The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

Title: The City of Brass
Author: S.A. Chakraborty
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Daevabad Trilogy # 1

Hardcover, 533 Pages
Publication: November 14, 2017 by Harper Voyager 

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of 18th century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trade she uses to get by—palm readings, zars, healings—are all tricks, sleights of hand, learned skills; a means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles.

But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to accept that the magical world she thought only existed in childhood stories is real. For the warrior tells her a new tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire, and rivers where the mythical marid sleep; past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises, and mountains where the circling hawks are not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass?a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound.

In that city, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, she learns that true power is fierce and brutal. That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences.

After all, there is a reason they say be careful what you wish for . . .

The City of Brass is a Middle Eastern Fantasy that I didn’t know I was looking for. This book was beyond amazing. The characters are extremely complex, the world-building rich, vibrant and multifaceted and the writing impeccable. A wondrous book to start out the new year, not bad if I say so myself.

The book is narrated from two different point-of-views; Nahri a con-artist living in Cairo and Ali, a Daeva (Djinn) prince of Daevabad whom are both young adults (18-20s). Nahri never really believed in magic, sure she has heard tales of evil Djinns but they were just that, tales. Even with healing abilities and her knowledge of most, if not all languages still made her a skeptic of all things magic. However, one night while trying to exorcise a demon from a child; Nahri sang in a foreign tongue even she wasn’t aware of and woke ifrit demons and a long forgotten warrior. From there Nahri is thrown head first into the world of Daevabad, caught between the different tribes of Djinns, elemental creatures hunting her, and a dangerous game of politics as everyone is trying to make her their pawn.

Ali is the younger and second of two princes. He is training to be Qaid, the head of Djinn Royal Guard and to be his brother’s protector. Ali is a well-educated, passionate, kind hearted prince and one of the best swordsman Daevabad has seen since it’s last ruler, Zaydi was alive 1400 years ago. He would be the perfect son and prince if it wasn’t for his secret, or not so secret views of the Shafit people, those of mixed blood of Djinn and Humans. Ali believes the Shafit should have equals rights as the other tribes, but his father and the nobleman think otherwise.Being known as a Shafit sympathizer has damming consequences but Ali had a bigger secret that could condemn him to death if his father ever found out.

I’ve always found tales of Djinn fascinating but it wasn’t as prominent as other supernatural beings and it’s almost nonexistent on the literary front not counting the famous Arabian Nights Tales. Not only did Chakraborty put Djinn on the map but she also put Middle Eastern Fantasy at the forefront; bringing something fresh, new and unique to the Fantasy genre. After reading The City of Brass and being so enamored by the world and characters Chakraborty created, I did some research on Djinn mythology. I saw the basis of Djinn mythology and where she incorporated it into the story but she took the idea and completely made it her own; heavily expanding it to create a world that felt so realistic that one can’t resist the urge to go to Daevabad. I’m pretty sure anyone who has already read The City of Brass, wished Dara was real. Yes, please!

I absolutely loved The City of Brass! It’s hard to believe that this is a debut novel because Chakraborty writes like a seasoned author. If you want to be swept away on a magic carpet and go on an unforgettable adventure; then you’ll want to read this book! The City of Brass will captivate you from the first page and have you begging for the sequel when you turn the last page. The City of Brass is wholly originally but it also reminded me of Disney’s Aladdin…but for adults! There’s a thief, a prince, a djinn and a magic carpet…need I say more? If you haven’t checked out this first in a new series then you need to hightail to the nearest bookstore, online retailer or library A.S.A.P. This is a book you don’t want to miss!

The Faerie Handbook by Carolyn Turgeon, Grace Nuth & Editors of Faerie Magazine

Title: The Faerie Handbook
Author: Carolyn Turgeon, Grace Nuth & Editors of Faerie Magazine
Genre: Historical
Series: N/A

Hardcover, 240 pages
Publication: November 14, 2017 by Harper Design

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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In this exquisite anthology, Editor in Chief Carolyn Turgeon and the editors of Faerie Magazine welcome you into an enchanted realm rich with myth, mystery, romance, and abundant natural beauty. Organized into four sections—Flora and Fauna, Fashion and Beauty,  Arts and Culture, and Home, Food, and Entertaining—this gorgeous volume offers an array of exquisite vintage4 and contemporary fine art and photography, literature, essays, do-it-yourself projects, and recipes that provide hours of reading, viewing, and dreaming pleasure, along with a multitude of ideas for modern-day living and entertaining with a distinctive fairy touch. 

Do you judge a book by it’s cover? I know we shouldn’t but I have to admit, I certainly do. A beautiful book is like sweet icing on a cake and when the content within the book matches the outside, it’s the perfect cherry on top. I’ve seen some genuinely beautiful books in my life but The Faerie Handbook blows them all out of the water. I was immediately enchanted upon receiving The Faerie Handbook. The book is a stunning mauve color with silver foil writing and border and silver gilded paper edges. The hardcover in and of itself is a true masterpiece and can only be appreciated in person (pictures don’t do justice). At the center of the cover is an equally impressive high quality image of a barebacked fairy. The book is divided into four sections; Flora & Fauna, Fashion & Beauty, Arts & Culture and Home, Food and Entertainment exploring the in and out of the magical realm of faeries.

If you follow my blog, you know how much I absolutely love, love faeries. They’re my favorite mythological (or real, depending on your belief) creature. And The Faerie Handbook is a must-have for any and all ardent faerie admirer. This book is the holy grail for all things faeries. Throughout the book, readers will find breathtaking rich and vivid artwork/photograph gathered over the centuries. Accompanying the art are poems, literature, history/lore, arts and DIY craft instructions and so much more. The Faerie Handbook is a meticulous detailed and well written book on everything you’d want to know about faeries. I love this book in it’s entirety but if I had to pick out what I enjoyed the most from this book it’s definitely the history of faeries/folklore and the gorgeous artwork. I thought it was really cool seeing artists’ interpretations of faeries from the 1800-1900’s to present day faeries in movies and television (mentions). Faeries are mentioned in most, if not all cultures in one form or another, so it was fascinating to read what people from all over the world thought of faeries. Some people found faeries to be ethereal and beautiful, innocent childlike beings, or glamoured monsters to be fear and as a type of omen.

I recall seeing and hearing about books similar to The Faerie Handbook; but instead of focusing on faeries, there were books on vampires, werewolves and zombies. However books similar to this (supernatural encyclopedia/handbooks) are nowhere near the same level as The Faerie Handbook. It is evident that a lot of time, care, research and love went into making the handbook. From the stunning cover, to the specific contents chosen to make this book to even the smallest detail such as a violet reading ribbon.

I really enjoyed The Faerie Handbook. It is nothing like your regular 411 book or coffee table book that is there for aesthetic reasons rather than substance. Not only is this book aesthetically pleasing but the information within the book is much more worthwhile. I highly recommend The Faerie Handbook to other faerie lovers like myself or those who dream of a magical world beyond ours…because this book is truly a piece of magic. The Faerie Handbook is a must-read and deserves a spot on your forever keeper shelf to be read over and over again.

 

Check out these beautiful picture excerpts below. They're all amazing but it's even more breathtaking in person!

Sycamore by Bryn Chancellor

Title: Sycamore
Author: Bryn Chancellor 
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Series: N/A

Hardcover, 336 Pages
Publication: May 9, 2017 by Harper

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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Out for a hike one scorching afternoon in Sycamore, Arizona, a newcomer to town stumbles across what appear to be human remains embedded in the wall of a dry desert ravine. As news of the discovery makes its way around town, Sycamore’s longtime residents fear the bones may belong to Jess Winters, the teenage girl who disappeared suddenly some eighteen years earlier, an unsolved mystery that has soaked into the porous rock of the town and haunted it ever since. In the days it takes the authorities to make an identification, the residents rekindle stories, rumors, and recollections both painful and poignant as they revisit Jess’s troubled history. In resurrecting the past, the people of Sycamore will find clarity, unexpected possibility, and a way forward for their lives.

Skillfully interweaving multiple points of view, Bryn Chancellor knowingly maps the bloodlines of a community and the indelible characters at its heart—most notably Jess Winters, a thoughtful, promising adolescent poised on the threshold of adulthood. Evocative and atmospheric, Sycamore is a coming-of-age story, a mystery, and a moving exploration of the elemental forces that drive human nature—desire, loneliness, grief, love, forgiveness, and hope—as witnessed through the inhabitants of one small Arizona town. 

Every year there comes one book. One book that is surprising, brilliant, captivating, unputdownable and a must read of the year. And while I’ve read plenty of great novels this year, Sycamore is without a doubt the must read book of 2017. Sycamore is a complex, multifaceted mystery centered around a small town and the disappearance of Jess Winters, a teenager that went missing eighteen years earlier, in the winter of 1991.

With the discovery of bones, Chancellor takes readers on a dark, poignant look at adulthood and the life of adolescence. The book is narrated by an amazing cast of realistic and intriguing characters alternating between the past and present. The past is narrated by none-other then our girl, Jess Winters. We learn of her life upon arriving to Sycamore and all the way up to the day she disappeared. The present is narrated by everyone that knew Jess and who were affected by her one way or another and the newcomer that discovered the mystery set of bones while on a hike; which may or may not be of Jess Winters, the girl that has haunted the town over the years.

I know this is repetitive, me saying this, but I am not a fan of multiple narration. And Sycamore is full of multiple narration. However, I thought it fit this book perfectly. It just worked, and I honestly cannot see it any other way. We got a through and in-depth look at each and everyone’s life, how everyone was before Jess disappeared and after. We got to see first hand, at what one supposedly harmless secret can do; and how it can trigger a chain reaction that those caught in the cross-hair can feel the consequences years down the road. Chancellor’s writing captivated me from the first page and I was on pins and needles as the mystery unfolded till the very end. As the saying goes ‘though all good thing comes to an end’ but I didn’t want the story to be over. I just wanted to soak myself into the story.

The mystery was never much a mystery. But that didn’t stop me from wanting to know how everything played out. The real mystery and best part of the book were the characters that Chancellor so expertly described and brought to life. All the characters had their own distinct voice. I truly felt as if I could see, experience and feel what they felt. The real mystery was the inhabitants of Sycamore. At the start of the book, we see everyone as a relationship to Jess. Dani, Jess’s best friend, Paul, Jess’s boss’s son, Maud, Jess’s mom etc. As the story developed, we saw past everyone’s appearance and labels, to see that everyone had their own secrets, fears, doubts, hopes and dreams…just like Jess had.

The mystery of Sycamore and Jess Winters will pique your interest, but the characters will make you stay. Chancellor’s debut is truly magnificent and the writing is lyrical and poetic. If you can read one book this year, let it be Sycamore. Seriously, pick this book up now, you won’t regret it. Even if you’re not really a fan of mystery or suspense, this book will certainly change that. I absolutely loved Sycamore, it is a literary masterpiece and I know for certain that this book will stay with me for a very long, long time.

[BLOG TOUR] I’M NOT YOUR MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRL BY GRETCHEN MCNEIL: AUTHOR PROFILE + CONTEST

Welcome to my stop on I'M NOT YOUR MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRL Blog Tour. For today's stop, I have a fun author profile for you and one lucky reader will get a chance to win their very own copy of I'm not your Manic Pixie Dream Girl! Check out the post below.

Meet Gretchen!

Gretchen McNeil's latest novel, I'm Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl, is a romantic contemporary comedy. She is also known for her suspense and horror novels. 

We wanted to share 10 fun facts about Gretchen and her books with you!

- She tries to cook every night.
- She is a former coloratura soprano.
- She lends her voice to the character Mary on G4's Code Monkeys.
- She sings with the LA-based circus troupe Cirque Bezerk.
- Her favorite movie is Clue.
- Her least favorite movie is Titanic.
- Her favorite author is Agatha Christie.

- Her favorite color is red.
- She got married in a bookstore.
- Her novels have been sold in Chinese, Spanish, and Turkish.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Published October 18, 2016  by Balzer + Bray
Young Adult, Contemporary Fiction

Hardcover, 352 Pages

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Beatrice Maria Estrella Giovannini has life all figured out. She's starting senior year at the top of her class, she’s a shoo-in for a scholarship to M.I.T., and she’s got a new boyfriend she’s crazy about. The only problem: All through high school Bea and her best friends Spencer and Gabe have been the targets of horrific bullying.

So Bea uses her math skills to come up with The Formula, a 100% mathematically guaranteed path to social happiness in high school. Now Gabe is on his way to becoming Student Body President, and Spencer is finally getting his art noticed. But when her boyfriend Jesse dumps her for Toile, the quirky new girl at school, Bea realizes it's time to use The Formula for herself. She'll be reinvented as the eccentric and lovable Trixie—a quintessential manic pixie dream girl—in order to win Jesse back and beat new-girl Toile at her own game.

Unfortunately, being a manic pixie dream girl isn't all it's cracked up to be, and “Trixie” is causing unexpected consequences for her friends. As The Formula begins to break down, can Bea find a way to reclaim her true identity and fix everything she's messed up? Or will the casualties of her manic pixie experiment go far deeper than she could possibly imagine?

GIVEAWAY

A big thanks to Saichek Publicity, I have one (1) copy of I'm Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl to give away!

To enter please answer the following question by sharing it in the comments and/or on social media (with these hashtags)

Who is your favorite “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” character from a movie or book — why?

#GretchenMcNeil 

#ImNotYourManicPixieDreamGirl

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gretchen McNeil is an opera singer, a writer, and a clown. She is also the author of Get Even as well as Ten, which was a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, a Romantic Times Top Pick, and an ALA Booklist Top Ten Horror Fiction for Youth and was nominated for Best Young Adult Contemporary Novel of 2012 by Romantic Times. Gretchen blogs with the Enchanted Inkpot and is a founding member of the vlog group the YARebels.

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Church of Marvels by Leslie Parry

Title: Church of Marvels
Author: Leslie Parry
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Series: N/A

Hardcover, 320 pages
Publication: May 5, 2015 by Ecco

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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New York, 1895. Sylvan Threadgill, a night soiler cleaning out the privies behind the tenement houses, finds an abandoned newborn baby in the muck. An orphan himself, Sylvan rescues the child, determined to find where she belongs. 

Odile Church and her beautiful sister, Belle, were raised amid the applause and magical pageantry of The Church of Marvels, their mother’s spectacular Coney Island sideshow. But the Church has burnt to the ground, their mother dead in its ashes. Now Belle, the family’s star, has vanished into the bowels of Manhattan, leaving Odile alone and desperate to find her.

A young woman named Alphie awakens to find herself trapped across the river in Blackwell’s Lunatic Asylum—sure that her imprisonment is a ruse by her husband’s vile, overbearing mother. On the ward she meets another young woman of ethereal beauty who does not speak, a girl with an extraordinary talent that might save them both.

As these strangers’ lives become increasingly connected, their stories and secrets unfold. Moving from the Coney Island seashore to the tenement-studded streets of the Lower East Side, a spectacular human circus to a brutal, terrifying asylum, Church of Marvels takes readers back to turn-of-the-century New York—a city of hardship and dreams, love and loneliness, hope and danger.

I’m not one to usually read historical fiction, if you follow my blog you’d know. But when I was pitched this book for review I was intrigued by its cover, but there was something else… my gut was telling me I must read this book. That beyond the beautiful cover is a story that needed to be discovered. Even the synopsis (not the one above) didn’t prepare me for what I was about to read. Church of Marvels, is unlike anything I've read before. For real this time. The writing was flawless and lyrical; the characters so realistic, it's like you've known them forever and you feel all their emotions right alongside them. And the setting of Manhattan/Coney Island 1895 so vividly and painstakingly detailed that you can imagine yourself walking the streets of Manhattan with Odile searching for her sister, breaking out the asylum with Alphie and cheering in an abandoned building as Sylvan fights to make another coin for another day.

Church of Marvels is centered on four different individuals; the Church sisters, Alphie and Slyvan. The book is narrated in third person; alternating between the three main characters every other chapter (Belle has only two parts). Within the chapters itself the story jumps back and forth to the past and present to give readers an in-depth look at the characters and their background, which adds another intricate layer to the already complex characters/plot. I’m not a fan of ‘flashbacks’ but they were well-done and are essential to the story (or stories) being told.

I love character driven novels, and Church of Marvels is a perfect example of how it’s done! For most books, it takes a good chunk-while to introduce and establish believable characters. Parry did it in less than 35 pages! The prologue and first three chapters introduced us to the main characters, and though it was only the beginning I learned so much about the characters, and connected to them immediately. I don’t want to go into too much detail about the characters or plot because it's something you’d want to savor and discover yourself. The book starts out slow as readers will no doubt have questions upon questions about what is going on, and how can these people’ lives be entwined? But I loved every moment of it. All I can say is that once the characters' secrets are revealed and the characters’ separate story line converge toward the end it will all be worth it! So, so worth it! Just when I thought Parry unload all the characters’ secrets and I was done being shocked; Parry threw me for another loop when she expertly ties everything up in the epilogue that was so explosive and jaw-dropping it knocked me off my seat!

If you can only read one book this year, let it be Church of Marvels. No, it HAS to be Church of Marvels. I knew before I even read it that it was going to be a good book, but instead I was blown away at how utterly amazing it was. I highly, highly recommend Church of Marvels. This is Parry’s first book and yet it felt like a seasoned author wrote it. Parry’s writing will have you rapt from the first page to the very last. She wasted no time or words developing 1895 New York and her characters. And if this is any indication of what we can expect from Parry’s future work, signed me up now for all her books! If I can give it more than five stars I would…this book is like10 stars. If you’re looking for a unique, unforgettable, unpredictable, and un-put-down-able book, Church of Marvels is the book for you. Read it now, you won’t be disappointed!

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray [Excerpt + Giveaway]

AVAILABLE NOW!

Every Day meets Cloud Atlas in this heart-racing, space- and time-bending, epic new trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray.

Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

For a history lesson, this is almost interesting. Maybe it’s the way he talks with his hands, like an excited kid. But right when I might actually get drawn in, I see Paul walking swiftly up the side aisle to the exit.

Theo’s hand closes over my forearm, tightly, in warning. He whispers, “You see him too?”

I nod. He rises from his seat—crouching low so we don’t block anyone’s view and create a disturbance—and I do the same as we slip out to the side of the auditorium.

A few people give us annoyed looks, but the only sound in the room remains Conley’s voice. “For generations now, people have dreaded World War Three. But they’re making a huge mistake. They’re expecting war to look the way it looked before.”

Nobody much is milling around in the corridors outside, except for a few harried assistants trying to prep for some kind of follow-up reception. So Theo and I go unnoticed as we try to figure out where, exactly, Paul might have gone. In a building this old, nothing is laid out quite like you’d expect.

“Through here, maybe?” Theo opens a door that leads into a darkened room, one empty of chairs or tables.

I follow him inside; as the door swings shut behind us, darkness seals us in, except for the faint glow of the tech we wear—our holoclips, or my security bracelet. We can hear Conley’s speech again, but muffled. “The next challenges humanity will face are going to be fundamentally different from any we’ve faced before. New threats, yes—but new opportunities, too.”

Then we hear something else. Footsteps.

Theo’s arm catches me across the belly as he pulls us both backward, until we’re standing against the wall, hiding in the most absolute darkness. Adrenaline rushes through me; my hair prickles on my scalp, and I can hardly catch my breath.

The steps come closer. Theo and I look over at each other, side by side in the dark, his hand firm against my stomach. It’s too dark for me to understand the expression in his eyes.

Then he whispers, “The far corner. Go.”

We break apart. I rush into the corner, like he said, while Theo walks straight toward the steps . . . which turn out to belong to a tall man in a uniform who doesn’t have a sense of humor.

I knew somebody like Wyatt Conley would have security.

“I only wanted to get an autograph afterward,” Theo says as he keeps going, leading the guard farther from me. “Do you think he’d sign my arm? I could tattoo the autograph on there forever!”

Probably Theo meant for me to get out of here while he distracts the guard. Instead I creep around closer to the stage, and to Paul.

From onstage, Conley says, “The dangers we have to fear aren’t the ones we’re used to. They’re coming from directions we never imagined.”

Theo protests as the guard backs him out of the room, “Oh, come on, no need to overreact—” The door swings shut again, and I can’t hear his voice any longer. I glance over my shoulder, as though looking for Theo would bring him back again—

—which is when Paul Markov’s hand clamps down over my mouth.

My father’s killer whispers, “Don’t scream.”

Due to shipping errors I ended up receiving two duplicate copies of A Thousand Pieces of You. And with permission from the publicist, I am giving these copies away to two lucky readers! To enter please fill out the Rafflecopter below!

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Rooms by Lauren Oliver

Title: Rooms
Author: Lauren Oliver
Genre: Paranormal Fiction
Series: N/A

Hardcover, 320 pages
Publication: September 23, 2014 by Ecco

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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Wealthy Richard Walker has just died, leaving behind his country house full of rooms packed with the detritus of a lifetime. His estranged family—bitter ex-wife Caroline, troubled teenage son Trenton, and unforgiving daughter Minna—have arrived for their inheritance.

But the Walkers are not alone. Prim Alice and the cynical Sandra, long dead former residents bound to the house, linger within its claustrophobic walls. Jostling for space, memory, and supremacy, they observe the family, trading barbs and reminiscences about their past lives. Though their voices cannot be heard, Alice and Sandra speak through the house itself—in the hiss of the radiator, a creak in the stairs, the dimming of a light bulb.

The living and dead are each haunted by painful truths that will soon surface with explosive force. When a new ghost appears, and Trenton begins to communicate with her, the spirit and human worlds collide—with cataclysmic results.

Rooms is the most unusual yet fascinating ghost story I’ve ever read. I have never read any of Ms. Oliver’s books, but I can see why she’s a bestseller; her writing is impeccable drawing me into the story right from the first page.
Rooms is a story about the Walker family returning to their father’s estate after his death to go over his belongings, the will, and his funeral and the two ghosts that still resides within the walls. Sandra and Alice are previous occupants of the house, but now in death they are trapped within the house bickering amongst themselves. The book explores the family’s past, their ups and down and how they’re coping with the lost of their father.

Rooms may be a ghost story but not in the sense of what most people refer to as ‘ghost stories’. It’s not scary, gruesome, nor spine-chilling. It’s a story about the living and the dead but mostly the living, exploring the lives of the Walker family. Rooms is narrated by six characters; The Walkers: Caroline (Mother, Ex-Wife), Minna (Daughter, Single mother), Trenton (Son) and Amy (Minna’s six-year-old daughter) and two ghosts: Alice and Sandra. The book alternates between all six characters, narrated in third-person with the Walkers and first-person with the ghosts.

I’m not usually a big fan of multiple narrations. Usually with this many narratives, authors sometimes lose some of the characters’ individuality/ uniqueness in trying to balance everything out. However, Oliver made it work and exceeded this challenge. She created a distinct voice for each of her characters. All of the characters were very realistic, beyond flawed but it was what made them and the story that much more riveting. It was very easy to follow each of the character’s story/narrative, even the two ghosts who at first seemed similar but as I got into the story it was easier to see that Sandra is more cynical and vulgar while Alice is laid back and conservative.

Rooms is a pretty dark and bleak book. The characters are all troubled, guilt-ridden and full of despair. And while these types of characters can usually be off-putting, Oliver writes tragic characters well…making readers want to get to know the characters and their history/past. I loved the ending, it was very bitter-sweet and Oliver wrapped up all the loose ends perfectly.

There are many negative reviews of this book. Many of them from readers following the author from her YA series to her new adult book…and while I haven’t read her YA series/book this is definitely not YA. Rooms deals with a lot of adult issues and has a lot of adult content that isn’t suitable for anyone under seventeen. With that being said, I really enjoyed Rooms and highly recommend it. Don’t let all the negative reviews dissuade you from reading this one; there is a lot to like. I’m really glad I read this book. Rooms is a beautifully written novel with unique and distinct characters and an engaging plot that will be with me long after I read it. Read it, you won’t be disappointed!