Book Review: A Bucket Full of Awesome by Zainab T. Khan

"You know, Blake, even though we all know that cancer is a heartless dragon who wants to take everything and everyone into its fiery pit, we still fight with it. We still hope. And we clash again and again with its fire, and even though we get burned, we don't accept defeat. Humans are the most fragile yet the strongest beings on earth." 
"And they are the most stubborn." 
I laughed, "Right. They are stubborn." 

This story was touching. Cancer stories  always get to me because I think about what I would do if I found out I had cancer and I constantly compare myself to the character. I would definitely not be like this spunky main character, Summer.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Summer Wallace is a wild, crazy girl who simply couldn't care less about her appearance. She strongly believe in the saying, "You Only Live Once", in teenage subculture also known as YOLO. She plays basketball like her life depends on it. Well, it sort of does, she loses one game and there's a dent in her ego, not a small one either. 

Meet Blake Walker, her best friend and her partner-in-crime. Although he is just like his childhood best friend in acting-like-a-kid department, he can be a bit saner than her. Though, at times, he can be crazier than her. But a day changes both of their lives which leads Summer to make a bucket list and complete it before her whole life takes a 180 degree. Whereas, Blake is determined to keep her as long as he can. And he is perfect for the job. After all, he knows her more than anyone else. And they have no room for regrets. As Summer Wallace says, "There shouldn’t be any space for regrets in our beautiful lives.” 

Summer Wallace is a tough, fearless girl. When she finds out that she has cancer she fights her best friend, Blake Walker, tooth and nail on taking treatment. When he agrees to help her with her bucket list if she accepts treatment they set of to complete a bucket list full of awesome.

This book was face paced and so much fun to read. I loved how much Summer tried to protect her family and friends from what was coming. She was sick and getting worse but she was concerned about what would happen if she didn't make it.

Summers best friend, Blake, is a huge part of the book. Summer and him constantly bicker but they're there for each other no matter what. Blake does his best to keep Summer focused but fails miserably. Seeing them fight cancer together was touching and watching their friendship grow throughout the book was amazing.

Zainab offered to send me a copy of this book along with her newly released book, Sanctuary. When I read A Bucket Full of Awesome I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Zainab has a fresh and quirky way of writing that made this book a "bucket full" of pleasure to read (I'm cringing at the cheesiness of this sentence but it's true!).

If you're wanting a book that's free from all the usual heroines saving the planet and has a crazy main character just trying to live her life then I recommend this book to you!

My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Author: Zainab T. Khan
Genre: New Adult
Published: 2015

Book Review: Sanctuary by Zainab T. Khan

"Without any reluctance, without a falter to their steps, people of sanctuary were ready to help, ready to support you. They became your walls to lean on, they became companions when you needed them, and they came together when it was needed."
-Sanctuary, Zainab T. Khan

I loved the idea of this story. That somewhere there was a town where people of all races, religions, and languages lived together. And loved each other. And were there when you needed them. It was a beautiful idea but a little bittersweet.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sanctuary
(n.) the protection that is provided by a safe place.

"And Sanctuary was the right word to describe our small town with its mouth-watering Pakistani fruits, Spain's bullfighting, Italian pizzas, French artists, Indian spices, Korean kimchi, and Turkish delights. Because to every single one of us – a Pakistani, Spanish, Indian, Korean, French, Italian, and Turkish - it was a sanctuary. Our own safe haven. Our home with its different cultural styles yet with a culture of its own."

The story focuses mainly on a girl named Adelaide. Shes a French girl living in Sanctuary with her brother, Ruelle. They have a group of friends from all over the world and together they walk through life supporting each other. 

Seeing all these cultures mix together was surreal. I loved how Zainab had all these events going on  during the book and we got to see how the different traditions and religions came into play. The Italian wedding with a Muslim Maid of Honor. A Spanish couple asking a French girl to be a godmother. A Russian funeral put together by people of different religions just to help out a friend and show they care. I loved seeing all the mixing of different traditions. 

This story is only ninety pages so I got through it in a couple hours but it made me think. All this love for people they don't always understand. Respecting people even if their religion is different from their own. It really made me wish that there was a place like this. That the world could be more like this.

 It was a great idea and the story was sweet I just wish there had been a bit more to the story. I was left wondering about a lot of things but at the same time I think Zainab was just showing us what she thought the world should be more like. All in all it was a sweet story that I would reccomed if you want a light, happy read. 

My Rating: 3/5 Stars
Author: Zainab T. Khan
Genre: New Adult
Published: 2015

Book Review: The Demon King by Cinda Chima

“History,' Mari muttered, as if she'd overheard his thoughts. 'Why do we need to know what happened before we were born?' 

'So hopefully we get smarter and don't make the same mistakes again.” 
- The Demon King, Cinda Chima

Fantasy is one of my favorite genres but sometimes it can be hard to find a good fantasy book. It's easy to find a book about dragons, and magic and all that but it's hard to find one with a decent plot that is well thought out. The Demon King was one of those well thought out fantasy books. It had all the wizards and royalty and magic you could want with a good plot to go with it.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for his family. The only thing of value he has is something he can't sell—the thick silver cuffs he's worn since birth. They're clearly magicked—as he grows, they grow, and he's never been able to get them off.

One day, Han and his clan friend, Dancer, confront three young wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to keep him from using it against them. Soon Han learns that the amulet has an evil history—it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece that powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

Meanwhile, Raisa ana'Marianna, princess heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. She's just returned to court after three years of freedom in the mountains—riding, hunting, and working the famous clan markets. Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea—the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But her mother has other plans for her...

The Seven Realms tremble when the lives of Hans and Raisa collide, fanning the flames of the smoldering war between clans and wizards.

Han is a quirky, funny character who is trying to take care of his family and figure out his place in life. Hes finding it difficult to get away from his past and when he takes the amulet his life just gets harder. . Raisa is fighting her mother, the queen, on everything in her life. She wants to help her kingdom but she struggles gains the expectations of the court.  I love how we get to see Han and Raisa before they meet and see their struggles. Usually the guy character walks in and the focus is on their love growing through the struggles but not with this one. Their was no love. How great is that? They both had sweethearts from childhood but they were minor parts of the book. It just made me feel like crying. 

Cutthroat, subtle, and awesome. That's how I would describe the action in this book. Clans, magical amulets, and a high wizard as adviser to the queen.The book was full of evil plots and betrayal and it was epic. Every time a problem was solved anther one would appear. At some points of the book I got frustrated because the author seemed to be throwing a little to much at the characters. Obviously the author can do whatever she wants but to me it just felt like a little over kill. 

This book is full of side characters that make he book ten times better.  Cinda Chima not only created two amazing, complex main characters but also an entire cast full of little people who really bring the book to life. The friends, the villains, the people standing in the way of our two heroes. I loved them all. It was even hard to not like our villains. And those, of course, are the best kind.

Recommending this book to all the fantasy lovers out there! I'll definitely be continuing the series:)

My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Author: Cinda Chima
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2009

Book Review: Fairest by Marissa Meyer

“She cried for the girl who had never belonged. A girl who tried so hard, harder than anyone else, and still never had anything to show for it.” 
- Fairest, Marissa Meyer

When I got this book I was expecting to see tragic things. Because most time, in most stories, that is how the villian is created. Fairest did not disappoint. But it wasn't the tragic I was expecting. I was expecting to feel sorry for Levana and I really tried. But seeing into her mind, what motivated her to do the things she did, killed any sympathy I felt for her. Marissa Meyer really surprised me with this one. 

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series. 

Seeing Lunar was really interesting. It was actually pretty similar to earth. Except for the fact that everyone uses a glamour and some can manipulate the feelings of others. I guess if I were born and raised there I would be like everyone else and that's how Levana is. She portrays herself as different but shes just the same as every, other cruel person. The "good" characters in this book are few and far between and they seem to be buried in the Lunar ways.

The thing with books like this is we've already seen the future Levana, so we know that she turns out to be a terrible person. It was truly interesting to see her as a young girl struggling with her identity though. Insecure and a joke with the other people of court. You can see how she got to the place shes at in the first three books  of the series. But I really don't think she can blame it on her family. Some things you could blame on them but the way Levana thinks and the little dreams, and ideas she has are just awful. And she doesn't even seem to think that. She thinks she has a right to do everything shes doing. For herself and Luna. And that makes it ten times creepier.

So you're reading all this and you're wondering why you should read it. You don't need it to read the last book so why bother with something so dark, right? Wrong. This book is dark, and chilling but it's also beautiful. Marissa Meyer blows me away with the way she weaves a story together. You can feel the anger, and distrust of the lunar court. The hatred of the two sisters is always a constant. And the evolution of Levana is shocking. Every chapter she gets a little darker, a little more twisted. And it's sad and terrible and gripping. You want to see her become better. Make the kinder choices but you know she won't.

If you love the series, then read this one. Don't skip over it because you hate Levana. You'll regret it.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction
Published: 2015

Book Review: The Wrath and The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

“She was a dangerous, dangerous girl. A plague. A Mountain of Adamant who tore the iron from ships, sinking them to their watery graves without a second thought. With a mere smile and a wrinkle of her nose.” 
- The Wrath and the Dawn, Renee Ahdieh

This book was a bit of a surprise. I read it over the course of three weeks and managed to keep it all together. It's so beautifully put together and the descriptions are so vivid. At times the names were hard to keep up with but that didn't keep me from enjoying the book.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. zad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

Shazi is a girl determined to kill. She comes to avenge the death of her best friend and she is determined to go through with it. When we begin the story its a bitter self sacrificing one. Shazi knows she will likely die but she is willingly to sacrifice herself to save future girls and families from the pain of losing a loved one. But of course as most stories go the bad guy wasn't what she was expecting. Khalid is quiet and sorrowful and as the story continues we see that he is just as determined to see the kingdom survive as Shazi is to see him dead. Or is she?

The way this story is worded is probably what I loved most. It is so beautifully pieced together and the descriptions literally make you feel as if you've been there before. The stories Shazi weaves are intriguing and oddly familiar. The tension every sunrise brings is a continual build up that keeps you reading long past your bed time. I loved every minute of this story. Until I got to the end. Then I just cried and looked up how long it would be till the sequel came out.

What threw me sometimes were the names. It was very easy to get the characters mixed up and most times the switch of perspectives was hard to keep up with. It would go to a different character and I would be lost for a few paragraphs (pages...?) before it would become clear who we were dealing with. I also got really lost at the ending. I had to reread it a few times to make sense of it all. All of this didn't keep me from loving the story though. It was just a bit faster paced then I would have liked it to be.

All in all the story was great. Shazi was spunky and Khalid was stubborn. The side characters (namely Jalal and Despina:) were awesome. The world was creative and filled with magic and mystery. If you love a good retelling then I would definitely recommend this.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Author: Renee Ahdieh
Genre: Fantasy, Retelling
Published: May 12, 2015

Book Review: Unborn by Daniel Gage

"He could see everything in his mind's eye. Every potential path an action could take long before it began, where every flicker of fire could go, and where it would be extinguished. Even color seemed to fade as Zeke's arm traveled through the air, small flames flickering from his fist."
- Unborn, Daniel Gage

When Rachel and Vanquish books offered to send me a copy of this book in exchange for a review I was intrigued. The idea for the book is very unique and I knew immediately I wanted to read it. It didn't disappoint. The world of dealers and unborns is packed full of adventure and just the right amount of suspense.

Goodreads Synopsis:

"It's nothing personal. You're just part of the transaction." 

Cameron Briggs always wondered what the strange birthmark on his shoulder meant. For his entire life, it seemed he was never meant to be anything special, that is, until the day it happened. Something dormant inside of him awoke. 

In the near future, birthright theft is on the rise, a vast network of dealers offering desperate buyers the chance to steal a more desirable next life. Their power and influence is absolute, with little standing in their way. However, unexpected anomalies in the process endow unique abilities to their victims who, once identified, are offered one chance - to save our world or destroy it, one Unborn child at a time. 

With the truth shrouded in conspiracy, Emma Jennings, a troubled but strong-minded young agent with a defiant reputation, is determined to prove these crimes exist. But in order to accomplish her goal, she'll need to find the one victim who can turn the tide of her war. 

Our main female character is the  strong,  independent woman, Emma Jennings.  Shes one of the head agents at an agency researching the second life dealers. I loved how we got to see more of Emma's life as the book moved on. Emma had a tough time growing up ad her focus is on her work. Shes strong and can take a hit. Shes also willing to protect the innocent unborns and take on foes much bigger than herself. Seeing her friendship with Cameron grow throughout the story was really sweet. I loved how Cameron and her were so uncomplicated and knew exactly how to deal with each other.

Now the dealers are just despicable. When I finally figured out how the whole second life thing worked I was disgusted. And I think that's what the author was wanting. Dealer X especially got on my nerves. Hes the all powerful leader and the way he talks and acts just gets under my skin. He was just so untouched by Emma and everything she threw at him. I have a lot of questions about him that need answered please. 

This book was so packed with action. I've read so many books with fight scenes but Daniel Gage takes the cake (is that how that expression goes...?). I found myself holding me breath during fight scenes. They were just so well written and I loved it! And all the unique abilities were fun. It added some really neat surprises to the book. 

The way Daniel Gage wrote the book was really interesting. He mainly wrote from Emma and Cameron's point of view but we also got to see from a lot of other characters. It definitely added a unique feel to the book Most times when an author does this you get confused about who the character is but the changes are all very distinct. It helped with a lot of questions I had but it created a whole new set of them. I really need book two...

I suggest this book to anyone who loves action and/or suspense. This book definitely kept me on my toes with all the crazy twists. 

My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Author: Daniel Gage
Genre: Action/Thriller
Published: August 15, 2015

Book Review: The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

"Who do you think keeps this country safe so you can sleep at night?”
“I don’t sleep most nights. And to be honest, Your Grace, I don’t feel all that safe.”  
- The Girl in the Steel Corset, Kady Cross

The Girl in the Steel Corset isn't my typical read. I picked it up at the library when a friend suggested it and started reading it when I got bored. I got hooked. This book is a steam punk twist on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Set in the the late eighteen hundreds its a creative, unique read that is worth every line.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one... except the "thing" inside her.
When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch...
Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gas lit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.
Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.
But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on even if it seems no one believes her. 

I was really surprised when I enjoyed this book. It didn't sound that promising but the further I got into the book the more I enjoyed it. With fight scenes, balls, the queen of England, and a man determined to take over the world with robots the story is fast paced and full of dark twists that keep you on your toes.

One the things that really made me love the story was the characters. I loved every single one of them. Finley Jane and her struggle with both sides of her. Griffin the orphan Duke who just wants to help others like him. Emily and her quiet way of helping everyone. Sam and his struggle with the robot parts inside of him. Not to mention Jasper, and Jack Dandy.

Kady Cross creates a world that is both dark and hopeful. Her descriptions are so detailed that you feel like you are a part of the story with Finley Jane and the Machinist. The dresses that Finley wears! One of my favorite things about the Selection series by Kira Cass were the dress descriptions and that's true for this story as well. Silks, satin, lace, corsets, gloves, and little gadgets that went with Finley's everyday outfit made the book seem just a little bit more real.

Steam punk is really not my thing but this book was an exception. The robots were cool but I was mainly excited about the whole "steel corset" thing. Finley's darker self can lift heavy objects and take down a grown man but shes still able to be injured and when Emily created the corset for her I was genuinely excited.

The plot and story line were great. It was really a very different book. I've never read anything like it. The whole automatons thing was a bit strange to me and when the master plan of the machinists was revealed all I could think of was The Great Mouse Detective. Seriously it made me laugh but it was a bit more mature and scary then the cartoon I promise.

This book was amazing and I definitely plan on reading the rest of the series.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Author: Kady Cross
Genre: Science Fiction/Steampunk
Published: May 24, 2011

Book Review: A Faeries Secret by Rachel Morgan

“I know the evil that exists. I know the terrible things people do to each other. I’ve lived it. I’ve survived it. But just because I’ve seen the palette of dark colors doesn’t mean I have to paint the rest of my world that way. I can choose the bright colors instead. I can see them, paint them, draw them, surround myself with them like a loud, glorious song drowning out all the darkness in the world.” 
- A Faeries Secret, Rachel Morgan

{If you haven't read the first three books then this review will contain spoilers. Check out my review for the third book here}

The fourth book in the series is one of my favorites. Absolutely loved it. I thought I wasn't going to enjoy it since Violet and Ryn weren't the main characters but I think I might actually enjoy Calla more.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Calla Larkenwood wants nothing more than to be a guardian, but her overprotective mother has never allowed it. When circumstances change and Calla finally gets to join a Guild, she discovers guardian trainee life isn’t all she hoped it would be. Her classmates are distant, her mentor hates her, and keeping her Griffin Ability a secret is harder than she thought. Then an initiation game goes wrong, landing Calla with a magical ability she can’t control. She needs help—and the only way she can get it is by bargaining with the guy who just discovered her biggest secret. 

Join beloved characters and new heroes as the bestselling Creepy Hollow series continues.

Diving back into the Fae world with a different set of main characters was a little confusing at first but after a couple of pages I was hooked. Actually I came to enjoy Calla more then I ever enjoyed Violet. I think maybe that was because Calla wasn't quite so good as Violet. Everything seemed to work out for Violet but Calla seemed to have a bit more trouble with her life and that made her a more interesting character.

With that said I did fangirl when Ryn and Violet showed back up. Seriously if you have read the first three books and liked them (*cough, cough* LOVED THEM) then you must read this book. Ten years later and where are Ryn and Violet at this point in their lives? Just go read it please and then we can fangirl together.

Calla is a fighter. She wants nothing more than to go to the Guild and train to be a guardian. She secretly trains for years, and then once her parents agree she takes four years of training and testing in a few weeks. But of course she gets a nasty trainer and mean students who give her an impossible initiation. And when that goes wrong she meets Chase. 

I loved Ryn in the fist three books (if you read my reviews for the first three then you know this) but Chase came out on top.  Hes secretive but at the same time he genuinely cares for Calla. When she gets into trouble hes there to help her get through it.And that ending?! Just wow okay? Wow.

I loved how Rachel brought in some of the old characters and gave them a twist. Of course Calla was there for the first book, but shes all grown up and doesn't need her overprotective older brother there to tell her what to do thank you very much. 

The story is a fresh look into the Fae world and I loved every second of it. If you enjoyed the first three then you need to go get your copy now. 

My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Author: Rachel Morgan
Genre: Fantasy
Published: June 16, 2015

Book Review: The Faerie Prince by Rachel Morgan

“I love the fact that I've know you all my life. It just feels right when you're beside me. It feels like I've been lost in the desert for years, and ... I've finally come home.”  
- The Faerie Prince, Rachel Morgan

{If you have not read the first book, The Faerie Guardian then this post will contain spoilers. Check out my review for the first book here}

I finished the first book a little sad. I finished the second book with a giant hole where my heart should have been. Rachel Morgan completely destroyed me. But in a good way. 

