The idea behind this story was very creepy! I will definitely give the book that. However, I had read and heard about how "terrifying" this book was, how so many called it a great "horror" story... but I was super let down.

I also wasn't a fan of the writing style. I didn't really care for any of the characters. The whole thing felt rushed to me.

Another "meh" book for me- not glad I read it, but not upset that I did either. Though I would not recommend this book.

Favorite lines:
She shakes hard enough to rattle the bed beneath her. Dad wraps her tight with his long, skinny arms, and for a moment it's like this hug is the only thing stopping bits of her from flying off.

But people like to shock with their words, don’t they?

This was an excellent graphic novel adaptation! The storyline of the book was captured so wonderfully. I love that there are two volumes, so the whole story was able to be told without feeling rushed. This volume covered the first half of the book, up to the Macabray dance.

I thought that the artwork in chapter one was absolutely perfect! Kevin Nowlan really captured the tone of the story. However, I was not a fan of how each chapter was illustrated by a different artist. I would have given this volume a full 5 stars if it weren't for the varying artist styles.

Full disclosure: I was provided with a free ebook copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review. Thanks again, Steinbronn + Co!

I had never heard of this comic or the author, Tom Hoover, before. When I started reading, I quickly realized that this was something that I would label as a conspiracy theory. I am very skeptical, so I had a hard time buying in. However, I tried to keep an open mind.

The introductory letter from the author was quite preachy, but it definitely set the stage for the graphic novel well! I didn’t agree with everything that was said, but this sentence certainly hit the mark; “Seeking truth should be applauded, not mocked. Just because the truth is unpleasant and odd doesn’t make it a falsehood.”

The layout of the graphic novel was very different from what I usually read. In this book, there was a main block in the middle of the page where the illustrations were. Above that block, were the few lines of text that guided the story. There was also a faded background that covered the entire page that had patterns and illustrations, like a woman’s silhouette, dollar signs, skulls, and what looks like fast food.

I really enjoyed the artwork! It was simple, but each panel captured the mood of that specific point of the story perfectly through use of color. The panels about the media made me chuckle out loud.

One of my issues with this novel, like I said above, was that I just couldn’t get behind the messaging. I do believe in subliminal messaging to a point, and I think it’s so interesting to learn more about it. However, I have a very hard time believing that people are so easily brainwashed, simply because I have always been one to surround myself with smart people that are skeptical and really take their time to do the research if necessary.

I also struggled because I just didn’t feel a connection to the main character at all. When we first “met” him, he was a two year-old child that somehow knew how to see subliminal messaging. It was far fetched, but I rolled with it. As the kid grew up, he started working to publish things with his own subliminal messaging, in hopes that it would change the world. Of course this isn’t a character driven graphic novel, but I wish I had felt a least a tiny connection to the main character.

Sure, the story was very over the top, but it makes a good point nonetheless. Again, I do NOT agree with everything that was said or alluded to. But it does really makes you wonder, especially looking at the United States as it is right now…

I would recommend giving this a read, but I personally would not re-read it.

Just like I said for the first, this second volume was an excellent graphic novel adaptation! I thought that the storyline of the book was captured so wonderfully. This second volume picks up a while after the Macabray dance, and Bod is now eleven years old. I absolutely loved the illustrations of Bod at school.

The artwork in this volume followed the same format as the first- each chapter was illustrated by a different artist. I enjoyed the first chapters art, but didn't really care for chapter two and three. The second chapter seemed more artsy than a typical comic, if that makes any sense. But still on some panels, the detail just seemed to be lacking

Again, I would have given this volume a full 5 stars if it weren't for the varying artist styles. I would still highly recommend this graphic novel!

My favorite passages:
You're alive, Bod. That means you have infinite potential. You can do anything, make anything, dream anything. If you change the world, the world will change.

Fear is contagious. You can catch it.

If you dare nothing, then when the day is over, nothing is all you will have gained.

DNF. I only made it 50 pages into this book before it was very clear that this wasn't going to be a book for me.

I was already so incredibly bored with the story and I did not like any of the characters. Sure, things may have gotten more interesting later on, but there were so many tropes that I absolutely cannot stand in these first 50 pages... I had rolled my eyes so many times that I was actually giving myself a headache.

We had:
The parent that cannot speak in full sentences because he is so incredibly awkward around his kid.
The girl that has no idea she's pretty.
The serial dater- the girl that always seems to have a boyfriend but also has commitment issues.
The love interest that none of the friends approve of.

Also, there was already WAY too much repetition for me. I felt like I was reading the same sentences over and over again.

I think a three star rating for this book is being very generous, but here we go.

This book felt incredibly slow to me. In the beginning, I was very wary about all of the information dumping. I understand that the author was trying to set up the world and give us some history, but I became bored really quickly and had a hard time staying focused. It just seemed that we were getting a lot of big blocky paragraphs, but very little action or dialogue. The redeeming factor was that it all flowed well.

I liked the main character, Kelsea. And while I didn't like that she was constantly having to prove herself, I did appreciate that she wasn't afraid to stand up to people who didn't think she was strong enough or smart enough, just because she was a girl. For example, when she asked for armor for herself and one of the arms masters told her that it would take a while to find someone willing to make female armor. All Kelsea said was, "Search fast, then. You're dismissed." I also loved that her right hand man, Mace, never once let other people talk down to her (however, more on that later).

I loved the friendly banter between Kelsea and Mace. By far my favorite part about this book. I loved that they were able to read each other pretty well, and their sarcasm and quick comebacks were lovely. I also found Pen and Andalie to be pretty interesting characters. I liked how loyal Pen was, though I was worried about a romance happening there. I also really liked that Andalie could "see" things, but I wish she had a more prominent role.

I also really enjoyed the feature of the magical sapphires. Though I really wish we had gotten more information about them before the book ended. Like why they are magical.

One of the things I really disliked about this book was how often Kelsea looks were brought up. Specifically how "plain" she was. The first time was fine, but every single time afterwards, I just rolled my eyes and tried to pretend like it hadn't been mentioned yet again. I am so over this book trope it's not even funny.

Another thing I really disliked was the random character perspective changes. I really didn't feel like they were necessary. Sure they gave us some info, but as a reader that pays attention, I think I would have been just fine without those bits. I also would have preferred for the story to stay with the main character and learn about the dealings of the other characters through her. The chapters were very long as it is, I really would have appreciated at least a chapter break when the character changed.

The third thing that bothered me was the sudden change in Mace's character. He went from standing behind Kelsea in every decision whether he believed it was the right decision or not, to suddenly not believing her and actually saying it outright. Like, what?! I loved his character up until then. This complete 180 made me so angry that I almost DNFed the book.

And there were so, so, so many things that just didn't make sense. Even one of the main historical points, called the "Crossing," wasn't really explained. However, it sure was brought up a lot! Another thing was that books were rare. It was said that people had relied so heavily on ebooks and such that the printing of books fell out of popularity before the Crossing. But it didn't explain whether or not the ereaders were all lost, if it was an electronic or internet crash, or what.

Another bummer was that I just did not care about the Red Queen. Sure, she was a horrible person that sold people, used slaves for sex, and sacrificed children to some black shadow man than seemed to control her. Okay, so she's a stereotypical "bad" character. She also seemed pretty cowardly and like she wasn't honestly a threat to the Tear at all... all they needed was one person to stand up and say "No" to her. Boring.

I probably wouldn't recommend this book, but it was worth reading. It just wasn't very original... There were many things that I found incredibly predictable. Like even the hunt to discover who was the rat in the group (because in books where a queen has a guard, of course there has to be a rat). I guessed who it was very early on, so when he was finally discovered I wasn't the least bit shocked.


