Reading Rainbow: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

It's time for another rec in our spOOky series of Reading Rainbows!  This week, we have Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.  Honestly, I started this book knowing it might be creepy, but I had NO IDEA it would be as spooky (and actually scary) as it turned out to be!

From Goodreads:

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.

The first thing the drew me to this book is quite obviously the cover.  Who can resist that?  And, there are pictures throughout the book as well.  (I read it on my nook color and I could see the pictures just fine - though I've heard many people with non-color e-readers wishing they had read a hard copy.)

The pictures go along with the story, and in fact, are an integral part of the story and the characters.  I don't want to give anything away, because part of the fun of this book is the mystery of it all.  But, I will say that within that mystery (which will keep you reading!) is a lot of SCARY STUFF.  I had to read this one with the lights on.  And since I'm a wimp, I asked our contributor Nicole (formerly known as Dusty Moats) if this book is, in fact, spOOky, or if it was just me.  She said, "It was very dark and spooky.  And even a bit gory."  And this comes from a girl who loves herself some horror, so I consider her an expert.

So, in keeping with the spOOky theme of the month, we're recommending this book.  But you might need to leave the lights on.  Just sayin. 

Reading Rainbow: Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-

I've decided that we should get in the Halloween spirit around here, and to do that, we will rec only spOOky books for the month of October!  Now, if you've been around WhimFic a while, you know that spOOky for me is... well, not really all that spOOky.  But, I promise they'll have a bit of scary to them!  First on the list is a book that I loved because it had some heart-jumping moments, but it was also hilarious (wait until you read the running-across-the-field-in-underwear scene - trust me!).  Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore is a perfect start for our spOOky book recs!

From Goodreads:

Amy Goodnight's family is far from normal. She comes from a line of witches, but tries her best to stay far outside the family business. Her summer gig? Ranch-sitting for her aunt with her wacky but beautiful sister. Only the Goodnight Ranch is even less normal than it normally is. Bodies are being discovered, a ghost is on the prowl, and everywhere she turns, the hot neighbor cowboy is in her face.

Okay, so if you read this and wonder why I thought it qualified as spOOky, please remember I AM A WIMP.  So let's just get that out of the way.  But, it is a ghost story!  Ghosts are scary!  And it has mystery, suspense, and moments that made me a little afraid to turn off the light, to be honest. 

I have to say, I loved Amy Goodnight.  She's such a perfect main character.  She continually laughed at herself (and her actions) which made me laugh out loud throughout the book.  I also really liked the "witch" element of the book.  The members of Amy's family are witches, but there is a modernity to them - especially in the character of Phin, Amy's sister - that makes it all the more interesting.  And funny, which you all know I love.

Can we talk about The Guy?  Because, while he has no sword, he does have a cowboy hat and boots!  Not only that, he can hold his own (and then some) against Amy's sharp tongue, and the banter between them makes the book all the more fun. 

So, if you're ready to start reading some slightly-scary books to get yourself in the Halloween spirit, start with Texas Gothic!  It's a perfect book for this time of the year. 

Giveaway Winner! Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

We have a winner for our Sweetly giveaway!  Our first winner was Lindsay, but she was lucky enough to have met Jackson Pearce over the weekend and got her own signed copy of Sweetly.  She generously offered for the book to go to someone else who entered, so.... the winner is Sissy Ski (who writes a hilarious blog - you can check it out here).  Congratulations to Sissy Ski and thank you to all who entered!!  More giveaways coming soon!

Reading Rainbow Giveaway! Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Today's rec is fun because not only am I recommending Sweetly by Jackson Pearce, but we are also giving away a copy!  And not only are we giving away a copy, but a SIGNED copy of Sweetly!  Leigh and I were lucky enough to meet Jackson Pearce at the Decatur Book Festival earlier this month.  She was nice enough to sign a copy of the book for all of you!

She was also nice enough to sit through a photo-shoot FAIL with us in an attempt to get a picture of the three of us together.  We ended up with just Leigh and Jackson posing, while I was trying to explain the workings of the camera to the nice woman who agreed to take our picture.  Still - great picture, yes?

And now, on to Sweetly!

 

From Goodreads: 

Twelve years ago, Gretchen, her twin sister, and her brother went looking for a witch in the forest. They found something. Maybe it was a witch, maybe a monster, they aren’t sure—they were running too fast to tell. Either way, Gretchen’s twin sister was never seen again.

Years later, after being thrown out of their house, Gretchen and Ansel find themselves in Live Oak, South Carolina, a place on the verge of becoming a ghost town. They move in with Sophia Kelly, a young and beautiful chocolatier owner who opens not only her home, but her heart to Gretchen and Ansel.

Yet the witch isn’t gone—it’s here, lurking in the forests of Live Oak, preying on Live Oak girls every year after Sophia Kelly’s infamous chocolate festival. But Gretchen is determined to stop running from witches in the forest, and start fighting back. Alongside Samuel Reynolds, a boy as quick with a gun as he is a sarcastic remark, Gretchen digs deeper into the mystery of not only what the witch is, but how it chooses its victims. Yet the further she investigates, the more she finds herself wondering who the real monster is, and if love can be as deadly as it is beautiful.

I love fairy-tale re-tellings, and this one was done so well!  It's extremely spooky (just look at that cover), and it certainly made me want to stay away from the woods at night!   I really loved the mystery of the story, and could not wait to figure out what, exactly, was happening in the candy shop.  This book is also set in a small town, and I have a certain weakness for small-town life.  I think it complemented the story well and I loved the setting overall.


And speaking of settings, did I mention that this book is focused around a candy shop?  Oh right, I did.  But, THE CANDY.  Be sure to have some chocolate nearby while you're reading because you'll need it.  The candy is almost it's own character, or an extension of Sophia, and I love the way it plays into the story. 

Rather than give away any other details from the book, let's get on with the actual giveaway!  All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling us your favorite candy!  And, if you want a bonus entry, leave a recipe to make your favorite candy (or variation of), or a link to a recipe will work as well.  My favorite (currently) is the dark chocolate peanut butter cup from Trader Joe's.  I make special trips just to buy them.  


We'll draw a winner Monday, October 2nd!  Good luck! 


**This giveaway is for US residents only.  SO SORRY to our international readers!  We promise to have a big old worldly giveaway soon!**

 

Reading Rainbow: Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

Let me just get this out - I LOVED THIS BOOK! Seriously, Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick was amazing and completely captivating. I will say, this type of book is exactly what I love - apocalyptic fiction, mysterious, a bit scary, and all with a believable heroine.

From Goodreads:

A cataclysmic event. An army of "The Changed."
Can one teen really survive on her own?

An electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky, destroying every electronic device and killing billions. For those spared, it's a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human...

Desperate to find out what happened and to avoid the Changed, Alex meets up with Tom---a young army veteran---and Ellie, a young girl whose grandfather was killed by the electromagnetic pulse.

This improvised family will have to use every ounce of courage they have just to survive.

This is one of those, "What if?" books that I adore. What if, in an instant, life as we know it ceased to exist? I love that, in Ashes, it is in the present-day when these things happen. It makes it very relatable, and also more than a little scary.

I really loved the heroine in this book, Alex.  She was very Final Girl, in the slasher-film sense.  She is smart, curious, brave but knows when to be afraid, and above all, she is a survivor.  The sense of family (the "improvised family") is also so well done.  I loved the characters and found each of them to be genuine.

I should warn you: this book ends with a fairly high cliff.  It's one of those jaw-dropping moments.  That being said, I think I'm okay with it because the story was just so good.  I am SO VERY ANXIOUS to find out what happens, but I am also content to have read a really great story that has made me think. 

Reading Rainbow: Vanish by Sophie Jordan

Last year I read and recommended Firelight by Sophie Jordan (you can read the rec here). I ended the post by saying that I wanted to learn MORE about the draki. I was completely mystified by the idea of a dragon-ish species living as human. Well, I'm very happy to say that Sophie Jordan must have read my rec (hah!) because she delivered in Vanish, the sequel to Firelight.

From Goodreads:

To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.

Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever

*SPOILER ALERT* If you haven't read Firelight yet, this post might have spoilers! I won't spoil anything from Vanish, but I can't promise to be spoiler-free for Firelight!

Okay, I'm jut going to go ahead and say it: I liked this book BETTER than it's predecessor! Perhaps that is because I loved the world-building in this book - rather than being set in a typical town, this is mainly set in the home of the pride. I loved learning about the details of each draki and how they all added something to the pride. And the flying! Hello, that was awesome. It was so great to see Jacinda letting herself be who she truly is inside. I loved that.

And, if that all wasn't enough, you'll find a ton of action and suspense in this book. There are beautiful moments (KISSY SCENES!), but there are also moments that will have have your heart pumping in anticipation or, in my case, worry. Jacinda takes huge risks as she begins to figure out what is most important to her, and although I wanted to yell, "NO! It's too dangerous," it does make for an excellent story.

So, if you liked Firelight and are ready for more, definitely pick up Vanish. You might even find yourself liking it better!

Reading Rainbow: Ally Carter!

I have to apologize for taking another one of our unscheduled blog-cations. I was off on a real-life vacation, which included a visit to the best bookstore ever - Powell's City of Books! Leigh was in LA hobnobbing with famous authors during the SCBWI Summer Conference. (Even our vacations are literary-minded!) To make up for our absence, I am not just rec'ing one book today, but a whole slew of books! Two series by Ally Carter that I am in love with: The Heist Society and The Gallagher Girls.

First, I must thank Sophie for the recommendations on both of these series. I must also curse her for giving me two more book-boyfriends to think about! Honestly, these books are so well-written and perfectly timed - it's hard not to sink into them. In fact, I found it hard to put each one of them down once I had started!

One thing I love about Ally Carter's writing is the voice of her main characters. Both Katarina (Heist Society) and Cameron (Gallagher Girls) are extremely smart, confident (in very unconventional ways), and funny. Aside from the knowledge gained by either growing up in a family of high-class criminals, or growing up in a school for spies, both girls are somewhat naive about boys, and how to decipher their own feelings while they live life undercover.

I also loved reading about the details of heists and spy school. Honestly, it was so much fun to read along while Katarina pulled off the perfect crime, or while Cameron and her friends pulled off their Covert Operations projects - especially those not sanctioned by her school. And Ally Carter doesn't miss a beat. These books never felt boring or drawn out. I wanted more, of course, but she does such a great job of wrapping things up (no Everest-high cliffs here!) that I always felt satisfied when finishing one of these books.

The only downside? Now I'm completely hooked and cannot wait for the fifth book in the GG series: Out of Sight, Out of Time. I can blame Sophie for that too, right? :)

Goodreads for Heist Society #1
Goodreads for Gallagher Girls #1
Sophie's reviews at Mundie Moms