Reviews written by Elizabeth Drake, Staff Reviewer

Admittedly, I was underwhelmed by Grave Mercy. I loved the premise of assassin nuns trained in the deadly arts, but was turned off by the breadth of the political intrigue and Ismae's accursed conscience. In the wings, however, waited Sybella. She was such a mysterious and interesting...

Confession time: I do not read book blurbs. Well, that's not exactly true, When I discover a book name or cover that piques my interest, I read the blurb in order to confirm or disprove my first impression. However, there is usually a span of a couple of...

This is actually my second time reading Anna Dressed in Blood. The first time was before I really got into blogging and so I didn't write a review. This time, I chose it as the season opener for my student book club. I love the...

This book is so incredible, yet so difficult to describe. It is told through the eyes of teenage Ava Lavender, born under the strangest of circumstances and possessing a pair of dappled wings. The story follows her great grandparents as they immigrate to America anticipating an easy life...

Jumping on the Awesome Book Band Wagon in 3...2...1... WEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! Confession time: were it not for the amazing reviews from other bloggers, I never would have picked up this book. I don't read a lot of contemporary fiction and I tend to steer clear of books...

Every now and then, I come across a book that was just so fan-freaking-tastic that I can barely put into words why. Seraphina was one of those books. The world building is complete and unique. The characters are fully developed, sometimes flawed and remarkably human (even when...

This is my second time reading Bad Girls Don't Die. Even so, I could only read it in bed if my husband was there. Katie Alender does an excellent job of creating that delicious sense of suspense that only truly great scary stories can achieve. She is...

Ungifted is a well-written middle grade novel. It is a fun, light story that is perfect for young readers and easy enough for reluctant readers. The plot progresses steadily and has some very light hearted moments. I enjoyed watching Donovan as realized that the gifted kids were...

I can see already that this is going to be one of those reviews where I simply cannot do justice to the fabulosity of this book. Just a few chapters in, I found myself exclaiming "holy crap this is good!" and that didn't cease until the last page was...

The Cemetery Boys was a pretty surprising read. I wasn't expecting to like this one as much as I did. There was a great atmosphere - it was very creepy and an interesting mystery. It had a touch of the paranormal that kept me guessing right up...

I am a sucker for books that either re-tell or are influenced by the classics. Splintered first grabbed my attention with it's stunning color, then made it on to my OH MY GOD I WANT IT NOW! list, when I read the synopsis and discovered it was a continuation...

Sophie Winters is a survivor. She survived a car crash that left her with a limp, physical limitations and a crushing oxy addiction. She survived getting clean with the help of her family and she survived a brutal attack that left her best friend murdered and her locked...

Charlotte learned the hard way not to interfere with the future. As an oracle, she has always seen glimpses of what is to come - usually boring and insignificant events but occasionally a terrifying vision will break through. As a child, Charlotte saw the death of her aunt,...

I read this book, cover to cover, in just a few hours. With an almost three year old and pregnant with my second - it takes a special kind of book to get me that involved. In fact, it has single-handedly ended by several month long reading slump....

We Were Liars is far more unique than I ever anticipated. Lockhart certainly has a writing style that is all her own, but one that I feel is dividing readers. I loved it. But, I can see where it would annoy others. It opens with short,...