Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love

"Them. I can't name Them. Not out loud."

-Maggie Stiefvater's The Hounds of Ulster

My Rating: 8/10

Publisher: Running Press Teen
Publication: August 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7624-3949-2
Page Count: 416 pages
Age Range: Young Adult

Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love is a compilation of 13 short stories from Sarah Rees Brennan, Becca Fitzpatrick, Caitlin Kittredge, Karen Mahoney, Daniel Marks, Justine Musk, Diana Peterfreund, Michelle Rowen, Carrie Ryan, Maggie Stiefvater, Rachel Vincent, Daniel Waters and Michelle Zink.

The Assassin's Apprentice by Michelle Zink
The first story was one of my favorite stories from the whole book. It's about a girl named Rose who lost her whole family because of a devil named Bael--the devil murdered them all. Rose wanted revenge and that's when Asher came by to assist her.

Simple and sweet, I would love to read a whole book about this story. 10/10 <3 style="font-style: italic;">

Errant by Diana Peterfreund
This story is about Elise, a royal princess who will soon marry. There is a unicorn hunt that's necessary for her since her parents are long gone. Gitta, a unicorn hunter, met Elise because Gitta is paid to hunt for Elise. Gitta helps Elise discover that Elise doesn't need to be controlled by Elise's elite society and her to-be-husband (who's a cheater, by the way).

This story was okay...I like the meaning but not how the story was told. I just feel like some details weren't important, and some were missing. 6/10.

The Spirit Jar by Karen Mahoney
This is another one of my favorites! Moth is a vampire who's assigned to retrieve an Arabic book by her master. Adam, a Djinn (or, genie), also was after the same book. Adam needs it to put his dead girlfriend's soul to peace, after his girlfriend was killed by a psycho-magician. Together, Adam and Moth (after some arguments of who gets the book) fights Bilal (the magician) so that Moth can bring the book to Theo--Moth's master--after putting Adam's girlfriend's soul to peace.

The Spirit Jar was fast paced and lovely, and Moth's story was originally from The Eternal Kiss. 10/10 :D

Lost by Justine Musk
Lost is also one of my favorite story. Sasha was always good at finding things--she just can picture everything that needs to be found. Sasha thinks she never met Haiden, the mysterious guy who seemed to know her well and somehow Haiden teaches Sasha mystical things. Sasha was blindfolded and was told to find an X mark on the ground of the house she never stepped into before. Haiden was teaching Sasha to find lost souls. Sasha was special, and Haiden wants her to be by his side. Who was Haiden, and why did Haiden stopped her to eat the apple?

I think this story was very well written and sweet. I really don't want to spoil it for everyone, so I'll just say this is 10/10. :)

The Spy Who Never Grew Up by Sarah Rees Brennan
In the beginning, the story was very confusing--there's a lot of events in history that are mixed around (and that part is very interesting) and Brennan took Peter Pan into another level. Peter Pan is actually a spy for everyone who will pay, a thief and a kid. Ashley, whose ancestor was Wendy, was dragged along Peter Pan's adventure.

I love this story from the middle to the end, not from the beginning; good idea but in the beginning...it was just a bit random. 7/10

Behind the Red Door by Caitlin Kittredge
This is another one of my favorites! Kittregde wrote a ghost story--about a girl named Jo who's different and doesn't have a lot of friends. Her best friend, Ani, spends a lot of time making out with her girlfriend Deirdre and sometimes leaves Jo alone. There's a creepy house where everyone's told that there were millions of people died in the house, and Deirdre challenged Jo. Jo took the dare, and went in. There, she saw Nicholas who was very kind to her. Jo likes Nicholas--her like grows into need and what she thinks is love. Nicholas, though, was just using her. Nicholas isn't who he seemed to be, and Jo is in a big trouble.

This is one of the rare story that took a turn in a direction that I was not expecting. This happens very rarely, and for surprising me, I love this story. 10/10 XD

Hare Moon by Carrie Ryan
Hare Moon is a forbidden love story about Tabitha and Patrick; two individuals who lived in a different community (one gated and clean, the other forests and wildlife). Tabitha is the kind of girl no one would marry because there are better girls, but Patrick seemed to take an interest of her. Tabitha meets Patrick on the gate every day, praying Patrick will ask Tabitha to leave and explore the beautiful forests with him. But one day, Patrick stopped coming and Tabitha gave up wanting to marry, so Tabitha becomes a nun. Tabitha discovered a letter from Patrick (which Patrick used to tell Tabitha that he loves her) and wistfully yearn for him. Then one day Patrick came back, telling Tabitha that his family died from an unknown virus except him and his little brother. Patrick asks for medicine, and Tabitha took the risk to hide Patrick in the church. Tabitha betrays her community for love--and it will bring everyone misery...

I liked it very much and I'd love to read The Forest of Hands and Teeth (which was included--bits of it--in this short story). 8/10

Familiar by Michelle Rowen
This is another one of my favorites (maybe I have too many..but oh well!). Brenda's mom is a successful witch and wants Brenda to follow the tradition. Brenda doesn't really care...Brenda was told to pick a familiar--a pet which supposed to enhance witch's magic--and she picked Owen, a kitten that looked "half dead". Owen was a shifter--he wasn't supposed to be there. He was a guy, who needed his bracelet--which Brenda took--back to reclaim his place in his family. Even though they're not boss and familiar, there's a connection between them that wouldn't let each other get hurt, no matter how little Owen shows his care or how Brenda acts stupid.

This story was simple and focused, I enjoyed it very much! 10/10

Fearless by Rachel Vincent
Sabine is a mara, a girl who feeds when people dream of their fears. Sabine broke some rules and was sent to a similar place to a juvenile detention center. There's something wrong in that place--Sabine can sense it because the place is fearless. Something--something like Sabine--is sucking everyone's fear, making them abnormal (whereas a mara makes them think of the fears and make them normal). Nash, a bean sidhe (or banshee), Sabine's boyfriend helps Sabine to figure out what's happening and how to get Sabine out of trouble...

It was okay...7/10

Vermillion by Daniel Marks
Ghosts have missions--Velvet and Nick are assigned to team up with Amie to catch a soul that messes up with the living. Velvet and Nick are a couple, but Amie's trying to get in the way. There's something off about Amie, and Velvet wants to stop her without losing Nick. This story is about love, trust and whether someone can choose their paths well or not.

I love this story! 9/10

The Hounds of Ulster by Maggie Stiefvater
The story is about Bryant (not a real name of the main character) who lost a friend named Sullivan. Throughout the story, Bryant gives mystery about losing Sullivan. This story is more philosophical than any of the other story in the book. It defines true friendship and how one cope to losing it, being rebellious and wishful thoughts of wanting things to stay the same.

I like this story because it's more mysterious than the others--it's less romantic, less bloody or ghostly, and Stiefvater never mentioned what "they" are throughout the story, but when readers read this, I'm sure they'll want a follow up novel by Stiefvater. ;) 10/10

Many Happy Returns by Daniel Waters
This is the last one of my favorites! The story is being told from Cal's perspective, who is the father of one of the girls that died. There was a car crash and Mandy (Cal's daughter) was in it. Before Mandy's trip, Mandy told Cal that Mandy thinks she's in love with Jake--her boyfriend. Then Mandy died. Every other teenager in the crash had seemed to wake up with a miracle. Some parents are happy that their children are safe and sound. Some, like Jake's parents, wants to leave the dead plain dead; it's strange to have your son die one day and alive but different another day. Jake's parents think he's a freak. Time passed and Mandy still hasn't woke up. The story is about Cal, waiting for his daughter to come home.

I love this story! Original and sweet! 10/10

Becca Fitzpatrick
In the ARC I received, Becca's story was TBA (to be announced) so...I didn't get to read it. :(

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

"..Five minutes from now, when everything else had dropped away and I realized the full impact of what I'd done, I'd feel my heart breaking."

My Rating: 10/10

Becca Fitzpatrick's debut novel, Hush Hush was phenomenal. Click here for my review on Hush Hush.

Crescendo, the second book that's coming out in October 19, 2010, will make fans dying for the 3rd book of the series.

Nora Grey and Patch Cipriano are now officially an item, but a bad boy is always going to be a bad boy, right?

Nora screwed it all up by telling him the three big words; "I love you." Patch left, without returning the affection.

Nora's mom disliked Patch, so she goes and invited the nightmare of Nora's childhood, Scott Parnell, to match him with Nora.

Plus, Nora is stuck with Marcie Millar as her chemistry partner. Marcie apparently hates her for no reason she knows.

When Nora broke up with Patch for stalking Marcie (though it was more of Patch not returning the affection), Vee (Nora's best friend) goes and date Rixon, the person who knows Patch best.

That's not all; Scott Parnell's a Nephil, too. In Crescendo, Nora will find more danger that awaits her, her dead father's secret and more about Patch Cipriano.

Becca Fitzpatrick has written a nerve-wrecking story, and I'm proud to actually say that I cried reading this.

What I love about the book: The conflict, and how the emotions felt real. As if I was Nora, and I was the one breaking, needing to be Patched up. :) And oh, that I got to read this 3 months and 11 days earlier than the real publication date.

What I dislike about the book: The cliffhanger at the end! The misery to wait another year for the 3rd book to come out!!!!!!

Thanks, Simon & Schuster for the advance copy!!

In My Mailbox 2

I am so excited!

Usually, I put my In My Mailbox in the In My Mailbox Page. But this time? I am so excited I can barely contain my excitement!!
I love Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick and it was my first review! Read it here.
Just today, I got home from summer school and I found a package from Simon and Schuster!

I got an ARC of Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick!!



Thank you so much Simon and Schuster!!

The real book is coming out in October 19th! Wait for it, guys!!! :D

Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

"Patch is the bad boy Edward wishes he was."

My Rating: 10/10

This book is one of the best books I've ever read!!! XD

Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick to is what I believe to be the growing sensation. It might pass Twilight. LOL, yeah, I said it.

I first found this book in the middle of browsing the usual bookstore; Barnes and Nobles. I read the summary and I was hooked right off the bat, but it wasn't like I could just go to the bookstore right away, so I tried to kill some of the excitement to read the book by..you know, googling more about it (even though it makes me want it more lol) and somewhere on a review--now I can't find it--I read about someone going to Borders and had Hush Hush caught their eyes. Underneath the shelves was a slip of paper, saying, "Patch is the bad boy Edward wishes he was."

I've read Twilight long before, so I automatically cracked up. So I texted my friend and asked her to go to the store and buy me one and I'll pay her back the next day.

I finished it in 4 hours. That was my record. (No, I didn't specifically count, I just know that I got home at 5:30 and by the time I looked up to the watch, it was 9: 20 something..)

Many people would call this book a rip-off from Twilight, but in my opinion Twilight itself is already a rip-off from Romeo and Juliet. Just with vampires and humans instead of the Montague and the Capulet.

So anyway, this book is about a girl named Nora. She's a sophomore in high school and in the beginning of the book she was in Biology class with her best friend, Vee. On the board, written, "Welcome to Human Reproduction (sex)," and underneath it Barbie and Ken naked with their vital parts covered.

LOL. Then the teacher changed their seats and made Nora stuck with Patch. Patch is dark and tall and lean and handsome. He flirts with her in his own way--and telling you more than this or the reviews itself would make it...well...spoiling it..


Simon and Schuster Hush Hush description:

"Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys ather school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those who have fallen -- and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life."

Overall? This book is worth reading. In fact, it is one of the best book I've read.