The Avid Reader

Book Review: Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Published: March 2014

Source: Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

What if you'd been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you?

When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, who she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that's as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her archnemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger). But just when Alice's scores are settled, she goes into remission.

Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she's said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she caused irreparable damage to the people around her—and to the one person who matters most?

Julie Murphy's Side Effects May Vary is a fearless and moving tour de force about love, life, and facing your own mortality. 

My Thoughts:

I bought this book when it first came out, and then I put off reading it for ages because I had read several mixed reviews for it. It seemed like a lot of people struggled to connect with Alice, finding her intensely unlikable. Characters are important to me as a reader, so once I started seeing these reviews I shied away.

Big mistake, because I actually loved this one! I did find Alice to be extremely hard to like, and there were many times that I found myself beyond frustrated by her behavior. She is manipulative, prideful, vengeful. She's easily hurt and she always, always goes below the belt, even (especially?) when trying to hurt the people she loves most. It's hard to imagine disliking a main character who is dying (sort of) of cancer, but man, I did not like Alice.

And yet. I really wanted to like her, and I spent most of the book secretly hoping that she would be redeemed in some way. In spite of how much she frustrated me, I wanted this prickly girl to get a happy ending. As much as I hated her for hurting Harvey again and again, I still wanted them to end up together. I hated some of the things Alice said and did to the "mean girls" in her life, but I still hurt for her when they struck back. Alice is a subtle character with a lot of depth, and Murphy did a fantastic job crafting her. 

But what really made me love this book is Harvey, whom I completely adored. I wanted to smack him sometimes for being so easily used, but there was something so sweet about his utter devotion to Alice. He's so loyal and selfless, and he isn't at all concerned with what anyone else at school thinks of him. It's the hardest thing in the world for him watching the girl he loves slowly waste away, but he never lets Alice see his pain. I also loved their history and the friendship between their two families. 

I don't have personal experience with cancer, but I felt like that aspect of the book was handled well. Alice's emotions were raw and volatile and felt genuine. In fact, I think everyone's reactions were depicted in a genuine and honest way. I love that Alice's mom lost her cool and called Alice a little bitch, and that Alice faked sick to get out of school while her parents were already sick with worry over her diagnosis. 

All in all, this book was a solid 4 stars for me, and I wouldn't hesitate to pick up something else by Julie Murphy.

I'm not usually a contemporary reader, but I really enjoyed this one. It's made me think I need to start working more contemporary YA into my reading pile! 

What contemporary YA are at the top of your list? 

Series I'd Like to Catch Up On

Working on yesterday's Top Ten Tuesday post made me realize that I have fallen into a bad habit lately, and that habit is starting a series and never actually getting around to finishing it!

In most cases, the biggest problem is that I've let enough time go by since reading the first book (or books) that I now feel like it's necessary to do a series re-read before starting the new book/s, and that requires a relatively big investment of my time... and it's hard to make that investment when I have a towering pile of unread books to get to!

That said, sitting here and listing all the series I have abandoned over the last few years has totally shamed me, and I solemnly swear to get caught up on some of these ASAP!

     

The Across the Universe series by Beth Revis - I read (and loved!) the first book, and I've come across a few short stories set in this universe in some anthologies.

The Gone series by Michael Grant - I have actually read all of these except the last book, which wasn't out yet when I read these. It's been forever since I read these, and I never quite want to commit to a full series re-read, but I feel like that's what would be needed here.

The Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness - I read The Knife of Never Letting Go, which I loved at first, but then this happened and I pretty much came to a screeching sobbing halt with the series. The second book has been sitting on my shelf forever and I've been giving it major side eye. I recently read a prequel short story that I really enjoyed, and that's been making me consider giving this another shot, but I'd have to re-read the first book before moving on, and I just don't know if I can put myself through that again?!

The Darkest Minds series by Alexandra Bracken - I really loved the first book, and now that the third is coming out soon it's a good time to get caught up.

     

The Something Strange and Deadly series by Susan Dennard - I liked the first book when I read it, but I wasn't exactly dying to continue with the series. I've found myself thinking about this series a lot lately so I think I might give it another chance. 

