The Rook by Daniel O'Malley

"The body you are wearing used to be mine." So begins the letter Myfanwy Thomas is holding when she awakes in a London park surrounded by bodies all wearing latex gloves. With no recollection of who she is, Myfanwy must follow the instructions her former self left behind to discover her identity and track down the agents who want to destroy her.
She soon learns that she is a Rook, a high-ranking member of a secret organization called the Chequy that battles the many supernatural forces at work in Britain. She also discovers that she possesses a rare, potentially deadly supernatural ability of her own.
In her quest to uncover which member of the Chequy betrayed her and why, Myfanwy encounters a person with four bodies, an aristocratic woman who can enter her dreams, a secret training facility where children are transformed into deadly fighters, and a conspiracy more vast than she ever could have imagined.
Filled with characters both fascinating and fantastical, THE ROOK is a richly inventive, suspenseful, and often wry thriller that marks an ambitious debut from a promising young writer.


Goodreads Summary


Myfanwy's life is complicated.  She tells her tale via letters and a body that she apparently inhabits.  She discovers that she has not really lost her memory, but shifted to another body.  She left herself letters detailing how to keep herself safe and is able to learn about the events that led up to this point in time.  The reader will enjoy learning about Myfanwy alongside Myfanwy in possibly the best way to get to know a main character an author has ever crafted.  Myfanwy is in danger, but she can try to prevent any impending harm by reading the letters quickly.

The author creates a different world where the characters are not quite who they appear to be and one must always be on his/her toes to stay alive.  Myfanwy goes from uncertain to organized very quickly, her character is one of those rare strong female characters.  The other characters on not focused upon as much, but the reader does get two sides to Myfanwy-the organized, more out-spoken Myfanwy and the less charismatic, worn Myfanwy of the letters.  The events of this book were fast-paced and innovative, there were a few scenes that the reader will remember until the end of the book and be happy for it.  This book is recommended to young adult/adult readers.

4 Stars

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Little Women and Me By: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Emily is sick and tired of being a middle sister. So when she gets an assignment to describe what she'd change about a classic novel, Emily pounces on Little Women. After all, if she can't change things in her own family, maybe she can bring a little justice to the March sisters. (Kill off Beth? Have cute Laurie wind up with Amy instead of Jo? What was Louisa May Alcott thinking?!) But when Emily gets mysteriously transported into the 1860s world of the book, she discovers that righting fictional wrongs won't be easy. And after being immersed in a time and place so different from her own, it may be Emily-not the four March sisters-who undergoes the most surprising change of all. Lauren Baratz-Logsted's winning confection will appeal to fans of Little Women as well as anyone who enjoys a modern twist on an old favorite.
Goodreads Summary


Feeling ignored and upstaged by her older and younger sisters, middle child Emily March receives an assignment from her freshman English teacher. What one thing would she change about a favorite book to make it perfect? While she ponders whether preventing Beth’s death or fixing Jo’s romance would make Little Women perfect, Emily March finds herself pulled into the book. She finds herself sitting in the March living room listening to Jo bemoan the absence of presents at Christmas.
Since she’s joined the March family and there is only one boy in sight, Emily decides that Laurie will be her boyfriend. The author and Marmee point out that each of the sisters has one character flaw which needs correcting. Emily realizes that her flaw is jealousy. By admiring Jo and loving Beth,…by trying to fix a problem in the story, Emily hopes to return to her own time and family. Her observations about life in 1860s America are both funny and touching. 

Anyone who loved reading Little Women will enjoy this book. Many of us absolutely agree with Emily about the changes she contemplates making to the original storyline.

Four stars 


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Winners!

Moonlight and Oranges: Kathryn, Darcus, Dakotagirl

ARC Giveaway winner: Mattie King *there will be another giveaway coming soon*

Havoc by Jeff Sampson

Emily Webb thought life would return to normal after the death of the man who attacked her and her fellow “Deviants.” Or as normal as it could be, after discovering that she has nighttime superpowers . . . and she’s a werewolf. But when Emily awakes one night to find an otherworldy Shadowman watching her, she knows the danger has only just begun.

So Emily and her pack-mates set out to find the people who made them what they are, and why. But as they get closer to the truth, they realize they aren’t the only ones in town with special powers: The most popular girls in school might just have a secret of their own–and they might just have it out for Emily.

With shadowy beings stalking them, a mysterious company doing all it can to keep the truth hidden, and the secrecy of her new identity in jeopardy, life threatens to spiral out of control for Emily. Soon these dangers will come together in one terrifying confrontation that may force her to make the toughest choice of her life . . . so far.

Goodreads Summary

Emily is still the main character in this novel.  Author Jeff Sampson takes the reader on a rapid mystery tinged with romance and packed with action.  Reader who enjoyed the first book should pick up this next novel in the series.  Emily tells her story, an odd tale involving modern science and altered genes.  The reader picks up more information surrounding the mystery in this next novel and gets to know the characters better.  A new character is introduced, one that changes the dynamic between Emily and her "mates'" relationship. 

Emily hits several new obstacles in this novel.  The popular girls at school are snubbing her at times and downright bullying her in others, for a reason Emily doesn't know.  The new pack-mate adds a new element to the pack and forces Emily to reevaluate her own relationships.  More mystery is added to the overall plot.  There is a lot going on in this novel, the reader may have a hard time keeping the events straight.  Overall, this book is great for those who enjoyed the first or prefer young adult action novels.

4 Stars

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This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.