A Court of Thorns and Roses

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses (Book 1)

By: Sarah J Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens/Bloomsbury YA

Publish Date: 2015

ISBN: 978-1619634442

Page #: 432 pages

Classifications: YA, Mature Young Adult, Fantasy, Fiction, Fairy Tales

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Age Level: Depends on the maturity of the reader but generally, 9th & Up (Older Teens)

Series Titles: A Court of Thorns and Roses 

Subjects: Romance, Fantasy, Fractured Fairy Tales, Fairy Tales Retold

Reader's Annotation: I really enjoyed this book. Though I actually liked the second one better. (That's rare for me!) It is pretty advanced in its content, so I would recommend it for the more mature YA reader or adults. Personal take: it is a retelling, fractured fairy (faery) tale with elements taken from Beauty and the Beast, the Ballad of Tam Lin, and the myth of Persephone (esp. in the second title). Persephone is one of my all-time favorite myths so clearly, this is a fantasy I loved escaping into. I challenge the SJL review below by saying I did not find this title to be "a weak fantasy with strong romance elements." Well, the strong romance was there but, I have read weak YA, and this is not that. Might not be for everyone, especially those who enjoy realistic fiction. But, aside from that, it's one of the better ones. Again, the second one is better! So stick with it!

School Library Journal Review: When 19-year-old Feyre kills a wolf in the barren woods near her home in Prythian, she thinks it might be enough to help her family survive another long winter. Instead, a monstrous creature soon comes to the cottage, accusing Feyre of murder and demanding she return with him to the Fae realm as payment for the life she took. Feyre finds herself held on a lavish estate belonging to an elite Fae creature known as Tamlin. Over the course of her captivity, Feyre soon learns that life in the Fae realm can be as much of an opportunity as a punishment. When her feelings for Tamlin shift from loathing to lust, Feyre also realizes little will be able to keep them apart—not even the threat of evil lurking on the borders of the estate. Something that has cursed Tamlin for centuries may destroy him and his realm if Feyre can't find a way to stop it. Maas follows up her "Throne of Glass" novels (Bloomsbury) with this series opener. Readers will find the author's trademark blend of action, romance, and witty banter as well as a sexier, edgier tone. This retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" and "Tam Lin" (with elements from ancient Greek mythology thrown in) has a strong focus on Feyre's physical attraction to Tamlin, but characters lacking in dimension detract from Feyre's strengths as a capable but rash heroine. Uneven pacing includes a slow start followed by a game-changing information dump, and then a more action- and less romance-filled second half. VERDICT A weak fantasy with strong romance elements. Good for fans of Maas's previous books looking for a more mature read.—Emma Carbone, Brooklyn Public Library

Other Titles in the Series: A Court of Mist and Fury (Book 2)
A Court of Wings and Ruin (Book 3)
A Court of Frost and Starlight (Novella/Bridge)
Untitled (Book 4) 

Stars: 4.5

Extras
Author Webpage: World of Sarah J Maas (Official) Link
Pronunciation Guide: Link 
Bookish Loot Collector's Edition: A Court of Thorns and Roses Collector’s Edition: Link

Coloring Book: A Court of Thorns and Roses Coloring Book Link
Etsy has you covered! Link
Litographs: Link
Redbubble: Link

The Last Days, By Scott Westerfeld

By: Scott Westerfeld

Publisher: Razorbill

Publish Date: 2006

ISBN: 159514062X

Page #: 304 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fantasy, Horror

Age Level: Older Teen

Series Titles: Peeps (Bk. 1)

Last Days (Bk 2)

Subjects: Vampires, End-of-Days, Music

Reader's Annotation: The streets are taken over by the vampiric parasites and a group of teens in a rock band set out to save the world.

Synopsis: The Last Days is the sequel to the highly acclaimed and apocalyptic vampire story started in Peeps. Set against the same parasite-ridden streets of New York, Westerfeld gives us a group of five teens that form a rock band, whose musical triumphs escalade while the dark happenings of peeps do as well. As a Fender Stratocaster is being thrown to its doom out of a window, Moz and Pearl, strangers until this moment, work together to save it. From here, readers will rock their way through this hardcore, parasite-positive story! The band (with its vampire lead singer) fight the peeps while creating a playlist for the end of days! Maybe rock and roll will save the world (as it does so many teenagers everyday). Or maybe it will bring on the end! A gritty ode to rock and the way it can be a catalyst for teens to express their discomfort and rage, each chapter is named after bands!