The Revenants series by Amy Plum - I love zombies and these ones are utter perfection. I love the main character, the setting, the backstory. I actually have the whole trilogy so I seriously need to prioritize these. Also, my love for the French show "Les Revenants" knows no bounds, so I honestly would have picked up this series for the name alone. (If you haven't seen the show, for the love of god watch it. It's on Netflix. You're welcome.)

The Selection series by Kiera Cass - I just have to know, Maxon or Aspen?! (Nobody spoil me, I just have the last book to go!)

The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas - I took way too long to get to the first book, I'm determined not to let this series fall to the wayside. I'm reading Crown of Midnight right now and I have Heir of Fire waiting on my Kindle.

     

The Razorland series by Ann Aguirre - I loved the first two books, and the way the second one ended made me really eager to read Horde!

The Reboot series by Amy Tintera - I love Tintera's take on zombies, and this was one of those books I just couldn't put down. Does anyone know if there is going to be a third book?

The Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi - Shamefully, I've only read the first book! Must continue.

The Matched series by Ally Condie - This is even more ridiculous because I own all three books, but I've only read the first one. I need to re-read Matched soon and then finish the series. I really enjoyed Matched, I cannot believe the rest of the series got away from me.

Sadly, this just barely scrapes the surface on all the series I need to catch up on! Am I the only one who starts a million different series and then just leaves them all hanging out in space?!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books on My Fall To-Be-Read List

Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is "top ten books on my fall to-be-read list". I'm not sure if this is meant to be books that are releasing this fall, but I'm choosing to interpret this simply as books I want to read this fall.

Here are ten books I'm hoping to read ASAP, separated into two categories:

Books I need to read and review soon for NetGalley:

       

1. Suspicion by Alexandra Monir (but first I want to read Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, which shamefully I have never read)
2. Paradigm by Cerie A. Lowe
3. Taken by David Massey
4. Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas (I'm currently reading Crown of Midnight)
5. Divided by Elsie Chapman (I keep putting this off because some of the reviews are scaring me, but I need to just bite the bullet)

Books I just really want to read immediately if not sooner:

        

1. Harry Potter series re-read - Is there ever going to be a series I love as much as Harry Potter?? Fall always feels like the perfect time to dive back into this series. (I'm actually in the midst of this right now, just started Prisoner of Azkaban today.) I'd also like to re-watch the movies, which I think are incredibly well done. 
2. The One by Kiera Cass. No one spoil this for me but Team Maxon all the way!!
3. Incarceron by Catherine Fisher - In spite of some iffy reviews I am really eager to read this one.
4. Hereafter by Tara Hudson - see above
5. Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid - I am so scared to read this because I suspect that I will ugly cry my way through it!

Can't wait to see everyone else's lists!  

PS - Are you an aspiring YA author? If so, go here!

Aspiring YA Authors! Have YOU Written the Next Big YA Book??

Today on the blog I'm talking about 'The Next Big YA Book' event, hosted by Hipso Media Publishing and Jenny from Supernatural Snark.

Basically, aspiring YA writers can submit their complete manuscript for consideration, and the winning book gets a publishing deal! How could I not promote this when I'm an aspiring YA writer myself?! (Though sadly my own work in progress is nowhere near ready to be entered in this competition! Right about now I'm bitterly regreting every single day that has passed without getting some words down.)

Read on for more details and if you've written a YA book, be sure to enter!

Calling all authors!

If you have ever hashtagged #amwriting, #MSWL, or #IWantToBePublishedSoBadlyMyEyeballsMightPop, than pay attention.

From September 17^th through October 1^st, Hipso Media Publishing and Jenny from Supernatural Snark will be hosting the ‘Next Big YA Book Event.’

Why is this good news for #amwriters?

