Top Ten for Halloween*

I don't why but I get drawn in by these stories about disturbed people. I find these first five frightening AND endlessly fascinating.

 1. Haunted -- Things that frighten me more than anything else are the capabilities of the human mind. The depravity of some people is bone-chilling and sickening. This masterfully writen, but so horrible at the same time. I didn't want to be around anyone for two weeks after starting this.


2. The Safety of Objects -- What's really behind the doors of the suburbs? Be sure you're prepared before you look, it isn't safe.


3. Something Dangerous -- An all boys school with old secrets and parents to far gone to turn to for help; human depravity and specters!


4. A Choir of Ill children -- This starts off disturbed and then alludes to the supernatural and just gets darker and darker.
5. Age of Consent -- A house with a bad history many times over. This is Scary, there are possible possesions, death awaiting at every corner and that's just the mild parts.

6. Angels and Demons -- This is all action spurred on by discovering a threat to the Catholic Church from the most infamous secret society: The Illuminati. Thrilling, in a word.

7. Frankenstein -- On the other side, a "monster" one could empathize with. This story is simply the plight of the different.

8. Anna Dressed in Blood -- Witty and suspenceful. A can't put down book about violent ghosts and the young man that must put them to rest for good.
9. Uglies -- Government control hidden behind what we all want: to be beautiful and wanted. Scary conspiracy, big-brother kind of story. And it's the first book in one of the best series around today, BTW.

10. Fahrenheit 451 -- How could a book lover not be terrifyed by a story starring a fireman: not one that fights fires but instead destroys free thinking by burning books. Also a must read for book lovers at anytime of the year, so if you've never read this get on it.


Honorable Mention For something lighter:

Devilish -- A deal with the devil is a classic Halloween theme. This one, though, comes with all of the hilarity and quick wit of Maureen Johnson.

*TBTB Top Ten Tuesday

Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover?*

Why not? I often pick up books with catchy, or beautiful covers. I have found some great books this way. Yes, that's not always the case, and some of the best books have unassuming or even ugly covers** but taking a risk on a pretty "face" is often too much fun to pass up. (Just remember, buyer beware, I may pick up a book with a pretty cover but I very rarely buy without knowing more.)

It's another Top Ten Tuesdays Ladies and Gents, and here are my top 10 6 books I picked up just because they were pretty.

1.Dangerous Angels: My first Francisca Lia Block and I ended up addicted to her dreamy, gauzy faerie filled world.

2. Lamb: I was drawn in by this novel on the new release shelf because it was printed like a Bible, but it was marketed as a humor novel. I adore this story. I love the humor, I love the lessons, I love the journey. I know it's just a fiction novel but I wish this was embraced by the Christian community to take out some of the fanaticism and enforce the basic life message the religion was built upon. I don't want to offend any Christians (like my family), but if Biff really was Christ's childhood friend, and this was included to fill in those missing years in the Bible, it would make Christianity much more human, relatable and appealing.

3. A Great and Terrible Beauty: Beautiful covers, beautiful writing, and a beautiful world.

4. Speak: The tree, the secret; gorgeous and dark cover just like the story.
5.Uglies: A natural beauty on the cover of a book called Uglies, how could I not be intrigued to pick this up? And thank God (Or whomever you thank for things) that I did pick this up because no one builds worlds like Scott Westerfield in all of YA, and without this cover I never would have discovered that.
6. The Blue Girl: I saw this during my obsession with faerie stories. I had to buy a book with a punk cover in my favorite color about faeries. I'm glad I did it was wonderful.

*TBTB Top Ten Tuesday
** It isn't the Authors' fault, they generally have no say in choosing the cover.

Ten I Want To Read, For the First Time.... Again*

Hello All! I have been very busy integrating into my new life in Hillsboro and at Intel, but I do have some reviews I'm eager to get out to you. I have read a few books and expect I'll have them up by next week. But for now it's time for another Top Ten Tuesday!

Today's topic is about books you wish you could experience again, but for the first time. We all know that a great book will always be great but sometimes there is a certain aspect that can never be recaptured in the reread. There are books that surprise us and intrigue us in a way that can only be felt when one doesn't know what's around the corner. And then there are books we read at the exact right time in our lives. So here is my list of 10 I wish I could experience again for the first time.

1. The Gemma Doyle Trilogy -- The lush worlds, magical; past; and present, created in the series are ripe with new and exotic imagery and beautiful and dark secrets.

2. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret -- I read this the summer of my twelfth year and was experiencing everything the main character was. This was a gift from an adult in my life and I then I passed it down to a preteen in my life a few years latter. Every young girl should get to expirience this book when they're struggling in the in-between.

3. The Uglies Saga -- A wild ride. A cliche saying but it was. Around every turn you wondered would the authorities be there? What would happen if they were? And was the life the authorities offered actually better than fighting for the alternative? Once you know everything the story is still epic but you could never feel that thrill after the first time.

4. The Perks of Being a Wallflower -- This book is on most of my top ten list because of the affect it had on me and my eagerness to share it with everyone. For years I bought copy after copy to give out. I wish I could feel that sense of needing to connect and share like this book gave me the first time through.

5. American Gods -- This book was crazy, the battle between what people used to worship and what is worshiped now. Every page turned showed something new and exciting.

6. Fahrenheit 451 -- This, in my opinion, is the ultimate book lover's book. The passion of the story and struggle that Guy goes through in the story, though, could never be as moving as the first experience.

7. Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy -- That surprising feeling you get when you realize everyone around you is staring at you because you got lost in a book in public, and have been laughing, hysterically, for way too long and way to loudly, yeah, that only happens once. At least now I will never forget my towel.

8. Ella Minnow Pea -- It is wonderful to learn about a people that love language as much as the ones in this book and learn how they deal with their way of life falling apart. Every time a new obstacle fell I knew I would be at a loss, but Ella always found a way to continue.

9. Memoirs of a Geisha -- This life is breath taking. I thought it would just disgust me and I would lose interest because this life is one forced upon so many, but this story draws you in and tell the dark, and surprising, very real, light side of being a Geisha.

10. Forever -- I read this one at the perfect time in my life as well, and it should also be given to young women deciding on the path to take in their lives. It is a bit more mature than AYTG?IM,M and addressed and taught about the time of first love fading and dealing with the on-set of sexual relationships.

So those are mine. Please tell me about your experiences with these stories or tell me about your unforgettable first times.

*TBTB Top Ten Tuesday

Top 11 Book Endings That Left Me With My Mouth Hanging Open*

1. Unbelievable (PLL, #4) -- Four girls, Four Books, Bad guy revealed as promised.... then the announcement of more? why?

2. Mostly Harmless -- Is this the question? Is this the answer? Is this the end? Has the whole world gone crazy or just me?
 
3. Rival -- It was so great it sparked an interest in Opera for me, then in the end it just fell apart.**
 
4. The Liar Society -- I thought the end of this would be more exciting and less predictable.  Kate wasn't as strong or as smart at the end as she was in the rest of the story. BUT I have no idea what's coming next and am still intrigued enough to find out. I guess that's what mystery writers are really aiming for. I've got to say though, I'm not hungry for the next installment, just curious what will happen next. ***
 
Not exactly the end, but close... Most Surprising Apexes
 
5. Looking For Alaska -- It just knocked me off my feet. I don't know what I was expecting but this story slammed into me at one point and I never recovered (read it, you'll understand).
 
6. Animal Farm -- A fight for rights.. and then, WTF, side swiped by strikes for power instead of equality.
 
With these last ones the whole book was a shocker

7. The Safety of Objects -- The secrets of the subarbs, and wow! they are dark.
 
8. Haunted -- Survival and secrets, I wanted to hide for people when I finished this one, be careful with it.
 
9. Candide -- Talk about bad luck! This guy has got it in spades. And the things that happen are so crazy it's hard to believe this is a classic, there is definitely nothing proper about it.
 
10. Flowers For Algernon -- Science can do anything, and life is so much better when you're smarter, right? And then so sad...
 
11. Angels and Demons -- Bom, Bang, Pow, all action and riddles, and awesome.
 
*TBTB Top Ten Tuesday
** Read my review here
*** I have 11 this week because I finished this right after compiling the 10.