"Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children"

You know the old saying … “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover”?  This old adage definitely applies to “Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children”.  When I first saw this book, I didn’t know what to expect.  I was pleasantly surprised to find, within it’s pages, and tale of adventure, mystery, monsters, and “peculiar” children.

From the beginning I was trapped.  The book moved along smoothly and I found myself wanting to read more.  The characters were well developed and I loved all the different personalities and traits they all displayed.

However, there were a few things that I struggled with.  I am reluctant to include them in my review because I would rather you read the book and form your own opinion.  I do strongly recommend this novel.  It’s thrilling, suspenseful, and when you reach the end … you are left wanting more.  (And more is definitely on the way.)

Here’s a quick look at what  “Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children” is all about:

"The Book Thief"

I always recommend this book if asked, “What’s a good book to read?”  However, I always recommend it with some hesitation.  If you want a fast read, or a feel-good novel … this book is not for you.  If you love to get wrapped up in the characters, or have your eyes opened to the heartbreak that many people suffered … than this book is for you.

This story is narrated by Death.  At times I found this narration a little depressive but I think that is how Markus Zusak wanted his readers to feel.  Dealth is also dismayed by the events that are happening all around.  At one point, he stomps on a picture of Hitler on his way to retrieve a thousand souls from a bomb raid.  But through all the dark is a spark of color.

The human race is hard to figure out at times and this novel explores all the twists and turns in a time I hope we never have to revisit.  If you want to explore this book further … here’s a little more about it:

"The Forgotten Garden"

I really became quite enchanted with this tale.  The bewitching fairy tales and the charming cottage garden made the book enticing and captured me from the first few pages.  Kate Morton did a beautiful job writing.  I could picture, in my mind, all the events I was reading about … just like watching a movie that only I could see.  I found myself wrapped up in a mystery that kept me guessing as to the outcome.  The twist and turns, and all the transporting my thoughts to different time periods … kept me up all hours of the night reading.

Here is a look at what “The Forgotten Garden” has to offer:

"Sarah's Key"

(*As I was getting ready to publish this post ... I came across a movie trailer for this book!  I am so excited that it is going to be on the big screen.  Hopefully it will live up to what was written on the pages.)

Before and after reading this book, I read many varying reviews.  The way I see it though, is … a novel like “Sarah’s Key” stands on it’s own.  No matter if you love it or hate it - everyone should read this beautifully written account, devoted to the Holocaust.  The author did an amazing job reminding us of the tragic facts that took place many years ago … and in a place we often don’t associate with concentration camps and Jewish mistreatment.  “Sarah‘s Key“ is a book that is captivating, and I have found my mind returning to it many times after I finished reading.  I strongly recommend adding it to your list of “Must Reads”.

Here’s another glimpse at what is inside the pages of “Sarah’s Key”:

"The Hourglass Door"

I thought "The Hourglass Door" was really good.  It has all the stuff an amazing story should have.  Adventure, a bit of mystery, and love story mixed in.  ; )  I would recommend everyone, to read this.  It is an easy read but kept me entertained through the whole thing; a magical story.  Thanks Mom and Sis for telling me to read it!  I love the characters and am so excited to start the next one to find out what happens on a HUGE cliffhanger.  Lisa Mangum did a great job telling the concept of time so we all loved and understood it!  Two thumbs up!  Check out the above video and the summary below!

"Dark Secrets"

Looking for a mystery ... but one that still has a little romance on the side?  Then I recommend reading "Dark Secrets".  This novel contains two books put in one.  The two books are called "Legacy of Lies" and "Don’t Tell".  Both books are unrelated to each other as far as cast of characters or story line goes.  However, they both equally caught my attention and kept me wanting to read more.  Some parts, I was not crazy about.  Like ... sitting up by myself late at night reading and jumping to creaks and night time noises of the house.  Needless to say, I am not the best when it comes to scray parts of a story.  But overall, it was a good book.  I loved that I found myself trying to figure out the mystery before the stories ended.  I also love (and I know I sound like a broken record) the romance that was thrown in as the icing on the cake.  I am a girl who loves a little romance!  I usually don’t read mysteries but I actually enjoyed this book a lot.

Check out what "Dark Secrets" is about:

"Matched"

I was so excited when this book FINALLY came out! After finishing the "Hunger Games" series ... I was longing for another book that would capture me, and take me to an unimaginable world. Living in the world that we do now ... can we even imagine what it would be like to live without free will? This plot is created in "Matched".

"Matched" started out slow and I almost wondered if I was going to like it. However, when it picked up ... I fell in love! The ending made up for all of the slow parts and left me counting down the days until Book #2, "Crossed", gets released ... November 1st, 2011!

I strongly recommend this book. Here's a peek:

"My Unfair Godmother"

After school one day, my mom told me they had made a sequel to "My Fair Godmother".  I loved the first book so much that I ran down to the store and bought "My Unfair Godmother"!  At first, I didn’t know what I thought of the novel because none of the characters from the first book (except Chrissy of course) were in the story.  But to my surprise I liked it better than the first book!  Don't skip the first novel though.  I still think it is well worth the read and, even though this book stands on it's own ... it definitely helps you understand "My Unfair Godmother" more fully.

Want a little teaser on "My Unfair Godmother"?  Here it is:

"My Fair Godmother"

I love fairy tales!  I love to get lost in the romance of a "happily ever after" story.  In this novel it combines famous fairy tale stories with modern day characters.  I loved "My Fair Godmother" and I did not want to put it down!  It kept my eyes glued to the pages as I wondered ... would I get the ending I longed for ... or one totally unexpected?  If you are looking for an easy read, but also one that makes you laugh, one that makes you "awwww" with romance, and one that is just plain AMAZING ... "My Fair Godmother" is the book for you!

Here is a sneak peek of "My Fair Godmother":

"Juliet"

I’m in love with this book! I don’t think I can put it better than that. There were so many aspects that kept me entranced in this novel late into the night … or should I say … early into the morning.

So what label do I put on “Juliet“? It was definitely a mystery. It was definitely a romance. It was definitely a “figuring-out-who-I-am” novel. But what I probably loved most about it was … it’s a double-retelling of the story of Romeo and Juliet, one in modern day Siena, and one in 14^th century Siena. If I had to tell you which story line I liked the best … I don’t think I could decide. Both story lines caught my attention, and although I knew the ending to one, I was still caught in Medieval times … clinging on to hope.

"Prom and Prejudice"

Ok ... here's my confession for the day ... I have never read or watched Pride and Prejudice before.  There ... I said it!  I live in a house with the ultimate Pride and Prejudice fans (my mom and sister) and yet, I still myself on the outskirts ... not making the dive into "Mr-Darcy-land".  Haha  So when I first saw Prom and Prejudice, I had no expectations of what the pages held.

And my opinion is ... I loved it!  I think Prom and Prejudice will be a great read for anyone who is already familiar with Pride and Prejudice.  For people like me, it could serve as a way to introduce them to this beloved story. It is a light read and is suitable for teen up to adult readers. I kept wanting to read from the first page. I loved Prom and Prejudice so much! Here’s a sneak peek at this amazing novel:

"The Kiss of a Stranger"

I loved it! It's not an "exercise in brain power" reading ... but it's a "curl up and get lost in" novel. I loved the characters - even though Catherine can get tedious at times ... Crispin makes up for it. Sometimes you just need an easy-read that makes you forget all the troubles around you. "The Kiss of a Stranger" is that book!

Here's a sneak peek at what "The Kiss of a Stranger" is about:

"Dark Mirror"

This book was ... fine. It took awhile to get moving. It wasn't until I was over half way through the book that I started being drawn to the story. I wish there would have been more interaction with the romance side of the story. That might have left me feeling more invested in the characters. I did enjoy the historical facts in the story ... fact mixed with fiction is always a good combination.

It is still a book I would recommend ... it's just not a recommendation that would come with fanfare and fireworks.

Here's some more details on "Dark Mirror":

"A Kiss In Time"

Recently, I have been in the mood for a good book to curl up with, get trapped inside of, and take me away to another time. "A Kiss In Time" did the job. Alex Flinn penned so well, a modern retelling of "Sleeping Beauty". I would definitely recommend this book to others.

With that said ... there were a few flaws (in my opinion) that stopped this book from getting a top rating in my reading book list.  Here's my thoughts on the novel:

"Timeless"

Ok ... so I'm off and running ...

The first book I'm posting is "Timeless" by Alexandra Monir.  My Mom read this book first and suggested that I give it a whirl.  At first it took me a couple of chapters to get into this novel, but after those few chapters, I could not put the book down!  As I recall, unlike many books today, "Timeless" is a clean book so it is perfect for any age.  (Especially those who love thrilling romances like me.)  I was happy to find that in the pages I was reading ... there were many surprises that kept me constantly wondering what was going to happen next.  This book found me crying at times, laughing at times, and at the end ... it left me wanting more.  I am definitely keeping my eyes out for the sequel!

Here is a little rundown on what Timeless is about: