Shallow Graves by Kaci Wallace

Its about a girl name Breezy, that wakes up in a shallow grave without no memory about what happened within that year she has been missing or why she is in the grave. All she does know is that she is dead, well... undead, with a dead man at her feet, and a few memories of what happened before she woke up which was the last party she went to before she disappeared and of the slap she gotten that caused her to leave the party.

During the book you are on edge because you discover that the world is a lot more scary and darker than ever. You follow Breezy as she tries to discover what she is now, her powers she know has, who killed her, and her trying to stay alive over the different challenges that she now faces. Breezy meets a few people who are also creatures or some would say monsters but she learns that just because you aren't human doesn't make you a monster.

Personally, I really enjoyed the book. It gives you monsters, drama, action, and horror. I honestly thought I possibly might not like it but I was happily wrong. Definitely for the fans of horror, supernatural creatures, and suspense.  





-HLR

April 11th 2016

All Those Broken Angels by Peter Adam Salomon

When Richard was six years old, his friend Melanie disappeared during a game of hide-and-seek. That night he was visited by a strange shadow that became his new best friend. For years, this shadow, that Richard was convinced belonged to his best friend, kept him company. Ten years later, a new girl shows up claiming to be the very Melanie that disappeared. His shadow, however, isn't too happy with Melanie's appearance. When the truth about Melanie and her disappearance comes to light, Richard realizes there an even deeper mystery involving this shadow, a mystery that he's determined to solve.

This is a weirdly interesting novel. The shadow is creepy as it engulfs Richard and controls him and at time seduces him, which is a bit odd. It's not creepy scary - as in it will give you nightmares - just creepy out-of-the-ordinary. There's definitely intrigue in finding out what's really going on with the shadow and its connection to Melanie. I felt that the revelation was a bit predictable given that there were only so many players in the novel, although there was one twist that I found interesting. Even though it was a bit obvious, it was still an enjoyable ride and a quick read.
MMK

Thin Space - Jody Casella

Three months ago Marshall and Austin, identical twin brothers, were in a really bad car accident.  Marshall survived while Austin did not.  Two months ago their elderly neighbor Mrs. Hansel passed away.  Whenever Marshall and Austin helped Mrs. Hansel she would talk about thin spaces.  Thin spaces are barriers between our world and the other side.  They are created where a person first came into the world and passed on to the next.  Marshall walks around barefoot everywhere trying to find a thin space so he can see his brother one last time.  He knows there is one in Mrs. Hansel's old house, but with a new family moving in it will be hard to get in.  He befriends Maddie, the new girl, so he can get into her house.  Maddie doesn't know what to think as she's heard how strange he is from her brother Sam and his friends.  Once he gains entry he walks over to where Mrs. Hansel died.  He is disappointed to find no thin space there.  When Maddie sees him trying to find the thin space he explains to her what he trying to find.  Maddie understands what he trying to find, but is still trying to wrap her head around everything.  The next day at school Logan, Marshall's girlfriend, tells him they need to talk.  They head to a coffee shop where they talk about everything that has gone on since the accident.  On the way home they see Maddie walking barefoot trying to find thin spaces where people died.  They take her home, and he's worried about her since he's been going around barefoot for the last few months trying to find thin spaces.  The next day Kate, Austin's girlfriend, tries to talk to Marshall and he blows her off.  Brad, a jock, then comes over and starts a fight with Marshall.  Marshall receives a four day suspension for fighting.  He does a lot of thinking over the first three days.  On the fourth day he patches things up with Maddie.  She has been researching the history of thin spaces, and wants to help Marshall see his brother one last time. 

This was a very good story about the loss of one person affects everyone around them.  I really liked the whole idea behind the thin spaces.  Most of us have those people who have passed away that we would like to see one last time.  

T.B. 12/26/13

Thirteen Days To Midnight - Patrick Carman

"You are indestructible."  Those are the last words spoken to Jacob before Mr. Fielding, his foster father, dies in a car crash, in which Jacob walks away unscathed.  He has been staying with Father Tim, a good friend of Mr. Fielding, at Holy Cross School. He has been out of school the past week grieving for his foster father's death.  When Jacob goes back to school everyone is talking about the new girl Ophelia, which in a school of 137 students is a big thing.  The first time Jacob sees her she has him sign the cast on her arm.  He writes you are indestructible on the cast.  Later that day Jacob, Ophelia, and Milo, Jacobs best friend, head to the skate park near school.  Ophelia wipes out really bad on the pavement.  She should have died, but Jacob's indestructible power saves her.  The power transfers back to him, and the next day he tells Milo and Ophelia about his power.  Ophelia starts keeping a journal of everything that can be done with the power.  They then set out to help people in danger by transferring the power to them so the people can live.  All that is needed to transfer the power is for Jacob to see a picture and name of the person in danger.  This starts putting a strain on Jacob, and Milo points out that we can't save everyone.  Things start going downhill when Ophelia wakes Jacob at two in the morning because there is a fire at her apartment building.  Jacob transfers his power over, and Ophelia saves a persons life along with a cat that was trapped.  After that Ophelia wants to hold on to the power more and more.  She turns into a different person as the power stays in her longer and longer.  Jacob and Milo take a trip to a cigar shop that Mr. Fielding owned, which will be Jacob's when he turns eighteen.  Jacob discovers a letter written by Mr. Fielding explaining what the indestructible power really is.  After they have this information Jacob and Milo realize that they must do anything they can to get the power out of Ophelia and make her human again.  Can they save Ophelia or will the power consume her to a point of no return?

I enjoyed this book and poses the reader with the question of if you were indestructable how would you use this power you have been given?  Jacob wants to help as many people as he can, but after learning the truth realizes that it isn't possible.  Death is a constant in the universe and when your time is up death will be waiting.  As I was reading this it reminded me of the movie Chronicle, which came out earlier this year.  In it three teenagers gain powers and they try to do the responsible thing with their powers.  One of the teens turns evil, and the other two teens try to save him.  It is similar to when Ophelia starts turning evil as the indestructible power grows inside her.  Jacob and Milo will do anything they can to save Ophelia. 

T.B. 4/20/12

Fracture - Megan Miranda

Eleven minutes, that is how long Delaney Maxwell was under the icy lake water. She lies in coma for six days with her parents and best friend Decker never leaving her side. After she wakes up everyone is astonished that she is alive. Her brain scans show something is wrong, but Delaney feels fine. Except there is this pull in her head. She can sense when someone is close to dying. She tries to ignore it, but the pull brings her to an elderly neighbors house the first night she is back home. She sees a figure going around the house and then her dad comes out and brings her back inside. When the neighbor dies the next day, her parents accuse her of having something to do with her death. Delaney says she had nothing to do with the neighbor dying, and her parents drop the accusations. As she catches up on school work and studies for finals she encounters Troy, another person who was in a coma, and woke up being able to sense when someone is about to die. Delaney discovers that Troy helps the elderly die quicker, instead of having prolonged suffering. She is horrified and tries to tell Decker what is going on, but their friendship is on the rocks. Mainly because he thinks she is with Troy, and he doesn't know how to tell her he is in love with her. When her friend Carson dies in her arms, Delaney begins to question why she is still alive and why someone with so much promise has to die so young.

I liked this book, and would put it in the creepy category. There were parts in the book that gave me chills down my spine as I read it. You really didn't know what to expect with Troy. One minute he is this nice guy who works with elderly people. The next he is causing them to die quicker. You do not know whether to hate him or like him. What would you do if you could sense when someone is going to die?

T.B. 1/29/12