A Monster Calls by Patrick NessMy rating: 5 of 5 stars What a beautiful story. I never thought I would say this about a “horror” story, but it truly is a story that reaches into the depths of the reader’s soul and remain there for a very long time.The characters were all as realistic as they could possibly be; presenting human traits that most people would not want to admit to or write about in such detail. The main character especially was so intricately portrayed it felt like the reader was feeling, living, breathing and hurting with him.The plot. Well, to be honest I forgot what the synopsis said about…

Scarecrow’s Dream by Flo FitzpatrickMy rating: 1 of 5 stars I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.I don’t think I am having much luck finding good stories to read this year. I was very much interested to read a murder/mystery/ghost/romance story, but this story soon took a nosedive in the most spectacular and annoying way possible. I began text-ranting my husband at around chapter 2 and did not care one penny’s worth for anyone by chapter 4. As can be imagined, I was greatly disappointed and actually started downloading all the British classic I haven’t read yet onto my Kindle in a desperate attempt…

The History Major by Michael Phillip CashMy rating: 4 of 5 stars I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.The first half of this novella was probably the best written manifestation of a recurring nightmare I had during my very long university career and it felt strangely therapeutic to see it on the page before me. It provided a sense of comfort, knowing that I might not be the only one with such an imagination. I have to give the author great credit for being able to create such a strong eerie setting right from the start.I could not stand the main character, though. Spoiled,…

The Dead House by Dawn KurtagichMy rating: 5 of 5 stars I finished this book late last night and I have to admit it has been a while since I was too scared to leave my bed to get a glass of water. It was haunting, it was terrifying, it made me question the reality we call our own. The unconventional way the author chose to tell the story of Kaitlyn and her descent into madness or maybe her sad story as she falls victim to something sinister added to the mystery and anticipation to reach the conclusion. A collection of diary entries, video clips and audio clips of interviews…

Arranged by Julia CraneMy rating: 1 of 5 stars I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.I was hopeful, oh so hopeful for a cute, shorter fantasy novella series that included faeries; unfortunately, I am not sure what exactly I read. The point I really want to stress is the fact that an author should not omit or skip vital parts of a story in order to keep it short, especially in the fantasy genre.The characters were awkward, felt out of place and separate from the story. The main character, full of herself and entitled, has no clue how to act responsibly or even act…

And I Darken by Kiersten WhiteMy rating: 2 of 5 stars I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.I needed a few days to think about how I actually feel about this book. I wasn’t sure what to write, because I just wanted to leave this book behind and even now, sitting here I would much rather be cleaning the bathroom than having to think about it anymore. I also feel pressured to rate it higher, because it has been compared to Game of Thrones for the Young Adult genre and almost everyone loved that series. Needless to say, here is my very brutal, but…

The Perilous Sea by Sherry ThomasMy rating: 4 of 5 stars I appreciated the change in narration style for the sequel of The Burning Sky. Although I did not mind the interchanging narration from both Iolanthe and Titus’ view point, this style can become repetitive after a while. Therefore, I was happy that the sequel was written from the third person point-of-view.Having already been introduced to the two main characters, it was interesting to further witness their character development throughout The Perilous Sea. Having said that, I cannot see Iolanthe’s and Titus’ attraction for each other. It is the one point so far that has me shaking me head in…

Sing Sweet Nightingale by Erica CameronMy rating: 3 of 5 stars I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.I had a very difficult time formulating a review of this story, because there are plenty of elements that I truly enjoyed while reading it, but then there were also parts that had me roll my eyes in sheer annoyance and caused me to set the book aside time and time again.The story is narrated from two character’s point-of-view, which always provides much more insight into the story and helps the reader get more connected with the plot and characters; however, when one character is a demon-manipulated…

The Academy Alignment by David DavisMy rating: 5 of 5 stars The Academy Alignment (The Academy #1)I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.There are books that are so good I just want to read them in one sitting. And then there are books I just don’t want to end, so I take twice or even three time as long to read them. The Academy Alignment belongs to the latter category. The characters were all very engaging and extremely interesting. With focus primarily on one character, the author chose to write the story from the first-person point-of-view, switching characters to provide a greater sense of…

The Burning Sky by Sherry ThomasMy rating: 4 of 5 stars After almost three weeks I have finally finished reading The Burning Sky. As it turns out a raging high fever can break even this avid reader’s capability to pick up a book and escape into a fantastically created world. I mention this ten-day break from reading to highlight the ease with which I was able to pick up the story again without so much as a backward glance to re-acquaint myself with the story. One thing that really bothered me and I should probably stop doing this from now on is reading the little quotes of praise on the…