Top Ten Tuesday – Halloween Reads

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and it is now hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is Halloween, so I made a list of the best Halloween reads. Here’s my list:

1. The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White

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2. The Lantern’s Ember by Colleen Houck

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3. The Dark Days Club (Lady Helen #1) by Alison Goodman

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4. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

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5. It Begins (The Unseen #1) by Richie Tankersley Cusick 

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6. City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

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7. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Vol. 1: The Crucible by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Robert Hack

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8. The Shining by Stephen King

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9. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith

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10. Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix

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(All photos taken from Goodreads)

Review: This Mortal Coil

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Title: This Mortal Coil
Author: Emily Suvada
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Source: Library
Release Date: November 7, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Catarina Agatta is a hacker. She can cripple mainframes and crash through firewalls, but that’s not what makes her special. In Cat’s world, people are implanted with technology to recode their DNA, allowing them to change their bodies in any way they want. And Cat happens to be a gene-hacking genius.

That’s no surprise, since Cat’s father is Dr. Lachlan Agatta, a legendary geneticist who may be the last hope for defeating a plague that has brought humanity to the brink of extinction. But during the outbreak, Lachlan was kidnapped by a shadowy organization called Cartaxus, leaving Cat to survive the last two years on her own.

When a Cartaxus soldier, Cole, arrives with news that her father has been killed, Cat’s instincts tell her it’s just another Cartaxus lie. But Cole also brings a message: before Lachlan died, he managed to create a vaccine, and Cole needs Cat’s help to release it and save the human race.

Now Cat must decide who she can trust: The soldier with secrets of his own? The father who made her promise to hide from Cartaxus at all costs? In a world where nature itself can be rewritten, how much can she even trust herself?

Review:

This book is amazing! I had heard that it was good, but I wasn’t prepared for how thrilling the story would be.

It is set in a post-apocalyptic world where people have electronic panels in their arm that can enhance their bodies. There are apps that can give you better sight or hearing, or even change the taste of the food you eat.

It didn’t take long for me to become familiar with this world, because there are very few characters at the beginning. Cat lives by herself and only has a couple of friends who live nearby. This made it much easier to figure out what the world was like, with the special panels built into people and the virus that threatened to kill everyone.

There were so many twists in the story. I never would have guessed the ending in a million years! I was reading it before bed and I couldn’t find a good spot to stop reading, so I ended up reading very late.

I loved this book so much! I can’t wait to read the sequel that comes out tomorrow!

What to read next:

  • This Cruel Design by Emily Suvada

  • Zero Repeat Forever by G.S. Prendergast

  • Have you read This Mortal Coil? What did you think of it?

    • It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? – October 29

    This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile!

    What I just finished:

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    This weekend I finished This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada.

    What I’m currently reading:

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    I’m currently reading Blended by Sharon M. Draper.

    What I’m reading next:

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    Next I will be reading The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

    What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?

    Jill’s Weekly Wrap-Up – October 28

    Here’s my weekly wrap up!

    Here are my reviews for the week with my ratings:

    I did 7 weekly blogging memes:

    How was your week? What did you guys read?

    Sundays in Bed With… This Mortal Coil

    The meme that dares to ask what book has been in your bed this morning? Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl.

    This Sunday I’m reading This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada.

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    Goodreads Synopsis:

    Catarina Agatta is a hacker. She can cripple mainframes and crash through firewalls, but that’s not what makes her special. In Cat’s world, people are implanted with technology to recode their DNA, allowing them to change their bodies in any way they want. And Cat happens to be a gene-hacking genius.

    That’s no surprise, since Cat’s father is Dr. Lachlan Agatta, a legendary geneticist who may be the last hope for defeating a plague that has brought humanity to the brink of extinction. But during the outbreak, Lachlan was kidnapped by a shadowy organization called Cartaxus, leaving Cat to survive the last two years on her own.

    When a Cartaxus soldier, Cole, arrives with news that her father has been killed, Cat’s instincts tell her it’s just another Cartaxus lie. But Cole also brings a message: before Lachlan died, he managed to create a vaccine, and Cole needs Cat’s help to release it and save the human race.

    Now Cat must decide who she can trust: The soldier with secrets of his own? The father who made her promise to hide from Cartaxus at all costs? In a world where nature itself can be rewritten, how much can she even trust herself?

    What book are you in bed with today?

    Review: The Light Between Worlds

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    Title: The Light Between Worlds
    Author: Laura E. Weymouth
    Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
    Publisher: HarperTeen
    Source: Publisher
    Release Date: October 23, 2018
    Rating: ★★★★★

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    Goodreads Synopsis:

    Five years ago, Evelyn and Philippa Hapwell cowered from air strikes in a London bomb shelter. But that night took a turn when the sisters were transported to another realm called the Woodlands. In a forest kingdom populated by creatures out of myth and legend, they found temporary refuge.

    When they finally returned to London, nothing had changed at all—nothing, except themselves.

    Now, Ev spends her days sneaking into the woods outside her boarding school, wishing for the Woodlands. Overcome with longing, she is desperate to return no matter what it takes.

    Philippa, on the other hand, is determined to find a place in this world. She shields herself behind a flawless exterior and countless friends, and moves to America to escape the memory of what was.