Here’s how the event works. Most publishers work exclusively with agents, which makes it difficult (more like close to impossible) for up-and-coming writers to get their work seen. Well, Hipso Media Publishing will be opening their doors to all YA writers who dream of traditional publication, but can’t seem to catch a break. Writers who have mountainous ideas, along with an actual mountain of rejection letters. Hipso wants to pick one of those writers, and treat them like the literary rock star they are, showering them in every publishing perk someone of their caliber deserves:

-  Publishing contract with a generous royalty program

-  Custom cover from Seedlings Design

-  Candace Book Blog Book Tour

-  Exclusive front-page podcast on AuthorsOnTourLive, iReadBooksRadio and iHeartRadio (which gets an average of more than 1 million hits a year)

-  Novel as an eBook on all major retailers – Kindle, Nook, iBooks, Kobo, around the world

-  A featured post on Supernatural Snark

-  Awesome book swag, and more…

Once the winning manuscript is picked, Jenny from Supernatural Snark (Owner of Seedlings Design) will work with the author to create a custom cover that will be sure to shout, “NEXT BIG YA BOOK”. And then she’ll do a featured post on Supernatural Snark, to make sure the world hears.

No agents, hoops, or hassles. The only criteria are that your YA manuscript be finished, you must believe it’s great, and it must not already be published somewhere else.

Here’s the link to the submissions page and contact info:

http://www.hipsomedia.com/the-next-big-ya-book/

Good luck and happy writing!

Also, if you have written, are in the process of writing, or even are thinking about writing a YA novel, let's connect!

I'd love to have some writer friends to motivate and encourage me!

After: Nineteen Stories of Apocalypse and Dystopia edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling

Published: October 2012

Source: I purchased this book from Amazon.

GoodReads Summary:

If the melt-down, flood, plague, the third World War, new Ice Age, Rapture, alien invasion, clamp-down, meteor, or something else entirely hit today, what would tomorrow look like? Some of the biggest names in YA and adult literature answer that very question in this short story anthology, each story exploring the lives of teen protagonists raised in catastrophe’s wake—whether set in the days after the change, or decades far in the future. 

New York Times bestselling authors Gregory Maguire, Garth Nix, Susan Beth Pfeffer, Carrie Ryan, Beth Revis, and Jane Yolen are among the many popular and award-winning storytellers lending their talents to this original and spellbinding anthology. 

My Thoughts:

I'm torn on an overall rating for this collection because it's far more polarized than I usually tend to find these anthologies. I'm really into dystopian literature, so naturally I love the theme of the anthology, and there were quite a few stories that I really loved, but there were also several that just didn't do it for me at all. 

As I usually do when reviewing short story collections, I will be skipping story summaries and just offering my brief thoughts on each story.

The Segment by Genevieve Valentine

This story was a great start to this anthology. It is a truly bleak and depressing world the author has envisioned, and I felt for the main character immediately. This one kept me on my toes, in the best way. Great tension. 

After the Cure by Carrie Ryan

Loved this. I was really surprised that this story had nothing to do with The Forest of Hands and Teeth (which I love) but it was so nice to read something really different by Carrie Ryan. This story was beautifully written and perfect for this collection.

Valedictorian by N. K. Jemisin

Fantastic. I connected with the main character immediately, I was completely horrified by the world she found herself in, and I would love to read about whatever comes next for her.

Visiting Nelson by Katherine Langrish

I'm middle of the road on this one... It was mostly good but not great for me, but there were certain aspects that I really enjoyed, as well as one really successful creepy moment. 

All I Know of Freedom by Carol Emshwiller

I enjoyed this story well enough, though I kept worrying about the fate of the dog, and I found that somewhat distracting. Kitten sadness. :( There was some good stuff here but I didn't love it. 

The Other Elder by Beth Revis

This story frustrated me the moment I saw the title, just because I love Beth Revis, and I love Across the Universe, but when am I going to get to read something new and different by her? I skipped this one out of frustration, so I'm not giving it a rating.

 

The Great Game at the End of the World by Matthew Kressel

This story was so freaking bizarre, and I definitely think it's a love it or hate it kind of weirdness, but I loved it. Some nice poignant moments between family members in this one. 

Reunion by Susan Beth Pfeffer

This was a really interesting take on the topic, and I liked that it was so different. I completely despised the mother, but I thought the story was great. 

