Review: The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

The Monstrumologist (The Monstrumologist #1)
By Rick Yancey
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library

To Sum It Up: Young Will Henry follows in his father’s footsteps as Dr. Warthrop’s assistant. After a fire leaves him orphaned, the distant and eccentric doctor takes him in. He drags Will into a world of nightmares and horror: the study of monstrumology. One night, a grave robber seeks the expertise of Dr. Warthrop, and the events that follow will be more dangerous than the doctor has ever encountered before.

Review: This is exactly my kind of book! From the Gothic setting to the philosophical depth to the amazing amounts of gore, this book is awesome! Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop are complex characters who share a complicated relationship. Thrown together by tragedy, they are everything to each other, but even though they acknowledge this, I think they still struggle with what this means. Will is very loyal and constantly seeks the praise of Dr. Warthrop, but he also has no trouble outwardly admitting what he hates about the doctor. Although Warthrop seems to be cold and demanding, as the story progresses, it is easy to see that he really does care about the boy. The dynamic between these characters is interesting and realistic. The relationship is so well developed that the reader is able to learn more about each character based on how they treat each other.

As a disclaimer, this book is quite gory, so steer clear if that stuff makes you uncomfortable. It does not bother me in the least; in fact, my philosophy is: the gorier, the better! I think the grossness reveals a kind of sincerity in that our darkest nightmares are not pleasant and by definition, make us squeamish. In a way, I think it makes the story more realistic. That being said, the story is also not unnecessarily grotesque. It is so cleverly written that I was engrossed and appalled at the same time, which I consider a plus.

Additionally, this novel has the sort of depth I really enjoy in a book. Throughout the story, various ethical dilemmas are exposed. Even though the characters choose to do one thing or think a certain way, other characters also present a different perspective on the situation. This really forces the reader to think about what his/her view is on the subject and if he/she would have acted as the characters in the story did. Of course most stories have a sense of right and wrong, but I feel like a lot of this story is in more of a gray area. I felt like I was prompted to look more thoroughly into the characters than in quite a few other books I have read.

All in All: I have not read a book that I have become so attached to in such a long time. I loved this book, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the rest in the series. I highly suggest that you check this one out. If you have read it, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I have to buy this series!

ARC Review: Blackbrooke III: King of Queens by Emma Silver

Blackbrooke III: King of Queens
By Emma Silver
Publisher: Crooked Cat Publishing
Format: eBook
Source: Author
Publication Date: October 14, 2014

To Sum It Up: Liberty Connor has returned to Blackbrooke to try and save her town from being destroyed not only by the Crits but by a human threat as well. Liberty’s odds of even surviving long in Blackbrooke, where the Rules no longer apply and the Crits terrorize the residents day and night, are slim, but she’s determined to fight until the end. She’ll have to put aside whatever feelings she still has for Cassius Godwin, whom she’s known since childhood but who now leads the Crits on a mission to obliterate Blackbrooke.

Lee's Review: With Halloween right around the corner, now is the perfect time for a scare-tastic read like Blackbrooke III: King of Queens. I’m also feeling a bit sentimental about the book, as it’s the last chapter in a series about a small English town where the absolutely terrifying creatures known as Crits menace the residents, essentially keeping the humans prisoner within Blackbrooke’s borders. It’s been a thrilling ride across three novels, and King of Queens concludes the trilogy with a strong finish.

Being the hopeless wimp that I am, I don’t typically gravitate towards books with a high scare factor, but I’ve very much enjoyed this series. The Crits are grotesque as hell, but that’s been the fun of reading about them. You don’t get too far into King of Queens before you’re reminded of how vicious they are and how much they love to snack on humans. You also spend a good deal of the book waiting for them to strike yet again and horrified when they do. The suspense and pacing of the action are so spot-on here. A constant feeling of unease hangs in the air while reading this because you never know what the Crits and their human leader, Cassius, are going to do next.

