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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Eyes to See by Joseph Nassise

This review was written by: C

Received: Library

Publishing Date of Book: October 2011
Pages: 320

Stars: (5/5)

Eyes to See was awesome! Joseph Nassise wove a world of darkness and creatures that go bump in night that resulted in a believable and intriguing adventure. The mystery surrounding the main character, Jeremiah, and his hidden past made the book even more of a great read!

Here is a short summary of what the book is about:
Jeremiah Hunt was once an ordinary human with a normal life and family until his daughter, Elizabeth, was kidnapped. This shocking event caused Hunt's perfect life to crumble around him. He lost his wife and almost all of his money in futile attempts to find his daughter. Rescuing Elizabeth became his obsession and he soon lost all hope in finding her.  As the days passed it became prominent that he may not find her alive. One day a strange eyeless preacher approaches Hunt and tells him he will find his daughter if he is willing to go the distance. Jeremiah immediately returns home to find a strange book of rituals. A single page contains a spell to allow one to see the unseen. Hunt believes this spell will enable him find his daughter, but it actually takes away his sight and opens his eyes to a horrifying world that was right under his nose.
The story continues with Hunt aiding the police with a few gruesome murders. His newfound ability to see the dead has allowed him to gain support of Officer Stanton, who has continued to help Jeremiah in the search for his daughter, even though the case has gone cold and was therefore shelved, in exchange for the use of his gifts. These seemingly random murders are what bring Hunt to the realization that they might actually be related to the disappearance of Elizabeth. Hunt meets a few friends along the way, including a hedge witch and a berserker, who aid the blind man in his search for the truth.

I found the story to be quite original, fast paced, and full of plot twists. The book never became boring and the characters always had hidden secrets that were being revealed. I also enjoyed the fact that the story was told in segments that went back and forth between the present and Jeremiah's past. This allowed for short breaks in both story lines that were refreshing and sometimes frustrating (I was tempted several times to skip a few chapters until the next segment came up so I could see what was going to happen!).
I also enjoyed the fact that Jeremiah grew as a character. He began as a mundane human, working his days away, and eventually became a respectable man hell-bent on doing anything he had to in order to find his daughter and bring her safely home. To me he became admirable and the fact that he gave up everything to find Elizabeth, along with his everlasting love for his daughter, were both touching and were the best qualities that Hunt possessed. He persevered and would never give up, no matter what stood in his path. I can't wait to read the next two installments in the series.

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Carrie by Stephen King

This review was written by: B

Received: Library
Publishing Date of First Edition of this Book: April 1974
Pages: 290 

Stars: (4/5)

"But hardly anybody finds out that their actions really, actually, hurt other people!  People don't get better, they just get smarter.  When you get smarter you don't stop pulling the wings off flies, you just think of better reasons for doing it."

-Susan Snell

I have recently decided to try reading some of Stephen King's novels due to the consistent hype and excitement surrounding all of his books that fans can't seem to get enough of.  I figured that Carrie would be a good place to start as it's one of his classic horror novels as well as the first novel he ever wrote that was published. Natural intrigue has always surrounded this book with its ultimately fascinating telekinetic protagonist that is placed in the center of "Carrie".  Carrie is a high school girl going through the world in a daze full of religion, an overbearing mother, and cruel, unending pranks.  Ever since she was little, Carrie was branded as being "weird" due to her insanely religious mother who believed that practically everything was the work of the devil, including the physicality that surrounds growing up.  Her father had never been a part of her life due to his early death, leaving behind a black Bible that Carrie's mother always totes around.  

There appears to be two constants in her life that evolve around praying for forgiveness and being the brunt of everyone's cruelty.  She was "ruined" by her mother, as several accounts in the book tell.  She used to be such a beautiful little girl until an untimely incident that occurred at a young age.  It was at this time that Carrie fully used her telekinesis in a powerful way after her mother severely scolded her, so much so that it ended up lying dormant within her until yet another tragic incident that happened practically a decade later.  When Carrie freaked out at this incident, her female peers immediately scarred her with their taunting and brutal jeers full of scorn and laughter.  This situation called forth the telekinetic powers once again.  However, I believe that she didn't fully understand them and therefore didn't know how to own them and use them properly.  With only the gym teacher to console her, she went home early. 

Carrie's many horrible experiences not only consisted of her peer's torture, but they also include the dreaded closet located in her very own home.  This bleak closet was supposed to help her think about her sins while God looked upon her with righteous scorn with only her waste and tears to accompany her.  Her mother once put her in this nightmarish reality for over 24 hours.  The enduring psychological pain that Carrie felt undoubtedly seeped deeper than most would think.  

After the newest incident in which her telekinetic powers reawakened, as previously described above, only Sue Snell felt remorse for her detrimental bullying towards Carrie.  With her regretful feelings weighing her down, Sue told her boyfriend to take Carrie to the soon approaching prom.  Her boyfriend surprisingly accepted her request and wish for atonement, bringing Carrie to an experience that changed the lives of hundreds forever.  

The change in Carrie that took place after she found out that the most popular boy at school wanted to go to their final high school dance with her instead of Sue was shocking.  She practically turned into a different person from then on.  At the prom, Carrie was a much happier, lightened individual who looked beautiful, instead of awkward, with beautiful people also surrounding her.  However, this dance was not meant to be "beautiful".  One final prank on Carrie during her prom results in an unexpected backlash that no one ever expected.  Unbeknownst to many, Carrie had been practicing her special abilities, abilities that could end them all, along with their town.  

"Carrie" was written in various increments of sworn testimonies in court by the survivors of Carrie's final outburst, book excerpts written about what Carrie did, and newspaper clippings after Carrie's backlash.  These all were all accompanied by what Carrie was doing with her as the main perspective in the writing, as well as other characters (like Ms. Snell).  Surprisingly, it was a rather short novel.

I don't know what I really expected from this book, but I was pretty happy with Stephen King.  He managed to write an equally frightening novel as well as a testimony of the human tendency to hurt others without a second thought or final consequences.  While I enjoyed and was surprised by the different characteristics that Carrie took on throughout this book, I was also saddened by all of the loss that was depicted in the novel.  I felt as though Carrie went way too far, but of course, this added an element of loss that was essential to the novel.  I didn't think that I would be squirming while reading this novel, but there were parts that I was surprisingly grossed out by.  

My favorite parts of "Carrie" were when we got to see her past as well as her mother's past, a definite welcome among the prominent high school scene.  The world that King  created to surround Carrie with, meaning the devout religious mother, was the element that really piqued my interest.  I think that this was what truly drew me into the story.  The pace was just right, too.  The only thing that I disliked, or favored the least, was how the last increment of "Part 2: Prom Night" was written.  It went back and forth from various bystanders' accounts (who witnessed Carrie's actions) and prom goers and then to Carrie's exact same account in a slightly different way.  Don't let this discourage you, though.  "Carrie" was a great horror read that left me with many thoughts at the end.  It was full of intricate accounts that enriched the novel to the heart of the story.  The results of persecution will be looked at twice after reading this.  "Carrie," a compelling story, built up and ended with great big BANG! I'm starting to see why King is frequently described as the "master of storytelling".

The Whatnot (The Peculiar #2) by Stefan Bachmann

This review was written by: B

Received: Library
Pages: 368
Publishing Date of Book: September 2013

Stars: (5/5)

"A tower of blood," she sang to a wavering, sliding tune.  "A tower of blood and a tower of bone.  A tower of ash and a tower of stone.  Who's at the top of them, who's in the dark?  Who climbs the stairs without leaving a mark?"

Stefan Bachmann did it again!  He created an extremely intriguing and fantastical world that kept me glued to my seat for days.  Not only did I get to fall in love with his old characters again from the first book in The Peculiar series, but I also had the opportunity to fall in love and became attached to new ones.  By introducing fresh people, he brought together an even greater story.  (However, I did wish that I could have heard from Mr. Jelliby a tad bit more.)  Full of magic, fantasy, and a great plot, this book created a fabulous experience that included what it means to hope and persevere for what you love and believe in.  I was extremely pleased with this installment and have decided that I enjoyed it just the same, if not more, than the first book, "The Peculiar".  The ending was quite satisfying with, what I considered to be, a happy and content closing.  (I love this series so much that I wish another book would be written!)

The Story's Plot:
Years after Bartholomew's sister, Hettie, became stuck in the Old Country, a quick trip to a prison on his never ending journey to find her reveals a young street boy named Pikey who claims to have seen his missing sister.  Touched with his faery eye, Pikey has glimpsed this changeling girl but for only short periods of time.  Desperate to escape his miserable cell, he tells Bartholomew that he can see her again.  This promise gets him a chance at freedom, that is if he can still tell Bartholomew about his visions with his branch haired sister.  The only problem is that he cannot necessarily see her when he wants to.  It's sudden and unexpected.  However, this does not stop Pikey from telling him that he can do as he's asked.  

Hettie, while being stuck in the Old Country, is continually trying to survive in a strange and horrid land.  Suddenly and against her will, Hettie is taken in by the persistent Piscaltine, a strange woman who claims she just wants a friend.  Hettie goes on an incredible journey to try to find her inner strength and beauty, even though she is surrounded by faeries who call her ugly, stupid, and useless.

Consistently switching between Hettie's side of the story and Pikey and Bartholomew's, we get an equal part of adventure and suspense between all the characters.  The two boys try so hard to find a door into the Old Country between the lies and and deceit, troubles and worries, and Hettie attempts to believe in her brother who promised to rescue her, and she hopes to find a way out of the Old Country.

I strongly advise anyone who read the first book to finish the series.  You will not be disappointed!

"Why d'you believe the bad things?  I don't care if you hate me and if you leave me behind, but you can't GIVE UP!"

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The Peculiar (The Peculiar #1) by Stefan Bachmann

This review was written by: B

Received: Library
Publishing Date of Book: September 2012
Pages: 376

Stars: (5/5)

He didn't care if the faeries hated him, or the people feared him.  He was stronger than them.

In a different kind of world where people and faeries collide, magic is waiting to happen. It is here that Bartholomew Kettle, a Peculiar, lives in the faery slums.  Like any other Peculiar, he is looked down upon and shunned.  His life is formed by following the most important rule he knows: Don't get yourself noticed and you won't get yourself hanged.  While his life has not been easy, he still holds on.  Residing in an apartment with his mother and younger Peculiar sister, Hettie, he hopes to find the one thing he believes he can never have: a friend.  When he sees the only boy he can call a companion, his neighbor who lives across the street, taken by a woman in plum, his life spins out of control.  He has not only witnessed a kidnapping, but he has also been seen by the same woman in plum.  Soon his sister is taken away from him and his mother.  It is now up to him to find her.  With the help of Arthur Jelliby, a man who wishes to go unseen as well, they set out into a dangerous world that may just fall apart at the seams.  Will they find Hettie?  Is it possible that they will find out why so many Peculiars are being taken and murdered?  Can they put a stop to the mysterious and evil Mr. Lickerish who plays apart in all of this? Find all this out and more in the wonderful book, Peculiar, by Stefan Bachmann!
I have to say that this book was beautifully written.  Bachmann created a vivid and vibrant place that added a special element that no other book has.  The eerie and creepy feel to The Peculiar naturally drew me in along with the imaginative and colorful characters.  I am happy to say that I have never read a book quite like this one!  Now I just have to get my hands on the second installment!

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