REVIEW: The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White - 4 stars

Title: The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein

Genre: Young Adult Historical Fantasy

Author: Kiersten White

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publication: September 25th 2018

Cover Rating: 4/5

Goodreads | Amazon

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White is a very interesting retelling of Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein. In this retelling, Victor Frankenstein is portrayed as this mentally ill genius who would do absolutely anything to figure out a way to cheat death. But he didn't just want to cheat death for the sake of science, he wanted to cheat death because he can't imagine his life without his love, his Elizabeth.

Elizabeth lost her father at a young age. That made her an orphan. The woman who was raising her told a wild story about Elizabeth being royalty/she had come from a wealthy family. Elizabeth didn't believe the story, she just thought the woman spun the tail to get her out of her hair. Then, the Frankenstein family bought her as a playmate for their young, strange son, Victor.

We enter the book when Elizabeth has left the Frankenstein estate in order to search for Victor. Victor was away for school after his mother's death and Elizabeth hadn't heard from him for a long time. She sent their friend Henry after him but Henry decided to venture off and do his own thing as well so it was up to Elizabeth to find Victor and bring him home.

Victor was a very odd character. His brilliance was amazing but it would ultimately cause his downfall. Or maybe that was Elizabeth. It all depends on perspective. Either way, I think Victor would have met his downfall one day either by succumbing to his persistent fevers or by killing the wrong person. Regardless of how he dies, I still did not like him from the beginning and quite honestly I didn't like Elizabeth either but together, they wove the most macabre story that was pretty enjoyable.

In the end, everything got turned upside down, things got bloody and Elizabeth had to make some pretty tough decisions in order to survive. The story ended a lot differently than how the actual Frankenstein did

Overall, I gave the book 4/5 stars.

REVIEW: Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Title: Stalking Jack the Ripper

Genre: Young Adult Historical Thriller

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Publisher: Jimmy Patterson

Publication: September 20th 2016

Cover Rating: 5/5

Reading format: Provided ARC/Owned Hardback

Goodreads | Amazon

I wanted to start this review off by saying I have read this book 3 times now and for some odd reason, I never posted my review for it. I had one all written up and even had the custom synopsis picture I do finished but something happened between point A and point B the follow-through just never happened sooooo I decided to trash the older review and rewrite a new one now that I have read the book AND LOVED IT so many times.

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco is a wonderful retelling and reimagining of the Jack the Ripper murders. This book stars the lovely Audrey Rose Wadsworth and the dashing Thomas Cresswell as they assist Audrey Rose's uncle in trying to solve the Ripper murders that are happening throughout the book. 

Jack the Ripper is one of my favorite unsolved mysteries that I like to read and watch shows/movies about. So, when I heard about this book it instantly shot to the top of my TBR. I was lucky enough to get an advance copy so I got to read the book before it came out and I don't know if that was a blessing or a curse because then I had to wait over a year for the next book to come out. Sometimes reviewing books early suuuckksss.

During the book Audrey Rose and Thomas team up to try and figure out the murders by themselves. This leads to a lot of mystery and mayhem and perhaps a stolen kiss or two. Oh, how I loved the dynamic between the two characters. Audrey Rose was trying to keep her virtue and good name intact while Thomas was being all sorts of tempting and making lewd jokes and advances. Nothing about the situation was harmful and they just complimented each other perfectly.

I loved the historical aspect of the book. I used to very much dislike historical fiction but ever since this book came out I have been devouring it. Especially if it contains a mystery/thriller element. I might even go so far as to say that Historical Mystery/Thriller is my new favorite genre, aside from plain old Mystery/Thriller.

After many failed attempts at tracking down the killer and even going so far as to name someone very close to her as the killer, the book came to an ending that I truly was not expecting. I can usually guess where a book is going and so far, with Ripper, Dracula, and Houdini, I have not been able to guess the killer until the very last moment before he is revealed. But the killer for Ripper was very shocking and heartbreaking all at once. 

In the end, I wish I could fully put into words how amazing I believe this book and the others in this series are but I really don't think there are any words for the emotions I feel when reading this series. I adore these books so much and I want to thank Jimmy Patterson for publishing these and many other amazing books. If you haven't checked out any of the books under this publishing brand then you are seriously missing out!

Overall, I gave the book 5/5 stars.

REVIEW: Book of Shadows by Cate Tiernan - Paige

Rating: 

Genre: YA Horror/Fantasy

Recommended Age: 12+ (something Wiccan this way comes. Seriously, if your parents didn’t allow you to read Harry Potter they most definitely won’t like this book).