Cassius, once teased mercilessly as a child by the other Blackbrooke kids, now wields the upper hand as the only person who holds the closest thing to control over the Crits. He and his “army” engage in a chilling game of cat and mouse with Blackbrooke’s residents. All the while, though, he seems to have a cryptic, alternate agenda on his mind, too. Working out exactly what Cassius’s endgame is adds even more mystery to an already taut story.

I love how the axe has become protagonist Liberty’s favorite weapon. With her axe in hand, there’s no stopping her, not even the pleas of her friends to not venture out on her own to face Cassius and the Crits. That’s why Liberty finds herself back in Blackbrooke, though, and once she sets her mind to a task, there’s no second guessing for her.

Watching the development of this story and these characters has been awesome. Even during the occasional moments when I wanted to cover my eyes, I didn’t because that would have meant turning away from the page. Although the ending of King of Queens couldn’t have been written any more perfectly, I think it’d be cool to eventually have a follow-up, even just a novella, to check in once more on Liberty and her companions.

All in All: If you’re looking for a pre-Halloween fright, then you need to start this series. I became more invested with each book I read, and Blackbrooke III: King of Queens was a very satisfying series finale.

Ally's Review: The much anticipated Blackbrooke III: King of Queens did not disappoint! It felt so energizing to be back in Blackbrooke, especially since the last book left off with a terrible (and when I say terrible, I mean that in the best way possible) cliffhanger. I easily got caught up in all the wonderful action and managed to finish the entire book in one night.

With every installment in the Blackbrooke series comes the promise of action and horror, which is one of the main aspects that I love about the books. This particular book is, in my opinion, the scariest. I made the mistake of starting the book at night time and I was flipping out whenever any of the Crits, especially the Queens, made an appearance. Instead of getting used to the Crits and their violence towards the humans, I was more horrified than ever. And I loved it. It's incredibly hard to find a good book that can actually scare you as a reader. I admire Blackbrooke for its ability to terrify me and I patiently await the day when I can find another series to compete with it. Along with the horror, there is plenty of action. All of the characters are such badasses! If I could describe King of Queens in just one word it would be badass. There was not one dull moment in the whole entire book. The story is fast-paced and it flowed perfectly. I was thankful that I didn't have to wait too long for some of the confrontations because the suspense was killing me.

The characters are yet another reason to love this series. I am so proud of Liberty, the main female character. Throughout the series, she has grown into a remarkably strong woman, and I love the fact that she doesn't sit around and let others do the work for her. Her relationship with Cassius had me on edge throughout the entire book. Cassius turning "evil" wrecked me. At first, I welcomed it, thinking that it would be an interesting twist to the story, but I soon missed the old Cass. It's weird, because in the previous books I had a hard time connecting to him and I honestly couldn't care less about his character. But something about him being evil changed my perspective. It is very difficult and slightly depressing to read about him and Libby being on opposing sides. My favorite character is and always will be Denzil. Denzil is so wonderfully humorous; he brings rays of sunshine into the otherwise dark and scary town of Blackbrooke. I felt that he also grew up a lot this time around, and I credit him for keeping the gang together.

The only aspect of the book that I did not enjoy was the fact that I felt like while some of the characters (Libby) were figuring stuff out, I was still left in the dark. Normally, mysteries do not bother me, seeing that I enjoy puzzling them out. The problem was that I felt like the mystery was solved but the answers weren't clearly stated. I had to do a lot of guesswork when it came to figuring out what had happened and what was going on.

The ending. Oh my God, the ending is so ridiculously beautiful, I couldn't help but laugh. Everything fell perfectly in place, and I couldn't have asked for anything more. All of the characters got exactly what they deserved. It was just a perfect ending to the series. I have enough closure to move on with my life but I am still invested enough to want to know what happens next. Hopefully, this won't be the last time I see Libby and the gang.

All in All: King of Queens is a brilliant addition to an amazing series. Everything, ranging from the horror to the plot, is on point. I loved every single action-packed moment and I couldn't be happier with how things were left off.

Blackbrooke II Blog Tour: Review & Character Interview

Welcome to our stop on the blog tour for Blackbrooke II: The Guardian by Emma Silver! Today we're both reviewing this thrilling sequel to last year's Blackbrooke, as well as welcoming back Denzil Rathbone, one of Blackbrooke's coolest residents, for another character interview.

