Review: Two and Twenty Dark Tales - Various authors

Where I got it: Netgalley
Rating: 4 stars  
Cover Rating: 4.5 stars (I really enjoy it.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: October 16, 2012
Publisher: Month9Books
Page Count: 340 p.
Buy it: Book Depository / Amazon
Add it: Goodreads

Dark re-tellings of Mother Goose rhymes are what this whole anthology is about. From Jack and Jill to Humpty Dumpty, these authors explore another side of these nursery rhymes.

I'm not going to review each story, because there were a lot and also the ARC didn't have all of the stories that are in the finished version. On a whole though I really enjoyed all these tales. Some were rhymes I was not already familiar with, but most of them I knew. I'm a huge fan of re-tellings and this one did not disappoint. My two favorite stories were "Wee Willie Winkie" by Leigh Fallon and "A Ribbon of Blue" by Michelle Zink. "Wee Willie Winkie" was pretty creepy. Nothing particularly scary happened in it, but it gave me goosebumps. It just had this very eerie feel to it. "A Ribbon of Blue" was just a fantastic little story about love. I really enjoyed Ruby and the carnival was a fantastic back drop for her story.

If you are a fan of re-tellings or short stories, I would highly suggest you check this out. Although I didn't love every story, I didn't hate any. There were a lot of really fantastic re-imaginings.

First Line:
"The question that kept coming up as I read the stories in this volume was why would anyone want to transform innocent nursery rhymes into dark and scary fairy tales?"

Favorite Lines:
"'Is that not the doubter calling the cynic skeptical'"

"And tells me that he is Death."

"You can't deceive the witches in the wood."

Review: The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories Vol.2 - Joseph Gordon-Levitt & wirrow (hitRECord)

Where I got it: Finished copy from publisher for review
Rating: 5 stars  
Cover Rating: 5 stars (Just perfectly lovely.)
Genre: Book Lovers
Publication Date: November 13, 2012
Publisher: !t Books
Page Count: 128 p.
Buy it: Book Depository / Amazon
Add it: Goodreads

Once again a collaboration of many talented people being us this beautiful tiny book. I adored it. There were so many great stories in this one. There were a lot of stories about hair too, so if you like hair.... But, seriously. If you haven't heard of these books or been to hitrecord you are seriously missing out. Even if you don't have a creative bone in your body, as long as you can appreciate art you should check these out. These little tiny books are perfect to flip through again and again.

One of my favorite stories in this one came from this record. I just really love it.
You can see the illustration below.

Review: The Curiosities - Maggie Siefvater, Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovanoff

Where I got it: Library
Rating: 4 stars  
Cover Rating: 5 stars (Awesome.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: August 1, 2012
Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab
Page Count: 296 p.
Buy it: Book Depository / Amazon
Add it: Goodreads

There are three authors involved in the Merry Sisters of Fate site. A site where three authors challenged themselves and each other to write a small piece of fiction each week. This is but a small look into the process and the end results.

This was a really interesting book. I would definitely recommend it to aspiring authors. There are not only some of these ladies lovely tales, but lots of notes and scribbles that talk about the writing process. That's what really makes this book unique is that added touch beyond just the stories.

These stories are also fantastic though. I have only read Brenna's books before, but I found that I loved every single story and now am thinking I really need to pick up something by the other two. Each story fits the title, they are curious tales. A step out of the ordinary.

I am going to have to buy this book to keep around and go back to. The stories and notes and doodles were just really fab. If you have a chance to check this out...do.

First Line:
"Sat, May 3, 2008
From: Maggie Stiefvater
Time: 2:36 PM
To: Brenna Yovanoff, Tess Gratton
Hey guys, what so you guys think of doing a group blog where we each try and do a piece of flash fiction or a mini scene totally unrelated to anything we're doing?"

Favorite Line:
"My heart is spinning fast , and I am feverish with a burning need to destroy."

You can check out their website, Merry Sisters of Fate, here. There are tons of other great (sometimes creepy) stories there too.

Review: The Squirrel Mother - Megan Kelso

Where I got it: Inter-library Loan
Rating: 4 stars  

Cover Rating: 4 stars (It sort of sets the tone for the book.)
Genre: Young Adult

Publication Date: July 1, 2006

Publisher: Fantagraphics Books

Page Count: 147 p.

