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In May 1980, fifteen-year-old Oscar Drai suddenly vanishes from his boarding school in the old quarter of Barcelona. For seven days and nights no one knows his whereabouts. . . .

His story begins in the heart of old Barcelona, when he meets Marina and her father Germán Blau, a portrait painter. Marina takes Oscar to a cemetery to watch a macabre ritual that occurs on the fourth Sunday of each month. At 10 a.m. precisely a coach pulled by black horses appears. From it descends a woman dressed in black, her face shrouded, wearing gloves, holding a single rose. She walks over to a gravestone that bears no name, only the mysterious emblem of a black butterfly with open wings.

When Oscar and Marina decide to follow her they begin a journey that will take them to the heights of a forgotten, post-war Barcelona, a world of aristocrats and actresses, inventors and tycoons; and a dark secret that lies waiting in the mysterious labyrinth beneath the city streets.

Hardcover, 299 pages

Published September 26th 2013 by Weidenfeld & Nicolson (first published 1999)

 ISBN 0297856472 (ISBN13: 9780297856474)

I have not read all Carlos Ruiz Zafón books, but I have yet to be disappointed. His writing is so beautiful and atmospheric; it’s easy to slip away into another world. In Marina he brings a dark ghost story full of history and horror. I loved this story so much that I recommend it to everybody.

Marina lives alone with her father and we find out more about her as the story further investigates the mystery of the mourning woman. Marina is the kind of girl who would rather keep her mind busy on other things than herself. Oscar is drawn to her and begins to spend a lot of his time away from school and getting to know what he can of Marina and her father.

The mystery of the mourning woman reveals the past and the dark history of a man driven by power. With a pinch of Frankenstein, the story takes a dark turn and Oscar barely survives the investigation. The writing style creates an ominous feeling throughout the story and a powerful ending.

If you have read any of his previous books you will know exactly what his writing style brings to a story. It’s masterful the way he can construct the atmosphere and characters into his worlds. I love the way I can completely disappear into his stories and have to remind myself to come up for air.

I highly recommend this story, it’s dark, beautiful and well crafted. This is a story I can see myself re-reading over and over again.

 

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When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn’t know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn’t alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora’s past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren’t from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage?

Krista:

Cover

The cover is bright colourful and does represent the story and the main character, Cora.

Characters

Even though, at times, the story does switch perspectives, it really focuses on Cora. She is put into a “cage” with 5 other people: Lucky, Rok, Mali, Rolf and Leon. All are given the same rules and all want to survive.

Favourite

Cassian. I found him very intriguing. I was happy to see that he was a pretty important character throughout the story.

Least Favourite

Rolf just rubbed me the wrong way. I found him very petty and emotional. Didn’t seem to really have a grip on reality.

Beginning

I pictured in my head a mix of The Truman Show, but set in the Hunger Games Arena, which is located at the Men In Black headquarters!

Storyline

Six people are put into a cage and told to obey three rules. Solve the riddles, stay healthy, and procreate. (lets just say most of them focus on that last one, be it negatively or positively).

Ending

Well we all knew what the story was leading up to. There is a big event that happens at the end, which I guessed, but enjoyed anyway.

Thoughts

We learn a ton of stuff about Cora, but only begin to touch on the other characters. As I personally did not find Cora incredibly interesting, I hope that the rest of the series brings in more of the others. Otherwise, on the whole, I enjoyed the story. It was one that I read straight through; it was a fun read but dark. It’s a fight for your life and being in such a different setting really plays head games with the characters. Things get nasty.

Quote

“Sometimes mistakes are worth making.”

 

Bel:

Cover

I have the hard cover. The dust jacket is quite lovely.  A blonde in a white dress is walking through a sand dune away from us, the viewer, toward a cityscape. In the foreground, there’s a jungle-type frame with vines and foliage. It gives at least a hint as to the storyline.

However, without the dust jacket the book is white with gold letting on front and spine. I actually prefer the minimalistic nature of the book minus the dust jacket.

Characters

We have a cast of less than ten key characters. They all drove me up the wall at one stage or another.

Favourite

Lucky, though on day twenty on he lost all my respect.

Least Favourite

Cora. OMG girl, have you never picked up a history book and learned about Stockholm syndrome? Her heart was probably in the right place, but what the hell?

Beginning

Cora wakes up in an odd place and eventually runs into five other fellow captives.

Storyline

The captives are given three rules to live by and Human Zoo is pretty much the gist of everything.

Ending

What I wanted to happen, did happen. So it was a happy ending for me.