Pages: 187

Author Website

Amazon Link

Synopsis: 

Morgan and her best friend, Bree, are introduced to Wicca when a gorgeous senior named Cal invites them to join his new coven. Morgan falls for Cal immediately? and discovers that she has strong, inexplicable powers.

When my husband and I were little we apparently already had a common interest: witches! We loved stories about these spell casters and we read a ton of book between us about different YA or MG novels concerning the topic. Since my husband kept a ton of his older books and this series concerns witches, he gave the series to me so I can read it. And I loved this book. It was simple and straight to the point about a girl who becomes infatuated with the new guy in school and his religion: Wicca. She and her friends start to practice the art and she comes to the conclusion she is sensitive to the magic. But is that all about our protagonist? The plot and pacing of this book were perfect for how small of a book this was. While this book was mostly just an introductory piece to the series, it wasn’t at all boring to me.

However, I didn’t feel that the characters were that developed and most were forgettable. There was a huge cast of characters introduced in this short book and it made remembering names very difficult. Maybe if the book had few key characters or if the book was longer then I could have remembered all of them.

Verdict: While there are a bunch of characters, the main storyline is intriguing and I’ll definitely be reading the second book of this series.

REVIEW: Asylum by Madeleine Roux - Paige

Rating: 

Genre: YA Horror

Recommended Age: 13+ (jump scares and creepy)

Pages: 310

Author Website

Amazon Link

Disclaimer: None, I bought this book on my own!

Synopsis: 

For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, the New Hampshire College Prep program is the chance of a lifetime. Except that when Dan arrives, he finds that the usual summer housing has been closed, forcing students to stay in the crumbling Brookline Dorm—formerly a psychiatric hospital. As Dan and his new friends Abby and Jordan start exploring Brookline’s twisty halls and hidden basement, they uncover disturbing secrets about what really went on here . . . secrets that link Dan and his friends to the asylum’s dark past. Because Brookline was no ordinary mental hospital, and there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

I like scary books sometimes and I’ve always heard Madeleine Roux wrote some really good ones. When I read House of Furies last year I wasn’t that impressed, but decided to trudge on with Asylum anyways. While I felt it was better, I still didn’t enjoy the book that much. I thought the world building was much better than House of Furies and the book has really creepy and cool illustrations, but for the most part, I was disappointed.

I thought the storyline of haunted school was a bit overdone and this one didn’t strike me as anything unique. The pacing is a huge issue in the book. There’s action over 2-3 pages and then everything is normal again. The chapters are very weirdly done as they do nothing to help with the flow of the book. The character development was almost non-existent and the main character was very frustrating to me.

Verdict: If you can get past how choppy this book is, it’s a really good horror book. Otherwise, it’s frustrating and tired.

REVIEW: Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco - 4.5/5 stars

Title: Hunting Prince Dracula

Genre: YA Historical Thriller

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Publisher: Little, Brown

Publication: September 19th 2017

Cover Rating: 5/5

Reading format: Owned Hardback

Goodreads | Amazon

I loved Stalking Jack the Ripper. Every chance I get to suggest the book to someone, I do, very enthusiastically. So I was BEYOND excited to get my hands on Hunting Prince Dracula. Although there wasn't as much gore aspect in HPD I still enjoyed it just as much, but Audrey Rose needed an attitude adjustment or a Xanax.

We start the story off with Audrey Rose and Thomas on a train on their way to a prestigious forensic school that just so happens to reside in Vlad the Impalers castle. On the ride they find out that the locals are worried that Vlad has risen from the dead and has started to kill people again. Once at the castle the two figure out that there is a killer replicating vampyric deaths and also replicating deaths as if the person was a vampire killed by a hunter. So two very different deaths but also two very similar situations.

I really enjoyed the mystery solving portion of the book but I think I could have lived without the sexual tension between Thomas and Audrey Rose. There was anger where it wasn't needed and sexual thoughts when they weren't needed. I understand the author is trying to advance a romantic plot within the book but sometimes enough is enough. Even with the crazy tension I still found a way to love the book. Especially when we find out that Thomas has one hell of a secret he's been keeping.

Audrey Rose spent the majority of this book worried more about what her peers thought of her and of the fact that she wanted to be an independent woman rather than actually solving anything or doing her forensic work. She was doing a wonderful job of screwing herself over without Thomas or her classmates help. Sometimes being too worried about one thing can really skew what's really important. Also, I found it very interesting that Audrey Rose didn't say anything when Thomas convinced her father to let her go to school. So she only accepts help when it greatly benefits her.  Hmm, I hope her attitude improved in the next book.

Overall, I gave the book 4.5/5 stars.

REVIEW: Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel by A. W. Jantha - Erin

Hocus Pocus & The All New Sequel

by A.W. Jantha

Hardcover, 560 pages

Expected publication: July 10th 2018 by Freeform

ISBN13: 9781368020039

NetGalley

About:

Hocus Pocus is beloved by Halloween enthusiasts all over the world. Diving once more into the world of witches, this electrifying two-part young adult novel, released on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the 1993 film, marks a new era of Hocus Pocus. Fans will be spellbound by a fresh retelling of the original film, followed by the all-new sequel that continues the story with the next generation of Salem teens.

Shortly after moving from California to Salem, Massachusetts, Max Dennison finds himself in hot water when he accidentally releases a coven of witches, the Sanderson sisters, from the afterlife. Max, his sister, and his new friends (human and otherwise) must find a way to stop the witches from carrying out their evil plan and remaining on earth to torment Salem for all eternity.

Twenty-five years later, Max and Allison's seventeen-year-old daughter, Poppy, finds herself face-to-face with the Sanderson sisters in all their sinister glory. When Halloween celebrations don't quite go as planned, it's a race against time as Poppy and her friends fight to save her family and all of Salem from the witches' latest death-defying scheme. (Goodreads)

Rating: 

Review:

“Another Glorious Morning! It Makes Me Sick!”

I LOVE THIS BOOK!

I was so excited to have a chance and read this book ahead of time. I’m a huge Hocus Pocus fan and have been waiting for more to the story since the original movie came out in the 90’s! I wasn’t to disappointed in this retelling and sequel. The first half of the book is the original story/movie only there are little “clues” added in that lead to the second half of the book which is the sequel. It was fun to get to read the original story and picture the movie in my head as I was going. I give the author props for doing a good job with the retelling. 

The sequel was not as good as the original, but that’s ok because I never expected it to be. It was still cute and funny. All of our favorite characters from the original are back in the second, including Binx! There are new characters that are introduced including a long lost sister and the Sanderson Mother! There are obvious twists and we know the kids will save the day again but that’s not really the point of the story anyway. It’s a story about family, friendship, and trust. On all those points it hits the mark. The sequel does end with a cliffhanger that definitely left me wanting more! I really hope they do another book. While the original was a great movie, I think that the sequel would be better suited as a Disney Channel movie. That’s not saying it’s not good, it just has more of that kind of vibe. Readers young and old who are a fan of the original movie will enjoy this read. Younger new readers might question what a virgin is so parents be prepared to field that question. 

*To see more of Erin's reviews please click her signature to go to her blog

REVIEW: Fairest of All by Serena Valentino - Valeria

Rate: 4/5

Goodreads Description:

The tale of the young princess and her evil stepmother, the Wicked Queen, is widely known. Despite a few variations from telling to telling, the story remains the same—the Queen was jealous of the girl’s beauty, and this jealousy culminated in the Queen’s attempt on the sweet, naive girl’s life.

Another tale far less often spoken of is the one that explains what caused the Queen to become so contemptuously vile. Still, some have attempted to guess at the reason. Perhaps the Queen’s true nature was that of a wicked hag and her beautiful, regal appearance a disguise used to fool the King. Others claim that the Queen might have hated the girl for her resemblance to the King’s first wife. Mostly, the Queen is painted as a morally abhorrent woman who never loved another being during the course of her miserable life.

In fact, the theories about exactly what caused the Queen’s obsessive vanity and jealous rage are too numerous to catalog. This book recounts a version of the story that has remained untold until now. It is a tragic tale of love and loss, and it contains a bit of magic. It is a tale of the Wicked Queen… 

Review:

I freaking LOVE origin stories

Now I will be the first to admit that the Evil Queen from the Disney Snow White has never been my favorite villain. It could be because she looked super creepy and I would've rather avoided her all together even though I used to watch Snow White over and over again.

But her origin story was absolutely EVERYTHING! I enjoyed it so much and it made me so sad. She really loved and life failed her! That and it was... well actually I shall stop at that because SPOILER ALERT! But like oh my gosh!

I really can't wait to continue the rest of the origins series! This is what I needed all along!

Recommend it?

Yes I do!