The Murderer's Daughters! ♥

This book. Oh my goodness!! I loved it. I got an ARC (advanced review copy) of it, from Larramie at The Divining Wand, and I cannot thank her enough.

This book, from the first sentence, pulls you in: "I wasn't surprised when Mama asked me to save her life." Right away you are swept into the lives of Lulu and Merry, sisters who must go through life after experiencing a horrible act when they were ten and six, respectively. Lulu goes into denial, Merry continues with her life as she believes that it should be. I just want to hug them, the poor children who have to care for one another at such a young age. When I finished the book I wanted more! Not because the ending was insufficient (it was anything but), but because I wanted to know more. I was so sad to see it end. I love characters, I hate some (because you need to, in a way), and some I just want to give a big hug to!! I use two exclamation points, something that I hardly ever do as it is improper grammar, but this book deserves both of the points.

I am still getting over the fact that this book is over, I keep on thinking... 'but it cannot be... no!' I love this book with all my heart. There were some points in it (which I will not explain, as it gives stuff away), but there were a few points where I literally stopped breathing until that section was over. Thank you Randy! This is brilliant! :) I love the names in the story as well: Louise, Ruby, Cassandra, and all the others, they all manage to fit the characters perfectly!

I could go on for quite a long time about what is so great about this book, but then I'd have to explain for pages. So, instead in January 2010 go out and buy it!! (there go those exclamation points again...)

--Bookie ♥

:)

Books that Haunt Me

Inspired from Randy Susan Meyers's blog, Word Love, I am making a list of ten books that haunt me.

1. The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers herself. Though I am not even done with this, it is sad and amazing. A review will be up soon. It is so amazing.
2. Promise Not to Tell by Jennifer McMahon. Terrifying, and it is falling apart now, I have read it at LEAST seven times. Her other books are haunting as well. This one made me cry and scream "NO!" as I was reading.
3. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. Makes me cry each time I read it. 
4. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. So sad and beautiful, a definite favorite as well as one that will haunt me for my entire life. 
5. Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Let's see, the last time I read it... seventh grade? Scary and depressing book. Amazing as well though.
6. Family History by Dani Shapiro. Oh wow. This book scared me and, like many others made me nearly cry. Though sometimes I forget the characters names, I always remember the story, down to some details that seem unimportant.
7. Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender. Scary? YES. Amazing? YES. This book had my checking my room for ghosts and such, it makes me look at my photos a little longer than usual. 
8. The Candy Darlings by Christine Walde. How on earth could I forget this? I have read it so many times I can practically recite it from memory. And it hardly gets publicity. I ADORE it, and it is creepy to the max.
9. Ghost Girl by Torey Hayden. Non Ficton, and so disturbing but also amazing and compelling. I still always think of Jadie. 
10. The Reader  by Bernhard Schlink. Oh my gosh. So sad, like most of these books are. Compelling, disturbing... makes you feels sympathetic for someone that most people do not feel sympathy for.

--Bookie

♥

I am back! (and reviewing!)

So, today was PSATs. They went well. (or so I hope)

(:

And now! BAD GIRLS DON'T DIE!

Another amazing novel. So far all my reviews on here have been raves, and this book deserves no less.

This one has a story that goes with it as well. Like with Looking for JJ I went to Barnes and Noble many times before choosing it. The reason for this was because I usually do not buy hardcover books.

I am VERY glad to have purchased it. The story grabs you in, from the first sentence up until the shocking and creepy ending. Alexis is so real, as are all the rest of the characters. The description Alexis gives of taking photos was beautiful. Being a photographer myself, it is nice to see such detail paid to something that usually gets overlooked.

Now, most books do not scare me. But, as I was reading this one it gave my the jitters, and I found myself looking around my room to make sure no one else was there. Thanks Katie for creating a book that actually scared me! :)

Another WONDERFUL thing about this book is I could not guess what happened next, another nice treat that I do not often come across with mystery novels. The suspense kept me wanting to read more and more, desperate to find out what happened next to Alexis, Kasey and those around them.

Brilliant novel. Creepy, detailed, and fast-paced.

Katie is writing a sequel to BGDD, and also a third one in order to make it a trilogy. Though these will not be released for another year or so, I cannot wait!

There will be...

a brief hiatus until my PSATs are over. Yes I am taking them this year. So, after October 17th there will be many more reviews, and a special surprise. I will check in every now and then so any questions? Ask me. :)

Reviews to come:

• Bad Girls Don't Die
• The Candy Darlings (which I have already read)

See you guys soon!

-- Bookie

"Looking for JJ" Review

So, I read a lot. I enjoy it, whether for school or pleasure. In 2007 I believe, I was at Barnes and Noble and I saw the book "Looking for JJ." I begged my mom for it, and finally, after going back three or so more times we bought it. I opened it up to the first page and after that I could hardly put it down.

It is the story of a girl, Alice Tully who is hiding from something that happened years before. She killed her best friend, Michelle. Her mother never payed much attention to her, instead she was constantly modeling and bringing around boyfriends. They moved to the new town where Alice (JJ) met her friend. JJ had a special model doll, Macy who was her only real friend.

At first you do not know that Alice is, in fact Jennifer, known as JJ. It is revealed in flashbacks she has throughout the novel. Jennifer has to face many difficulties, and she is stretched to the limits of her sanity, and only as a ten year old. Some of her other neighbors, two boys who are Michelle's brothers tease Jennifer about her mother and her.

There is not one part when I thought to myself "Oh boy, this is boring." It was fast-paced and interesting.

Alice, JJ, whomever she is really is an unforgettable girl, as are Michelle, Lucy and the other characters.

4.5/5
♥

Random Book Questions

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?
Yep. Anything yummy.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of
writing in books horrify you?
NO! It horrifies me.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?
Bookmarks!

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?
Both, though fiction is preferred.

Hard copy or audiobooks?
Hardcopy!

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you
able to put a book down at any point? 
Depends on the book. Some are impossible to put down.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?
Sometimes I do.

What are you currently reading?
Anna Karenina.

What is the last book you bought?
Girl Trouble by Holly Goddard Jones

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can
you read more than one at a time?
Usually one, sometimes more.

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?
Afternoon anywhere.

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?
Depends on the book.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?
Little Black Lies, Island of Lost Girls, Lolita, The Bell Jar. More as well.
Authors: Tish Cohen. :)

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)
Sadly, they are not very organized.

I love to read.

... and read. I read whenever possible, and for fun. I read nearly anything. I recently got an advanced copy of "Little Black Lies" by Tish Cohen in the mail, and I loved it with all my heart. I wrote a short review which she loved herself.

"I would like to say that it is brilliantly crafted with another set of unforgettable characters. More realistic than most novels about High School, and the only thing lacking was faults. It was perfect for a teen readers and I would recommend it in a heartbeat to anyone who asked for a book suggestion. Write more, I cannot wait for what comes next. A favorite book, already getting others to read it. Thanks for sharing your mind with us."

She is amazing. :)