Phantom of the Opera (1910)

By: Gaston Leroux

The story is very similar to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s stage adaptation, following the mysterious Phantom and his plight to win opera singer Christine Daae’s heart. This version of the novel delves deeper into the Phantom’s torture of people, as well as the Managers’ roles in irking the Phantom, and pushes Christine’s damsel in distress-ness. However, Leroux does an exceptional job describing the Phantom’s grotesque features, as well as the mystery of it all. As he was a lawyer and crime writer before publishing Le Fantôme de l'Opéra, it’s safe to say he used real life to influence his creativity.

This book is a great example of an omniscient narrator. That being said, though this is an interesting supplement to both the musical and movie, the writing is dated. If you have an interest in the story of the Phantom, it’s a good read. Otherwise, go get yourself some Emmy Rossum and enjoy.

Famous Last Words (2014)

By: Katie Alender

The Hollywood Killer is at large. No one has any leads, but when Willa moves to L.A. after her mom remarries, she starts to see ghosts around her house. Then there’s the romance. Who should she pick: preppy Reed, her step-father’s assistant, or Wyatt, the guy that’s scary-obsessed with the Hollywood Killer.

Honestly, this book took so many twists and turns, I had no idea who the killer was. It was fascinating to watch it all unravel, especially after watching the Scream TV series (which was a letdown towards the end. Come on, guys, diverging from the source material wouldn’t kill you!). If you’re into slashers, pick up this book.

2018 Reading List

The last time I’d been looking for a book to read, and I was browsing the shelves of my local library, I found myself looking for a book I’d read but couldn’t remember the title of. It was frustrating, perusing the shelves to find that book. Made even more so by the fact that I nearly checked out a book I’d hated, simply because I couldn’t remember the titles.

So, last year, I decided to keep track of all the books I’d read, and then whether I’d enjoyed them. I started a list in a journal I had sitting around, and even went so far as to start writing reviews.

Most, if not all, of these are YA novels, because I tried this new thing where I went in alphabetical order at my library and just picked up books I thought looked interesting. This was following a dry-spell of reading that stemmed from my irritation of YA books all having the same plots and tropes.

I found some awesome books, and some authors that I will follow forever. Click on the titles for author info and a short synopsis/review.

  1. Phantom of the Opera
  2. Outlander
  3. Enclave
  4. Paper Towns
  5. Outpost
  6. Horde
  7. Famous Last Words
  8. The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life
  9. The Keeper’s Tattoo
  10. Haters
  11. Ultraviolet
  12. Quicksilver
  13. Avalon
  14. Polaris
  15. The Gathering
  16. The Masked Truth
  17. The Pearl Savage
  18. The Savage Blood
  19. The Savage Principle
  20. The Island
  21. Scion of Conquered Earth
  22. The Boys Start the War
  23. The Boys Return
  24. Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven
  25. Harley Merlin and the Mystery Twins
  26. Harley Merlin and the Stolen Magicals
  27. Harley Merlin and the First Ritual