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Joelene

Cover

The white title nestled in twisting green foliage suits the novel. The font is reminiscent of old-fashioned hand-lettering and has sharp edges that give the impression of violence.

Characters

In a town twined so closely with magic, you’d hardly expect to find ordinary characters here. And happily, you don’t. The characters in Darkest Part are all unique – some of them making themselves unique because they were not born, blessed or cursed so. There’s the human and his changeling ‘brother’, the girl who hunts Fae and her brother who cannot escape what they gave him – no matter how much he tries.

Favourite

I’d really want to say all of them, but I guess that Hazel stands out the most for me. A bit dull considering that it’s a point in the book that everyone loves her – but I’m no exception. She’s fierce and determined and happy to be selfish if it means finding her vocation even when she knows that her vocation is not the slightest bit nice.

Least Favourite

Probably Alderking. Not because he was evil and you were supposed to hate him, but because I didn’t really feel much of anything for him.

Beginning

A horned boy sleeps in a glass coffin nestled in the woods. Through the long years, parties have pulsed around him, artists have painted him and two siblings have tried everything they could think of to free him.

Storyline

Fairfold is a town buried in the heart of an enchanted forest. Its citizens have learnt to adapt to the strange and sometimes terrifying creatures they live alongside. When the horned boy wakes, Fairfold is about to get a whole lot more dangerous.

Ending

I wasn’t sure that I liked where this story was going, but wound up loving the ending.

Thoughts

I read this in about a day while I was visiting my aunt because I’m the kind of person who will abandon my own kin if a book is good enough. Holly Black just has this way of writing characters that you want to spend time with – and one book was not enough with these guys. This feels like a stand-alone, but I will live in hope that it will turn into a trilogy.

Quote

“There’s a monster in our wood

She’ll get you if you’re not good

Drag you under leaves and sticks

Punish you for all your tricks

A nest of hair and gnawed bone

You are never, ever coming –”

Bel:

Cover

There are a couple of different covers to this book. I have an ARC (advanced review copy) Mine has the forestry against a brownie-orange backdrop, much like the ebook and the hardcover.

Characters

Holly has crafted some truly fun characters in this one.

Favourite

I would have to say Hazel. The girl kicks butt and is unapologetic about keeping her people safe.

Least Favourite

Hmmm… Ainsel.

Beginning

There’s a boy in the darkest part of the forest, in an enchanted sleep, held within a glass coffin.

Storyline

Hazel wakes him up and the crap hits the fan.

Ending

Dude! Read it and find out.

Thoughts

Holly Black can be a little hit and miss for me, but this book was a bullseye. I adore stand alone books that have you chomping at the bit for more. It would be great to have a bunch of books from the same reality, but not necessarily needing to be read in any particular order.

Quote

“Maybe. Just the other day, she made Carter carry dried holly berries in the pocket of his jacket. He got mad and chucked one at me. They sting like a bitch.” ~Jack talking to Ben

 

Krista:

Cover

It’s eye catching, cute yet ominous. I prefer the white background over the the orange/brown one, personal preference.

Characters

Main character, Hazel she’s a very strong character, opinionated, and unselfish. Speaks her mind and is loyal.

Ben- Hazel’s brother. Somewhat competitive and some protective. He was bestowed the magic of music talent when he was young and is very gifted.

Severin-Horned boy coffin. He is focused and determined; on a mission, but finds time to make friends and build relationships with other characters.

Favourite

Severin- Because he’s different and has a great back story.

Least Favourite

Ben and Hazel’s parents. Nothing specifically regarding each, but I felt that the way they raised Hazel and Ben, and it’s contrast to how they are now, was sad.

Beginning

The introduction of the world and characters. They live next to a forest that has creatures of all kinds. Hazel likes to fight with her sword and pretend she is a knight. She is very protective of her brother. We learn of her guilt regarding a kiss that went horribly wrong, and Ben’s loss of his magic of music. Also there are ominous hints regarding a bargain that Hazel made, unknown to the other characters and readers until further along in the book.

Storyline

From the jacket: “Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.
At the centre of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground, and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.

“Until one day, he does…

“As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?”

Ending

I really enjoyed the ending, things came full circle nicely, even though there was a bit of a surprise decision made. It fitted with the overall emotions of the book and made sense.

