Mara Purnhagen

I didn't realize at first that this was the 2nd book in a series. I'd had it in my Netgalley queue for awhile, and when I went to mark it on Goodreads, I saw that it was book 2. I had to track down book 1, because wouldn't it be weird to read the 2nd book in a series first?!

Anyway, I digress.

I liked Past Midnight a lot, so I was really looking forward to what One Hundred Candles would offer. It didn't disappoint. I think I liked Past Midnight better, but this was still a great read. Quick, show more easy, and full of good stuff.

I already liked Charlotte a lot and I liked her continued development. She's a character that I can understand: trying to fit in during high school was complete torture, and I didn't have the added burden of being the child of famous paranormal investigators. Through it all, Charlotte stays true to herself and yet is still a teenager trying to find her way.

I liked how things unfolded in One Hundred Candles. Who knew that something as simple as a party game could lead where it did? I liked the suspense build up and I liked the resolution. Very well done.

I think this book was everything a summer read should be: fun, light, and engaging. Pick it up if you get a chance! I'm giving One Hundred Candles a 'Drool Worthy' rating. show less

From my blog: penultimatepage.com

My Thoughts:

For those of you that don’t know the meaning of “tagged” here is what dictionary.com has to say: ”To mark or vandalize (a surface) with graffiti: tagged the subway walls.”

Tagged was a quick read that I wasn’t too sure about, judging by the cover, but I’m glad I gave it a chance. While the main issue in the book is this giant mural of spray-painted gorillas, it’s really about right and wrong and, as the characters debate frequently, show more the difference between art and vandalism.

Kate was a plain-Jane, relatable character. All she’s worried about is getting good grades, blending in, and trying not to seem like a snitch as the police chief’s daughter. When the gorillas show up on the wall of the school, Kate tries not to have an opinion. Opinions mean standing out, something Kate has tried hard not to do. However, her coworker at the local coffee shop, Eli, wants to know what she thinks of the newly decorated school. If Kate had stayed the plain-Jane, I would have quickly gotten annoyed. However, with Eli’s help, Kate grows and learns that having an opinion, or standing out for that matter, might not be so bad.

The other characters, like Kate’s best friend Lan, coworker Eli, and popular, stuck up Tiffany, are all well developed and play meaningful roles. They’re not just page-fillers. Lan, though she was a good friend to Kate, got on my nerves a bit. I can’t exactly pinpoint why, she was just a bit annoying to me. Eli is a mysterious, sort of bad boy, which is cool to see in a contemporary YA versus a paranormal where the bad boys grow on trees. Tiffany, ugh. That being said, Tiffany was the antagonist, so I guess “ugh” is probably the correct reaction to her character.

The romances were slightly unpredictable in Tagged, though it was nice to see that Kate had a life outside boys. That’s right, this contemporary YA wasn’t all about the romances, there was a slight aura of mystery hanging in the air the whole time. Who was the tagger? How were they doing this? Clues were dropped at the perfect intervals and all questions were answered in a timely manner, which is big for me. If situations aren’t resolved in a reasonable amount of time, I have been known to stop reading. Thank you, Mara, for keeping me reading.

The Verdict:

Tagged stands apart with it’s focus on the battle between right and wrong, art and vandalism. Quick, concise, and completely relatable, I recommend Tagged to any lover of YA lit. show less

If you're looking at the post before this and thinking, "What? There is no way she could have possibly finished this book so fast!", I understand. However I assure you, I really did. Read below to find out why!

Charlotte and her sister Annalise help their parents debunk "ghost stories" by proving their scientific origins. The question is: What happens if there is one that you just can't seem to disprove?

As a reader, and I know I say this often, it is extremely important that I feel invested show more in the characters if I am going to truly love a story. That being said, Charlotte and Annalise are superb protagonists! Their personalities meld beautifully and you can feel the sisterly chemistry between them. I personally loved Charlotte! She was spunky, sweet and driven. What I was most impressed by was that even the secondary characters, like Avery and Noah, had an amazing story line and were well developed. It's hard not to find yourself drawn into their story.

Past Midnight is a very fast paced and slightly spooky read. I warn you, if you are the type who has nightmares based on horror or suspense movies, you may not want to read this before bed. Although I don't think Mara set out with the intention to scare her readers, some parts of the book will definitely raise the hair on the back of your neck! I had to read another book for a few chapters before bed and even then I had ghosts haunt my dreams for the night.

As I'm sure you can tell, I absolutely adored Past Midnight! The story is the perfect blend of ghost story, coming of age story, and sweet romance. If you're shaking your head in amazement, don't despair. That is precisely what I felt the moment I reached the ending of the book. Mara Purnhagen manages to mesh all of these topics into a well paced book that will have you reading as fast as you possibly can. show less

Put simply, I loved this book! I read it in just two sittings, not wanting to put it down in between. The characters are strong, well-developed and real. I didn’t find myself getting bored or frustrated with them. They were not over-the-top like some YA novels I have read. Charlotte is an easily likable character who craves normal actually. And her relationships with her family and friends, even romantic, are realistic and complex at the same time. The parents’ occupations as debunkers show more of the paranormal were an original and wonderful idea.
The solid writing in this novel did not leave you guessing at the paranormal elements and therefore easily built suspense with elements of the unknown. Enough was revealed and enough was held back. I think the amount of subplots and plot twists added to the novel, grabbing the reader and not letting go. The author does a great job of raising tension, a nice build with subtle hints and lots of plot hooks.
I found this book to be wonderfully creepy and truly haunting. Rarely does a book surprise me, but this one did. I can’t say exactly how or why, but this story walked that thin line between scary and entertaining and age appropriate situations. As a mom, I enjoyed it myself and would have no qualms letting my teens read it. In fact, I think it would be fun to discuss. As a former English teacher, it also touched upon enough of life’s issues like divorce and death that I think it would make a worthy class read.
If you are a fan of ghost stories, I highly recommend it no matter what your age. show less