Legacy of Lies & Don't Tell by Elizabeth Chandler

Series: Dark Secrets
Author: Elizabeth Chandler
Page Count: 431
Published: March 8th, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
  3.5 Stars ★★★

In this bind-up, two suspenseful stories are told. In Legacy of Lies, Megan is being haunted while staying at her grandmother's house. She is adopted, and along with dealing with her grandmother's cold attitude towards her, she has to deal with Matt, her "almost-cousin"'s aloofness as well. The story of her late great aunt comes to light, with many mysteries surrounding her death. How did she really die? And how does her death connect to the present, to Megan and Matt? Megan may not live to find out the truth. 

In Don't Tell, Lauren has returned to Wisteria for the first time after her mother drowned there years ago. With her cousin Nora seemingly unhinged, and her cousin Holly and old friend Nick welcoming her with open arms, Lauren isn't sure if she's ready to face the dock where her mother died. Her aunt Jule doesn't have much empathy towards Lauren's remaining sadness, but more is at stake than Lauren's feelings. Nora claims to hear Lauren's mother asking for her child, and mysterious knots begin to appear, things tying up themselves. Is Lauren going to survive this trip? Or will she face the same fate that her mother did?

I gave Legacy of Lies four stars, and Don't Tell three, with this averaging out at 3.5 stars. As you can see, I enjoyed the first book a bit more than the second. 

Both stories had characters with very sinister pasts, pasts that threatened to affect their present lives. I liked this connection between the past and the present, this idea that the characters couldn't outrun the past. Both stories contained suspicious deaths, deaths that may or may not have turned out to really be murders....the mystery behind what happened to Megan's great aunt and Lauren's mother were the main issue behind both stories, the events that started it all.

Legacy of Lies took place in a creepy mansion-like home, with a grandmother that I hated and an interesting paranormal component. I have to say, I did not see the twist coming at all. I was very surprised by the ending and I think it wrapped up the story very nicely. Megan was a great narrator, and I enjoyed reading about the creepy events she was experiencing, through her own eyes.

Don't Tell also had a very interesting twist that I wasn't able to guess. There was also a possible paranormal component throughout the story: I often found myself debating whether it was paranormal or simply a living person mundanely messing with Lauren. I won't give away the truth, but I think the explanation was fitting for the story. I liked this story less because I think some of the explanations were a bit hazy....most were fine, but at times I was really confused as to why people were acting the way they were. On the one hand, it made me keep reading. Yet on the other, it made some events a bit unclear. However, the story was enjoyable overall.

I recommend this bind-up to people looking for short, creepy stories. If you're a fan of Elizabeth Chandler or you want to read books about secrets affecting peoples' lives, this is a great pick for you.

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The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher + Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin

Series: N/A
Author: Lucy Christopher
Page Count: 369
Published: October 3rd, 2013
Publisher: Chicken House
  3.5 Stars ★★★

Emily's father is accused of killing a teenage girl when he comes home with her dead body one night. Emily's "friends" turn on her, and Damon, the boyfriend of the girl who was killed, is angry at Emily and Emily's father for what happened.

A war veteran with PTSD, her father's lawyers say that he might have had a flashback, killing the girl not on purpose, but in a horrible accident. But Emily is determined to find out the truth, which takes her into the woods where the girl died.

I enjoyed Stolen by Lucy Christopher, so I was excited to see that she wrote a thriller! This book really was nothing like Stolen, but enjoyable in it's own way. However, I was slightly disappointed.

I liked the way that the issue of Emily's father suffering from PTSD was added into the narrative. It made me wonder if he truly was innocent, or if he had killed the girl, either by accident or not. It added to the mystery! I suspected many different people throughout the book, but I must say that the big reveal was truly surprising for me.

I loved the woods. The descriptions of the woods throughout the book made them sound beautiful and creepy and menacing and mysterious all at once! I found myself wanting to visit these woods. Emily's father's bunker in the woods was another interesting location, with a bit of mystery and a possibility of sinister happenings. The setting was truly the strong point of the book, in my opinion.

I feel like sometimes the characters did not act realistically. For example, Emily's "friends" turning on her after her father is suspected of the murder. It's not like she was going around defending murder! She was just hopeful that her father was innocent...wouldn't anyone be? Yet those she trusted became nasty towards her. It seemed very out of place, like an extreme reaction, especially since I'd consider a friend in that predicament as a friends in need of love more than ever. Maybe I'm just too nice or naive.... but that's how I interpreted the characters' actions. Unrealistic.

I also wish that this book had a bit more creepiness in it. There definitely was some, especially with the setting of the woods. But there should have been more clues adding to the mystery. I would have liked more big reveals! More twists and turns!

This was an enjoyable book. However, something was missing.... the characters seemed a bit off, and I wish the author had added a big more creepiness to the story. However, the setting was marvelous.

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~~~~~

Series: Low Red Moon
Author: Ivy Devlin
Page Count: 244
Published: September 14th, 2010
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
  2.5 Stars ★★

Avery's parents were murdered. She doesn't remember much about that fateful night, except that she was covered in their blood, and she saw a flash of silver. Leaving her house in the woods to go live with her grandmother, she is haunted by her parents' deaths. 

Ben is a new boy at school. Despite her being called "cursed" due to the blood-red pieces that appeared in her hair, he is drawn to her, and her to him. Soon, Avery learns that the legends of wolves, who are more than merely wolves, are true, and that something evil is after her. 

So this book had a few good things. First off, the mystery of who murdered Avery's parents. Really, that's the main thing that kept me reading. I also felt some empathy towards Avery's character as she struggled through the difficult time after their deaths, trying to untangle her memories and remember her childhood home in a more positive light. 

The rest of the book wasn't all that great. Ben was just a pretty face. Literally. I had no clue who he was as a person besides pretty and caring about Avery. He needed wayyyyyyy more character development. 

Then there's the romance between Avery and Ben. While their attraction is more of a paranormal or supernatural nature, it still bothered me how Avery literally falls for Ben after her parents are barely dead. And it's not a slow, building attraction. No, and a slight spoiler alert here, but she kisses him after visiting her childhood home in the middle of the night! And he's there with no explanation! I feel like the traumatic memories of her dead parents would probably overshadow her crush on this pretty boy but I guess not....

This book had a lot of potential. If it had been longer, it may have been a lot better. The author needed to develop the character a lot more, and the romance needed more development as well. Not to mention, the ending....very unsatisfying, in my opinion. 

I'd also like to mention that the sequel, Moonrise, doesn't appear to be available anywhere so...if you wanted to read the sequel, you've run out of luck. 

Overall, disappointing. I liked the murder mystery and Avery's struggles with coping with her parents' deaths, but the book was too short and the romance was not at all believable.

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The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

 Series: The Raven Cycle
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Page Count: 416
Published: September 18th, 2012
Publisher: Scholastic Press
  3.5 Stars ★★★

Blue's mother is psychic, and she lives in a house with a few other psychics, too. While Blue can't speak to the dead or see the future, she enhances the powers of those around her, so she's brought along so that those who will be dead within the next year can be identified. Among the dead is a boy from Aglionby, a nearby private school, and Blue can see him.

Blue has always been warned that she will cause the death of her true love, and after seeing the spirit of this boy, she wonders if she will be the one to kill him. When they finally come face to face, they form a friendship, along with three other boys from Aglionby. Together they investigate mysterious ley lines, with the hope that they may be led to Glendower, a sleeping king.

There seems to be a lot of hype around this book, but I didn't really enjoy the book as much as other readers have. It wasn't a horrible book by any means, but I was fairly disappointed in some of the elements.

One thing that I did like were the characters. Actually, I loved the characters. Blue was an eccentric and likeable main character, and Gansey's determination to find Glendower was admirable. Rowan, another of the raven boys, was truly frustrating, but I loved him. Adam, a scholarship student, lived in a tough situation and very much served as a juxtaposition or foil to the rich, fairly comfortable life of Gansey. As for Noah, the last raven boy, he was quiet, sweet, and mysterious in his own way. These characters worked so well together to bring this story to life, and they were written with a depth that made me pleasantly surprised. Despite my issues with other pieces of this book, I may continue reading the series just so I can read more about these characters!

The plot was a bit too slow, in my opinion. I would find myself bored for entire chapters, only reading to find out when the next interesting issue would appear. It feels like I only read half a book, really. While the conclusion was a great cliff-hanger type situation, the lack of truly exciting plot points in this book was disappointing. 

Not to mention my confusion about what went on at the end. I mean, there are cliffhangers, but then there are seemingly random occurrences, and this book combined these. The cliffhanger made me want to read the next book, but only because I need answers. What happened at the end? How is it all connected? While this would usually be seen as a good thing, I was more frustrated than excited to get my hands on the second book. Maybe I missed something, but some of the events in the last third of the book just seemed out of place.

Overall, I didn't like this book as much as I had hoped to. The ending was a cliffhanger, but it was also really confusing. However, the amazing cast of characters has me considering buying the second book in the series, because I need to know how their story continues. 

I recommend this book to fans of young adult paranormal books. If you like slower paced novels with likeable and unique characters, this book is for you.

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Sublime by Christina Lauren

Series: N/A
Author: Christina Lauren
Page Count: 336
Published: October 14th, 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
  3.5 Stars ★★★

Lucy wakes up near a school. She doesn't know why she is there, and she doesn't know why people are acting like she isn't even present. But she does know that she is drawn to Colin, for some unknown reason. Colin finds himself drawn to her as well, and he knows that there's something different about her. As they get to know each other, they fall for each other, and the fact that one of them is dead starts to complicate things. Colin wants to be close to Lucy, to touch her like she's any other girl, and once they find a dangerous way to accomplish this, they can't seem to stop.

I will admit, the reason I first looked into getting this book was the cover. Look at it! It's beautiful. After reading some reviews, both positive and negative, I realized that I had to get this book. While I wasn't really disappointed, I wasn't extremely impressed with this book either.

I have two issues with this book. First, is the writing style. I believe that it's written in third person present tense, and this combination just threw me off. I found it hard to get into reading the book, I really think that third person past tense would have been a much better choice. Because this issue obviously extended for the whole book, that knocked a few stars off of my rating.

Another issue I had with the book was the pacing. It was a bit too slow for my taste, and a good chunk of the more exciting parts happened in the last half of the book, so the first half felt extra drawn-out. As I mentioned, the plot speeds up at the halfway mark, which I really appreciated! I have to say, the pieces of the plot after that point were enjoyable and thrilling to read about.

I loved pretty much everything else about this book. The concept itself is one that I enjoyed. The idea of a romance between a ghost and a living person, two people drawn together for some unknown reason, and the obstacles that they face all tied this story together very well. The romance had a bit of an insta-love feel to it, but I don't mind this if it's done well, and in the case of this book, it was definitely done well.

I also really liked both main characters. Both had tragic pasts, Colin losing his parents at a young age, and Lucy dying so young, and I think that their personal tragedies complemented the others' in a way that made their attraction to each other, and their overall characters, very easy to care about. I like that the author didn't reveal every detail about their situations right away, it gave the story a sense of mystery.

This book was truly bittersweet, with all the talk of tragedies, and the unknown, and the question of whether or not Colin and Lucy's relationship would be able to continue on into the future, considering all the issues that they had to face together. No spoilers here, but I have to say that I think the ending was perfect!

Overall I enjoyed this book, though there were some issues. While the romance was sweet, the writing style and pacing cost the book a few stars. However, the whole concept of the book was intriguing and I am glad that I read it!

I recommend this book to young adult readers who like stories about ghosts. If you're into paranormal romance, you may enjoy this.

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Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

Series: The Internment Chronicles
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Page Count: 356
Published: March 10th, 2015
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
  3.5 Stars ★★★

Morgan lives on Internment, a city in the sky. While some have tried jumping off the edge, hoping to fall down to earth, none succeed, and all return with any number of afflictions. She knows this all too well: her brother went blind after jumping off the edge. While she knows the dangers, Morgan just can't stop wondering about life on earth, and about what it would be like to approach the edge of her beloved city.