Notes: This novel is the sequel to Peeps, but can stand alone. As a fan of Westerfeld's work, I can't recommend his work enough!

Stars: 5

Extras: Author's Website http://www.scottwesterfeld.com/index.htm

The Westerblog http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/

Book talk about Peeps:

ghostgirl, By Tonya Hurley

By: Tonya Hurley
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
Publish Date: 
ISBN: 0316113573
Page #:  336 pages
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Age Level: Older Teen
Series Titles: 

ghostgirl

homecoming (YTBR) Available for pre-order here

Subjects: Popularity & Death

Reader's Annotation: In a story that is about as sweet as death can be, Charlotte Usher meets her maker by choking on a gummy bear. And now that she's dead, she's is hoping she will rest in utter popularity!

Synopsis: Charlotte Usher feels sadly transparent at school, and this is before she dies! Then one day she really is dead. Now that she is truly see-through (and in as cute a way as the cover of this book: because she choked on a gummy bear) she decides she can go about her goals another way. Being in the here after doesn't halt Charlotte from wanting to be the "life" of the party; it just makes her more resourceful about reaching her hopes and dreams. It is true most teens feel everything is life and death in high school, but wait till you meet Charlotte! In this kooky but sweet story, Ms. Hurley makes our life and death experiences with feeling invisible so much more fun to deal with. Have you ever really thought about how far you would go to feel like the life of the party? 

Notes:  "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.And if I should die before I awake, I pray the popular attend my wake." 

Stars: 5 Stars
Awards:
Extras:  R.I.P. - Read In Peace http://www.ghostgirl.com/

NYPL teens talks about ghostgirl: 

A truly Incredible Fan Project:

Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story, By Christopher Moore

(Adult Book ONLY...Unless your parents say it's ok!) 

Bloodsucking Fiends 

By: Christopher Moore

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster 
• Publishing Date: March 2008
• Age Level: Adult
• ISBN: 1416558497

Series Titles: Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story

You Suck! A Love Story

Reader's Annotation: LOVE BITES! No seriously, it really does bite. 

Synopsis: Attention! I am about to review a title that is one of my favorite romps of all time. It's funny as hell, and no it's not YA, but if you can stomach a little crass, tongue in cheek, dig in! This the red velvet cake of vampire satires.

Jody, is in her mid 20's with a series of bad relationships under her belt when she hit's satan's lottery and is turned into a newborn gorgeous vampire. The vamp who made her leaves a fat bundle of cash with her and with that she sets off into her new life. Or un-life in this case. But she needs someone who can do her bidding in the daylight. Enter C. Thomas Flood. No, you are not reading it wrong. It's hysterical. And as accurate a literary name as you could get for this young boy who left Incontinence, Indiana to come to San Francisco to be the next Jack Kerouac (personally, with a name like that he might one to stick to dollar a page erotica, but at any rate...) While working a night job at a supermarket, Jody vamps her way into his life, and turns it upside down and inside out.

From turkey bowling in the supermarket, to raunchy un-dead love-making; From failed date-o-holic to rockin' hot vamp, Bloodsucking Fiends is a ride that will have you flying through the pages at a preternatural pace!

Notes & Warning: Terribly lewd & Hysterically bad launguage ensues; References to drugs and the drinking of blood follows; Undead & living, outright sexual gambols prickle their way through the book. SO don't say I didn't warn you...

Now, if you can handle THAT, which I believe you can (because you are smart enough to read into the implications of Moore's insanely funny, bizarre, & sometimes freaky style), then you will be in for a big treat. Bloodsucking Fiends is and always will be one of my favorite books ever.


Extras: 

Quote from Bloodsucking Fiends

"This is horrible."

"What is it?" Tommy insisted.

"I just realized-I'm always going to be a pudgette. I have jeans I'll never get into. I am always going to need to loose five pounds."

"So what, every woman I've ever known thought she needed to loose five pounds."

"But they have a chance, they have hope. I'm doomed."

"You could go on a liquid diet," Tommy said.

"Very funny." She pinched her hip to confirm her observations. "Five pounds. If only he'd waited another week to attack. I was on a yogurt and grapefruit diet. I would have made it. I'd be thin forever." She realized she was obsessing and turned to Tommy. "How's your neck by the way?"

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