I just wanted to make a quick blurb about how important I think this book is. 
The story is about an anorexic teenager named Lisabeth who, on the brink of suicide, is interrupted by Death and summoned to be Famine, of Four Horsemen fame. Kessler has written an empathetic and authentic portrait of the psyche of those suffering from anorexia. She also addresses the mistakes that friends and family members can make while trying to help people like Lisabeth, and she accomplishes both of these difficult tasks without coming off as preachy or sappy. While Kessler doesn't shy away from harsh descriptions of starvation and bulimia, Lisabeth has a dark sense of humor and a witty sort of nihilism about her, which lessens the "emotional porn factor", as I call overly weepy and dramatic fiction (thanks, Russell Brand). By the time I finished, I was certain that this is a book every teenager should read.
What makes this book stand out to me is the interpretation of the Four Horsemen

(extremely original) and especially the ending (don't worry, no spoilers here). I'll admit I was at first wary of potential worn-out Christian tropes and a rushed and unrealistic ending. There was absolutely no need- the ending was excellent, and if there's any religious sort of undertone at all in this book, it is definitely Buddhist. 
Overall, a beautiful and important piece of YA fiction in the vein of It's Kind Of A Funny Story that deserves much more attention. 

xoLuna

From the back of the book: 

My choices are based on a mix, what had the biggest impact on me and which ones i had the fondest memories of. The outcome really not all that surprising.

In order of how when I read them.

Burn For Me by Ilona Andrews
★★★★★

As a general rule anything IA writes i gobble up, i just think the husband and wife duo are absolutely brilliant. Burn for Me was an exciting start to the Hidden Legacy series , with interesting and lovable characters, a fascinating world filled with new rules and politics and fantastic (slightly horrific) powers!! IA always has such a vivid and incredible imagination. I'm just so glad they can write all those thoughts down on paper for us to enjoy as well!!
Also don't you just love how horrid their covers always seem to be? adds character. haha.

Steal the Dragon by Patricia Briggs

★★★★

I absolutely adore PB earlier stuff. I know she claims it to be inferior work, but really I thought her original books were truly fantastic, in fact I'm sad she never finished the series. Steal The Dragon is actually the second book in the series, at the time (around the beginning of the year) i was binge reading everything written by PB i could get my hands on, unfortunately this was the only one i seem to have read in 2015. It easily made my top 10.
Great characters, which PB is known for.

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

★★★★★

Who doesn't love a book about serial killers? what about a book from the POV of a serial killers sun, one who struggles with urges. Is he just like dear old pops? an inhuman monster? Only one way to find out, trust me this baby is totally worth the read. Personally i find the whole nature Vs nurture theory absolutely fascinating, yea i'm glad they stopped the experiments cause they were insane but boy is it an interesting topic. This book does a great job of theorizing about it.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
★★★★★

I was carrying this sweet heart around for about a week, the people i spoke with because of this book!! Everyone was so shocked I hadn't read this book earlier, and I have to say I agree, this book is incredible. Sebold did a tremendous job writing a heart breaking story about a young girl murder, her journey to get over her early ending, and her new life in heaven!! The writing, pace and characters were all brilliantly done. Heaven was so unique, i doubt I'll ever forget it.

Black and White by Jackie Kessler

★★★★

This was such a different book compared to anything i had ever read before. It read like a comic, or perhaps a tv show without the actual pictures. We had these fantastic characters, once best friends now hated enemies. throughout this book we discover who they were and how they became to be. Jackie did a fantastic job of seamlessly joining 'then' and 'now' to make fun and enjoyable story about super heroes Vs villains, and not always knowing who the bad guy actually is.

Dead of Winter by Kresley Cole

★★★★

This whole series has just been wonderful. Cole really knows how to put the scary into a dystopian world. I'm one of those believers just because a book is YA doesn't mean the author should slack out and be lazy, that kids won't know better the short cuts they made, etc. Cole never does that. She writes a fantastic caste of characters, in a horrific and terrible world but keeps that shit PG so younger readers can enjoy. Really the women is brilliant, also evil. That ending!! UGH WHY!?!

Murder of Crows & Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop

★★★★ + ★★★★★

Truth be told, Murder of Crows wasn't one of my favorites. Compared to other authors and books Anne did an excellent job, but if we're going to hold up this one book compared to the other two in the series it was a little weak, but as a whole the series is so mind blowing good I decided to lump them all in together. cheating? maybe but its my list, so meh *sticks tongue out*
THIS SERIES IS FUCKING FABULOUS. thats all I have to say.

Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll

★★★★

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship going on with this book. Love because it was so well done, Knoll had me on, i couldn't believe this was fiction. Sure i thought she was one seriously messed up girl, but so bloody believable!! it was insane, i felt insane! haha

Hate because Knoll also introduced me to a whole new genre. I already have over 2000+ books on my TBR list, i don't bloody well need more!! But what can I say I'm a sucker. To the Library for more realistic fiction!!

Naked in Death by J.D. Robb

★★★★

People had been mentioning this series to me for forever. I was like crime, pfft i read that shit before, boring!! the MC is always so drone-like, but i fell into pressure and tried it anyways and boy was i surprised!! why no one had ever told me it was futuristic is beyond me! i just adored that feature of this world, and quickly read the next four books... until i made myself queasy with all those grisly murder scenes. Me the binge watcher of Bones, Criminal Minds and Supernatural!?! who knew i could even get sick from a fictional murder scene these days, apparently i can. Still i have fond memories of this book almost a year later (it should be at the beginning of my list) and have plans to read the rest (in short bursts, lol) only issue i had with this book was the quickness of the relationship.

So yea thats my list. Looking forward to a new year, new books and expectations. Though I'm seriously not off to a good start. I'm hoping this means my later books will be beyond orgasmic good. can't help to hope right? ;)

Any opinions on books i should try this year based on my list? let me know, I'm all ears.

Welcome to this week’s Two for Thursday Book Blitz #T4T presented by Month9books/Tantrum Books!

Today, we will be showcasing two titles that may tickle your fancy, and we’ll share what readers have to say about these titles!

You just might find your next read!

This week, #T4T presents to you:

Crown of Ice by Vicki L. Weavil and To Bear an Iron Key by Jackie Morse Kessler

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

ThyraWinther's seventeen, the Snow Queen, and immortal, but if she can't reassemble a shattered enchanted mirror by her eighteenth birthday she's doomed to spend eternity as a wraith. Armed with magic granted by a ruthless wizard, Thyra schemes to survive with her mind and body intact.

 

Unencumbered by kindness, she kidnaps local boy Kai Thorsen, whose mathematical skills rival her own. Two logical minds, Thyra calculates, are better than one. With time rapidly melting away she needs all the help she can steal. A cruel lie ensnares Kai in her plan, but three missing mirror shards and Kai's childhood friend, Gerda, present more formidable obstacles. Thyra's willing to do anything – venture into uncharted lands, outwit sorcerers, or battle enchanted beasts - to reconstruct the mirror, yet her most dangerous adversary lies within her breast.

 

Touched by the warmth of a wolf pup's devotion and the fire of a young man's desire, the thawing of Thyra's frozen heart could be her ultimate undoing.

 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | TBD | iBooks | Google Play | BAM | Chapters | IndieBound

WHAT READER’S ARE SAYING:

“Crown of Ice was great young adult fantasy novel. It offers an interesting and refreshing retelling of Snow Queen fairytale, but also so much more – realistic, confident and a bit bad heroine, magic, cute animals, subtle romance, …” – Dragana, The Paisley Reader

“Crown of Ice, is a luscious and fantastical retelling of the Snow Queen.” – Tina,Goodreads Reviewer

“A solid YA adventure with teenagers who learn so much about themselves, and each other. Even the expected happily ever after offers believable surprises that underscore the maturity and independence they each have gained.” –All Things Urban Fantasy

Vicki Lemp Weavil was raised in a farming community in Virginia, where her life was shaped by a wonderful family, the culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and an obsession with reading. Since obtaining her undergraduate degree in Theatre from the University of Virginia, she’s gone on to acquire two masters degrees, living in places as diverse as New York City and rural North Carolina. She’s currently the library director for a performing an visual arts university. Vicki loves good writing in any genre, and has been known to read seven books in as many days. She enjoys travel, gardening, and the arts. Vicki lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and some very spoiled cats.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumbler

This richly-imagined universe from an acclaimed fixture of YA storytelling introduces a the young witch Bromwyn, a strong heroine who wields great power. Five years ago, Bromwyn refused a gift from the powerful fairy king. Tonight, on Midsummer, that decision comes back to haunt her. When her best friend Rusty picks the wrong pocket, he and Bromwyn are all that stand between their village and the rampaging fairies who have pushed through the World Door. If they cannot outwit the fairy king and queen before the World Door closes at sunrise, the friends will lose everything--their village, Bromwyn's magic, and Rusty's life.

 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | TBD | iBooks | Google Play | BAM | IndieBound | Chapters

WHAT READER’S ARE SAYING:

“If you want to get lost in magic and spend some time away from this grey, dreary world of reality, then look no further.” – Nicky Peacock, Author

“This was a really strong little book--a wonderful start to a brand new series, and I think it's safe to say I'll be looking for more of Jackie Morse Kessler's work!” – Kels, Literature Obsessed

“This is a great tale about the transitions in youth and of true friendship. It also depicts the emotional wounds caused from misjudgment and rejection.” – LuAnn, Rockin Book Reviews

Jackie Morse Kessler grew up in Brooklyn, NY, with a cranky cat and overflowing shelves filled with dolls and books. Now she’s in Upstate NY with another cranky cat, a loving husband, two sons, and overflowing shelves filled with dragons and books (except when her sons steal her dragons). She has a bachelor’s degree in English and American Literature, and yet she’s never read any Jane Austen (with or without zombies). She also has a master’s degree in media ecology. (The living study of technology and culture. Which is cool, but she still can’t figure out how to use Tweetdeck.)

 

Jackie spends a lot of time writing, reading, and getting distracted by bright and shiny new ideas. (She just came up with a new idea right now.) She has a weakness for chocolate and a tendency to let her cat take over her office chair.

Author Links: Website | Twitter| Facebook | Goodreads

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This book was unlike anything I ave ever read before, it was fantastic. I adored the characters, all of them - they had such gritty and interesting history's and personalities that we had the incredible opportunity to explore, with not only 2 different POV but also two time frames, the current moment and that past. It was executed superbly.

The world was fascinating, the corporate has taken over the world, pretty much the new government. They decide how things should be. They're doing a pretty lousy job, the world is crud, rape, murder, beatings all happen on a frequent basis on the ground. Then you have a school filled with special kids with incredible (and vastly different to what I've read in the past) abilities, these kids are raised to be hero's and fight crime - some of them turn evil, or as we call them villains. Of course they're life is a lot cushier then the ground so normal people either go all crazy fan-girl over them or despise them.

Our two main characters are Jet and Iri, one's a villain, one's a hero - they use to be best friends. we find out all the dirty details and its fantastic. both have had terrible and difficult lives that are worth exploring as they give more details and history into the world and culture of this dark and twisted place.

I highly recommend this book, to me it seem like a comic book transfer into a novel with no pictures. Though thats not saying much as i've read like 4 comics in my life, but you get the incredible characters, the enchanting back stories, and some crazy plot story with super hero's. Really whats not to love? read it, you wont regret it. ;)