Blackbrooke II: The Guardian
By Emma Silver
Publisher: Crooked Cat Publishing
Amazon | Goodreads

* A copy was provided by the author for review.

Synopsis:

Liberty’s fight continues.

After she had discovered the truth behind "walk outs" in her hometown of Blackbrooke and forced to sacrifice her best friend, Liberty Connor thought she was finally free.

But her nightmare was only just beginning.

Taken to the Institute, a research facility dedicated to Blackbrooke, Liberty finds herself under the watchful eye of sinister Blackbrooke guardian, Mr. Jones. Things aren’t as they seem. Familiar faces provide little comfort, and she soon realizes the Crits aren’t the only specimens under the microscope.

Determined to escape, Liberty is once again plunged into a world beyond her comprehension. The one thing she knows for certain is: trust no one.

Friends become strangers, but help is at hand from unexpected quarters. Forced to confront her real enemy, Liberty is left with one familiar choice.

Fight.

Ally's Review:

The ending of the first installment of the Blackbrooke series truly left my head spinning. I was teased with the sweet promise of closure and justice only to have that ripped away from me. I had to wait in suspense to find out what happened to Liberty and the rest of the gang. Blackbrooke II: The Guardian was no better when it came to rewarding the reader with answers and compensation for all the emotional trauma he or she has to undergo when reading about the Crits in all their ungodly glory.

In my opinion, the best thing that happened in this book was the change of setting. Blackbrooke is an awesome place to read about with all of its mystery and sketchy people. It’s too crazy not to love. But like the old saying goes, too much of a good thing . . . . I just know I would have been claustrophobic if the scenery didn’t change from the first book. The Institute was new and interesting. It opened a door for the introduction of new characters and some character development. It also gave some answers to the questions floating about in my mind, yet it did raise some new questions of its own. It was nice to take a break, and it also gave the reader the opportunity to miss the wacky, old town.

The characters were just as great. It was super easy to fall back into step with the gang. It was sad having Noah gone; he was one of my favorite characters, but with all the stuff Cassius and Liberty were dealing with, it was easy to get all caught up in the action. Liberty was tougher and more independent this time around. She didn’t let the Crits scare her and she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. Cassius, on the other hand, has always been harder for me to relate to. With the reappearance of Gabriel, Liberty’s ex-boyfriend, I found Cassius slightly annoying. Cass was so insecure about his relationship with Liberty that it made me sick. I lost count of how many times Liberty had to tell him that she loved him. And Gabriel wistfully lurking in the background was just plain ridiculous and wasn’t helping the situation. I get that Cassius didn’t want to have to go through losing Liberty again, but he needed to man up. In reality, I don’t think Liberty really needs a guy.

The action and conflict in book two were much more interesting. Instead of just fighting against the Crits, who are creepy as all hell, the gang had to go toe-to-toe with Mr. Jones and the town itself. But even with the new opposition bearing down on Liberty’s shoulders, there were small miscellaneous gaps of nothing dotting the story. There were times when nothing of interest was happening, and they dragged the book down. If I wasn’t so pumped about taking down Mr. Jones and the Crits, I think I would have been disappointed with the fluidity of the story.

Blackbrooke is one of the best horror series I have ever come across. It’s really hard to scare people with words alone, but Blackbrooke does its job. I did my best to read it in highly lit areas with several other people around, but when I was reading alone at night I had to put a lot of effort into remembering that it was all fictional. The first installment in the Blackbrooke series was amazing, and the sequel didn’t disappoint.

All in All:

Blackbrooke II: The Guardian was creepy, action-packed, and loads of fun. If it’s even possible, I’m left with even more questions than I had when I started.

Lee's Review:

Liberty Connor and her trusty, Crit-slaying axe are back, and I was very happy to see them both. Horror is a genre I don’t read too often due to being a gigantic chicken, but I really enjoyed the first Blackbrooke. Emma Silver has a way of writing horror that gives me a severe case of the creeps yet eager to read more of it.

Blackbrooke II: The Guardian continues in the scary footsteps of its predecessor. I loved what Silver did with the sequel, opening with a flashback to the chilling details of an event from Blackbrooke and then picking up in the present with Liberty at Blackbrooke’s Institute, where she was taken after her and Cassius’s run-in with the Queens. The Institute is a research facility that ostensibly works to improve the lives of Blackbrooke’s citizens, but of course Liberty is too smart to fall for that line. She distrusts the place and most of its staff. Quite a bit of the book focuses on what’s going on at the Institute, and I was totally into all of the government conspiracy-type stuff. For a small town, Blackbrooke certainly has a lot of secrets.

The book’s antagonist, Jonathan Jones, is the very definition of the word. How I wanted to see him get devoured by a Crit. He’s the type of bad guy who thinks he’s smarter than everyone and who revels in his villainy. Luckily, Liberty’s not the type of heroine who backs down without a good fight, even with Mr. Jones going out of his way to terrorize her.

Just when I thought that the book wasn’t going to set foot outside of the Institute—hello, plot twist! It was a clever one, too, and in general, the book held me in suspense over where it was heading next. The plotting in Blackbrooke II was top-notch; I was constantly surprised and didn’t feel that any part lagged, which was something I did occasionally experience while reading the first book. This is a finely tuned sequel that expands on the original premise and pushes it to a new level, all while continuing to give me a terrific fright. And I am fully ready and willing to be scared all over again with the next book.

All in All:

If horror’s your thing and you haven’t checked out this series yet, then you really need to. Returning to Blackbrooke was even more awesome than I’d hoped it would be, even when I was trying to clear my mind of images of the Crits before I went to sleep at night.

** Our Interview with Denzil **

We're thrilled to once again have Denzil Rathbone, Blackbrooke resident and proprietor of Tales from the Crits, the place to find all of your favorite Crits-themed merchandise, here on the blog. Denzil was kind enough to answer a few questions for us and to talk about what's been going on since we last chatted with him.

Welcome back to Rally the Readers, Denzil! It’s been a while since we last spoke to you, and it looks like a lot has been going on in your life since then. Can you bring us up to date a little on what’s been happening with you since that night Liberty took Cassius to the Queens?

Whoa, it's been interesting. I want to tell you it's been a thrill ride but there was nothing thrilling about it. The night the kids walked out is one of the worst of my life. I should have known they weren't going to come back. Maz was crying and I kept telling her over and over again they were going to come strolling through the door. She managed to fall asleep on the floor of the shop but I sat, wide-awake, staring at the door until the sun came up. I wanted them all to come back, even Cass which would have defeated the point of them going out in the first place. I actually felt sorry for the Crits having to go up against Noah. Did you see the lad? I wouldn't have messed with him. But, more than anything, I wanted Lib back with every ounce of my soul. When I realised that wasn't going to happen, the situation went from bad to worse . . .

You and Liberty have been through some harrowing adventures together. Out of all of them, which one would you say has been the scariest?

Yeah, we've had some . . . interesting encounters. I'd have to say there was nothing more scary than seeing her leave the shop with Cass and Noah but that didn't really involve me. I was scared in the tunnels, of course. That was really messed up. Everything about that night was.

Have you ever met Liberty’s family?

No. Her dad came to the shop to try and persuade her to come home after we formed our version of the Scooby Gang but other than that, I've never spoken to them. I'm surprised they didn't scope me out seeing as I'm a bloke who spends a lot of time with their teenage daughter but I know from the bits Lib told me that her family has a few issues. I don't probe. She comes to work to escape and if that's the only thing I can offer, that's cool with me.

You aren’t on the friendliest of terms with Jonathan Jones, Blackbrooke’s mayor and the headmaster of Blackbrooke Academy. Is there any truth to what he said about you being a troublemaker during your school days?

Let's get one thing straight, I wasn't a troublemaker. I didn't seek out or cause problems but I did supply my classmates with contraband and I was scruffy. Jones had my card marked from day one and hauled me into his office for any reason he could find. He must have known the story with my home life but he did it anyway. And what's worse is that he seemed to enjoy it. We of course now know the reason why he did it. He got what he wanted.

What’s the one thing you’ve always wanted to say to Mr. Jones?

You wouldn't be able to print the things I'd like to say to that man. Think of the worst expletives and you get the idea. On a serious note, after everything that's happened recently I'd want to laugh in his face, but then I remember the man stole twenty years from me and I'm back to reigning offensive insults again.

What went through your mind when you were left in that cattle field?

I hope this is quick. I expected to start thinking about my life and all that crap but I didn't. I was surprised at how practical my mind worked when facing certain death. I was even feeling grateful to Blackbrooke police for making me bleed because it meant the Crits would smell me and kill me quickly. I was cursing the rain for washing it away. It was very strange.

If you could swap places with any character from a movie or a book for a day, who would it be and why?

I'd be Bruce Campbell from ANY movie he stars in. That dude doesn't die. He kicks everyone's ass, gets the girl and still has time to deliver the best one-liners in cinema history. He's my hero. If my life were a Bruce Campbell movie, I'd be one of the poor swines who bit the dust really early. I'm not meant to live to the end of any story. Sounds morbid, right? I know, it's just a feeling I have that my days are numbered. Bloody hell, that was one of the more fun questions and I still made it depressing. Sorry guys, it's been a rough week . . .

If you could have one of your dreams come true, which one would you choose?

Living in a beach hut with the woman I love and watching the sun set every night. Maybe Lib could be there to serve us drinks. She'd love that. I think she secretly dreams of being my slave.

What's your ideal future for Blackbrooke?

Blackbrooke doesn't have a future. Get everyone out and bulldoze the place. I used to think the shop meant everything to me but it really doesn't. I also used to think I couldn't care for another soul in the world after losing so many but Liberty Bell saved me from that nonsense. Things and places mean nothing if you don't have the people you love around you. God listen to me, I've gone all soft . . .

Thanks so much for your time today, Denzil! We really appreciate it, and we wish you the best of luck!

Review: Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Ten
By Gretchen McNeil
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

To Sum It Up:

When best friends Meg and Minnie are invited to an exclusive party on Henry Island, they jump at the chance to go on the weekend getaway. Without telling anyone about their whereabouts, they reach the party, but the hostess is nowhere to be found. The raging storm outside is attributed as the cause. But the party must go on, and it does—until the partygoers start showing up dead. Meg realizes that they are getting picked off one by one, and she's figured out that one of them is the killer. With no way to send for help and no way off the secluded island, all the teenagers can do is survive until morning.

Review:

I was beside myself when I found Ten lurking in my mailbox. Eagerly, I sat down and started reading. The book started off okay, but several chapters in, I was rolling my eyes, snickering, and leaving the book unread and desolate on my nightstand. It took me an eternity to finish the book, and it took me even longer to review it. I wanted to like the book and be kind, but I just couldn't do it.

Ten, being a horror book, was lacking a great deal in the horror department. I read the book in solitude at night and I still wasn't scared. I could have been camping on an island while reading and still have been perfectly at ease. I'll admit that the book was kind of creepy, but that's about it. I was confused, though. For a book written under the genre to scare people, I was a little more than disappointed—my bravery knows no bounds.

Everything about the book was so typical it hurt. Several teenagers are stuck on an island with a psycho killer on the loose! Oh, but there's a twist—the killer is one of them! Been there, done that—several times, actually. I was quite bored with the triteness and predictability of the plot. I started counting how many times I rolled my eyes. This book bothered me so much because I really did want to like it! The odds were not in Ten's favor.

The characters in the book annoyed me to no end. You have Meg, with her co-dependent, depressed bestie, Minnie, and her angsty ex-boyfriend, T.J. That's about all of the characters I can remember. There were more than several secondary characters, but I gave up on remembering them, seeing as most of them died. The book was cluttered with names, and, I'm sorry, but it's terrible that a character's sole purpose is to kick it. I tried to like Meg, I really did, but she was just so annoying. She kept trying to please her friend Minnie, who I have come to resent, and barely tried to figure out what was going on. I'll admit that Meg and T.J. were the most sensible of the characters, but their “I like you, but I hate you” relationship distracted me from rooting them on to survive. The baddie, who isn't revealed until the very end, is the most interesting out of the lot.

I will admit that the ending caught me off guard—just by the slightest. That's what saved the book for me. I had everything fairly figured out; the little twist, however, sent me back to the drawing board. I found my balance quite quickly after the bump, but the bump was enough to make me rethink the book. Yeah, most of my time was spent yelling at Meg to open her eyes and dig a little deeper, but at least I was involved in the book. Unbeknownst to me, I was all caught up in the action, and that's all anybody can ask for in a book—an escape.

All in All:

I was sorely disappointed with this book. Although the horror just wasn't there for me, I do encourage others to try it out for themselves.

Review: Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

Girl of Nightmares (Anna #2)
By Kendare Blake
Publisher: Tor Teen

To Sum It Up:

After Anna Korlov, aka Anna Dressed in Blood, disappears through a gateway to Hell in order to save ghost-hunter Cas Lowood and his friends, Cas refuses to move on. He has to know for sure that Anna is safe. So, when Cas begins to see Anna being tortured everywhere he turns, he begins a dangerous quest for answers. The answers Cas finds may kill him, but Cas knows it's his turn to save Anna.

Review:

I loved Anna Dressed in Blood so much, I almost died having to wait for Girl of Nightmares. I was relieved to find that everything I loved in the first book carried over into the sequel.

Cas was as sarcastically charming as ever, and his friends, Thomas and Carmel, grew on me even more. They are the most loyal friends anyone could ever have. They pull out a side of Cas you only caught a glimpse of in Anna Dressed in Blood. Cas knows that hunting ghosts puts his friends in danger, a realization that plagues him throughout the book, but Thomas and Carmel are not going anywhere.

The only thing (and I mean the ONLY) I didn't love was the lack of Anna in the book. I wish readers could have seen more of her experience in Hell than what they did through Cas. On the other hand, it might have been too grotesque for some readers. When we did get to see Anna in Hell, I was engrossed in the world Kendare Blake had created. Wow, it was so creative and detailed and original! Not only did she create this entire Hell in her head, but she translated it so well to the reader through words.

My pet peeve with books is when they raise questions that are never answered, leaving holes in the plot. There were so many questions left unanswered in Anna Dressed in Blood, I was afraid this might happen. GOOD NEWS: It didn't! Everything that required an answer was given one, and anything left unanswered, worked. If the author explains everything, there is nothing left tying the reader's thoughts to the book after it has ended.

All in All:

It’s really sad that this was the last book, but it ended beautifully. I loved Girl of Nightmares, and I know fans of Anna Dressed in Blood will too. So, I guess I'm saying: Go read it!

Review: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna #1)

By Kendare Blake

Publisher: Tor Teen
Format: Hardcover
Source: Borrowed

To Sum It Up: Being a ghost hunter/killer necessarily involves seeing things which are out of the ordinary. Cas Lowood has certainly witnessed his share, so when it comes to all things supernatural, there isn’t much that can surprise him anymore. Cas’s next destination is Thunder Bay, Ontario to investigate the legend of the ghost whom the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood. The real Anna Korlov was a 16-year-old girl who was killed on her way to a school dance; now her ghost is rumored to kill anyone who sets foot in her old home. Cas thinks that this is going to be just another routine job until he comes face-to-face with Anna for the first time. She’s the most powerful ghost he’s ever encountered, and he knows that she won’t be easy to kill. Cas hopes to find her weakness by looking into her past, but instead he finds a tragic story that makes him question whether he can finish the task that he set out to do.

