Review: Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

Hollow City (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #2)
By Ransom Riggs
Publisher: Quirk Books
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Jacob and his group of peculiar friends are forced to flee the island they once considered their sanctuary. They must now journey all the way to London in order to save Miss Peregrine and possibly the peculiar world.

Review: I suppose the only way to begin is by complaining about how long I have been waiting for the sequel to the phenomenal Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. But damn was it worth the wait!!! *excited seal clapping and fangirl squealing* I guess now is as good a time as any to warn you that this review will consist mostly of me gushing about how much I loved this book. For your sake, I will do my best to put my insurmountable love for Hollow City into real words and possibly even sentences.

I am often quite wary of sequels as they all too often disappoint me. Sometimes it's really hard to reattach to the characters and find interest in the new or even continuing story line. I am very happy to say that this was not the case at all here. I was very relieved that we picked up exactly where the first one had left off.

Everything I enjoyed in the first installment was carried into the sequel and improved upon. The photographs were just as creepy and fascinating. The "new" setting was even more exciting than the last, and the story line was phenomenal. The second book added layer upon layer of richness to the story that so masterfully began in the previous book. Also, the character development was very well done and not in any way forced or rushed. With so many intricate characters, it can be hard to give each one his or her fair share of attention. While I was quite aware that there were numerous characters, they were so well written that I never felt overwhelmed by their sheer number.

I will be counting down the days until the next book comes out. I have absolutely no doubt that I will enjoy it as much—if not more than I have this one.

All in All: All I have to say is: YOU MUST READ THIS SERIES!!!

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #1)
By Ransom Riggs
Publisher: Quirk Books
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library

To Sum It Up: Jacob's childhood was filled with magical stories told to him by his grandfather, whose own childhood inspired the tales. These magical stories center around a magical house filled with peculiar children hiding from grotesque monsters. Naturally, Jacob grows out of these stories, but when a terrible accident occurs that kills Jacob's grandfather, Jacob doesn't know what to believe. His grandfather's last words send Jacob on a trip to the island of his grandfather's childhood to get some well hidden answers.

Review: My expectations of this book included creepy children and a horror story that would keep me up all night. I was excited to read a scary book, so when I found my expectations squashed, I was surprisingly not disappointed. It goes to show that you really can't judge a book by its cover. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children turned out to be a thrilling adventure with charming characters and a unique twist.

This book was so fresh and original that it's hard not to fall in love with it. Not only does it have a super-interesting historical background, but it also features time loops, monsters, and kids with an extraordinary secret. The book was so well paced that there was never a time when I was bored. It's one of those books that starts off really good but keeps getting better as you continue reading. The creepy photographs also add to the overall greatness of the book. The photos give you something solid to connect the crazy plot with.

The characters are also easy to love. Each one has a distinct personality. It's easy to get annoyed with main characters, but I really liked Jacob. He is never annoying, and he is a true hero. Even though he doubted himself for quite some time, he never let his fears get in the way, and I really respect him for that.

I can honestly say that I cannot wait for the next book to come out. The ending was exciting, a little sad, and leaves the characters to embark on an even more dangerous and exciting adventure.

All in All: I really, really, really liked Miss Peregrine's. It's the best book I've read since Vampire Academy. I will recommend this to anyone who will listen (I made my grandma read it, and she liked it just as much as I did.). This is the kind of book that everyone loves. I can't wait to buy my own copy!