Bibliophile Support Group

The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts is a YA paranormal contemporary novel and the first in The Unbelievables series by K. C. Tansley. As a child, ghosts were normal to Kat. They were around often, taught her about ghosts and how they came to be – and they were her friends. But when a frightening series of events made ghosts a greater threat to Kat, she had to consciously decide to no longer believe in them. If you don’t believe in ghosts you cannot be hurt by them. Now in her junior year at McTernan Academy, Kat has been kept safe by her strident disbelief – making sure to surround herself with other unbelievers to stay strong. However, a research project she is assigned to threatens to ruin all of the protections she has put in place for years. Once she is sent to a private island off the coast of Connecticut to investigate the details of the shocking murder of newlyweds in 1886, and the rumored resultant ancestral curse, Kat is in a poor position to continue to ignore her connection...

Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions is a YA anthology of stories by numerous best-selling authors and edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong. Pulling together short stories together regarding journeys – whether physical or not – these authors provide plots featuring vampires, faeries, angels and more. Authors include such bigwigs as Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Carrie Ryan and more. One of the main reasons I wanted to read Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions was for the short story by Kelley Armstrong. I’m a huge fan of her Darkest Powers trilogy and Facing Facts was a great little reunion with my favorite characters of hers – Chloe and Derek! Facing Facts did not disappoint! Generally, however, Enthralled was a mixed bag. Giovanni’s Farewell was a good, sweet story by Claudia Gray. Let’s Get This Undead Show on the Road by Sarah Rees Brennan and At the Late Night, Double Feature Picture Show by Jessica Verday were interesting diversions, both cre...

The Madness Underneath is the second book in the urban supernatural YA series Shades of London by Maureen Johnson. I strong recommend reading the books in order – so if you haven’t read The Name of the Star yet, check out my review of that first book here . Final warning to look away if you haven’t read the first book yet… Rory’s move from the American South to a London boarding school didn’t turn out the way she expected it to. Suddenly gaining the ability to see ghosts was startling enough – to then also be nearly killed by a Jack the Ripper copycat was the icing on the horror cake. Yet Rory doesn’t feel like she’s as psychologically damaged as she should be – and when she’s given the opportunity to return to Wexford, she does. But there’s evidence of a new potentially ghost-like string of murders and Rory’s powers have morphed into something stronger since she was nearly murdered… Is she as ready as she thinks she is to take on another dark force? First off, I lo...

The Dresden Files: Grave Peril is the third book in the adult urban fantasy series by Jim Butcher. To get the maximum reading enjoyment, I suggest reading these books in order – therefore reading Storm Front first and then Fool Moon . I wouldn’t say that this review will really spoil anything from the first two books, but you can never be too careful!!! Ghosts are going haywire lately. Becoming more menacing, more violent and more… more … Harry has his work cut out for him lately. Unfortunately it’s not the paying kind – it’s the moral wizard responsibility kind. But when Harry and Michael – a knight, literally – attempt to rid yet another location of an unruly ghost, it becomes clear that someone is causing this. Someone is stirring up trouble purposely. And the fact that many of the victims have ties to Harry cannot be ignored… As I’ve said before, I loved the TV show The Dresden Files – based on this book series. I’m still not feeling as much love for the book se...

The Page Turners is a YA contemporary horror novel, and the first in a trilogy, by Kevin T. Johns. Nate, Danny and Spenser are outcasts – and they’ve found that this is far more apparent and dangerous now that they are freshmen in high school. Daily they are victims of ridicule and, at least in Nate’s case, violence. For Nate, his home life is not much better. One of the only bright moments the friends look forward to is their self-made club – The Page Turners. Essentially they meet in the library to discuss their mutual passion for fiction – whether literature, movies or television – and present their opinions and thoughts in an organized, official manner. It’s during one of these meetings that Nate happens upon a strange book in the library – something old, handwritten and brimming with mystery. He’s sure that it is real magic – but when they speak the incantation they find in English – nothing happens. …or does it? The Page Turners is a quickly paced book that is eas...

