Spoiler Alert!

IF YOU HAVE NOT READ WILD, BY CHERYL STRAYED, THEN STOP READING HERE. I REPEAT, DO NOT WATCH THE TRAILER BELOW.
(Just thought I would torment you with a little temptation this morning!)

I cannot wait to go see this movie!!

Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children

• Author: Ransom Riggs (website/instagram/twitter)
• Publisher & Date: Quirk Books Publishing, 2014
• Pages: 396
• Intended Audience: Young Adults
• Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Paranormal, Fantasy, Historical Fiction
• Goodreads Rating: 4.03/5.0
• Sneak Peak by Jess:   

    Hollow City picks up right where Miss Peregrine's left you hanging. We meet up with the children and the bird as they make there way to... well, we aren't so sure of just where they are going. All we know for sure is that there is no turning back at this point. Wights, hollowgasts, and explosions have left their once perfect, never-changing loop in total devastation. Now, after sailing for miles across the sea, the children find themselves in quite the predicament. How will they manage to save Mrs. P and themselves in the midst of a World War and wight infiltration? Time is certainly not on their side, and it is quickly running out. 

"Having escaped Miss Peregrine's Island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises." -Goodreads.com

    This sequel to Miss Peregrine's steps it up a notch, in my opinion. Stuck in Europe, in probably one of the worst time periods imaginable, Jacob and his crew take readers on this terrifying journey in the middle of World War II. The scene has changed, the characters are evolving and becoming more and more relentless, and the story itself is more edgy than the first novel. Not only are these children amazing and very unique, but Riggs doesn't stop there. He decides to take it a step further and introduce a "menagerie of peculiar animals" to the mix. 

    I cannot exaggerate enough about the suspense that is created and just built upon in this book. Several of the characters are forced to make some pretty costly decisions, decisions I would never want to have to make, and they have no choice but to act in ways that you would never expect them to. There are circumstances in just about every chapter that leave you wondering how in the world? Don't get me wrong, not every situation ends the way you would want to. I swear that little twists and surprises are Riggs's specialty! I guess you'll just have to read for yourself. If you loved the first book, then do yourself a favor, and read this one immediately. 

• Favorites:

-Quote: "Despite everything, the peculiar life was what I had always wanted. Strange, I thought, how you can be living your dreams and your nightmares at the very same time."

-Character: Milliard Nullings, "An invisible boy, scholar of all things peculiar." I really loved Milliard in the first one, but he is fabulous in this sequel. 

-Also, I liked the twins. They were creepy but in a cute kind of way.

• Cons (as I see them): 

-Some of the conflicts in the plot seemed a little too far-fetched. Just be sure to remind yourself that this is a fantasy novel and that is all the fun in it- being able to accomplish things that would never happen in real life.

-And am I the only one who thinks that the romance happening is a little odd? (which may be the point?)

-The only other downside about this novel is that there is not a sequel written about it yet!!

• Questions: 

-Do you think that Jacob made the right decision? What would you have done if you were in his shoes?

-Is it okay to abandon your morals in certain situations?

-Should there be a third book to this story?

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)

 

• Author: Mindy Kaling (facebook/instagram/twitter)
• Publisher & Date: Three Rivers Press, 2011
• Pages: 219
• Intended Audience: Adults (specifically those with an open mind and a great sense of humor.)
• Genre: Memoir, Comedy, Adult Humor
• Goodreads Rating: 3.81/5
• Sneak Peak by Jess:

     Mindy Kaling lays it all on the line in this interesting, yet hodge-podge-like memoir of her life. From her memories of growing up as an uncoordinated, non-athletic immigrant child, to her views on the do's and don't's of karaoke, Kaling addresses just about everything she could think of at the time of writing her first book. 

"In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations of romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed stopping points for you to run errands or make phone calls." -Goodreads.com

   To this day I have never watched a single episode of, "The Office." There. I said it. However, I have watched a movie or two that had Mindy Kaling in it. Now that I have read this book though, I consider myself a fan. She allows readers to take a trip through her life- the good and the bad- and she really doesn't hold much back.

   The novel itself is written like a collection of essays and lists. Don't ask me how it is organized though because I am still trying to figure that out myself. It is very informally written, and it is written in her voice, which I really liked because you feel like you are listening to one of your best friends tell you story. She takes the time to address serious topics; bullying, coming of age, friendships, career and life decisions, self-esteem and self-worth, romance and guys, and legacies, and sprinkled throughout all of these more serious topics she leaves little pieces of what I would like to consider is her humor by addressing things like, "The Day I Stopped Eating Cupcakes," and, "Revenge Fantasies While Jogging." Take it or leave it, I guess.

   In all honesty, I think that this book is either a "you love it," or "you hate it" type of book. There are no deep-rooted, over-arching themes, or little hidden pieces of symbolism waiting to be discovered, and more than likely, you won't take much away from it. But with that being said, if you love a good laugh and a little entertainment, you'll probably find yourself somewhere in the "you love it" category. I just enjoyed getting to know who she is as a person and where she came from. 