Review: Wow, wow, and wow! This book just may have turned me into a horror fan. Because I am an utter wuss, I usually stay away from any book or movie that is remotely scary. I’ve been attempting to be braver lately by trying books that normally, I’d shy away from. The zombies in Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Infinity weren’t bad at all, and I had a lot of fun reading about the evil Crits in Emma Silver’s Blackbrooke. Since I was on a bit of a roll with the creepy creatures books, it was an ideal time to give in to my cousin Melissa’s pleas to read Anna Dressed in Blood, which she’d loved. Melissa was right: this book was amazing!

With a pretty eerie-sounding title like Anna Dressed in Blood and a pretty eerie-looking cover to match, I expected this to be one bone-chilling read. It was in some parts, but the book was also surprisingly moving and even laugh-out-loud funny thanks to Cas’s frequent sarcastic remarks. I loved Cas’s snarky demeanor; even when facing imminent death, he still managed to crack a joke. Cas is also really smart, and I admired his determination to avenge the death of his ghost hunter father, who was killed by a ghost. I’ve read several YA books this year with strong male protagonists in them, and Cas is definitely among that group.

The secondary characters are also very well-developed. I really grew to like Thomas Sabin, a geeky telepath and classmate of Cas’s whom Cas regards as a bit of a nuisance at first. By the end of the novel, though, Thomas has proven himself to be a brave and loyal friend. Another character who surprised me with her depth was Carmel Jones, another classmate of Cas’s who also turns out to be a true friend to him. When Cas initially meets her, he pegs her as the Queen Bee of the school. Carmel is actually made of steelier stuff, though, and along with Thomas, aids Cas in trying to unravel the mystery behind Anna’s death.

As for the title character, Anna is beyond terrifying when we first meet her. I happened to read about one of her more frightening appearances in the book at about 12:30 in the morning. I knew that continuing to read this part in the middle of the night wasn’t the brightest idea, yet I couldn’t put the book down. One of the best things about Anna Dressed in Blood was how Kendare Blake had me frightened of Anna at the outset of the novel and then had me feeling nothing but sympathy for her once the tragic history of her life was revealed. Anna may be a ghost, but Blake imbues her character with a stunning amount of dimension.

I can’t rave enough about how well-written and perfectly paced this book is. Reading it took me on a fantastic roller coaster ride of reactions: amusement at Cas’s humorous narration, outrage and sadness upon learning the truth about what really happened to Anna, and of course fear whenever Anna was in murderous-ghost mode. I can’t wait to read the sequel, Girl of Nightmares!

All in All: This is an absolute must-read. It even won over a non-horror fan like me. I definitely want to buy a copy of this book for my shelves.

Favorite Quote: You’ll be just like those four chaps in the movie. You know the one, with the oversized marshmallow.—Gideon Palmer, an old friend of Cas’s family, Chapter 13

Review: Blackbrooke by Emma Silver

Blackbrooke
By Emma Silver
Publisher: Crooked Cat Publishing

* A copy was provided by the publisher for review.

To Sum It Up: Blackbrooke is not your average town. It is shared between two different species: the humans and the Crits. Humans have the day while the Crits reign over the night; any humans out after dark are free game for the hungry Crits. Everyone in town has to follow The Rules; those people who "walk out" at night face certain death. Seventeen-year-old Liberty Connor follows The Rules religiously. She plans to travel the world with her boyfriend, Gabriel, once they turn eighteen and are free to leave. Everything changes, however, when some of the people closest to Liberty begin walking out, and she suspects that something more sinister than the Crits themselves is going on. With the help of some devoted friends, Liberty attempts to uncover Blackbrooke’s dark secrets.

Lee's Review: Horror movies and books have never been my thing. I freely admit that I am a complete wimp; monsters, blood, and gore freak me out to no end. It was with a bit of trepidation, then, that I started reading Blackbrooke. The premise sounded intriguing, though, and I was in the mood to read something outside of my normal genres, so I figured, why not give it a try? This book completely took me by surprise; I never expected to find a novel about evil, human-hunting creatures so compulsively readable.