The Mirk and Midnight Hour is a YA historical retelling of The Ballad of Tam Lin by Jane Nickerson. Though this novel takes place in the same universe as Nickerson’s previous novel Strands of Bronze and Gold , my review of which you can read here , it is not necessary to read in order. Violet Dancey, seventeen, does her best to assist in the efforts of the fight against the North as she lives out her daily life in Mississippi. She tries to help wounded soldiers – though she hardly knows what she’s doing. When her father announces that he is going to marry and Violet will have not just a new stepmother but also a stepsister – a girl her own age that she knows and does not particularly care for – she is not pleased. To have her comfortable little home invaded by strangers – while she’s still grieving her beloved soldier twin brother and relies on the support of her best friend, a slave her own age that is more like family – sounds devastating. Then her home of Scuppernong Farm al...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! To celebrate, what is more appropriate than a ghost story?! Famous Last Words is a YA contemporary murder mystery –slash- ghost story by Katie Alender. Still haunted by the circumstances surrounding her dad’s death two years ago, Willa is struggling to adapt to a new life – after all, she’s still trying to return to the person she once was before her dad’s death. With a successful Hollywood director as her new stepdad, Willa and her mom have moved into a mansion that used to be the abode of 30s starlet Diana Del Mar. Overall things are going okay – if a bit awkward and strained – but the fact that there is a serial killer targeting young, burgeoning actresses on the loose makes the move hard to swallow. When Willa begins to have strange visions – and begins to get the sense that either she’s crazy or this house is haunted – she has no one to turn to. Until she meets Reed – a guy at her school that is obsessed with the Hollywood Killer. But – is that ...

Hexed is a YA supernatural contemporary novel by Michelle Krys. Indigo Blackwood has followed her best friend to popularity in high school. She’s a cheerleader and dating one of the best looking guys in school. This is against all odds since she could instead easily be considered the daughter of that weird woman who runs an occult shop. Since that would be accurate. But then strange things start to happen. A guy drops dead in front of her. Her mother’s ancient “bible” of witchcraft goes missing and she gets some odd, offbeat visitors at school. Not long after that Indie’s life begins to change forever… Hexed surprised me. This is a fast-paced book with humor and intriguing paranormal suspense. I went back and forth between thinking Indie was pretty unrealistic and not loving her to finally coming around a bit later… In fact, I had a hard time with ALL of the characters for a while but did find myself begin to thaw. Hexed is fun, yet surprisingly violent, with dark twi...

The Glass Casket is a YA fantasy fairy tale by McCormick Templeman. Rowan’s village has been a quiet, peaceful place for many years. Now something dark has invaded it. It begins with five horses and five riders that gallop through the village and up the hills with covert intent – only to be found days later dead. Dead in a disturbing, unnatural way. The official word is a wolf attack – but anyone who saw the violence knows it was no wolf… Other strange happenings take place as well – such as a beautiful girl close to Rowan’s age suddenly moving into the village. A girl that seems to have a connection with Rowan… Something ravenous – something deadly – has come to occupy their village. Rowan could be next… The Glass Casket perplexed me a bit. On the one hand, the plot itself was stimulating and darkly intriguing. On the other hand, I found I could never truly connect with any of the characters. I just never really care about any of them, which causes the story to no...

Miss Mabel’s School for Girls is a YA fantasy novel, and the first in The Network Series , by Katie Cross. Sixteen-year-old Bianca Monroe has been planning for this day her entire life. First, she has to be allowed into Miss Mabel’s School for Girls – one of the schools within the Network that teaches young witches how to use their magic. Then she has to safely pass through the foggy forest of Letum Wood. Finally, she has to break all tradition and volunteer for a competition that first year’s never touch. Why? Because Bianca must be able to confront Miss Mabel – a witch who cast a devastating curse on her family. And the only way to meet Miss Mabel is to win the competition. No one believes that a first year would have a single, solitary chance of beating trained third years. Yet they don’t realize… Bianca’s been training all sixteen years of her life… Miss Mabel’s School for Girls was a revelation for me!!! At the beginning I was a little thrown, because I could...

