When I first saw the title, I instantly thought of that song from The Fugees. Then I thought “Oh hey, that’s neat. I want to read this.” So yeah. The thought still stands: I want to read this.

The cover does absolute wonders for me. It’s not overly interesting, but the soiled white rose does leave me pondering incessantly. Is that blood? Red paint? A questionably spilt wine? I also happen to enjoy the vines wrapped around the lettering. It’s simple, excluding that rose (the red liquid is a lot questionable)-it’s actually pretty sweet. You know what else is sweet? Fairytales. Which is exactly what this book promises. I don’t think Sarah Cross is giving it the typical Disney spin.

“…In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems—the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who’s a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.”

I’m a total sucker for twisty fairytales and this looks like it’s mild on the twist. From what I could assume from the summary, the main character Mirabelle hasn’t taken on any well known happily ever after identity and I’m wondering what role she will play. All these words about curses and hidden pasts and destiny just gets my curiousity peaked to it’s highest. Will sixteen year old Mirabelle find her happily ever after, fairy tale fate? Or will she be cursed with a dark past as well as a darkened future?

How omnious is that?

When I get my hands on it, I’ll be sure to let you know!

-S

(Source: dreamingwithink.wordpress.com)

Title: The Night Watchman Express
Author: Alison DeLuca
Publisher: Fantasy Island
Type of book: Paperback
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Steampunk
Pages: 324

This book right here, every time I look at the cover I get instant goose bumps. This story is a bit different than what I usually go for, but the story line just seemed so freakishly disturbing that I knew I have to get it.

Miriam, an orphan who is toughing it out in the world, whose only real fears lie with Night Watchman Express, a train who takes people at random and drags them to this mysteriously evil location. There, people say experimentations occur at the old factory and once you get in…you are most likely never heard from again. Now imagine that, you have no one but yourself, stuck in what I am imagining is a pretty big house and hearing that terrifying train run by your house every night.

Oh and did I mention you’re alone? That is some messed up business. I would be so worried about falling asleep and knowing maybe they might catch me. Say hello to too much coffee and a life dedicated to being an insomniac. Of course, that’s not all with the story, poor Miriam just got herself some new family-mates, the Marchpanes, who are harbouring a secret or two and are rumoured to be linked to the NEW. We mustn’t forget their lovely (or maybe not) son Simon who is far from being Miriam’s best person in the world.

But you know what they, if you can’t love friends love your enemies…I hope that’s the saying anyway.

Also, as you can guess that nobody escapes The NWE as poor Miriam and Simon become its new passengers and what awaits them is danger, evil, and jailers who are more than just a pretty face. The part of the jailers I must admit, I got an image of a scene in that movie Silent hill where Radha Mitchell’s character is stuck in a dark basement with zombie nurses…creepy. If you haven’t seen the movie, no worries, my head just likes making associations.

I am suspecting this might be a trilogy (please don’t let it be!) but tis is the trend so I hope nothing but a delicious time. I also hope I have gathered your interest. As for me, I am going hunting

Tootles all!
Meli

(Source: dreamingwithink.wordpress.com)

Enough

She was tired of playing the role of prey, this time she wanted to be the attacker…the victor and wakeup from this nightmare. Too many lives had been lost, sacrificed for the greed of beings striving to create a new war weapon, super soldiers they had called them, a tool meant to save a nation. They had no idea of the tears she cried at the loss of her comrades, her family, the only people who truly cared for her wellbeing.

She long dreamed of a world outside the stoned walls which kept her imprisoned. She wanted to make her own destiny, and to carry the hopes of her fallen friends on her shoulders was hard, but the day when they took Pip, her dearest of friends away through those metal doors and watching it shut, she saw herself at that moment and knew this had to end.

She was young. She was not a fighter like Pip, nor brave like Lori, neither smart like Olive and Devin, lastly, she certainly was not cunning like Rocco. She felt alone and powerless, but then she remembers Pip’s words before the took him and the tender smile he gave her before pulling her into his arms and embracing her as if it was the last time they would meet.

