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  • Search Results for: megan shepherd

    • Book Review: “Her Dark Curiosity” by Megan Shepherd (ARC)

      Posted at 6:31 pm by Laura, on December 14, 2013

      Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd 16182304

      Publisher: Balzer + Bray
      Publishing Date: January 28, 2014
      Genre: young adult, gothic, science fiction
      ISBN: 9780062128058
      Goodreads: —

      Rating: ★★★★

      As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father’s creations may have also escaped the island. She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again.

      As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer—Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.

      With inspiration from Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this is a tantalizing mystery about the hidden natures of those we love and how far we’ll go to save them from themselves.

      Juliet is back in wintery London, desperate to search for a cure that will rid the animal part of herself. But as Christmas fills the air, so too does the electrical spark of fear and scandal when a murderer begins his rampage throughout Whitechapel. Juliet notices a pattern: every victim victimized her, and every victim’s heart was clawed out similarly to Edward’s Beast on her father’s island. She begins her search for the murderer, for the cause and justification of the King’s Club’s involvement in her father’s dangerous experiments, and for a way to become fully human mind and soul.

      I thoroughly enjoyed this Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde inspired novel far more than Shepherd’s first — and part of it may have to do with the setting and the novella. I was not familiar with Wells, nor am I a jungle-setting fan; I’m very familiar with Stevenson, and deeply love Victorian London. Once again, Shepherd dives into Juliet’s internal conflict of animal within human, human within animal. But this is on a more meaningful scale. Juliet must come to terms with not what’s instinctual and animalistic, but what’s moral and humane.

      Shepherd added another twist to this novel that was fun to read — ulterior motives of great and powerful men in London. Her father’s work was no secret, and they’re determined to replicate it. This is more than a Jekyll and Hyde scenario, but a book filled with political intrigue, global effects, and greater consequences. I liked that this layer was added. It drove the book into a new, fresh direction.

      It should be no surprise that Edward and Montgomery are back, of course. Edward is blatantly the two-sides-of-the-same-coin character, but every character within this novel encounters similar confrontations. Although not a fan of love triangles — they can be quite exhausting, and for me it is very clear that Juliet should be with Montgomery and Edward out of the picture entirely — Juliet thankfully comes to her own conclusion in this novel, with promises of conflict to come in the next book.

      Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from Balzer + Bray for review!

      Posted in books, Reviews 2013 | 2 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: gothic, genre: sci-fi, genre: young adult, goodreads, review
    • Book Review: “The Madman’s Daughter” by Megan Shepherd

      Posted at 2:03 pm by Laura, on April 15, 2013

      The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd 12291438

      Published: January 2013
      Publisher: Balzer + Bray
      Genre: young adult, gothic, adventure, sci-fi
      ISBN: 9780062128027
      Goodreads: 3.77
      Rating: 
      ★★★

      Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father’s gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

      Accompanied by her father’s handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father’s madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island’s inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father’s dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it’s too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father’s genius—and madness—in her own blood.

      Inspired by H. G. Wells’s classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman’s Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we’ll do anything to know and the truths we’ll go to any lengths to protect.

      Juliet Moreau is a cleaning maid in King’s College, London, brought down from her place in aristocracy when her father performed illegal surgeries and disappeared. When she receives news of a possibility of his return, she seeks him out only to find her old servant Montgomery. After begging him to take her to her father, Montgomery and Juliet sail to the South Pacific and land on a remote island, filled with disfigured natives and an eerie sense that her father is hiding behind a monstrosity larger than she could ever dream of.

      Shepherd does an excellent job of maintaining interest as the book progresses. Each chapter is full of action, horror, and scientific curiosity. Each character, from Juliet to Montgomery, to Dr Moreau and the marooned Edward, from Balthazar to Alice, has something to hide. The suspense of their personal secrets, mixed with the dangers of the humid and wild jungle, make for a fantastic gothic read. It’s inspired me to read Wells’s The Island of Dr. Moreau, which normally I wouldn’t have read!

      However, what prevented me from giving the book four or five stars is the forced love triangle. Juliet is torn between Montgomery and Edward, and even in the most terrifying situations she mulls over her emotions. At the end of the book, after all twists and turns are revealed, this conflict is somewhat justified — to give in to animal instinct or to give in to human emotion? The story could have been much better if the triangle weren’t so emphasized or pronounced. The secrets and science and eerie quality of the island could have become more of a character itself — and it had plenty of opportunity to be a character — rather than a backdrop.

      According to Goodreads, this may be the first of a trilogy. I like the way it ended, and do not see a need for a second or third book, but it would be interesting to see what Shepherd has next.

      Posted in books, Reviews 2013 | 10 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: action/adventure, genre: gothic, genre: romance, genre: sci-fi, genre: young adult, goodreads, review
    • Mini Reviews

      Posted at 3:30 am by Laura, on September 18, 2017

      The Case of the Counterfeit Criminals by Jordan Stratford

      Publisher: Knopf BFYR
      Published: January 2017
      Genre: middle grade, mystery, historical fiction
      Rating: 
      ★★★.5
      Summary: The Wollestonecraft Girls embark on their most important case yet–the famed dinosaur fossil hunter Mary Anning is being blackmailed. Her precious dog has been snatched and the kidnappers are demanding that Miss Anning authenticate some fake dinosaur bones up for auction at the British Museum in order to get him back. Ada and Mary have just three days to track down the fossil fakers, find the dog, and save the integrity of science! The game is truly afoot in this quirky caper involving blood-sucking leeches, an asthmatic pug, smoke bombs, secret elevators, diabolical disguises, and wicked word-play.

      Mini Review: I love middle grade detective fiction, and the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency series is no exception! Featuring Mary Shelley and Ada Byron as little girls (anachronistically), with partner in crime Charles Dickens, they solve what appear to be little instances of crime (stolen dog) but are actually major connections to criminal rings (there’s a clever Moriarty character cropping up!). The books were originally inspired by the novels of Charles Dickens’s protege, Wilkie Collins. Now they are taking on a life of their own and it’s so thrilling to watch! I highly recommend this series for little history nerds, fierce feminists, readers with quick wit and sense of humor, and little detectives in the making. See reviews for The Case of the Missing Moonstone and The Case of the Girl in Grey.

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      This qualifies as book 12 of 12 in the Rock My TBR challenge.

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      A Cold Legacy by Megan Shepherd

      Publisher: Balzer + Bray
      Published: January 2015
      Genre: young adult, gothic, science fiction
      Rating:
       ★★★
      Summary: After killing the men who tried to steal her father’s research, Juliet—along with Montgomery, Lucy, Balthazar, and a deathly ill Edward—has escaped to a remote estate on the Scottish moors. Owned by the enigmatic Elizabeth von Stein, the mansion is full of mysteries and unexplained oddities: dead bodies in the basement, secret passages, and fortune-tellers who seem to know Juliet’s secrets. Though it appears to be a safe haven, Juliet fears new dangers may be present within the manor’s own walls. Then Juliet uncovers the truth about the manor’s long history of scientific experimentation—and her own intended role in it—forcing her to determine where the line falls between right and wrong, life and death, magic and science, and promises and secrets. And she must decide if she’ll follow her father’s dark footsteps or her mother’s tragic ones, or whether she’ll make her own.

      Mini Review: This book gave me graduate thesis flashbacks. I spent a whole year immersed in gothic literature (classic and YA) with a fine tooth comb, loving every second of my nightmares that followed. A COLD LEGACY continues the “twist on classic gothic novels” trend Shepherd began with The Madman’s Daughter by following the Frankenstein narrative. The other two books worked as parallels to the inspired classics, but this time the characters meet Dr Frankenstein’s descendants and friends, who want to continue the “cold legacy” of his experimentation. Scottish moors, creepy children, reanimated corpses, oh my! I appreciated the parallels to the original narrative, and found all the high drama twists and turns appropriate to gothic fiction. Juliet’s internal battle and her devotion to two boys continued (and I was so over it in Her Dark Curiosity), but the final chapters left the reader with a solid ending and hope for the remaining characters.

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      This qualifies as book 13 of 12 in the Rock My TBR challenge.

      Posted in books, Reviews 2017, Rock My TBR | 1 Comment | Tagged books, genre: gothic, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: mystery, genre: sci-fi, genre: young adult, mini review, review, rock my TBR
    • Advance Excitement at a Glance XXVI

      Posted at 6:15 am by Laura, on October 3, 2016

      advanceexcitement2015

      A monthly meme to keep up with the latest publications, featuring advance copy reviews to look forward to reading.

      It seems so many of my favorite authors have new books out in October. Some long-time favorites like Jodi Picoult (October 4) and Tana French (October 4), a new favorite in Emma Mills (October 4), a middle grade debut from Megan Shepherd (October 11), Kenneth Oppel‘s latest (October 11), and Marie Benedict’s debut book The Other Einstein (October 18) are all titles I’m looking forward to reading.

      But this one in particular holds a special place in my heart.

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      Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven
      (October 4, Knopf BFYR)

      Everyone thinks they know Libby Strout, the girl once dubbed “America’s Fattest Teen.” But no one’s taken the time to look past her weight to get to know who she really is. Following her mom’s death, she’s been picking up the pieces in the privacy of her home, dealing with her heartbroken father and her own grief. Now, Libby’s ready: for high school, for new friends, for love, and for EVERY POSSIBILITY LIFE HAS TO OFFER. In that moment, I know the part I want to play here at MVB High. I want to be the girl who can do anything. 

      Everyone thinks they know Jack Masselin, too. Yes, he’s got swagger, but he’s also mastered the impossible art of giving people what they want, of fitting in. What no one knows is that Jack has a newly acquired secret: he can’t recognize faces. Even his own brothers are strangers to him. He’s the guy who can re-engineer and rebuild anything in new and bad-ass ways, but he can’t understand what’s going on with the inner workings of his brain. So he tells himself to play it cool: Be charming. Be hilarious. Don’t get too close to anyone.

      Until he meets Libby. When the two get tangled up in a cruel high school game—which lands them in group counseling and community service—Libby and Jack are both pissed, and then surprised. Because the more time they spend together, the less alone they feel. . . . Because sometimes when you meet someone, it changes the world, theirs and yours.

      Niven is such a remarkable woman, and All the Bright Places moved me. I can’t wait to dive into her next!

      Also, it looks like all of my money will be gone October 4th…*prepares bank account*

      What books are you looking forward to in October?

      Posted in Advance Excitement, books | 0 Comments | Tagged advance excitement at a glance, books
    • Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I Want to Meet

      Posted at 3:45 am by Laura, on May 12, 2015

      Top Ten Tuesday, a concept started by The Broke and the Bookish, is a themed post that connects bloggers to bloggers, bloggers to readers, and readers to readers. Every Tuesday has a special topic, and this Tuesday is Top Ten Authors I Really Want to Meet.

      top10tuesday2015

      I’m assuming this meant authors who are still alive today. That is why Charlotte Brontë and Jane Austen aren’t on this list. (That is the only reason why they are not on this list.) Those who are on the list are ones I’m dying to have a face-to-face conversation with. I want to take them out for coffee/tea/long islands and chat books, movies, music, history, travel, life. But I guess a short meet-and-greet in a signing line would be fine, too…

      Rainbow Rowell
      I’ve seen that you’ve been to my city so many times and yet, every single time, without a doubt, I’ve been working that day. Curses!

      Stacey Lee
      Thank you for writing Under a Painted Sky. Seriously.

      Anne Blankman
      And along that same vein of YA historical fiction: thank you for writing Prisoner of Night & Fog and Conspiracy of Blood & Smoke.

      Megan Shepherd
      Good thing I’m (hopefully) meeting you at BEA!

      Kate Morton
      Where in the world do you come up with these great stories?!

      Juliet Marillier
      Same to you – how do you do this? You make me fall in love with fantasy the way no author ever has.

      JK Rowling
      Because of reasons.

      Jenny Han
      I hear you’re fabulous. Good thing I’m (also hopefully) meeting you at BEA!

      Sarah Dessen
      Once again, you’re an author I narrowly missed meeting this month because of work. You are my go-to YA author, and it would be a pleasure to finally meet you.

      Patricia Bracewell
      I just want to pick your brain and chat English history with you. Can we do that? Please?

      Honorable mentions: Jodi Picoult, Erin Morgenstern, Sara Raasch, Charles Finch, and Tana French

      Which authors made it onto your Top Ten list?

      Posted in books, Top Ten Tuesday | 12 Comments | Tagged authors, books, top ten tuesday
    • Advance Excitement at a Glance X

      Posted at 10:15 am by Laura, on January 3, 2015

      advanceexcitement2015

      A monthly meme to keep up with the latest publications, featuring at least two advance copy reviews to look forward to reading.

      January is a huge month for new publications, and I can’t wait to share all the reviews coming this month! But I’ll only tease you with two right now: one YA that was hugely successful in the UK, and one adult historical fiction publishers are calling the next Water for Elephants meets The Night Circus.

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      Geek Girl by Holly Smale
      (HarperTeen, January 27)

      Geek + runway = a hilarious runaway hit! This bestselling UK debut is full of humor and high-fashion hijinks—and now it’s coming to America. With all the humor and fabulous shenanigans of Louise Rennison’s Confessions of Georgia Nicolson and Meg Cabot’s The Princess Diaries, Geek Girl is about to become an international superstar.

      Um, LOVE. I was hooked the moment I read Stacey @ PrettyBooks‘s review (feels like ages ago!). So excited to see it was coming to America — and you should be, too!

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      The Magician’s Lie by Greeg Macallister
      (Sourcebooks Landmark, January 13)

      Water for Elephants meets The Night Circus in The Magician’s Lie, a debut novel in which the country’s most notorious female illusionist stands accused of her husband’s murder –and she has only one night to convince a small-town policeman of her innocence.

      What an intriguing premise. Not only will the policeman have to guess if she’s telling the truth, but so will the reader! Suspenseful, quiet yet dramatic, and a train show. Yes yes yes.

      Remember, on January 6th, Jennifer Niven’s debut All the Bright Places will hit stores! Be sure to nab yourself a copy, especially if you love The Fault in Our Stars and Eleanor & Park! Completely worth it. Several other amazing books come out in January, including Megan Shepherd’s A Cold Legacy and Patricia Bracewell’s The Price of Blood.

      Which books are you looking forward to in January?

      Posted in Advance Excitement, books | 2 Comments | Tagged advance excitement at a glance, ARC, books
    • 50 Books Challenge: 2013

      Posted at 11:30 am by Laura, on December 22, 2013

      Here is the compiled list of books I read in 2013. The ones with stars after them are books I’d highly recommend, and any books with dashes next to them were read in its entirety for a class. If there’s an x near it, I would never read it again. Anything with a cross was read for my graduate thesis.

      This year I read 19 more books than my goal!

      1. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling
      2. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
      3. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor ★
      4. Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor ★
      5. Requiem by Lauren Oliver ★
      6. Children of Liberty (ARC) by Paullina Simons
      7. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (-)
      8. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith (-) ★
      9. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman (-) ★
      10. The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth Laban
      11. Shadow on the Crown by Patricia Bracewell ★
      12. Snobs by Julian Fellowes
      13. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (†)
      14. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare ★
      15. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
      16. The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle (†) ★
      17. The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd (†)
      18. Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson (†)
      19. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson (†) ★
      20. Revel by Maurissa Guibord (x)
      21. Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber (†x)
      22. Tea Rex by Molly Idle
      23. I Want My Mommy! by Tracey Corderoy
      24. Defiance by CJ Redwine ★
      25. The Archived by Victoria Schwab (†)
      26. Broken Harbor by Tana French
      27. Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough (†) ★
      28. Longbourn (ARC) by Jo Baker ★
      29. A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee (†)
      30. Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell (†)
      31. Dark Companion by Marta Acosta (†)
      32. The Poisoned House by Michael Ford (†)
      33. Ashes on the Waves by Mary Lindsey (†)
      34. Raven Flight by Juliet Marillier ★
      35. The Dead of Winter by Chris Priestly (†)
      36. The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman (†) ★
      37. This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel (†)
      38. The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan (†) ★
      39. Raven’s Gate by Anthony Horowitz (†)
      40. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke (†)
      41. The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells (†)
      42. Turn of the Screw by Henry James (†)
      43. Deception by C.J. Redwine ★
      44. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (†)
      45. The Boy on the Bridge by Natalie Sandiford
      46. Cruel Beauty (ARC) by Rosamund Hodge
      47. Dinosaurs Before Dark: Magic Tree House 1 by Mary Pope Osborne (-)
      48. Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold (-)
      49. Babymouse: Queen of the World by Jennifer Holm (-)
      50. The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan (-)
      51. The Outside by Laura Bickle ★
      52. The Last Enchantments (ARC) by Charles Finch ★
      53. Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman (-)
      54. The Secret Daughter of the Tsar (ARC) by Jennifer Laam
      55. The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey (-)
      56. Monster by Walter Dean Myers (-)
      57. First Part Last by Angela Johnson (-)
      58. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (-)
      59. The Promise of Amazing (ARC) by Robin Constantine
      60. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (-)
      61. Letters From Skye by Jessica Brockmole ★
      62. Feed by MT Anderson (-)
      63. And We Stay (ARC) by Jenny Hubbard (x)
      64. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling ★
      65. All the Truth That’s in Me by Julie Berry
      66. Her Dark Curiosity (ARC) by Megan Shepherd
      67. A Very Fuddles Christmas by Frans Vischer
      68. Gothic Reflections: Narrative Force in 19th-Century Literature by Peter Garrett (†)
      69. Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson

       

    • Top Ten Tuesday: Best Books for Halloween

      Posted at 10:16 am by Laura, on October 29, 2013

      Top Ten Tuesday, a concept started by The Broke and the Bookish, is a themed post that connects bloggers to bloggers, bloggers to readers, and readers to readers. Every Tuesday has a special topic, and this Tuesday is Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween.

      top ten tuesday

      Best topic, because this is essentially tapping into my graduate thesis!

      1. The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle — A vampire contagion spreads across the country, but somehow avoids all religious grounds. Katie, an Amish girl, is exposed to the terror and has to convince her community to fight for survival. If you’re looking for chills and apocalyptic horrors, read this. Check out my review! 

      2. Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough — This folktale and eerie song is absolute truth for a little English hamlet post-WWII. A family is cursed to have at least one of the youngest children captured by Long Lankin, a haunting poltergeist that has consumed children since the Middle Ages. I couldn’t sleep for days! Check out my review.

      3. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson — What would happen if Jack the Ripper murders happened in modern time, and even the cameras all over London couldn’t catch him? That’s what Rory is about to discover. This book is for anyone with a deep fascination with the 1888 murders. Check out my review!

      4. The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd — H.G. Wells’s The Island of Dr Moreau has another secret: Dr Moreau has a daughter, and she’s in for a big surprise. If her father is considered a monster, then what does that make her? If you’re in for a sci-fi twist, read this book and my review.

      5. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson — We all have two sides to our personality…but which one is your true self?

      6. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte — This is more than a love story. This is a story about two tormented families across generations, ruined and corrupted by one man whose only wish was to be accepted.

      7. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield — An author is on her last legs and has one more tale to tell. She hires a biographer to record this story, and the biographer makes some haunting discovers about a mansion, some deranged twins, and a horrifying house fire. One of my absolute favorite books (and a new one out in a few weeks); check out my review!

      8. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness — Albeit not frightening or a ghost story, this book is packed with magic, lore, history, and alchemical science. If that doesn’t scream a book to dive into during a magical time of the year, I don’t know what does. Read my review!

      9. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill — Best. Ghost. Story. Ever.

      10. The Kneebone Boy by Ellen Potter — The Hardscrabble children are sent to live with their aunt in London, but they wander through many adventures and come across a boy who is half human, half animal. A creepy and wonderful middle grade novel worth checking out.

      What are some of your favorite Halloween recommendations?

      Posted in books, Top Ten Tuesday | 15 Comments | Tagged books, genre: fantasy, genre: gothic, genre: horror, genre: mystery, genre: sci-fi, top ten tuesday
    • Top Ten Tuesday: Books on Fall TBR List

      Posted at 10:45 am by Laura, on September 17, 2013

      Top Ten Tuesday, a concept started by The Broke and the Bookish, is a themed post that connects bloggers to bloggers, bloggers to readers, and readers to readers. Every Tuesday has a special topic, and this Tuesday is Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR List, in no particular order.

      top ten tuesday

      1. The Last Enchantments by Charles Finch — An ARC I received that is very good so far! William Baker takes a year off from his life in NYC and moves to Oxford, England. While there, he’s caught up in sudden friendships and a whirlwind romance, experiences he never thought would fall into his plans away.

      2. Allegiant by Veronica Roth — Because I have to know how it ends.

      3. The Secret Daughter of the Tsar by Jennifer Laam — Another ARC I received. After falling in love with Paullina Simons’s trilogy, and then reading Natalie Standiford’s Cold War account, it seems Russian-themed fiction is destined to fall into my hands and sink deep into my heart. I have hopes for this one.

      4. Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield — As a long-time fan of The Thirteenth Tale, I’m beyond excited to read this next chilling book by Setterfield! She has the power to unsettle and fascinate, and I cannot wait to read her words again.

      5. The Daring Ladies of Lowell by Kate Alcott — From the author that brought you The Dressmaker is another ARC due out in February 2014. This book follows a young woman who becomes a Mill Girl, and the series of events from working conditions to a murder of a fellow factory worker leads to a shocking court case based on true facts.

      6. . The Bookman’s Tale by Charlie Lovett — Hay-on-Wye, Victorian painters, Shakespeare manuscripts, lost love, books, obsession, history…This is the book for me!

      7. Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd — An ARC that will be published in January 2014, and the sequel to The Madman’s Daughter, a retelling of H.G. Wells’s The Island of Dr Moreau, this book is bound to be great for Victorian London enthusiasts and fans of Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

      8. Stolen by Lucy Christopher — I’m always talking about this book and recommending it to people, and yet I’ve never read it! It’s about time that I do.

      9. And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard — An ARC due out in January 2014 about a girl traumatized by a school shooting, interwoven with healing inspiration from Emily Dickinson’s works.

      10. Just One Day by Gayle Forman — Another one of those books I’m always recommending yet I’ve never read. Need to get on that.

      What are some books on your to-read list this fall?

      Posted in books, Top Ten Tuesday | 4 Comments | Tagged books, genre: dystopian, genre: gothic, genre: history, genre: mystery, goodreads, top ten tuesday
    • Halloween Reads!

      Posted at 11:25 am by Laura, on October 26, 2014

      It may be the end of October, but there’s nothing stopping you from reading these spooky, chilling books throughout the rest of autumn and winter. There’s something thrilling and menacing about these dark, cold months that draw people to this sort of literature. I could go to great lengths explaining it’s all Charles Dickens’s fault, but that’s a whole other post.

      You may recognize many of these books from the majority of my 2013 book reviews, the year I worked on my YA Gothic Literature graduate thesis. The Year of Wonderful Nightmares. (Seriously, who enjoys nightmares? What’s wrong with me?) You may also see some repeats from last year’s Halloween TTT. But since then, a whole host of creep-tastic YA and MG lit have burst forth in the publishing industry. Walk into any bookstore and you’ll see them cramming the shelves. Makes my heart warm! It warms my heart so much, I not only blogged for Quirk Books on it but also created a master list here just for you!

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       Classic Gothic

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      1. Long Lankin — 1950s haunted manor, a cursed family, and a being that snatches children in the night. Also, super creepy folk song.
      2. The Dead of Winter — like a Dickens and Susan Hill mash-up. English moors, corrupt family, and a orphan stuck in the middle of it all.
      3. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea — Love Heathcliff and all his ambiguity? You’ll love this book.
      4. The Book of Blood and Shadow — a thriller at its finest, with societies and murderers and mistaken identities.
      5. The Hallowed Ones — OH. MY. GOD.
      6. The Poisoned House — Another Dickens-esque novel, with ghosts and ouija boards and revealed identities.
      7. Shadowed Summer — a Southern Gothic novella, full of taboo topics that come back to haunt…literally.

      In short, these are Classic Gothic books. Some are frightening for the creatures, some for the atmosphere and setting, and others simply because it makes you question your beliefs and morals — and what’s more frightening than that?

      Retellings

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      1. The Name of the Star — the first of a trilogy, and it harkens back to the 1888 Ripper murders…which are quite similar to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Just sayin’.
      2. Strands of Bronze and Gold — Bluebeard fairytale in Antebellum South
      3. Madman’s Daughter — HG Wells’s Island of Dr Moreau
      4. Her Dark Curiosity — Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (the next book, out January 2015, is Cold Legacy and it’s a retelling of Frankenstein!)
      5. This Dark Endeavor — Young Frankenstein
      6. Ashes on the Waves — Poe’s Annabel Lee with Celtic origins

      Retellings are always popular. Of course, retellings could not be possible without their classics. Poe, obviously, is a great author to start with. Follow up with Dickens, the Brontë sisters, Shelley, Collins, Stevenson, and you’re in for a treat!

      An honorable mention is Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book. It’s more fun than spooky, but it’s like when “Hocus Pocus” is on TV: it’s not Halloween without it.

      halloweenreads2

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      1. The Fall — a retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher
      2. Jackaby — a blend of Dr. Who and Sherlock
      3. The Kneebone Boy — children stumble across a half-boy half-animal
      4. Say Her Name — creepy twist on the Bloody Mary legend
      5. Through the Woods — a gothic graphic novel!
      6. Fiendish — harkens back to The Mysteries of Udolpho and The Monk, so count me in for the magic
      7. The Swallow — a standard ghost story, doubly chilling because of the children
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      8. Winterkill — The Village meets Oregon Trail. YES.
      9. Dream Boy — what if all of your dreams came true?
      10. White Space — what’s written between the lines, falling into book after book, and the meaning behind it all
      11. Doll Bones — Creepy, haunting dolls. Leave your lights on, folks, and don’t stop playing with your toys!
      12. Nightmares! — bad enough in your sleep, even worse when they become true
      13. Monstrous Affections — an anthology of fearsome creatures and ambiguous romance

      And on that note, I think it’s perfectly acceptable for me to leave it at No. 13, don’t you?

      What are some books you’d recommend for Halloween or frightening reads? Have you read any of these?

      Posted in books | 7 Comments | Tagged books, halloween
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    • Hello, I’m Laura!

      I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I could talk your ear off about Gothic literature, and in my past life people thought I'd become a professional musician. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to knit, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm obsessed with popcorn. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!
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