Reader Girls Blog

We read a lot of fantasy so when we came across The Royal Review's Fantasy Reading Challenge, we signed up. As their site says any type of fantasy counts. There are four levels (reprinted from their site): -- Curious – Read 3 Fantasy Fiction novels. -- Fascinated – Read 6 Fantasy Fiction novels. -- Addicted – Read 12 Fantasy Fiction novels. -- Obsessed – Read 20 Fantasy Fiction novels.  Can we reach the Obsessed level with 20 books read? We think so!

Reading level: Young Adult Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Harlequin Teen; Original edition (August 1, 2009) BOOK DESCRIPTION: S he doesn't see dead people, but... She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally. Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next... MY REVIEW: I liked how Vincent weaved her paranormal tale and grabbed me from the opening scene. Kaylee can see dark shadows around people and has the overwhelming need to scream. The problem is the last time she did give in to the urge, she was sent off to a mental hospital and medicated. Is she crazy or is something else going on? Of course, we know the answer to that. ...

Pitch Black Gift Guide! : "This is my pitch black wishlist! Check it out if you're stuck for holiday gift ideas." Valentine's Day is next month!

Reading level: Young Adult Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: HarperTeen; Reprint edition (June 23, 2009) BOOK DESCRIPTION: My name is Danielle. I'm eighteen. I've been stealing things for as long as I can remember. Dani has been trained as a thief by the best there is--her mother. They never stay in one place long enough for Dani to have real connections, real friends--a real life. But in the town of Heaven, everything changes. Suddenly, Dani must question where her loyalties lie: with the life she's always known--or the one she's always wanted. MY REVIEW: Reading the first three lines on the back jacket of this book immediately hooked me. Scott's premise of a teen raised by a professional thief for a mom was intriguing, and a welcome break from the paranormal and fantasy novels I usually indulge in. What I discovered was a highly entertaining book full of charming and fully fleshed out characters. I felt for Dani, understood her plight of not wanting to h...

Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Signet (January 6, 2009) BOOK DESCRIPTION: Maggie Donovan isn’t interested in overthrowing a Faerie queen. She barely had time to kill the demon that devoured her fiancé. Then she comes home to find a scrumptious hunk in her living room who informs her that saving the Otherworld just happens to be her destiny, and Maggie realizes she may not have a choice... MY REVIEW: (This is an ADULT title with a healthy does of romance. There are romantic situations, suggested ones, a few strong words.) The one good thing about being sick is being able to catch up on my reading (and movie watching). Child's BEDEVILED was a treat. An adult contemporary fantasy romance with fae folk and a sassy heroine who can't keep her mouth quiet. Maggie is an artist living in a seaside California town. When we meet her she is off to her ex-boyfriend's office. What she finds is some weird creature eating him. Ugh. Maggie must defend herself and she does, barel...

Reading level: Young Adult Hardcover: 272 pages Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (September 1, 2009) Book summary: The terrifying, nail-biting, and grossly intriguing sequel to The Devouring.  It's been six months since Reggie first discovered and fought against the Vours, malicious and demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on the eve of the Winter Solstice.  The Vours still haunt Reggie, but only in her dreams-until one night, when an unexpected visitor turns her nightmares into reality. My Review: Soulstice was the first book I finished for the new year. Holt has created a gripping, realistic horroriffic fantasy with likable characters, a female heroine we can root for, and a truly evil protagonist. I realized this is the first YA horror series I've read and totally enjoyed. Reggie is back, wondering what the Vours are doing in the quiet time since the incident with Quinn and her rescue of brother Henry six months earlier. The peaceful break d...

Reading level: Young Adult Hardcover: 240 pages Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (September 1, 2008) BOOK DESCRIPTION: When Reggie finds an old journal and reads about the Vours, supernatural creatures who feast on fear and attack on the eve of the winter solstice, she assumes they are just the musings of some lunatic author. But soon, they become a terrifying reality when she begins to suspect that her timid younger brother might be one of their victims.  Risking her life and her sanity, Reggie enters a living nightmare to save the people she loves. Can she devour own her fears before they devour her?  MY REVIEW: I found the cover and blurb intriguing so I borrowed The Devouring from the library. Not to sound corny but I devoured this book in one night, staying up later than usual to make sure I finished. Holt's book is a wonderful find. Part mystery, part horror, it is a true page turner.  Reggie is a horror movie/book fan, but when her younger...