The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Like all books, I heard about this one through Figment. I had wanted to read Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Linger, and Forever, as I believe they are called, but I never got around to it. The Scorpio Races had received such praise through Figment that I just had to read it. At first, it was just sort of like "Ooh! Figment told me to read this! Let me get it!" but as time progressed, I became more and more interested, until it was more like "BOOK! BOOK! Let me get my hands on that book!". Finally I entered a fabulous Figment contest and somehow I managed to place in the top three and win the book. Sometimes I think the world has halted it's ceaseless conspiring against me. It is a relief.

Anyway, I got the book on Christmas day (and it came in a super mega fabulous package, but that is not involved in this review) and I was overjoyed.

The Scorpio Races started out with the words "It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die." It may only be the opening to a prologue, but it is impossible not to be drawn into such a statement. I feel like it would be impossible to give a short, concise summary of this book, since the impeccable details and innumerous plot twists take the story places that no one would have foreseen. I feel as if I could never do it any amount of justice with a proper summary, so I think I'll give what I can.

At the start of each November, the Scorpio Races begin. Races in which riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to reach the finish line. Sean Kendrick has won the Scorpio Races four years in a row. Kate "Puck" Connolly has never entered. No girl ever has. She is, on top of everything else, entering on her island pony. She never chose to enter the races, but life threw her no other option. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen. There can only be one winner. And then she becomes closer to Sean Kendrick.

I feel so cryptic. The story is a delicious mix of love, athletics, scenery, with the bitter taste of blood coating it all. While I was reading it, I felt as if I could almost taste the salty water that surrounded them at all times, from which the water horses appeared, where Kate's parents lost their lives. The November Cakes leave their sweet taste on my tongue, and I can almost smell the stables in which Sean works.

I almost drew blood the way I was biting my lips through the last hundred or so pages. I can already tell that this book will not rest on my bookshelves for long, and the pages will be well-thumbed by 2013.

You can find more about Maggie Stiefvater on her website and her blogs! The Scorpio Races can be bought here at Barnes and Noble, or at multiple other places, I just wanted to have somewhere certain.

The Scorpio Races earns a well deserved 5 out of 5 stars on Eleven's scale of awesome!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Hope you're all enjoying the new year as much as I am!

x

Eleven

p.s. Please don't ask why my awesomeness scale is out of five and not eleven, like my name. I don't really know either.

-Eleven

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

After begging for this book for a few months, I finally received it for Christmas. It had been difficult watching all my friends read it, but I somehow managed to make it until Christmas. What must be understood before starting this book, is that the summary on the inside flap really tells you nothing about the book. I can't recall what I had expected when I first opened the book, but the story was nothing like my imagination had thought.

Jacob Portman lived a fairly normal life in Florida, and he was often found complaining about how nothing extraordinary ever happened to him. His grandfather often told him stories about the peculiar children in the school/safe house he went to to avoid World War II (he being Jewish and all). Then his grandfather is killed by something that could possibly be a monster only Jacob can see. He goes a little crazy with depression, apparently suffering from Acute Stress Reaction (according to his psychiatrist), and his life basically sucks. In an attempt to find the meaning of his grandfather's cryptic last words, he goes to Cairnholm, an island off the coast of Wales, to find his grandfather's old teacher/caretaker, Miss Peregrine. By this time, Miss Peregrine could be about ninety, or, more likely, dead. It turns out that the island was bombed on September 3rd, 1940, and everyone in the children's home is dead. Jacob ends up entering a time loop on that exact day, finds the children, and things get confusing.

I feel like saying more would be unwise, since I don't want to give it away to people who haven't read it, but let's just say I never ever want to go to a psychiatrist after reading this. The first few chapters are a bit slow, but once you get to chapter five, things start getting very interesting, and it's impossible to put down. I ended up reading the last bit much too early in the morning, and no one was awake, and I was scared silly. I didn't even notice how hard I was clenching my teeth until I closed the book.

I feel quite lucky, since the publisher actually came and visited my class, and I got a wonderful, giant poster that is now hanging on my wall. I was also very excited to hear from him (the publisher) that there will be a sequel, and when he mentioned that Tim Burton might direct a film adaptation, I actually squeaked, started choking, and fell out of my chair. Luckily my class knows how much I love Tim Burton, so they all started to explain.

Despite the fact that it is different than I thought, I will sing the praises of this book far and wide, and it is definitely going to be re-read.

Miss Peregrine's is totally deserving of it's four hearts on Eleven's scale of awesomeness.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children can be bought here (Barnes and Noble) and at my father's bookstore!

More information about the author, Ransom Riggs, can be found on his website. But don't try to wikipedia him, because the result is not worth your time.

Anyway, happiest holidays from the desk of a bookworm! Keep reading, keep writing, keep blogging, and keep being peculiar!

x

Eleven

Turn Here by Jackson Pearce

So, to kick of this brand new blog, I shall start with the most recent story I read (and loved). Turn Here by Jackson Pearce. It is in a collection of 25 short stories in the book The First Time (Which you can buy here on amazon.com).

This story is about a young girl in Atlanta who participates in pageants. When they ask her if she believes in true love, she responds no. After the pageant, she and her mother find a phone that leads them on a crazy quest in which they receive peanut brittle and an urn in the shape of Jimmy Carter's head. It turns out that it had been meant for a guy's girlfriend, but she had dropped her phone. Each thing they received on their quest was for a memory of their relationship. The poor guy thinks the girl threw the phone out her window on purpose, but then she turns up and explains. He proposes, she accepts, and the girl finally believes in true love.

This is just a very very short synopsis of a short story, which I am not so good at, but believe me you, this story will rock your socks. I mean, maybe I'm a bit biased (Jackson being my favorite author and all) but it is very well written, and the story plot rings true to real life. The girl (who is named Alex)'s parents are divorced, and you can see why she would not believe in true love. The entire road trip is both an emotional bonding moment for Alex and her mother, and it gives Alex time to think over her mother and father's relationship and whether true love really is real or not.

The end is sweet (with a necessary touch of sappy) and the story makes me think too. About true love and whether it is real or not.

Besides being an excellent story, another reason you should all read it is because it is a steal! 25 stories for $2.99 on Amazon. Yes, you have to read it on an e-reader, but you can download an app for that if you aren't willing to pay the something-hundred dollars needed for one.

Jackson Pearce has written As You Wish, Sisters Red, and Sisters Red's companion book, Sweetly. Her newest book and first contemporary novel is coming out April, 2012, and Fathomless, the third companion book for Sweetly and Sisters Red is coming out in August, 2012.

Turn Here receives 5 out of 5 hearts on Eleven's awesomeness scale!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Happy Reading!

-Eleven