My favorite passages:

"...we're coming to the point where I may need to split my men to evade pursuit. If so, my choice of body guard for you will depend much on your own abilities."
"Well, I'm a fast reader, and I know how to make stew."

Mace cleared his throat. "There's much to do today. Let's get Andalie in here to fix your appearance."
"How rude."
"Forgive me, Lady, but you've looked better."

Arliss grinned, his pointy hair sticking straight up over his head as though he'd taken a bolt of lightning.

"Treachery leaves a smell; a stench really, and I've never before failed to sniff it out."

In his excitement, he seemed even younger than usual, hopping from foot to foot like a small boy on Christmas, or at least a small boy who had a dire need for the bathroom.

The Lie Tree is a book set in Victorian-era England, where girls are expected to sit on the sidelines watching the action. But the main character, a young girl named Faith, wants nothing more but to get in the game. The natural science game, that is.

When her family suddenly moves away from their home and to an island, Faith is determined to figure out why. Through eavesdropping and snooping, she learns that her father is in the middle of a sticky web of lies. And at the heart of this web is the Lie Tree.

I thought the storyline of this book was very interesting! The beginning was a bit slow, but once the action picks up, it hooked me in and didn’t let me go. This was a book that I stayed up far too late reading because I just had to know what happened. I loved the mystery and how we slowly watched the main character figure things out. The ending was wicked intense! I was not expecting it to take a number of turns that it did, and I loved it!

I adored the main character. The beginning was a bit hard to read because all she wanted was some attention from her father, love from her mother, and respect from the island gentlemen. But her father just wouldn't giver her the time of day, the mother wasn't interested in her, and the gentlemen of the island didn't approve of her being smart or "clever" as she often called it. I loved that she didn't let any of this get her down; that she stuck to her gut and took control of the situation. I also really appreciated that she never gave up. She wanted answers, and she was determined to get them no matter what.

Overall, I thought this was a great read! I have seen some hesitation because it is marked as a children's book. But I never once felt that I was reading a children's book. I would put this one in the same vein as The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman; the main character is a child, but the storyline is intense and spooky. I would highly recommend giving this a shot!


My favorite passages:
She had always believed deep down that science would not judge her, even if people did.

Back in the trophy room the gentlemen would be taking the leash off their conversation. Likewise, here in the drawing room, each lady quietly relaxed and became more real, expanding into the space left by the men. Without visibly changing, they unfolded, like flowers, or knives.

Most of the time his easygoing nature acted as a sort of padding and offense simply bounced off. Went a barb did penetrate, however, it remained there forever.

Quiet people often have a weather sense that loud people lack. They feel the wind-changes of conversations, and shiver in the chill of unspoken resentments.

Her insides seem to have been scraped out. All those feelings and thoughts she had bottled up for years had burst free... and been crushed with apocalyptic thoroughness.

What had she just done? She had obediently opened a door and stepped through into blackness, without even knowing if there was a floor on the other side.

Faith was learning something interesting about ghosts. They were like snowballs- once you set them rolling their legend grew without your help.

A lie was like a fire, Faith was discovering. At first it needed to me nurses and fed, but carefully and gently. A slight breath would fan the newborn flames, but too vigorous a huff would blow it out. Some lies took hold and spread, crackling with excitement, and no longer needed to be fed. But then these were no longer your lies. They had a life and shape of their own, and there was no controlling them.

Everything was getting better, inch by inch, so slowly that she could not see it, but knowing it gave her strength.

Ten Millions Stars!

This book was absolutely incredible. When I started reading, I could not put it down. Once I had finished the story, I sat here in front of my computer desperately trying to find the right words to write my review... It's not that I'm speechless, exactly. It's just that there is so much I adored about this book, and so much that I had a hard time reading, but I don't want to give anything away.

If you are reading this, please go pick up this book. It's such a emotional rollercoaster, but I could not recommend it any higher.

First of all, I need to say that I think this author is absolutely incredible. Her writing is so beautiful and real. She writes the story from a duel narrative, which I have to say I don't usually like. But in this case, I thought it was beyond perfect. Everything just flowed so well. And I loved that I kept pausing to write down quotes I enjoyed. I will definitely be on the lookout for any book that Robin Roe publishes in the future.

The storyline itself was heartbreaking, but also very moving. It is one that I know I will never forget. There were scenes that made me feel so warm and so happy, but others were horrifying and made me sick, while others still made me feel truly afraid. There are so many very important topics that are discussed in this book, ranging from child abuse and trauma, friendship and growth, even to ADHD and the use of homeopathic remedies.

And the kindest.... The kindness in this book was incredibly awe-inspiring. I seriously want this book to reach the hands of every single person out there.

I have never loved characters in a book so quickly or so wholeheartedly. They were all so well developed and seemed so realistic! The majority of them were absolutely lovely, though one was downright wicked. I was immediately drawn to the two main characters, Adam and Julian. Very early on, I realized that I felt really protective of them, like they were my own little brothers. Adam was so thoughtful and clumsy, while Julian was shy and had a true heart of gold. I thought that all of Adams friends were incredible as well. I loved how kind and supportive they all were.

There was a very slight romance, but I thought it was lovely. I really enjoyed that these two characters seemed to have a real bond, not just your typical insta-love we seem to get in most YA books.

I would highly recommend this book. It is a must read for everyone.

My favorite passages:
Out in the hall, I try to breathe, but I'm still shaky the way you'd be if you were nearly clipped by a speeding car but had leapt out of the way at the very last second.

When I enter Child Development, all the girls lift their heads like a herd of deer sensing danger.

What happened next was like a time warp where you'd swear you didn't do it- or at least you didn't plan to do it. But I guess sometimes, without thinking, you find yourself tilting over glass cases full of mice. One interesting fact: scared mice are fast.

Some word stay in your head long after they're spoken.

“Getting smacked in the face with a Harry Potter book does not qualify as a fight,” Charlie says.
“First of all, it wasn’t just any Harry Potter book. It was Order of the Phoenix.”
Matt gasps. He knows that Order of the Phoenix is the longest and most potentially dangerous of all the Harry Potter books when used as a weapon.

Hate ricochets, but kindness does too.

"Maybe you shouldn't," he says. "You'd have to jump and..."
"And what?"
"You fall down a lot. Even... even during normal walking."

Charlie stands and places the baby in a little rolling crib, then he raises his arms like Frankenstein's monster, or if he were someone else, like he's about to hug someone. But if Charlie Taylor actually hugged me, it would mean the End of Days. His monster arms get closer.
It's the End of Days.

When I first started reading this book, I had a feeling that it could be a five-star quality. And sure enough, it was!

The book begins with the main character, Jane Steele, speaking of the murders she had committed and stating how writing her story down was proving to be more difficult than she thought it would be. After two short paragraphs, we dive right into the story! I was hooked immediately and had a very hard time putting the book down.

Within this book, there are three volumes which went in chronological order. I loved this organization because we were able to see what Jane’s childhood was like first, and then watched her grow as she attended a boarding school, made a life for herself in the city, and then later as she posed as a governess in her childhood home. I really enjoyed that each volume had it's own main focus (friendship, loyalty, romance), while still having a fair amount of murderous and vengeance filled situations.

I absolutely loved the beautiful classic writing style of this book. My favorite feature was the use of stunning description. For example: "...it had snowed again, and an inch of powder lay glimmering upon the grounds, awaiting the performers as the pale January sunlight bent down to kiss the top of the trees."

I also really enjoyed that throughout the book, Jane breaks the fourth wall to talk directly to the reader. Each time this occurred, I found myself grinning.

