Behold the Bones by Natalie C. Parker

Series: Beware the Wild (bk. 2)

Genera(s): Paranormal Romance/Southern Gothic

Subjects: swamps, folklore, supernatural, mystery, ghosts, spirits, ghost hunters

Setting: Sticks, Louisiana (A town near a swamp/Bayou)

POV/Tense: 1st person POV, present tense: Candy (Candace) Craven Pickens

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 356 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary/ product description: “Candace “Candy” Pickens has been obsessed with the swamp lore of her tiny Louisiana town for…forever.

That doesn’t mean Candy’s a believer, however. She and her friends entered the swamp at the start of summer and left it changed, but Candy’s the only one who can’t see or feel the magical Shine. She’s also the only one who can’t see the ghosts that have been appearing in town ever since. So Candy concentrates on other things—real things. Like fighting with her mother and plotting her escape from her crazy town.

But ghosts aren’t the only newcomers in Sticks, Louisiana. The King family arrives like a hurricane: in a blur and unwanted—at least by Candy. Mr. King is intent on filming the rumored ghostly activity for his hit TV show, Local Haunts. And while Candy can’t ignore how attracted she is to eighteen-year-old Gage King and how much his sister, Nova, wants to be friends, she’s still suspicious of the family.

As Candy tries to figure out why the Kings are really in town and why the swamp now seems to be invading every crack in her logical, cynical mind, she stumbles across the one piece of swamp lore she didn’t know. It’s a tale that’s more truth than myth, and may have all the answers…and its roots are in Candy’s own family tree.”

My Review: Behold the Bones is a companion novel to Beware the Wild, which was told in Sterling POV. This book is from the POV of Sterling’s skeptic friend, Candy Pickens. It’s set in the small town of Sticks in the Louisiana bayou. Candy, unlike most of the town, can’t see the wasting Shine. Sterling says that the Shine actually goes out of its way to avoid Candy. Candy also can’t see the ghost that other folk are seeing.

Candy is scientifically minded and very much a skeptic of the southern superstitions. She sees the swamp stories that she’s read and herd as a fun thrills used for manipulation. Until people in Sticks report ghost siting’s that sound like the ones from the stories. Candy feels left out because she can’t see the ghost. Sterling, Abigail and Candy trek into the swamp to the Shine tree and try performing a ritual that Candy hope will let her see the Shine. Nothing seems to happen.

A few days later the producer and star of the hit TV show, Local Haunts, Mr. Roosevelt King moves into the Lillard house historical site and they renovate it. Sticks is now in the spotlight. Mr. King hopes to film his show there and find answers to what’s happening. Candy meets his children: Gage, an attractive 18-year-old guy, Nova, his sister who’s in Candy’s grade, and their kid brother Thad. 

Candy  (and the whole town) goes to a gala for Gage’s 18^th birthday. A ghost crashes the party and it’s the first ghost Candy’s ever truly sited. She touches the ghost and the ghost disappears and now the whole town thinks she’s got a superpower for banishing ghosts. It’s caught on camera and Mr. King wants it for his show and Candy believe that this will ruin her life. Candy wants out of Sticks and she doesn’t want any country baggage following her.

Natalie C. Parker really knows how to write a southern story full of creepy atmosphere. I’ve never been to the South before (unless Kentucky counts), but her books make you feel like you’re there. Since the book is set in late summer, you can imagine the sticky heat and stick that the swamp must bring. Sometimes in summer, it feels like that here in Illinois too (we have lots of mashes and it gets very humid). The swamp becomes like a character in itself. The Shine is some kind of magic that lives in the swamp and comes from a cherry tree that’s always in bloom.

Candy’s perspective is actually more interesting than I remember Sterling’s being. Sterling described by Candy actually seems a lot more peppy and sweet than I remember, possibly because she got together with Heath, and also she’s got her brother back. Abigail is very quiet and she’s African American and like girls. I forgot about her in the first book. Anyways, these three girls and a great bond of friendship. Sometimes things become strained. Candy’s sometimes to bold, and Sterling is like the glue and Abigail tends to be bottled up. They make friends with Nova King because she seems nice, but she may actually just want their help and information.

These books are really enjoyable and fun. If you enjoyed paranormal stories set in the south, like Beautiful Creature, The Magnolia League, Ghost Huntress, or TV shows like the Originals, you may enjoy this. Also, if you love anything related to New Orleans or Louisiana, swamps and gators. Even horror stories not set in the south, like the Creeping.

Cover Art Review: I love the colors of this cover. The Payne’s gray-blue and magenta contrast really well. There’s a face in the fog above Behold with eyes made of branches. The title treatment is cool and creepy.

Unmarked by Kami Garcia

Series: The Legion (bk. 2)

Genera(s): Paranormal Romance/Horror

Subjects: supernatural, ghosts, ghost hunters, secret societies, demons, demonology, love

Setting: Various eastern states, including: Massachusetts and Pennsylvania

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, past tense: Kennedy Waters

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 382 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $18.00

Publisher: Hachette: Little, Brown

Summary/ product description: “The heart-pounding sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller, Unbreakable, by New York Times bestselling Beautiful Creatures co-author Kami Garcia.

He is here... and he could be anyone.

