Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

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After the death of his grandfather, Jacob, starts seeing odd things and is convinced that he needs to travel to the island where his grandfather grew up in order to reconcile the things his grandfather told him and what everyone else tells him. He finds adventure and a reality that he was not expecting.

It seemed that everyone was reading this book so I resisted for a long time.  A book club that I’m a member of picked this book and I read it.  The book started out strong with an interesting premise and a realistic main character.  As the story went on I found myself predicting what would happen and being disappointed with the way the story was being told.  That said, it is a book for teens so maybe they would not see the ending coming from a mile away.  The pictures are very cool and it’s nice to have an mystery/adventure to give to teen guys. 

Croak by Gina Damico

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Lex is a little bit wild…ok she is a serious DELINQUINT!  Even she doesn’t know why she keeps getting into fights and hurting people.  Her parents have had enough so she is sent to live with her weird uncle for the summer.  A summer of shearing sheep and milking cows should fix her right up.  Only that’s not what her uncle does for a living.  Lex is soon working for him and she finds herself in a strange new world with different rules and danger. 

The book is about reapers (scythe and all).  It kind of reminded me of the show Dead Like Me so I checked it out at the library.  Lex starts out as a character I would not want to know, but as the story goes on I found myself being pulled in.  The end is sad and unusual so I hope they do another book to wrap it all up.  I would recommend this book for guys and girls who like dark humor. 

The Dead Winter by Chris Priestley

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Set in the Victorian England we meet Michael on the worst day of his life; his mother’s funeral. After the service he is told that he has a benefactor and he must move far into the country for Christmas at his benefactor’s county estate. As soon as he arrives he starts to hear and see strange and unusual things. The house and those in it are hiding some great secret that threatens to destroy them all.

This is a horror story with an ending that I saw coming about half way through. I found it predictable, but I really like the characters and the pace of the story. I also liked the ending, which takes place many years in the future. I think a lot of teen guys would like the story. Overall it is a good ghost story without too much gore.

The Undertakers: Rise of the Corpses by Ty Drago

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Whatever you do, don’t call them zombies. They are invaders, wearing the bodies of the dead as a disguise. Everyone just sees a regular person, with the exception of a few kids. When Will first sees them he thinks he’s going crazy, but soon he learns that he’s not the only one. He is rescued from his school and taken to a secret place filled with other kids like him who can see the undead for what they really are. Now he is a part of the Undertakers and he has to help fight these hidden monsters before they take over everything.


I liked the book. It’s written for a younger teen audience (ages 11-13). It’s an easy read and boys will really get into the story. There are a lot of fights to keep everyone interested, and no one has any special powers, except the ability to see through the disguise to the rotting corpse underneath. You know typical teenage stuff. It’s a different take on zombies and it’s not a survival story. It’s definitely set up for some sequels and the writing makes me care enough about the characters to want to see what happens next.

Sleepless by Thomas Fahy

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After a school sponsored community service trip to New Orleans goes awry the teens all realize that they are not able to sleep. Emma and her friends, who were all on the trip, join a secret society run by their teacher, Dr. Beecher's. He thinks that by meeting they can talk about fine art and support each other. Soon classmates start turning up dead and they are trying to figure out who is doing the killing and why.


I thought I would love this book. The cover is so cool and I really liked one of Fahy’s other novels Unspoken, but this one just didn’t do it for me. For whatever reason, I just couldn’t get into the story or muster up any kind of sympathy for the characters. I know that a lot of other people really liked it. It is a thriller and if you like books that take lots of turns, and a story that jumps around, you might really enjoy this book. One teen liked it so much he made a book trailer that I have poster below. This book is definitely for an older teen crowd. There is some sexual content and swearing.

Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan (Forest of Hands and Teeth Sequel)

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Annah is alone in a dying city. She can’t keep waiting for Elias to return to her, and she can’t stay in the city any longer. She must go back to her village in the Forest of Hands and teeth. When she meets Catcher and he seems to know things about her, she makes the decision to find her long lost sister and find a way to make a home. Of course nothing goes as it should in the Zombie Apocalypse future.


I was so excited to read this book because I really loved the Forest of Hands and Teeth and the Dead Tossed Waves. This book was kind of a letdown. I found myself picking it up, and putting it back down. I just couldn’t get into the characters, or muster up much interest in what happened to them. I’m not really sure what why the book fails to deliver, but maybe it has something to do with trying too hard to weave the stories together, or the hopelessness in the story. This particular story was not for me, but you might like it if you like romance, and tormented lounging (and I know some of you do).

