The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

Absolutely magical. The Night Circus utterly enchants the reader and lures them into the magical black and white wonderland Erin Morgenstern so vividly paints.

 The Night Circus is a wondrously magical story about two young magicians who are pitted against each other at the young ages of 6 and 8, in an event known to them as the Challenge. Trained by two extraordinary instructors, Celia and Marco must outlast each other in the ultimate game of skill. Unbeknownst to Celia, Marco, and their instructors, that involves more than just the 4 magicians. Everyone within the circus is now connected to the Challenge as well.

Morgenstern sets the stage with a jaw-dropping page turner of a novel that enchants the reader with each magical detail. The Night Circus enraptures the readers every sense. Morgenstern really makes it easy for the reader to sit back and enjoy the show... over and over again.


"The Circus arrives without warning.
     No announcements precede it, no paper notices on downtown posts and billboards, no mentions or advertisements in local newspapers. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.
     The towering tents are striped in white and black, no golds and crimsons to be seen. No color at all, save for neighboring trees and the grass of the surrounding fields. Black-and-white stripes on grey sky; with an elaborate wrought-iron fence encasing them in a colorless world. Even what little ground is visible from outside is black or white, painted or powdered, or treated with some other circus trick.
     But it is not open for business. Not just yet." (Page 3)

The Fault in Our Stars - John Green

Captivating. Depressing. Provocative.

Located in Indiana, John Green's The Fault in Our Stars follows a young girl with terminal cancer. There's no longer the unanswered questions of how she will die, or if she will beat the cancer. It's just a question of when.

Hazel is seventeen and has terminal thyroid cancer, that has recently spread to her lungs. She's accepted that she is dying, but she's frustrated her parents are still holding out hope. Hazel soon meets Agustus Waters, a seventeen year old cancer survivor whom Hazel develops a very strong relationship with, and shows Hazel another perspective that she can view of her unavoidable demise.

Overall, The Fault in Our Stars is a wonderful book that touches even the deepest places of you heart, and plays upon unknown sympathies. A definite must read.

"Whenever you read a cancer booklet or website or whatever, they always list depression among the side effects of cancer. But, in fact, depression is not a side effect of cancer. Depression is side effect of dying." (Page 3)

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

This is a story about a young girl growing up in the middle of World War II Nazi Germany, told from the perspective of death. It sounds a little depressing, I know. To be honest, it took me a while to get into it but its extremely captivating in a way that makes it easy to relate to the character.

Liesel Meminger, our heroine if you will, is a child who is put into the foster system by her mother, in order to save her from being punished for having communist parents. Just when you think Liesel is safe, out of trouble, and wondering where else the book is going to go, Liesel's family hides a Jew in their basement. Zusak keeps you on the edge of your seat for the duration of the book. If you're not wondering about how things could get worse, or when the Meminger's are going to be caught, then you're thinking about the subtle love story between Liesel and her neighbour, and if their young, undiscovered love is going to get chance to bloom before harm befalls them.

Zusak lures you in with a false sense of security, and breaks your heart when you least expect it. The Book Thief provides readers with a heartfelt, yet desolate glimpse into the life of a young girl with an enormous heart. It has just the right amount of suspense, and intrigue to keep you captivated, but provides a subtle romance and depth that embeds itself into your heart.

         As they walked past the precarious town hall shadows, the book thief winced.

        "What's wrong?" Papa asked.

        "Nothing."

         Quite a few things, however, were most definitely wrong.

         Smoke was rising out of Liesel's collar.

         A necklace of sweat had formed around her throat.

         Beneath her shirt, a book was eating her up. (Page 122)