Phantom
by Laura DeLuca
Originally published 2012
Published by Pagan Writers Press
YA, Romance, Thriller
4 stars
Rebecca has always loved the story of Phantom of the Opera, so she has to try to get a role in the school play. She does not usually do things like that, and as she does something new to her, strange new things start happening all around her as well. And around the two guys trying to get her attention. For someone is playing a true life phantom of the opera..
I started reading this and felt that I got immediately into the story. Also I had to borrow the movie Phantom of the Opera and watch it. Anyway I really liked this book, but what about it?
For a long while I liked it for the romance aspects in it and the main characters experiences doing something she had not done before. I liked it all the while, but I really enjoyed the last chapters, about 50 pages or so, of it! Then I started to feel quite excited about the other stuff. I put in thriller as one genre, though I´m not sure if it´s the best to describe the book. But I had to add more than just ya and romance. The last chapters had something quite dreadful in there, but in a good way! And the different kind of male character definitely worked for me. This was one of those books you have to hurry to finish!
The Hallowed Ones
by Laura Bickle
To be published September 25th
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
YA, Horror/thriller
5+ stars
In short, WOW. I absolutely LOVED this book and it has easily made it´s way into my favourites of the year.
The book tells of an Amish girl close to her Rumspringa she has decided to go on with her lifelong friend, and more, Elijah. Rumspringa means leaving the familiar community and seeing the world outside without all the restrictions. But before that can happen something in the world Outside happens.. and everyone is forbidden to leave or enter their lands. As strange and terrible things starts to happen they are faced with the only conclusion. That something has already gotten inside..and Katie is among those fighting of the evil.
The horror in this book sneaks up on you and before you realise, you are feeling like YOU should be running for your life. Most of the time I need romance in a book for me to really love it. In this book there is a part for romance too, though it is definitely not the focus of the story. The book has made me flinch a number of times and hold my breath like watching a movie that makes you scared. There were moments when I had to think that I cannot continue reading in the dark, that I had to quit and wait for morning and light. So yes, I pretty much loved this book for the terribleness of it!
If you can´t handle gory details, this book is not for you, also I wouldn´t give the book for anyone really young either. But for others I would definitely recommend this book! It goes straight to my absolute favourites of the year! There were many themes woven into this story which made it the more intense. I am sure the book would´ve worked only as a story about Amish people being faced with paranormal danger from Outside, but all the other themes made it more powerful a story.
I got this book as an ARC kindle copy (advanced reading copy) courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. A huge thank you to them and NetGalley!!
Phantom
