chapter is written from a different perspective and alternates so have a complete insight into each girls story. I might have fallen in love a little bit with Marcus. He sounded lovely. :)

I loved the way this story was written and I really liked the story line. I know this story has in some cases has been compared against Bright Young Things and The Luxe and because of this may not have rated as highly. I haven’t read either of those books, and from my perspective, I really loved the storyline. I definitely will read both BYT and The Luxe now after getting a taste of historical fiction!

Rating: 4 out of 5

I have a three part answer!

Book:

Probably Anna from Anna & The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins…… Ettiene sounded completely hot. And she got to live in France and eat amazing food. :)

Movie: Charlie from Charlie & The Chocolate Factory…. hahaha Cause I am a chocoholic!

Television Show: Sookie Stackhouse from TruBlood… because it doesn’t get any better than both Bill & Eric!

So late it’s actually Thursday! Arrrrgh my bad!

It’s time to tell you what I have been up to for the last week! W..W..W.. Wednesdays is a weekly meme bought to you by MizB from Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading?

I’m currently over half way through Vixen which is the first book in the Flappers series by Jillian Larkin and half way through Dear Bully which is a compilation of stories.

What did you recently finish reading?

I recently finished Where She Went by Gayle Forman. I loved it!

What do you think you’ll read next?

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

I stopped by my local library yesterday. It was a lovely day, the sun was shining and my library is located in the middle of a beautiful park, so I was sitting in the sunshine reading Where She Went by Gayle Forman. I finished that one off and I thought since I didn’t have anything planned for the day I’d wander in and see what they had…. not that I don’t seriously have enough to read at home. lol :)

I don’t know if my library differs much from other libraries in Australia or even around the world, but I know that as a book addict these things interest me, so I thought I’d share some pictures!

The park where my library is located

The Gazebo near my library

These are some of the YA shelves. There is about another three the same size behind where I was standing, so all the YA shelves are probably twice what you see here. I’m thinking this might be considered small especially compared to libraries in other countries? No idea! There’s a seperate childrens area.

Bit closer up on one of the shelves.

And my “borrowed” pile. Seriously. I can’t help myself. lol More on these books when I do IMM on Sunday!

I’d be really keen to see pictures of other libraries around the world! Have you posted something similar? Link me up in the comments below!