Black-Eyed Susans gets 4.5 Stars {Mystery}

I'm a little behind on my book reviews, so I figured I'd load you up on book reviews this week.  Monday I reviewed a popular Young Adult/YA novel, Anna and the French Kiss, and on Tuesday I gave you a great Juvenile/Middle Grade Fiction book, Summerlost.  I felt an Adult Literature/Fiction book was appropriate to share with you all today. 

Black-Eyed Susans... Did you know they are a flower?  I honestly had no idea; how am I so bad at everything plant related.  I can't keep plants alive (I just killed 2 succulents), and I apparently know very little about flowers.  Anyways, black-eyed susans are a daisy like flower with a black center, and they are pictured on the book.  These flowers play a big role in the mystery suspense book that shares their name.. 

Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin gets 4.5 out of 5 Stars in my book review.  Black-Eyed Susans really earned that great rating.  It's a great mystery book that waits until the last moment to solve, well written, and a good story.  

I enjoy a good mystery, but they aren't my go to genre b/c I normally feel they aren't written as well.  However, this book is fantastic, and I am glad I read it.  If you are a mystery reader (yes I have a few great friends who LOVE mysteries- I'm looking at you Bessie), or if you are just looking for a great read give this one a check out.  Though, I will give you fair warning; this book is not like Gone Girl.  It's a mystery/suspense book, but I wouldn't put it in the same camp as Gone Girl which may be good or bad for some of you.  

I do feel Heaberlin did a great job writing this story.  Each chapter alternated between present day and past.  It can be difficult to write a book that goes back and forth between characters or settings, but for the most part Heaberlin pulled it off and I think it was necessary to the story.  There were only a couple of times I felt disjointed with the alternating time periods. 

The hard part about reviewing Mystery novels is that I can't talk about the storyline in any sort of detail b/c I don't want to give the mystery away.  However, in general terms, and the reason Black-Eyed Susans lost a half a star, was b/c the point of view of the story switched at the end.  I understand why Heaberlin did that, but I think it would've been even more powerful if it had stayed consistent in Tessa's point of view. Though, I do realize writing it from Tessa's point of view would've been more difficult.  However, that's what I think would've made it an awesome book.  

As far as characters are concerned, I really liked Tessa, the main character, and all of the secondary characters.  I also felt the content of the book was appropriate to the story.  There was some violence, but it's a mystery and that usually involves some sort of crime.  There was sex, but there were no details (as much as I remember).  All in all, it really is a great mystery; you should definitely check it out. It could make a great Book Club book selection; you'd have plenty to talk about and discuss.  

To be honest, there is loads more I'd like to say about the book, Black-Eyed Susans, but I don't want to be cruel and ruin the story for you.  So, I'll let the book description on Amazon do the trick of sharing a little bit of the story line w/o giving anything away.

"I am the star of screaming headlines and campfire ghost stories. I am one of the four Black-Eyed Susans. The lucky one.

As a sixteen-year-old, Tessa Cartwright was found in a Texas field, barely alive amid a scattering of bones, with only fragments of memory as to how she got there. Ever since, the press has pursued her as the lone surviving “Black-Eyed Susan,” the nickname given to the murder victims because of the yellow carpet of wildflowers that flourished above their shared grave. Tessa’s testimony about those tragic hours put a man on death row.

Now, almost two decades later, Tessa is an artist and single mother. In the desolate cold of February, she is shocked to discover a freshly planted patch of black-eyed susans—a summertime bloom—just outside her bedroom window. Terrified at the implications—that she sent the wrong man to prison and the real killer remains at large—Tessa turns to the lawyers working to exonerate the man awaiting execution. But the flowers alone are not proof enough, and the forensic investigation of the still-unidentified bones is progressing too slowly. An innocent life hangs in the balance. The legal team appeals to Tessa to undergo hypnosis to retrieve lost memories—and to share the drawings she produced as part of an experimental therapy shortly after her rescue.

What they don’t know is that Tessa and the scared, fragile girl she was have built a  fortress of secrets. As the clock ticks toward the execution, Tessa fears for her sanity, but even more for the safety of her teenaged daughter. Is a serial killer still roaming free, taunting Tessa with a trail of clues? She has no choice but to confront old ghosts and lingering nightmares to finally discover what really happened that night."

