Release Date: November 15th, 2011
Genre: Didactic, Non-scary Horror
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 523
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary:

They say the dead should rest in peace. Not all the dead agree.One night, Silas Umber's father Amos doesn’t come home from work. Devastated, Silas learns that his father was no mere mortician but an Undertaker, charged with bringing The Peace to the dead trapped in the Shadowlands, the states of limbo binding spirits to earth. With Amos gone, Silas and his mother have no choice but to return to Lichport, the crumbling seaside town where Silas was born, and move in with Amos’s brother, Charles.

Even as Silas eagerly explores his father’s town and its many abandoned streets and overgrown cemeteries, he grows increasingly wary of his uncle. There is something not quite right going on in Charles Umber’s ornate, museum-like house—something, Silas is sure, that is connected to his father’s disappearance. When Silas’s search leads him to his father’s old office, he comes across a powerful artifact: the Death Watch, a four hundred year old Hadean clock that allows the owner to see the dead.

Death Watch in hand, Silas begins to unearth Lichport’s secret history—and discovers that he has taken on his father’s mantle as Lichport’s Undertaker. Now, Silas must embark on a dangerous path into the Shadowlands to embrace his destiny and discover the truth about his father—no matter the cost.

Blurb: Yes, we get it: honor your ancestors. Please MOVE ON!

Review: 80% of this book was just the author going on and on about how the living should always remember the dead. Respect your ancestors and history and whatnot. I often found myself rolling my eyes as the author said this AGAIN and AGAIN just using slightly different words.

The other 20% was filled with irrationally emotional characters, ONE zombie who was actually really boring, a creepy relationship with a dead girl, and three ghosts who I think we're supposed to be some version of the fates. This was only slightly more interesting than the other 80%.

If it wasn't a holiday, and if I hadn't been able to read about 250 pages a day, I would NOT have finished this book. It was just dreadfully dull.

Other Reviews:

• Ageless Pages (Loved it!)
• Mon Palais (It was okay)
• Allyson (Didn't Like It)

*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Release Date: February 7th, 2013
Genre: Romance, Dystopia
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 464
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Series: Lunar Chronicles #2 (Review of #1)
Summary (Spoilers, highlight to view):

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own.

As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Blurb: Original, French, and a non-stop jaw-drop.

Review: So I already loved the first book in this series, and I wasn't sure that Marissa could top it. Oh me of little faith, she did a lot more than top it.

What made this book so great (aside from the fact that it had lots of Frenchy things. That always makes a book a lot better for me) was how original it was. Many people complained about how Cinder was too much like the original tale, or too predictable. Well, I'll tell you right now that this book is NEITHER of those things.

While Cinder was a fairly close retelling of Cinderella, Scarlet really is its own book. And Scarlet herself certainly isn't a wimpy chick like the girl from Little Red Riding Hood. The girl carries a handgun in the waistband of her pants 24/7. That's pretty hardcore. And the wolf... well, let's just say that Wolf isn't exactly what he seems. He's a very conflicted character/villain. And you know how I love conflicted characters/villains.

I think I've covered the major points. If you haven't yet read Cinder you totally should. And if you have and you didn't like it for either of the reasons I mentioned before, you should still give Scarlet a go. I dunno what happened, but Marissa's writing improved a lot in between these two books, and it was already great so that's saying something.

Other Reviews:

• TC closer to the release date. (I couldn't find any other reviews in my GoodReads friend list! If you have a review, leave a link in the comments and maybe I'll link to you!)

*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Hey local yokels (and non-locals too)! Would you do me a favor? Would you please go here and vote for some awesome authors to come to SLC, UT? I would love you forever. Seriously.

Anyone can vote! DO IT!

Want to know the answers to the best of 2012 contest? Here it is! The winner is below!


And the person who got them all right the fastest is...


The other winner is taking me a little bit longer to figure out. So that person will get an e-mail within 48 hours. Check your inboxes!

Before I get to my 2013 goals, let's see how we did with my 2012 goals: