Room - 5/5 Review

Title: Room

Author: Emma Donoghue 

Genre: Fiction

Page Count: 321 Pages

Published: September 13th 2010 by Little, Brown and Company

Rating: 5/5

To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.

Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year-old Jack, ROOM is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another.

My Review:

I was a little late on this one, but a friend of mine was raving about it and I couldn't decide what I wanted to read next, so I finally caved and decided to see what all the fuss was about. I'm very glad I did.

It's a touching and riveting book that captured a terrifying situation in a non-threatening way so that I was comfortable reading it. The pacing was a lot different than I expected, but in the end I agreed with the author's choices and was happy with where it left off.

Reading from Jack's perspective was an unexpected treat. I loved seeing the world through his eyes - even the twisted world he is forced to grow up it. His fears and the things that make him happy are so pure and innocent that I couldn't help but be endeared to him immediately.

I was hesitant to read Room because the idea of a captive girl is to real and scary to me and I thought that I would spend my time while reading it disturbed and depressed, but Emma Donoghue did a fabulous job with this book. Telling it through Jack's perspective gives you a removed view of events without downplaying the drama or high tension moments.

A great read and a welcome change of pace for between series.

Fav. Quote(s):

"I don’t know which manners so I say, 'You’re welcome.' " Jack - Pg 159

My Rating: 5/5

Similar Titles:

Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher,  Entangled by Cat Clarke,  Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

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Soul Screamers 6 - Before I Wake - 5/5 Stars

Title: Before I Wake
Author: Rachel Vincent
Series: Soul Screamers, #6
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Page Count: 346 Pages
Published: June 26th 2012 by Harlequin Teen
Rating: 5/5

I died on a Thursday-killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul. The good news? He didn't get it. The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school...

Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.

But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life...

My Review:

My first thought after turning the last page of Before I wake was 'I have to wait a whole year for more?!' Followed immediately by 'OMG that was sooooo good!'

Totally different feel in this one than If I Die but just as riveting and heart stopping. I have to say that being a Tod fan made this my favourite book in the series, even with the heartbreak and turmoil throughout. There are so many perfect scenes with Tod and Kaylee and finally some sexual tension and heated moments that felt effortless and perfect. With Nash she was always second guessing either herself or him, or she was worried or afraid. With Tod everything just clicks into place and their chemistry flows right off the page.

My favourite part about Before I Wake was finally seeing Kaylee have some real powers. In the other books she had the heart of a hero but was so often powerless to help those she loves. Her new abilities give her the extra power behind the intent that I have waiting to see - to see the bad guys scared of her for once.

Obviously there are some major sad moments in Before I Wake, but I won't spoil them. I felt like they were necessary and added to the build up of what is to come in the final book, but they hurt and totally sucked at the same time.
A fast-paced and action-packed chapter in the Soul Screamersm even more excited now to find out how it all ends.

What happens when you piss off an Undead Bean Sidhe? I don't know but I feel like some hellion heads are going to roll.

Fav. Quote(s):

"She just got out of the hospital. Why don't you go gossip behind her back, like decent people?" - Emma (Ch 2) 

"I think death looks good on you." - Tod (Ch 3) 

"What happened to the good little girl who blushed and covered her face at the thought of what you're doing right now?" "She died," I whispered into his ear. -Tod and Kaylee (Ch 4)

"Avari had woken me up and given my afterlife purpose. He’d awakened my rage." Kaylee (Ch 21)

*Side note: as a bonus there is "A Day in the Afterlife of Tod" at the end of the book that made me smile, which was welcome after the intensity of the last chapter.*

My Rating: 5/5

Other books in this series

(Click highlighted titles for my review)

1 - My Soul to Take
2 - My Soul to Save
3 - My Soul to Keep
4 - My Soul to Steal
5 - If I Die
6 - Before I Wake
7 - With All My Soul

Prequels and Short Stories:
0.1 - My Soul to Lose
0.2 - Reaper
0.3 - Fearless (Kiss Me Deadly - Anthology)
4.2 - Niederwald (Enthralled - Anthology)
5.1 - Never to Sleep

You'll like this series if you liked

Shifter series by Rachel Vincent, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong

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Sabine's Stories - Two Soul Screamers Short Stories

For something a little different; since these stories are shorter and both featuring the same character from the Soul Screamer series, I'm going to review them together.

FEARLESS

The first story is called "Fearless" and is the short story that introduced Sabine, currently found in the KISS ME DEADLY anthology. *Warning: Best read after "My Soul to Steal"*

My Review:

This is the most recent story I have read in the Soul Screamers universe, and I really enjoyed it. Where "Never to Sleep" failed to endear me to Sophie, "Fearless"completely changed my view of Sabine.

I have loved to hate the Nash-stealer since she sauntered on to the scene in "My Soul to Steal", but now that I know her back story - and not tainted through the fear and judgement of Kaylee's POV - I now have a total soft spot for her.

This short story starts with Sabine getting dropped off at the Holser House (one step up from correctional custody) and follows her for the next couple of days - the events of which cause Nash to later attempt a breakout, which leads to the events in "Reaper".

It was fun to read something from a Nightmare's point of view, and Rachel Vincent did a great job of getting me to sympathize with her - even as he was forcing nightmares on innocent sleepers.

I haven't finished the rest of the anthology yet, but I would definitely suggest picking it up to read before "Before I Wake" comes out on June 26th.

Fav. Quote(s):

"I fight my own battles." Sabine, pg 288

"He squeezed me tight and whispered into my ear, 'You don't seem very happy to see your only brother."
I whispered back, 'I might be, if I had one.'" Nash and Sabine, pg 307

My Rating: 5/5

NIEDERWALD

The second story is called "Niederwald" and is an Emma/Sabine short story currently available in the ENTHRALLED anthology. *Warning: Best read after "My Soul to Steal"*

My Review:

Sabine definitely knows a lot more about the Netherworld than I thought. She also had to go through, and do so much more to find Nash than we see in Kaylee's books.

This story picks up on the road. Sabine and Emma are on their way back from an extra credit school trip, and not-so-shockingly Sabine had alternative motives in going.

We are introduced to the harpies that guard a gateway to the Netherworld. Bat-like and creepy behind their human disguises, they keep the humans out and everything else inside of the Netherworld.

Sabine obviously has a backstory with them, and we find out what that is in this story, as well as a glimpse into what might happen in the next Soul Screamers book through a very gifted young girl.

Again, I was drawn closer to Sabine's character, and it was also a nice treat to see Emma in a short story - being brave and totally human.

This book is set before "If I Die" and although it doesn't give away much, it does hint at some of the things to come. I read it after "If I Die" and it helped me understand the way that Sabine and Emma were behaving through the book. I can't believe how cool Sabine acted toward Kaylee's requests in "If I die" knowing what she finds out in "Niederwald" she is a lot nicer than I gave her credit for.

I have read a couple of the other stories in this anthology and I have loved all of them. It's a great collection of authors, and definitely worth the read. 

Fav. Quote(s):

"I never give up. But I already found him." Sabine, pg 113

"She was sterilizing him, bit by bit, excising the pieces she didn't like, as if love were a buffet you could pick and choose from." Sabine, pg 120

"Get the hell off me, you sick fuck." Emma, pg 128

My Rating: 5/5

Other books in this series

(Click highlighted titles for my review)

1 - My Soul to Take
2 - My Soul to Save
3 - My Soul to Keep
4 - My Soul to Steal
5 - If I Die
6 - Before I Wake
7 - With All My Soul

Prequels and Short Stories:
0.1 - My Soul to Lose
0.2 - Reaper
0.3 - Fearless (Kiss Me Deadly - Anthology)
4.2 - Niederwald (Enthralled - Anthology)
5.1 - Never to Sleep

You'll like this series if you liked 

Shifter series by Rachel Vincent, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong

Links 4 More: 

KISS ME DEADLY:

ENTHRALLED

Giveaway Link-up

There is a great giveaway going on over at All Things Urban Fantasy! Including:

1 copy of The Goddess Test

1 copy of Goddess Interrupted

Goddess French tote bag

Goddess sunscreen

Goddess beach ball

$5 iTunes gift card

Click here for more details.

Never to Sleep - Soul Screamers Novella

Title: Never to Sleep

Author: Rachel Vincent
Series: Soul Screamers, #5.5

Genre: YA, Fantasy
Page Count: 56 pages
Published: January 1st 2012 by Harlequin Teen
Rating: 5/5

Don't Close Your Eyes.

Sophie Cavanaugh is not going to let her freak of a cousin's strange psychiatric condition ruin high school for them both. Not after all the work she's put into cultivating the right look, and friends, and reputation. But then, Sophie sees something so frightening she lets out a blood-curdling scream—and finds herself stuck in a bizarre parallel world where nothing is safe and deadly creatures lurk just out of sight, waiting for her to close her eyes and sleep...forever.

Could this world be real? Or does insanity run in the family...?

My Review:

Well, I've heard Rachel talk about this novella giving voice to a much hated character - Sophie - and I have to say that I still really don't like her (even after reading this) but I do understand her a little more. I did however love the novella.

Sophie was up to a lot more than she let on when she showed up for the sleepover at the end of If I die. Never to Sleep takes us through what she was going through on Kaylee's last day. Turns out a whole lot of trouble can happen even when Kaylee isn't around, and there is a lot more to Sophie than meets the eye.

I liked the new character that was introduced - Luca - and I look forward to learning more about him in the next book. I am really hoping that Sophie will lose some of her angst toward Kaylee once her dad tells her everything, but I won't hold my breath.

Never to Sleep is a novella, so it was obviously a quick read, and definitely worth it for the plot twists that are introduced to the Soul Screamers story. In the least, it's a little something to help tie you over until Before I Wake comes out in June.

Fav. Quote(s):

"Well, that’s what you get for walking into open doors." - Luca

"I never joke about carnivorous bunnies." - Luca

"Also, you might want to sleep with one eye open." - Sophie

My Rating: 5/5

Other books in this series

(Click highlighted titles for my review)

1 - My Soul to Take
2 - My Soul to Save
3 - My Soul to Keep
4 - My Soul to Steal
5 - If I Die
6 - Before I Wake
7 - With All My Soul

Prequels and Short Stories:
0.1 - My Soul to Lose
0.2 - Reaper
0.3 - Fearless (Kiss Me Deadly - Anthology)
4.2 - Niederwald (Enthralled - Anthology)
5.1 - Never to Sleep

You'll like this series if you liked 

Shifter series by Rachel Vincent, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong

Links 4 More: