Hero Worship by Christopher E. Long

This review was written by: B

Received: Library

Publication Date of Book: January 2014
Pages: 233

Stars: (4/5)

It's easy to root for a winner, but it takes integrity to root for someone who's outgunned yet stays in the game to the bitter end.
-Marvin's Father

Marvin Maywood lives in a corrupted world where only the Core, a group of the greatest super heroes, is a shining light through the darkness.  It's Marvin's deepest desire to join the Core, but this is impossible. After Marvin discovers that he is an IWP (Individual With Powers), he goes to get tested, a government requested action that must be exercised if a one begins to manifest powers.  His results come back with a devastating end result telling him that he's a "dirty."  It turns out that his powers are fueled by others' fears.  This means that, like all other dirties, he may not use his powers to gain a profit.  This privilege is only an option for the "clean," those who are allowed to use their powers for monetary purposes.  If they are caught illegally using their powers, the authorities are allowed to take them into custody.  For this reason, Marvin refuses to usitlize his gifts.

Years after this horrible news, Marvin's a runaway who lives with two other dirties, Yvonne and Kent.  Still refraining to use his abilities, he takes up a normal occupation that includes working at the Midtown Cafe under a strange yet comforting man named Gus. Yvonne and Kent have no problem using their dirty powers for money and exercise them daily so that they can live without picking up an honest job.  Marvin still longs to be a member of the Core and dreams of joining them in their never ending battle of good against evil.

One night, Marvin finds a family in trouble on his stroll home from work.  While the attackers are armed and vicious, Marvin is determined to help these innocent people.  No matter what others say, no one should stand by, clean or dirty, while helpless people are being wronged.  Powering up from the surrounding fear, he saves the parents and their little boy.  Soon after, his story is all over the news, an unfortunate kickback after his heroic endeavors.  It's then that someone by the name of Eliza comes by the cafe soon after.  She claims to be one of the Core's very own super heroes, Roisin.  She promises that she is going to give Marvin the opportunity to try out for the Core.  This unexpected happenstance leaves Marvin reeling.  He finally has the opportunity and means to fulfill his utmost desire, but can this be real?  He has been labeled "dirty" after all.  Deciding to take Eliza up on her offer, Marvin starts to do all that she tells him, losing and distancing himself from the rest of his world, including his friends, job, and sense of right and wrong.  After finding out more about the inner workings of the Core, Marvin believes that they might not be the heroes he loved to worship.  Something dark and sinister is going on within it.  Will the secrets suffocate him, locking him up inside the insane web of deception, or will Marvin rise above it all and be the true hero that he always thought he could be?

Marvin Maywood is such an interesting character.  He's driven by his past mistakes and regrets, a trait that various people can easily connect with.  He's also the type of guy who has a strong sense of justice and a need to practice what he preaches.  It's not hard to observe that Marvin has a strong connection with this friends, even to the extent in which he challenges and changes their own habits and ideals.  It's evident that his desire for good rubs off on both Yvonne and Kent in such a remarkable way.  Maywood's inner struggle to figure out the correct paths to take when Roisin shows up and yanks him by the collar is a true and honest battle that is described like a true war that we humans encounter countless times over and over again.  Sure, Marvin sometimes fell short of himself and staggered towards becoming a different person entirely, but he was a real fighter, a true hero.  He knew who he was, who he is, and who he wanted to be.  Nothing could get in the way of that.  This is definitely a plus on Long's writing style and character building.

In some cases, writing a book with super heroes is difficult.  Do they live in a world like ours or is it different?  What's the extent of which someone's powers can reach?  Are there rules to their powers?  I can only imagine the extensive building it takes to create something like that, and really, this applies to all books.  I think that Mr. Long did a great job doing that in his book.  The action scenes were well placed and not to mention perfectly written.  I have come across some books that just come up dry when action or battles hit the story.  Whether it's the improper execution or confusing descriptions,  they're sometimes just not easy to follow or read.  This was not he case with Hero Worship.  Long's conflicts were nicely done.

At the end of the day, I was pretty happy with this book.  There was action, a little bit of romance, and tons of super heroes!  These types of books or just stories about people with any power(s) in general make me happy.  I guess that these characters hold something that we all want, even if it's just a little. That is, we want to make a difference in more than simply a small way. Hero Worship was a decent super hero book.  It was even funny at points.  It just wasn't one of my all time favorite crime fighting books which is why I gave it four out of five stars.  Nonetheless, if you love this type of thing or are a huge comic book lover, absolutely give this one a try.  You can definitely see this book play out just like a comic book, a unique quality for a chapter book

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Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

This review was written by: C

Received: Library

Publication Date of Book: May 2012
Pages: 324

Stars: (4.5/5)