When a girl is murdered, the citizens of Internment are shocked. Supposedly killed by Judas, the boy she was set to marry, Daphne Leander's murder makes Morgan believe that things are changing, and not for the better. When she and Judas come face to face, Morgan is convinced that he is innocent, and this begins Morgan's quest for the truth about Internment. 

I picked this up as a fan of Lauren DeStefano's Chemical Garden Trilogy, intrigued by the concept of a city in the sky. As I've enjoyed the first two books of her dystopian trilogy so far, I decided I'd try another one of her books. I had high hopes, hopes which were not exactly fulfilled, unfortunately. 

So, I really liked the world of Internment. The world-building was amazing, with everything from religion to government to social norms covered in a way that didn't overwhelm me, nor bore me. Descriptions of Morgan's life, her hopes, her dreams, and her family brought the main character to life, and she seemed to become someone more than just a character written on a page in a book. 

However, the first half of this book was too slow for me. While it is interesting to read about daily life in some kind of fantasy, dystopian society, I can only read about it for so long before I become bored. Sure, interesting bits were added in every now and then for the first fifty percent of the novel, but I found myself speed-reading to get to the next exciting event. This was the main issue for me, and it was bad enough that it knocked a few stars off of my rating for this book. 

The second half of this book, however, was much, much better than the first. The plot sped up and Morgan found herself caught in between her home, Internment, and the truth. She had to make some difficult choices, and her relationships, including those with her best friend, her betrothed, and her family, change both for the better and for the worse, forever. There were some really sad moments, and the author did a great job of making me care about what was going on. There was a lot of anticipation for the ending, and I rushed through the second half. I needed to know how it would end. 

Unfortunately, I don't think I'm going to be reading the rest of the series. While I was captivated by the world of Internment and Morgan's hopes and fears, the way that this book was paced really just made me hurry to finish reading it. I don't care enough about how the series is going to end to read through a few more books and possibly deal with another boring first half again. 

Overall, I liked the idea, but I think that the pacing, especially in the first half of the book, was too slow. This resulted in me wanting to hurry and finish this book, but I ended up not caring about the whole story itself to consider finishing the trilogy. 

If you like stories with a lot of pieces of everyday life, especially those in dystopian societies, you might like this book. If you're interested in a book about corrupt governments and questioning what one has been told, you might consider giving this book a try.

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Blood Sinister by Celia Rees

Series: Point Horror Unleashed
Author: Celia Rees
Page Count: 224
Published: September 20th, 2002
Publisher: Scholastic Point
  3.5 Stars ★★★

Ellen is a teenage girl with a mysterious illness. A strange disease or ailment of the blood plagues her, and has her returning to hospitals time and time again. She fears that she may not have much time left.

She moves in with her grandmother, and comes across a series of diaries written by one of her ancestors, a female doctor also named Ellen. As she reads entry after entry, it becomes obvious that the older Ellen had come across a real-life vampire.

With the reappearance of a childhood friend, and the creepy sight of an old cemetery across the road from her grandmother's house, Ellen wishes that she could unravel the mysteries that plague both herself and her ancestor. But will she survive to uncover the truth?

This was a fairly quick read. I read it in one night, I found myself unable to put it down. However, this wasn't because the book was amazing.

It was definitely enjoyable, no mistake there. But there was something missing.

First off, the things I liked. I liked the way that vampires were creepy and not sexy. I love myself some sexy vampires, but a good old-fashioned monster is definitely also appreciated. I liked the way that the author told two stories at once, the story of the past and present Ellens. The diary entries were thorough and painted a clear picture of the past, while the modern Ellen's experiences were also well described and explained.

The mystery of Ellen's illness kept me reading. I really wanted to know what was wrong with her, and if she would survive. There was definitely some empathy from me concerning this situation, and Andy cared for Ellen in a way that made him immediately likeable.

There really should have been more in this book, though. More scenes, more action. A long book, with more character development and emphasis on creepy happenings would have bumped this book up to a four, maybe even a five star read. The base story was there, and certainly enjoyable, but with a little more time, this book could have been fantastic.



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Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne

Series: N/A
Author: Emma Carlson Berne
Page Count: 212
Published: December 20th, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
  3.5 Stars ★★★

Hannah has planned a secret trip to her boyfriend's family's lake house. She's hoping that having time alone with him will give her the courage to say that she loves him, and that they can spend some romantic time together before he leaves for college. But her boyfriend, Colin's, reaction to her surprise is less than enthusiastic. He starts to act uncomfortable and unsure, and Hannah becomes more and more worried as they drive to the mysterious lake house. 

When they arrive, it doesn't take long for Colin to start acting like another person entirely. Surrounded by eerie wilderness, with the nearest town almost a ghost town, Hannah wonders if she should fear for her safety. One thing's for certain... this trip is not turning out as she had planned. 

I love creepy books! The synopsis of this story made it seem similar to some kind of horror movie, with the haunted cabin in the woods, or the crazy murderer hiding in an abandoned building, waiting for naive teens to come along and act as prey. I made little theories on what would happen before I even opened the book. My theories didn't really come close to the actual conclusion of the book, which to be perfectly honest, I found a little bit disappointing. 

So first, a few good things about this book. I liked the characters. I liked Hannah, and while she wasn't the smartest at times, I thought she made the book seem a bit more realistic. In such a scary situation, nobody is going to be absolutely at their best, their minds are going to be running wild, they're going to be panicking. So, when she screwed up or made a less-than-stellar choice, I actually liked it because it made her seem more real, more like a person I could meet walking down the street than a super-intelligent, always prepared, basically fantasy-based person, that I read about in a lot of other books. 

I also think that the author did an amazing job with the descriptions. Descriptions of the settings, in particular, were very well done. The creepy atmosphere was conveyed effectively and added to the mysterious and sinister feel of the book, including descriptions of the almost ghost town near the lake house, the forest, and the lake house itself. 

I did have some problems with the book. First of all, the whole ghost town thing? While I thought it was interesting, it didn't really serve much of a purpose in the book other than to provide a creepy atmosphere. I kept waiting to find out how the town would connect to the story overall, but there didn't seem to be a truly important connection. This was kind of disappointing. 

I also had issues with the explanation behind Colin's behavior. I can't say much without spoiling it, but I will say that the way that past events had been covered up seemed a bit convenient, almost too easy. Colin's condition was explained way too easily in the end, and the idea that things could go back to normal, or what seemed like normal, so quickly just didn't make sense to me. 

Altogether, this was a story with a creepy atmosphere and an interesting mystery. While I had some issues with the ending and the importance of some of the settings, I liked that the main character seemed realistic and I enjoyed the descriptions of the settings. 

I recommend this to those looking for young adult thrillers. If you're interested in a short book with a creepy atmosphere, this book is for you.

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Watch the Sky by Kirsten Hubbard

Series: N/A
Author: Kirsten Hubbard
Page Count: 272
Published: April 7th, 2015
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
  3.5 Stars ★★★

Jory's stepfather, Caleb, is always watching for signs. Signs of what, Jory doesn't know, but what Jory does know is that Caleb cares for him, his mother, his step-brother, and Kit, the girl he considers a sister, so he doesn't question Caleb's claims. Jory spends time with other people from his school, and slowly Caleb's grasp on his mind seems to weaken. When his stepfather says that it's time to start digging a tunnel to prepare for what's to come, Jory has to make a choice before his family disappears into the ground, abandoning the outside world. 

This is a middle grade book, with Jory, the main character, around eleven or twelve years old. I mostly read young adult, and I'm expanding into the adult range as well, so reading a middle grade book was a nice change from the usual paranormal romances and contemporary dramas. 