Blood Drive by Jeffrey Ford

I know the point of this anthology is to examine what happens "after", but I wish this story provided just a bit of backstory. It was so bizarre to think of a high school where students are armed and have such a careless attitude about guns. I enjoyed the story but I kept finding myself distracted from what was happening because I was obsessing over what might have led to this kind of reality.

Reality Girl by Richard Bowes

I liked aspects of this story, but I kept finding myself tempted to skim parts of it. Not one of my favorites.

How Th'irth Wint Rong by Hapless Joey @ Homeskool.guv by Gregory Maguire

This story is so hard to review, because ohhhhhh my goddddd, the dialect made me insane. I physically recoiled a bit when I read the title, and I really had to work hard to get into this one. However. The payoff was great, and I ended up really glad that I had persevered.

Rust with Wings by Steven Gould

I liked this one quite a bit as I read it. The dystopian setting wasn't quite as high stakes or as horrifying as some of the other stories, but it was a good read.

Faint Heart by Sarah Rees Brennan

This *might* be my favorite story in this collection. I will definitely be seeking out more of the author's work. This was like a dystopian fairy tale. Great characters, fantastic premise. I loved everything about this one. 

The Easthound by Nalo Hopkinson

This was chilling and emotional and just really skilled, from start to finish. The writing is incredibly precise; every word is carefully chosen and important to the story. 

Gray by Jane Yolen 

This was a really short poem. It didn't do much for me, and I really didn't feel like it fit in this anthology. It was too short to accomplish much of anything. 

Before by Carolyn Dunn

I wish this was longer, and I liked the beginning the best. It started out deliciously creepy and tense and kind of petered out. Around this point the anthology started going downhill for me.

Fake Plastic Trees by Caitlin R. Kiernan

This one completely lost my interest about a third of the way through, and I let myself skip the rest of it. I couldn't connect with the main character at all and I did not enjoy the random capitalization of IMPORTANT WORDS like THE GOO. It felt jarring and every time it happened I felt very irritated. Since I didn't finish the story, I'm not going to give it a rating.

 

You Won't Feel a Thing by Garth Nix

I liked this one quite a bit - it was dark and sad and really different. I think the author has at least one book set in this world, so I might check that out at some point.

The Marker by Cecil Castellucci

I wasn't sure about this story at first, but I ended up enjoying it. This dystopian world was especially frightening because it felt completely possible. 

I struggled to settle on an overall rating for this collection, because for me there were a lot of highs and a lot of lows. In the end, I'm going 3.5, because the stories that were great were really great. 

Short Story Review: No Escape by Michelle Gagnon

Published: July 2012

Source: I purchased an e-copy of this short story from Amazon.

GoodReads Summary:

Gritty and heart-stopping, this short story from break-out author Michelle Gagnon also features a teaser to her thrilling debut young-adult novel, Don't Turn Around.

Seventeen-year-old Alex might be living day-to-day on whatever he can steal, but he still prefers being on the run to getting caught and thrown back in juvie. Plus, he has Jenny to think of. She comes with her own world of problems, but for once Alex feels like somebody actually needs him. So when a shady organization gives Alex the chance to participate in a medical study, all he hears is easy money—and a lot of it! He'll soon find out there's more involved.

Set directly before Don't Turn Around, which in a starred review Kirkuscalled a "pulse-pounding scary-great read" and "a surefire hit," Michelle Gagnon's "No Escape" lays the groundwork for a world in which every move you make is being watched, and no one can be trusted.

My Thoughts:

In a nutshell: this prequel is not at all "necessary" to your enjoyment and understanding of Don't Turn Around, but it's a great story on its own and I wouldn't skip it. I liked seeing the world of Don't Turn Around from another perspective, and this story was both fast-paced and chilling. 

I've only read the first book of this series so far, and Alex isn't in it. I got pretty invested in his character while reading this short story, so I'm sort of hoping he makes an appearance later in the series.

Have you read this? Do you think these series tie-ins need to be

truly integral to the series, or do you prefer for them to be

completely optional bonus reads?

Book Review: Virals by Kathy Reichs

Published: November 2010

Source: I purchased this book at a local book sale.

GoodReads Summary:

Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage "sci-philes" who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever.

As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their newfound physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent.

Fortunately, they are now more than friends. They're a pack. They are Virals.

My Thoughts:

I haven't read anything by Kathy Reichs before, but I loved the concept for Virals so I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did - this was great! Fast-paced, with lots of great twists and tension. I don't watch Bones but I watch a ton of true crime shows and I enjoyed the forensics elements of the story. I loved the transformation the teens went through and the old Animorphs fan in me was fully psyched about the animal connection and the fact that the group of friends became their own little pack. Love it.

The setting for this book was perfect. A lot of YA books feature teens who seem to have little to no parental supervision, which can be very convenient to the plot but also a little unrealistic. The teens in Virals have a lot of freedom too, but there are reasons for this freedom - first, their parents are important (and busy!) university scientists so they're legitimately not around enough to be totally on top of what their kids are up to. Second, they live together in university housing on a small island where everyone knows everyone. I think in that kind of a self-contained environment, a lack of parental involvement makes sense because there is a sense of safety. And even with those factors, the parents are still more interested and involved than is often seen in YA literature. This gets a huge thumbs up from me.

Lastly, I really enjoyed the friendship dynamics in this group of teens. I've picked up the next book in the series and I can't wait to see how these friendships grow and evolve over the rest of the series. Virals was a strong start for me so I have high hopes for the rest of the series!

Favorite Quotes:

“Why do all your brilliant ideas involve felonies?” 

“An elite confederacy of nerds. My peeps.” 

Visit Kathy Reich's website and follow her on twitter to stay up to date on her upcoming books!

Have you read any of Kathy Reich's books before?

What did you think of Virals?

Book Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Published: August 2012

Source: I purchased this book on Amazon ages ago, and waited WAY too long to get around to reading it.

GoodReads Summary:

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien. 

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

My Thoughts:

Oh my god, this book. Why on earth did I wait so long to read this?! This was a strong 5 stars for me, and I have seriously high hopes for the rest of the series. 

First I just want to say that I am so, so happy with the new cover design this book received. Normally new covers drive me insane (because inevitably I'm halfway through purchasing a series when the new covers are released, and it makes me crazy to have a mismatched set!) but in this case I will happily re-buy an updated version of Throne of Glass at some point. The new covers are much more fitting to Celaena and her story. Massive improvement. Much love to the new covers.

I've seen a lot of reviews that slam Celaena as a ridiculous main character, but I really like her. She loves books, candy, clothes and parties, and she's a loyal friend and a badass assassin. I really don't understand what's not to like? And after serving a year in the salt mines of Endovier, I think she's more than entitled to a little frivolity now and then.

I loved the idea of a female assassin as a heroine, and I was delighted to see that so well-executed here. I enjoyed reading about the competition to find a new King's Champion, and I was glad to see some of the challenges described in detail, but I also liked that it didn't take over the whole book.  

Even the love triangle worked for me. I liked both Chaol and Dorian, though I'm definitely Team Chaol all the way when it comes to a match for Celaena. Personally, I kind of like Princess Nehemia for Dorian. To me, Celaena and Dorian make much better friends than lovers, and I think Chaol understands Celaena in ways that Dorian just doesn't. 

Favorite Quotes:

“Libraries were full of ideas–perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.” 

“How long was I asleep?" she whispered. He didn't respond. 
"How long was I asleep?" she asked again, and noticed a hint of red in his cheeks. 
"You were asleep, too?" 
"Until you began drooling on my shoulder.” 

“His breath was warm on her neck as he bent his head, resting his cheek against her hair. Her heart beat so quickly, and yet she felt utterly calm—as if she could have stayed there forever and not minded, stayed there forever and let the world fall apart around them. She pictured his fingers, pushing against that line of chalk, reaching for her despite the barrier between them.” 

“With each day he felt the barriers melting. He let them melt. Because of her genuine laugh, because he caught her one afternoon sleeping with her face in the middle of a book, because he knew that she would win.” 