Blackfin Sky is a YA contemporary paranormal debut novel by Kat Ellis. Blackfin is a town where strange things happen. People don’t blink at the abnormal and townsfolk don’t question the unexplained. Yet when Skylar Rousseau heads into school one day and finds everyone staring at her in utter shock – due to the fact that apparently they all saw her dead and buried three months ago – she believes things have gotten a lot stranger. Sky has no memory of dying – in fact, she remembers life as usual for the last three months. She can’t deny, though, that she’s the only one with this perspective. Every single other person in Blackfin is astounded to see her – and for once, they are asking questions. As Sky finds herself beginning to have odd, vivid dreams about a grimy circus in the middle of the woods, she knows that something is up. She becomes determined to find out what has happened to her. Her need to unravel the truth about herself – it just may unravel other truths abou...

Sinner is a YA paranormal contemporary companion novel to the Shiver trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater. As a companion novel, I personally recommend that all readers of Sinner first read Shiver , Linger and Forever first. You can click on the titles to read my reviews. I’m trusting that you’re only still reading this review as a bookworm who has previously read the prior books… Cole St. Clair is a werewolf in L.A. He’s going to make a new record, star in a short reality show and fan the flames of his past superstardom. But that’s not why he’s in L.A. He came for Isabel. Isabel left her and Cole’s bruised, fragmented relationship mess and decided to try and make a life for herself in California. She’s just as unhappy here as she was in Mercy Falls. It’s not working. Cole and Isabel both have demons and could be a disaster together – yet they can’t seem to let go… Maggie Stiefvater is one of my favorite authors now – especially after The Scorpio Races and The Raven B...

The Lovely and the Lost is a YA historical horror/paranormal novel and the follow-up to last year’s The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan. To read the books in order, definitely lap up The Beautiful and the Cursed first, bibliophiles! I’d avoid this review, also, until you have done so. Ingrid and Gabby Waverly have not had the quiet reprieve from London society gossip that they expected when they first came to France. Instead in 1900 Paris they’ve realized they are part of a dark, supernatural world – involving demons, gargoyles and angels. Having only recently rescued Ingrid’s twin brother Grayson from the fallen angel Axia – only to find him changed and still very potentially dangerous – they had hoped that things would calm down for a spell. Not likely. The Waverly’s gargoyle Luc, one of the Dispossessed, is still being kept busy as a mysterious man has a special interest in Ingrid’s unique blood – and he is part of an organization that is known for doing anythin...

Beautiful Redemption is the fourth and final book in the YA contemporary supernatural Beautiful Creatures / Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. Of course if you are behind on the series and haven’t read books one through three – you really should not read this review and spoil some huge plot points for yourself! I trust you to make the right decision on moving forward with this perusal of my review of Beautiful Redemption … Ethan Wate spent almost his entire life in the small, sleepy Southern town of Gatlin wishing something would happen – or that he could get out of there. He had a map marking all the different places he wanted to go. Then Lena Duchannes moved to Gatlin – different in more than one way from the ordinary Gatlin resident – and revealed to him that there was a lot more going on his little town than he ever could have imagined – let alone in the world. Knowing about the enigmatic, magic, cursed underside of Gatlin caused a lot more exci...

Beautiful Chaos is the third novel in the Caster Chronicles / Beautiful Creatures YA supernatural contemporary series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. You know that if you haven’t read the first two books, Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness , that this review will inevitably cause some spoilers for you – so DON’T READ THIS REVIEW . If, however, you HAVE read the first two books – proceed. Final warning… Now that Ethan, Lena, Ridley and Link are all returned to Gatlin and out of the Tunnels, things are different. Of course there’s the very big change of Link now being a quarter Incubus – and much more appealing to the ladies – if not the only one he truly wants. But there are a lot of other changes… Such as swarms of black locusts, extreme heat, terrible, localized storms and a sense of unease. A feeling that things just aren’t right. Many of the small population of Gatlin, with their mix of religion and superstition, are ready to call this time the End of D...

