The Best Books I Read in 2014

The Best Books I Read in 2014

 

1) The Glass Casket by McCormick Templeman
My thoughts:
This was a beautifully written gothic romance with dark fairy tale ties.
Synopsis
Death hasn't visited Rowan Rose since it took her mother when Rowan was only a little girl. But that changes one bleak morning, when five horses and their riders thunder into her village and through the forest, disappearing into the hills. Days later, the riders' bodies are found, and though no one can say for certain what happened in their final hours, their remains prove that whatever it was must have been brutal.

Rowan's village was once a tranquil place, but now things have changed. Something has followed the path those riders made and has come down from the hills, through the forest, and into the village. Beast or man, it has brought death to Rowan's door once again.

Only this time, its appetite is insatiable.

2)Sweet Unrest by Lisa Maxwell
For my thoughts and Synopsis see the Review I wrote

http://hauntedgravebooks.blogspot.com/2014/11/sweet-unrest-by-lisa-maxwell.html

3)Welcome to the Dark House by Laurie Faria Stolarz
My thoughts: This was a GREAT Young Adult Horror novel, that had very disturbing imagery, a little gore, a hint of a ghost and kept me wanting to read long into the afternoon.
Synopsis:
For Ivy Jensen, it’s the eyes of a killer that haunt her nights. For Parker Bradley, it’s bloodthirsty sea serpents that slither in his dreams.

And for seven essay contestants, it’s their worst nightmares that win them an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at director Justin Blake’s latest, confidential project. Ivy doesn’t even like scary movies, but she’s ready to face her real-world fears. Parker’s sympathetic words and perfect smile help keep her spirits up. . . at least for now.

Not everyone is so charming, though. Horror-film fanatic Garth Vader wants to stir up trouble. It’s bad enough he has to stay in the middle of nowhere with this group—the girl who locks herself in her room; the know-it-all roommate; “Mister Sensitive”; and the one who’s too cheery for her own good. Someone has to make things interesting.

Except, things are already a little weird. The hostess is a serial-killer look-alike, the dream-stealing Nightmare Elf is lurking about, and the seventh member of the group is missing.



4)The Midnight Dress by Karen Foxlee

Want to see what I thought and what it's about...Check out my Review

http://hauntedgravebooks.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-midnight-dress-karen-foxlee.html

5)The Fall by Bethany Griffin

http://hauntedgravebooks.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-fall-by-bethany-griffin.html

6)This House is Haunted by John Boyne
My Thoughts:
This was a great gothic horror novel, about two children who are haunted by their mother's ghost who kills or frightens away anyone who tries to care for or love her children. It had a great historical feel, with brilliant writing that made me shiver with hints of fear.
Synopsis:
1867. Eliza Caine arrives in Norfolk to take up her position as governess at Gaudlin Hall on a dark and chilling night. As she makes her way across the station platform, a pair of invisible hands push her from behind into the path of an approaching train. She is only saved by the vigilance of a passing doctor.

When she finally arrives, shaken, at the hall she is greeted by the two children in her care, Isabella and Eustace. There are no parents, no adults at all, and no one to represent her mysterious employer. The children offer no explanation. Later that night in her room, a second terrifying experience further reinforces the sense that something is very wrong.

From the moment she rises the following morning, her every step seems dogged by a malign presence which lives within Gaudlin’s walls. Eliza realises that if she and the children are to survive its violent attentions, she must first uncover the hall’s long-buried secrets and confront the demons of its past

7)The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine

See my Review here

8)Sea of Shadows by Kelly Armstrong
My Thoughts: Plot and action driven YA with fantasy world building, strong female characters and good writing, while being a little dark and very creative.
Synopsis:
In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire’s worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned.

Only this year, the souls will not be quieted.

Ambushed and separated by an ancient evil, the sisters’ journey to find each other sends them far from the only home they’ve ever known. Accompanied by a stubborn imperial guard and a dashing condemned thief, the girls cross a once-empty wasteland, now filled with reawakened monsters of legend, as they travel to warn the emperor. But a terrible secret awaits them at court—one that will alter the balance of their world forever.


9) The Savages by Matt Whyman


Check out my Review to see what its about cannibals and what I thought.

10)The Witch With No Name by Kim Harrison

My Thoughts:
The last book of this series and it ends perfectly, just a great series ending where pretty much everyone get their happily ever after.
Synopsis:
Rachel Morgan's come a long way from the clutzy runner of Dead Witch Walking. She's faced vampires and werewolves, banshees, witches, and soul-eating demons. She's crossed worlds, channeled gods, and accepted her place as a day-walking demon. She's lost friends and lovers and family, and an old enemy has become something much more.

But power demands responsibility, and world-changers must always pay a price. That time is now.

To save Ivy's soul and the rest of the living vampires, to keep the demonic ever after and our own world from destruction, Rachel Morgan will risk everything

Stray by Elissa Sussman

I am grateful for my father, who keeps me good and sweet. I am grateful for my mother, who keeps her own heart guarded and safe. I am grateful for my adviser, who keeps me protected. I am grateful for the Path, which keeps me pure. Ever after.

Princess Aislynn has long dreamed about attending her Introduction Ball, about dancing with the handsome suitors her adviser has chosen for her, about meeting her true love and starting her happily ever after.

When the night of the ball finally arrives and Nerine Academy is awash with roses and royalty, Aislynn wants nothing more than to dance the night away, dutifully following the Path that has been laid out for her. She does not intend to stray.

But try as she might, Aislynn has never quite managed to control the magic that burns within her-magic brought on by wicked, terrible desires that threaten the Path she has vowed to take.

After all, it is wrong to want what you do not need. Isn’t it?

It took me a while to actually get into this book, there were so many things I didn't like...So I think I shall start out with what I did. This is getting 3 stars and that's because the writing was solid, the characters had depth and the plot was character driven. The world building was a little simple but good, descriptions interesting and while the plot was, again, simple fairy tale format it was entertaining...mostly.

However there was so much in the plot I didn't like, so many times I wanted the smack the MC. Especially since the MC does not figure out her "Path" it utter and complete bull shit, even after she is basically tortured by a head mistress with a spindle, until about the last 50 pages of the 362 page book. In this word women are second class citizens who are "cursed" with magic and when it shows up they are sent to boarding school to learn sewing and etiquette etc... and how to rein in their magic...Unless they are commoners that is, then they are used as slave labor with custody spells and can use magic for chores. Fairy Godmother's can also use magic, and these are women who failed at boarding school or didn't get married within a year or so of turning 17. So they are Redirected and their loving heart is taken from them and they are basically the ladies-in-waiting (read keepers and tattle talers) of the wealthy upper class girls. Also did I mention based on your class you have to wear one specific color? Red for high royalty, blue for second (which is our MC), green for third and yellow for the last of the upper class, then you have the yucky! commoners.

The MC spends almost the whole book hating herself, trying to be good, feeling sorry for herself and just not getting a clue...She is actually pretty stupid...I know it's because of how she is raised, but MAN it took forever for her to realize how she was treated was crap. Starting with an older man (her advisor) trying to feel her up and ending with the fact she uses her magic to self harm because it's the only way she can get control over it...She is basically a magic cutter. At no point does the novel make it clear that self harm is WRONG and not a solution.

I made some notes about some of the things that bothered me the most...I will just list them here.

WARNING: Now I get I am supposed to think this place/world/school is horrible...but this story doesn't read like a satire and the MC never fully goes, "wow everything they taught me is bull shit." One day she just decides she doesn't like the path anymore, not that she doesn't believe the brain washing....she just wants to date the handsome servant boy and not get picked on...that's about as far as her thought process of "straying" goes. And btw this school she is in uses SEVERE and DISTURBING scare tactics and punishment.

1) It is made very clear the MC is not attractive (even though she is: MARY SUE) and that while she would like love she will be happy to simply get married because someone will get to be King if they marry her. She is OK with this, cause, "that's just the way it is." Barf

2) Page ten last line (The MC is talking about wanting to ask this girl to be her Lady-in Waiting, aka BFF) " young maidens were encouraged to find such a companion so they would refrain from annoying their husbands with the silly topics of conversation women preferred." At no point does the MC ever decide this is baloney. This line is just here in the story to stay...Cause you know us lady folk simply just talk about our period and hair dos.

3)Page 11, first line, "Occasionally there were rumors of friendships that had developed further than was appropriate, but advisers were quick to extinguish any such entanglements." This is mentioned a few times and honestly I felt the author was making a negative stance on lesbianism since the MC never actually says, "who cares?" There are hints of romance between two girls that I think would have made the book better had they explored it. Also as you are reading you understand that by extinguish the advisers usually get rid of one of the girls, not nicely.

4)Page 15, lines 11 and 12 "Aislynn reminded herself that she was the one to blame. She wouldn't be treated this way if she didn't deserve it." Ugh....is that abuse I just read?

5) Page 120 (There was a ton more...but I've stuck to only those things that REALLY bothered me) lines 15-19 , "The Book is where a maiden's magical occurrences are recorded," Brigid dried her hands and turned to Aislnn. "The headmistress maintains it, and it is passed on to the girl's husband once she marries. He keeps track of any continuing events after the wedding." What this passage doesn't reveal is if you are badly behaved afterwards he can have you Redirected to Fairy Godmother, and keep all your lands and wealth and re marry.



Lastly, you find out at the end that the MC's mother self harms with as well. When the MC expresses how she doesn't think she can have the life they want her parents tell her they don't care as long as she is SAFE and keep everything hidden, her mother shows her the bottom of her foot where she cuts herself and steps on it to remind herself not to use magic and to be good and follow the path. Her parents do eventually come to realize they just want their daughter alive and are pretty decent, but COME ON.

Ugh... I can't write anymore, most of this novel just made me furious. So Bright Blessings and read on...just maybe not this.