Review: Doll Bones, by Holly Black

Release date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Format: Hardover, 247 pages

Goodreads description
Zach, Poppy and Alice have been friends for ever. They love playing with their action figure toys, imagining a magical world of adventure and heroism. But disaster strikes when, without warning, Zach’s father throws out all his toys, declaring he’s too old for them. Zach is furious, confused and embarrassed, deciding that the only way to cope is to stop playing... and stop being friends with Poppy and Alice. But one night the girls pay Zach a visit, and tell him about a series of mysterious occurrences. Poppy swears that she is now being haunted by a china doll – who claims that it is made from the ground-up bones of a murdered girl. They must return the doll to where the girl lived, and bury it. Otherwise the three children will be cursed for eternity...



The following review is based on a copy I got at the Holly Black signing at ALA Las Vegas last summer.

Why did I wait so long to read this book? A) it's middle grade, which isn't my go-to category B) It's about dolls. Dolls are CREEPY, never mind that I used to play with them. But it's a Holly Black book, so I knew I would read it sooner or later (I've loved her books for the past 10 years).

I'm so glad I decided to read Doll Bones now, and that I had the chance to have it signed last summer. It was, to an extent, like a trip down memory lane. The way Zach, Poppy and Alice played is so similar to the way I grew up playing with my friends. The stories they made up in their heads and somehow 'saw' happening around them... that's just how we played. And I'd forgotten about the rush I used to get from it, and what a wonderful feeling it is. How plastic figures or shells or folded-paper ships can become real to you. I would have SO gone on a quest like them! Actually, we sometimes did. We packed our stuff and went into the forest on the basis of a made-up story (to find a treasure or build a fort or look for fairies). So reading about their experience was magical for me on several different levels.

I really like the way Holly Black constructed this story, the episodes the kids had to go through, how the dynamics between them started to shift, how family life wasn't easy for any of them for various reasons. That grounded the story. The quest each kid was on meshed with their real life problems as well as something else, something maybe-supernatural, something outside of them. I liked the uncertainty - were they just making it all up like they did when they were playing, or was there really something else going on? Was the doll sinister and ill-intentioned, or did she just want to find rest?

I could say 'this is a book about growing up' but that isn't really true. It's a story about beginning to grow up. About being afraid to begin growing up, and changing, and a part of you dying. It's about dreams and quests and how adults often no longer have them - only bitterness. And about not wanting to become that way. It's about the stories we make up and tell about ourselves. That's why they go on a quest - to prove to themselves that they are interesting enough people to have quests, and that they finish them and don't quit halfway through.

Also, can I just say that I loved the inclusion of the library as a place they took shelter in when they were questing? I loved reading about the kids browsing, playing in the stacks, riding those book-wagons down the aisle and fawning over review copies of books they'd been waiting for for months. Also, the sailing episode. That was fantastic.

Overall, Doll Bones was a very refreshing read for me. There was a bit (okay, in some cases a lot) of creepy, which I always like. The characters were all complex and memorable and the relationships between them were interesting, also in the way they changed over time. The adventure plot and its pacing was great and I liked how it was at the same time a magical thing but still something that could happen in the real world, with real world problems (like creepy strangers on the bus or uncrossable rivers or lack of money) getting in the way. More and more, the magic/story/play world and the real world began to merge or at least co-exist, until something jarring happened and the gap became more noticeable again.

I think I have (or maybe had) this prejudice against middle grade books that they tend to be a bit heavy-handed because authors/adults think that kids won't understand what is being hinted at otherwise, and I find that patronizing. Kids are smart and often very good at reading other people. I'm happy to say that this was taken into account here. The writing is nuanced and there are no blatant 'lessons to be learned from this story' parts in Doll Bones. So, if anyone else has MG reads of this kind to recommend, feel free to mention them in the comments.

I don't really know what else to say without being spoilery and taking away from the experience of the story. All I know is that this is one I'm going to re-read every once in a while, to remind myself of things that are important and easily forgotten.

Have any of you read Doll Bones? What was your experience with it? Did you ever play these sorts of games as a kid? And can recommend other (maybe creepy?) MG reads to me?

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop! (INT)

Heys guys, it's October which means the leaves are turning red and gold and you wake up for your jobs and school in pre-dawn darkness (at least where I live). It also means Halloween is near! Unfortunately, we don't celebrate it here but that doesn't stop me from getting into the spirit and feeling like reading and watching creepy stuff (I'm looking at you, American Horror Story)
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This is my third year participating in this hop and I hope it'll be fun this time around, too! The rules are simple and explained under 'Terms & Conditions' in the Rafflecopter. In short: the giveaway is open internationally wherever Book Depository ships, cheaters will be disqualified and all their entries deleted.
Since this is a themed hop, I've got some suggestions for you below (click to cover to get to goodreads). You can always choose another book in the same series (no preorders). If none of these appeal to you, you can pick one between 10-15$ (as seen from my location) as long as it's somehow creepy and/or Halloween related.




Note: the cover shown here may differ from the one of the edition I will eventually order for you if you win.

Okay, now fill out the Rafflecopter and have fun hopping around the other blogs! Go out and enjoy the spooky season, or curl up with a creepy book and a cup of whatever makes you happy :)


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Top Ten Tuesday: top books on my Fall TBR list

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week they post a new topic that the participants come up with a top ten list for.



This week's topic is about the top ten books on our Fall to-be-read lists

Honestly? I don't really make lists like that, I just pick up something I've got on my shelf/kindle when I feel like it (review books are obviously different). However, all the ARCs I've currently got on my Kindle are Winter releases, so there's that. So the ten following books are ones I already own and really hope to get to this Fall. They're listed in no particular order.



Between the Spark and the Burn, by April Genevieve Tucholke
I really enjoyed the first book! I'll have to do a partial re-read and get to the second. I hope it continues the gothic mood :)

Angelfall, by Susan Ee
It's been on my shelf for close to a year and it's supposed to be fantastic.

Game, by Barry Lyga
I loved I Hunt Killers, and now that I've finally got Game, I want to read it soon. Also, the first one creeped me out so it's perfect for Fall. That season always makes me feel like reading moody, dark books.



Mortal Heart, by Robin LaFevers
I've got a shiny ARC of this one and look forward to reading it in a month or so :) I'm very curious about Annith's story! She's been a quite shadowy figure so far and she really surprised me at the end of the second book.

Hood, by Stephen R. Lawhead
I'd never heard of this book before last Spring, but then kept coming across it in the summer as an influence on books by author's I've read. So when I saw it at the second hand bookstore, I knew it was waiting for me. I've always been fascinated with Robin Hood, and I think this one's themed perfectly for the Fall season :)

Sabriel, by Garth Nix
I've been looking at this series for at least 10 years, I kid you not. I've owned a huge 1000+ pages omnibus edition for three years. So I'll be damned if I don't finally read at least the first book this Fall!



The Girl of Fire and Thorns, by Rae Carson
I've been hearing so much about this series and the cover and name make me think of Fall, so I hope I'll get to it!

The Lovely and the Lost, by Page Morgan
Another sequel I've been itching to read! Gargoyles. Paris. History. Yes, please!

Up From the Grave, by Jeaniene Frost
I'm so sad that this is the last Cat & Bones novel! But I need to read at least one vampire novel this Fall, and this series has never disappointed me.

The last pick: recommend me something dark and creepy! If it has faeries in it, cool. If not, that's also okay. But it has to be moody and horror-ish. Surprise me :)


Have you read or are you planning to read any of the books on my list? Does the season influence your taste in books? I noticed that I feel like reading a lot of high fantasy or creepy stuff this Fall. I could also have put Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder or Fire by Kristin Cashore on this list, they're both on my shelf. What about you?

Book blitz: demon summoning guide & giveaway: The Unseen, by J.L. Bryan

Hey guys :) Fitting for the Halloween time, I present you a creepy book for the darkening days ahead! It's about a tattoo artist, which I find particulary intriguing. Below you can find more info on the book and author, as well as a list about the Do's and Don'ts of demon summoning ;) There's also two giveaways, one international and one US/CAN only.

Release date: October 31, 2013
Format: ebook, 343 pages

Description:
Cassidy is a young tattoo artist living in the Little Five Points neighborhood of Atlanta. She’s always suffered terrible nightmares, and sometimes the hideous creatures seem to follow her out of her dreams and into her waking life, though she’s the only one who can see them. Drugs and alcohol can blot them out, but never entirely chase them away.

When a demonic cult begins to take control of the people in her life, including her younger brother, Cassidy discovers that the unseen world of monsters is very real. She can no longer avoid it. To protect those she loves, she must accept her own hidden supernatural talents and face the forces of evil before the sinister cult achieves its twisted goals and casts the world into darkness.

Goodreads    Amazon    B&N

AUTHOR BIO 

The Unseen by J.L. Bryan has a special release price of 99 cents through Halloween. See his website for details and links.

J.L. Bryan studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on the English Renaissance and the Romantic period. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He enjoys remixing elements of paranormal, supernatural, fantasy, horror and science fiction into new kinds of stories.

He is the author of The Paranormals series (starting with Jenny Pox), The Songs of Magic series, Nomad, and other books. He lives in Atlanta with his wife Christina, his son John, and some dogs and cats.

Website    Twitter

Demon-Summoning Do’s and Don’ts

So you’ve cast a circle and you’re ready to bring an infernal spirit into your home for a visit. Or are you? Summoning demons takes care and consideration—it’s nothing to jam in between doing the dishes and catching the new episode of Walking Dead.

These simple tips will help you put together an exciting evocation, without all the messy embarrassment of getting your soul ripped from your flesh and devoured.

DO offer a blood sacrifice. Your guest has traveled across endless darkness from the lower pits of Hell and will be expecting a snack. Chicken or lizard blood will do nicely for a lesser spirit. For an archdemon, you’ll want to sacrifice a human being instead—anything less is considered rude. Virgins are still preferred, but no longer expected by more modern demons. Finally, an activity you can do with that annoying neighbor you’ve always wanted to eliminate from the earth!

DON’T call up the wrong kind of demon. Incubi and succubi will arrive with certain expectations, because these unholy hornballs only have one thing on their evil minds at all times. If you’re not ready for a swingers’ sabbat, avoid them. If you do summon them, you’re going to need a little more protection that the typical enchanted circle provides—the beasties get around. Also avoid gluttony demons, because these corpulent creatures not only look like disgusting mountains of flab with enormous mouths, they’ll also destroy your snack bar and leave an unpleasant flatulent odor that takes weeks to remove from your carpet.

DO be polite. Powerful demons resent being summoned by mere mortals, but minding your manners can go a long way towards creating a more pleasant evening. When you say, “I bind thee and summon thee, foul Mephistopheles!” and the enraged horned demon appears in a flash of fire and brimstone, don’t forget to add, “Thank you!”

DON’T expect them to bring wine or a hot dish. Again, they’ve come a long way and can’t be expected to carry host gifts up from the abyss. Also, demon food tends to be rotten and vermin-infested, so how badly did you really want that casserole, anyway?

DO remember to take pictures! Remember, the only reason to do anything extraordinary in life is so you can brag to your friends on Facebook. A picture of you and Beelzebub with his host of flesh-eating flies will totally shut up that one friend who’s always bragging about the time she met Colin Farrell on an airplane.

DON’T forget to banish! If you don’t send that demon right back to Hell when you’re done, it may move onto your couch and stay there for months. Demons don’t pay rent, they don’t do chores, and they never, ever give up control of the remote. They will, however, watch home shopping channels twenty-four hours a day and max out your credit card to ordering useless knickknacks. They won’t take subtle hints to go home, either, no matter how many you drop—you have to order them out. Exercise your right to excorsize!

Following this list is sure to make your demonic encounter a more successful one! When you summon horrific spirits from the fiery underworld into your living room, you don’t want it to ruin the rest of your weekend.

GIVEAWAY (US/CAN)

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GIVEAWAY (INT)

• one entry per person/household
• winner must respond to my email within 48h or I'll pick someone else
• I check all the entries, cheaters will be disqualified and their entries deleted
• you must be at least 13 years old  
• the tour host is responsible for making sure you get your copy

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Spooktacular Giveaway Hop (Int)!

Hey everyone and welcome to my stop on the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop! Though it's not widely celebrated in my part of the world, I love Halloween and all it entails! I love the pumpkins and the candy and the creepy. And in autumn, what's better than curling up with a good book and a cup of coffee while the wind's howling outside?

You don't have a good book to keep you company? No matter, if you're lucky you can choose one from the list below, just click them to find out more about them :) If there's nothing to your liking, you can pick another spooky read around 10$ from The Book Depository. Just enter below and make sure to read the rules! This giveaway is open to wherever The Book Depository ships for free.

Also, don't forget to check out all the other awesome blogs participating! Check the linky below :)

Rules

• Open wherever The Book Depository ships for free
• Only ONE entry per person/household
• Cheating on one entry results in disqualification. I check ALL the entries before picking.
• I will email the winner and they have 48 hours to respond. Otherwise I will pick someone new
• You must be at least 13 to enter, 18 if you choose an adult book like Blackbirds or Blood Rights
• I am not responsible for damaged packages or books lost in the mail. Once I've ordered it, it's out of my hands
• No preorders
• I will order whatever version is available to me for cheap, so covers may vary

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Waiting on Wednesday: The Waking Dark, by Robin Wasserman

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine to spotlight upcoming book releases that we're excited about.


This week's pick:

Release date: September 10, 2013
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover, 464 pages

Goodreads description:
They called it the killing day. Twelve people dead, all in the space of a few hours. Five murderers: neighbors, relatives, friends. All of them so normal. All of them seemingly harmless. All of them now dead by their own hand . . . except one. And that one has no answers to offer the shattered town. She doesn't even know why she killed—or whether she'll do it again.

Something is waking in the sleepy town of Oleander's, Kansas—something dark and hungry that lives in the flat earth and the open sky, in the vengeful hearts of upstanding citizens. As the town begins its descent into blood and madness, five survivors of the killing day are the only ones who can stop Oleander from destroying itself. Jule, the outsider at war with the world; West, the golden boy at war with himself; Daniel, desperate for a different life; Cass, who's not sure she deserves a life at all; and Ellie, who believes in sacrifice, fate, and in evil. Ellie, who always goes too far. They have nothing in common. They have nothing left to lose. And they have no way out. Which means they have no choice but to stand and fight, to face the darkness in their town—and in themselves. 


I read Robin Wasserman's Book of Blood and Shadows a little over a week ago and I was hooked! It was amazing and I was really impressed with the writing. The Waiting Dark sounds equally atmospheric - creepy, violent, intriguing, with a cast of very different characters. The 'awful things happening in a sleepy town' thing also reminds me of Stephen King novels. I really hope this one is as great as it sounds!
What do you think of the description? Is this your kind of read? And what book are you highlighting this week?

Waiting on Wednesday: Asylum, by Madeleine Roux

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine to spotlight upcoming book releases that we're excited about.

Release date: August 20, 2013
Publisher: Harper Children's
Format: Hardcover, 320 pages

Goodreads description:
Asylum is a thrilling and creepy photo-novel perfect for fans of the New York Times bestseller Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, New Hampshire College Prep is more than a summer program—it's a lifeline. An outcast at his high school, Dan is excited to finally make some friends in his last summer before college. But when he arrives at the program, Dan learns that his dorm for the summer used to be a sanatorium, more commonly known as an asylum. And not just any asylum—a last resort for the criminally insane.

As Dan and his new friends, Abby and Jordan, explore the hidden recesses of their creepy summer home, they soon discover it's no coincidence that the three of them ended up here. Because the asylum holds the key to a terrifying past. And there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Featuring found photos of unsettling history and real abandoned asylums and filled with chilling mystery and page-turning suspense, Madeleine Roux's teen debut, Asylum, is a horror story that treads the line between genius and insanity.

I love stories featuring old asylums and secrets. And with a cover as awesome as this, creepiness is sure to ensue! I also love that there will be photos included - that was the case with In The Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters and that book was amazing! I'm glad this one is out so soon :)
What do you guys think of it, and what book are you featuring this week?