Here is a short summary of the book:
Emma is just your average teenager until a sudden tragic accident changes her life forever. While vacationing with her friend, Chloe, Emma literally stumbles into Galen, a cute young man who also happens to be a merman (although, his species prefers the term 'Syrena'). Galen immediately recognizes Emma's violet eyes as a Syrena trait, but her white hair does not fit the profile (apparently all Syrena have dark hair). He also finds it strange that she lives among humans, as this is a direct violation of Syrena law. After her embarrassing run-in with Galen and his sister, Rayna, Emma and Chloe go surfing. They are a fair distance from the beach when a shark attack ensues. Chloe is drug below the surface and Emma in powerless to help her friend, nonetheless she dives in after Chloe. Emma attempts to pull her from the shark's jaws, but these attempts are futile. In her frustration she commands the shark to drop Chloe, and to her surprise, the shark complies. The lifeguard arrives and pulls Emma and Chloe into the boat, however, Chloe is no longer alive. Unbeknownst to Emma, Galen saw the events transpire and was unable to get there in time to save the day. He also witnessed her strange ability to command the shark, a gift that only the direct descendants of Poseidon are known to possess.
Emma finds it extremely difficult to continue on after the death of her best friend and is completely oblivious as to how she will survive the school year alone. Galen, who just happens to be a Syrena prince and the ambassador for the Syrena and humans, wants to learn more about Emma and thus sets out to find her. He finds her school and immediately enrolls in the hopes of getting closer to Emma and finding out who and what she truly is. A few strange events transpire and Emma learns that she is actually half Syrena. She begins a complicated relationship with Galen as he teaches her about his world and the abilities that she may soon possess. She also learns that the Syrena are split into two groups, those under the descendants of Poseidon and those under the descendants of Triton. Both royal houses are supposed to carry a strange talent within their bloodlines. It is possible for the royals of Poseidon to inherit the ability to command the animals of the sea and the royal descendants of Triton are supposed to have an ability that enables them to have some sort of control over the water (this exact gift is not completely explained, as no descendant has actually inherited it yet).
Galen is also keeping a crucial detail away from Emma. If she truly possesses the gift of Poseidon, she must mate with Galen's older brother, Grom (a descendant of Triton), in order to keep the gifts alive and ensure the survival of the Syrena. The only problem is that Galen truly loves her and would never want her to end up with his older brother, a man that still loves his lost mate, Nalia.


At first, I thought this book would just be one of those typical mermaid tales in which a girl finds out she can grow a tail and goes to live as a royal fish under the sea. I was totally wrong. There was more depth than I thought there would be, and there were some fairly interesting plot twists (but so some were a bit predictable). I loved the fact that Emma was a strong female character that formed her own thoughts and was not afraid to voice her own opinions. There was also tons of humor and minor characters that kept the story fresh and interesting.
I loved the fact that Galen turned out to be a bit naive whenever human girls entered the picture, which just made the story even more hilarious. For an ambassador between humans and Syrena, he did not quite understand human customs and word choices (as he often mixed up the terms "mating" and "dating"). His constant bickering relationship with his younger sister, Rayna, brought a lighter tone to the story, too. Rayna and her mate, Toraf, had a great love/hate relationship that displayed how one can showcase their love and another refuses to acknowledge it.
It was a bit predictable when another character that 'possessed' Emma's gift was introduced. It seemed that Galen's and Emma's relationship just might become possible, and suddenly all hope was ripped away. The ending was also a complete cliffhanger!!!! I must read what happens next!

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The Thickety: A Path Begins by J.A. White

This review was written by: B

Received: Library

Publication Date of Book: May 2014
Pages: 496

Stars: (5/5)

Happy endings, Kara often suspected, could only be earned through some sort of sacrifice.
-The Thickety: A Path Begins by J.A. White

Kara Westfall lives on a peculiar island, isolated from the World.  The strange villagers of this land follow the teachings of Timoth Clen, a man who, years ago, eradicated witches and their disastrous magic. Waiting for Clen's return, they follow very specific rules such as don't wish for anything and, most importantly, never practice magic. While the rest of the World continues on into the indefinite future, they stay put in their own time and only specific people may venture out on ships to get the supplies that are needed from the outside.  More importantly, the villagers stay clear of the Thickety, a secluded piece of forest that surrounds part of the island's border.  It is here that the demon, Sordyr, is rumored to reside.  Fearful of even the mention of magic, trouble quickly ensues when Kara's mother is tested for deceitful witchcraft.  At the fragile age of six, Kara sees her mother murdered in front of the whole island.  It is at this time, that Kara is also tested for using magic.  After great hesitation, she is finally declared innocent.

Years later, Kara is living with her younger brother, Taff, and her broken father, who hasn't been the same since his beloved wife died, simply scribbling in the same book day after day.  Confused, Kara is conflicted between feeling love or hatred towards her late mother, a now renowned and infamous witch.  The villagers haven't treated her as they once had, with love and compassion, for six years.  With her being a spitting image of her mother, with dark hair and not to mention a peculiar gift with animals that isn't a common normalcy, she is shunned, with only one true friend beside her dear brother, Lucas.  Kara's been told that her mother murdered two people with her father as a witness.  It was an awful endeavor, they said.  Her life almost seems not worth living, being poor day to day and looking after Taff who is frequently sick with fever every time you turn around, but now life, while not perfect, will soon take a turn for better or far worse.

Being lead by a mysterious bird, Kara is forced to travel into the mysterious and foreboding Thickety, a woods full of dark shadows, writhing shadows, and strange, unbelievable creatures.  Once there, she finds a grimoire, a book full of strong magical powers that might be her mother's very own spell book.  This is the story of her journey with magic and the holds it ties to her.  Being lured by Sordyr himself, the demon with hands made of branches and a body frighteningly cloaked in orange, her life is quickly hurtling towards darkness and even her own destruction.

J. A. White wrote a simply fabulous first installment that will undoubtedly become part of an amazing series.  I have always been looking for a good witchy book to devour but never got to do so until now.  This wasn't because I was hesitant, but because they were never at my disposal.  This was a great way to start off my adventures with this topic.  I like to believe that The Thickety: A Path Begins is one of those books that is fun to read at night, under your covers, with only a flashlight as your friend.  Even though so many people call it a middle grade novel, the writing is so diverse that I feel that it can fit into more than one category.  It can be read by a middle grader, a young adult, and maybe even some adults.  J. A. White has such a voice that makes it blur between the lines so that countless people can enjoy it.  It has magic, friendship, trials, and tribulations.  At the end of the day, though, it seems that family is also very prominent in the story.  I was so warmed by the development of Kara's helpless father into someone she could easily talk to and count on.

As you may have already heard, The Thickety: A Path Begins does have violence and "gore."  However, White conveys these happenings in such a fashion in which you know what happened, but it wasn't something that was described in detail, almost "swept under the rug," if you will.  For example, one character lost a few fingers at one point, but it was written so that you knew what occurred without going into the bloody details.  It was simply a part of the story line.  People are killed, bad things happen, and darkness is a part of everything.  That's what makes this book so interesting, the darkness fighting the light, the lies pitted against the truth.  It captivated me.  Kara struggled with the grimoire.  It blackened her heart and turned her into someone different.  Her character changes were so fascinating and very well portrayed.  For a middle grade novel it was amazing!  I have never read one like it.  I wasn't expecting so many of the twists and turns that the author presented to me.  It was a brilliant piece of work!  The ending about killed me, I was so not ready for it.  But, as Kara said, happy endings could only be earned through some sort of sacrifice.

If you have the opportunity to read this captivating tale, you should definitely do so!  If you are worried about whether or not your child should read it, then maybe wait for it.  Some nine or ten year olds may enjoy this spooky book while others may be frightened.  In the end, you may want to wait until they are twelve.  If you're an adult or young adult, take the chance on The Thickety: A Path Begins.  I hope you enjoy it just as much as I did.  I'm simply dying for the next one and am so excited to read more and more by Mr. White!!!!!  He's definitely an exceptional author who can twist a tale like no other.

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The Actual & Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher by Jessica Lawson

This review was written by: B

Received: Library

Publication Date of Book: July 2014
Pages: 224

 Stars: (4/5)  

 I kept my eyes down and picked at the scab on my knee, afraid to look up at her. Gently, she cupped my chin in her hand and tilted my head up to meet hers.  "You leave that scab alone, you hear me?  Keep picking and picking at something like that, making it bleed over and over, and your whole leg will be ruined.  Knees and hearts take enough bruising from life as it is.  They ain't meant to be beat up by your own self."
       -Miss Ada     


To be truthful, I was very hesitant going into this book.  It is very rare for me to not love a piece of literature that I pick up.  I'm funny like that, always enjoying every book.  That being said, I really respect and enjoy some of Mark Twain's work, but "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" simply wasn't for me.  When a friend of mine at the library offered "The Actual and Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher" as a possible read, I was skeptical.  In the end, I promised them that I would read it and then hoped for the best.  The end result is simply WOW!  Jessica Lawson blew me away!  Before I get too carried away with my thoughts on this subject, I'll give you a little overview on what to expect in Jessica's book. 

Becky Thatcher's family recently moved to St. Petersburg, Missouri, in an attempt to start over.  Once her dear older brother, Jon, died roughly a year ago, her father, Judge Thatcher, decided they needed a change.  Becky's mother, yet to fully get over her son's death, keeps to herself and has faltered in her attempt to start living again.  To keep her brother close, Becky wears Jon's old overalls in hopes to make it feel as though the pressure building in her chest is  Jon's arms around her instead of the grief that threatens to overwhelm Becky's very being.  Not only does she do this, she also carries around his precious bag of marbles wherever she goes.  She promised that she'd take them on all of her adventures so that he can be a part of them as well.  Now, all Becky has to do is find adventures in this sleepy little town.

While Judge Thatcher frequently asks his daughter to start acting like a lady and grow up while taking responsibility, Becky continues to spit cherry pits, sneak out of the house at night, and make trouble.  It's not a big surprise when she quickly befriends one of the town's well known troublemakers, Sid Sawyer.  Sid lives with his tattletale younger brother, Tom, and their Aunt Polly.  Sid loves adventures while Tom's too scared to have one of his own.  With Sid's bosom friend, Joe, they strike a deal with Becky to steal from the Widow Douglas, the "town witch."  Becky then makes friends with Amy whose father happens to be the town drunk.  Amy's still going through the long lasting effects of her mother's death, bonding the two girls through a tie of loss.  Amy is then recruited in the Widow Douglas extravaganza.  In their preparation of gathering graveyard soil prior to their thievery job so they can protect themselves from the "witch," they see more than they bargained for.  Wanted murders are in Becky and Amy's sight.  Perhaps Becky got more than she bargained for in the adventure department.  What will happen next, and what in the world did these two get themselves into?           