Kennedy Waters lives in a world where vengeance spirits kill, ghosts keep secrets, and a demon walks among us–a demon she accidentally set free.

Now Kennedy and the other Legion members–Alara, Priest, Lukas, and Jared–have to hunt him down. As they learn more about the history of the Legion and the Illuminati, Kennedy realizes that the greatest mystery of all does not belong to any secret order, but to her own family. With the clock ticking and the life of someone she loves hanging in the balance, Kennedy has to ask the question she fears most: what is it about her past that has left her Unmarked?”

My Review:  This sequel is just as good as the first book, maybe even better. This series is awesome so far. I wonder if it’s just a trilogy or if there will be more. It’s got secret societies, evil spirits and a demon. It’s also got an awesome heroine with a special gift: an eidetic memory. Kennedy is awesome and she’s also a talented artist. As someone who also paints, I can relate to her. If I had her ability, my art would be so much more realistic. Sadly, Kennedy is sent to a boarding school, but then, the day after Christmas, is rescued by the Legion members: Jared, Lukas, Alara and Priest, with Kennedy’s best friend Elle, in toe. They’re trying to find away to stop the demon, Andras, who Kennedy accidently set loose in the previous book.

We also learn about another secret society, The Illuminati, which Kennedy has an unknown connection too. I hear all about this Illuminati conspiracy stuff from the History Channel, but the author takes it to a more supernatural level. The Illuminati may not be evil as the Legion thinks. They want to stop Andras too. Andras can only be killed a certain way, and he has to be inside a body. He’s been consuming souls and possessing many different people, but what happens when he possesses someone Kennedy cares about?

                                                                               

This story has so many layers and is a fast read. There’s a lot going n and tons of mysteries and secrets to uncover. One of my favorite things about this book is the artwork and symbols inside the book. Not many YA book include illustrations, usually only middle grade and under have them. There are a lot of symbols that you may see on Supernatural or Constantine. There’s also a few paintings too.

This book quenches the thirst of Supernatural and Constantine/Hell Blazer fans. It’s like the Winchesters as teenage twin brothers and part of a secret society called the Legion, but the story is told from the perspective of a teen girl. That’s basically what this book is like. This book series and Anna Dressed in Blood are the only YA books I can truly say are similar to my favorite TV show, Supernatural. I recommend it to those who love YA paranormal and Supernatural. There’s evil spirits and demons and symbols and devil’s traps! Also, recommend it to fans of shows like Ghost Adventures, Ghost Hunters, Constantine, Grimm and other paranormal shows and horror movies.

Cover Art Review: The cover is great with the big gothic U and a face. I love the texture of the cover.

Unbreakable by Kami Garcia

Series: The Legion (bk. 1)

Genera(s): Paranormal Romance/Horror

Subjects: supernatural, ghosts, ghost hunters, secret societies, demons, demonology, love

Setting: Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, past tense: Kennedy Waters

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 305 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover and in Paperback

List Price: $18.00/$9.99

Publisher: Hachette: Little, Brown

Summary/ product description: “Supernatural meets The Da Vinci Code in this action-packed paranormal thriller, the first book in a new series from New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia.

I never believed in ghosts. Until one tried to kill me.

When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

Suspense, romance, and the paranormal meet in this chilling urban fantasy, the first book in a new series from Kami Garcia, bestselling coauthor of the Beautiful Creatures novels.”

My Review:  What if the Winchesters from Supernatural were teenage twin brothers and part of a secret society called the Legion and the story was told from the perspective of a teen girl? That’s basically what this book is like. I like the main character. Kennedy has a unique combination of talents. She’s not only a really talented artist, but she also has a photographic memory. After her mother dies, she’s devastated. A few weeks later she plans to go to a boarding school, but plans change when a spirit attacks her in her house and two guys show up and shoot the spirit. Jared and Lukas hunt the paranormal and are part of the Legion.

Kennedy travels with them to meet the other two Legion members, Alara and Priest.  These teens all recently suffered the loss of their mentors, which are a family member, so now the Legion is made up of these teens. Alara is really interesting. He grandma taught her some voodoo spells and portions to ward off evil. She hates the color pink. Priest is goofy and invents weapons to destroy evil spirits. Jared fights and Lukas searches for paranormal activity. They believe Kennedy is the 5^th member of Legion, but she doesn’t believe it.

The plot is mainly about the teens visiting haunted places in search for pieces of a weapon that can supposedly destroy a demon. Some of the spirit they meet along the way a vengeance spirits and evil, while others are innocent and benign. They destroy or help. Some creepy stuff happens, but it’s pretty thrilling and exciting. This book is a perfect Halloween read or dark-and-stormy-night read. It’s not so creepy you’ll get the chills, but creepy enough.

This book and Anna Dressed in Blood are the only YA books I can truly say are similar to my favorite TV show, Supernatural. So what’s with all the bad reviews on Goodreads? This is a good book! I recommend it to those who love YA paranormal and Supernatural. There’s evil spirits and demons and symbols and devil’s traps! Also, recommend it to fans of shows like Ghost Adventures, Ghost Hunters, Constantine, Grimm and other paranormal shows and horror movies. Also if you liked the Ghost Huntress series.

Cover Art Review: The cover is great with the big gothic U and the face and colors, but I’m still kind of jelous of this UK edition with Kennedy on the front: