Spanning five decades, from the last days of the 1970s to the present, leaping genres, and barreling toward an astonishing conclusion, this intricately woven novel will pull you into a reality-warping new vision of the haunted house story—as only David Mitchell could imagine it. [2]
Review: I won this book from Lauren of The Bookish Fairy's giveaway in Twitter. Out of the tons of giveaways I join I was pleasantly surprised when Lauren contacted me that I won her giveaway and OMG I got this book about 5 months ago and only got to read it this month. Please do check out Lauren's blog and follow her in Twitter too.
It's the first time I ever read anything by David Mitchell. This book is divided into different POV's split 9 years apart but all encountering Slade house and never getting out. It's extremely bizarre and a little confusing to read. I kept wondering when someone will actually get the better of Norah and Jonah and that ending wasn't as satisfying as I wanted it to be.
I loved that the book is hardbound and it came signed by the author. I was a short read if not for the fact the story is a combination of psychological and spooky and I think it kinda messed up my brain while I was reading it. 😆😆😆
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Ewan Pendle and the Castle of Nightmares
(Ewan Pendle #2)
by Shaun Hume
Published October 31st 2018 by Shaun Hume
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
When Ewan Pendle began his second training year at Firedrake Lyceum, he thought it might at least be easier than the first. Now that he knew he was a Lenitnes, one of an ancient race of peoples who alone can see the real Creatures which inhabit the earth, he hoped things would maybe go a little downhill from here … How wrong he was.
Ewan is summoned by Alice Blazely, the would be assassin who he and his friends Mathilde and Enid helped capture last year, the cunning woman using her final wish after being sentenced to death for her crimes to request a private meeting with Ewan. Alone together in a deep and dank cell, Alice reveals a secret which could turn Ewan’s world upside down – again. Does she hold the answer to deciphering Ewan’s disturbing reoccurring dreams? Can he ever trust the woman who wanted to see him dead?
As if a shocking revelation from a new foe wasn’t enough to handle, Ewan must also tackle a sea monster in the Thames, deal with the evil Rosethorn twins, come face to face with a shadow troll in a London alleyway and bargain with a crafty dragon, and attempt to find a treasure lost for over a thousand years …
As the summer ends, Ewan’s year long initiation into the world of creatures and the Lenitnes is finally over. But it’s then when monsters of all shapes and sizes really do start leaping, clawing and flying at him thick and fast! [3]
Review: It's a brand new school year for Ewan and he's been worrying about which clique he would be chosen to attend, missing his friends, and wondering what the new adventures they would be getting themselves in to. What he didn't realize is he would actually discover about a twin sister he didn't know he had, a mother who was still alive, and an affinity to wraiths.
Aside from those 3 plots, we read a little about dragons and see how the students interact. The subplots were a little all over the place and confusing but it was a fun read. I still want to find out how Ewan is connected to wraiths and why he had to grow up as an orphan. There is so much potential in the story that I'll ignore the weird subplots.
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Evermore
(Everless #2)
by Sara Holland
Published December 31st 2018 by HarperTeen
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jules Ember was raised hearing legends of the ancient magic of the wicked Alchemist and the good Sorceress. But she has just learned the truth: not only are the stories true, but she herself is the Alchemist, and Caro—a woman who single-handedly murdered the Queen and Jules’s first love, Roan, in cold blood—is the Sorceress.
The whole kingdom believes that Jules is responsible for the murders, and a hefty bounty has been placed on her head. And Caro is intent on destroying Jules, who stole her heart twelve lifetimes ago. Jules must delve into the stories that she now recognizes are accounts of her own past. For it is only by piecing together the mysteries of her lives that Jules will be able to save the person who has captured her own heart in this one. [4]
Review: I knew this book was going to come out but I didn't see it until after the holidays were done. I wanted to read more about what happens to Jules as she grows into the person she was in her first life. If she was indeed the alchemist of legend. At first I really didn't get what it meant. Was she evil or was she just misguided? The book did explain it and I love that fact that her story, which revolved around love and heartbreak, wasn't because of some boy. This is one of those books that would be great made into a TV series. I wish there was more stories in Jules universe.
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The Similars
(The Similars #1)
by Rebecca Hanover
Published January 1st 2019 by Sourcebooks Fire
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
When six clones join Emmaline’s prestigious boarding school, she must confront the heartbreak of seeing her dead best friend’s face each day in class.
The Similars are all anyone can talk about at the elite Darkwood Academy. Who are these six clones? What are the odds that all of them would be Darkwood students? Who is the madman who broke the law to create them? Emma couldn't care less. Her best friend, Oliver, died over the summer and all she can think about is how to get through her junior year without him. Then she comes face-to-heartbreaking-face with Levi—Oliver's exact DNA replica and one of the Similars.
Emma wants nothing to do with the Similars, but she keeps getting pulled deeper and deeper into their clique, uncovering dark truths about the clones and her prestigious school along the way. But no one can be trusted…not even the boy she is falling for who has Oliver's face. [5]
Review: I had to take a break from Fantasy to read more Science Fiction and boy did I love this book. Humans have always been so curious about creation, the search for immortality, and the morality of cloning. Do we have a right to create another being from scratch? Would they be actual people with soul? Are we over stepping a certain boundary? These questions are a fundamental in the realm of science and science fiction that have made humans thinks for generations. Personally, I find cloning fascinating but if I had the capacity to do it, I wouldn't even dare. If by chance I meet a clone, I wouldn't treat them any differently than a naturally created person. It's good that this book was able to tackle the aspects of peoples reaction to an idea or a phenomenon like this.
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Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful
by Arwen Elys Dayton
Published December 4th 2018 by Harper Voyager
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
For fans of television shows Black Mirror and Westworld, this compelling, mind-bending novel is a twisted look into the future, exploring how far we will go to remake ourselves into the perfect human specimen and what it means to be human at all.
Set in our world, spanning the near to distant futures, Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful is a novel made up of six interconnected stories that ask how far we will go to remake ourselves into the perfect human specimens, and how hard that will push the definition of "human."
This extraordinary work explores the amazing possibilities of genetic manipulation and life extension, as well as the ethical quandaries that will arise with these advances. The results range from the heavenly to the monstrous. Deeply thoughtful, poignant, horrifying, and action-packed, Arwen Elys Dayton's Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful is groundbreaking in both form and substance. [6]
Review: Another Science Fiction book that will make you think where we are heading as a species. This one delves more into gene and body modification to create perhaps a better human or just to fulfill once idea of what a human being should be. This books is more of a colection of intertwined stories with a common theme and 1 specific common character but it was the ending that I wish had more to it.
There are actually more books in my TBR that I was able to finish in a span of 3 weeks, from the last week of December to the 1st week of January. But I don't want to over crowd this post and I really want to post more this month. Haha. Now all I need is inspiration and motivation to take Bookstagram pictures. Maybe a good camera will be a good enough inspiration?
What have you guys been reading so far? Share some love on the comments!
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