Review: Unbreakable by Kami Garcia

Unbreakable by Kami Garcia

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Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (October 1, 2013)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages (Hardcover): 320
Series: The Legion (Book 1)
Source: ARC from Publisher Rep
ISBN-13: 9780316210171
Genre: Supernatural/Suspense/Thriller
Author: Website | Twitter | Blog

When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

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This is a book to devour. Kami Garcia has brought together a fantastic combination of great proportions. In a world that involves secret societies and hidden clues we find the Legion. The Legion exists just as surely and soundly as the all the other hidden societies in the world and it was founded shortly after the appearance of the Illuminati in a hope to defeat the heretics.

But Kennedy Waters doesn't know any of this. All she knows is that she has lost her mom and she is about to be shipped off to boarding school. She is alone and her life is broken...until she wakes up to Lukas and Jared in her bedroom, shooting a dead girl.

All that serves to do is drudge up more questions and confuse Kennedy, breaking her life into that many more pieces. This touches on one of the tiny problems with this book and it was that Kennedy just absorbed the information about ghosts and demons and was ready to run off with the twins. She didn't hit a level of appropriate denial or ask enough questions that would indicate her disbelief, she just seemed to take at face value. In the midst of trauma and confusion, it shouldn't be that easy.

As a whole, Kennedy was a likable character and each character was unique themselves. They didn't fit into any specific and stereotypical mold and that makes them brilliant. Kennedy has her talents but she makes mistakes that nearly cost them their lives, the little punk genius is well rounded and witty, the already-present-in-the-group girl is multi-faceted with her emotions, and the twins have a past and have been broken.

This makes their Da Vinci Code-like adventure even more exciting when you find out that the Legion is really fighting ghosties and demons. It it like taking two of my most favorite fandoms and mashing them together, this book was made for me. It is an easy read so it isn't too complex and that makes it a breeze to devour.

Just be prepared that much in the same tone as Cassandra Clare's writing, the moment you think you have something figured out, Kami Garcia is going to throw you a twist that will leave you in agony for the next book.

Rating out of 5:

Review: Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler

Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler

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Publisher: Graphia (March 15, 2011)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages (Paperback): 213
Series: Riders of the Apocalypse (Book 2)
Read Next: Loss
Source: Library
ISBN-13: 9780547445281
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Author: Website | Twitter
Series Reviews: Hunger (2.5★)

Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different. That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control. A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation, Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power and refuses to be defeated by the world. 
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Overview:

The accuracy that I can see in this series now is absolutely astonishing. I found this book to be emotionally devastating and heart wrenching for Missy. These book reach out to teenagers going through something like this and show them they're not alone and that is absolutely power in words.

Review:

This book takes realism and accuracy in fiction to a new level. It highlights all the things that give Young Adult fiction the name of being "too dark" but it does that because its real; these are things that teens face in the deep recesses of themselves and hide from the world. I was unsure of how deep and true Hunger could have been but this book clarified that Jackie Morse Kessler is gifted and dedicated to true storytelling.

As part of the series, this book can still function as a stand alone for someone who wanted to reach out for something their experiencing. In this book, we have our Kurt Cobain rocker, Death who is the one resounding connection through the books. It is his task to replace the Horsemen of the Apocalypse as the rider position opens. Missy's adventure is unrelated and irrelevant to the story in Hunger though it is lightly referenced and gives background to why War is vacant.

When Death enters the scene, we find Missy holding her family's dead cat in her hands, "You have blood on your hands". The mood is instantaneously set to be dark, brooding, and quite appropriately raged. Missy's life is a disaster in her eyes. Love gone wrong, family gone wrong, life is wrong and the only way to fix it is to bleed the bad out. Driven by such intense emotion, Missy wars within herself at the things she has been forced to face. Humiliated by her ex, estranged from her sister, and now empowered by the sword, she really is just trying to sort out the straight path for herself but it is messy and heartbreaking.

These books are incredibly short reads that pack an incredible punch and I would recommend them for anyone who needs to know they are not alone. As a previous self-injurer, all I wanted to do was tell Missy she wasn't alone and I want you to know it, too.

Rating out of 5:

Review: The Poisoned House by Michael Ford

The Poisoned House by Michael Ford

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Publisher: Albert Whitman & Co. (August 1, 2011)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages (Hardcover): 319
Source: Library
ISBN-13: 9780807565896
Genre: Paranormal (Ghost Story)

Life can be cruel for a servant girl in 1850s London. Fifteen-year-old Abi is a scullery maid in Greave Hall, an elegant but troubled household. The widowed master of the house is slowly slipping into madness, and the tyrannical housekeeper, Mrs.Cotton, punishes Abi without mercy. But there's something else going on in Greave Hall, too. An otherworldly presence is making itself known, and a deadly secret will reveal itself---a secret that will shatter everything Abi knows.

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Overview:

I really did enjoy the atmosphere of this book and the story that was offered. Historically accurate, we have our heroine of the story, Abigail, facing the trials and tribulations of being a scullery maid to an overly hostile housekeeper in the mid 1800s. Unraveling a twisted but fragile plot, we get the haunting feel of this spooky story and the twists and turns of the hard mystery behind it all. What a pleasant stand alone read.

Review:

We find ourselves sent back into a dreary, historical London in the days of house masters, scullery maids, and extreme propriety. Michael Ford has crafted a daunting world with vivid and accurate descriptions for the time period that set up an daunting outlook for our story and our littler heroine, Abi.

Abigail Tamper is a young scullery maid stuck in the middle of a devastating situation. In addition to being the clutches of a rigid housekeeper and a maddening house master, Abigail finds herself alone after the death of her mother. She is starts as a broken young girl who finds herself poor and hopeless but when strange things begin to happen around the manor, she finds a hidden strength to uncover the mystery and solve the puzzles that surround her. In her sleuthing, not only does she uncover twists, turns and betrayals but evolves into being a determined young lady.

Ford did a wonderful job a creating a character that can connect to the reader. You can understand her pain, feel her fear, and hope for her to overcome the devastating truths she discovers. Other characters are not as intricately detailed and she doesn't really have much of a cast of support characters. It provides an interesting opportunity to really understand Abi and Abi alone.

Understanding Abi and her fragile situation is a major facet of understanding the entire story that is the underlying mystery here. In the beginning, I felt the plot was setting up for a shallow idea of what a haunting is or really can be. However, when it reveals more than just a haunting and that true mystery is what is lying behind this, it is more intense than a simple ghost story and it is extremely well crafted to be that puzzling mystery.

If you are looking for a cross-genre read, this covers ghost stories, mystery, and historical in one fatal, and well-crafted, swoop. I would recommend this to readers looking for a haunting story that doubles as a simple read.

Rating out of 5:

Review: A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

A Need so Beautiful by Suzanne Young

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Publisher: Balzer & Bray (June 21, 2011)
Age Group: Young Adult (M*)
Pages (Hardcover): 276
Series: A Need So Beautiful (Book 1)
Read Next: A Want So Wicked
Source: Library
ISBN-13: 9780062008244
Genre: Urban Fantasy
      *This book contains mature themes

We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten...

Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences.

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Overview:

I'm at a loss of what to actually rate this book. I liked it, there were definite parts I didn't like, but it was in fact beautiful. When I finished this book, it stayed with me, lingering in my thoughts and it pretty rare that a book reaches me like that. But there was something about this book that didn't reach my expectations yet I'm not disappointed.

Review:

If the overview of my thoughts is anything to go by, this book left me confused on whether or not I actually enjoyed it. In the beginning, we are introduced to Charlotte and her extremely unique situation. Charlotte has a beautiful gift that she refers to as The Need; this need compels her to people who need to be saved. In powerful ways, this gift changes lives but it also changes Charlotte because this is her destiny. Every time Charlotte pours herself into this need, she loses herself as part of the Forgotten. 

Essentially, Charlotte is an angel in this breathtaking and unique spin on what it actually means to be an angel. Charlotte is a strongly defined and created character. She is loving, empathic, compassionate, and a teenager who wishes only to live. She doesn't have to be strong enough to fight wars or evil incarnate trying to take over the world, she only has be to be strong enough to live her life and fulfill her destiny and I think a lot of times we, as readers, struggle to do that very same thing.

I believe the aspects of this book that I didn't like stem from the note of mature content that I have included. I understand that the bond between Charlotte and Harlin is unique and special and that it requires illustration of just how powerful it is, but I felt this book was too focused around that illustration being sex. For all its beauty, this book was a incredibly sex driven. I believe it is strongly for this reason that it doesn't get a better overall "rating" because I was that distracted by the content and it honestly takes a lot for me to say that.

In the end, I was left with the perfect amount of closure but with a heartbreaking desire to read A Want so Wicked. I was also left with a hint of sadness for this could have been a beautiful and gripping stand-alone for it ended in such glory. It would have left readers with a rare ending not typically found in YA literature and with a radiant story, but alas our journey with Charlotte continues and I can't wait to embark upon it.

 Rating out of 5:

 

Review: Supernaturally by Kiersten White

Supernaturally by Kiersten White

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Publisher: HarperTEEN (July 26, 2011)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages (Paperback): 336
Series: Paranormalcy (Book 2)
Read Next: Endlessly (July 2012)
Source: Library
ISBN-13: 9780061985881
Genre: Paranormal
Author: Website | Twitter
Series Reviews: Book 1 (4★)

 Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be . . . kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

So much for normal.

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Overview:

An interesting comparison to the first, this book has its perks. It brings to life an easy to read voice that shines through as Evie and immerses us in a world of paranormal beings and mystery. This book took a while to find that hook but eventually turned into a true Kiersten White page turner. What this book fell short on was paced action, what did occur was in fantastic fashion, but far too often the lack of action was lulling.

Review: 

I went into this book hoping that reviews of it not being as good were false; but alas, I have come to understand the validity of those reviews. That is not to say that it is not good, in fact, it is still quite an enjoyable read. The twists and plot points of unraveling the mystery and the history of Evie is still gripping and still unique; but this book falls into a lot of lulling patterns found in contemporary or "normal" life.

This book sets up with Evie having finally acquired everything she ever wanted, everything that is normal. She has a locker, a boyfriend, high school, an after school job, she has it down but then she starts to see that the routine of human (normal) life isn't all it is cracked up to be.This element, the focus on the normal, subtracts from the plot of the story; it hinders the idea of thrills and mystery and when we are introduced to the new character, Jack, we welcome his (probably unhealthy) shenanigans.

The biggest problem I had with this book was its central focus on Evie's relationship and feelings for Lend. In the first book, it was a burning curiosity that grew and an attraction that blossomed, but here, she was a love sick puppy that eat, breathed, and slept Lend. Her jealousy against other girls was evident and the fights between the two of them were at the forefront of what had previously been a cute first love.

The best part of this book is that it is Kiersten White's brilliant writing and I still love the voice that she has created for Evie. I only wish I could have experienced more of her unique creativity that was expressed in Paranormalcy. She uses this book to perpetuate the story into the third book, but it still manages to have its own story with its own agenda for the characters. Lies, betrayals, and even truths come to play as she utilizes this book in the way most second books are, as a continuation to the end.

Rating out of 5:

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

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Publisher: Quirk Publishing (June 7, 2011)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages (eBook): 225
Source: Bought
ISBN-13: 9781594745133
Genre: Historical/Paranormal
Author: Twitter | Website

A mysterious island.

An abandoned orphanage.

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.
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Overview:

Ransom Riggs has created a naturally creepy world within reality. Focusing on Jacob and the mission he undergoes after the death of his grandfather, we are introduced to some of the most unique characters YA may have ever seen. This historical fiction set September 1940 is slowly paced but packs interesting twists and riveting detail. However, the ending, while it is sophisticated and realistic, is not what one would expect from a stand-alone read.

Review:

This dual genre selection is a wonderfully, chilling creation by a talented writer. This book and its cover set you up to believe that you might just be in for the haunted thrill ride of your reading life; but instead, you get an unraveling mystery and the dangers of the peculiar world.

This book is hauntingly paranormal yet oddly contemporary even in such a historical setting. The story is deep and the vintage photographs adds a new and interesting dimension to the book. However, some of the images are difficult to really understand what is going on. I understand they're vintage and authentic but at a certain point the lack of clarity in the images hinders the usefulness of it, but they were still very unique and effective.

What was most impressive was that the images were so relevant and integral to the description of the characters. The characters all had such unique and individually defined personalities that they were all stars of this book. In some instances, the naming choices tended to run together and left me sorting through the character list to make sure I knew who I was reading about.

The implementation of the plot throughout the entire book is fantastically well done but the book still lacked a strong pace. In the beginning, before finding the house, the story was drudgery. There was no solid indication of the things that would later blow our minds, there was no significant action, just a slow introduction to what might be a delusional 18-year-old boy.

Overall, this book could very well be a stand alone but it left me with a sense of a cliffhanger; perhaps something more is in store for the peculiar children, but maybe not. The ending was a little sudden and wasn't definitive enough for me to enjoy the fact that this was intended as a stand alone.

Rating out of 5:

Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

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Publisher: Scholastic, Inc. (September 1, 2009)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages (Hardcover): 391
Series: The Hunger Games (Book 2)
Source: Bought
ISBN-13: 9780439023498
Genre: Dystopia
Author: Website
Series Reviews: Book 1 (5★)

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the annual competition described in Hunger Games, but the aftermath leaves these victors with no sense of triumph. Instead, they have become the poster boys for a rebellion that they never planned to lead. That new, unwanted status puts them in the bull's-eye for merciless revenge by The Capitol.

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Overview:

The thrill of this book takes a considerable amount of time getting started. Unlike The Hunger Games, this book starts out very slow, with a long setup of the theme for this book. There is the agonizing threat and changes that are beginning to take place in Panem since Katniss and Peeta won the Games. The delicate balance of the love triangle is thrown into a tighter net with the announcement of the Quell. This book has interesting deaths and interesting desire behind it, but was missing something that gripped me like the first book, though I still really enjoyed it.

Review:

While lackluster in comparison to The Hunger Games, this book still has all the rights of being the sequel. The first thing that you notice about the first book is the thrill of action and it maintains that theme throughout the whole book. The first thing you notice about this book is that the beginning is a complete opposite.

With no further creation and depth of characters, we stay on the mainstream plot lines that were established for the characters through and at the end of the first book. We know that Katniss is strong, fierce, and independent but this book doesn't really continue to nurture that side of her; instead it takes her down the path of confusion and unable to bolster the responsibility of her actions. The same lack of definition exists with Peeta and Gale as well. What was once a carefully constructed and fragile love triangle is now a mash up of teenage confusion and anger.

However, once being able to get past the first half of the book and into the action heavy part, we are introduced to thick plot of conspiracy and rebellion all the while we are set in an amazing new arena. While the deaths were not as thrilling or unique, the remaining support characters that we witness were interesting and mysterious which adds a connection to the action.

Overall, this book was considerably slow in the beginning and the characters lacked further growth and depth but we were still thrown into the dystopian world of Suzanne Collins that we grew to love in the first installment. In this book, we got a new concept aside from a misconstrued existence in Panem; we were thrust into the middle of the underground, of the rebellion, of the conspiracy and what an intriguing place it is to be.

Rating out of 5:

Review: The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

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Publisher: Hyperion (August 2, 2011)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages (Hardcover): 288
Source: Secondhand ARC
ISBN-13: 978-1-4231-3787-0
Genre: Fantasy/Suspense
Author: Twitter | Blog

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life. 

But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget. 
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Overview:

This book has a unique feel to it; "entirely original yet achingly familiar". The beautiful writing crafted by Victoria Schwab is artful and demands your attention, though the voice seems almost to old for our young heroine. But one as young as Lexi, she is still as strong and defiant as she needs to be. In an instance where adults cannot see past the end of their noses, it takes her rebellion against all norms and odds to bring to light that which has been dead for centuries. It takes her resilience and her alliance with Cole to "set things right".

Review:

The Near Witch is an intriguingly dark mystery that surrounds the town of Near. Victoria Schwab has written a beautifully intense story with the most artistic prose. The quote in the blurb "entirely original, yet achingly familiar" sums up this tale brilliantly.

Schwab wraps her words around the concept of the main heroine, Lexi, giving her full depth and solidarity; the voice of the writing ages Lexi in a way that at first made it hard to fully construct the character. But as I drifted further into the writing and the story, Lexi's character became defined and her strength, her resolution was so profound. Her rebellion against the norms of Near set her aside and help identify her as the protagonist, the hero of the town of Near.

In addition to her, Cole is the stranger, the one who isn't supposed to exist. But he arrives in Near and changes Lexi's life forever. I was hoping for a deeper plot, perhaps that the two were destined to be together. Sadly, that isn't the case and the emotions of love are interesting yet painfully stereotypical, as the story takes place over the course of only days.

Other characters like the Thorne sisters were brilliantly crafted. The addition of the sisters, their knowledge, and their quirks were entirely entertaining and they were the only place we seemed to gather new cryptic information or history on the witch.

Throughout the story, we are uncovering the facts of the life and death of the Near Witch, the trails to the children, clues hidden in ancient stories, etc. The combination of the mystery and the careful craftsmanship of the prose held the story together through the redundancy of the days in the life of Lexi.

Victoria Schwab has crafted a wonderful story with a thoughtful set of characters and the most intriguing villains. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a haunting fairy tale, it is a beautiful read.

Rating out of 5:

Review: Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

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Publisher: Ace (September 3, 2008)
Age Group: Adult 18+
Pages (Mass Paperback): 292
Series: Sookie Stackhouse* 1
Source: Bought
ISBN-13: 978-0-441-01699-0
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Mystery
*Originally: Southern Vampire Mysteries

Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She's quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn't get out much. Not because she's not pretty. She is. It's just that, well, Sookie has this sort of "disability." She can read minds. And that doesn't make her too dateable. Then along comes Bill. He's tall, dark, handsome--and Sookie can't hear a word he's thinking. He's exactly the type of guy she's been waiting for all her life...

But Bill has a disability of his own: He's a vampire with a bad reputation. He hands with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of--big surprise--murder. And when one of Sookie's coworkers is killed, she fears she's next...

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Having watched True Blood before reading this book, I struggled with interest in it because it was as if the show had been ripped right off the pages, most of it word for word. I pushed through the lack of interest to realize that there were elements of the show that I loved and the book left out the ones that I were uninteresting (Note: If you are going from the show to reading, there is no drug usage).

The first thing that stood out in Harris' writing was her ability to convey voice. The creation of Sookie Stackhouse's first person was done phenomenally well. It really gives the appropriate mood and draws you into the setting of the backwards Louisiana town it is set in. There was not a moment where Sookie's voice flawed.

Sookie is a solid character that is able to interact with slew of amazing support characters including Sam, Bill, and Eric Northman. Her "disability" is shut down with her interactions with them and she is really able to shine as her own person. Set in the first person, at the point in the series, we have not had the opportunity to really understand and construct ideas of the support characters other than Bill.

As an adult read, this book provides detailed, not obscenely graphic, but rather short adult love scenes, As a paranormal romance reader, I thought this book would take the turn the show takes and be heavy on the "romance" but rather, it is more geared as a mystery in the book setting. I was disappointed though; when it came to solving the clues and putting the pieces together of the murderer, Harris doesn't provide a lot of points to go on other than finger-pointing at Jason, Sookie's brother. This leads to an unbelievable end to the book because there was no reason to suspect who was really behind the idea. This left me feeling unfulfilled in terms of a suspenseful mystery.

If you are an adult fan of Twilight and paranormal romance, this book comes highly recommended due to the uncanny similarities of mind readers, "shields", human-vampire love, one of them fighting the weirdness of the relationship, the other "love" interest, etc.

Rating out of 5:

Please disregard any inconsistencies you may notice in the coming reviews.

I am working on a new template.

Review: White Cat by Holly Black

White Cat by Holly Black

Gooreads | Amazon

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (May 4, 2010)

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages (Paperback): 310

Series: Curse Workers (Book 1)

Source: Library

ISBN-13: 9781416963967

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Cassel comes from a family of curse workers — people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail — he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago. 

Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen. 

Holly Black has created a gripping tale of mobsters and dark magic where a single touch can bring love — or death — and your dreams might be more real than your memories.

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After getting into this book, I began to really enjoy the story that was being told. Black has constructed an alternate reality of Curse Workers that extends back into the most ancient of histories; workers populate Australia and the United States pilfering jobs for crime families like The Godfather.

In this sense, I thought that the story had a hint of a dystopian concept even though it wasn't a dystopia. In a world of curse workers, everyone is forced to wear gloves; everyone lives in fear of getting worked. In Cassel's world, someone coming at you with bare hands can be more deadly than a sharpened knife.

Black also had strong familial themes that ran through this book. After his heinous crime against Lila and the Zacharov family, Cassel's brothers were there to help him and make sure his crime went unpunished; the big brothers cleaning up the mess. But then, we also see the insanely dysfunctional side of his family and the family he realized he always wanted but never had. With a mother in jail, living in the house of a hoarder, and being released from school, Cassel begins to unravel the truth about families; even a deep level of loyalty he can't seem to shake.

As the story progresses, we have the privilege to watch Cassel grow as a person. Bearing witness to character development is a strong part of this book as we see him go from leading a life of "normalcy" to honestly having and trusting friends. His intelligence surges as he realizes the biggest con of his life. From the roof, the only place to go is down, but when he hits rock bottom and finds the truth, the only place for him to go is up.

The one aspect that caused me to not really love the book was the easy-to-unravel plot. It wasn't hard for me to know what was really going on with Cassel as to what he was and what was happening to him. But even knowing what was happening, the read was still enjoyable and Black's writing was great. It was also the first book that had a character with a name similar to mine (the same as my nickname): Lila. But that was a personal little smile point, and not really important to anyone else, I'm sure.