That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.
Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.
But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?
Read by Cris Dukehart
Length: 8.3 Hours
Listened at 2x Speed
Better than I remember the last one being. I really got into Sophie's head through the narration with Cris's voice. A lot of the snark seemed to work better this time around, which I really enjoyed. After all, it just isn't Sophie without the snark.
Unfortunately I can't say the same about the other character voices. There was enough differentiation to tell them apart from one another, don't worry about that, but I was definitely disappointed in how Sophie's dad was handled. Obviously it shouldn't sound cartoony or anything like that, but I just couldn't get over how pointedly feminine he sounded. Yes, he's British (and one of the very few who speak as such in the book), but putting a British accent on him does not a British Man make. I just wish something a bit deeper had been done for such an important character.
Another slight hitch I had with this audiobook was the constant pausing. The audio didn't break, mind you, but even listening to the whole thing sped up, I couldn't help but notice the incessant pauses at the ends of (and even during) sentences. Not a deal-breaker, but something I did end up noticing as I read along.
Overall, an improvement from what I remember Hex Hall being, but still an average experience as far as audiobooks go. Not ground-breaking, but it'll definitely get you through the book alright.
SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books, Halflings and Guardian, or don't mind knowing some major spoilers for them. Avenger, however, will remain spoiler-free. SPOILER ALERT
Nikki knew Damon Vessler would not let his prized creation go easily — she simply never imagined the lengths he'd go to get her back into his clutches, and turn Nikki's heart toward darkness. A Seeker at her heels, trained on her blood, Nikki flees with Raven alongside her for protection, while Mace and the other Halflings fight the battle that has erupted on earth.
But even as the two boys she loves fight for her, she knows the battle will be hers to win. Determined to uncover the secrets of her past, and exactly how she fits into Vessler's twisted plans, Nikki sets off on her own, and soon discovers facing hellacious beasts is nothing compared to the decision she will need to make. One that could change not only the war, and her relationship with Mace and Raven, but her future with the Throne. I was already at least half-way over the fence after the first two books, Halflings and Guardian, with little hope going into the third installment, Avenger. After the major rants I'd already given, by all rights I should have called it quits on this series and gone on with my life. Alas, despite my warnings to myself, I trudged my way through another of Burch's books, and woo-boy, have I got some more ranting to do.
But first, let me cover the things I enjoyed. Don't worry, there were only two of them.
First off, I was glad to see Nikki finally grow a pair. Granted, at the end of the last book she did manage to shoot Vessler twice. But after everyone tried to downplay it as "not her fault" because she was being drugged, I can't really give her that. This time, she's not only trying to show some spice in hand-to-hand combat, but she actually intentionally takes on a hellbeast one-on-one. Slight docking of points due to the foresight and lame battle mechanics, but hey, at least she got her hands dirty!
I also enjoyed the (very few) scenes with Zero. Another case of characters being wasted in the background, Zero is a hidden gem in this series. Kind of a Dr. House type personality—brilliant, but not usually good with people. I always loved his witty dialogue and snarky personality. But best of all were his POV sections at the end. He goes through some really intense stuff and yet refuses to give in, even going so far as to destroy means of calling help so no one else would get hurt on his account. Love ya, Zero.
And that's it. That's all the good I can say about this book. Unfortunately my dislike-to-hate list is much, much longer.
A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.
A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.
You remember in school when you were given a picture and told to write a story about it? Or maybe you've had a writing exercise where you have to use a picture and a phrase within your short story. Well, regardless of whether or not you've done it yourself, I think we can all agree Ransom Riggs has gone above and beyond the minimum requirements.
I'll admit, the photographs did creep me out when I first received the book. The majority of them are of children in carnival clothes, all with blank or staring faces, almost like they're daring you to judge them. It gave me a horror-esque vibe when I first saw it, which I'm sorry to say put me off reading it for quite some time. But regardless of whether this book was inspired by the many Ripley's Believe It Or Not-esque photographs or whether they were sought out after crafting the peculiar tale, I'm glad they were included. It gives the entire work a uniqueness that not only enhances the reading experience, but is sure to remain in the minds of readers for some time after completion.
The story focuses on Jacob, a teenager who has grown up hearing strange stories from his grandfather. Stories of children who have fantastical abilities, a kind old bird who watches after them, and horrible monsters who would like nothing better than to gobble them up. Much like believing in Santa Claus, however, he eventually grows out of the fantasies his grandfather tells. That is until his grandfather dies at the claws of one of the monsters he knows can't be real. Now it's up to Jacob to journey to the orphanage from his grandfather's past in order to uncover the truth.
While the age of our protagonist and the type of journey he takes is very similar to the typical YA fiction these days, I found the tone and style of this book fitting for a much broader audience. The writing is very matter-of-fact and reflectional rather than conversational or stream-of-consciousness. It's almost like reading a journal, or a research journal rather than having a narrator who is speaking directly to the reader.
As such, compared to most modern-day YA adventure fiction, I felt a little distanced from the narrator, Jacob. Sure, I could still tell his personality, and most of his emotions at certain points, but it did feel very much like he'd had some time between the events happening in the book to when he is telling us. It's not a bad thing, just different from what I imagine most YA readers would be expecting.
