Book Review: MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
by Ransom Riggs
Series: Miss Peregrine
Published: May 20, 2012
Publisher: Quirk Books
Page Count: 352 pages

Book blurb:
A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here—one of whom was his own grandfather— were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.


MY REVIEW

I haven't heard about this book until I went to Tahereh Mafi's book signing event for Shatter Me and Unravel Me. Ransom was with her that time, and offered to sign his books on that day too (His actual book signing event would be the day after) if anyone carried his book with them. So without hesitation, I bought a copy and had it signed. I don't even know what the story is all about. I just wanted to have a signed book at that time... but then I discovered spooky pictures inside, wondering what the story is all about.

Upon reading and discovering how Ransom related all the pictures to the story, I was like:


I wondered how he did it, considering the photos were owned by different photographers. But somehow, they did a great job in bringing me "inside" Jacob's body, as if I were really him while I was reading the book. I almost believed that the photos and the story were "really" connected. It was quite spooky, which I liked, until I found out it was a time travel story! It made me love the book more! I was intrigued by the peculiarity of each child plus having the knowledge about their age!
“Because we weren’t like other people. We were peculiar.”
“Peculiar how?”
“Oh, all sorts of ways,” he said. “There was a girl who could fly, a boy who had bees living inside him, a brother and sister who could lift boulders over their heads.”
It's not really that scary, but eerie in a way that's enough to give you some wild imagination, especially about ghosts and stuff. You just have to look at the cover! Hehe. I also pity Jacob, especially the time that the only man who could understand him's gone, and he has no choice but to stay with the children. Only that I find it a bit weird to be related to a girl who your grandfather once dated (Oops! It's a spoiler!)
“I didn’t know what to call it, what was happening between us, but I liked it. It felt silly and fragile and good.”
The writing style of the author is excellent. I loved this book. I can imagine how we travel between time, the description is good, the pictures, the way how the curiosity of the children was shown, it was all worth it. I'm definitely reading the next book which will be released January 2014. I definitely recommend this for readers who has a thing for eerie-ness and loves to travel through time with the characters.


My Rating:


“I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was. Likewise, I never imagined that home might be something I would miss.”

algelsignature

In My Mailbox [1]

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren. It gives book bloggers the opportunity to show which books they have received, bought, won, or borrowed.

In my IMM posts, I will be posting only the eBooks/eARCs/Digital copies of books I recently owned/borrowed, review copies for book tours, as well as those received from Authors in exchange of an honest review.

RECEIVED FROM AUTHORS (FOR REVIEW)

Ink (Ink #1) by Holly Hood

Twisted Magic (Ink #2) by Holly Hood

Melancholic Delight by Tista Ray

REVIEW TOUR

Aberrant (Aberrant #1) by Ruth Silver

algelsignature

Stacking the Shelves #6 June Book Haul

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is a great way to showcase books you've recently added to your bookshelves. It is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

But for my STS, I'll be showing here only the physical copies of books I recently owned/borrowed/won. eBooks/eARCs will be showcased on my In My Mailbox posts.

Here's the list of what's added to my haul:


BOUGHT:
Looking for Alaska by John Green
Fallen (Fallen #1) by Lauren Kate
Gone (Gone #1) by Michael Grant

 

algelsignature

Cover Reveal + Excerpt: HALLOWS HAVEN by Melissa Brodsky and Nicole Madison

Genre: YA Paranormal

Blurb:
Captain of the cheerleading team, 16 year old Gwen Valiente has it all--the best of friends, a loving home, and a bright future. Little does she know that the people she loves the most have been keeping secrets--life-altering secrets.

When strange things start to happen to Gwen, she is thrust into a magickal new realm called Hallows Haven. Leaving the ordinary behind, she discovers that she can do things beyond her wildest dreams. As Hallows Haven begins to feel more like home, Gwen wonders how she ever felt satisfied with everyday life in Michigan.

Too late, Gwen realizes that even in this realm full of light and magic, danger lurks. Someone close to her is not what he seems and someone will do anything to draw her out of Hallows Haven and into the darkness. Even worse, some of that darkness may already exist within her, threatening her chance to make Hallows Haven her permanent home.


Have Gwen's loved ones continued to keep dangerous secrets? Can Gwen resist the call of darkness?


EXCERPT

Grandmother held out her hand. Out of thin air, a rather large, dull, old-fashioned brass skeleton key appeared. She fit it into the rusty lock covering the door of the banned room. The door crankily complained its way open, burping stale air in their faces. It was obvious that visitors to this room were infrequent.

“Now you will see why you were never allowed in here, Gwen.” She moved aside, allowing Gwen to enter the room before her.

It took a moment for Gwen’s eyes to adjust to the darkness of the windowless room. There was an iridescent glow pulsating from the long wall parallel to the door that made it look as though the wall were living, breathing. Gwen blinked. She couldn’t believe this had been in her basement this whole time and she had never known. A fantasy come to fruition. “Holy sh...!” she exclaimed.




ABOUT THE AUTHOR/S

Melissa Brodsky

Melissa Brodsky used to tell everyone she knew that she was going to be a writer when she grew up. She's currently working on that goal. Living in Michigan in a modern-day "Yours, Mine and Ours" type household, Melissa is the biological mother of 3 and a full-time stepmother, as well. On some days, she may even be considered evil, and not just by her stepchildren. Most of the time, she is sitting at the kitchen table, poised over her computer while daydreaming up new plots for books. She blogs (on occasion) over at rockanddrool.com.


Melissa Brodsky Links

Nicole Madison

Since childhood, Nicole Madison has been guilty of daydreaming a little too much. One of her favorite pastimes is staring into space, dreaming up stories, characters, lives, and dimensions when she really should be accomplishing other things. She parlayed her love of creating first into a career as a freelance writer and then into fiction writing. Her favorite genres are paranormal fiction and romance, followed closely by horror.

A long time Pennsylvanian, Nicole spends her days writing, soaking up books, teaching her five children how to be weird (in a good way), dancing for the endorphins and gardening.

Nicole Madison Links


Cover Reveal Tour by:
 

algelsignature

"Waiting On" Wednesday [3]: Teardrop (Teardrop #1) by Lauren Kate

This is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:


Title: Teardrop
Author: Lauren Kate
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Expected Publication: October 22, 2013


Book blurb:
Never, ever cry. . . . Eureka Boudreaux's mother drilled that rule into her daughter years ago. But now her mother is gone, and everywhere Eureka goes he is there: Ander, the tall, pale blond boy who seems to know things he shouldn't, who tells Eureka she is in grave danger, who comes closer to making her cry than anyone has before.

But Ander doesn't know Eureka's darkest secret: ever since her mother drowned in a freak accident, Eureka wishes she were dead, too. She has little left that she cares about, just her oldest friend, Brooks, and a strange inheritance—a locket, a letter, a mysterious stone, and an ancient book no one understands. The book contains a haunting tale about a girl who got her heart broken and cried an entire continent into the sea. Eureka is about to discover that the ancient tale is more than a story, that Ander might be telling the truth . . . and that her life has far darker undercurrents than she ever imagined. From Lauren Kate comes an epic saga of heart-stopping romance, devastating secrets, and dark magic . . . a world where everything you love can be washed away.
 

How about you? what's on your can't-wait-to-read list this week? :)


algelsignature

Book Review Tour Spotlight + Giveaway : TORN by Amber Lehman



Title: Torn
Author: Amber Lehman
Buy Links: Kindle | B&N

Book Blurb:
A group of Southern Californian teens learn pivotal lessons about sexuality, friendship, love and life.

"It was different this time; we weren't acting on a dare. I knew our motive; we were practicing the act, hoping to impress the right boy when it came time. But then something happened in the mix of the moment, in the mix of the alcohol. It wasn't planned, but somehow our kissing experiment turned into something else. Things went further . . . and once they had, once I returned to earth from the euphoria . . . I wrestled with my feelings at that frank realization, questioning whether our said objective was entirely true."

When fourteen-year old Krista McKinley transfers from Catholic school in Ohio to California's public Crestmount High, she discovers she has a lot to learn. Luckily, she is befriended by Carrie and Brandon and things start to look up. But when a simple dare tests Krista's values, it sends her entire world spiraling into a confusing series of events that leaves her questioning her identity as well as the people around her.


EXCERPT

Sunday night. I sat perched on the chair behind my desk with only the faint glow from my reading light. By 10:00 p.m. the night air was crisp as it floated through my bedroom window. I had been by myself for hours now.

I closed my math book and abandoned my homework. I couldn’t concentrate; wandering thoughts continued to distract me. I bit my lip and thought about my options. I wanted to talk. I needed to talk, and Brandon was the only person in whom I could confide. It was late, but I picked up the phone and dialed, praying he would answer.
 

After the third ring, Brandon said, “Hello?”
 

“It’s Krista.”
 

“Hey, gorgeous.” He sounded remarkably awake.
 

“I can’t sleep.”
 

“Daydreaming about Daemon?”
 

“Try bored. Josh is on a date and basically told us not to expect him home. Marc had an emergency call from the hospital. Just thought I’d see if you wanted to come over—hang out.”
 

After a moment he said, “Sure.”
 

“You’re the best, Brandon.”
 

“That’s what they all say.”
 

I couldn’t help smiling. “See you when you get here.”
 

I hung up the phone, then sat back on my bed and began thinking. I was scared to be alone in the house at night, but I had other things on my mind, too. Tonight would be the perfect opportunity to talk to Brandon. I had a daring question for him—that is, if I got up the courage to ask him. I’d been tossing around an unlikely idea in my head ever since he had surprised me with his boyishly sweet kiss. Just as Carrie and I practiced I began to wonder how things might be if I were doing the same thing with a boy.
 

Was it horrible of me to consider it? Was it something I had no business asking? Would he hate me or be offended if I did? I was afraid. I couldn’t be sure how he would react. Well, there was only one way to find out.
 

Twenty minutes later, Brandon rang my doorbell.
 

“Coming,” I yelled, sliding down the tile of the foyer in my stocking feet to come to a skidding halt at the door. I flung it wide open.
 

“Hey, you,” he said through a brilliant smile. He wore well-fitted blue jeans and a silky, short-sleeved, button down shirt in a deep shade of blue. He looked beautiful in blue. He came inside and closed the door behind him. We hugged in greeting, and I inhaled a sweet hint of his cologne.
 

“Thanks for coming.”
 

“No problem.”
 

“You can pick the movie,” I said as we walked into the living room. “Over by the cabinet.” Brandon headed toward the entertainment center while I went into the kitchen.
 

I returned with two cans of Coke, then flopped down Indian-style on the couch. “Did you find one?” I said.
 

Smiling, he handed me Can’t Buy Me Love.
 

“Again? We’ve only seen it a hundred times.”
 

“But Patrick Dempsey’s irresistible in this role.” He gave me one of his ridiculous grins.
 

“Fine. But I’ve never understood your taste in men.”
 

Brandon put the movie in, then sat down beside me. I tossed him a bag of Skittles. The usual hard-fast rules about not talking didn’t apply to this movie, since we knew it by heart. Sometimes it seemed as if we played it solely for background atmosphere. I made myself comfortable as the opening credits began to roll.
 

“How’s Carrie?” he asked.
 

Carrie hadn’t been at school for the past two days. In fact, her school attendance over the past month had been erratic. I really had no answer. When I had called Carrie’s house, her mother stated that she wasn’t accepting phone calls. So far, she hadn’t let me in on what was going on.
 

“She still hasn’t talked to me about it.”
 

I turned my attention back to the television and watched half-heartedly.
 

The movie had been on for a while as I considered my dilemma. I wrestled with the idea of approaching the subject; it had the potential to turn things weird, real quick. Brandon laughed at a scene from the movie.
 

I made a tentative beginning. “Brandon.”
 

He turned to look at me. “What’s up?”
 

“I kind of . . . need to talk to you.”
 

“So talk.”
 

“How many girls have you slept with?” Not very subtle. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” I added quickly.
 

He studied me. “That question’s left field even for you,” he said.
I shrugged.
 

“So what’s up?” Grabbing the remote control, he lowered the volume.
 

“Just curious, I guess. You’ve never really talked about it.”
 

“There isn’t much to tell.”
 

“But you have. . .”
 

“Yes. Twice.”
 

I reached for my soda trying to act casual. “Did you like it?”
 

“The first time was kinda weird,” he said as if he were summoning some far off memory. “Very vague. I don’t know . . . I was really drunk. Barely have any recollection of it at all.”
 

“So if you liked guys, why did you bother with girls?”
 

“I guess because I was kind of lost. I knew I felt differently, but at the same time, I was afraid someone would find out, so I tried to ignore it. Basically went along with what everyone else was doing. All anyone ever talked about was how great sex was. There was always talk about what girls did what.” He shrugged. “My curiosity got the better of me. I figured I was missing out on something.”
 

“And . . . ”
 

His lips crooked into a smile and then he laughed. “It was . . . interesting.”
 

“When was that?”
 

“Two years ago.”
 

“Were you nervous?”
 

“Considering I had no idea what I was doing, yeah, I’d say so.” After a moment he added, “Well, at least I tried it.”
 

“But I saw a talk show that made it sound like gay men are totally turned off by women.”
 

“You watch too many of those damn talk shows. I can’t speak for everybody, but not all gays feel that way.” Brandon studied my eyes. “Am I going to have to drag out what’s bugging you?”
 

My stomach fell and my heart rate quickened. A lump formed in my throat.
 

“Does this have to do with Carrie? You know. . . I’ll help in any way I can.”
 

He might live to regret those words. “Thanks,” I managed to say. This was it. If I was ever going to have the nerve to ask him, it had to be now.
 

“Are you feeling well?” he said suddenly.
 

My voice, barely audible, struggled to get the words out; I had officially reached panic mode. “I need to ask you a favor.” Looking down at the couch, I picked at the fabric. “A big one.”
 

“All right. What is it?”
 

I couldn’t look at him, but I mustered up all the courage I had and took a deep breath. “Would you . . . ” I stopped, cleared my mind and tried again. My voice was barely audible. “Will you be my first?”
 

Heat rushed to my cheeks so fast that I thought I would surely pass out during the awkward silence that followed. I felt like an ass. I flicked a nervous glance at him. His face was utterly blank.
 

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have mentioned it.” Why had I opened my mouth?
 

“Kris, you can have any guy you want. Why me?”
 

“I trust you. I don’t know . . . all these things have been going on with Carrie . . . it’s so confusing,” I said. “Anyway, I—I want it to be you.” There. I said it. “Will you do it?”
 

There was no way to know what he was thinking because he didn’t answer me for a while. His voice had lost all humor. “You kinda caught me off guard.” He looked at me again. “How long have you been thinking about this? Have you actually thought this through?”
 

I ignored his first question. “I have. I’m completely sure.” I wasn’t, but I had to do something. “If I’ve offended you . . .”
 

“It’s not that.”
 

He sat perched on the edge of the couch, tipped forward with his elbows resting on his knees. He stared at his hands, brows pursed in concern. “You’re serious.”
 

“Dead serious.”
 

“I can get the keys to the beach house on Monday. We’ll—”
 

“No.” I swallowed hard. “It has to be now. You know Carrie and I are leaving for dance camp next week and I want to know…well I don’t now what I want to know but I want it to happen before then. And tonight, no one will be home tonight.”
 

He fell back into the couch, almost pale. “Tonight?”
 

“I need to know before I see Carrie again.”
 

Brandon opened his mouth but silence filled the air. He closed it when he couldn’t find a thing to say.
 

“Kris . . . ”
 

“I understand. It was ridiculous of me to think . . . ” I looked down, shifting my attention to my 
fingers. I finally made the admission. “At the party, I tried with Eric, but—”
 

“What? You really must’ve been on drugs! That’s craziness, Kris. I can’t believe you even considered it.”
 

His vehemence surprised me, and I sat there, silent.
 

“You’re afraid,” I said finally.
 

“Terrified.” He rubbed his hands together. “For more than one reason. If anything went wrong, I’d hate myself for it. And won’t you regret it not happening with someone you really like, maybe even someone you love?”
 

“I thought you didn’t believe in love.”
 

“We’re talking about you.”
 

“I just want to experience what most girls do. Doesn’t that make sense?”

“Make sense? You really don’t believe this a typical request, do you?”


“I’m not expecting it to be perfect. I know the first time is generally a disappointment. I read Seventeen magazine.”


His expression was wary. Maybe he didn’t want me to decide my sexual preference based on an experience with him.


He rubbed his hands over his face. “We’ll see what happens,” he said.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amber Lehman

At age 22, author Amber Lehman began researching and writing what would become the novel TORN. Her writing occurred during a chaotic period of her life and she was often forced to set aside writing time to tend to family and personal matters. It was 5 years before TORN was completed to her satisfaction. It went through too many editing stages to count, and the end result was quite different than what was originally an 1100 page novel. After years of setting it aside, Amber finally revisited it and it was trimmed down to the 404 pages you now see. Then she waited another 9 years before she got the courage to publish it. Although  TORN is closer to what Amber calls “faction” than fiction, TORN draws upon experiences from her life as she observed and participated in the social dramas surrounding her friends lives and past relationships.

A native of southern California, Amber loves to write and illustrate every chance she gets. She spends most of her days conversing with her cat, Mouse. She enjoys German culture and language, and while it’s no secret that she holds a special affinity for the LGBTQ community, she does also look forward to writing books in many different genres.

Author Links:

GIVEAWAY

FIVE Signed Copies
(US Only)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
 
Tour organized by:
TASTY BOOK TOURS 


Click here to follow the tour!

algelsignature

2013 YA + MG Time Travel Reading Challenge

This is my first time to join a Reading Challenge. I am a lover of time travel books so I guess I'll be giving Precious from Fragments of Life and Dianne from Oops! I Read a Book Again a huge THANK YOU for hosting this event! The challenge is to read time travel books which will run from January 1, 2013 until December 31, 2013. If you are interested, you can check the details and join here.

I checked out the Goodreads list of time travel books that they made, and I decided to pledge for the Year Hopper. This level requires at least five time travel books to read. And here's the list of the books I decided to read for the challenge:


algelsignature