As part of my quest to further explore the fantasy and horror genres, I just read Libba’s Bray’s duet A Great and  Terrible Beauty and Rebel Angels. Set in the late 1800s, they are the story of Gemma Doyle, a British girl raised in India, whose world is turned upside down when she begins experiencing disturbing visions at the exact moment of her mother’s murder. Sent by her father to a British boarding school, Gemma must contend with bratty classmates and a dreary roommate. However, she soon discovers a mysterious diary that tells the story of Mary Dowd and Sarah Rees-Toome, two former students who experienced visions like Gemma’s. Determined to find the two women and understand what is happening to her, Gemma begins to explore her power. She, along with three other students, seeks out the magic of the Realms, a mysterious world that was once controlled by a group of sorceresses called The Order. Heady with their newfound powers, the girls use their magic recklessly, but the consequences soon catch up with them. Gemma is being stalked by a mysterious group called The Rakshana, and eventually discovers her mother’s own terrible connection to The Order. But things turn even worse when Pippa, one of her friends, becomes trapped in the Realms, perhaps forever.

Rebel Angels picks up the story here; it is Chrismastime, and Gemma and her friends Felicity and Ann are spending the holidays in London. But their vacation will not be carefree; in addition to a whirlwind of balls and social engagements, the girls must restore order to the Realms, which have grown wild in the absence of the Order. Gemma must also contend with the attentions of the attractive Simon Middleton, her father’s depression and drug use, and the fate of her friend Pippa, who is still trapped in the Realms. She is also desperately trying to decipher the ravings of a madwoman who knows the secrets of the Realms, all the while dodging the ever-closing net of the evil witch Circe, who longs to take the magic for herself.

An intriguing pair. I’m curious to see whether Bray will make them a trilogy.

I just finished Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight, a book that I had been waiting to read for several weeks. This one was worth the wait; I devoured all 498 pages in a matter of hours. In this haunting, almost heartbreaking love story, we meet Bella, a high school junior in a self-imposed exile in Washington. Bella longs to return to her mother in sunny Phoenix, and hates living with her father in the small, rainy town of Forks, where she is the lone new kid in school. But as she begins to settle in, she meets Edward, an unusual boy from a respected but strange family. Although forced to be lab partners, Edward is intent on keeping his distance from Bella, and makes it clear to her at every opportunity that they should not be friends. Nevertheless, Bella finds herself helplessly fascinated by his cold beauty and mesmerizing eyes, and despite his warnings, the two gradually become close. As they come to know each other, Bella begins to understand that there is something special about Edward…and that he isn’t quite human. As Edward repeatedly saves Bella’s life, they are pulled deeply into love, but face complicated circumstances: Edward must constantly fight his predatory nature, which compels him to kill her, and Bella discovers that she would rather die than be without him. They manage to delicately make their way together, but just as she grows closer to his incredible family, an unexpected danger throws them all into chaos.

This book was mesmerizing, and I am eagerly awaiting its sequel, New Moon, due out in August!

Lately I’ve found myself drifting away from the books I generally read. I like "fluffy" books: those that are lighthearted, swift and funny. But recently I’ve felt a pull toward more substantial literary fiction as well as things in the fantasy and horror genres. I read two this week.

The first: Thirsty, by M.T. Anderson. In this strange little tale, Chris, a high school freshman, finds himself slowly turning into a vampire. As he struggles with the enormity of this change, as well as the difficulties in keeping it a secret, he meets Chet, an otherworldly being who enlists Chris on a mission to save the world. Chris reluctantly agrees, but things go horribly wrong, leading the the book’s surprising and abrupt ending. Weird but interesting.

The second was Holly Black’s Tithe, which I really enjoyed. High school dropout Kaye is wasting her life partying when she rescues a stange and beautiful man one rainy night. Realizing that he is a faery, she stumbles into a world of magic and strife, as two rival fairy factions struggle to gain control of their world. As Kaye is pulled in deeper, she discovers the surprising truth about herself, and begins a tumultous friendship with a faery knight who may or may not be trustworthy. Compelling and fascinating.

So, I was shelving at work the other day when I stumbled upon a really interesting-looking book. Since I didn’t have anything to read that day, I checked it out and zipped through it that night. For some reason, I found it really moving–it’s the type of novel I’d like to own. Written by Leah Stewart, The Myth of You and Me chronicles the story of Cameron and Sonia, childhood best friends who no longer speak. Though Cameron has lost interest in the friendship, Sonia unexpectedly reaches out to her one day, causing Cameron to reflect on their past. She has no intention of reviving their relationship, but her nonagenarian boss forces her to seek out Sonia in order to deliver a mysterious package. As Cameron travels the country searching for Sonia, the reader is welcomed into their world; devouring each snippet of their friendship as it unfolds, you are left wondering what could possibly have driven these two women apart. Though the answer turns out to be a bit of a cliche, the lyrical prose, fascinating relationships, and  compelling characters make the story worthwhile.