    But when Evelyn goes missing, Philippa must confront the depth of her sister’s despair and the painful truths they’ve been running from. As the weeks unfold, Philippa wonders if Ev truly did find a way home, or if the weight of their worlds pulled her under.

    Content warnings are available at www.lauraeweymouth.com/books

    Review:

    I really enjoyed this story! I couldn’t put it down.

    I expected this story to have more fantasy elements, since it is marketed as being similar to the Chronicles of Narnia. There are some flashbacks to their time in the Woodlands, especially in the first half, but the story mostly takes place during the years 1948-1950.

    The characters felt very real. They struggle with a lot of the things that happen to them. I appreciated the honesty of the characters, and the way they dealt with their problems.

    This book was very good! I can’t wait to see what Laura writes next!

    What to read next:

    • The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

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    • The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia #2) by C.S. Lewis

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    Have you read The Light Between Worlds? What did you think of it?

    Stacking the Shelves – October 27

    This is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and Reading Reality. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

    I purchased one ebook on Amazon:

    • A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig

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    What books did you get this week?

    Review: A Boy Called Christmas (Christmas #1)

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    Title: A Boy Called Christmas (Christmas #1)
    Author: Matt Haig
    Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
    Publisher: HarperCollins
    Source: Purchased
    Release Date: November 12, 2015
    Rating: ★★★★★

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    Goodreads Synopsis:

    You are about to read the true story of Father Christmas.
    It is a story that proves that nothing is impossible.
    If you are one of those people who believe that some things are impossible, you should put this book down right away. It is most certainly not for you.
    Because this book is FULL of impossible things.

    Are you still reading?

    Good.

    Then let us begin . . .

    A Boy Called Christmas is a tale of adventure, snow, kidnapping, elves, more snow, and an eleven-year-old boy called Nikolas, who isn’t afraid to believe in magic.

    Review:

    This is a great, unique Christmas story.

    When I was a kid, I loved stories about Santa. I always wondered, Where did he come from? This is a great origin story about a boy named Nikolas who grew up to become Father Christmas.

    The narration style reminded me of the narrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events. The narrator would comment on things in the story, that Nikolas didn’t know. The narrator would also speak directly to the reader. Though Nikolas didn’t have as hard a time as the Beaudelaire children in A Series of Unfortunate Events, he did have some hardships, such as losing his family and being on his own.

    The next book was set up at the end with the introduction of a girl named Amelia. I’m excited to read the rest of the series.

    What to read next:

    • The Girl Who Saved Christmas (Christmas #2) by Matt Haig

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    • The Truth Pixie by Matt Haig

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    Have you read A Boy Called Christmas? What did you think of it?

    First Lines Friday – October 26

    This is a weekly meme hosted by Wandering Words, where you give the first few lines of a book to hook your readers before introducing the book.

    Here are my first lines:

    “I’m on the toilet at the 9:30 Club, and I’m wondering how mermaids pee. This isn’t random. There’s a mermaid Barbie attached to the door of the bathroom here. Which is a pretty odd choice for a bathroom mascot. If that’s even a thing. Bathroom mascots.”

    Do you recognize these first lines?

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    And the book is… The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli.

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    Goodreads synopsis:

    Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love—she’s lived through it twenty-six times. She crushes hard and crushes often, but always in secret. Because no matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful.

    Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly’s totally not dying of loneliness—except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie’s new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. Will is funny and flirtatious and just might be perfect crush material. Maybe more than crush material. And if Molly can win him over, she’ll get her first kiss and she’ll get her twin back.

    There’s only one problem: Molly’s coworker Reid. He’s an awkward Tolkien superfan with a season pass to the Ren Faire, and there’s absolutely no way Molly could fall for him. Right?

    Have you read The Upside of Unrequited? What did you think of it?

    Review: Writ in Stone (Nancy Drew: Girl Detective Graphic Novels #2)

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    Title: Writ in Stone (Nancy Drew: Girl Detective Graphic Novels #2)
    Author: Stefan Petrucha, Sho Murase
    Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
    Publisher: Papercutz
    Source: Library
    Release Date: July 1, 2005
    Rating: ★★★★

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    Goodreads Synopsis:

    It’s double trouble for Nancy and her friends, when an ancient artifact and a little boy are both suddenly missing.  The artifact is a piece of an old stone marker that may prove that the Chinese were in America eighty years before Columbus.  The little boy is Owen Zucker, a sweetie who Nancy sometimes baby-sits.  Nancy’s determined to recover both the artifact and little Owen, but someone’s out to stop her—permanently!  Ages 8 to 12.

    Review:

    I loved this graphic novel!

    The graphics in this book were much better than the first one. All of the pictures were clear. There were objects in the images that looked like clip art. They didn’t match the other drawings, because they looked like photos of real things.

    I was so excited to see Ned and Hannah. They are so important to Nancy and play an important part in the novels, but they are often left out of adaptations.

    The next book is inspired by the 1930s, so I’m excited to read it!

    What to read next:

    • The Haunted Dollhouse (Nancy Drew: Girl Detective Graphic Novels #3) by Stefan Petrucha, Sho Murase

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    • Curse of the Arctic Star (Nancy Drew Diaries #1) by Carolyn Keene

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    Have you read Writ in Stone? What did you think of it?