Tender Morsals by Margo Lanagan

This is one of the many versions of modernized fairy tales that you can find out there, however this one is different from most of the others because of the darkness in it. It is a more Brother's Grimm version of a fairy tale than other cliche princess stories.

After Liga's father -who has impregnated her twice (although the first one was aborted through dark magic)- dies, Liga is raped by a group of five village boys, and soon flees the life she's always known to try and commit suicide. However, some greater power grants her a personal heaven, in which to raise her two year old and the child she is carrying from one of the village boys.
This novel follows the lives of her and her children in their heaven, as well as the town they left from. It shows how even a perfect heaven can become corrupt, and how a dream made when one was 15 has to change and mature as the person who designed it grows older.

I absolutely loved it, and all the darkness and questioning of morals is brilliant. As well, even though there was so much mention of rape and abuse, the writing style makes it all seem like not a big deal. It has the idea that, yes, these things happened, but there are lots of other things to focus on, so these issues are not at the forefront of the novel after completion.
I really enjoyed it, and plan on reading more by Margo Lanagan!

The Devouring -Simon Holt

Reggie is your typical teenager, if a bit on the geeky side. She loves horror stories, and is nervous around most guys, excluding her-slightly wimpy-best friend Aaron. She lives with her dad and her 8-year-old brother, Henry, who is a bit of a wuss, and has been since their mother ran out a year ago.
One day she finds an interesting book at the used book store she works for. She looks around for other copies, but there are none. The book is about these creepy demon-type things called Vours that take the souls of their victims by terrifying them with their deepest fears. On the night before the Vours are supposedly at their strongest she reads the book to her brother. He, of course, is terrified out of his mind, even after Reggie tells him it's not a true story.
She was wrong though. The Vours do exist, and after one takes over her brother she starts a chain of events going to do anything she can to get her brother back.

I absolutely loved this book! It was shoved into my hands by a very eager friend who told me I had to read it! She was right! I loved the plot-it wasn't as incredibly cliche as most of this type of books are, although it's hard to get a book that's completely original! The plot was fast-moving and had some great plot twists that I completely didn't expect! The characters were well thought out too, and each went through their own bit of growing up throughout the story. There is a series, and I can't wait to read it! The end of the story is a bit of a cliffhanger, and there was plenty of foreshadowing throughout the entire book.

Beautiful Pigs -Andy Case

This little piggy went to market, and this little piggy went to the catwalk! And what a MARVELOUS DISPLAY this turned out to be, showing PIGS as you have never seen them before-primped, polished, and looking positively gorgeous. Every aspect of porcine elegance has been captured here in glorious full-coloured photography.

This unique gift book, destined to adorn coffee tables of pig lovers around the globe, in the perfect piggy-in-the-middle conversation piece.

This book made me laugh! I liked how it was done, making sure that pigs stay humorous and don't become boring as so many pig books are wont to make them appear. It is definitely the book to adorn coffee tables, and I know it's already on ours!

I have never seen a pig that looks like a sheep. I didn't even know that pigs had hair until a couple years ago! My (new) favourite pig has to be the Mangalitsa! They are so cute! The piglets especially are adorable! They're small and fluffy and what more could you want from a sheep? Oh, sorry, I meant a pig! But in some of the pictures you really can't tell the difference...

One thing I noticed was that Tamworth pigs are one of the favourites of the author, and possibly many other pig lovers. Coincidentally, they are also described as the hardest to handle, and are not recommended to novice pig farmers. Whoops... The book also says they can run like a racehorse. This is true!

I loved this book (and did I mention, it also has good information on every type of pig too!) and suggest that people take a look at some of the pictures. There are some very ugly, er, I mean beautiful pigs out there!

The Black Tattoo -Sam Enthoven

Jack Farrell never thought that he would end up in Hell. Certainly not when he was still alive. And definitely not by choice. But that's exactly where he does end up-in one of Hell's prison cells, no less, with only a giant two-headed tapeworm for conversation.


But what else can he do? Jack's best friend, Charlie, is in serious trouble. An ancient demon called the Scourge is using Charlie to bring about it's evil ends-which, unfortunately, involves the destruction of the entire universe.


Now Jack and the butt-kicking, sword-wielding Esme must contend with floating sharks, moving jelly, oversized centipedes, gladiator pits, and vomiting bats, all for the sake of saving Charlie from the Scourge. And, hopefully, saving the world from total and utter annihilation.



This was a great book, recommended to me by a friend. It had the perfect combination of amazing, funny characters, butt-kicking, and teenage awkewardness!
The plot was good, although one could hardly say it was completely original (there are a lot of "evil demon escapes and tries to destroy the world" books out there!). I loved all of the characters (even the "bad" ones!), especially the "bat" (Chinj) that "vomits"! This book was also funny, which made it even better because lots of the books I've read like this are more matter-a-fact, trying to keep you interested with a confusing plot. Well, that usually works too, I must admit, although I have to say, I like this style of writing better.
In short, this was a great book, and a great recommendation for me, and anyone else who likes this kind of book too!

Spirit -J.P Hightman

Seventeen-year-old ghost hunters Tess and Tobias spend their days and nights searching for the paranormal in the cold, dark heart of the Victorian era-and age of black clothes and black moods. Their latest investigation has them seeking the truth about a couple that was murdered two centuries earlier during the Salem witch trials. But in all their adventures, Tess and Tobias have never before encountered a force as evil as the one that awaits them in Salem...

At first I had my doubts about this book. I only read it because it caught my eye at the library. The first few chapters were okay, but not great. I wasn't really into it. That all changed later in the book when things started to get interesting! By the time I was halfway done the book, I was completely hooked, and didn't put the book down!

The best part about this book (I think) is the confusion. You never really know whats going on, only what the various people think is going on. I really liked this book! It was terrifying and I'm glad I read it outside in the sun instead of at night!

the "Alex Rider" series -Anthony Horowitz

This series of books is all about a teenager called Alex Rider. He has been trained from a very young age so by the time he's 14, a secret agent enlists him to help them on a mission. From this point on, although he has no idea, he will be thrown into many dangerous situations where many dangerous people will attempt to use him, or kill him.

I really liked this series, even though it's a fairly easy read, and there's no way any of it could ever really happen, it's fun to imagine what it would be like to be a secret agent like Alex is. The plot is fast-moving and there's danger at every corner. Betrayals occur everywhere, and there's always some twist in the plot that changes everything.

Anthony Horowitz is a great author, and I always look forward to more of his books coming out!

The Demon King -Cindy Williams Chima

Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for his family. The only thing of value he has is something he can't sell-the thick silver cuffs he's worn since birth. They're clearly magicked-as he grows, they grow, and he's never been able to get them off.
One day Han and his clan friend, Dancer, confront three young wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayer, son of the high wizard, to keep him from using it on them. Soon Han learns that the amulet has an evil history-it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece that powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayers will stop at nothing to get it back.
Meanwhile, Raisa ana'Marianna, princess heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. She's just returned to court after three years of freedom in the mountains-riding, hunting, and working the famous clan markets. Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea-the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved to world. But her mother has other plans for her-including marriage to a suitor who goes against everything the queendom stands for.
The Seven Realms tremble when the lives of Han and Raisa collide, fanning the flames of the smoldering war between clans and wizards.

I absolutely LOVED this book! I actually didn't pick it out for myself, and had no plans to read it. That changed yesterday when I got really bored, and wanted something to read. Tamora Pierce (a New York Times best-selling author who I really like) said that the Demon King was "An utterly gripping read...There's danger at every turn and a civilization that's coming apart-how could I not love this book?!" and I agree completely! Cindy Williams Chima (the author of the book) has also written the Warrior Heir, the Wizard Heir, and the Dragon Heir, another series I enjoyed.