In the middle of this well-written story is Samuel Clemens, also known as the famous Mark Twain, right in the center of Becky's adventures.  He's staying with the Sawyer family while waiting for the parts of his broken boat to come in.  He's consistently found writing down his thoughts and things that the children tell him, such as the idea of attending your own funeral (wink wink for those "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" fans) and having adventures for those who are too afraid to embark on them.

Jessica Lawson wrote a fantastic novel that really made me interested in what her story was played off of.  I never in a million years believed that I would enjoy something like this, but I did truly and unexpectedly love it!  To explain to you what this book is about, I must use an excerpt from Lawson's "Author's Note" page: This novel is meant to be an origin story, suggesting that Clemens's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was actually inspired by a happenstance stop in a small Missouri town during the author's river piloting days and, more specifically, by the adventures of a young girl he encountered there, Becky Thatcher. While I realize that this was not the reason for Mark Twain's book, it was imaginative and intriguing, not to mention clever on Jessica's part. 

I loved how every character in this book was depicted as someone so distinct and different from Mark Twain's original creations.  Sid and Tom practically swapped places.  No longer is Sid the tattletale and the "good child."  Tom has taken up that role.  Becky isn't the sweet girl who is engaged to Tom Sawyer, a friendless little boy in this story.  Becky is someone entirely different, and she was so well voiced, a superb strong presence.  Full of drive, courage, and loss, she's certainly a character not to be rivaled with.  The character of Sam Clemens was my ultimate favorite to read about.  Every time he showed up, he was so captivating to hear about and listen to.  The way that Lawson decided how certain things or people, such as Huck's character and the original Tom formed by this new one, got to be represented in the timeless and classic tales was so brilliant.  I was caught smiling at the end.

What truly amazed me in this book is something of a theme that I keep mentioning: loss.  It didn't weigh down the story too much, but its presence was there nonetheless.  The book had such profound thoughts on the subject.  This was shown in Becky's heart and mind which never stopped wondering when her mother would get over her deceased son and start to spend time with the one who was still living.  Becky realizes that Jon's death isn't something so easily forgotten, he'll always be there even if he's not with them, but she still deals with the struggle daily.  When Becky's mother refuses to acknowledge many of Becky's actions, Miss Thatcher's left with a feeling of being dead to her mother.  I never expected this subject matter in The Actual and Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher's content.  However, it was such an enrichment to the story.  It made me love Becky more and realize what an amazing character she truly was.

All in all, The Actual and Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher was a fabulous read.  However, I did lose interest in the book for twenty or so pages, henceforth the four stars, but I was quickly thrown headfirst back into the story once the adventure began again with no ending in site.  While Jessica's writing style was similar to that of Twain's own voice (an on purpose action, I'm sure), she also put her own heart into it.  It was great!   If you loved Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn, I'm certain that you'll love this book just as much.  It's funny, endearing, and a true voice in today's literature.  If you haven't read Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn's stories yet or didn't like them so much maybe you should give this book a try.  If you've never heard of or read those books, read this book anyway because it is definitely something to consider.  You might be surprised.  I know I sure was, and who knows...maybe I'll go and pick up The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and give it a try...all thanks to Jessica Lawson!

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Grim edited by Christine Johnson

This review was written by: B

Received: Library

Publication Date of Book: February 2014
Pages: 476

Stars: (4.5/5)

Honestly, I originally hadn't been one for anthologies. They had never struck me as interesting or worth reading because they simply didn't pique my interest. However, my friend recommended the book Rags and Bones: New Twists on Timeless Tales. For the first time, I fell in love with an anthology! The stories were intriguing and unique, especiallyThe Cold Corner by Tim Pratt. This collection of stories led me to this book, Grim. Each author wove a story based on a classic Wilhelm and Jacob tale. The retellings were equally fresh, scary, and even endearing. There wasn't a single story that I hated or even remotely disliked. However, I simply liked some more than others. Certain ones caught my eye while others fell slightly into the background, but I enjoyed them none the less. This book contains 17 short stories, written by 17 fabulous authors! The outside covering is stunning, and a ribbon is even placed in the book. (That's definitely a done deal for me!) 

The following is a short summary of what each story is about as well as my thoughts on them:

The Key by Rachel Hawkins
Lana's mother is a psychic, inviting clients into the trailer that her and her daughter live in. Little do people know, Lana is also a psychic who can see hints or impressions of what's on others' minds. When she touches one of their possessions, she can tell her mother about the client before she has a reading with them. One day, two of her classmates come to her humble home in hopes of a successful session with Lana's mother. Milly wishes to find out what's happened to her best friend Kimberly, a girl who has disappeared several moths prior. Skye, Kimberly's former boyfriend and the school's gorgeous heartthrob, has come to support Milly and her decision to find out more about Kimberly's tragic disappearance. Lana, doing her mother's bidding by touches Lana's ring, sees something very distressing. What really happened to Kimberly?
While this story was one of the shortest ones, I still really enjoyed it. The ambiance of the tale just drew me in and threw me headfirst into Lana's life. I just felt a natural intrigue surrounding Rachel's writing and was pleasantly surprised by how much I really liked it. The Key was a great start to Grim, leaving you with a cliffhanger to definitely contemplate. 

Figment by Jeri Smith-Ready
Eli's father, Gordon Wylde, was a one hit wonder back when he was in the music business. Dying at the tragic age of 45 during a boating accident, he leaves Eli "the most." While he had three sons, he decided to give Eli a package containing a short note and a little stuffed cat toy. He was instructed to keep this cat at his side at all times if he ever wanted to succeed in life. Even though his father's gift was supposed to be the most loyal friend he ever had, he was skeptical at first. His father had cast the cat aside out of arrogance, and Eli thought it was worthless until it started to communicate with him. It turns out that the cat is a figment who awakens when someone believes in him, allowing the cat to communicate to the believer silently. The figment also has the ability to persuade people if they acknowledge its presence, meaning that he has to be out in the open for people to see him. This good luck charm begins to truly befriend Eli and replace his so called friends, Jules, Vanessa, and Ty. Eli has exquisite musical talent that the figment can use to make him famous with a little luck. 
This story was definitely my favorite. It was cute, sweet, and heartfelt. It touches your heart, rips it out, and then puts it back together. I truly wish that it could have been a full length novel. This twist on Puss in Boots was fantastic. The writing style was excellent and definitely felt real. Guess who wants to read more by Jeri Smith-Ready? 

The Twelfth Girl by Malinda Lo
Sloane is a boarding school for girls. Among the multitude of teenagers to attend it, there are twelve who are treated very differently from the rest. They're allowed to be late for classes and leave campus without being properly reprimanded, almost like they're immune to authority. Harley, the leader of the twelve, possesses a natural quality that makes others want to follow and flock to her. Liv is no exception. She desperately desires to be one of the twelve mysterious girls who rule campus. However, only if one girl leaves the twelves is another chosen, meaning it is especially hard to be one of them when no one wants to leave it. Every night, the 12 go out dancing. This is no secret to anyone. However, Liv has an impulse to go to Madam Sofia, a psychic in town. Sofia tells her that no matter what happens, she must not join those alluring girls. Not soon after, Harley's younger sister leaves the group and Liv is asked to join. She obviously says yes and is transported to a world she never could have dreamed of. It's true that every night they go dancing, but they open a door under Harley's bed to get there. This door is almost like a gateway to the same club even though it sometimes changes names. It's occasionally called Aaru, a part of Egyptian mythology that is a heavenly paradise where souls exist in pleasure for all eternity, and other times it's Magh Meall, a realm in Irish mythology where eternal beauty is placed. While everything seems amazing, what really happened to the girls who left the 12? What's really going on? Why do only those specific girls get treated special at school? What was with Madam Sofia's warning, and what else does the woman know?
Malinda Lo's story was a great take on The Twelve Dancing Princesses. It was equally amazing and eerie with a dark conclusion. 

The Raven Princess by Jon Skovron
Accidentally cursed as a small child by her mother, the princess is forced to live the life of a raven. Cohabiting with the wilderness, she is waiting for the right person to break her unfortunate fate. Heartbroken by her awful deed, the guilt ridden queen leaves the castle as well. It is in this tale that an unlikely hero arises. A hunter, who can't bring himself to kill or even aim at a living thing, finds the princess and promises that he will try to save her. Confident in his kind heart, she hopes that he will assist her. This story is his journey with giants, thieves, and a giant glass hill. Will he be able to save her or will she stay a raven forever?
I have to admit, this story, while being a fun read, just didn't grab my attention as much as some of the others did. However, I didn't dislike it either. It had an unexpected ending that I did not see coming and a wonderful closing. I have to admit, I was truly happy to find that Skovron included the giants as a couple who loved each other even though they were both males. This same gender pairing was sweet and refreshing.

Thinner Than Water by Saundra Mitchell 
Within the kingdom of Flamen, the breathtaking queen died during childbirth, making the king promise to never marry again unless he found someone as beautiful as she was. Years later, the king notices that his daughter is beautiful beyond compare to his deceased wife and decides that he shall marry her. Naturally repulsed by this idea, she keeps her mouth shut in fear of committing a crime punishable by death. Scared, she writes a letter to Regina Vatia, the queen of the nearby land called Lycea. She is given the advice to ask her father, now her future husband, to make her bride-price a gown made of sunlight. She does as instructed, believing this to be an impossible task. Later, she asks for a stola made of moonlight and a palla made of starlight after she finds the dress to be fully made. Her father wrongs her, but the court refuses to do anything. They will do whatever it takes to bend the rules for the king. 
This story, while disturbing, was served with a side of vengeance. Mitchell conveys the princess's feelings with ease, making the reader feel extremely repulsed and disgusted as soon as the story begins. It is easy to side with the the female lead, but the justification was no doubt gruesome.