Visit Sarah J. Maas' website and follow her on twitter so you can stay up to date on all things Throne of Glass.

Have you read this one yet? Do you love it as much as I do?

Book Review: Defy the Dark, Edited by Saundra Mitchell

Published: June 2013

Source: I purchased this book on Amazon.

GoodReads Summary: 

Defy the Dark, an all-new anthology edited by Saundra Mitchell. Coming Summer 2013 from HarperTeen!

It features 16 stories by critically-acclaimed and bestselling YA authors as they explore things that can only happen in the dark. Authors include Sarah Rees Brennan, Rachel Hawkins, Carrie Ryan, Aprilynne Pike, Malinda Lo, Courtney Summers, Beth Revis, Sarah Ockler, and more.

Contemporary, genre, these stories will explore every corner of our world- and so many others. What will be the final story that defies the dark? Who will the author be?

My Thoughts:

I was a big fan of this collection of short stories. There were several "new to me" authors whose other work I'm now determined to track down. In the interest of not spoiling any of stories, I'm not going to provide summaries of each one, just my own overall impressions.

Sleepstalk by Courtney Summers

This was seriously creepy and a great start to an anthology about darkness. I love everything Courtney Summers writes, so I wasn't surprised that I enjoyed this. 

Nature by Aprilynne Pike

This was my first experience with Aprilynne Pike, and I loved it. I desperately wish she would turn this short story into a full length novel. I loved the dystopian concept and I was so bummed when this story ended. (This is my only complaint with short stories... when I find one I really love, I always wish for it to be developed into a full novel and sadly, that never seems to happen. Sadface.)

The Dark Side of the Moon by Dia Reeves

This story was so, so weird, and I started out having a hard time connecting to it because of that weirdness. By the end of the story I found myself disappointed that it was over, so I guess the weirdness won me over! Days after reading, I was still thinking about this story - definitely a good sign. I was intrigued by the idea of this Texas town with kind of tears in reality where darkness could slip through. Chilling.

Ghost Town by Malinda Lo

This was great. I liked the backwards timeline, I loved that it was about a haunted house, and I liked the inclusion of a lesbian as the main character. Everything moved really quickly; it was very plot-driven. 

Eyes in the Dark by Rachel Hawkins

This one was kind of your basic teen slasher flick with a twist... but I enjoyed it, and it definitely gave me a building feeling of dread as I was reading it. It ended before *I* wanted it to, but that worked for the story so I'm okay with it. 

Stillwater by Valerie Kemp

This might have been my favorite story in the collection. I really, really wish this was a full novel. I had so many questions when it ended and I think there's more than enough material here for a full length novel. I need to know what happens to Delilah and Pruitt! I want to meet Matt! Augh, don't leave me hanging! 

I Gave You My Love by the Light of the Moon by Sarah Rees Brennan

For me, this one was a good read, if not super original. That said, I know a lot of people are kind of "over" vampires and werewolves, but there were a few aspects of this story that I thought were different and nicely done. I liked the shy, nerdy vampire and his "unsexy" age (62). I liked the way the romantic relationship developed over time, too.

Night Swimming by Beth Revis

This was a great story, and I liked seeing another little slice of the Across the Universe series. That said, I would kind of like to see Beth Revis write something completely apart from that series. 

The Sunflower Murders by Kate Espey

I didn't love this one, but I feel sort of weird saying that because I did love its potential, I just feel like it ended way too quickly. What I read felt like the beginning of a really compelling novel, but I didn't feel like it really worked on its own as a short story. It's frustrating, because I feel like it could be great if fleshed out into a full length novel, and I wish that would happen.

Almost Normal by Carrie Ryan

Loved this, love zombies, love everything Carrie Ryan writes, basically. I've read several short stories that are set in the time period before the events of The Forest of Hands and Teeth, and I feel like I could happily read dozens more. This setting just doesn't seem to get old for me. I;m always so bummed when one of her short stories is over. Moar please!!

There's Nowhere Else by Jon Skovron

This story frustated me because I liked it a lot in the beginning, but toward the end it abruptly got kind of cheesey and I wasn't as into it. It also ended sort of abruptly and way before I wanted it to, which was disappointing. 

Naughty or Nice by Myra McEntire

I completely adored this story. I need more Krampus stories!! This was the perfect mix of creepiness, romance and thrill. I loved the foreign setting and the foreign holiday and the best friends doing the awkward "is this something more or isn't it" dance with each other. I pretty much loved every word of this one. Please tell me she has written dozens of books for me to obsessively devour.

Shadowed by Christine Johnson

I enjoyed this story, but I didn't feel like it totally "fit" within this anthology, really only because it was the only midieval setting and that felt a bit jarring. (To be fair though, the author took a really creative angle on the "darkness" theme.) Without getting specific, there was one moment when this story made me want to throw this book violently across the room, but on further reflection that ended up being my favorite element of the story!

Now Bid Time Return by Saundra Mitchell

I loved this story, and I was sad when it ended. It was super creative, and again, the foreign setting really added to the mood and the creepiness. I sometimes struggle with insomnia, and it was kind of cool to see a protagonist with this issue. I haven't read many time travel stories before, but this story made me think that might need to change.

The Moth and the Spider by Sarah Ockler

I go back and forth on this one, which I guess ultimately means I didn't love it. I liked it at first, and I was into the topic of suicide being included in an anthology about darkness. I think my biggest issue with this one was that I didn't really "get" how the phone calls played into the rest of the story, and why or even if they contributed to how the story ended. Not bad, but not a favorite.

Where the Light Is by Jackson Pearce

This one was great. I totally did not expect to love a story about a coal miner, but it snuck up on me and ended up being one of the highlights of the anthology. I've never read anything about the type of fae featured in this story, but it was very compelling. Lots of great imagery in this one. 

This Was Ophelia by Tessa Gratton

I have a soft spot for Ophelia, always have, and I've read and loved Tessa Gratton's stories before, so I went into this story expecting to love it. I wasn't disappointed, this was great. I loved Gratton's portrayal of Ophelia, and the chosen setting was perfect for the story. Much love to this one. 

Overall I would rate this collection a solid 4 stars. There were some pieces that I adored, quite a few that were solidly good, and not a single one that I disliked outright. Win!

Do you like short story collections?

I used to shy away from them, but in the last couple of years that has really changed. Occasionally I get frustrated wishing for certain stories to reappear as full length novels, but I try to manage my expectations going in and that has helped. I like that this type of anthology gives me a quick glimpse of many different authors. It's a great way to find new authors to love!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Book Characters that would be Sitting at My Lunch Table

This week's topic for Top Ten Tuesday is ten book characters that would be sitting at my lunch table. I loved this topic immediately... then I spent an eternity agonizing over my choices!

1. Hermoine from the Harry Potter series. We would geek out about books and school and magic and it would be glorious. 
2. Primrose Everdeen from The Hunger Games series. We've both got soft hearts for animals, so we'd bond over our pets.
3. Tella Holloway from Fire & Flood. That's if I could manage to get past my intense jealousy over not having my own pandora!
4. Marlee Woodwork from The Selection series. Marlee is sweet and honest and a great friend. I think we're both people who put love first in our lives, and I think we could connect over that.
5. Puck Connolly from The Scorpio Races. I admire her spirit and her determination. I can be pretty stubborn sometimes too, so we could support each other's crazy choices.
6. Lena from the Delirium series. We'd just spend our lunch break swooning over her relationship with Alex.
7. Sola from After the Fear. Because she is a total badass and completely awesome, and I will just find something for us to have in common so we can be friends.
8. Cecily from The Chemical Garden series. I have so much respect for Cecily. She's fiercely loyal to those she loves, so I know she would be a wonderful friend. Also I feel like we could scheme against our enemies together and it would be epic.
9. Rose Hathaway from the Vampire Academy series. Rose is incredibly tough and I love her humor. I like a friend who can keep me laughing.
10. Celaena from the Throne of Glass series. We're both big readers, so we'd have a mini book club at lunch every day. Maybe Hermoine could sit with us. ;)

Who would be at your lunch table?