Burying her broken heart deep inside of her, Violet puts here complete focus on graduation. Her lifelong goal has been to graduate at the top of her class, and bringing Nate into the Fae realm has put her behind. 

When she receives her final assignment shes positive she'll finish with top marks. Until she finds out who her assignment partner is. Her ex-friend turned enemy now ex-enemy sort of friend, Ryn. 

Ryn's a great fighter and all but their "friend" status is still new and awkward. Anything could set off the need to kill each other again. But Violets determined to finish as the head of her class and heads off with Ryn to make her dream come true.

 But with a crazy Unseelie Prince still on the lose, collecting talented faeries, and hunting Violet things quickly take a turn for the worst. Throw in a couple magical storms, a faerie queen, a broken heart on the mend, and a murder within the Guild and Violets set for the biggest fight yet. 

I think its safe to say that this book is crazy.  Rachel Morgan takes us on a crazy ride and makes us question everything we learned in the first book. Everything starts to connect and we begin to see the big picture but with some of the pieces missing its so frustrating! All I wanted was for Violet to realize were her heart belongs and for Nate to go find a little card board box to live in.  But no! We have to save the world first. Stupid heroes. 

Creepy Hollow is definitely one of my favorite fictional worlds. One of my favorite parts was the Unseelie court.  Rachel Morgan puts everything into such detail you feel like you've been there before. Oh and mermaids? Yes please. 

If you enjoyed the first book then you'll probably love this one. I definitely liked it more then the first one. And no it didn't have anything to do with the change in Ryn and Violets relationship:)

My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Author: Rachel Morgan
Genre: Fantasy
Published: May 30, 2013

Book Review: Coraline by Neil Gaiman

"Be wise.
Be brave.
Be tricky."
- Coraline, Neil Gaiman

I read Coraline thinking it would be a funny, light read.  It wasn't.  Actually I'm surprised it was even in the children's section. I'm pretty sure if I had read this when I was ten I would have never been able to open up doors again.

The story starts off with a small girl moving into a dreary, grey house that has been separated into four different flats.  A crazy old man training mice lives above, two old actresses live bellow, and another is empty.

Coraline's parents are usually working and leave her alone for the most part.  Bored and angry with them she begins to explore the woods around the house. A sassy black cat appears a few times but besides that the place is a vast empty grey.

So Coraline begins to explore the house.

She decides that the man upstairs is quite crazy.  Miss. Spink and Miss. Forcible from bellow tell interesting stories but they also seem to be cracked as they insist that she is in danger and give her rock as protection.

Her own house is fairly quiet until she can't get a door open.  When she ask her mom about it they open the door and theres a solid brick wall behind it. Coralines parents tell her that it used to lead into the empty flat and its been bricked for privacy but Coraline feels like something strange is going on.


After her parents are gone Coraline grabs the keys and unlocks the door.  Instead of a solid wall of bricks Coraline finds a long, dark passage.  Something scurries through the blackness and Coraline starts to walk down into the dark.  A light ahead appears and she finds herself back in the kitchen, her mother at the stove.  But when her mom turns her eyes are two large black buttons.

Neil Gaimans books are full of all things dark and sinister. Coraline isn't an exception. The idea that "another" mother with buttons for eyes in the next flat over wants you is probably one of the scariest things ever.

Coraline has a very big heart. That was one of the things I loved about the book. Shes angry at her parents in the beginning but as it progresses she starts to realize just how much she loves them and fights to get them back.

Same with the ghosts of the past children who are in the mirror. Coraline feels so sorry for them and tries to save them from the "other" mother.

And then theres the sarcastic black cat that keeps showing up. My heart was so happy when Coraline made sure that the cat made it home.

I recommend this book to anyone whose a fan of classic horror stories.  The spooky "the monster under the bed" theme is perfect for October.

 Thanks for reading!

My Rating: 4/5 Stars
 Author: Neil Gaiman
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Published: January 2002
Art: Dave McKean