The Abused Werewolf RescueGgroup by Catherine Jinks

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Toby wakes up in the hospital after being found in a Dingo pen at the local zoo. His mom and doctors are concerned, but he seems healthy and goes home. Soon strangers come to his door to tell him that he is a werewolf; all of this in modern Australia. Because Catherine Jinks is not Stephanie Meyer, Toby and his mom don't just believe and accept what the mysterious strangers tell them. They do the normal and responsible thing, which is to threaten to call the police and kick the strangers out of there house. As it turns out, that is not the best thing for Toby. Soon he has been kidnapped by bad guys, who like to hold werewolf fights. Toby and a cast of characters come up against the bad guys to disastrous results.


One thing I always like about the Catherine Jinks books is that the parents are never useless. They always play a part in the story. I also like the way that there are crossover characters from The Reformed Vampire Support Group in this book. I loved that book and I ‘m glad to know what’s going on with them. I liked this book, but the story seems to stagnate near the end. We spend so much time in the bad guy’s house it starts to feel like we are really there, and we are never getting out. Maybe that’s what she was going for, because I felt like I could sympathize with Toby. I wanted out too. Some readers may love this story, but it was a little slow for me. I’m not saying not to read it, but be prepared for it to be not as good as The Reformed Vampire Support Group.

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Odd Is On Our Side by Dean Koontz

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Odd Thomas sees dead people. He lives in a small town and he tries to help the dead to find rest. Sometimes the dead aren’t just concerned with their own former lives and troubles, sometimes they are trying to tell him about something dark arriving in town. When Elvis (yes, The King) appears to Odd to warn him, Odd and his girlfriend take it seriously and try to save the town.


The story was interesting and I liked the art in this graphic novel. I liked the idea for the story and the characters, but the way it was told left me a little flat. I didn’t feel a real connection to the story and I was skipping stuff to get to the end. Not my favorite graphic novel, or supernatural mystery.

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves

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Kit and Fancy are sisters living in a strange town.  They are outcasts because their father is the Bonesaw Killer.  He is a serial killer who is on death row, while the girls and their mother live in the same small town they have always been in.  The sisters are their father's daughter, and soon they give into the same dark desires that their father indulged in.  Are they bad people because they love blood?  As the sisters discover who they are, they face dangers like bad guys, good boys, and the truth about what they do.

This book is Dexter meets Sweet Valley High.  Sisters ,who on top of dealing with being teenagers and discovering what boys are all about, are also facing a father on death row and their own dark desires for revenge and blood.  What's a burgeoning serial killer to do?  The town that they live in, although in the regular world, is strange and filled with mysterious monsters.  The blood and guts are a little overwhelming, especially in the beginning of the book.  After a while I got used to the gore and really started to enjoy the story.  It feels wrong to cheer for the killers, but in this crazy town they are the lesser of the evils.   I love the book cover and I would recommend the book to more mature teen readers who don't mind a little cursing, romance, blood and guts.

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

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Years after the plague...years after all of the dead stood up and started eating humans, there are a few small towns rebuilding.  Benny and his brother Tom made it out of their house on First Night.  They ran from their parents and the zombies.  Now, years later, they live in Mountainside.  Benny has turned fifteen and that means he must apprentice to learn a trade or lose his food rations.  Soon he learns the truth about the town, about his brother, and his so called heroes.  When Benny is forced to enter the Rot and Ruin of the zombie infested world outside the Mountainside fences, he must do things he never thought possible to survive and save the ones he loves.

Fans of Hunger Games will like this story of teen survival in the face of the adult agenda.  It is well written in the true voice of a teen guy.  There are amazingly resilient female characters and a world that is frightening real.  As with all zombie stories this book reflects back the worst and the best in humans.  Sadly the zombies are not the worst monsters in the story.  I recommend this to fans of Hunger Games, zombie stories, and survival stories.

Click here to watch an interview with the author.

iDrakula by Bekka Black

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The original Dracula story gets a facelift in this modern retelling. The original was told in letters, journal entries, and telegraphs. This retelling uses up to date technology to tell the story. As an added bonus you can download an app that gives you the story in real time as it happens.




This updated version of the story is interesting and fast paced. (I read it in about an hour). I like the re-imagining, with its strong female characters and innovative use of technology. The app is kind of cool, and if you have the technology to make it work you might like to be fed the story in real time. It offers the bonus feature of voice mails from the various characters that you can listen to.



I liked the book, but that said; DON'T read this if you have an assignment to read the real Dracula by Bram Stoker. This story leaves out many characters and events. It is not a Cliffs notes retelling of the story. You will fail the test if the only thing you know about Dracula is iDrakula. I liked the technology, but other novels that use voicemail features allow people to listen to the features online. Making it an app leaves many people out of the tech loop for the bonus features. (Take a look at Kathy's Book for a good example of a book / tech combo.) As a stand-alone title I enjoyed the book. It is not a substitute for the original, but it is fun!

