Doctor Who: Silhouette (Doctor Who: New Series Adventures #53)

"Vastra and Strax and Jenny? Oh no, we don't need to bother them. Trust me." 

Marlowe Hapworth is found dead in his locked study, killed by an unknown assailant. This is a case for the Great Detective, Madame Vastra.

Rick Bellamy, bare-knuckle boxer, has the life drawn out of him by a figure dressed as an undertaker. This angers Strax the Sontaran. 

The Carnival of Curiosities, a collection of bizarre and fascinating sideshows and performers. This is where Jenny Flint looks for answers.

How are these things connected? And what does Orestes Milton, rich industrialist, have to do with it all? This is where the Doctor and Clara come in. The Doctor and his friends find themselves thrust into a world where nothing and no one are what they seem. Can they unravel the truth before the most dangerous weapon ever developed is unleashed on London?

I LOVE DOCTOR WHO! So this was no trouble to read and review. I have never read a doctor who book, I have seen the show, and am currently reading the graphic novel. So I was very surprised on how much I enjoyed it, the only thing that could make these better would be to add pictures. 

I received this book for review from blogging for books. 

Hex Hall

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

I got this as an audio book from the library on a whim, just saw it, have been seeing it and then downloaded it. I really enjoyed it and the plot twists were amazing and well planned. I really enjoyed it and am glad I picked it out. 

The Last Song

Seventeen year old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alientated from her parents, especially her father...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church. The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story of love on many levels--first love, love between parents and children -- that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that love can break our hearts...and heal them.

Another great read from Nicholas Sparks. There is romance, heartbreak make for one eventful summer. I am a huge fan of his and have read tons of of his books and own more then that. I am hoping to get to read through a lot more in the near future.

The Accident

From the author of the New York Times-bestselling and Edgar Award-winning The Expats

As dawn approaches in New York, literary agent Isabel Reed is turning the final pages of a mysterious, anonymous manuscript, racing through the explosive revelations about powerful people, as well as long-hidden secrets about her own past. In Copenhagen, veteran CIA operative Hayden Gray, determined that this sweeping story be buried, is suddenly staring down the barrel of an unexpected gun. And in Zurich, the author himself is hiding in a shadowy expat life, trying to atone for a lifetime’s worth of lies and betrayals with publication of The Accident, while always looking over his shoulder.

Over the course of one long, desperate, increasingly perilous day, these lives collide as the book begins its dangerous march toward publication, toward saving or ruining careers and companies, placing everything at risk—and everyone in mortal peril.  The rich cast of characters—in publishing and film, politics and espionage—are all forced to confront the consequences of their ambitions, the schisms between their ideal selves and the people they actually became.

The action rockets around Europe and across America, with an intricate web of duplicities stretching back a quarter-century to a dark winding road in upstate New York, where the shocking truth about the accident itself is buried. 

Gripping, sophisticated, layered, and impossible to put down, The Accident proves once again that Chris Pavone is a true master of suspense.

So I have been thinking about what i wanted to write here, what there was to write. I found some things after digging around in my head for awhile. What I thought about this book is complicated. 
PROS: I liked the plot, how a book was the thing that people were killing and getting killed for, also there were snippets of the "book" throughout the book. Liked how everyone was connected in the end. And the biggest thing was the writing, it was very descriptive writing, and made every scene like a mini movie in your head. The writing was so descriptive that it was my favorite part of the book for me over all. 
CONS: This wasn't as fast paced asI was hoping, with having so many different pov's there was to much time wasted with the info on them all. Another thing, this wasn't a "couldn't put it down" or "up all night to finish it" read for me, I was hoping for that when I picked this out for review. I was intrigued by the story and the plot but wasn't totally absorbed. It fell short as far as that goes. I feel over all this is a good read, but not amazing, a good thriller but not my favorite ones I have read.  I received this for review through Blogging For Books. 

Lock and Key

Ruby, where is your mother?

Ruby knows that the game is up. For the past few months, she's been on her own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return.

That's how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she hasn't seen in ten years, and Cora's husband Jamie, whose down-to-earth demeanor makes it hard for Ruby to believe he founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house, fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future; it's a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby is just learning to give?

Best-selling author Sarah Dessen explores the heart of a gutsy, complex girl dealing with unforeseen circumstances and learning to trust again.
 I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book, Most of the reviews I have seen all say this is there favorite Sarah Dessen book. This is my third one by her and I am surprised by how each of her books are so different from each other yet similar in theme. Each has it flaws but I really enjoy them and reading them so much. Who doesn't like chick lit that's deep? I love chick lit as much as the next girl but don't always want something super light, yet not super deep. I always have found myself reaching for one of her book when that's what I need, I have never been disappointed either. I loved this book, I loved the characters and all of their little flaws that made them so much more real  to me, I have a hard time connecting to  the characters that are too "perfect". I feel like they are less human somehow. I Loved Nate from page 1 to the last, he was the "perfect" rich kid with his own hidden problems that he has no control over even though it seems like he has control over the rest of his life. I loved that he had these deep hidden flaws. I would so recommend this book , its seriously on my favorite shelf now. I now understand why everyone loves this so much!

This is book 10 of 10 of the 10 in 12 read-a-thon, I finished all of my books several days ahead of schedule ,it ends on Sept 1 .  

Teacher's Pest (Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #3) BOOK 100 OF THE YEAR!

“Two-headed monsters, giant tentacles, angry demons—Lovecraft Middle School is great creepy fun!”
—Ransom Riggs, author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
 
DON'T BE FOOLED by his friendly smile, his perfect manners, or his shiny red apple. Student council president Howard Mergler is actually a sinister bug-monster in disguise—and he's summoning swarms of roaches, wasps, fleas, and head lice into the corridors of Lovecraft Middle School!  Twelve-year-old Robert Arthur is the only student who can stop him--but he'll need help from his best friends: the school bully, the school ghost, and an extremely courageous two-headed rat.
 
This third novel in the Lovecraft Middle School series begins right where Professor Gargoyle and The Slither Sisters ended—with more action, more adventure, and more outrageous monsters!

Basically, again the same thoughts, I read all of these one right after another and really enjoyed the story overall. I enjoy the characters and the mysteriousness and creepiness of the whole series. Yes there are ways to improve the series but I am not bothered to much by the flaws of the storyline. I really enjoyed this and am going to be picking up the fourth one eventually. I really loved this series overall and wonder how its all going to end.

This is book 9 of 10 for the 10 in 12 read-a-thon. Also this is my 100 book of the year! Which completes my reading goal of the year! 

The Slither Sisters (Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #2)

“Two-headed monsters, giant tentacles, angry demons – Lovecraft Middle School is great creepy fun!”
–Ransom Riggs, author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
 
This second novel in the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School series begins right where Professor Gargoyle ended.  Seventh-grader Robert Arthur has discovered that two of his classmates are actually sinister snake-women in disguise. Even worse, his new middle school is full of “gates” to a terrifying alternate dimension – a haunted mansion full of strange spirits and monstrous beasts.  For Robert to protect his teachers and classmates, he'll need to return to this haunted dimension with his best friends Glenn and Karina.   Can they uncover the secrets of Lovecraft Middle School before it's too late?
 
The Slither Sisters features more bizarre beasts, more strange mysteries, and more adventure.  It's perfect for readers ages 10 and up. Best of all, the cover features a state-of-the-art “morphing” photo portrait – so you can personally witness the sisters transforming into their slithering alter egos.  You won't believe your eyes!

I feel basically the same about this one as I did the first one, so I am not going to say much in that way. Basically it was good and worth the read, my only complaint was that I feel like these books could be condensed into one longer book as one is just a continuation of the one before it. But they are still good and a very short, quick reads. I can read one of these in a little over a hour. 

This is book 8 of 10 for the 10 in 12 read-a-thon.