I think the author did a great job of narrating what was going on through how Jory perceived the world around him. Written in third person, the story focuses on Jory's struggle to question Caleb, make friends, and choose what is ultimately right: to abandon Caleb's plan, or to go through with it without question. The theme of questioning what one has been told was very important, and I really appreciate that the author included this theme in a middle grade novel, because I think it's essential to introduce the idea that not everything you're told is right, from a young age. Critical thinking, and thinking for one's self, were things that Jory struggled with and ultimately inspired him to question the things that his mother just accepted for fact, and this to me made him seem like a strong character and a great role model. 

The other characters provided some interesting dialogue and situations, and they ranged from Jory's "normal" friend, Alice, to his mysterious stepfather. Alice, and the other children that Jory befriends, provide a way for Jory to feel like he's not completely alone outside of his family, and they are very likeable! They're smart, bright, and hopeful, which contrasts the uneasiness that Jory experiences at home. 

This uneasiness mainly takes the form of Caleb and his "signs". I disliked Caleb from the start, I thought he was suspicious, paranoid, and fairly controlling. I also didn't really like Jory's mother, for buying into Caleb's ideas so easily, and dragging her children into everything. Jory's sister, Kit, was an interesting character. While not his biological sister, they form a bond that remains important throughout the novel, and while she remains mostly silent in the story, I think she has a big impact on the way the story is told overall. If she wasn't in the book, I feel that it would be a much different book than it truly is. 

I had some issues with the pacing. I think that at times the book dragged on, and at others, the events went by way too fast. While the idea of the book was very interesting, I think there weren't enough answers as to what exactly Caleb was preparing for, and why Jory's mother bought into his ideas so easily. 

Overall this was an enjoyable middle grade novel. While the pacing was a bit off and some pieces of the book seemed to lack context, the themes of questioning what one has been told, and the characters themselves made for an interesting read. 

I recommend this to middle grade readers who enjoy stories set in the contemporary world. If you're interested in a book that explores what it means to think for yourself, this book is for you.

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Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

 

Series: Shade
Author: Jeri Smith-Ready
Page Count: 309
Published: May 4th, 2010
Publisher: Simon Pulse
  3.5 Stars ★★★

Aura was born after the Shift, which means that she can see ghosts. She wonders why the Shift actually happened in the first place, and she wishes that she could reverse it so she could live without having to listen to ghosts tell her their stories or demand justice all the time.

When her boyfriend Logan suddenly dies, Aura is devastated. But because of the Shift, she finds herself able to talk with him, spend time with him, and pretend that he's still truly here with her. With the new boy, Zachary, being so supportive of everything that's going on, her feelings become conflicted and she's not sure if she really wants to be with Logan anymore. 

The idea of many people being able to see ghosts seemed very original to me. Upon reading this book, I can say that I was very interested in the theories that Aura had concerning the Shift, and I want to know what caused it! I think that was my favourite part about this book. 

However, I feel like the way that the world had evolved after the Shift didn't seem to really add up to me. I understand taking measures to keep ghosts out of public areas, I understand making new police or government forces to keep ghosts in line. But the way that people acted when their loved ones died seemed not to match up with what they had discovered.

You'd think that after learning that ghosts and an afterlife of sorts exists, people would be calmer concerning death. Yet, the culture surrounding death didn't really change, people still found themselves absolutely devastated and stuck on their personal beliefs surrounding death. This didn't make sense to me, and unfortunately it made the world that Aura lived in seem a little less real to me. 

Aside from that, I found it unrealistic how quickly Aura developed a crush on another guy after her boyfriend passes away. I mean, not only is she upset about his death, but she actually can still hang out with him and have some sort of relationship with him. So why would she start having all these feelings for Zachary? She barely knows him, yet she's getting butterflies in his presence. Meanwhile, she supposedly loves Logan with all her heart, and he's still there! This didn't add up to me either.

I'm not sure if I'll read the sequel, but I might decide to because I want to know more about the Shift! As I mentioned, this was the best aspect of the book, in my opinion. I can only hope that the world and character's relationships will start to make more sense to me in the next book. 

If you want a book about ghosts with original ideas, you'll like this one. If you're interested in romantic YA books, this novel is for you.

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