She Was Forged From Iron - Holly Black's The Darkest Part of the Forest

The Darkest Part of the Forest

Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.

Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.

At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointy as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.

Until one day, he does…

As the world turns upside down and a hero is needed to save them all, Hazel tries to remember her years spent pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?

A new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black. Start reading now at http://DarkestPartoftheForest.com


I love Holly Black and am a total fan of faeries. This is why I read everything that Black writes! The Darkest Part of the Forest was an interesting read for me because it is centered in the town of Fairfold, which is a place full of magic and horror. I have studied faeries almost my whole life and am ever so intrigued by the history and fanfare around them. While faeries have been known to humans as the fair ones, it seems that the magical inhabitants that live near Fairfold are not all sweet and adorable like the ones we see in the movies. These faeries are the bad boys of magic and there seems to be some kind of faerie family feud going on that no one can stop. I love the magic and the mystery of the book. Way out there in the middle of the forest lies a beautiful boy and he's in a glass coffin that no one can break. He's mysterious and obviously very hot because everyone is in love with him, boys, girls, moms, basically whoever gazes upon him. I like Ben because he has the magic of music inside him and that comes out when he most needs it for survival. I like Hazel because she's tough and can wield a sword like a medieval warrior. Severin is an interesting character because he's in the glass coffin for most of the book, but when he gets out he's got Hazel and Ben on his side to look out for him. Black weaves in what I would call her magic, which is her expertise in the land of the faerie and her clever way of mixing it in with the human world, which I always love. I had a feeling that The Darkest Part of the Forest might become a series, but it seems like it had a pretty good solid ending. I won't tell you if it was a happily ever after one or not, you have to read it for yourself!

Happy Reading to you!

Mrs. Librarian Lady

Take a Chance - Read Between the Lines - Samantha van Leer

February Book of the Month!


Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer

In this delightful companion novel to Off the Page, #1 New York Times bestselling authors Jodi Picoult and her daughter and cowriter, Samantha van Leer, present the YA novel that started it all! Filled with romance, adventure, and humor, the magic jumps off the page (literally) in a story you’ll never forget.

What happens when happily ever after…isn’t?

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.

And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

A romantic and charming story, this companion novel to Off the Page will make every reader believe in the fantastical power of fairy tales. Book-lovers have been escaping into a good book for ever and ever. Have you ever wondered if when you closed the cover of a book that the characters you loved might stop acting out their designated roles like they were in a play?

Between the Lines will have you guessing to the very end and devouring each page at great speed. With gorgeous illustrations dotted around the pages, it is the kind of book you can escape into, just like Delilah. A delight!

Happy reading to you!!
Mrs. Librarian Lady

I See Dead People - Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Name of the Star: Shades of London series by Maureen Johnson

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

Ok, so I’ve been hanging out in London lately, well not really in London, but in my mind London for a whole entire month while reading the Shades of London series by Maureen Johnson. I am completely hooked on this series and I feel like Rory Deveaux is a character that I could totally be friends with. She's very brave, is funny in her own right of mind, she talks a lot and has great stories that I could just hear over and over and she has good values and can tell what is right and what is wrong.

Rory's life is by far anything but normal, she moved to London to attend an elite school called Wexford and upon chance ends up having to deal with a new found gift called “the sight” that allows her to see other beings that most people can’t see. If you like ghosts and secret ghost hunting societies that form a special bond with each other you will love Name of the Star. I first decided to read this book because it totally name drops Jack the Ripper in the summary, but after getting into the story I found that there is much more going on here than on a reality t.v. show!! Rory becomes friends with Stephen, Callum and Boo a dynamic trio with special ghost hunting operational forces. Facing new missions and mysteries around all kinds of ghosts, the four grow together and form an unbeatable team. I love this kind of teamwork especially since it deals with the paranormal and the dark and dangerous streets of London.

This is more than just a ghostly read, this is definitely an intriguing mystery that taps into the paranormal and beyond. The dialogue is perfect, the scenery described wonderfully, and the plot captivating. The ending is just enough of a tease that you'll immediately want to read the second book in the series The Madness Underneath (which is exactly what I did!). But... If you love this series as much as I do, I’m sorry to say that you’ll have to wait patiently for the third book The Shadow Cabinet to come out in February 2015!

"Fear can't hurt you. When it washes over you, give it no power. It's a snake with no venom. Remember that. That knowledge can save you." Jo ~World War II ghost lady

Happy Holidays & Happy Reading!

I want to meet Simon & Baz - Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell
A coming-of-age tale of the joys and sorrows of fanfiction as well as the intriguing relationship between twins.

Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . . For Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving. Reading. Rereading the series. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, and dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere that’s all she has ever known until now. Now she and her Wren have moved away to college and Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to let go.

Before they left for college, Wren told Cath she didn’t want to be roommates. This leaves Cath to fend for herself in a new school with new people, which is completely outside of her comfort zone. She gets paired with Reagan a loud and vivacious roommate and her charming, always-around boyfriend, she has a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is a horrid crime to literature writing, she meets handsome classmate who only wants to steal her words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who has always had erratic behavior and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the questions are: Can she make it in college, Will she ever make any friends, and does she need Wren, or is it really the other way around? Another huge question is can Wren let go of Simon Snow? And, is she capable of letting other human beings into her life or will the walls that she has built since her mom left stay up forever?

It’s up to Cath to navigate this scary new world on her own. She maintains her sanity by writing her Simon Snow series called Carry On as she struggles to find out what it really means to be a good student, writer, and daughter all at the same time. And through all of this she tries to figure out just where on earth the cafeteria is. Through sheer panic and fear of new situations she decides it might just be easier to stock up on protein bars and lose herself in the world of fan fiction.

Rainbow Rowell is amazing. She writes so well, every word reaches out to you and pulls you further into the story. She captures the world of college and fanfiction writing head on and keeps you wanting more. I completely recommend this book it is very imaginative and brings to light the joys and sorrows of growing up and letting go of the past and moving forward and being open to new dreams.

Happy Reading to you all!
Mrs. Librarian Lady

Mixed Up Names, Holidays & Love

I absolutely loved this little novella! I read it on my Galaxy! It was so cute, funny, sweet and definitely got me ready for the holidays. I thought it was very adorable that the two main characters had the same name only flipped around Ty McKenzie and Mackenzie Tyler . This brought me closer to the characters and helped me to see that they really had something in common. Ty was super awesome and would be the guy that I would want my daughter to date and fall in love with, sweet, thoughtful and pretty cute. Kenzie was great because she helped to heal a bond that had been broken between Ty and his mom and that meant everything in the world to both of them. I love the holidays, but sometimes I feel like I can bogged down in all of the commercialism. This story helped me to get excited about decorating, shopping, baking, and even ice skating. It was short, but I don't really have a whole lot of time to read, so I really loved that too! I'm going to see if I can read some more from the ALL I WANT anthology.




Mrs. Librarian Lady is a cool cat who loves to read!

If You Want a Good Cry on Valentine's Day

There are so many talented YA authors out right now and one of my favorites is Mr. John Green. Somehow he is able to capture the realism of teen life and emotions. I highly recommend his latest book "The Fault in Our Stars" and I think it would be a tremendously sad book to read just before Valentine's Day. I have to admit that from around chapter 24 and on I basically cried my eyes out while continuing to read and sob from time to time. This book is painfully sad and it pulls no punches in its terrible descriptions of late-stage cancer. At some points, readers may even wonder why, if pain and love are so inner connected that we should care to fall in love at all. However, the amazing John Green pulls it all together in the end and we realize that a person can learn so much from being in love, and that he or she will come out on the other side of a love experience a changed person.

Ex Inc. will Fix U

Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus wrote this awesome book called Over You! I really liked it a lot and now want to read more of their books. The story is about a girl named Max who gets dumped by her boyfriend and tries like heck to get over him. She decides to use her pain and start her own business called Ex, Inc. She helps other girls get over their break ups and does such a fantastic job that she realizes she wants to study business at NYU. Naturally, things get complicated when Max's old boyfriend shows up. You have to read this book to find out what happens! I hope you get a chance to read this one it would be great one for an Anti-Valentine's day treat!

I heard Christina Perri's Jar of Hearts today and it totally reminded me of Max's plight. I posted the video so you can see it too!