Monday, August 9, 2010

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming, And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Shall be lifted - nevermore! — from "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe







Guest Review from Krista

(synopsis from bn.com)

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.
Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.
As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.
His life depends on it.
 Krista's Review
I was fortunate enough to have an ARC of this book to read. Nevermore really delivers a little something different. I liked the way the author handled the relationship between two total opposites coming together - cheerleader and goth. Bringing in elements from Edgar Allan Poe's poems, tales, and real life really added to this story. These elements prompted me to pull out my copies of Poe's works to explore more -- any book that can inspire further reading? Fantastic. The only downside to this novel was being left hanging at the end on a lot of things. I understand wanting to keep the reader guessing, but this one really leaves you on the edge of a cliff. 

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