Torment by Lauren Kate

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This is the 2nd book in the Fallen series.  Both books are good.  Daniel and Luce are star-crossed lovers who have been together over many generations.  Neither is completely human and they are both trying to do what is good and right in a war that neither has control of.  This story delves deeper into their past and delivers hard core on romance and the torment of not knowing where you stand with the one you love. 

I like this series.  Luce continues to be a kick ass heroin who doesn’t sit around waiting to be rescued.  The new school was a little blah for me, but I liked the new characters and Luce’s growing abilities.  I can’t wait to see what happens next.  I just hope that there is an end to this story before it gets stale.  I think I can hold on for 2 or 3 more books.  The series is fun, no bad language, and keeps the romance to some serious making out.  It’s a must read for Twilight fans.  (The writing and plot are way better than Twilight.)

Click here to read my review of the Fallen.

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

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Did you read Hush, Hush?  If not read it now.  I can wait.  Ok, now read Crescendo.  This is the sequel to Hush, Hush.  Nora and Patch are back.  Will undying, inhuman love survival the wrath of Archangels and Nephilim?  Read it and find out.

I loved Hush, Hush because Nora was such a strong female character and she went with her gut when she thought things where not right with Patch.  The sequel has Nora acting a little crazy, and Patch is off doing things he should not be.  The amount of action in the story is great but some of the twists seemed a little soap opera-esk. The ending is amazing and had me squealing out loud.  Overall I liked the story and I want to know what happens next.  I hope the next book come out soon, and wraps up the story.  Now that we know Patch’s real name all we need to do is figure out who Nora really is and how she will be able to decide the fate of Heaven and Hell.  

Z by Michael Thomas Ford

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Josh is a just a regular kid living in the U.S. after the Zombie virus.  There was no apocalypse.  People got the virus, it was bad, the world moved on.  Zombies are all gone and the world he lives in is pretty much like ours now.  The games are a little cooler and the technology is a little more advanced, but it’s not like everyone has hovercrafts.  Josh is a gamer and his favorite is an online zombie killing game.   When Charlie invites Josh to play a different kind of zombie game his whole world is changed forever. 

I liked the story and the fact that the zombie plague was kind of like most viruses.  Many people were killed but in the end society goes on.  The way Josh reacts to making new friends and doing things he never thought he would is something that most teens can relate to.  I would recommend this book to gamers, guys, and people who like a twist on the zombie genre. 

Fear : 13 stories of suspense and horror edited by R.L. Stine

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Fear : 13 stories of suspense and horror edited by R.L. Stine

Are you the kind of person who likes to be scared?  Do you love that moment when you turn out your bedroom light and have to walk, in the dark, to your bed.  Do you get a little thrill when you hear a noise in the night?  If you enjoy a little fear this book is for you.  Each story is crafted to instill the maximum amount of fear in the reader.  Some stories feature the supernatural, while others remind us that the most scary things we can read are those stories that could be true.  Read the book and then try to get some sleep; in the night; with all the lights out; Mwha!

Skeleton Creek: The Crossbones by Patrick Carman

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Skeleton Creek is back and better than ever.  In this third installment of the series we find that Sarah has moved and Ryan is working at his dad’s new fishing store.  Old Joe Bush has left Ryan a clue that he and Sarah must follow to solve the true mystery of The Crossbones.  Told in a series of journal entries written in the book and videos that you watch online, this is a true horror / mystery story.

I loved this book.  The 1st Skeleton Creek was fantastic.  The journal entries suck you in and the videos scare the heck out of you.  The 2nd book wrapped up one mystery but the ending left me feeling flat.  This 3rd book has redeemed the series.  Ryan’s journal is compelling and Sarah’s videos are so frightening that I thought Old Joe Bush might be outside my window.  There is no blood and guts, but the shadows and glimpses of possible ghosts give the videos and erie and frightening quality that you don’t get from seeing gore.  This book is a must read for anyone who likes ghost stories and mysteries.  

Notes From a Totally Lame Vampire by Tim Collins

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Nigel is a perpetual teen aged loser who happens to be a vampire.  He has no  vampire strength, no ability to hypnotize people with his eyes, and no Robert Pattinson big haired alure.  He lives with his parents (the vampire who turned him) and his little sister (a girl they also turned into a vampire).  Because of the age that he appears to be, he is required to attend school for all eternity.  When a new girl starts at school, Nigel finds true love and sets out to make her his.  