• Favorite Quotes:

-"Are you kidding me? The thrill of living was high school? Come on Mr. Cougar Mellancamp. Get a life."

-"I was sitting in an audition room with a bunch of girls who were the "after" picture to my "before."

- "...(b) introducing Americans to the Daisy Duke short-shorts, which single-handedly lowered the average age of sexual intercourse in this country by several years."

• Favorite Chapters:

"Failing at Everything in the Greatest City on Earth": I really liked this chapter simply because it is so easy for me to relate to at the moment. She is living proof that everything happens for a reason.

"Best Friends Rights and Responsibilities": Only because this is a day in the life of my best friends and me. Any girl could understand. 

"Married People Need to Step It Up": In my opinion, Mindy becomes very sincere when she addresses this topic, unlike many of the other chapters in her book. As a reader, you can almost see through her and her comical facade she uses to conceal her insecurities. She nails it in this chapter though. It really did reaffirm my belief that marriage can work; sure it's not always a "cake-walk." As she describes it, it is "not the beginning and certainly not the end of your friendship with a person you can't wait to talk to about gardening with for the next forty years."

• Cons (as I see them): 

- One thing that I didn't really like- and it is my fault- is that she uses several references to other celebrities and producers that I have never heard of. I missed out on some of her jokes by not knowing who played in that movie twenty some-odd years ago. Again, probably my fault that I am not a movie buff. 

- This did not necessarily bother me, but fair warning, she uses some crude language and racy comments at times. I seriously doubt that she means to offend anyone by this, but just so you are aware. 

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

• Author: Ransom Riggs (website/instagram/twitter)
• Publisher & Date: Quirk Books Publishing, 2011
• Pages: 352
• Intended Audience: Young Adults
• Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Paranormal, Fantasy, Historical Fiction
• Goodreads Rating: 3.78/5.0 
• Sneak Peak by Jess:  

      Jacob Portman is your everyday, very average, mad-at-the-world teenager who woefully works at his family's pharmacy. His disappointment with his ever so boring existence and his cynical outlook on life and family, makes the stage for the reader at the very beginning of the book.

       As a kid, his grandfather was his very own super-hero. Grandpa Portman shares stories from his past; stories of the WWII, stories of growing up in an orphanage, and most importantly stories of strange and extraordinary kids. 

       At sixteen-years-old Jacob is put in a life-altering situation. A horrific tragedy sends his life spiraling out of control, and he is now left to decipher the stories that have long been clouding his mind. 

      Unfathomable disasters, hidden family secrets, abandoned orphanages, and a box of strange and inexplicable photographs will leave you wanting more in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. This all but ordinary novel takes its readers on a mysterious journey across the seas, across time, and across a land of very strange occurrences.

"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." - Goodreads.com

    First of all, I was dying to read this book as soon as I laid eyes on the cover. It's intriguing, right? Well, I have never been more pleasantly surprised to go against the quote, "Never judge a book by its cover." What Ransom Riggs accomplishes in his very first novel, mind you, is astonishing. 

    Jacob's overall story is great, and honestly, I kind of envy his adventure. I thought that it may be a little cheesy at first- simply because I am not always into the "paranormal" bits, but I was completely surprised at how much I loved it. One of the my favorite aspects of the book is how Riggs takes you through time and incorporates so much history throughout the story, and you can't get much more paranormal than time travel! So, I guess I am a fan. 

   Riggs develops his characters in an unique way as well. (Although, there are quite a few, and it was hard for me to keep them all straight at times. Good thing there are pictures!) You are introduced to them over the course of the book, which I loved, but he also randomly adds photographs here and there that he has personally collected for himself over the years. (Pretty cool hobby if you ask me!) It was interesting to me, and almost creepy in a sense, how seamlessly the photographs accompanied the plot. It would not surprise me at all if this style of writing became popular all of a sudden. Nice touch.

    But I think what I loved most about this book is the way Riggs writes. He is such an animated writer, and as a reader, you fall in love with his language. From his syntax, to his specific word choice, I guess I just was not expecting so much from a newly published author. 

    I highly suggest giving this book a shot. If you're into mind-boggling, super-twisting, mysterious, and kind of creepy suspense reads, then you'll be right at home. Also, I am a huge fan of learning a little bit about the author before/after I read something, and Ransom Riggs is a pretty interesting fellow. I would definitely suggest you swing by his website to see how he came up with the idea for writing Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

Favorites:

-Quote: "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."

-Character: Horace Somnusson- He is a intellect with an exceptional way with words. My kind of guy right there.  

Cons (as I see them):  

-As I already mentioned, it was hard to adjust to all of the characters' names at first. Just sort of confusing. 

-I was not completely thrilled by the way it came to an end; however, I knew there was a sequel, so I wasn't too worried about it.