BOOK REVIEW - THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES by CARRIE RYAN - THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH # 3

By : Carrie Ryan

Published By : Orion Books

Released : Available Now

Details : Paperback , 374 Pages

RATING : 5 CATCHER STARS!!!!!

Book Blurb : Taken From Goodreads



There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.

Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.

BOOK REVIEW:

Ms Ryan , you sure know how to keep a girl on the edge of her seat. The Forest Of Hands And Teeth # 1, was an insanely tense read all that moaning and banging away at the fences, being chased, always trying to survive. The heartache and loss.


The Dead Tossed Waves # 2 had me petrified of being bitten, chased by a Breaker ( after watching Zombieland the movie, no way is my Cardio Rule # 1 up to par to escape one of those) and that Moshpit of Mudo’s at the bridge..lordy....* whispers* that was only the beginning....


The Dark And Hollow Places was the most intense read I have read to date. I was beginning to feel like all was lost, hopeless, as the reader I was devastated at how I,  the reader could survive...lol!! How was this ever going to be a better life? Those tunnels, the darkness, the ...subway.....crikey !!!


Annah, Gabry aka Abigails sister, crikey, did Carrie put that girl through the ringer in this book. I do have my list of books-made-into-a-movie and it’s getting longer. The Forest Of Hands And Teeth series, wow!! if the frantic, tense emotions could be transformed onto the big screen..wow!!


These are YA genre books, some of my favourites. They are intense, fast paced, emotional reads. You really ‘feel’ like you are in the moment. Catcher has climbed the ladder with my respect for him in this book. The weight on his shoulders is enormous. Elias, oh I loved him dearly in The Dead Tossed Waves, but he has to do what he has to do to survive, and it’s not easy his choices in this book. Gabry takes more of a backseat. This book is Annah’s. Carrie made Annah truly work to survive. Man can be a worst enemy than the Mudo’s given against all odds circumstances. It is very frightening how Carrie portrays her world she has built for the reader. It really makes you think!!!


I can’t recommend this series enough. Carrie has the awesomesauce when it comes to writing a realistic world of man pitted against man. Lets just hope that our world as we know it never becomes Annah’s, Gabry’s, Catcher’s, Elias’s.......


The last few chapters of this book are truly nail biting, hence I have no nails left...I had to remember I wasn’t Annah..lol!!

The book finished the series so well....but I can't help thinking there was a brilliant idea for book 4 ( not that there is one as it's a Trilogy 1+2= 3 ) location wise with where they were ending up...oh yeah..scaaaaarrrreeeeyyyy .

If you haven't opened up this series yet and immersed yourself in the world Carrie has made for her characters to strive to survive in..well you darn well better....just saying:D

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - KISS ME DEADLY - 13 TALES OF PARANORMAL LOVE

By: Trisha Telep (Editor), Maggie Stiefvater , Becca Fitzpatrick , Rachel Vincent , Karen Mahoney , Diana Peterfreund , Daniel Waters, Carrie Ryan , Justine Musk , Daniel Marks , Sarah Rees Brennan , Michelle Rowen , Michelle Zink , Caitlin Kittredge

Published By : RANDOM HOUSE AUSTRALIA
Released : Available Now
Details: Paperback ,  423 Pages

RATING: 3 STARS!!!


If  you can possibly thirst for more mysterious metaphysical accounts of love, Trisha Telep has organized some of the greatest and most thrilling tales of paranormal paramours since The Eternal Kiss. She presents the acclaimed literary talent of thirteen unique authors, creating a collection of stories that will undoubtedly capture the imagination of every soul who dares to read them. Werewolves, ghosts, zombies, vampires, and fallen angels drive the plot of these riveting romances.Kiss Me Deadly includes the exceptional writings of several authors, including: - Sarah Rees Brennan (faeries) - Becca Fitzpatrick (angels) - Caitlin Kittredge (witches) - Karen Mahoney (vampires: sequel to story from The Eternal Kiss) - Daniel Marks (ghost kids) - Justine Musk (sorcerers) - Diana Peterfreund (unicorns) - Michelle Rowen (demons) - Carrie Ryan (zombies) - Maggie Stiefvater (werewolves) - Rachel Vincent (banshees) - Daniel Waters (zombies) - Michelle Zink (gothic ghosts).

BY GUEST REVIEWER CAROLYN

BOOK REVIEW:

This is a book of short stories of paranormal romance by some well known authors. Each story is only about 20-49 pages long so is a great book for filling in time between books you have read and may be waiting for. This is why I started reading it. I was waiting for Fire to arrive after reading Graceling and didn’t want to start another book in case Fire arrived. I didn’t read this book in order but chose the stories by the authors I knew first then read the others randomly. I do like these books as you get a taste of what different authors writing styles are like. As a result of reading this and 'The Eternal Kiss' previously, I am now interested in reading some of the authors other work.



DUNGEONS OF LANGEAIS by Becca Fitzpatrick (24 pages)


This is the story of Chauncey who appears in Becca’s book 'Hush, Hush'. Anyone who has read that book will know who Chauncey is. The “Dark Angel” is mentioned throughout and this is about Chauncey’s hatred of said angel. He is never mentioned by name but we all know who it is. It did not change my opinion of Chauncey. I still don’t like him but now understand his motives towards Nora in 'Hush, Hush' and the “Dark Angel”, well somethings never change.


HARE MOON by Carrie Ryan (30 pages)


This story is about Sister Tabitha from Carrie Ryan’s book , 'The Forest of Hands and Teeth' (TFOHT) so I guess it is a backstory. At the beginning I felt sorry for the young Tabitha. She wants to know what is outside the fences and her parents don’t treat her very nicely. However by the end of it, I just went back to my original thoughts of her from TFOHT. She is just plain mean and nasty. I just can’t understand why she did what she did but can now understand her attitude towards Mary in TFOHT. She can see herself as a young girl in Mary and is jealous of her.


THE HOUNDS OF ULSTER by Maggie Stiefvater (20 pages)


I didn’t see the POW coming in this one. It was a bit of a weird short story, kept going back and forth and all over the place for the first few pages, then settled down into a really good story. It was interesting and I really wanted to know who “THEY” were. The main character wouldn’t name them but, wow,  I was surprised when I found out. I have read Maggie’s books 'Shiver' and 'Linger',  but haven’t yet read 'Lament' or 'Ballad' and she certainly likes to centre her characters around music.


MANY HAPPY RETURNS by Daniel Waters (26 pages)


This story was just plain weird. It starts off with 5 teenagers from a small town in a car crash. 3 of the boys and 1 girl die and the other girl survives but is in a coma. The parents all go to a counselling session where the counsellor tells them what to expect when if or when their children “return”. Apparently in this and surrounding towns when people die they quite often return within 7 days. The families are not allowed to bury the bodies of their loved ones before the 7 days is up. This is told from the point of view of Cal the local police officer. His daughter Mandy died in the crash, and it follows him for the 7 days after the crash. As I said before, just plain weird.


THE ASSASSIN’S APPRENTICE by Michelle Zink (22 pages)


When reading this I was thinking not another story about descendants of angels which is what this is about. Rose’s family are descendants of angels and have been killed by a demon named Bael and now she is planning on killing him herself. Enter Asher, an apprentice assassin sent to protect Rose and kill Bael. There is a bit of smexual tension between the two as they try to work together.


ERRANT by Diana Peterfreund (33 pages)


Errant ,  is set several centuries ago in France and is about a nun that is also a unicorn hunter. She and her unicorn named Enyo. They are sent to train a young lady named Elise for a hunting ritual that is to be held as part of the Elise’s wedding festivities. Her family has the Unicorn hunting blood in their veins meaning that they can call unicorns with their minds. It was quite a good story, a little bit hard to follow early but ended quite well.


THE SPIRIT JAR by Karen Mahoney (45 pages)


This is the second story about Marie O’Neil or 'Moth' as she is referred to. The first story about 'Moth',  the eternal 18 year old vampire , I first read about in ,  'The Eternal Kiss'.  In this story, Theo her creator has sent her to London to retrieve an ancient magical book from an obscure occult bookshop. She meets Adam, then they have an adventure involving a spirit.


LOST by Justine Musk (22 pages)


Sasha is a girl who has the ability to find things that are lost. Her best friend Josh is in a coma after a terrible car accident three weeks before and now she is feeling lost herself. She has the urge to go to the big white abandoned house up on the hill and there she finds Haiden.

This was really interesting and completely different to what I thought it would be about and the ending was totally surprising. I am sure anyone reading it will make a comparison to something that I cannot name without giving away the plot.


THE SPY WHO NEVER GREW UP by Sarah Rees Brennan (27 pages)


A boy is hired as a Super Spy for Her Majesty the Queen of England’s secret service. Judging from the title, it is the story of ........  All he asks for in payment is a mother. There is actually quite a bit of humour in this story.  There are a few adult type comments in there for us “older” readers, and I really liked it. I do wonder if there is a little boy who doesn't want to grow up in a lot of the secret service agents . They do like to play with the “big boy” toys.


BEHIND THE RED DOOR by Caitlin Kittredge (39 pages)


Jo, is a teenage girl who decides to enter an abandoned property called Ash House. When she enters she sees the ghost of a young man and then starts having nightmares about the house.  This story has everything, smoking, drug taking, drinking, lesbian relationship. Not your typical YA short story but interesting nonetheless.


FAMILIAR by Michelle Rowen (32 pages)


Brenda is a teenage witch-in-training that has to pick a familiar. A familiar is a witch’s pet, such as a cat, bat, snake, ferret or rat. Brenda picks a scrawny half-dead looking runt of a kitten with a rhinestone collar on.  I liked this story it was different to the other stories it was a good short story. Would be interested to read some of Michelle Rowen’s other books.


FEARLESS by Rachel Vincent (48 pages)


Sabine, a fifteen year old girl who is in trouble with the law,  has no family, has been living in foster care but got into trouble with a baseball bat and somebody’s car. She is sent to Holser House after breaking her probation curfew by staying out all night. It is a halfway house for wayward teenage girls. If she messes up again she will be going to Juvenile Detention. It was very interesting read and different from the others about witches, vampires, werewolves etc. Kind of ended a bit abruptly though.


VERMILLION by Daniel Marks (49 pages)


This is about a place called Vermillion which is in Purgatory. Velvet and her boyfriend Nick are asked to accompany Aime to hunt down a ghost that is haunting the living.  It was quite interesting to look at things from the ghosts point of view, however I did feel that it was a little bit too long. Probably could have cut around 10 pages out of it and it still would have been good. I did like it although the ending was pretty obvious.

Carolyn

COVER RELEASED OFFICIALLY FOR THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES by CARRIE RYAN - THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH # 3

ALL INFORMATION TAKEN FROM : 
 http://carrie-me.blogspot.com/2010/08/dark-and-hollow-places-in-all-its.html


"YAY! I finally get to post the US cover for The Dark and Hollow Places! I know many of you have seen versions of this cover out and about but they were still working on some tweaks and I wanted to make sure I had the final file before posting. But here it is! I am IN LOVE with this cover! LOVE LOVE LOVE! I love the model, I love the dirt and grime, I love where she is, I love the expression on her face, I love everything. It fits the story sooo well and I just feel like the luckiest author in the entire world."


BOOK BLURB FROM BACK COVER:


There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister’s face when she and Elias left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the horde as they found their way to the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.


Annah’s world stopped that day and she’s been waiting for him to come home ever since. Without him, her life doesn’t feel much different from that of the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Then she meets Catcher and everything feels alive again.


Except, Catcher has his own secrets -- dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah’s longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it’s up to Annah -- can she continue to live in a world drenched in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return’s destruction?




So there you have it!!! Straight from Carrie's blog page the official book blurb and cover. I can't wait!!!! for this book as I am hanging out badly to see how Elias is doing and to meet Gabry's/Abigail's twinny, Annah and her story. It's all rather exciting. For those of you who haven't read 'The Forest Of Hands And Teeth' and 'The Dead Tossed Waves'. What are you waiting for...get the books!!!! Carrie is a brilliant writer!!
 
 
 
 

Michelle

THE DEAD-TOSSED WAVES by Carrie Ryan

Gabry lives a quiet life, secure in her town next to the sea and behind the Barrier. She's content to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. Home is all she's ever known, and all she needs for happiness.

But life after the Return is never safe, and there are threats even the Barrier can't hold back.

Gabry's mother thought she left her secrets behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, but like the dead in their world, secrets don't stay buried. And now, Gabry's world is crumbling.

One night beyond the Barrier...

One boy Gabry's known forever and one veiled in mystery...

One reckless moment, and half of Gabry's generation is dead, the other half imprisoned.

Gabry knows only one thing: if she is to have any hope of a future, she must face the forest of her mother's past. 

AAAAARRRRRGGGHHHH !!!!!!!  A huge big THANK YOU Carrie Ryan for continuing The Forest of Hands and Teeth with this brilliant sequel. 

After a huge mistake of not ordering this book at the same time I ordered TFOHT, I had an arduous wait of 2 weeks before my copy of The Dead-Tossed Waves arrived on my doorstep.  During my wait I was continually taunted and text harrassed by my wonderfully awesome friend and fellow Novels On The Run blogger Michelle - you see, she ordered both and could read one after the other!!!!

The book finally arrived.  I ripped open the packaging ........ Oh No..... it's a hardcover.... how am I supposed to grip and fold the cover during any anxious moments???? You see, my books get to feel every emotion I do when reading them!!! Not to worry..... I HAD to keep reading this story.  And I was not disappointed. In fact, I was even more in awe of what Carrie Ryan had written. 


This book had POW's, Nummy Num Num's and more importantly......it gave us the Smexi that is Elias!!!! Oh, Elias.....hhhmmmmmm (I glance to the sky with dreamy eyes). 


As for the Soulers........ they are just WRONG...... seriously they are just not right in any way.... Carrie certainly slogged me one with those little darlings!!!  I re-read that chapter to make sure I had read it right the first time....and I had. Blurgh!!!!

The Mudo Moshpit under the bridge.........................one nuke could sort that out!!


There are so many twists and turns and small bits that you pick up from Mary's story in TFOHT.  I could continue but I would need to post a Spoiler Alert!


This has now taken pride of place on my Top 5 Book List.   

Enjoy, Enjoy, Enjoy!!!

Cheers
Marissa

My Rating:  5 / 5

THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by Carrie Ryan

When this was first described to me, my instant thought was.... "The Village by M. Night Shyamalan".  The fence around the village is basically the only similarity~!!!
Carrie Ryan has done a fantastic job in writing a fast paced, page gripping suspenseful novel.  I was by no means relaxing on the couch whilst I was reading this. As tense and anxious as I was, I enjoyed every page there was and cried out for MORE..... Only to realise I had NOT ordered the sequel (The Dead-Tossed Waves). I was beside myself with literary grief at not being able to continue the story straight away!!

BOOK REVIEW - THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by CARRIE RYAN - THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH # 1

By : Carrie Ryan

Published By : Gollancz

Release date : Available now

Details : Paperback 310 pages

RATING: 4.5 STARS WHAT A READ ..VERY EXCITING!!!!

Book Blurb ( from Goodreads) :

In Mary's world there are simple truths.  

The Sisterhood always knows best.
The Guardians will protect and serve. 
The Unconsecrated will never relent.
And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.


But, slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future-between the one she loves and the one who loves her.


And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth.
Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

BOOK REVIEW:

I'm going to start by saying I purchased the paperback and it's better for gripping than the hardback.I sped literally through this book as its got the kind of storyline that has you on edge and tense for most of the book. I loved it!! I googled to see what it was about.  I thought it sounded similar to the movie, ''The Village'', with Bryce Dallas Howard. Upon reading the book it does have for part of the book that feel of what is out there , outside of the fences.

But that's where it stops!!

Mary just wants to see the ocean. The forest has been her home and the home of the villagers for many many years. The "Unconsecrated'', are the zombie like , once human, now flesh eaters who moan and groan and claw at the fences trying to get to the villagers.

Unfortunately, some are family members of the villagers. I won't give the story away as it is fast paced and a tense read. A couple of The Sisterhood, in my eye, needed a good reality slap. The fences are the only things that will save you and your ability to out run.

Lordy I would have been caught in a heartbeat..LOL!! and unfortunately would have been looking very fugly, no doubt hankering for your flesh and moaning. 

Travis is the lad I most liked in this book. It's primarily a book about survival with love under the worst conditions thrown in.

Does Mary make it to the ocean?...well read.....

I'll warn you Carrie Ryan does not hold back on her writing . An awesome friend of mine didn't have the sequel ready to read once she finished TFOHT. I did!! I spent the next week texting her about how fantastic ''The Dead Tossed Waves'' ( sequel) was.

Hint!!! Have both books before starting as you will be hankering to read ''The Dead Tossed Waves'', immediately!!!

A very thrilling/tense read.

FAVE QUOTES:

 "Please , Mary . Let me have this day and night with my wife. If you know love, then you understand what this means to me."

"I yell at the thunder. Shout at the lightning. I scream at the Unconsecrated, demanding to know why they have taken everything from me."

"All I can see is a wave of Unconsecrated cresting over me and I feel helpless, at their mercy."

Michelle