The characters are all so incredibly lovely! I admired Jane Steele right from the start, even though she was just a child. Over the course of the book, I just liked her more and more! Then later, when we met Mr. Thornfield, I absolutely adored him. The way that he speaks reminds me a bit of my boyfriend. Example:
Jane: “I resemble no star, sir.”
Mr. Thornfield: “Well, You’ve clearly never heard of mirrors, then. I’ll teach you to use ‘em, they’re easy as anything."

I also loved the relationships between all of the main characters. At first, I loved Jane and Clarke’s relationship, then later the relationship between everyone at Highgate House; Mr. Thornfield, Sahjara, and Mr. Sardar were so lovely. Their banter seemed so realistic, like you were sitting in the room listening to them bicker with one another. I would love to read a full book that focused on their backstory!

And then we have the romance. It was so perfect. I was rooting for it from the start. And I was so anxious that it would go south… But after a certain event, I wanted to stand up and cheer! I loved that Jane Steele kept referencing Jane Eyre and pointing out where Jane Eyre had gone wrong, which prevented Jane Steele from making the same mistakes. I thought this was so clever and a joy to read.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book!! However, like I said earlier, there is a classics vibe here. So if classics aren't your thing, this may not be the best fit for you. But even so, I would recommend trying it out!

My favorite passages:

Slowly, I recovered my appetite- and concurrently, my keen interest in rebellion.

No longer afford to be like my mother; my heart must be carried not on my sleeve but deep in my breast, where the complete darkness may mask the fact that it too was black as pitch.

Grief is a strange passenger; it rides on one's shoulder quiet as a guardian angel one moment, then sinks razor talon into one's collarbones the next.

I have learnt since that a great many people are ill intentioned and yet behave well.

Killing for love is one of the most tangled acts you can commit, reader, in an already twisted world.

I was left with an anxious feeling like tiny waves across the sea before a squall.

A man walked out the front door; he was tall and the colour of strong tea, and a tingling in my spine informed me that here was a presence which would somehow influence my life- for better or for worse, I could not say.

As is so often the case at the worst possible times, I laughed.

Augustus Sack only smiled; if a grubworm had smiled, it would have looked similar.

No weeping, I thought furiously. Thinking is more useful than weeping.

I hope that the epitaph of the human race when the world ends will be: Here perished a species which lived to tell stories.

I have to begin by saying that it took me awhile to get into this book.

Partially because I had just read another YA book, and for some reason reading YA genres back to back has started to really bother me. And partially because when I first started reading this, it was like I was transported right back to high school...which is a time that I really don't care to reflect upon. I mentioned to my reading buddy that I may have to DNF this book, but she convinced me otherwise. And I am pretty happy that she did!

So, back to my comment about being transported right back into high school? The authors writing was wonderful. She really made it all seemed so real! Like I was actually attending the school, meeting the characters, and seeing things happen. Which, if I were still in high school, I think I would have enjoyed a lot more. At 26, it just wasn't keeping my interest.

The storyline was very simple. We encountered the typical high school drama twists and turns. And of course there was the mystery of trying to figure out who the mysterious "Blue" is, which I really enjoyed! The romance was very cute. I loved that Blue and Simon fell in love over email without knowing what each other looked like.

From page one, I thought that this author absolutely nailed the teenage boy persona. One of the quotes on the back of the dust jacket says, "Are we absolutely certain that Becky Albertalli didn't just steal the diary of a hilariously observant teenage boy?"- Tim Federle. And I think that sums it up pretty well!

So while this wasn't one of my personal favorites, I would definitely recommend this book to a reader that was looking for a cutesy LGBTQ read!

My favorite passages:
I take a sip of my beer, and it's - I mean, it's just astonishingly disgusting. I don't think I was expecting it to taste like ice cream, but holy fucking hell. People lie and get fake IDs and sneak into bars, and for this?

There's no such thing as a good idea when you're in seventh grade.

I keep thinking about what my dad said. You're pretty brave, kid.
Maybe I am.