What do you think?  Are you going to check it out?  If you've read it before, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story.  Did you like it as much as I did? 

Happy Mystery and Suspense Novel Reading!  

Spook-tacular Books for Everyone, Fun to Scary, 9 Great Halloween Reads

Halloween is a fun holiday.  You may like the scary, frightening, creepy, horror filled aspect of the holiday, or maybe you just like the candy and the fun of it all.

I'm a little of both.  I love and hate being scared; I love haunted houses, but I am a total screamer and hate that I am.  I also love the fun of candy, cake walks (which at my elementary school carnival days I ALWAYS won a cake, or at least that is how I remember it), costumes, jack-o-lanterns, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, etc.  Halloween is fun!

Last week I gave you 17 Must Read HALLOWEEN Picture Books. They are fabulous books and read alouds and fabulous books in general.  My kids have been reading them like crazy.  

However, picture books do not have the market on awesome Halloween-ish type of books.  There are books that are fun aka not really scary at all, scary, horrifying, full of suspense, gripping, creepy, etc. reads for all kinds of readers and all ages.

All in all, Halloween is a fun holiday.  Whether you like the fun or frightening part of the holiday I have a book for you.    

This week's book list, Spook-tacular Books for Everyone: 9 Great Halloween Reads, is for Middle School/Junior High, High School, Teens, and Adults.  

Basically it is a book list for anyone 7th grade and up.  However, to clarify, not all of these books are appropriate, or may be too scary for 7th graders.  I just say 7th grade and up b/c 7th grade is the youngest I would go.  I clarified below with each book selection.  

You elementary school/juvenile/children's books fans don't you worry.  I'm hooking you up with a great book list next week.  

Spook-tacular Books for Everyone

Fun Books to Scary Books

9 Great Halloween Reads

 Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey 

A clean but gory read.  The visuals the author creates in his writing are amazing; the monsters are absolutely frightening to read about, but you won't be able to pull yourself away. Frightening and fun read the boys will love and girls will too.

Best for high school, but middle school will enjoy it as well.   

For my thoughts/review click here. 

Miss. Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs 

The real pictures are fun and creepy, the monsters remind me of the Monstrumologist slightly, and the story is all around a fun adventure with fantasy thrown in there.  Not so much a horror/suspense books, but a great read this time of year, or any for that matter. 

Best for 7th and up. All ages will enjoy this book. 

For my thoughts/review click here. 

Dracula The Graphic Novel: Original Text by Bram Stoker, Adapted by Jason Cobley 

Using the original text from the classic book Dracula, this fast read is perfect for reluctant readers, and will grab you as you quickly read this book.  

Graphic Novels of Classics that are well done are some of my favorite books.  Give them a go. 

Best for 7th grade and up. 

Frankenstein The Graphic Novel: Original Text by Mary Shelley, Adapted by Jason Cobley

  Another graphic novel of the class book, Frankenstein.  This fast read is again great for reluctant readers and boys.  Though, anyone wanting a refresher on a classic, or just a great introduction to a classic piece of literature should read this one.  You'll enjoy it! 

Best for 7th grade and up.

The Shining by Stephen King 

The Shining is a ridiculously creepy and absolutely terrifying read, but it is still one of my favorite King books.  The Stand and The Green Mile are two other scary but great books.  If you are looking for an absolutely frightening read this holiday pick up a book by Stephen King. 

Best for high school and up. 

Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel 

A fun and fabulously creative book that was designed to be a Frankenstein prequel. 

Best for 7th grade and up. 

Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare by Darren Shan 

This book and series is about vampires, which makes it perfect for this time of year, but it is also a fun read.  Shan does a great job of leaving you wanting more and wanting to read more at the end of each and every chapter.  There are tons of "cliff hangers" which makes it a great read aloud, great for reluctant readers, and an all around fun book.  Boys especially LOVE this series. 

Best for 7th grade and up, but I did read it aloud to my 5th graders. 