Before the Rose Bloomed: A Retelling of the Snow Queen by Ellen Hopkins
The Demon King, a fallen angel, took a liking to a human girl, deciding to marry her. When he came to her, she promptly refused, making him desire revenge. Being particularly clever, he crafted a mirror from enchanted ice. Once she gazed into it, all things beautiful would become ugly. The princess refused the gift, infuriating the demon. He flew away, dropping the mirror along the way. Shards of it were attracted to the princess and pierced each of her eyes while another burrowed into her heart. Now, she was cursed to never know love. To break the curse, a human must come to her on the winter solstice where their heart must thaw hers. Hearing of a couple, Greta and K, who love each other so deeply, she desired to see them. She stole K away in the night, compelling him to follow her to her palace. A piece of the dreaded ice mirror got stuck in his right eye while another struck his heart. He no longer has any memory of Greta. As the story proceeds, Greta, a strong and love driven girl, stops at nothing to retrieve K. This is her adventure into unknown lands and territory to save the life of one boy.
The story was written unlike any of the others. That's what I remember most about it, how it was laid out like a poem. Sometimes, I felt detached from the plot line and not always interested in it, almost as though I couldn't keep enthralled with the story, but this was saved by the uplifting and hopeful ending.

Beast/Beast by Tessa Gratton
Beauty is tricked into touching a very specific rose that forces her to travel to the castle of the Beast. His home, place of confinement, is unwelcome in Beauty's life. An intimidating wall made of granite blocks extinguishes all hopes of escape that are in her mind. Ghosts surround her, presenting her with meals, combing her hair, and taking care of countless other necessities. While consistently declining the Beast's offer to marry him during their evening meals, she is perplexed by his dark blue eyes, elongated tusks, and skin made of both bark and fur. Could she ever bring herself to love him with these feelings bubbling up inside of her? Can these feelings save him?
Gratton's story is about a Beauty who fiercely fights back against her captor, turning into a "beast" as well. This was a very interesting take on Beauty and the Beast for sure.

The Brothers Piggett by Julie Kagawa
Percival Piggett lives in a nameless village that's surrounded by a mysterious forest with a rumored witch living on its outskirts. It is here that Percival runs a shop with his brothers, Peter and Pedro. Because Percival is larger than most, he has trouble talking to others due to his shyness and weight. However, when people make fun of him, they mysteriously disappear. In the middle of this madness he falls hard for Maya Thornton, the granddaughter of the rumored "witch." Her green eyes and dark hair lure him to her, along with her sweet personality. They two get along well and everything seems to be going swell for them until Percival sees something that shatters his heart into a million pieces. Is this a misunderstanding? What is going to happen to him and Maya, and what truly happened to the missing people?
Kagawa turned a story that had a special twist on the Three Little Pigs. It was perfectly placed and a good read all together.

Untethered by Sonia Gensler
Claire's family is going through a great loss with only her boyfriend to comfort her. Sadness and grief follow her everywhere since a tragic car accident changed her life forever. While her mother is so depressed that she's barely living, her sister is bothering her almost more. Every night, at the same time, Claire feels something like an electric pulse and then her sister walks by their bedroom door. No one can move on. Claire repetitively tries to anchor her sister down so that she can communicate with her, but she never can. How can one move on when no one else can?
Gensler definitely threw a curve ball at me. I was surprised by who was really dead! This was a fabulous take on The Shroud. I loved every piece of it including the mystery, the grief, and the love.

Better by Shaun David Hutchinson
Pip was made to cure those with the Disease ravaging every child aboard the space ship, the Hamelin. The only person not in comatose is Levi, a boy envied by all of the other parents for his life. This odd pairing, a dying boy and artificial human being, was amazing! After being told by Levi's father that his research with her is going nowhere and that she must be shut down, she makes a bargain for one more month of life so that she can try to save Levi. These two teenagers fall for each other hard while each of their time clocks rapidly expire. Her only hope is in Project Twig. Despite her race against time to save the ship's children, everyone but Levi fears her and wants her gone. They say that she isn't human and therefore can't feel human emotions. What is Project Twig and can Levi really be saved? Can those aboard the ship ever feel anything besides disgust towards those like Pip? What does it mean to be human? Read this awesome story to find out!
This is undoubtedly another one of my top favorites, despite the ending. I loved it soooooo much! Each character felt genuine and real, even if they weren't fully human! However, I wasn't really convinced that Levi's character would have agreed to what Pip did at the ending. 

Light It Up by Kimberly Derting
Hansen, an AXE loving guy, and Greta, his older sister who's addicted t smoking, are left in the woods by their greedy step-mother. They wander the woods with nothing by AXE spray, a lighter, and some food. Lucky for them they smell smoke, a sure sign that someone is near by who can save them. What even better luck that the smoke was created by a park ranger. Well, maybe it wasn't such good luck. What's with the weird stakes he feeds them? They can't possibly be made from beef. The drink he gives them is even weirder. Why are they getting so sleepy? Well, I'm sure you can guess where this is going. Greta wakes up in a cage and is determined to get out and find her brother from certain death.
This was my favorite creepy story in the anthology. It was dark, twisted, but a really great read, too! I love this story compared to the original Hansel and Gretal!

