Brad About Books: The Merciless by Danielle Vega

Read from March 11 to 12, 2014

THE MERCILESS
Expected Publication Date: June 12, 2014
Publisher: Razorbill (Penguin)
Format: ARC
Page Count: 279 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Forgive us, Father, for we have sinned.

Brooklyn Stevens sits in a pool of her own blood, tied up and gagged. No one outside of these dank basement walls knows she’s here. No one can hear her scream.

Sofia Flores knows she shouldn’t have gotten involved. When she befriended Riley, Grace, and Alexis on her first day at school, she admired them, with their perfect hair and their good-girl ways. They said they wanted to save Brooklyn. They wanted to help her. Sofia didn’t realize they believed Brooklyn was possessed.

Now, Riley and the girls are performing an exorcism on Brooklyn—but their idea of an exorcism is closer to torture than salvation. All Sofia wants is to get out of this house. But there is no way out. Sofia can’t go against the other girls . . . unless she wants to be next. . . .

In this chilling debut, Danielle Vega delivers blood-curdling suspense and terror on every page. By the shockingly twisted end, readers will be faced with the most haunting question of all: Is there evil in all of us?

The Merciless is a mind-twisting, fully engrossing story that had me on the edge of my seat from page one and never let me go. I have never read anything like this, and this seriously chilled me to the bone. I adored this book. 

First things first, this book is messed up in the best way possible. I absolutely love that Vega took some risks with The Merciless. So many things in this book disturbed me and freaked me out like no other book has, and I honestly can't believe it, but I loved every single second of this book. There is never a dull moment in The Merciless - I couldn't put it down. From the darkness lurking around each corner to the sinister secrets that the girls are harboring, everything about The Merciless will have you looking over your shoulder and send chills up your spine. This is, hands down, one of my favorite books I've read this year. This was a phenomenal debut. 

There are so many twists and turns in this novel. When Brooklyn was chained up in the basement and the girls were planning their sinister plots, I was seriously scared to death (it probably didn't help that I was home alone when I read this). I've read some YA horror novels, but none of them have kept me so engrossed and so scared like The Merciless did, and I applaud Vega for doing that. Sofia was a stunning protagonist. I felt that she was very realistic with her situation of wanting to fit in, and I loved how she was honest with herself - if she ever questioned whether she was just as evil as Riley and the gang, she never wavered from it or contradicted herself. It was so refreshing to read about a protagonist who wasn't always confident in knowing what she capable of it; it made the story even more creepy, haunting, and addictive. And the girls… they're some of the best villains I've ever read about. Riley was a headstrong, fearless, and evil ringleader of the clan, and I couldn't help but love to hate her, but hate to love her. Grace and Alexis, on the other hand… I loved how I could never tell what they were going to do next. I was always questioning who's side they were truly on, and I loved how this book kept me guessing.

That's another thing - this book is so unpredictable. There was one point where I thought I had figured the mystery out, but I was completely wrong. The spin that Vega sent instead was even more mind-blowing than I could have possibly imagined, and it made me fall even more head-over-heels in love with The Merciless. If you're looking for something different in YA that will have you completely wrapped up in the story, The Merciless has got you covered. One of the best debuts I've ever read. 

Overall, The Merciless is a must-read. Haunting, chilling, and one of a kind, The Merciless had me at its mercy by keeping me up late into the night and always checking over my shoulder. Fantastic in every sense of the word.

M Y    R A T I N G

Brad About Books: Engines of the Broken World by Jason Vanhee

Read from July 17 to 18, 2013

ENGINES OF THE BROKEN WORLD
Published: November 5, 2013
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Format: ARC
Page Count: 272 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Merciful Truth and her brother, Gospel, have just pulled their dead mother into the kitchen and stowed her under the table. It was a long illness, and they wanted to bury her—they did—but it’s far too cold outside, and they know they won’t be able to dig into the frozen ground. The Minister who lives with them, who preaches through his animal form, doesn’t make them feel any better about what they’ve done. Merciful calms her guilty feelings but only until, from the other room, she hears a voice she thought she’d never hear again. It’s her mother’s voice, and it’s singing a lullaby... 

Engines of the Broken World is a chilling young adult novel from Jason Vanhee.

(Brad About Books note: This book will mess with your mind in the most fantastic ways.)

WOAH, YOU GUYS, THIS BOOK. Engines of the Broken World is an eerie, chilling read that will have you looking over your shoulder and keep you up into the late hours of the night. This book messed with my mind - and I loved every second of it.

Let's go ahead and state something: this is not your typical book. Right from the first page, Engines of the Broken World is a creepy, unique novel that begins with something out of the ordinary. In fact, everything about this novel is out of the ordinary. You will never find another book like Engines of the Broken World, and I was so entangled with this world. Merciful and Gospel have to bury their dead mother, but now that she's hearing her mother singing to her, she knows something isn't right. Engines of the Broken World sent chills down my spine - it's the perfect book to read in the dead of night. Needing something creepy or deliciously eerie? Engines of the Broken World is the perfect choice.

The world is completely falling apart, and I love how the reader is never quite sure what has happened to the world. Another fantastic thing about Engines of the Broken World is how you can never trust anybody. Something is wrong and creepy about every character (especially The Minister), and deception is always lurking. Vanhee's writing perfectly matched the uniqueness of the book. Each word and sentence is haunting, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Engines of the Broken World has easily become one of my favorite horror, creepy reads.

Oh gosh, the ending. Fast-paced and heart-racing, Engines of the Broken World kept me biting at my nails and turning pages in anticipation. I was so connected to Merciful so much, and I loved traveling through these odd, scary situations with her. Unique and thrilling, I couldn't get my mind off of Engines of the Broken World. If you're needing to be creeped out, read Engines of the Broken World - it's terrifying and marvelous, all at the same time.

Overall, Engines of the Broken World is one whirlwind of a ride. Bizarre and fantastic, Engines of the Broken World shouldn't be missed.

M Y    R A T I N G

Brad About Books: Substitute Creature by Charles Gilman

Read on May 23, 2013

SUBSTITUTE CREATURE
Expected Publication Date: September 24, 2013
Publisher: Quirk
Format: ARC
Page Count: 176 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review
Series: Tales from Lovecraft Middle School, #4

This review is entirely spoiler free, even if you haven't started this series.

Read my reviews from previous books in this series:

Professor Gargoyle • The Slither Sisters • Teacher's Pest

Substitute Creature is wicked fun! Dark, compelling, and a wild adventure, these books are unputdownable! Such an awesome series.

The Lovecraft Middle School series is one of my favorite MG series - it's got everything you could ever want in a creepy story. An epic trio of characters, sinister secrets lurking in the darkness, mutational animals, and something new and fresh in each book. And Substitute Creature did not disappoint by any means. With each book, I'm always shocked and creeped out by the new and perilous evil that Gilman throws into every book. Substitute Creature is such a creeptastic and epic novel! Who wouldn't be scared by a weird substitute teacher who may or may not be a monster? I love these books so much, and Substitute Creature was a fantastic continuation of the series.

I love going on adventures with Robert and the gang. Lovecraft Middle School is a quirky and odd place, and we get to explore darker realms of it in every novel - Substitute Creature definitely brought on the darkness! I wasn't expecting a lot of the events to actually happened, but I was so glad that Charles Gilman wasn't afraid to take risks in this fourth book. With a fourth book, things can get a little draggy with the story; that's not the case with this series. There's never a filler book, and each plot twist plays a vital and important role to the story. The perfect Halloween read!

Action, action, action! It was impossible to put Substitute Creature down. This was definitely the most fast-paced of the series, and I was shocked, frightening, and enchanted by the twists and turns thrown at the reader. The monsters terrified me, and the illustrations, as always, were an even more awesome addition to the story. (Seriously, some of these illustrations are super freaky!) Substitute Creature was an absolutely brilliant novel to this ever-epic series. I love this series to pieces!

Overall, Substitute Creature is a true gem in the middle grade genre. Fast-paced, horrifyingly marvelous, and one of a kind, this series is a must-read for all ages!

M Y    R A T I N G

Brad About Books: Unbreakable by Kami Garcia

Read from July 2 to 3, 2013

UNBREAKABLE
Expected Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown BFYR
Format: ARC
Page Count: 320 pages
Source: ALA
Series: Legion, #1

Supernatural meets The Da Vinci Code in this action-packed paranormal thriller, the first book in a new series from New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia. 

I never believed in ghosts. Until one tried to kill me.

When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

Suspense, romance, and the paranormal meet in this chilling urban fantasy, the first book in a new series from Kami Garcia, bestselling coauthor of the Beautiful Creatures novels.

Unbreakable is a chilling and haunting read that completely absorbed me and kept me turning pages late into the night. The perfect spooky read!

I started Unbreakable late at night, and I have to say, that was a bad decision. Why? Not only was it freaking me out and sent chills down my spine, it had me wrapped up in this mysterious and eerie world - I didn't want to put it down for a second! I was emerged into the world right from page one, and I was enthralled and captivated by the story. It's unputdownable. I really enjoyed Beautiful Creatures, but woah, Unbreakable was epic! Absolutely loved this one!

Kennedy was such a great protagonist. She has had a hard and sad life, but everything changes once she joins the Legion. I loved being on this journey with her, and she never let me down - not once! And of course, everybody in the Legion was awesome. I can't wait to see where the story is taken to in the next book! Kami Garcia spun a unique tale of ghosts and demons, and while I stepped out of my comfort zone to read this (demons aren't my thing, and I don't read a whole lot of ghost stories), I'm so thrilled I did. It's one of a kind and mind-bending. And I loved the research in Unbreakable! I could tell that Garcia put a lot of thought and effort into this masterpiece of a book, and I really appreciate that! Unbreakable is impossible to put down!

Also, I want to add that Unbreakable is one of those books that will send chills soaring down your spine and will boggle your mind. I stayed up so late reading this one - you know it's a good spooky read when it makes you want to sleep with the lights on! I can't even begin to tell you all how much I loved this book. Fantastic, marvelous, and straight up amazing. More, please!

Overall, Unbreakable is a new favorite book of all-time for me! Haunting and phenomenal, Unbreakable is a true masterpiece that I adore to pieces!

M Y    R A T I N G