Blackbrooke is one of the most original stories that I’ve read in a while. It’s not every day that you come across a town surrounded by creatures that are on the prowl for their next human meal. Silver makes this world very believable, and that was a huge factor in my overall enjoyment of the novel. I get frustrated with books that ask me to stretch the suspension of my disbelief to extreme limits, but that was not the case with Blackbrooke. The town’s history is so fascinating and unique that it’s practically a character.

As for the human characters, the protagonist, Liberty, is a fairly standard mix of smarts, courage, and determination. While I admired her fiercely protective nature, especially towards her little brother, Oscar, and her friend, Cassius, I didn’t find her as compelling as some of the other characters, like Cassius. All his life, Cassius’s skin condition has made him stand out, often marking him as a target of ridicule. I loved how he transformed into an unlikely hero, looking out for Liberty the way that she tried to shield him when they were children. I always root for the underdog in books, and Cassius won my support easily with his kindness, loyalty, and bravery.

For me, the standout character in Blackbrooke was Denzil, the town’s resident outsider and owner of the cleverly named Tales from the Crits shop, which peddles Crits-themed merchandise to tourists. Denzil is hilariously sarcastic, which endeared him to me instantly. I’m serious—this guy is never at a loss for something witty to say. Colorful personality aside, Denzil also proves himself to be a dependable, trusted friend to his lone employee, Liberty. If you ever find yourself being pursued by Crits, Denzil is your go-to guy for 1) refuge and 2) weaponry to teach those things a lesson.

Although I thought that the pacing was a little uneven at times, overall Blackbrooke was a very entertaining read. Whenever the Crits reared their hideous heads, the ensuing action was gleefully thrilling. I never would have predicted looking forward to the scary parts, but I absolutely did because they were brilliantly written. Thank you, Emma Silver, for making my foray into horror so much fun.

All in All: If you’re experiencing paranormal romance burnout, I suggest reading Blackbrooke. It creatively blends mystery and horror, and the human teenagers don’t fall in love with the first supernatural being they see because the Crits would rather eat them. I’m eagerly anticipating the sequel, which I hope will include plenty of Denzil appearances.

Ally's Review: Blackbrooke is a heart-pumping, bloodcurdling horror story. I love being scared; I think it's the adrenaline rush. I find it hard to be truly scared by a book, though. There are no images or sounds to captivate your senses; all you have are the writing on the page and your imagination. But Silver does a fabulous job of making her readers scared and creating suspense. Is it sad, on my part, that I had nightmares about the Crits?!

The story was so original and refreshing. I loved the whole concept of the Crits. There are four types of Crits in the book: the Watchers, the Hunters, the Lurkers, and the Queens. All of them are pretty scary, but I find the Queens the most horrifying. The Queens are the sick ringleaders of the Crits. But the Crits weren't the only characters who had my attention.

Liberty was a take-charge heroine. She recognized something was wrong, and she put her all into trying to fix it. That being said, Liberty wasn't my favorite character; I sometimes felt that she made risky decisions that put her friends in danger. Cassius was a cool guy, but I didn't really connect with him, either. I related mostly to the secondary characters, Denzil and Noah. Denzil is incredible! He happens to be Liberty's boss and owner of Blackbrooke's very own souvenir shop, Tales from the Crits. Denzil is hilarious, and he is not afraid to take on the Crits or the town! Noah was just as great. Noah was pretty witty himself, and, to me, he ended up being the bravest character in the whole book.

My favorite things about Blackbrooke were all the action and gore! When things were happening, things were happening! I was all caught up in the excitement; I was screaming at the characters and even occasionally covering my eyes. The gore was weirdly fascinating to me. It made everything feel more real, and it showed that the characters were not invincible.

I did have a few minor issues with Blackbrooke. It took me a little while to really get into the book. Liberty's relationships also seemed unconvincing. Despite Libby going on and on about Gabriel, I did not buy it. I couldn't see Liberty and Cassius as a couple, either. I think the romance element needed a bit more work.

Overall, I did enjoy the book. Blackbrooke kept me on my toes and gave me a good scare. I'm dying to find out what happens next!

All in All: Blackbrooke is a thrilling, suspense-filled horror story that takes its readers on an entertaining ride.