Thoughts

Once I finished reading the book, I sat and thought about if for a while. The characters really made the story for me and I found them admirable. The world building is imaginative and story line is exciting and full of adventure. I liked this book, and I recommend  it.

Quote

“Hazel kissed boys for all kinds of reasons — because they were cute, because she was a little drunk, because she was bored, because they let her, because it was fun, because they looked lonely, because it blotted out her fears for a while, because she wasn’t sure how many kisses she had left.”

“You and your sister are very dear to each other. To show your regard, you give each other lovely bouquets of lies.”

 

http://blackholly.com/

Hardcover, 328 pages

Published February 5th 2015 by Indigo (first published January 13th 2015)

ISBN 1780621736 (ISBN13: 9781780621739

 

Discussion Topics

Everyone has more than one self – though maybe not as noticeably as Hazel. Which of your selves do you not trust?

Hazel is overwhelmingly filled with thoughts of kissing. Funny side topic or distracting angst?

There are some side stories in which we learn about the townsfolk’s interactions with the creatures of the forest; which was your favourite?

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Bel:

Cover

An eye catching monochrome image of a water droplet (I think it’s supposed to be a teardrop) falling into an inky blackness. It represents the book really well. I also like the stylistic decision to add a grey header for the pages containing the story within the story.

Characters

Since there are effectively two books within one, there is a larger than usual cast, or at least it seems that way.

Favourite

Mindy, a sweet character who is successfully designed to bring out the protective urges in the readers.

Least Favourite

I think I’ll bug a few people here, but I really didn’t like Darcy. Maybe I see a little too much of myself in her to have sympathy for her.

Beginning

Darcy has sold her first book; she moves to New York to write book 2. We also read through Darcy’s first book.

Storyline

We follow the ups and downs of Darcy’s reckless abandon.

Ending

Reality checks and hard work.

Thoughts

I appreciate the artistry of a book within a book: both with female leads and both mostly credible in their execution. I usually have a major issue with guys writing women because there are parts of the fairer sex that don’t necessarily translate; however, Scott passes muster in my opinion. Darcy may have made me uncomfortable, but that is my issue, not the character’s.

I almost want to reread the books separately and see if they’re stronger or weaker without the other.

Quote

“Kill your darlings,” Imogen said. ~Imogen talking to Darcy

 

Joelene

Cover

The stylised droplet hitting inky darkness gives an attractive, high-contrast look.

Characters

There are two sets of characters. The ‘real’ ones; Darcy, her friends, family and people she meets on her publishing journey. Then there are Darcy’s characters – the ones that exist in her debut novel.

Favourite

Imogen. It’s hard not to like Imogen. She’s witty, smart and assertive. All of the awesome New York scenes involved her – whether she was demanding to be taken hostage in car trunks or typing phobias into her phone.

Least Favourite

Darcy. There were occasions that I liked her when she was with Imogen, but overall found her kind of Mary Sue-ish. She succeeds too easily at what she’s doing without seeming to have any ability to analyse her process or the themes of her writing.

Beginning

Darcy Patel has just scored the publishing contract of her dreams – now all she has to do is convince her parents to let her skip a year of college to write in New York City.

When terrorists target the airport that Lizzie is at, she finds herself hiding in the most unlikely of places – the afterworld.

Storyline

The story-line of Afterworlds is actually split. One plot follows the author, Darcy, as she navigates New York, publishing and dating. The other story is that of Darcy’s novel, Afterworlds, told in full on alternating chapters. It follows Lizzie who, having survived a massacre, now has to deal with being able to see the dead and cross into their world.

Ending

The endings are too different from each other to sum up; except perhaps to say happiness is not guaranteed.

Thoughts

I get what Westerfeld was going for here, but ultimately this six hundred page novel read more like the rough drafts of two three hundred page novels. Westerfeld has this crazy, unique imagination that’s evident in Lizzie’s story. Her amazing first chapter reels you in – but the rest of her story doesn’t live up to the potential of that first scene. I’m not sure if Westerfeld was holding back on that storyline so that it wouldn’t overshadow Darcy’s chapters, but from other novels of his that I’ve read, he’s capable of more.