Sharper Than a Serpant's Tongue by Christine Johnson
One day, Clara is given the gift of flowers and jewels that will fall out of her mouth whenever she talks. She is given this by their neighbor, Mrs. Swanson, when Clara is abused by her grandson but promises not to say anything. Dina finds out that something bad happened to her and storms to Mrs. Swanson's house. The old woman makes frogs and snakes fall from her mouth for being so rude. Their mother tells Dina to leave them while Clara is to provide their mother with the money needed for her to buy alcohol. Dina asks her to go with her, but Clara refuses. In the end, Dina looks like she might have a bright future ahead of her despite the "curse" put on her while her sister is left with their drunk mother.
This story was pretty interesting and asks the question: Who is really the CURSED one?

A Real Boy by Claudia Gray
Blue lives in a world where robots are common, and you leave school to start work at the age of twelve. You don't get to choose your job but are instead given the assessment test to determine your occupation. Blue was put into cybernetics where she learns to make robots. Blue's an excellent student who gets excellent marks on all of her papers. However, on the exterior she acts towards her peers with a straight face and as levelheaded person with no particular soft spots. When she is asked by Professor Jafet to help her on a special project, she thought it was because of her high marks and not because she is a girl who "doesn't get confused." Their project is Rowan, a robot unlike any other. Rowan is a beautiful, almost human robot instead of artificial like all of the other jerky, awkward, and soulless ones that she encounters daily. Professor Jafet said that she entrusted Rowan to Blue, to show him how a normal person acts. Blue and Rowan quickly develop feelings for each other only to have someone see him breech one of the three rules in robot protocol. Now Blue has to decide to either upgrade or downgrade him. Each option has its own risks, including him loosing all of his feelings for her.
This story was my second favorite. The two main characters were so adorable together that I just loved it, and better yet, it had a happy ending! I really do like happy endings!

Skin Trade by Myra McEntire
Three brothers, Locke, Calen, and Helm, frequently played as a band at the same club, but also spent much of their time as customers there. Many times they took different girls home with them only to return to the club the next night without them. Their activities are very mysterious. Despite the disappearing girls, countless other women flock to them. Locke has taken a particular interest in one girl who feels the same about him. When one of his brothers wants to take her home, he says that she belongs to him. Sinister things are going on behind locked doors in these brothers' shared home. Is the girl Locke has his eye on safe? What tragic practice are these men performing?
This story was definitely high on the freaky meter. I was repulsed by Calen and Helm and their "skin trade," but this made for a very weird and fascinating tale. Locke wants to change his ways because of that one girl, an intriguing turn in the story for the plot. The ending will definitely leave you with a creepy feeling.

Beauty and the Chad by Sarah Rees Brennan

After Beauty’s father was caught trying to steal flowers from the Beast’s castle garden, he promises to send his son to look after the horses in the stables as a form of repentance.   Seeing as he doesn’t have a son, he thought that he was being smart.  Beauty decides that this is dishonorable of her father and goes to the Beast to perform her father’s debt.  Beauty cuts her hair and finds the Beast happy to have a boy to look after his precious horses who are deathly afraid of him.  Apparently, many Beasts have occupied the castle.   A witch sends one there to learn a lesson and once they do, she sends another one to replace him.  This Beast is Chad.  Chad is very peculiar.  He’s a frat boy from our time who angered the witch, landing him in his own Beauty and the Beast fairy tale.  He starts to fall for Beauty even though he thinks she’s a boy because she is still charades as one.  (She hasn’t told him that she is a woman.)  She in turn falls for a modern day boy turned Beast.

This story was great!  Sarah brought in modern day speech that confused Beauty and her older way of speaking.  They were so cute together!  It was a great, funny, and refreshing take on the timeless and beloved “Beauty and the Beast”.

The Pink: A Grimm Story by Amanda Hocking

Queen Rose could not have a child despite the fact that it was her and her husband’s dearest wish.  In her despair, she fled to her beloved garden.  It was here that her sobs and bountiful tears were sent to heaven.  A person with the likeness of an angel came upon her and said that he would bless her with a child who would have the power to wish and have his desires fulfilled.  Soon after, Brenn was born.  His wishing gift was a well kept secret until the cook, a former convict, found out about it.  Still a young lad, Brenn was stolen by the cook and taken far away.  He told the boy that his parents were dead and that he saved him before the evil men could kill him, too.  Brenn, being young, believed the man.  Lonely, he wished himself a best friend.   As Brenn grows older, the cook can’t fool him or his companion so easily anymore.  What does fate have in store for all of them?

This was a good read.  I thought that it never truly dulled or became tiresome to read.  I enjoyed Brenn’s character as well as his loyalty to his friends and family.  It was a nice collection to the anthology.

Sell Out by Jackson Pearce

This was an amazing spin on Snow White.  “Prince Charming” lives his life with barely enough money to support himself and his father.  His only job revolves around his weird and unusual talent.  He has the ability to bring people back from the dead when he kisses them on the lips.  Rich people flock to the organization he works for to have family and friends resurrected by people like him.  One day he gets a job to bring back Elise Snow.  He has mixed feelings about this due to the fact that she was extremely rude to him when they went to the same school together not so long ago.  Elise’s stepmother offers him a bribe to not kiss her in exchange for money.  What will come out of his turmoil?

This was AMAZING!  I fell in love with this short story.  Jackson Pearce struck my attention from the beginning.  I wonder what this story would be like as a full length novel. Sell Out looks at how people change who they are from the people we once knew them to be.  It was quite fascinating and a truly intriguing read. 

So many of us love fairy tales.  No matter who we are, young or old, man or woman, they captivate us all.  Retellings and change ups in the stories are even more interesting.  We get to see our favorite tales turned into something new.  Grim was a fabulous collection of short stories that did all of their chosen tales justice.  I hope you find this to be just as true.  

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High Stakes by Brandy Schillace

This review was written by: C

Received: Free Electronic Copy from Author

Publication Date of Book: April 2014
Pages: 142

Stars: (4/5)

Short summary of the story:

Jacob Maresbeth is just your average sixteen-year-old boy, well, aside from his vampiric tendencies that is. As a child, Jacob developed a strange blood disorder that his father has come to call "epilemia." This disorder has a strange set of symptoms, including nocturnal habits, fast healing, and, of course, the consumption of blood.  This is why one should not be surprised that Jacob's sister, Lizzy, prefers to call him a vampire.

The story begins with Jacob and Lizzy being sent to live with their Aunt Sylvia, in Ohio, for two weeks. Aunt Syl is one of those great quirky english majors that possesses so many lovable qualities.  Of course, Jacob is less than thrilled to spend time with her and must keep up the appearance of being an invalid and the fact that he drinks blood, a secret. Aunt Syl seems to be a bit overbearing and loves to joke about Jacob's  "irritable bowels."  Jacob soon meets Syl's Hungarian research assistant, Zsófia. This beautiful graduate student just happens to be writing her dissertation on vampires (ironic right?). Soon Jacob is spending quite a bit of time with Zsófia and hoping that his love for her will be returned. The universe, however, has different plans. 

Jacob has a nasty habit of overeating when he's depressed, leading up to the fact that he drank about almost over a two weeks supply of blood. Why is this a problem? Well, now that he has met Zsófia, he plans to stay another two weeks so that he can spend even more time with her. Nothing can possibly go wrong as long as he rations the remaining packs of blood, but then strange things begin to happen. The remaining blood packs go missing and Jacob's health declines, bringing forth drastic changes in his demeanor and appearance. Perhaps Jacob's "epilemia" is a lot more than what his family believed it to be and Zsófia is definitely hiding a few secrets of her own.

I loved the fact that Brandy Schillace wove so much humor into this tale. Jacob possesses that lovable sarcastic humor that I absolutely adore! The sibling banter was also great and the witty remarks and comebacks kept me smiling and laughing the whole time. I also enjoyed the fact that this story was much more of a take on a modern day vampire. The possibility of vampirism being a disease was wonderful and refreshing, too. Overall, I found Jacob to be a protagonist that felt believable and real, and one that I would love to read more about.

Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This review was written by: B

Received: Library

Publication Date of Book: May 2012
Pages: 335

Stars: (5/5)

Funny how a little spark of pain unleashed something more powerful than the fleeting ache it caused. Memories...

-Obsidian

Katy is forced to move to West Virginia on her mother's impulse to start over after a tragic death in their family.  Little does she know, this move will change her life forever. Spending her days hoping that her books will come so that she may review them on her blog, she quickly makes friends with her energetic next door neighbor, Dee, and enemies with Dee's arrogant, green-eyed brother, Daemon.  Life couldn't get much more interesting than that. That is until she finds out that her neighbors are aliens of light from the planet Lux.  What could go wrong with that?  After Daemon uses his powers in front of Katy to save her life from an oncoming car that would have eminently hit her, Katy now has been marked.  Daemon has shown his powers to a human, leaving his energy on her that enemies of a Luxen can see and take advantage of.  This fickle character decides that it is his responsibility to watch over her until the excess energy surrounding her in  a brilliant glow (that humans can't see) fades to nothing.

Katy and Daemon act as though they loath each other despite the fact that they have an underlying chemistry.  They're also consistently bating and bickering with each other, an amusing yet sometimes tiresome thing to read.  However, we get to glimpse that not only do these characters have an up and down relationship, but they also care for each other deeply.  Without wanting to admit it, they each feel a pull to each other just like magnets, and underneath the surface, they have things in common.  Dee and Daemon lost their brother, Dawson, who fell in love with a human girl while Katy lost her father to cancer.  While crying won't change the past, they will never forget their loved ones.  Daemon's remembrance of his loss and the reason because of it makes him pull away from Katy whenever he gets close to her, making things complicated in their "relationship."

Armentrout can spin a story like no other. Obsidian had a great plot and a take on aliens that was equally refreshing and intriguing.  It was definitely original and especially fantastic!  The characters weren't just something on a page but people with feelings and actions that we all have, such as a driving desire to keep those around us safe. I was actually surprised by this book.  I'm not normally into alien paranormal romance, but I am now!  Each character was unique and equally amazing to read about.  There's no doubt that I'll follow this series to the end!  

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