Top Ten Tuesday [#3]

Hosted by The Broke and Bookish

Top Ten Books I'd Like to See Made into Movies

1) The Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa: The world is so beautiful and all of the characters are memorable, I think this would look amazing on the big screen!

2) The Restorer (The Graveyard Queen Series) by Amanda Stevens: I was reading the sequel last night and I couldn't help but imagine how this would look with special effects and a A list cast. The mood to this book is so wonderfully mysterious and creepy I think that a director would have fun with. 

3) Entwined by Heather Dixon: The entire time I was reading this I was thinking how awesome this would be as an animated movie! The humor is charming, the characters are adorable and lovable. It would be the perfect summer blockbuster for kid's movies!

4) Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver: This book made me feel so many things! It's such a good story with a great narrative, I think it would be a hit with young movie goers. Parents too!

5) Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman: This is by favorite Neil Gaiman book and I would love to see this as a movie. Not a television series, a movie. No reason necessary, It's Neil motherloving Gaiman. 

6) A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux: This is one of my favorite romance books ever. Although this plot has already been done (Kate and Leopold), I think the love story will leave the other "copy-cats" in the dust!

7) The Dark Hunters series by Sherrilyn Kenyon: This might be cheating because I don't want a movie, I want a TV series. I would prefer a TV series because THERE ARE SO MANY BOOKS AND I CAN'T JUST CHOSE ONE and also because the sex. This would be a FABULOUS HBO series!

8) Angelfall by Susan Ee: BADASSERY. That is all. I just want to cry in the theatres I think. 

9)  Remembrance by Jude Deveraux: I would prefer this to be a like a two or three part TV series. Regardless I want to see this! I want to cry millions of tears and yell at my boyfriend about why we aren't soulmates like Talis Callie. 

10) The White Cat (Curseworkers series) by Holly Black: I just recently finished the first book and I think this would make for an awesome action movie! I really do think this would bring in the crowds! 

And you guys? 

Top Ten Books of 2011

Top Ten Books of 2011

With less than 12 hours until 2012, I thought I would compile a list of my favorite books published in 2011! This was actually REALLY hard to do. 

10. Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon

9. Envy by Gregg Olsen 

8. The Restorer by Amanda Steven

7.  The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

6. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

5. Eve by Anna

4. Hard Bitten by Chloe Neill

3. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma 

2. Delirium by Lauren Oliver

1. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

The Restorer Review

The Restorer by AMANDA STEVENS

My name is Amelia Gray. I'm a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. In order to protect myself from the parasitic nature of the dead, I've always held fast to the rules passed down from my father. But now a haunted police detective has entered my world and everything is changing, including the rules that have always kept me safe.

It started with the discovery of a young woman's brutalized body in an old Charleston graveyard I've been hired to restore. The clues to the killer—and to his other victims—lie in the headstone symbolism that only I can interpret. Devlin needs my help, but his ghosts shadow his every move, feeding off his warmth, sustaining their presence with his energy. To warn him would be to invite them into my life. I've vowed to keep my distance, but the pull of his magnetism grows ever stronger even as the symbols lead me closer to the killer and to the gossamer veil that separates this world from the next.

Review: 

This book is so charming and so original. Stevens does an amazing job with her characters and their environment (as make me want sweet iced tea with every page I turned). The story was well developed and moved at just the right pace, and all of the characters were so memorable and the best part of all, no cliff hanger at the end!

Amelia Gray sees ghosts, which makes her job as a graveyard restorer a bit difficult. Luckily for her, her father gave her a set of rules to abide by in order to live a ghost-free life. Don't make contact, ignore those who are haunted by ghosts, and stay on hallowed grounds. These are all very easy rules to follow until she meets the mysterious John Devlin whose personal haunts are desperate to make contact with her. This paired with the finding of two (new deceased) bodies in the graveyard that she is working on, makes for a very case. 

Amanda Stevens treated this novel like it was her baby. Everything was so well thought out, the subtle hints of what's to come were in the right spots, and the characters were engaging. Every character brought something special to the plate which made the read so enjoyable. Amelia is also a remarkable character. She is strong, independent and appears to be very in control regardless of her environment. While this novel hints at romance, the book isn't about their love story. It's about Amelia first and foremost which is refreshing. 

The plot is also exceptional. I was kept guessing about the mystery murders until the last chapter and I was still blown away. The entire plot is original with great side stories that are sure to be revealed later on in the story. I also loved that Stevens mentioned the voodoo culture because I am fascinated with it. 

In short this is a lovely book that I recommend to anyone. Well, unless you're looking for a love story centered novel then maybe this wouldn't be your first pick. Steven's writing and storytelling is flawless and the plot keeps you guessing. 

Teaser Tuesday (#4)

Hosted by Should Be Reading

"Even if he couldn't see them, his ghosts had kept that torment fresh. For as long as he was haunted, his wounds would never heal."

The Restorer by AMANDA STEVENS

page 148