Alliance is the second book in the Paladin Prophecy , a YA contemporary fantasy series, by Mark Frost. Just like always, if you haven’t read The Paladin Prophecy first this review will contain inadvertent spoilers. Be kind to yourself – read my review of the first book here! After a whirlwind devastation of fleeing his home, being pursued by mysterious men, losing his parents and escaping to an exclusive prep school called the Center, Will West’s adventures didn’t end there. Now that he and his roommates uncovered a dangerous secret society within the school called the Knights of Charlemagne they are now also more aware than ever that they are… different. Experimenting and testing their growing mental and physical powers, time has passed since the day they rescued Brooke and came face to face with fantasy made reality. Will thinks that needs to change. When a lead on the Center’s past, the Knights of Charlemagne’s influence on the past and possibly the future, he and his...

Beautiful Darkness is the second book in the YA Southern supernatural Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. As I said when I reviewed Beautiful Creatures , I know I’m a bit late to the party on these books – but I’m sure I’m not the only one! Therefore, if you haven’t read the first book in the series, avoid this review of Beautiful Darkness like the plague!!! Spoilers are NOT your friend!!! I trust only those who have read Beautiful Creatures are still reading… Ethan Wate’s life in small Southern town Gatlin, South Carolina has always been quiet, never changing. With the arrival of beautiful, mysterious Lena Duchannes that was all turned upside down. He now knows there is a whole secret world that has been hidden in plain sight all this time. A world of magic, of Casters, of secrets. Gatlin is not nearly as boring as he thought. Right now, though, Ethan and Lena are still reeling from the tragedies of her birthday – the loss that is now haunt...

Watcher of the Dark is an adult horror novel, and the third in the Jeremiah Hunt novels, by Joseph Nassise. As it is the third in a series – in order to not spoil yourself on the plots of the prior books – I recommend you read Eyes to See and King of the Dead before Watcher of the Dark . Feel free to click on the titles to read my reviews! Assuming only readers of the first two books are continuing on… Jeremiah is on the run. Again. Plus, now he doesn’t have his friends with him – he’s just a blind guy with ghost-sight, a stolen car and next to no money. In Los Angeles. That’s what having the FBI tailing him and a foray into the terrifying kingdom of the dead to bring back the soul of the woman he cares about from a horrifying otherworld will do to you. Especially when, in order to complete the ritual to save her, you have to stab her. And there are witnesses. Others don’t seem to understand the whole, “I had to plunge that knife into her – to save her life!” Now, ...

Neverwas is a YA sophisticated haunted house story, and the second in the Amber House Trilogy , by Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed and Larkin Reed. If you haven’t read Amber House , reading Neverwas will not only cause spoilers of the first book – it’ll also be super confusing. Do yourself a favor – read my review of Amber House here and then read the book. Amber House is extremely awesome – you’ll be glad you listened. If you have read the stupendous Amber House , then read on for a brief synopsis of Neverwas . After the death of her grandmother, beloved by her family and community, Sarah Parsons has come to live at Amber House – a centuries-old estate that has been passed down through generations and carries ghostly echoes of the past. Before long, Sarah begins to get a sensation that things are… wrong … somehow. Different. As the American Confederation of States still struggles with segregation, tension is building in town – but even more so in Sarah as she starts to beli...

Blameless is the third book in the adult, steampunk, comedic supernatural series The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger. Have you read Soulless and Changeless ? If not – LOOK AWAY! Close this window, seriously! I do not want to be the cause of your spoilers. Or read those reviews, instead. Only continue reading my review of Blameless if you’ve read up to this point in the series. GOT IT? Last warning… Alexia, Lady Maccon, has returned home to her dreadful family. Everyone is astir, and then when the gossip comes out – as to why she is no longer living at Woolsey with her husband and his werewolf pack… well, it’s the scandal of the London season. Having little experience defending herself when she is actually innocent, Alexia finds herself both numbed by her husband’s rejection and also terribly angry. How dare he?!? Of course, it may indeed be a fact that there is no known werewolf-sired pregnancy – as werewolves are technically dead – in all of their genealogy. C...