Buy it: Book Depository / Amazon
Add it: Goodreads

I'm going to just go ahead and get started with the review here, since this is a story collection.

My favorite story was "Fuck the Troops". It was completely accurate and talked about how we glorify war and forget our vets. It was a sad tale, but so accurate. I enjoyed all the stories throughout this though and the illustrations were great too. There were stories of love, loss and some that seemed just plain bizarre. Megan Kelso drew upon so many different topics in an entirely interesting way. Each story is a little nugget of wisdom and rebellion. Her brief tales and awesome illustrations leave you pondering well after having finished reading. I will definitely be purchasing my own copy so that I can reread it and lend it to my friends. If you're a graphic novel fan and like stories that make you think make sure you pick this one up.

First Line:
"Once upon a time, there was a lady with lots of children."

Favorite Line:
" Long after thousands have died and peace has eluded the living, concede that is was all a big mistake."

Review: Girl Meets Boy: Because There Are Two Sides to Every Story - Various Authors

Where I got it: Finished copy from AmazonVine

Rating: 3.5 stars  

Cover Rating: 5 stars (Fun.)
Genre: Young Adult

Publication Date: December 28, 2011

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Page Count: 204 p.

Buy it: Book Depository / Amazon

Six different stories with twelve different sides. Neither side is necessarily more accurate than the other, but it's what the narrator believes the truth to be. You get to see both sides of each of these six stories, that range from relationships gone wrong, to internet meetups to shy boys and loud girls. The characters come from all sorts of backgrounds and each have a set of their own issues. So these are the stories through their eyes.

I really enjoyed the setup of this novel; the telling of both sides of the same story. It was especially interesting, because it was boy versus girl. It would have been great if it was two people of the same gender, but I think boys and girls often have a different outlook on things. Not every boy and girl, but enough of them to make it interesting. Some of these stories were really fantastic like Launchpad for Neptune and Want to Meet/Meeting for Real. The other stories were pretty good too, but I liked those two the best. I will say that there were a ton of really strange names. In nearly every story someone had a crazy unbelievable name. Maybe New Hampshire is just boring about naming their kids. I wished there were a few more stories in this collection, because both sides were fairly short. It was great that they dealt with a pretty wide-range of topics, these aren't just love stories gone wrong. Inside this collection you'll find gender identity, homosexuality, interracial couples, class separation, prejudice, statutory rape and a ton of other issues. Having these topics discussed really made the collection for me. It took it from fluffy quick stories to a more intelligent read, that exposes readers to a lot of different types of people and situations. I would say this is a great pick for a libraries YA collection, because of that very fact. If you enjoy short stories, I would definitely recommend that you pick this one up.

First Line:
"As a kid, I was my family's 'tomboy.'"

Favorite Line:
"I mean, I spoke in italics."

Review: The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories - Joseph Gordon-Levitt (hitRECord)

Where I got it: Finished copy from publisher for review

Rating: 5 stars  

Cover Rating: 5 stars (Fitting and different. I like it a lot.)
Genre: Book Lovers

Publication Date: December 6, 2011

Publisher: It Books

Page Count: 88 p.

Buy it: Book Depository / Amazon / hitRECord

The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories is a collaborative effort put together by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. hitRECord is an online art spectacular filled to the brim with talent. Anyone can sign up and contribute in any way.

In this first volume of the tiny book series, there are one to two sentences for each story and they are accompanied by an illustration.  The stories all make you think and expand your imagination a little bit further. Some are cute, some are sad and some are strange. They are all fantastic though.

Each story is just full of wonder and imagination and the illustrations are fitting and phenomenal. I am really excited about the whole concept of hitRECord and you all should check it out if you have any creative fibers in your being. This is a great project, and I can't wait to get more Tiny Books and more Morgan M Morgansen's dates with Destiny!

First Line:
"i'm ready for another adventure now, take me far away please!"

Favorite Line:
"I don't get dressed anymore."

Review: Dear Bully Anthology

Where I got it: Library

Rating: 4.5 stars  

Cover Rating: 3.5 stars (Neat.)  

Genre: Young Adult

Publication Date: September 6, 2011

Publisher: HarperTeen

Page Count: 339 p.

Buy it: Book Depository / Amazon


Dear Bully is an anthology of seventy authors writing about their experiences with bullying. Some were bullied and some were bullies. Some watched bullying happen and stood by, others took action and stood up against the attackers. Not all people are equal, but all of them were shaped by these moments. What they did or did not do and what did or did not happen. Every moment matters.

This anthology was not as depressing as I though it would be. It had a very hope-filled tone about it. Which may or may not be a good thing. While this anthology was amazing, I felt it was lacking something. None of the stories were brutal enough. I'm not trying to discount anyone's trauma. I just felt like none of these seemed "that" bad. My only fear with this is that a kid who is being tied to a fence and beaten on a regular basis, or raped because of their gender identity, is going to read this and think "Yeah, it got better for you because it wasn't that bad."Everyone handles bullying differently. It's the adults that should be handling it though, and they should do so with an iron fist. Bullying CANNOT be tolerated. Every time you let a snide remark slide, that cuts a person down. Even if it doesn't seem to bother them, it could be. I identified a lot with Lauren Oliver's story, because high school wasn't that bad for me.  Middle school was completely horrible, and If I was a weaker kid and had no support system, I may not have made it through. In high school though, it seemed that all that harassment just faded away, it helped to have a vice principal who didn't penalize the victim. I really liked what Lauren said about people just needing to think outside the box more, and accept what they find. If you believe homosexuality is wrong, fine, don't be friends with someone who is gay. That doesn't mean you have to call them names, or follow them home to beat the crap out of them. I think people just need to take into consideration that IT DOES NOT AFFECT THEM! If a guy likes to wear pink, who cares? If a girl likes to kiss girls, who cares? It does not affect you if you just leave them alone. If people weren't supposed to be the way they are, they wouldn't be the way they are. Okay, mini-rant over. This book was a fantastic idea though,  and it was touching having these authors reveal so much of themselves. They revealed weakness and guilt and regret. It can be hard to admit that you were bullied, or that you bullied someone or that you stood by and said nothing. Each one of these stories was touching in their own way. Some were even slightly amusing (R.L. Stine). I definitely think every single person who can read, should read this. It will open eyes and maybe just maybe it will stop a few people from bullying, give someone the courage to get out of a bad friendship. Every single action counts, because every moment counts in a person's life.

First Line:
"Dear Bully,
I'm not sure if you remember me."


Favorite Line:
"In the light of a new day,
we stand side by side
and we tell the world
we must not tolerate hatred,
able to see
it is us
who will bring change."

Review: The Poison Eaters - Holly Black

Where I got it: My Collection

Rating:  4.5 stars  

Cover Rating: 4.5 stars (Dark and creepy, the girls face is perfectly dead looking.)

Genre: Young Adult

Publication Date: February 23, 2010

Publisher: Big Mouth House

Page Count: 212 p.

Buy it: Book Depository / Amazon

Creepy tales of girls whose kisses will kill you. Vampires who are stalking the night. Fairies that want to keep you forever. This is a collection you won't want to miss if you're a fan of Holly Black or things that go bump in the night and day.

This was a great collection there were only a couple of stories in this that were previously unpublished, but I had not read any of them. It was a real treat. They will all sort of dark, almost spooky tales of all sorts of odd things. I didn't like the story "Virgin," which was too bad because it was about unicorns. I just found it to be a bit hard to follow. I was never really sure what the characters were doing. My three favorite though were "The Night Market," "The Coat of Stars" and "Paper Cuts Scissors." "The Night Market" had a sort of  voodoo feel to it. I liked the idea of a fairy in a tree that makes you fall in love with it. It's perfectly mischievous. "The Coat of Stars" was about a boy who's boyfriend got taken by fairies when they were teens. He comes back and makes these beautiful garments to try to entice the fairies into letting his boyfriend go. I thought it was a sweet story and I loved  the main character. "Paper Cuts Scissors" I love because I love books, and the Dewey decimal system. In this story, the book characters intermingled within each other's stories, causing all sorts of interesting twists in the classics. The main characters girlfriend has a way of being able to put things in books, and eventually folds herself into one. I loved the whole concept of this story, and would love to see more added to it, or maybe have a short story collection on altered classics. All in all this was a fantastic little collection, and I recommend it highly to fans of the genre and Holly's other work.

First Line:
"Matilda was drunk, but she was always drunk anymore."


Favorite Lines:
"'Mayhaps.' Roiben tried not to let anything show on his face."

I really love this cover too, it goes along with the title story very well.

There's a video on youtube of Holly reading from The Poison Eaters here.