Spooktober Recommends: Murder

Hey guuyyys! 

So it's very nearly Halloween which means this is pretty much the last recommends post, I've got one left but it's different to these ones! I should also remind you guys that my giveaway ends tomorrow, so head to my Twitter and check out the pinned tweet before it's too late! 

SO. Today's recommends post. Murder....*evil laughter* 

Can't have Halloween without some blood and guts and murder! 

1. Nevernight

Destined to destroy empires, Mia Covere is only ten years old when she is given her first lesson in death.

Six years later, the child raised in shadows takes her first steps towards keeping the promise she made on the day that she lost everything.

But the chance to strike against such powerful enemies will be fleeting, so if she is to have her revenge, Mia must become a weapon without equal. She must prove herself against the deadliest of friends and enemies, and survive the tutelage of murderers, liars and demons at the heart of a murder cult.

The Red Church is no Hogwarts, but Mia is no ordinary student.

The shadows love her. And they drink her fear.

Okay so I had to include this because it's a completely brilliant, blood soaked read and I just feel like it's a great Halloween read because of all the blood and gore and murder and the atmosphere. Plus I really love this book and everyone needs to read it like NOW. 


2. The Diviners

Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."

When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first. 

Yet another of my favourite reads! This is perfect for Halloween, it's so creepy and like...I read it in one go because I kept reading and then it hit four am and I was like...well...I'm too freaked out to sleep so I'll just finish it off...and there we go! Genuinely such a good read you guys! 


3. Made For You

Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital to discover an attempt has been made on her life. But who in her sleepy town could have hit her with their car? And why? Before she can consider the question, she finds that she's awoken with a strange new skill: the ability to foresee people's deaths when they touch her.

While she is recovering from the hit-and-run, Nate, an old friend, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva's power to keep her friends - and themselves – alive. But the killer is obsessed and will stop at nothing to get to Eva…

This is the first book I read by Melissa Marr, and so far the only one, some of her others are on my list I just haven't gotten around to it yet! I loved this, it was so well done and really kept me guessing until the end! 



4. The Naturals

Cassie Hobbes is not like most teenagers. Most teenagers don’t lose their mother in a bloody, unsolved kidnapping. Most teenagers can’t tell who you are, where you’re from and how you’re likely to behave within moments of meeting you. And most teenagers don’t get chosen to join The Naturals.

Identified by the FBI as uniquely gifted, Cassie is recruited to an elite school where a small number of teens are trained to hone their exceptional abilites.

For Cassie, trying to make friends with the girls, and to figure out the two very different, very hot boys, is challenging enough. But when a serial killer begins recreating the details of her mother’s horrific crime scene, she realises just how dangerous life in The Naturals could be...

If you love Criminal Minds you're going to love this, it's like a YA version of Criminal Minds and it's so good! I breezed through this in one go, and the sequel, I've been waiting ages for the paperback of the third one to come out for ageeesssss now! 


5. Jackaby

Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain it’s a nonhuman creature, whose existence the police--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--deny.

I'm about to start this one very soon, and I've heard nothing but good things about it! I do love a historical read, especially when it sounds as fun as this one does! And ya know....murder with a supernatural twist! 




6. Stalking Jack The Ripper

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world. 

This book was SO DAMN GOOD you guys! It was really, really creepy yet I found myself reading it at night mostly like an idiot! I loved the writing, I loved the plot and the research that went in to it and I loved Audrey Rose, she was a brilliant main character and her romance with Thomas was freaking adorable! 

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Wishing For Wednesday #88

Helloooo! 
How's everyone doing? I've got another couple of exciting reads to share with you guys! I think you'll be interested! 
First up is the sequel to a debut that was one of my favourite books of last year, it was so original and fun and just awesome! I've been looking forward to this book to another level! 
The second book for this week is the first book in a new series by an author that I love, and I've been meaning to check it out for ages and now it's coming out in paperback!

The Inquisition

On trial for a crime he did not commit, Fletcher must face the Inquisition who will decide his future - the process is gruelling, lead by those who will do anything to see him suffer and haunted by ghosts from the past with clues to Fletcher's tragic origins. 

But Fletcher has little time to dwell on these new revelations when the King announces a deadly challenge to the graduating students at Vocans. One that involves entering Orc territory to complete a risky mission. With loyal demons by their sides, commoners and nobles, dwarves and elves must overcome barriers of class and race and work together in triumph. The reward: a fortune in gold, the safety of an empire and PEACE. 

With the entire empire watching, Fletcher has much to prove, but there are those out to get him and it soon becomes clear that there's a traitor in their midst, trying to thwart the mission and create unrest within the Empire. 

With everything stacked against him, Fletcher must use everything in his power to fight his way to victory. 

The Inquisition is out May 5th, pre-order your copy.....here! 
Add it to your TBR...here!

The Fixer

Sixteen-year-old Tess Kendrick has spent her entire life on her grandfather's ranch. But when her estranged sister Ivy uproots her to D.C., Tess is thrown into a world that revolves around politics and power. She also starts at Hardwicke Academy, the D.C. school for the children of the rich and powerful, where she unwittingly becomes a fixer for the high school set, fixing teens’ problems the way her sister fixes their parents’ problems.

And when a conspiracy surfaces that involves the family member of one of Tess's classmates, love triangles and unbelievable family secrets come to light and life gets even more interesting—and complicated—for Tess.

The Fixer is out May10th, pre-order your copy....here! 

Add it to your TBR....here!

November TBR

It's that time of month, when the review books are done and you turn to your TBR shelf or pile, depending on how unable to resist buying books you are, to decide what to read for the rest of the month. 
I've been in such a re-read kind of mood, and I've been desperate to re-read a certain series that I love because it always cheers me up, so I've spent last week doing that, I'm actually typing this on Saturday and by the time you guys read this...I will have finished the re-read! Anyway, I've been procrastinating from reading for no particular reason at all, I'm not really in a reading slump so it doesn't make any sense. It's been taking me longer to read books than usual and it's annoying. 
Considering I'm nearly done with the re-read I figured it was time to work out what I'm going to read for the rest of the month. I have quite the stuffed TBR shelf and it was a challenge working it out!

As you can see, I've got 6 books, two of which are the final books in my re-read, but I may or may not end up reading more than the ones I've chosen...depending on how fast I read and what other stuff I have to do! 

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep

Midnight Frost is the fifth book in the Mythos academy series, and in my re-read. Like I said, I've been in a re-read mood anyway, and considering how things are going, I was desperate to get to this one as it always cheers me up, even if it is a liiiiiiitttlleeee bit cheesy sometimes! 

Killer Frost by Jennifer Estep

Killer Frost is, obviously, the final book in the series. I'm really hoping to have finished this on Sunday, which is tomorrow for me as I'm writing this and like.....way past for you guys reading this! You'll be able to tell by when I post my Currently Reading photos if I managed it! This book doesn't half give me the feels though! 

A Mad Zombie Party by Gena Showalter

A Mad Zombie Party is the surprise fourth book in the White Rabbit Chronicles series. Originally it was just a trilogy but then the author was like "here have a fourth book". I am excited to read it, really I am, and I picked it for this month because towards the end of October I actually re-read the other three, so I figured I'd read this while the last book is still semi fresh in my memory. I am kind of nervous however, considering what happened in the last book and what's probably going to happen in this. I might get really annoyed hahaha. 

The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker 

Ever since this book came out I've been itching to get hold of it, and when Halloween rolled around, I finally picked it up because ya know...Halloween. But with everything going on in October I didn't actually have the time to read the abundance of Halloween books that I wanted to, it was all review books mostly! SO, I figured I'd finally read it this month! 

The School For Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

So, I won the entire trilogy in a competition last month, and I always see people raving about these books, so I figured...why not read the first one. This will probably end up with me reading the other two books right after, so I probably should have included them in this but we'll see! 

At First Sight by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

This has been sitting on my TBR shelf since it came out, which is quite a while I think! I'm a huge fan of the authors books, I've read everything by her except for this....obviously, and the new The Naturals book. I'm torn with that because at the minute it's only out in hardback and all my other books are in paperback and it'll probably annoy me if I get the hardback but then I really want to read it so yeah. #BookishProblems right?! 

Let me know what's on your November TBR down in the comments! 

Wishing For Wednesday #44

I would say I've got some gems for you this week, but I always say that and it's always true!
First up is the sequel to a debut that I loved a ridiculous amount when I got to review it last summer, and I'm so excited for the sequel, I've been waiting so impatiently!
Second up is a new book by one of my favourite authors, I pretty much love everything she writes so of course it made my TBR anyway, but if that doesn't seal the deal for you, it's described as Pretty Little Liars meets Heist Society!

The Hunter's Kind

Krish once believed himself but a humble goatherd, but now knows he's the son of the king of Ashanesland - and the moon god reborn, as foretold. Now, with his allies Dae Hyo and the mage Olufemi by his side, Krish has begun to sieze control of Ashanesland... and receive the worship he is due.

But Kirsh has many enemies, including Sang Ki, the bastard lord, who has discovered the key to Krish's overthow in the distant Moon Forest. There lives a girl named Cwen, a disciple of the god known only as the Hunter. And she has made it her life's mission to seek out Krish and destroy him.

If Krish has any hope of defeating his enemies, he must travel to the forbidden Mirror Town and unlock the secrets of its powerful magic. And the price of his victory may be much greater than the consequences of his defeat.

The Hunter's Kind is out July 2nd, pre-order your copy....here!

Add it to your TBR.....here!

The Fixer

When sixteen-year-old Tess Kendrick is sent to live with her older sister, Ivy, she has no idea that the infamous Ivy Kendrick is Washington D.C.'s #1 “fixer,” known for making politicians' scandals go away for a price. No sooner does Tess enroll at Hardwicke Academy than she unwittingly follows in her sister's footsteps and becomes D.C.'s premier high school fixer, solving problems for elite teens.

Secrets pile up as each sister lives a double life. . . . until their worlds come crashing together and Tess finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy with one of her classmates and a client of Ivy's. Suddenly, there is much more on the line than good grades, money, or politics, and the price for this fix might be more than Tess is willing to pay.

The Fixer is out July 7th, pre-order your copy....here!

Add it to your TBR.....here!

Killer Instinct

Killer Instinct
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy!
Source: Copy courtesy of the Publisher!
File Under: Pleasantly creepy, Criminal Minds for teens.

Still dealing with the events from The Naturals, when Cassie faced her serial killer aunt, Cassie is also trying to avoid feeling anything for either Dean or Michael, torn between the two, and she's going to have to make a decision. Luckily for Cassie, a distraction from said decision soon makes itself apparent.

A new agent, Agent Sterling, one with an interesting connection to both Briggs and Dean has moved in to the house. She's there to evaluate the programme after what happened in the Summer, and she's a stickler for following the rules. The consequences when you don't follow them? Ankle trackers. Seriously. But it's kind of hard to follow the rules when a new case for Briggs and Sterling hits very close to home.

Victims start turning up, killed by a murderer with the exact same MO as Dean's father, Daniel Redding, and there is far more to this case than meets the eye. The Naturals just can't help but break some rules to investigate for Dean's sake, but it's not long before our favourite teens are officially pulled in to help on the case. Dean finds it hard to not only be thinking about his father again, but actually having to see him. The team are going to have to sift through a serial killers mind games, half truths and dressed up lies to solve the case and put the copycat behind bars. Cassie will come face to face with Dean's father. Decisions will be made. Truths will come out and one member of the team will be put in immediate danger. But......is the killer really who it appears to be?

I totally went all voice-over "Next Week on The Naturals" but whatever. You guys can feel from my words just how full of tension and action this book is. I mean woah. I hate to say this but....I think I'm loving the series more than the Raised By Wolves series, which I thought was impossible but apparently not so!

I'm a huge Criminal Minds fan, in the sense that I'll watch each episode as it airs each week ONCE, because if I try to marathon it and watch a season in a day, I get majorly freaked out, and I'm sure some people know exactly what I'm talking about, a friend of mine certainly did! So I watched up to season 4 then just cut to the new season! This series, for me, is like a teen Criminal Minds, and I love it. It's the right level of creepy with how Cassie and Dean get in to the killers head, and the little view points from the killer, which I love I mean way to add mystery and intrigue while giving nothing away! I like to search them for clues and then still be totally wrong. It really sets such a perfect, creepy vibe!

I re-read The Naturals before reading this, just to get in the zone and back up to speed, but also so I can say that Killer Instinct carries on perfectly from The Naturals. Time has passed, but you're straight back in with Cassie and her dealing with things and then other things start happening ASAP. I love how there's no faffing for x amount of chapters, it's straight in and action from the go. The pace for this is fantastically fast, with the right atmosphere to the book and the right amount of tension that gets ratcheted up at the exact right moment until you're turning pages so fast you're in danger of genuinely injuring yourself!

I really enjoy the characters. All of them are so genuine, all have different backstories, and all are written so incredibly well that they truly come to life, I love how they all fit together to create a team. I especially love how a little nugget of information about each character is given away in each book, we don't have a full picture for Sloane, and Lia's background yet, but we have a pretty much complete one for Dean and I'm not sure if we've got everything about Michael yet. But I love how you get it bit by bit, so your opinion of the character and perspective of them grows and changes. Lia is a great example, and how she changes and her whole thing with Dean. Love me some Lia! I really love Sloane too and I'm hoping for more of her next book! She's so adorably awkward with her facts and SHE'S TOO CUTE AND I JUST WANT TO HUG HER.

Cassie, is a character I connected with and empathized from the beginning, and in this book that is still true. In Killer Instinct, every decision she made, was a decision that in my opinion, any regular person would have made (mostly). Most of her reactions are realistic and so on, and she's an excellent narrator, engaging and at times humorous. Every character has a flaw, and is damaged in some way and it makes every single one of them more believable and realistic than if they'd been perfect, and you can empathize with every single character and most of the time it's not hard to work out certain characters motivations in their actions. All of them are a truly unique cast of characters to go with this unique series.

The love triangle is perfectly written. I mean, usually when you have a love triangle you just KNOW who the girl is going to choose and who the obvious choice is, in this series, I have never been sure, and quite frankly, I am torn between the two, a decision is made in this installment between the two, and I'm excited to see where the relationship is going to go, to see if her choice is going to keep this new, better behaviour *frantically tries to word this correctly without spoilers* or if he'll revert back and it'll be all "Ugh I will punch you if you don't sort it out". Both boys where damaged in their own way and their individual reactions to the decision will be interesting. I mean there's no guarantee it's over, things might change. We shall see, but I have to give props to Jennifer for doing an incredibly well written love triangle that kept me guessing! It's a very rare occurrence!

The plot was complex. I thought I had worked out who the killer was by picking up on the little clues scattered throughout the book, and trying to be Cassie and fitting the person to the profile. But then I got one hell of a plot twist and I was wrong....but then there was another plot twist and I was right. This book is incredible. I say this because it's not often I have no idea what's going to happen next, and it's not often that I haven't clocked where the book is going by the first quarter. I literally, just kept getting hit with shocking plot twist after shocking plot twist, and I was just sat there like.....nooooooooooooooo! I loved how Jennifer messed with me, when I thought I had it figured out and then I thought I was wrong but then it was revealed I was right, after I thought I was wrong I was frantically trying to decide which of my other suspects it was and lets just say I won't be changing my career to detective any time soon! I just really love being kept guessing and the plot for Killer Instinct will certainly do that.
Complex, with many threads woven in to it, it's incredibly well thought out and written, especially with how it connects to the first book and with the threads from Deans past. Astounding. Such an incredible amount of research has so clearly gone in to this book!

The setting is another unique thing, I mean a house with casual pictures of serial killers on the wall! I was pleased to see the house get shaken up with Sterlings arrival and I'm loving the new dynamic! Regarding world and the rest of the setting, I've actually been to Virginia, my Uncle is in the marines and they where stationed there for a while so I've been to Quantico, I've been around Virginia and we did the whole touristy drive around DC when my Uncle was in a marathon. It was, however, back in 2009, but the world building for the book brought the memories flooding back and added to my mental image map of the area!

Killer Instinct is a fascinating and strong second installment to a series with an incredibly unique (At least to me) premise. Fast paced, full of tension and mystery, with plenty of action, it really is  near impossible to put this book down, especially when the tension really ramps up and you KNOW the big reveal is coming! Try your hand at being detective and using the killer's POV and Cassie's profile to work out who it is, or don't, either way this book is going to get your brain working as you try to figure out just what is going to happen next, and I can guarantee whatever you think you know, is going to be wrong because there are some incredibly huge plot twists that are going to bitch slap you.

Killer Instinct has raised the stakes and changed the rules, and I'm excited to see where it goes next, and who where going to learn more about next! Bring on round three!

(This review has made me realize how much I use exclamation points instead of full stops because I think if I use a full stop I'll sound really blah and not totally psyched by the book!) (<<<<There I go again)