Thoughts ~May Contain Spoilers~

If I replaced the humans in this story with animals, I don’t know if I would feel as uncomfortable (which in turn makes me feel uncomfortable)… which was Megan Shepherd’s whole point of writing the book in the first place. No comfort zone for you!

I’m glad Cora has a back bone, but I wish she didn’t think just in terms of visual attractions when meeting beings of the opposite sex. The poor girl is clearly a great candidate for Stockholm syndrome, so I’m just twitchy about that whole area of the storyline in general.

As for the questionable consent around the third rule…walking up a flight of stairs and sitting on a bed, even kissing a little is NOT consent. She should not have had to resort to what she did to escape that situation if Lucky had been decent.

Cups of tea people. Cups of tea.

My moral issues with the story are probably mine alone. It is entertaining and the shock value is timed well. I cannot wait to hear what you all thought of it.

Quote

“Mali may have taught you some tricks,” he said, “but you cannot hide your thoughts from us forever.” Cassian speaking to Cora.

 

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 In a stunning literary debut, two boys on opposite ends of the world begin an unlikely friendship that will change their lives forever.

Ollie and Moritz are best friends, but they can never meet. Ollie is allergic to electricity. Contact with it causes debilitating seizures. Moritz’s weak heart is kept pumping by an electronic pacemaker. If they ever did meet, Ollie would seize. But Moritz would die without his pacemaker. Both hermits from society, the boys develop a fierce bond through letters that become a lifeline during dark times—as Ollie loses his only friend, Liz, to the normalcy of high school and Moritz deals with a bully set on destroying him.

A story of impossible friendship and hope under strange circumstances, this debut is powerful, dark and humorous in equal measure. These extraordinary voices bring readers into the hearts and minds of two special boys who, like many teens, are just waiting for their moment to shine.

Paperback, 344 pages

Expected publication: July 2nd 2015 by Bloomsbury Children’s Books

This was one of those stories that ended up being confusing for me. Ollie and Moritz begin a pen pal friendship on a recommendation from the doctor. The doctor thinks that through their correspondence, they might open their minds to others who have debilitating medical conditions. Both Ollie and Moritz have trouble making friends, more out of their circumstances than personality issues. They both have difficult lives; Ollie is allergic to electricity and Moritz’s medical conditions are longer than a shopping list, beginning with his pacemaker, which is the reason why these two could never meet.

We get to know the two boys and their families through their letters. Ollie is going through a depression becuase his only friend stopped visiting him. Moritz gets badly bullied at school and as a result of one of the incidents is being treated differently at school by all. They find that although they do not have much in common, there is one thing that holds the secrets to how they have become what they are. Ollie is a very positive thinker, he always hopes for the best and through his encouragement Moritz begins to step out of his shell a little and make friends. Moritz tries to help Ollie find the courage to push himself to do things, but mostly shows Ollie how he doesn’t have things so bad in comparison to others.

The letters between the two are interesting and show a lot about what people think about those with a disability; how disabled people cope with the situations they are in; and the support groups that help them through. I did find the twist to the story somewhat out of place in the otherwise realistic feel of the beginning of the book. There is a hint of science fiction, and when the true concept of what ties the boys together is revealed, I was unsure if it was a smooth transition. The storyline left me questioning the whole book and how the author chose to tie everything together.

The story is definitely a memorable one. What I enjoyed the most was Ollie’s positiveness despite the great trials in his life. His situation is very difficult and his mother smothers him at times. His story was the most endearing to me, and I found him to be honest, humble, and truly inspiring in his outlook on life.

This is a book that I do recommend because I found it a worthwhile read and very unique story. Overall, I did enjoy the book although I was a bit perplexed on how it was tied together. It is a combination of realistic fiction and science fiction.

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Bel:

Cover

I have the hard cover. A bunch of black and white photos of a guy and girl on a bicycle and post it notes background the title.

Characters

I love this collection of characters. Minor flaws in everyone means you can identify with more than one.

Favourite

Sage. She’s had a run of bad luck, but manages to make everyone’s day by leaving positive post-it’s on people’s lockers. This makes me smile.

Least Favourite

Dylan’s Mum. Just, ugh!

Beginning

Sage meets the new guy and there’s a connection.

Storyline

Dylan and Shane have at it and the crap hits the fan.

Ending

Lovely.

Thoughts

I like the way Anne has created teens who are not all shallow and vain. Sage’s actions make me wish more kids would do what she does. I like that not all the adults are absent and unaware of the dramas in their kids’ lives. There are parts that may make you uncomfortable, but it casts a perspective not many would think of.

Quote

Not so much a quote but the happenings on page 280. Small seemingly meaningless actions can make the greatest impacts. I love it when good karma is paid back.

Krista:

Sage Czinski is trying really hard to be perfect. If she manages it, people won’t peer beyond the surface, or ask hard questions about her past. She’s learned to substitute causes for relationships, and it’s working just fine… until Shane Cavendish strolls into her math class. He’s a little antisocial, a lot beautiful, and everything she never knew she always wanted.

Shane Cavendish just wants to be left alone to play guitar and work on his music. He’s got heartbreak and loneliness in his rear-view mirror, and this new school represents his last chance. He doesn’t expect to be happy; he only wants to graduate and move on. He never counted on a girl like Sage.

But love doesn’t mend all broken things, and sometimes life has to fall apart before it can be put back together again…

Published April 7th 2015 by Feiwel & Friends

Cover

The cover completely represents the book. The romance that’s involved and the ideals of the main character represented with the bicycle and post it notes.

Characters

The story follows the main character, Sage, who lives with her aunt. There is a romance with new boy, Shane, and some friends that come into the mix as the story progresses.

Favourite

Shane – probably the most swoon-worthy boy in a book I have read all year. He’s pretty shy, quiet, pensive… and a musician. Very sensitive to Sage’s somewhat quirky ways and very dependable, when he can be.

Least Favourite

Ryan. He wasn’t absolutely horrible, but I felt that he was a very shallow person.

Beginning

We are introduced to Sage who is in a very comfortable, positive stage in her life. She’s healthy, has friends, and is overall pretty happy. Then her best friend tells her a secret, and her life begins to slowly spiral and change.

Storyline

(Besides the synopsis here are some thoughts I had on the storyline/theme) Sage learns to evaluate her own life and those around her. Even if you aren’t the most popular, who you choose to surround yourself with matters. Thinking of others needs in life is important when getting to know somebody.

Ending

Very fairytale-esque: it was perfect for the story and really wraps everything up nicely

Thoughts

In a way, I felt this book was like a fairytale. It’s a representation of change, learning who you are and being true to yourself. A great recommendation for those who like clean reads, positive attitudes and actions in life.

Quote

“Every flaw makes him more perfectly Shane, more right for me. I feel like we’ve been tested, and that we can survive anything. We’re Strong. Were special. We Are. And together, we’re invincible.”

 

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Three students: dead.
Carly Johnson: vanished without a trace.

Two decades have passed since an inferno swept through Elmbridge High, claiming the lives of three teenagers and causing one student, Carly Johnson, to disappear. The main suspect: Kaitlyn, “the girl of nowhere.”

Kaitlyn’s diary, discovered in the ruins of Elmbridge High, reveals the thoughts of a disturbed mind. Its charred pages tell a sinister version of events that took place that tragic night, and the girl of nowhere is caught in the center of it all. But many claim Kaitlyn doesn’t exist, and in a way, she doesn’t – because she is the alter ego of Carly Johnson.

Carly gets the day. Kaitlyn has the night. It’s during the night that a mystery surrounding the Dead House unravels and a dark, twisted magic ruins the lives of each student that dares touch it.

Debut author Dawn Kurtagich masterfully weaves together a thrilling and terrifying story using psychiatric reports, witness testimonials, video footage, and the discovered diary – and as the mystery grows, the horrifying truth about what happened that night unfolds.

Hardcover, 400 pages

Published September 15th 2015 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

 

Carly and Kaitlyn share a body. When Carly disappears, Kaitlyn is lost on how to find her and get her back. Encompassing recordings with her psychiatrist, to friends, news, the media, and herself, this book is a stand out, engaging read.

Starting out as complex psychological thriller, this story will eventually lead into a paranormal suspense. The pacing of the novel is constant, and the different formats for relaying the story make it a very visually enjoyable novel as well. The story does not all take place at the same place either; it switches between the psychiatric hospital and the school (and inside Katilyn’s mind).

My favorite character is Naida who is Carly’s best friend. She was the most dependable, honest and admirable character I have read about in years. The lengths that she goes to find Carly was astonishing. There is a small group of people who become involved in the mystery of Carly’s disappearance and each play a role in the mystery; especially, the mystery of who is behind the killings that begin to take place. This throws us into a horror novel — great for late night reading (if your not big on sleeping that is!).

I was surprised at how raw and dark this story really gets. The writing is deep and true, and the reader has to feel honest emotion to truly understand Kaitlyn.  It is really a story about a girl who gets lost in her own head as the author delves into how a person can  find their selves within, when there only seems to be locked doors blocking the way.This is definitely a story that I’d recommend  to our readers.

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