Rotters by Daniel Kraus

Graveyards and grave robbing make this a thrilling and gripping book perfect for Halloween.  Rick Yancey, The Monstrumologist author, raved about this book.  Boys and girls alike will enjoy it. 

Best for 9th grade and up. 

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce 

This fun fairytale retelling of Hansel and Gretel has witches and werewolves which makes it perfect for this time of year.  It's part of series, but you don't have to read the series in order. 

Best for 8th grade and up.

For my thoughts/review click here. 

Happy Spook-tacular (hubs came up with that phrase :) reading!

Keep Quiet gets 4 Stars

I picked up Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline from the library on a Friday and I had it finished in just a few days.  It is most definitely a gripping and fast read.  However, it was a tough read emotionally.  

I give Keep Quiet 4 out of 5 stars.  This mystery novel is a fast read and quite the page turner, but emotionally it was tough to read as you see the difficult choices the characters make.  

Overall, I thought the mystery story was good.  I began predicting aka solving the mystery about half way through the story, but it wasn't completely predictable in any sense.  There were parts that surprised me up until the very end. 

I did think the turmoil Jake and Ryan felt from their choices seemed quite realistic.  Though, I can see why they made the choices they did.  I feel the book was so emotionally difficult to read b/c the choices the characters made were in the "gray" area.  Life isn't always black and white.  Actually, life is frequently full of gray choices.  

I think the decisions the characters made realistically portrayed how they can and usually do tear people and families apart.  All around, the choices that are made grip at your heart strings and keep you emotionally invested or at least distraught.  

However, I did take a star from the book b/c parts of the story, the characters, and the dialogue seemed a bit unrealistic at times.  The writing also seemed a bit choppy at times.   

Though, if you don't analyze it too deeply you will thoroughly enjoy this mostly clean book.  I say mostly clean b/c there is some violence, in context, as well as reference to drug use. 

Amazon had the following book review: 

"Busy father Jake Whitmore is finally enjoying some quality time with his 16-year-old son, Ryan, when the boy convinces him to let him drive, even though he only has his learner’s permit. Tragically, Ryan hits a jogger. What happens next causes their lives to spiral out of control. Jake’s immediate instinct is to take the blame, but then when he realizes Ryan had been smoking marijuana earlier in the day, he makes the split-second decision to simply leave the scene. The two are wracked with guilt. Jake’s wife, Pam, is suspicious and worried. And unfortunately, there was a witness, who decides to blackmail Jake—and that’s when things start to get really complicated. Scottoline keeps the tension high while portraying a family in turmoil. A heck of a twist ending wraps everything up neatly—maybe too neatly—and caps a satisfying, suspenseful read. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: This blend of domestic drama and criminal suspense from best-selling Scottoline is sure to hit the holds lists and may even find her a new audience among fans of issue-driven women’s fiction."

Now, if you have not read the book stop reading the review and go check this one out then come back and tell me what you think. 
  

*****************************************************************************************
Below, I included a few more thoughts on the book.  However, the section below contains SPOLERS!

- From about one-third of the way through the book I started to predict that Kathleen was already dead.  When did you predict it? 

- I wasn't completely sure about Dr. Dave from the beginning; I knew something was amiss.  Scottoline did a pretty good job making him a questionable character but not completely giving it away. 

- I was surprised and annoyed with Pam.  She was selfish and didn't seem to see any fault or take any blame with her affair which was clearly a wrong choice.  However, Jake's split second decision and choice in a "gray" area was so very wrong in her eyes and deserved all the blame.

- I did appreciate the ending where the reactions from the town/city members and the impact from the choices made seemed realistic.  The family gets shunned, but I appreciate the "glass half full" outlook that was made by the family by saying, "Nothing like a public shunning to bring a family closer together."  True, but funny. 

So, for those that have read the book, what did you think?    
     

5 Books You Must Read Coming to Theaters

I did my thesis on book based movies and the impact it has on circulation aka checking books in and out.  Two months before a book based movie is released there is a huge surge in check-outs.  There is also a huge surge in check-outs a month after the book based movie is released.  Therefore, I was able to conclude that people love to read books that are based on movies just before and after the release date. 

In 2014 alone there are 16 book based movies.  That is a lot of movies, and possibly a lot of books for someone to read in a year. 

I narrowed it down to the 5 Must Read Books that you should definitely read this year especially if you are a book reader and movie watcher.

I've included the movie release dates for your convenience. 

The 5 Must Read Books

Coming to Theaters this Year

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Comes to theaters March 21^st

^{It's a fast read, and both boys and girls as well as the young and old love this YA dystopian action packed book.}    

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Comes to theaters June 6th

Great storyline and book that will bring tears to your eyes.  I imagine the movie to be more of a chick-flick, but the book has won many boys/men over with it's storyline. 

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Comes to theaters August 15^th

Is a classic dystopian type book that is short aka quick read, and it has a thought provoking storyline that is perfect for classrooms and book clubs.  If it's been awhile since you've read this classic you should give yourself a refresher before the movie.   

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Coming to theaters Sept 19th

This action packed book is the one Dashner series I enjoy.  This book has an interesting storyline full of action and intrigue.  Boys absolutely love this series, and it's a perfect one for reluctant readers.  Girls find this book to be great as well.  It'd make a fun middle school read aloud book or a great book for a parent/child read. 

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Comes to theaters Dec 25^th

Somehow I forgot to write a review on this book I read with my book club.  This historical aka non-fiction aka true story book is fabulous, heart warming, and inspiring.  A definite must read.  

Consolation book/movie...

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Comes to theaters Oct 3rd

This book has mixed reviews in my book.  The book starts great and ends a little less great.  All in all the book is mysterious and suspenseful and the characters are dark and twisted.  With the movie coming out in October it might make a good scary Halloween movie,  Be warned though the book has lots of language and other adult situations/scenes.  

All of these books are great books.  Some I love more than others, but I think they are all well written books.  With that said, the movies sure have a lot to live up to, and sometimes it is tough to like a book based movie b/c it feels exactly like this picture below.      

I love books, and I thoroughly enjoy a good movie.  However, after trying for far to long to find the perfect book based movie that includes absolutely everything from the book into the movie and brings it all to life exactly how I imagined/pictured it, I have come to the point where I try not to compare the book based movie to the book anymore.

It just isn't fair.  Books and movies are different.  They have different strengths and weaknesses.  

I have come to just enjoy them separately. 

With all that said, who is going to Divergent this weekend? Seeing as I just saw Catching Fire (thank you Red Box) last weekend, I would be pleasantly surprised if the movie Divergent was our date night this weekend. 

Hollow City- Miss Peregrine's #2

Recently, Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs came out.  I knew it was coming out soon, but it wasn't until I was walking through Target that I saw it on the shelf.  That night I came home and bought the book for my iPad.  If I buy the first in the series on my iPad I want to buy the rest that way.  Dang OCD librarian traits that I have with keeping books together.  I did the same thing with the Divergent series.  

I read the first Miss Peregrine book about a year ago; that review can be found here.  I really liked that book, but that was probably obvious by my excitement with buying the second book.

I didn't love the second book as much.  Hollow City was good, but it wasn't great like Miss Peregrine was.  Overall, I'd give Hollow City 3.5 out of 5 stars.  I liked the storyline and that it wasn't completely predictable, but I thought there were parts of the writing that I didn't love.  However, I will give examples below so that I don't spoil it for anyone.  All in all, this book and series is great.  It has the realistic pictures which make it even more fun, and it is a great read for 7th and up boys and girls whether you are a reader or not.    

Hollow City is definitely geared more to the 9th grade and up, but it is clean with no language or sex, but it does have a little action (nothing gruesome like Monstrumologist).  So, a 7th grader would be fine with it.  
  I'd say if you have a boy or girl reluctant reader this could be a great series to read for an assignment, for fun, or for a gift.

Amazon had the follow book review from School Library Journal: 
"This harrowing tale picks up right where Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Quirk, 2011) left off: having narrowly escaped wights and hollowgasts (monsters), Jacob, Emma, and their group of peculiars (young mutants, à la the X-Men, with a dash of time travel abilities) are on the move to London to find a cure for their headmistress Miss Peregrine who has been trapped in her bird form, but time is running short. Moving through time loops, they meet a menagerie of characters who help them along the way, but danger lurks at every corner, and horrors are not far behind. Even if the teens reach London alive, will it be enough to save Miss Peregrine from an ornithological fate? This book is perfectly paced, suspenseful, and scary. It is dark and dreadful but also humorous and touching. The peculiars are intriguing, each with fascinating powers, such as invisibility or premonition. They play off of one another's strengths and weaknesses, which progresses the story and further develops the characters. And of course there is the book's main attraction: the found vernacular photography, vintage pictures that Riggs has collected from flea markets and archives. The quirky and creepy snapshots perfectly illustrate the characters and settings, reinforcing the dark atmosphere of the narrative. New readers of the series will find this novel a treat and will be able to sift through summaries of previous events to place themselves in the story. Fans of the first title will find this book a treasure. The only downside: waiting for the third installment to find out what happens to Jacob and his peculiar friends.—Billy Parrott, New York Public Library."

*Spoiler Alert* Don't read below if you don't want to ruin anything.
First, some of the things I liked in the book.  I did like when the gypsies and the peculiars met up and found that they have common ground b/c they are both often thought of as outcasts.  When they were partying it up one night they said, "At times we all need to be distracted from the darkness or what weighs on us." (pg 137)

Second, I thought the idea of history healing itself was pretty neat.  If time traveling was a possibility it said that you couldn't change something like killing Hitler as a baby to prevent WWII b/c history would heal itself and always make it right by having someone else take Hitler's place.  Does that make sense?  I thought was a cool thought.

Third, I did not see Sam, the girl they meet in the house during the bombing raid that ends up being the girl on the cover with the hole in her stomach, being a peculiar.  It just surprised me; I love being surprised like that in books.  

Fourth, I was most definitely surprised when Caul, Miss Peregrine's brother, was the bird.  I didn't see that coming at all.  However, I did know and felt something was amiss.  I thought maybe Miss Wren or Althea were not good or going to throw a twist into everything. 

I did feel that some of the vintage pictures were used just to have pictures in the book.  At times it felt like he threw details into the story just so Riggs could use the picture.  I would've preferred fewer pictures than have the book seem a little forced with the story at those points.  These pictures are not the ones of people used in the book, those are great, but of the things like the horses dead in the path.  

I didn't love the ending of the book.  Sure the book is left wide open for the third book which is great, and I knew Jacob going home seemed too easy.  I just figured the third book would involve the clown and folding man fighting a war, but that was silly to think Jacob wouldn't be involved.  

Part of the ending that I did love all started from the time they entered the ice building.  I just felt the writing didn't seem as cohesive as I would've liked.  A little too random and thrown together for my liking.  From the dream with Grandpa to the Hollow in the ice to how it all ended up.  It was just a blur of randomness; I felt the writing from Riggs could've been much better.

I think some of these dislikes with the pictures being forced to be a part of the story to the ending is why Hollow City got a 3.5 in my book.  It's still a good book and series, but I have to be critical.  It's what a librarian does with books. ;)

10 Good Clean Books of LOVE

Sometimes you just want a good book with a bit of a love story.  For all of those sometimes this should be your go to list of 10 Good Clean Stories of Love. 

When I say clean love stories I mean they are not your heavy romance books.  There may be a little language in some, or action (b/c they aren't just romance novels), or even reference sex.  However, according to me these are quite clean.

I like stories with love in them, but I don't like a full on romance book.  So, all 10 of these books are more than just love.  This list has action, zombies, dystopian, fairy tales, classics, ghosts, and even stories with deeper/thought provoking topics.

If you have read these books, read them again.  There is something fabulous about reading a book you love.  If you haven't read any of them I highly suggest you add it to your "To Read."  These stories will fill your desire for a bit of romance, and they all have unique and interesting story lines as well.

10 Good Clean Books of LOVE

The Classic Love

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 

and then for fun read

Mr. Darcy’s Diary by Amanda Grange

Love and a Twisted Fairy Tale

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Teen Love

All-American Girl by Meg Cabot

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Though to be honest you could go with any Cabot or Dessen book.  

Love but not your typical Nicholas Sparks book

 Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

End of the World/Dystopian Love

 Divergent by Veronica Roth

Out of this World/Fantasy Love

Entwined by Heather Dixon

Not of this World Love

 Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Any books you would add to the list?  Any that you have read?  I love to hear your thoughts.  

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

A lot of people initially choose a book based on the cover.  That is why in libraries it is so crucial to not only weed the collection so people can easily see books, but to also keep the books looking as good as possible.  This is also why the really great books that have stood the test of time often have multiple covers done for their books years later.  Recently I read that Harry Potter will be releasing new covers on all of its books this September for the 15th anniversary of the Sorcerer's Stone book release.

You might pick up Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs b/c it has a cool photograph for its cover, plus the name of the book is intriguing.  You might then flip through the book and see the many other odd and old photographs throughout the book.  The photographs are fun and most definitely odd, but they also help tell the story.  The photographs are actually all real photographs.  Riggs initially found the photos at a swap meet or flea market of sorts.  He wanted to make a picture book with them, but his editor, or someone along those lines, convinced him to write a novel using the photographs to help tell the story.  Riggs had several pictures but not enough for a novel.  It was a good thing he was able to use the pictures of several other people to complete the story.  If you are interested you can see the picture credits at the end of the book.

Riggs spent more than 3 years, if my memory serves me correctly, writing this novel.  The way Riggs ended the novel the reader is led to believe that there will be another one.  However, it might be a while until we see it with the pace Riggs is at; though, the second book does have a tentative release day for January 2014.  I know having to wait may bug some people, but I would rather an author take his/her time to write a really great sequel, rather than have the author rush to write a mediocre one.  Quality of literature is always more important.

Besides writing, Riggs also makes movies.  You can see some of his movies on YouTube; they are weird, but so is his writing.  That's just the way he is.  One of the movies on YouTube is a book trailer for Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, as well as a movie about his trip to make the book trailer.  Check out the book trailer below, it reminded me of The Princess Bride.  Please tell me you see the connection too.

Amazon had the following book description:
"A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. 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 were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted 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."

This book is about a boy, Jacob, that has a close relationship with his grandfather.  He lives in Florida, just like Ransom Riggs did before he moved to LA.  Jack's gpa tells him a lot of great stories, and has pictures to prove the authenticity of these stories.  Jacob believes his stories for many years, but eventually Jacob becomes a teenager; his teenage years make him doubt his gpa's strange stories.  Jacob eventually sees a "family tragedy" as Amazon puts it.  This tragedy leaves Jacob questioning things even more, and eventually leads him on a trip to solve a mystery for his gpa. 

On this trip Jacob ends up visiting a small island in Wales with his father.  Jacob solves the mystery, but complicates things as well.  Jacob eventually becomes part of a much bigger mystery.  While on the island Jacob ends up meeting some very interesting kids, and finds himself more like some of them than he realized or knew.

Personally, I would give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.  I felt this book had a unique story line, kept the reader engaged and moving well through the story, the mystery was good, it was not completely predictable, the pictures added a fun touch to it all, and it was well written.  I think I took the .5 out b/c there were parts that were predictable and I was just waiting for the author to get there. 

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a great read, and I think boys and girls would really enjoy this book.  There wasn't anything bad in the story; it was a clean read.  However, I would say it would be best for middle school or higher; I do think many adults would enjoy this novel, and it could be a fun read aloud for a middle school teacher or a parent.  

This book is great. The monsters remind me a bit of The Monstrumologist but they are definitely not as gory.  However, they are still disturbing in their own way.  The setting on the island reminded me of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society; this is a great adult read, but it is a little slow at times.  Honestly, I am glad I read this book.  It had been on my "To Read" list for a very long time.  It's about time I got it read. .   

   

Overall, this book had monsters, suspense, and pictures of kids doing weird and bizarre things.  Plus, all of these things were connected in a well written novel.  It is wonderful.  You should most definitely give this story a read; well, I guess if the pictures are disturbing to you, then maybe you should read the story, but not look at any of the pictures.  That would solve the problem for you, right? :) 

Anyway, go check Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children out.  It's fun!  Plus, it was on the NY Times Bestseller List for more than a year.  That is impressive.  Clearly, people are enjoying this book.   

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