Darcy’s part of the story should have been awesome, but it ends up being a glamorised fantasy of what author life is rather than anything resembling reality. Westerfeld has an entire scene dedicated to pointing out how vital conflict is to a novel, and then he fails to provide Darcy with any.

Afterworlds felt as though it should have sat on the back-burner a little longer. There are some valuable themes here – race, sexual identity, religion, but altogether it feels unpolished.

Quote

“I met the man of my dreams in an airport, just before midnight a few days into the New Year. I was changing planes in Dallas, and I almost died.”

 

Krista:

Cover

Much love for this cover because of how well it fits the story of Afterworlds (the fictional story within the contemporary NA story)  The teardrop and the the misty dark inky image at the bottom were a very good and fitting choice.

Characters
Too many to name; there are a lot of people that come and go throughout the book, but the focus is on Darcy and her struggle with taking her first steps into the publishing world and becoming an author.

Favourite
Yamaraj and Mindy. By choosing two of the most minor characters in the book as my favorites may reflect how I felt about the book overall.

Least Favourite

Lizzie and Darcy-Lizzie being the lead character in the actual fictional book Afterworlds, and Darcy being the lead in the whole book and author of Afterworlds. There was not particularly anything specific about them I didn’t like but I thought both characters were very bland.

Beginning

Darcy has just decided to tell her parents she is putting off going to college because she has sold her first novel. She intends to move to New York for awhile and has the budget to cover it.

Storyline

As the young Darcy sets out to make a career as an author she has a lot of learning to do and people to meet. Along the way the reader gets insights into her book ‘Afterworlds’ and the publishing world (social networks and marketing).

Ending

Lessons are learned, hope is gained, and the battle of the next book ensues.

Thoughts

I listened to the audiobook on this one, and it had two separate narrators: one who was entertaining to listen to, the other as monotone as could be. I would not personally suggest the aud-iobook; pick up the book on this one if you are interested. I had a hard time engaging with the story.

I was curious about Darcy’s story and the insides of publishing, but as it continued, I found myself becoming quite critical–how many times a word was used, when people or settings were not fully described. Through all of Darcy’s story, it felt like all the air was slowly getting let out of my balloons of inspiration in a writing career. Informative in an interesting way, but it depressed me.

Quote

“In a novel you always knew the moment when something Happened, when someone Changed. But real life was full of gradual, piecemeal, continuous transformation. It was full of accidents and undefineables, and things that just happened on their own. The only certainty was ‘It’s complicated,’ whether or not unicorns tolerated your touch.”

 

 

Discussion Topics:

The main storyline of this book revolves around Darcy. How does the title Afterworlds apply to her story (not the fictional one she is writing but her life represented in this novel)?

Darcy states that she “stole” ideas to help form her story. Do you think that is the correct word? How would you describe the process of idea-making?

It’s important to have a multicultural cast of characters in any novel, but where’s the line between inclusion and appropriation?

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Joelene:

Cover

The cover markets the book really well. From the pastel blue background, swirly pink font, heart drawing and photographs, it’s easy to tell that this is a light YA romance set in the real world. I don’t like the cover personally, but that’s more to do with the fact that I never look out for this genre.

Characters

The protagonist is a shy fifteen-year-old called Penny Porter. The only time she feels authentic is when she’s writing her blog. The other characters are her friends, her frenemies, her family, and the people she meets when she goes to America.

Favourite

I didn’t really connect with anyone in this story. Some of them had moments of being okay – but only moments. Megan was probably my favourite, partially because she was so unapologetically demanding, nasty and confident; partially because she moved every bit of the plot in the story – she was the recurrent inciting incident – so as a character she worked.

Least Favourite

Penny. While Megan owns her awfulness, Penny seems to think that she’s a wonderful person. Despite the fact that she genuinely has no idea what’s going on in her best friend’s life and, in fact, forgets about him at significant moments without ever seeming to feel guilty about it. Oh, and she lies to him – about things that make no sense to lie about.

Beginning

Things aren’t going well for Penny. Her school-friend, Megan, is being crueller to her than usual. She keeps embarrassing herself in front of Ollie, the guy she has been crushing on but who is way out of her league (and possibly a little too in love with himself). At least she has her best friend, Elliot; and her blog.

Storyline

When Penny’s parents have the chance to fly them all to America, it may be the answer to all of Penny’s problems or her worst nightmare.

Ending

It’s a rocky journey, but the end delivers everything the cover promises. Light, fluffy romance galore.

Thoughts

I’m significantly outside of the target audience and, with this book at least, it shows. It wasn’t my thing. It felt a little like the author/s threw every romantic movie/book cliché ever in there and hoped that it would all work out. There were moments of genuine sweetness; Elliot helping Penny overcome her fears by teaching her about superhero alter egos was cute. Less cute is the fact that while Penny is the central character she initiates no action.

 

Quote

“…don’t you just love the way photos are able to freeze special moments in time forever?”

 

Bel:

 

Cover

I loved that Zoe and the publishers held a competition for her followers to add an image to the cover of her book, for both the US and the UK editions. Daisy Trodd’s picture of the Brighton Carousel is on the cover of the copy I own. Zoe’s personality comes through in the instagram type pictures and fairy lights. The font is bright and airy. The background is a pretty duck egg blue. Over all it is very relevant for the story inside and visibly fresh.

Characters

There are really no surprises to be found, bullies, cute guy, loving yet slightly distant parents, great best friend and our introverted leading lady.

Favourite

Elliot has to be my favourite because he’s what I’d want in a best friend.

Least Favourite

Ollie, oil isn’t as slippery as that sucker.

Beginning

Penny is making her way through life in high school and starts an anonymous blog to sort through her angst. Her parents are contracted to organise an event in the US.

Storyline

Penny, her best friend, Elliot, and her parents head to the US, and Penny meets Noah.

Ending

Expected, but still enjoyable.

Thoughts

I enjoyed this book for its light and airy feel. I like the journey of self discovery Penny goes on. The themes of cyber bullying and dealing with fame are covered and though both are quite vicious, I was able to find an abundance of positivity.

Quote

“OK, from now on can you please just assume that my response to anything you say is prefixed with a “WTF”!” ~ Elliot talking to Penny.

 

 Krista:

Cover

The cover of the book reminds me of a background image on what we may find today on a blog online. It fits the story perfectly.

Characters

Penny and Noah are the main characters, but we also get to get to know Elliot (Penny’s best friend) very well and he’s a great side character.

Favourite

Noah was my favorite character, his story is very touching. I felt he added a lot to the character growth of Penny. The story really wouldn’t be as thought provoking without him.

Least Favourite

Megan. There is always a mean girl and she fits the bill. Her actions are all selfish and she seems to relish in the drama.

Beginning

Penny decides to start an anonymous blog and a place that she would feel more comfortable writing her feelings. Anonymously.

Storyline

Penny is a quiet, self conscious girl who tends to stay out of the crowd; she’s insecure and only comfortable with her close family and best friend. They take a trip from the UK to the US as Penny’s mom gets a job assignment, and they are lucky enough to stay for a week or so over the Holiday season.

Ending

With the help and encouragement of Noah, Penny learns how to focus on what is important to her in life and become more self aware and positive.

Thoughts

I thought that this was a very cute story. It relayed a very important storyline of staying strong, positive and courageous when times get hard. Sure, it’s unlikely that any of us would go through the extreme publicity that Penny goes through in this story. But we all can relate to her story in some way; not only being unsure about yourself, but how staying positive on a daily basis is hard! Sometimes turning everything off is the best coping method, but no matter who the bullies or haters are, your personal willingness to persevere and communication is the key. Surrounding yourself with people who really want the best for you is best and staying as true to yourself as possible. These are the things that I walked away with from this story, and I am impressed with the way this book handled these hard subjects.

Quote

“Every time you post something online. You have a choice, you can either make it something that adds to the happiness levels in the world or you can make it something that takes away from them. I tried to add something by starting girl online and for a while it really seemed to be working. So next time you go to post a comment and update or share a link, ask yourself is this going to add to the happiness in the world, and if the answer is going to be no, please delete there is enough sadness in the world today, you don’t need to add to it.”

Discussion Topics:

Today the norm is social media. Online security, privacy and anonymity are all subjects up for discussion with people of all ages. In today’s world do you believe that subjects of online security and privacy should be taught at school?

Zoella makes no secret of her anxiety attacks and how she manages them, both in the book, in her YouTube videos and on her blog. Do you have anything special you do to beat the stress?

Do you think the book glossed over the cyber-bullying a little too much?

 

http://www.zoella.co.uk/

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published November 25th 2014 by Atria / Keywords Press (first published January 1st 2014)

ISBN 0141357274 (ISBN13: 9780141357270)

 

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Bel:

Cover

Torn yellow paper dolls being held together with sticky tape, held by hands with chipped nail varnish. I feel like the symbolism is accurate for the story.

Characters

Delilah doesn’t know why her mother’s relationship with her family is so strained, and as we read on it is difficult not to fall in love with each and every character.

Favourite

Patrick, (I think we’ll probably all choose him). He’s just *sigh* so nice.

Least Favourite

Finn. Looooooooser.

Beginning

Delilah and her Mum spend the summer closing up her Grandmother’s house.

Storyline

The family secrets come to light and each character has to face their own personal demons.

Ending

Satisfying to say the least.

Thoughts

I loved this book so much.

Claire, Delilah’s Mum, begins the story with her head firmly up her butt. Sure she knew things weren’t going well, but by the end she had become someone I wouldn’t mind having a coffee with.

It’s important for us to realise our parents don’t have all the answers, and they get things wrong sometimes as well.

Themes of grief, mental illness, and self respect are wonderfully prevalent throughout.

Quote

“Claire? It’s Rachel. I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

 

Joelene:

Cover

A paper-doll chain with one doll torn and patched with sticky-tape. It suits the nostalgic aspect of this novel and the idea of a family that has forgotten how to function.

Characters

The novel is from the perspective of Delilah Hannaford. Other major characters are her mother, her aunt Rachel, and Patrick, the guy she was friends with as kids but hasn’t seen for years. While Delilah’s grandmother, grandfather and other aunt, Stephanie, are all dead, they almost seem like characters in their own right.

Favourite

Delilah. She had her flaws, but her voice is really strong in the writing.

Least Favourite

Patrick. He wasn’t terrible, but I didn’t feel like he added anything to the story. Every time he was in it, I wanted to go back and figure out what was happening with Delilah, her mum and her aunt. He was also a little too unforgiving. When Delilah had just found out that the person she most trusted had been lying to her her whole life, it’s no wonder that she doubted him.

Beginning

Delilah has been getting in trouble a lot lately; getting caught shop-lifting, sneaking out with a boy – and her grades are dropping. When her mother gets a call saying that her grandmother has died, the last remaining Hannaford women head for Vermont to tie up loose ends.

Storyline

Leaving the past behind is more difficult than it would seem, as the Hannafords soon find. Delilah’s determined to uncover the reason for the rift that split the family eight years before. Her mother is equally determined to keep those secrets buried.

Ending

The ending here is satisfying and sweet without being cheesy.

Thoughts

I really liked this one, which is odd because it’s not a genre I’d choose. It’s well written and the characters are easy to understand though they have complex emotions.

Quote

“…if things were different between us, more like they used to be, I’d want to go…because nothing would be as important as helping my mother and aunt through this tragedy and tying up its many loose ends – the three remaining Hannaford women united and strong as an unsinkable ship.

But things aren’t different. She’s her and I’m me and surrounding us is an ocean of mess and misunderstanding…”

 

Krista:

Cover

I think the cover with the cut out paper dolls is cute. It represents there is a crack in the chain and represents the story well with Delilah stuck in the middle.

Characters

The story focuses on Delilah, her relationship with her mother and love interest Paul.

Favourite

I would have to tie my favorites with Paul and Delilah’s aunt Rachel. They both seemed to bring the most stability to this rocky situation they find themselves in.

Least Favourite

I can’t say that any of the characters were the least favourite.

Beginning

After her grandmother’s death. Delilah, her mother and aunt all stay for the summer getting the house ready for sale. A friend from a long time ago comes to give Delilah some help and company.

Storyline

While preparing her deceased grandmother’s house for sale, Delilah and her family have to face their past head-on and confront what has come between them, one secret at a time.

Ending

I guess a part of me was really hoping for a big dramatic ending with Delilah and Paul running off into the sunset and the happily ever after. But we get a very down to earth and heart warming story of this family, finally learning how to communicate and opening new doors to their futures.

Thoughts

I don’t read realistic contemporary very often. But joining the book club was exactly for reasons like this book. Opening my eyes to something outside my usual style. This book especially spoke to me because it focused on a dysfunctional family and how they learn to communicate better with each other. Every single character in this story grew, learned from each other and in became closer to each other by doing so.

Quote

“It‘s complicated. I think when bad things happen—whether someone dies or people argue or split up—you get to a point where it‘s just too hard to go back. There‘s so much lost. So many versions of the truth. So many versions of how things might‘ve turned out differently. We all long for what could have been. For some people, it‘s just easier to move forward and try to forget.”

“Doesn’t matter how many people are in the crowd anymore, Delilah. Ten or ten thousand, I’m still only singing for one.”

Discussion Topics

Mental illness is a key theme in Fixing Delilah. While it’s good to see these issues in literature, was Ockler’s handling of it astute – or kind – considering the fates of the two characters who suffered from this affliction?

Do you think that honesty is the best policy?

 

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Bel:

Cover

We see Anna reaching back towards us in the black, white, and red picture of a rather daunting backdrop. It reflects the story really well.

Characters

We get to meet one of the major characters from Anna Dressed in Blood, and a new threat comes to the fore.

Favourite

Jestine, mainly because she kicked ass, and kept her word.

Least Favourite

The Order. Sometimes the hive mind isn’t the way to go.

Beginning

Months after the final scene in Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas and his friends are struggling to come to terms with how things played out.

Storyline

Cas makes moves to rectify the problem, and heads to England.

Ending

Nothing is quite what it seems.

Thoughts

I don’t know about the others, but I felt no real sense of dread. No heart stopping urgency. Perhaps this could have been rectified by covering Anna’s point of view for a part of the book.

I did like the male, female relationships and I’m glad Cas’s mum wasn’t as pointless as some other YA parental units.

I enjoyed the story, and as a sequel it was entertaining.

Quote

“For a professional ghost killer, you sure ask a lot of numb-nut questions.” ~Morfran talking to Cas.

 

Krista:

Cover

Very Manga cartoon-like imagery of Anna…in hell?

Characters

Our main character, Cas and his friends Thomas and Carmel are the major roll players in this series. Cas is a ghost hunter who, with his special knife, is able to send the spirits onto other worlds. He has a strict rule of only hunting those ghosts that are dangerous to humans and can cause harm.

Favourite

Tie between Anna and Cas; they both do very selfless acts, admirable.

Least Favourite

Well there is always the villain to hate, but I didn’t really dislike any of the characters in this story.

Beginning

Cas is obsessed with where Anna might have gone since the events in the first book. She has been calling to him.

Storyline

When his school work is done for the year, he convinces Thomas to travel to Ireland, to the group that made the Athame, and ask for their guidance on how to rescue Anna from Hell.

Ending

We see a much more determined Cas in this book than the first. When he really sets his heart on something, he’s a force to be reckoned with.

Thoughts

I like the idea that there are these powerful weapons that are made out of a metal not available on earth. I enjoyed the fact that Cas got to do some overseas travelling in this one. It brought a lot of atmosphere to the novel. There are some dangerous moments, a lot of world building; especially with the group and the history behind the weapons they use to banish the spirits. Plus more blood than we saw in the first book with very humorous dialogue and relationships between the characters.

Quote

“She crossed over death to call me. I crossed through Hell to find her.”

Lisa:

Cover

I’m actually a big fan of the covers in this duology! I think they portray the story inside very well; it’s not too scary or brutal, just a bit creepy like the story.

Characters

Overall, I thought the characters were alright. We don’t meet too many new people, just a few random characters who take smaller roles. I don’t think I want to name the only new main character we are introduced to! Why? Because he makes the story what it is, and I don’t think he is mentioned in the first book; meaning, I don’t want to ruin the surprise for you!

Least Favourite

She wasn’t my least favourite in the first book, but in Girl of Nightmares she is. Carmel was the sweetest girl in Anna Dressed in Blood but completely changed in this second instalment. I loved her so much, so I was a little disappointed to see this kind of change in her. She spent the whole first book wanting to be a part of everything. In the second book, she leaves the two boys in the dust, without truly explaining why. Obviously, she does later in the story, but after she breaks Thomas’s heart.

Favourite

This is a hard one! I have a few favorite characters including Cas, Thomas, and the new character introduced in this book who I cannot name…he’s not from Harry Potter if that’s what you’re thinking! But both of these boys are interesting! Cas with his knife and the ghost killing thing and Thomas with his witch powers!

Beginning

Girl of Nightmares takes place a month or two after Anna Dressed In Blood ends. Anna has gone, Cas can’t help his feelings towards her and misses Anna, and Thomas and Carmel are still working out their entire “relationship”; if you can call it that.

Middle

Cas can’t deny the feelings he has for Anna, and has to get her back from the other side. He seems to see her everywhere he looks, and even starts to think that he might be going crazy. He finally tells Thomas and Carmel about this, and asks them to help bring her back. While they might not believe this is possible, both agree to help Cas in any way.

Ending

Bringing back Anna turned into something WAY bigger than the three could have imagined. It affected the entire witch and ghost hunting community, and it even stretched across the world! Who knew getting back the girl you love could start an entire war?

Overall

Before I started this duology, I was told many times how creepy it was. So when I finally got around to reading Anna Dressed In Blood I was a little disappointed at first. The story wasn’t horrifying or scary. Anna wasn’t as bad as she was made out to be in all of the reviews I’d read, but, nonetheless, I enjoyed the story.

When I started reading Girl of Nightmares, I didn’t read any reviews, and decided to just jump in right after finishing Anna Dressed In Blood. Again, I enjoyed this one as well. The entire story was a crazy roller coaster ride, dragging the group from one place, and one person, to another. I was strapped in and ready for the ride! I do have to say that the ending wasn’t very satisfying, but realistic, which I liked. Obviously, I spent the whole time cheering one the three best friends, and hoped the best for them, but things don’t always end up that way.

If you haven’t picked up these books, I recommend you do. I don’t promise that Anna is absolutely terrifying, but you will experience an entirely new perspective on the paranormal!

Joelene

Cover

The cover was what made me buy Anna Dressed in Blood, the first book in this series. I like the second cover even more. With Anna standing on the precipice of Hell, it’s more dynamic and the colour scheme is amazing.

Characters

All of the characters that I loved in Anna Dressed in Blood are back in Girl of Nightmares. They’re still amazing, but what they’ve been through has changed them.

Favourite

Cas maybe? Or Carmel? Possibly Thomas? I don’t know. I love how the characters interact with each other more than loving each of them on their own. They’re such a good team that I couldn’t imagine how things would work without one of them.

Least Favourite

This is even harder. The easy answer would be Colin Burke; not because I hated him, but because he was a bit of a non-entity.

Beginning

Anna has sacrificed herself to save Cas and his friends. He is trying to come to terms with life without her. He might even manage it, if she wasn’t coming back to haunt him at the most inopportune times.

Storyline

When Cas becomes convinced that Anna’s soul is not at peace, but being tormented in some hellish alternate plane, he is determined to find her and bring her back. Not everyone thinks that the dead belong in the world of the living, and there are some who would enforce those convictions to the bitter end.

Ending

Bitter and sweet? At some point when reading about a romance between one person who’s living and one who’s dead, there is the realisation that however this ends, it’s not going to be rainbows and unicorns.

Thoughts

I loved the direction that Blake took Carmel’s and Thomas’s characters. They don’t stagnate and they’re not just silently there to have Cas’s back whenever he needs it. Thomas’s power has grown considerably since the first book, and he has more confidence in it – though he still manages to be awkward around the cooler kids at school. Carmel refuses to compromise her social life to support Cas and Thomas – she’s as independent as she ever was. She’s also more prone to question the things that Thomas will accept.

I wasn’t dissatisfied with the ending, but Anna came into the book far too late and played too small of a role. I liked Jestine, but I would have traded her for Anna in a fraction of a heart-beat.

Quote

There’s smoke, and wind, and screaming, and it’s impossible to tell which side it’s all coming from. I lower my voice. “Anna. What do you want me to do?”

For a second I think she’ll stonewall. She takes quaking, deep breaths and with every exhale bites down on her words. But then she looks at me, straight at me, into my eyes, and I don’t care what she said earlier. She sees me. I know she does.

“Cassio,” she whispers. “Get me out of here.”

 

Discussion Topic:

Question: Would you give up your way of life to fight against demons who cause danger to human lives?

Take your discussion to our GoodReads page!

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