The supporting cast was equally distant, in terms of the writing, though I still got some instances where personalities shone through. Four of the 'peculiars' in particular had especially great dialogue that made me fall in love. And does every invisible man nowadays require a snarky personality? I'm not complaining, mind you, but I had to chuckle at the stereotype that seems to be forming. The rest of the children had enough description to let me differentiate them by name, but not quite enough to make me all that interested. And Miss Peregrine was...a bit more underwhelming than I would have liked, serving as a typical knowledgeable adult who won't reveal anything until 'the right time'. I don't know, I never got a clear enough read on her, so I'm still not 100% sure of her yet...
Which I suppose worked well with the whole mysterious feel the book had going for it. If the creepy pictures weren't enough to make you uneasy, the majority of the book centers on Jacob's quest to discover what is real and what isn't. It's a bit of a mystery, a bit supernatural-fantasy, with some action and adventure sprinkled in now and again. Ultimately, I was never absolutely sure what to think of anyone or anything, which made the entire experience the right kind of unsettling.
Which made the twist towards the end of the book all that more jarring. I really don't want to go too much into it here, since saying much at all would only diminish its impact for those who haven't read it yet, but suffice it to say that I had to applaud the jaw-dropping realization that Jacob has to face a good 3/4 through the story. This book truly drives home the fact that our world is full of magic if only we know where to look, though not all of that magic is good.
And speaking of things that may or many not be good, I've got to talk about a couple problems I had with the book. First off, the romance. Yes, it's YA and 9 out of 10 books have to have some boy-meets-girl (or visa versa) love story, but the style and pacing of this book didn't allow for much growth between the two. Jacob seems pleasantly surprised at best that the girl has feelings for him, and yet we're to believe that she factors majorly into his decisions? I suppose it's a major draw for those who aren't interested in angsty YA romances, but then keep it as a mutual crush, don't try to pin life-altering decisions on it. Hopefully this will be fleshed out further in the sequel(s).
Another thing I hope gets a lot of fleshing out is the time-travel magic. Granted, time travel is going to be confusing and paradoxical no matter what, but I would have liked a little more explaining at times.
Long story short, Jacob discovers that these 'peculiar children' his grandfather told him about live in a time-loop that is maintained by Miss Peregrine. The loop lasts 24 hours and is constantly September 3rd, 1940. This lets the children stay safe and not age, though their memories are maintained through the loop (but no one elses' are). However, at the end of the book Miss Peregrine gets injured, the loop falters, and they are forced to venture out to find answers. But it's now September 4th, 1940. Why didn't the loop simply dissolve into modern time? Are they now in an alternate timeline? Or are they in the real past, with their actions impacting the present/future?
Yeah, I understand why things were kept vague/mysterious, but I'm really hoping that we get more solid answers as the series progresses.
Still in spite of, and in some ways because of the time travel elements, there is a timeless quality about this book which is partly why I think it appeals to both younger and older readers. The journalistic narrative style, the historical references, and the period pictures and dialogue all combine to make the story seem like it could take place any time, with any person. With so many books attempting to appeal to the now, trying to get the clothes, the slang, and the pop-culture right, it was great to read something that didn't pay attention to any of that. And in doing so, not only did Riggs create something unique from much of today's YA, but something I believe will continue to stand out in years to come.
Overall I found Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children to be a surprisingly pleasant journey into the unknown realms of our own world. Fans of fringe science, creepy photographs, and paranormal mysteries will no doubt enjoy this book immensely, but I'd also recommend it to those who like YA fantasy or adventure, since this book doesn't necessarily look it on the cover. Between the creepy photos and some disturbing/violent scenes toward the end, I'd recommend this for middle grade and above, though you might want to stick to daylight reading depending on your disposition. If you're looking for a book that's a little unique, or dare I say peculiar, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is an edge-of-your-seat story that will have you questioning what you know to be real, what is possible, and what might be lurking just out of view.
Approximate Reading Time: 5 Hours
Read by Jesse Bernstein
Length: 9.7 Hours
Listened at 2x Speed
Oftentimes when I'm reading along with the audiobook, I notice inconsistencies between the audio and the book and wonder if they are mistakes or conscious changes. This time the differences were solely due to needing to include extra descriptions of the photographs displayed in the book. Now, the audiobook does come with a downloadable file that contains all the pictures for reference, so you might want to have a computer ready as you're listening. However, the audio does describe all the photos pretty accurately, as well as read any inserted letters or notes, so I think you'd be fine with the audio alone.
The narrator did a fine job with enunciation and clarity, something I greatly appreciated with foreign vocabulary (such as ymbryne). Accents and genders were handled well also, however I was disappointed with the lack of differentiation. While he did do his best to provide unique voices for the fairly large cast, I only managed to single out the main cast. Any background characters, and many of the children blended together. Not a deal-breaker, but if they ever decide to put a little more money into the audiobooks, I'd highly suggest doing a Full Cast Audio. The payoff for the children alone would be well worth it.
Overall, not a bad interpretation, just a tad lackluster. It's a bit understandable, considering the journalistic tone/style of writing of the story in general. And I would have been fine had he been solely the narration and voice of Jacob. But in handling the full cast, it was just a tad under par.
~Giveaway~
Since I will soon be getting my hands on a copy of the paperback, I'm happy to offer up my hardcover in a Giveaway! Note: this copy has NEVER been read. I checked out a copy from the library to do my review in the likelyhood that I would be holding this giveaway (I'm just not a hardcover gal). So, while this copy has been flipped through a couple times to show pictures, it is otherwise PRISTINE.
Must be 13 years or older to enter.
USA residents only - sorry, but shipping costs have gone bonkers lately!
Winner will be chosen and notified on May 29th. They will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.
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