Survive The Night by Danielle Vega

Survive The Night by Danielle Vega
Release Date - July 7, 2015
Publisher Website - Penguin Canada
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 272 pages
My Rating - 3/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

We're all gonna die down here. . . .

Julie lies dead and disemboweled in a dank, black subway tunnel, red-eyed rats nibbling at her fingers. Her friends think she’s just off with some guy—no one could hear her getting torn apart over the sound of pulsing music.

In a tunnel nearby, Casey regrets coming to Survive the Night, the all-night underground rave in the New York City subway. Her best friend Shana talked her into it, even though Casey just got out of rehab. Alone and lost in the dark, creepy tunnels, Casey doesn’t think Survive the Night could get any worse . . .
             
. . . until she comes across Julie’s body, and the party turns deadly.

Desperate for help, Casey and her friends find themselves running through the putrid subway system, searching for a way out. But every manhole is sealed shut, and every noise echoes eerily in the dark, reminding them they’re not alone.

They’re being hunted.
             
Trapped underground with someone—or something—out to get them, Casey can’t help but listen to her friend’s terrified refrain: “We’re all gonna die down here. . . .” in this bone-chilling sophmore novel by the acclaimed author of The Merciless.

Danielle Vega's first novel, The Merciless, had one of the most chilling premises I've ever encountered. A group of teenage girls performing an exorcism that spirals horribly out of control.  I was excited to see what she would do with a 'locked' room type of horror story in her underground rave turned deadly set novel. She's created a dizzying, atmospheric setting that delivers the scares, but doesn't quite have the ending punch I was hoping for.

Psychological scares work on me so much more than any gore ever could. If you get me to imagine the worst case scenario and let that run wild it can send shivers down my spine. Danielle Vegas is a master of creating electric, taunt atmospheres and settings that are terrifying. She weaves the story in a way that allows you to experience the horror along with the characters. This is where her writing shines, and both of her novels boast fantastic pacing, and set up.

The first half of this book is incredibly promising and particularly strong in terms of writing. The characters feel authentic to a teen horror story, and the setting is inspired. The chills and thrills are plentiful with just enough wiggle room to keep the reader guessing. The latter half of the book however was not my favourite. The 'boogeyman' hunting them, when revealed, sets this into a specific category of horror genre. I am not going to spoil the reveal, but this required a little more explanation than we are given. I wanted to know the whys and hows behind everything. This particular 'hunter', to me, requires more backstory and answers than what we were given. It jarred me out of the psychological aspect of the story that was so compelling in the beginning and left me pulled outside of the story, never really bringing back into that same level of palpable fear. The minute the danger became a real and tangible is when the tone of the story changed, and the pay off just never quite came to fruition for me.

While this genre of horror may not be what I was expecting or my favourite, Danielle Vega's skill with weaving atmosphere and chills were more than enough to keep me turning the pages. A vivid voice in young adult horror novels, especially if you happen to like her genre of choice. I, for one, hope that Danielle Vega continues to branch out and try her hand at a variety of horror tropes as her voice lends itself to chills and thrills naturally.

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews).

Some very exciting titles made their way into my mailbox this week.

Survive The Night by Danielle Vega (goodreads)
Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll (goodreads)
Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen (goodreads)

A huge thank you to Penguin Canada, and Simon and Schuster Canada for these ARCs. Cannot wait to read them!

I also received one eARC this week...

Sisters of Blood and Spirit by Kady Cross (goodreads)

A huge thank you to HarlequinTeen for the chance to read this one!

Happy Weekend and Happy Reading!

The Merciless by Danielle Vega

The Merciless by Danielle Vega

Release Date - June 12, 2014

Publisher Website - Penguin/Razorbill
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 279 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received in exchange for an honest review from the publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Forgive us, Father, for we have sinned

Brooklyn Stevens sits in a pool of her own blood, tied up and gagged. No one outside of these dank basement walls knows she’s here. No one can hear her scream.

Sofia Flores knows she shouldn’t have gotten involved. When she befriended Riley, Grace, and Alexis on her first day at school, she admired them, with their perfect hair and their good-girl ways. They said they wanted to save Brooklyn. They wanted to help her. Sofia didn’t realize they believed Brooklyn was possessed.

Now, Riley and the girls are performing an exorcism on Brooklyn—but their idea of an exorcism is closer to torture than salvation. All Sofia wants is to get out of this house. But there is no way out. Sofia can’t go against the other girls . . . unless she wants to be next. . . .

In this chilling debut, Danielle Vega delivers blood-curdling suspense and terror on every page. By the shockingly twisted end, readers will be faced with the most haunting question of all: Is there evil in all of us?

Teenage girls performing an exorcism. That's basically all that it took to sell me on Danielle Vega's gory debut. The novel delivers everything the synopsis outlines, and definitely made me keep the lights on after finishing.

This novel is going to appeal to a very specific group of readers. Those who flinch at gore, and blood need not apply. The unflinching, brutal way Danielle paints the horrific events that transpire makes it almost impossible to look away. You're swept away in this mob mentality, but are hopeless to stop it. You're caught in the grasps of Danielle's storytelling the same way Sofia is caught in something she can't control. It feels like you're spiraling down this demented rabbit hole and all that is left to do is wait and see what the other side looks like. It's just as intense as you expect, and even perhaps more than you bargained for.

The shiver inducing contrast between the innocent exterior of these girls, and the brutality that they are capable of is brilliantly shown. The seeming normal gossip about boys, the red wine, the decadent desserts, all paint a picture of a sleep over. It's just one that has gone horribly, irreversibly,  wrong.

This novel's tension is built by keeping you on the edge. Each time you think the worst has happened, Danielle proves you wrong. This escalation only serves to build the unease I felt as things quickly crossed the point of no return, and kept me engrossed in the story. The tension does dwindle a little in the later half, and therefore the pacing isn't quite as strong, but the stunning use of it previously made it, for me, a minor issue.

While the novel has many solid points, the second half didn't quite measure up to the fantastic start. It offered a few thrilling turns in the story, and but didn't quite match the tone of the rest of the novel. It's saved by the rather impressive final passages that left me reeling as it changes how you see the story completely. Danielle Vega did a fantastic job with this aspect of the story. She routinely makes you think that you're reading one story, while showing you that you're actually reading another. This allows for some delicious tension as you never quite know where the story is going to end up.

In the end the story I wanted wasn't exactly what I got, and my view of the ending is a little jaded by that. However, it's a strongly written, chilling look at find evil in the most unexpected places. It's a page turner in every sense, and horror fans will be delighted with the plots twists and turns. Just be sure to read it in the daylight!

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews).

Some amazing things in my mailbox this week. First up, Penguin Canada delightfully made my week awesome by sending me a copy of The Merciless to review! The back of the ARC is my FAVOURITE! The whole "Forgive us, Father, for we have sinned" is chilling and fits with the story. I am looking forward to diving into this soon.

The Merciless by Danielle Vega (goodreads)

I also got a finished copy of Red Rising from Random House Canada. I've been hearing amazing things about this title, and I am excited to check it out for myself. I also picked up a copy of Entertainment Weekly this week, due to the chilling (yet beautiful) cover for Gone Girl! I LOVE this cover. SO MUCH. It's perfect. That is Nick and Amy. I am excited to see this brought to life. I am less excited about the changes, but hopefully since the author is writing the screen play, it works.

Red Rising by Pierce Brown (goodreads)

Let me know what you got in your mailbox this week!

Happy weekend, and happy reading!

2014 Most Anticipated - The Merciless

The next (and last) pick on my 2014 Most Anticipated list is one whose synopsis chilled me the second I read it. Danielle Vega's The Merciless takes exorcism and mixes them with highschool Shiver, right?!

Just check out this Goodreads synopsis and you'll be as desperate to get your hands on it as I am.

Forgive us, Father, for we have sinned

Brooklyn Stevens sits in a pool of her own blood, tied up and gagged. No one outside of these dank basement walls knows she’s here. No one can hear her scream.

Sofia Flores knows she shouldn’t have gotten involved. When she befriended Riley, Grace, and Alexis on her first day at school, she admired them, with their perfect hair and their good-girl ways. They said they wanted to save Brooklyn. They wanted to help her. Sofia didn’t realize they believed Brooklyn was possessed.

Now, Riley and the girls are performing an exorcism on Brooklyn—but their idea of an exorcism is closer to torture than salvation. All Sofia wants is to get out of this house. But there is no way out. Sofia can’t go against the other girls . . . unless she wants to be next. . . .

In this chilling debut, Danielle Vega delivers blood-curdling suspense and terror on every page. By the shockingly twisted end, readers will be faced with the most haunting question of all: Is there evil in all of us?

NEED IT NOW! If this is not enough to make you want to get your hands on this title, perhaps Danielle's Q & A will give you that extra push.

1. Describe The Merciless in three words

Blood. Sacrifice. Secrets.

2. How would you describe the narrator (or main character) of this book? 

I only need one word for this--lonely. Sofia Flores is an army brat whose mother is constantly dragging her to new cities. She'd be the first to tell you that making new friends is a challenge (and finding a boyfriend is borderline impossible.) So when three gorgeous, popular girls at her new school start acting friendly, Sofia's excited--so excited she overlooks the creepier parts of their personalities. Like how their smiles never seem to reach their eyes. And that they're all obsessed with Brooklyn Stevens--an edgy, hipster girl who's pretty strange herself.  

By the time Sofia realizes who the girls she's become friends with actually are it's much, much too late. 

3. Are you able to share a secret about one of the characters, the world, something that inspired something about the world/characters?

ALL of my characters have secrets. We're talking big, juicy secrets. The kind you can never say out loud if you want your friends to stay your friends. But giving away their secrets would spoil the fun so, instead, I'll give away one of my own. It's the reason I wanted to write horror stories in the first place. 

You know those urban legends you tell around a campfire? The ones you know aren't real because they always happened to someone's cousin's friend's brother? Well I happen to know that one of them is 100% factual. I know because it happened to my mom when she was a teenager. 

My mom had been sleeping over at her friend Debbie's house when they noticed something on the ceiling they were certain hadn't been there the night before: two tiny, little holes drilled into the plaster.

My mom and Debbie freaked out. Wouldn't you? Turns out the attic was directly above Debbie's room, and they got it in their heads that some crazed psycho killer had drilled the holes in the ceiling to watch them sleep. They told Debbie's parents but, of course, they came up with some nonsense parent explanation for what happened. Like maybe the ceiling was cracked or something? Or maybe the holes had been there all along. My mom and Debbie weren't convinced, but it was better than the alternative. Debbie's parents plastered up the holes and, after a week or so, everyone forgot about the whole thing. 

Then, a few months later, my mom was staying the night again. She and Debbie had just turned off the light and crawled into bed when they heard something. A kind of scratching noise coming from the ceiling. They immediately remembered the holes they'd found during their last sleepover, and leapt out of bed and ran for Debbie's parents. Together, the four of them crept up to the attic to see who was there. 

But the attic was empty. The only thing they found was the tiny spot on the floor where someone had started drilling a new hole. 

Now, my mom and Debbie were totally freaked. This just proved that someone was up there! But Debbie's parent's insisted the plaster was just caving in and told the girls to go to bed--they'd fix it in the morning. So Debbie and my mom crawled back into bed, but they couldn't sleep. They stared up at the ceiling, terrified, until finally--

"Someone needs to check under the bed," Debbie said. My mom immediately realized she was right. Neither of them would be able to sleep until they knew there wasn't a killer hiding beneath them. The girls played a quick game of rock, paper, scissors to see who would do it. My mom lost, so she crouched down on her hands and knees and peered into the darkness. 

There was something there. My mom reached forward, and pulled out an old shoebox. She took off the lid... 

Inside, she found a drill covered in fresh plaster.

4. This book revolves around girls attempting an exorcism. What kind of research did you do for this aspect of the book?

Let's just say I hope the police never look at my Google search history! I started by digging into all of the creepiest, strangest rituals of traditional exorcisms. But my characters are teenage girls, not priests, so traditional wasn't going to cut it. I had to get more creative than that. In the end, I researched everything from the most vile forms of torture (both mental and physical) to how to perform a bathroom baptism and what's the most delicious thing to eat late at night. Now I know lots of creepy things: like how to break someone's knee cap, that you can drown in a bathroom sink, and caramel corn dipped in Nutella is absolutely heavenly. 

5. What 2014 release are you most looking forward to?

Hands down it's Dreams of Gods and Monsters, by Laini Taylor. My heart will not rest until I know what happens to Karou and Akiva and Zuzana and Mic.

A huge thank you to Danielle for taking the time to answer them! This title is one of the ones I am desperate to get my hands on as soon as possible. The answer to question number 3 is terrifying. I wouldn't sleep for a long time! VERY creepy. It gives me even higher hopes that The Merciless will be terrifying.

If you want to learn more, check out the author's twitter, or the publisher's website for more information.

The Merciless will be in stores August 7, 2014. Pre-orders for this title are available at some retailers if you want to take advantage of that.

Amazon

Chapters

Let me know in the comments what you think of the synopsis, or just flail over how much you want to read this too. Also, check back soon for a contest where you could win one of my featured titles (be sure to pay attention to these Question and Answers as they'll help).

2014 Most Anticipated - Dorothy Must Die

The next pick on my 2014 Most Anticipated list is a novel that is already gaining tons of advance buzz. Danielle Paige is twisting the yellow brick road and making Dorothy evil in Dorothy Must Die!

Just check out this Goodreads synopsis and you'll be wanting to be get your hands on this one, immediately!

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.

What happened?
Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.
I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I've been trained to fight.
And I have a mission:
Remove the Tin Woodman's heart.
Steal the Scarecrow's brain.
Take the Lion's courage.
Then and only then—Dorothy must die!

I need this...like yesterday! This is exactly the kind of twist I want in my re-tellings. I've read the chapter sampler and was immediately hooked, and I can't wait to read the rest. Anyone else super excited to see The Lion, Scarecrow and Tin Man as Dorothy's henchmen? So excited.

Instead of doing a Q and A to highlight this pick, I am going to review the e-novella 'No Place Like Oz'.

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No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige
Release Date – November 12, 2013
Publisher Website –  HarperCollins
Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader
Pages - 196 pages
My Rating- 4.5/5
**purchased**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

In this digital original novella, Dorothy travels back to Oz to reunite with old friends, but her story may not have a happy ending. No Place Like Oz is a prequel to the forthcoming novel Dorothy Must Die.

After returning to Kansas, Dorothy Gale has realized that the dreary fields of Kansas don’t compare to the vibrant landscapes of Oz. And although she’s happy to be reunited with Aunt Em, she misses her friends from the yellow brick road. But most of all, Dorothy misses the fame and the adventure. In Kansas she’s just another prairie girl, but in Oz she was a hero. So Dorothy is willing to do anything to get back, because there really is no place like Oz. But returning to the land she left comes at a price, and after Dorothy is through with it, Oz will never be the same.

Perfect for fans of Alex Flinn, Marissa Meyer, and Gregory Maguire, No Place Like Oz is a dark reimagining of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Building off of its rich mythology, Danielle Paige creates an edgy, thrilling story for teens that chronicles the rise and fall of one of the literature’s most beloved characters. This digital original novella is a prequel that sets the stage for the forthcoming novel Dorothy Must Die.

There's no place like home, or so they say. For Dorothy, you really can't go home again. This e-novella has the task of taking a beloved heroine, and turning that idea on it's head.... and it succeeds wonderfully. No Place Like Oz shows the potential for wickedness in everyone, and that sometimes fate plays a hand in making our choices for us.

No Place Like Oz immediately sets the tone of this series. Fun. It's going to be filled with larger than life characters, fantastical places, and basically retain that magical feeling of Oz. It also creates another expectation - detailed plot. The e-novella gives us enough hints, foreshadowing, and set up to indicate a much more intricate plot that I expected.

Dorothy's narration of the book allows us to see the spiral from an uncomfortable vantage point. We see how it starts, slowly at first. She's no longer satisfied with Kansas, and her Aunt and Uncle's farm. She wants more. She becomes sullen, and quick tempered. What makes her progression more chilling is that Dorothy remains Dorothy. Everything feels in character, and she's not twisted into something unrecognizable. It makes what happens all the more compelling.

As the novel escalates to it's breathless ending it feels like a crescendo is building. You know something horrible is coming, you know something bad is going to happen. You, however, can't turn the pages fast enough. Watching Dorothy's descent is both uncomfortable and fascinating. When the end does come, and the dust has settled, Dorothy will forever be changed by what happens. Oz will forever be changed.

Adding to the delicious taunts and teases is that hint that all might not be what it appears. With Oz, you're prompted to 'ignore the man behind the curtain' and this novel let's you know that there is much more at work here than I expected. I am very much looking forward to the unraveling of events, and illumination on things that are briefly touched upon in this novella.

No Place Like Oz offers just the right amount of tease to dazzle, and provides just enough to make sure it's readers are clamoring for Dorothy Must Die come April. A magical look at wickedness in the most unexpected places, and how sometimes you just can't go home again.

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If you want to learn more, check out the publisher's website for more information.

Dorothy Must Die will be in stores April 1, 2014. Pre-orders for this title are up and here are few places you can pre-order currently.

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Chapters

You can already get the e-novella No Place Like Oz at the follow

Kobo
Barnes and Noble
Amazon

Let me know in the comments what you think of the synopsis, or let me know if you plan on taking this trip down the yellow brick road.  Also, check back soon for a contest where you could win one of my featured titles (be sure to pay attention to the Question and Answers from previous picks as they'll help).

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

A smaller obsessions post this week! Here are my obsessions this week:

BOOK
Cover and synopsis of Sublime by Christina Lauren

This one totally took me by surprise. I hadn't heard anything about it, and the big announcement created a lot of buzz. After reading the awesome synopsis I immediately ran to add it to my Goodreads account. Seriously, read this amazing sounding synopsis

Sublime is the story of two teens, Lucy and Colin, who fall in love, but the the problem is … Lucy's a ghost.

Slowly, she begins to remember more about her life and death as daredevil Colin take himself to the edge of death where their realities overlap so he can be physically closer to Lucy.

Lucy starts to wonder if she's Colin's salvation or the means of his demise.

A different take on the ghost falling for a living person thing. I am curious about how Colin is a daredevil and what he does in order to be closer to Lucy. Either way, I am very much looking forward to getting my hands on this. Oh, and that cover? I like it... A LOT!

The Merciless by Danielle Vega

The Penguin Summer catalog came out. Naturally I looked at all the upcoming titles to see which ones would grab my interest. I immediately had this amazing synopsis catch my eye

Forgive us, Father, for we have sinned

Brooklyn Stevens sits in a pool of her own blood, tied up and gagged. No one outside of these dank basement walls knows she’s here. No one can hear her scream.

Sofia Flores knows she shouldn’t have gotten involved. When she befriended Riley, Grace, and Alexis on her first day at school, she admired them, with their perfect hair and their good-girl ways. They said they wanted to save Brooklyn. They wanted to help her. Sofia didn’t realize they believed Brooklyn was possessed.

Now, Riley and the girls are performing an exorcism on Brooklyn—but their idea of an exorcism is closer to torture than salvation. All Sofia wants is to get out of this house. But there is no way out. Sofia can’t go against the other girls . . . unless she wants to be next. . . .

In this chilling debut, Danielle Vega delivers blood-curdling suspense and terror on every page. By the shockingly twisted end, readers will be faced with the most haunting question of all: Is there evil in all of us?

So, obviously, The Merciless is high up on my 2014 wishlist at this point. I am sure there are other books that handle this topic, but this sounds so fresh from what is currently out there. I basically NEED this NOW! The part about the shockingly twisted ending? YES! YES! YES!

Ghost House by Alexandra Adornetto

I know next to nothing about this novel. All I needed to hear was Gothic Romance and I was in. I can't wait to find out more though because that title...I LOVE ghost stories.

OTHER

Lauren Oliver coming to Ottawa

Lauren Oliver will be at one of the public libraries here in Ottawa on Monday. I am beyond excited that Ottawa is FINALLY getting some events and I am looking forward to going to listen to Lauren talk about her books.

So what are you obsessed with this week?