The story is told in the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” diary style complete with drawings in the margins.  The story was okay and geared toward guys 12-14.  The presentation, a book in diary style with drawings, made it seem like it was for younger guys.  “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” was a fun book for elementary kids, but the translation to teen fiction is not really there.  I love the idea of a lame vampire who is weak and unattractive, but I thought Catherine Jinks did it better in “The Reformed Vampire Support Group”.  I want to think the unrelenting teen angst in this book is meant to be a spoof of the Wimpy Kid books and the Vampire genre in general, but if it is I missed the joke.  

This book isn’t for me but maybe you loved it.  Send out a comment if I just trashed you favorite book.  Not every book is for every person so I won’t tell you not to read it, but I wish I skipped it.

Zombies Vs Unicorns Edited by Justine Larbalestier and Holly Black

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Team Zombie Led by Justine Larbalestier:         Team Unicorn Led by Holly Black:

Alydia Dawn Johnson                                             Garth Nix

Carrie Ryan                                                               Naomi Novik

Maureen Johnson                                                    Margo Lanagan

Scott Westerfeld                                                       Diana Peterfreund

Cassandra Calre                                                     Meg Cabot

Libba Bray                                                                Kathleen Duey

Justine Larbalestier and Holly Black have an ongoing feud about which creature (unicorn or zombie) reins supreme.  Something that started as friendly banter on Justine’s blog has now become a battle royal to answer once and for all the question of what creature is better. The overall merit of zombies and unicorns are being judged based on social commentary, usefulness as a plot devise in stories, mythology throughout history and the all important total coolness factor.   The two authors gathered supporters for their respective causes and enlisted them to write stories featuring zombies and unicorns.  This anthology resolves the question once and for all.  

I highly recommend this book.  I’m a member of Team Zombie; I’m even thinking of getting a t-shirt made.  Putting aside that unicorns haven’t been cool since a bedeviled Tim Curry tried to kill one in The Last Unicorn (If you haven’t seen the movie you should go to Blockbuster and get it.  This is Tom Cruise before he was crazy.)  the idea for the book is a great one.  In spite of the fact that I’m not a fan of rainbows or horned beasts I love the book.  Even the unicorn stories where good.  Of course the Zombie stories are better, but that’s to be expected.  

This is a great book for older teens, and for zombie or unicorn lovers everywhere.  

Fat Vampire by Adam Rex

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Doug is fifteen, fat, and a newly turned vampire.  The book starts with a pilgrimage to the San Diego Comic Con.  The nerd mecca of all comic conventions.  Doug and his best friend Jay head to the con to find about about the latest comics, stare at the hot trekkie chics, and of course score some blood.  Once they head back to their home town their friendship gets tested as Doug gains better control of his vampire powers and they both have a shot at romance. 

The story goes back and forth between Doug’s story, the story the Vampire Hunters T.V. show, and the story of an Indian foreign exchange student.  I love the book cover, the dialog, and the humor.  What I didn’t love was everything else.  There are several story lines going all at once, but none of the stories are fully developed.  Some of the characters, like Victor and the other vampires are not at all fleshed out.  They are so one demential it’s hard to understand why they do the things they do.  The idea of “The Google” being a psychological disorder is brilliant, but underdeveloped.  It could have been it’s own book but instead it’s a side story without resolution.  I loath the ending.  I understand that not every story can have a Disney ending, but if the end has to be sad there needs to be a reason for the sadness.  I want a reason things had to be this way.  In my mind Doug should get to be a regular, acne covered, slightly chunky comic book geek who learns a valuable lesson then gets the girl.  I’m mad at this book and Adam Rex for writing the ending this way.  

Even though the ending is upsetting and there are too many stories going on all at once, I liked the idea behind everything.  The whole book was not for me, but teen guys might like it.  There is a strong male perspective and the friendship between Jay and Doug reads true to the way guys relate to each other.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia Margaret Stohl

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Finally a supernatural romance from the guys point of view.  Ethan is the smart son of two professors,  He lives in the same small town that his family has live in since before the Civil War.  (Also known as the War of Northern Aggression if you are from some places in the south.)  Lena is “The New Girl”.  She has moved into the haunted plantation house of her recluse uncle.  When the two meet and start to form a friendship, things go from weird to worse.  They both discover things that neither thought were possible.

The book grabs you with the idea of a town that no one leaves and holds onto you with the story of why.  Not everything is as it seems in a small town and not everyone is who they appear to be.  The story held my interest the whole way through and the romance was not too overwhelmingly mushy.  A good read!  I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good gothic, supernatural mystery or romance.