Review: What Waits in the Woods by Kieran Scott

Title: What Waits in the Woods

Author: Kieran Scott

Publisher: Point

Publishing Date: March 31st, 2015

Pages: 288

Genre: Young Adult Thriller

Series: Standalone

Source: Book

 

It's a beautiful, sunny day. Callie Velasquez holds hands with her boyfriend Jeremy as they follow Callie's new BFFs Penelope and Lissa up the trail. The four friends are embarking on a camping trip -- a trip that immediately goes awry. They lose their way on the trail, and encounter a charismatic stranger with questionable motives. And when Callie stumbles upon a dead body, it becomes clear that the danger that lies in the woods is deadlier than she could have ever imagined. Tensions mount and friendships are tested as these teenagers try to survive the most sinister of circumstances.

What made me pick this book up: 

I took photos of it for a challenge during the 24 hour readathon, years ago. And since then I wanted to read it.

What did I like about the cover: 

It looks ominous and creepy.

What made me read this book:

Well... I was in Jenn's room, hijacking books as usual, and I saw it and because I had seen it years back I decided it was time to read it.

What did I like the most: 

So I liked this book because it was pretty creepy and had you guessing the entire time, as to what was happening. The "twist" was my favorite part, though I think in the back of my mind I kind of saw it coming. Either way, it made sense and it was a perfect ending I think. I also really loved Jeremy, he was sweet and caring. 

What didn't I like: 

The main character annoyed me a bit, but I think almost every character does at times. Lissa really annoyed me. She was bitchy and a know it all and just plain annoying. I could not be friends with someone like her. 

Would I read the rest of the series/more from this author?

I've read a few Kieran Scott books and she has a book called What Waits in the Water, and I definitely want to read that one.

I enjoyed it. Took me a bit to get into it, but once I did, it was great. I don't know why I keep reading/watching creepy camping stuff, I love camping.

Kieran Scott is an author of young adult fiction including the upcoming TRUE LOVE TRILOGY (May 2014) and the HE'S SO/SHE'S SO TRILOGY, which includes SHE'S SO DEAD TO US, HE'S SO NOT WORTH IT and THIS IS SO NOT HAPPENING. Her other books include the Non-Blonde Cheelerader trilogy, Geek Magnet and Jingle Boy. She also writes Alloy Entertainment books under the pseudonym Kate Brian, including the SHADOWLANDS trilogy and the PRIVATE and PRIVILEGE series, MEGAN MEADE'S GUIDE TO THE MCGOWAN BOYS and THE PRINCESS AND THE PAUPER, among others. She grew up in Bergen County, New Jersey, attended Rutgers University, and now lives in River Vale, New Jersey with her husband and two sons.

Review: The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall by Katie Alender

Title: The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall
Author: Katie Alender

Publisher: Point

Publishing Date: August 25th 2015

Pages: 344

Genre: YA  Paranormal Mystery Thriller

Series: Stand Alone

Source: Hardcover

 

In this asylum, your mind plays tricks on you all the time…

Delia’s new house isn’t just a house. Long ago, it was the Piven Institute for the Care and Correction of Troubled Females—an insane asylum nicknamed “Hysteria Hall.” However, many of the inmates were not insane, just defiant and strong willed. Kind of like Delia herself.

But the house still wants to keep “troubled” girls locked away. So, in the most horrifying way, Delia gets trapped.

And that’s when she learns that the house is also haunted.

Ghost girls wander the halls in their old-fashioned nightgowns. A handsome ghost boy named Theo roams the grounds. Delia finds that all the spirits are unsettled and full of dark secrets. The house, as well, harbors shocking truths within its walls—truths that only Delia can uncover, and that may set her free.

But she’ll need to act quickly, before the house’s power overtakes everything she loves.

From master of suspense Katie Alender comes a riveting tale of twisted memories and betrayals, and the meaning of madness.

A teenage girl goes to visit her recently passed aunt's house, where ghosts roam. 

What made me pick this book up?

A few things really. I love the author. I've read both bad girls don't books and they were fantastic. I also love anything creepy/horror/ghost, etc. So the fact that she's an amazing author and this book sounded like my cup of tea. I instantly wanted to read it.

What do I like about the cover?

Basically everything. I love the darkness of it. I love the red color pop (I'm a huge fan of color pop) I love how the female looks faded out. I also really like how the words look like blood. It just gives off a very creepy feeling. Fits the book well.

What made me read it?

As I mentioned above. The author is amazing. I love creepy. The end.

What did I like the most?

Oh ,what didn't I like, I'm going, to be honest, it's been a minute since I read this book, and I'm just now getting to the review because I'm awful. So I'm trying really hard to remember what stuck out to me because the entire book was just blastfully amazing. (I just made up that word, but I'm going to start using it now) I think I really liked the different characters and how the ghosts are from different times and they are written wonderfully.

Like I said, this book is amazing. The author is amazing. I absolutely loved it, I couldn't put it down and it's just amazing. I definitely think anyone who likes ghosts/creepy things should read this book. And I hope to read more from her soon.

 
Katie Alender (rhymes with “calendar”!) grew up in South Florida. She is the third of four children (three girls and a boy) and the child of three very loving and encouraging parents.

She attended high school at the Palm Beach County School of the Arts, studying Communication Arts. From there, she went on to the Florida State University Film School, which led her to her current hometown, a tiny hamlet on the West Coast known as “Los Angeles.”

She enjoys writing, reading, sewing (especially quilts), gardening, photography, and hanging out with her husband, her daughter, and her dogs, Scooter and Frodo.

Her first brush with publication was the article “So You Want to Live On Mars?” published in Sassy magazine in December 1991.

Review: Kill The Boy Band by Goldy Moldavsky

Title: Kill The Boy Band 

Author: Goldy Moldavsky
Publisher: Point

Publishing Date: February 23rd 2016

Pages: 320
Genre: YA Dark Humor/Satire

Series:  Stand Alone
Source: Audio

 

From debut author Goldy Moldavsky, the story of four superfan friends whose devotion to their favorite boy band has darkly comical and murderous results.

Okay, so just know from the start that it wasn't supposed to go like this. All we wanted was to get near The Ruperts, our favorite boy band.

We didn't mean to kidnap one of the guys. It kind of, sort of happened that way. But now he's tied up in our hotel room. And the worst part of all, it's Rupert P. All four members of The Ruperts might have the same first name, but they couldn't be more different. And Rupert P. is the biggest flop out of the whole group.

We didn't mean to hold hostage a member of The Ruperts, I swear. At least, I didn't. We are fans. Okay, superfans who spend all of our free time tweeting about the boys and updating our fan tumblrs. But so what, that's what you do when you love a group so much it hurts.

How did it get this far? Who knows. I mean midterms are coming up. I really do not have time to go to hell.

This book grabbed my attention from the get go. I love the simple but bold cover. I was intrigued by the synopsis. I thought hmm now this book sounds different than anything else I have ever read. So I grabbed it on audio. 

There are four crazy fan girls. They like to stalk and talk and walk the life the of this boy band. Each girl in love with a different boy. Well they get a hotel where the boys are staying... you know to catch a glimpse... but they end up kidnapping a boy from the band and eventually he ends up dead. This is their story. How it all went down. 

I knew this book sounded crazy and I wanted to read it. I didn't expect to love it. It was such a nice break from everything that is out there. I enjoyed it from cover to cover. I don't know if this book is for everyone but it was for me. My mind can go to the dark and funny. I can fully wrap myself in a story that is so absurd and so crazy that it can't be real so I know it's unrealistic and I can throw myself into just enjoying it for what it is. And that is what I did with this book and what most will need to do to enjoy this read. It is unrealistic. It is crazy. It is dark. It's funny but yet its serious. It's a lot to take and enjoy if you are not ready for the absurdity of it. It's nuts. 

The story is fast paced and there is a mystery around the entire story. How did the girls plan this, how did they pull it off, what will they do with the boy and finally who killed the boy. Each comes into play and plays all the way out at different times. So there is no waiting until the last page to figure it all out. It unwraps as it goes but each time one question is answered another one comes up. So it kept me very interested. 

The girls were all crazy. I didn't like a single one of them but then again for their part in the story I did. I would never want to meet these girls on the street for sure but without even one of them, the story would not be complete. 

Now let me say. This book is crazy and like nothing I have ever read but there are some cliches too. Especially with the characters. Some stereotyping, Some not so nice things. But its a satire story and so yest there are some cliches. There is the mean girl, the follower, the overweight, and the bossy. They all fit their parts and they all fit for the story. It didn't bother me in the least. 

The story could be said to make fun of fan girls. Yes it does but it also brings to light just how crazy girls and fans can get and when they get crazy they get stupid. None of these girls had parents that looked out for them.None of these girls had lives beyond the boys.None of these girls were truly accepted for who they were. On top of that... the boys weren't all that great either. So add all this to fan girl crazy and you get one unpredictable teen.Not saying this is the norm but it does bring to light maybe someone should have noticed these girls need so professional help. 

In the end I was satisfied. There is some kind of ending but the reader was left with the big question.... did this all really happen the way its is told or even at all. I love those endings. Its a bit unbelievable and truly its hard to know. But the fun was watching it unfold. Fiction int he fiction or truth in the fiction.... who knows who cares. It was a wild ride. 

I truly enjoyed it and it was worth the read.

Goldy Moldavsky writes YA fiction from her hometown of Brooklyn. She studied journalism in college, where she got to interview some cool celebrities for her school paper. After a bit she realized it’d be more fun making up stories about celebrities, so that’s what she does in her writing. Some of her influences include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the esteemed works of John Irving, and the Mexican telenovelas she grew up watching with her mother.
Her debut novel, KILL THE BOY BAND, is forthcoming from Scholastic (Spring 2016).