“Zara, whatever happens and no matter how hard it will be, promise me that you’ll escape. And once you reach the other side of that wall you don’t running, never stop you hear me?”

“What about you? Pip I can’t do this alone.” Zara chocked as she buried herself deeper into his faded shirt, inhaling his scent and holding on for dear life.

“Don’t worry about me,” he chuckled as he stroked her back comfortingly, “You’re all that’s left and you are the only one who can tell our story. So promise me Zara.”

With a tear streaked face she gave him a smile and promised that she would make him proud. So when the doctors came and left she knew it was her turn to act. Her eyes darted quickly for a way out, feeling a steady breeze she looked up and her lips curled. Inside the white room was a ventilation tunnel, she had seen her friends use it before to sneak into the kitchen and back. The screws were loose so she made quick work of them once she climbed up the chair. Once inside she started to crawl, her heart was beating rapidly, knowing that anything could go wrong and ruin everything. 

One wrong turn could send her straight to the enemy and she would face whatever awaited her behind the metal doors. What Zara did excel in was memorization, and luckily Pip had shown her the buildings blueprints weeks ahead of time just in case they had a chance like this, but this time there was no team, there was only her and she needed to make it.

Turning so many lefts and rights Zara wondered if perhaps the adrenaline of it all made her mistake a step along the way. Her breathing was coming in short pants and panic was overwhelming her system. What made her think she could do this? Why had she promised Pip such a thing? He should be doing the escaping, not her. Stopping in her movements she pulled her hands to her mouth to muffle her cries. Curling into a tiny ball she felt so small and weak. It wasn’t meant to end like this she told herself, she had a purpose and it was meant to fuel her. She had to tell their story and she would be dammed if she failed. Drying her tears she took a deep breath and set off again.

And just like that her hard work paid off as she smelt cool air and felt the mud under her fingers and dirtying her clothes while crawling out from the hole. Looking behind her she saw she was out of the building, but far from safe. So she ran and kept running like Pip said. It wasn’t until she found cement grounding that she allowed herself to slow down and catch a breath. Hands on her thighs she bent over and took in the different smells around her, and then she saw it…two bright lights approaching her.

Standing up she turn to face the lights as they got closer and closer. Then a head popped out from the window of the car, it was woman looking as confused as she was. The woman’s voice called to her, a sweet voice laced with concern asking her if she was alright and if she needed a lift. Smiling she approached the car climbed in and together they continued down the road.

-

Photo: Invaders by *syda-ginger (deviantart)

Picture it & Write Prompt is from Ermiliablog
Give it a look if it tickles your fancy :)

Meli

(Source: dreamingwithink.wordpress.com)

Instead of writing a book review, or writing about books I really want to get my hands on, or even about what I’m currently reading, I want to talk about book recommendations.

Recommending a book is hard. I work at a book store and when customers come up to me asking for a recommendation for books similar to so-and-so or whatever-else, sometimes I freeze and I don’t know what to say. Other times, I have the perfect (or so I personally think) book to recommend.

A lot of the times, it’s really hit or miss. One of my favourite (successful) recommending moments was during the holiday season. A woman had come up to me looking for a book series her son could get into. He didn’t like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, or the Inheritance series, and he was in the 8 to 12 age group. She wanted to find a book that would make her son at least like reading, because at that stage, he just wanted to watch tv and play video games all day.

It took me a moment (and a couple of questions to figure out what the boy was interested in) but then I remembered a book series that was really popular among the boys in my elementary (grade 5-6) class. It had actually caused an argument between one of my classmates and myself because I had borrowed the only copy of the first book before he did and when his bargaining for it didn’t pull through, he got mad (I shake my head remembering this. Boys).

The book series I’m talking about is Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer.

                                      

Artemis Fowl: book 1

I remember loving this series (even though I still have yet to finish it; actually, I’m pretty sure I saw the last book arrive this morning at work), and a lot of boys loved it too. I mean, Boy genius criminal mastermind? That’s one great hook right there. Add a whole new world of of (not too girly) fairies and it’s like finding gold.

In the end, the woman had come back a few days later to buy the rest of the series and thank me for recommending it. Her son was enjoying the first book a lot, which was enough for her to be motivated and get the rest. If I still had sales shifts in the kids’ department, I would hope to see her in the next few days to pick up the last one.

Anyway, it felt nice that a recommendation went well :)
If you had to recommend a book series to a boy who didn’t care much for books or reading, what would you suggest? I tried to think of others in case this wasn’t really what a boy would like and fell short.

I’d really like to hear your thoughts on this so, until next time~!
Sam

(Source: dreamingwithink.wordpress.com)

Sasha’s Entry:

Who knew how long she’d been running for. Hours? Days? Exhaustion was beginning to grab hold of her. But she was almost there. Just a little bit further. The sound of tires crunching against the earth brought her out of her tiresome daze. A bright light shone directly on her as she paused in her mission. Her shoulders slumped forward and her knees threatened to fall out from under her, but she held on. “Hello? Can you hear me?” a worrisome voice demanded of her. The voice sounded millions of miles away, another world away from her. “Are you hurt?” asked the voice. The light seemed to shine brighter. “I-…” She began, but couldn’t finish. Her throat felt dry and her head was swimming. She felt a numbness in her feet, a slight tingling in her fingertips before she pitched forward.

-S

–

Picture it & Write Prompt is from Ermiliablog
Give it a look if it tickles your fancy :)
Sam’s entry can be found here.

(Photo: Invaders by *syda-ginger (deviantart)

(Source: dreamingwithink.wordpress.com)

Sasha’s entry:

“Where do you think they lead?” he asked me. I held the keys in a tight grip in one hand, feeling the cool jagged edges digging into my sweaty palm. “I don’t know.” I told him softly. “Nowhere. Anywhere.” There were endless possibilities, maybe more than we could ever dream of. Maybe nothing at all. I held a single key up in front of my eyes, fingering the smooth metal. A comfortable silence washed over us. Our eyes met and at that moment, I knew. He knew. No words needed to be spoken out loud. Hope wrapped around us like a warm embrace. In that moment, anything could happen. Everything would change.

Ermiliablog and their weekly prompts

You can find this week’s prompt here!

-S

(Source: dreamingwithink.wordpress.com)

Upon discovering, Ermiliablog and their weekly prompts, Sam shared the find with the rest of the fellowship and a new weekly post has been born! Fridays and weekends, as I may have mentioned before, are free for alls where we can post whatever our hearts desire (and it may or may not have to do with books, but it definitely will have to do with the arts in some way).

You can find this week’s prompt here! Why don’t you give it a go? We’d love to read what you’ve done! Sam’s entry could be found here!

Meli’s Entry:

Uncertain Paths
Times were tough, with barely enough to eat, with nowhere to stay and no one to show a glint of kindness a person, at that point is willing to anything to change their fate. Whispers surfaces of an old woman deep within the forest who possesses skills which man had forgotten existed.

By completing a task, a person may receive a gift, a key to change their life forever. But what is to remember that once this change occurs it cannot be undone. Yet, despite this firm warning he rises to take on the challenge, living in a poor dying village he heads west to where the land is greener and lavished with fruits of every shape and color. A land where the sky turns different shades while accompanied by the sun whose rays bring everything to life.

After a total of twelve days he finally stumbles upon this land. His hair long and skin dark as the tree trunks, finally, he would get a new fate. As he traveled deep, deep into the forest’s belly he saw nothing but darkness and wonder if this was all for nothing. Soon sweet humming catches his ears he soon feels heavy and his body no longer moves at his will. Dropping to his knees he feels powerless and soon a pair of feet met his gaze, they were white, so white that the person’s blue veins could be seen.

The person—more like woman’s voice was low and horse and the man told her how he came from a land long far away to find change and had heard of her miracle ways to do that. In that instant his body was no long heavy and tired as he rose to face the old woman who looked upon him with gleaming eyes and a curious grin.

Turning away from him she began to walk away and as she did she said “if change is truly the path you seek then come with me, but know this… with great change happiness does not always follow.”

Together they both vanished into the forest.

-

Meli

(Source: dreamingwithink.wordpress.com)