It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up. When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true...
read full description
reviews
Feb 18, 2012
Sam
rated it: 
'I should probably start with the blood.'
When a book has an opening line as wonderful as that, the only rational reaction would be to be intrigued. I most certainly was. What blood? Whose blood? First line in and Robin Wasserman already had me asking questions. And then we are followed by this:
'If it bleeds it leads and all that, right? It’s all anyone ever wants to know about, anyway. What did it look like? What did it feel like? Why was it all over my hands?'
More...
When a book has an opening line as wonderful as that, the only rational reaction would be to be intrigued. I most certainly was. What blood? Whose blood? First line in and Robin Wasserman already had me asking questions. And then we are followed by this:
'If it bleeds it leads and all that, right? It’s all anyone ever wants to know about, anyway. What did it look like? What did it feel like? Why was it all over my hands?'
More...
32 comments
like
(18 people liked it)
Feb 08, 2012
Emily
rated it: 
I imagine that The Book Of Blood And Shadow will impress most of my friends, it just so happens that this is one of those books that appears on occasion which is well-constructed, well-written, clever and absolutely nothing that I want to read. I've seen this before and will surely see it again in the future, thankfully I'm getting better at spotting them early on - the only reason I finished this book was because it was provided by UK book tours for review purposes.
The story is abou More...
The story is abou More...
12 comments
like
(16 people liked it)
Oct 29, 2011
Isamlq
rated it:
Wow!
I’d split this book in several parts and love each for different reasons. There’s the part with her laying down her history AND that ending (all on its own) that was awesome. The way things start one would think that one knows how thing turn up. You’d be wrong. That she took her time explaining who she was and who they were assured that I see her story through. And that ending? NOT BAD! I love how things went because it dealt with that long, twisted, complicated ride Nora had fo More...
I’d split this book in several parts and love each for different reasons. There’s the part with her laying down her history AND that ending (all on its own) that was awesome. The way things start one would think that one knows how thing turn up. You’d be wrong. That she took her time explaining who she was and who they were assured that I see her story through. And that ending? NOT BAD! I love how things went because it dealt with that long, twisted, complicated ride Nora had fo More...
0 comments
like
(4 people liked it)
Jan 23, 2012
What an awesome book! Like a YA Da Vinci Code, but WAY better. Full of action, murder, and intrigue. Kept me hooked until the very end.
0 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Feb 02, 2012
Erin
rated it:
Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good old cryptic mystery with hints of historical elements that will damn right fascinate you. It may be a young adult book, but if there's any adults out there reading this review, then don't let it stop you. It's suited to everyone! If you loved Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code or something along the lines of Jennifer Donnelly's Revolution, then this is the book for YOU!
Full review: http://talesoftheinnerbookfanatic.blogsp... More...
Full review: http://talesoftheinnerbookfanatic.blogsp... More...
4 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jan 30, 2012
Reading
rated it: 
Review Written by Jen @ Reading Lark
Source: Publisher
http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2012/01/...
I think the best way to describe how I felt about this is to start with what it reminds me of. It is like The Da Vinci Code immersed in a steampunk murder mystery... lots of clues to solve about a clockwork machine built in the past, hidden in the present, protected and sought after by mysterious cults - deaths all over the place and lots of chasing about!
I was quite con More...
Source: Publisher
http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2012/01/...
I think the best way to describe how I felt about this is to start with what it reminds me of. It is like The Da Vinci Code immersed in a steampunk murder mystery... lots of clues to solve about a clockwork machine built in the past, hidden in the present, protected and sought after by mysterious cults - deaths all over the place and lots of chasing about!
I was quite con More...
Jan 10, 2012
Rachael
rated it: 
It all started as a way to get out of class, a supervised independent study program where Nora, her best friend Chris, and his roommate Max would assist a professor in translating letters written in Latin. Chris and Max would translate the letters of Edward Kelley, an alchemist, while the letters written by his daughter, Elizabeth Weston, were relegated to Nora. Their project, to find any clues to help decode the Voynich manuscript, was not one that any of the friends took serious—until it becam
More...
3 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Sep 14, 2011
Zoey
rated it:
Well. Read that faster than I thought I was going to O_o
This book was amazing. Of course, that doesn't even begin to describe it, but be assured. It was amazing, astounding, gush-worthy, and definitely worth my time.
I guess I had pretty high expectations to start off with - I've read some of Robin Wasserman's other books, and I thought they were pretty good. But when I read this, I couldn't even tell that the same author had written this. The Book of Blood and Shadow bypassed More...
This book was amazing. Of course, that doesn't even begin to describe it, but be assured. It was amazing, astounding, gush-worthy, and definitely worth my time.
I guess I had pretty high expectations to start off with - I've read some of Robin Wasserman's other books, and I thought they were pretty good. But when I read this, I couldn't even tell that the same author had written this. The Book of Blood and Shadow bypassed More...
0 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Sep 02, 2011
Teri
rated it:
What if it was all about choice.
If you found a secret buried so deep and filled with destruction, would you choose to follow it? Or leave it buried.
How do you define live, how do you measure the love of the one you are with, how do you know it to he true?
At what cost do you fight to sustain that love. At what price will you sacrifice your friends.
When Nora, a high school student, looses her brother in a car accident and moves to a new town recreating herself, she falls into a More...
If you found a secret buried so deep and filled with destruction, would you choose to follow it? Or leave it buried.
How do you define live, how do you measure the love of the one you are with, how do you know it to he true?
At what cost do you fight to sustain that love. At what price will you sacrifice your friends.
When Nora, a high school student, looses her brother in a car accident and moves to a new town recreating herself, she falls into a More...
Feb 12, 2012
This Girl Reads
rated it:
I picked it up because:
The title really jumped out to me. Just enough vague creepiness in it to interest me, I guess. And now that I've read it, I don't think the author could have picked a better name for the book.
What I liked:
I'll probably sound cliched saying this—I know I've heard it myself numerous times—but this is was a book that had my full attention from the very first sentence. I don't think there's any other reaction when you're started off with More...
The title really jumped out to me. Just enough vague creepiness in it to interest me, I guess. And now that I've read it, I don't think the author could have picked a better name for the book.
What I liked:
I'll probably sound cliched saying this—I know I've heard it myself numerous times—but this is was a book that had my full attention from the very first sentence. I don't think there's any other reaction when you're started off with More...
Feb 13, 2012
Trisha
rated it:
Oh my. Do not read this book is you want swoony and superficial. Do read it if you are hankering more for complex dense plot lines that are a mixture of 'da Vinci Code' & 'Northern Lights'. Do read it if your idea of a heroine is intelligent, loyal and courageous. But also real and flawed and damaged. Nora jumps off the page with such a clear voice.
Wasserman does not pander to the trends of today's paranormal genre. This is not an easy read. She makes readers work for their rewards. More...
Wasserman does not pander to the trends of today's paranormal genre. This is not an easy read. She makes readers work for their rewards. More...
Jan 05, 2012
Jen
rated it:
This review is for an ARC kindly given to me by the publisher.
I think the best way to describe how I felt about this is to start with what it reminds me of. It is like The Da Vinci Code immersed in a steampunk murder mystery... lots of clues to solve about a clockwork machine built in the past, hidden in the present, protected and sought after by mysterious cults - deaths all over the place and lots of chasing about!
I was quite confused at the start, as there were a numb More...
I think the best way to describe how I felt about this is to start with what it reminds me of. It is like The Da Vinci Code immersed in a steampunk murder mystery... lots of clues to solve about a clockwork machine built in the past, hidden in the present, protected and sought after by mysterious cults - deaths all over the place and lots of chasing about!
I was quite confused at the start, as there were a numb More...
Sep 07, 2011
Mlpmom
rated it:
I am not sure where it even begin with this book. I guess I should start off by saying that it had be hooked from the very first page, it drew me in and refused to let go. In fact, I think I only set it down a few times throughout the day and only when it was necessary.
This was was full of mystery and so many twists and turns it kept you constantly on the edge of your seat wondering what was going to happen next.
This book was just amazing, very unlike anything else that More...
This was was full of mystery and so many twists and turns it kept you constantly on the edge of your seat wondering what was going to happen next.
This book was just amazing, very unlike anything else that More...
Jan 31, 2012
Aimee
rated it:
The premise for this book left me dying to get my hands on it. And it did not disappoint! After I had finished it, I was left in a book stupor, my mind going through everything that I had just read. It's pretty early in the year, but this is definitely going to be on my top 5 read this year.
What I was impressed with was the planning and detail that went into this book. I read a lot and I've read a lot of books that don't engage the mind or the imagination as well as this does. It re More...
What I was impressed with was the planning and detail that went into this book. I read a lot and I've read a lot of books that don't engage the mind or the imagination as well as this does. It re More...
Sep 04, 2011
Lacey
rated it:
I really thought this book was full of mystery and suspense. I loved the characters and the journey they had to go on. If you liked National Treasure you'll definately love this! It was a great spin on coding and discovering something that wasn't meant to exist. And the whole ride of this journey we were thrown questions and answers and I believe some of them were left for us the reader to decide. But I loved the writing style and character development. Definately discovered some secrets that we
More...
Feb 15, 2012
Michelle
rated it:
It all started with a group of students researching a book that is 700 years old. They get hold of a copy of it and work together to study and learn more about it, in the hopes they make a great discovery. One thing leads to another and peoples lives are lost, and what Nora thought was the truth turns out to be a lie, things can only get better from now on can't they???
When you start a book with the words 'I should probably start with the blood' then you have my attention immediate More...
When you start a book with the words 'I should probably start with the blood' then you have my attention immediate More...
Dec 17, 2011
Charlotte
rated it:
Synopsis: It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up. When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.
But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead. His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoke More...
But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead. His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoke More...
Nov 21, 2011
Kerrie-ann
rated it:
The novel is based on the main female character Nora Kane. She is a shy girl with 2 best friends called Adriane and Chris. Adriane and Chris are a couple and Nora becomes a couple with Max (Chris's room mate). However, their worlds are changed when Chris is murdered, Adriane is left in a mental institution (she was at the murder scene when her boyfriend was murdered) and Nora goes in search of answers from the book, also to find out who murdered Chris. The murder was blamed on Max, but did he re
More...
Nov 03, 2011
I think calling this book either suspenseful or a mystery is kind of overselling it. It's not terrible, but I wouldn't have finished it if I weren't reading it for review. I'm having trouble imagining the reader that goes with this book, though I think that there probably are a few out there.
Nora is really into Latin, so she gets involved in a translation project at the local college, along with her charismatic friend Chris. They are translating letters from the late 16th century wh More...
Nora is really into Latin, so she gets involved in a translation project at the local college, along with her charismatic friend Chris. They are translating letters from the late 16th century wh More...
Sep 11, 2011
Faith
rated it:
I just finished The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman. It is not so much a story as a work of art, deftly created from the genius mind of an author I hope to one day meet.
It is as unique and interesting as any book I have read. The characters that span centuries were so delicately crafted that I feel as if, by finishing the story, I have left good friends behind. The beautiful and detailed writing brought the story to life in such a way as to remind me of why I love readin More...
It is as unique and interesting as any book I have read. The characters that span centuries were so delicately crafted that I feel as if, by finishing the story, I have left good friends behind. The beautiful and detailed writing brought the story to life in such a way as to remind me of why I love readin More...
Feb 21, 2012
Book Whales
rated it:
Originally posted @ Book Whales
The secret lies within her letters…
The story revolves about Nora who’s trying to solve the mystery behind the death of her bestfriend Chris, and apparently, her boyfriend Max seems to be the suspect. She wants to prove his innocence therefore leading her to Prague with the help of Adriane and Eli as they try to uncover the mysteries from a century-old manuscript and the dark secrets it holds within.
I decided More...
The secret lies within her letters…
The story revolves about Nora who’s trying to solve the mystery behind the death of her bestfriend Chris, and apparently, her boyfriend Max seems to be the suspect. She wants to prove his innocence therefore leading her to Prague with the help of Adriane and Eli as they try to uncover the mysteries from a century-old manuscript and the dark secrets it holds within.
I decided More...
Jan 08, 2012
Ashlie
rated it:
The first line of this book is, "I should probably start with the blood." How could you not think you were getting into something good? Robin Wasserman takes us on a ride to rival the Da Vinci Code, and it's a good thing there isn't a set number of author's positions at the world's publishing houses because Wasserman could have Dan Brown's in a second. If they wrote a story together the detail would surpass anything ever written.
This book was terrifying and sad, but it's More...
This book was terrifying and sad, but it's More...
Sep 15, 2011
Amber
rated it:
There was a lot packed into this book. A LOT! I kept thinking I must be close to the end because so much had happened, but I'd only be half-way. And while many books that are as densely packed as this one can get bogged down in the details and cause your eyes to cross, this one never did that. I was always eager to learn what Robin was teaching me.
This felt like the da Vinci Code. I'm now just as eager to visit Prague as Rome, Paris, or London. The character jumped off the pag More...
This felt like the da Vinci Code. I'm now just as eager to visit Prague as Rome, Paris, or London. The character jumped off the pag More...
Feb 12, 2012
Dawn
rated it:
Nora's best friend, Adriane is catatonic, Adriane's boyfriend Chris is dead and Nora's boyfriend Max is missing. Oh yeah, Nora came to with blood everywhere. Is Max a murderer? Nora sets out to find out the truth. Her search takes her all the way to Prague.
Nora comes off as a real person. She doesn't just accept the way things are, she questions and challenges them. When she's hurt, you know it, but she keeps going. Cuz that's what strong women do.
There's letters from More...
Nora comes off as a real person. She doesn't just accept the way things are, she questions and challenges them. When she's hurt, you know it, but she keeps going. Cuz that's what strong women do.
There's letters from More...
Oct 06, 2011
Jo
rated it:
“Never date a guy who can fit into your jeans- Adriane often warned me- failing to mention that it was because I might someday need him to save me from a secret society of murdering Renaissance Faire rejects.”
Initial Final Page Thoughts.
Sigh…. And we were doing so well.
OK, up until about 80% this book would have been a 5 star book. I was happily ignoring the mental far-fetchedness of the plot because I loved the characters and the setting and the writing. But even I coul More...
Initial Final Page Thoughts.
Sigh…. And we were doing so well.
OK, up until about 80% this book would have been a 5 star book. I was happily ignoring the mental far-fetchedness of the plot because I loved the characters and the setting and the writing. But even I coul More...
7 comments
like
(20 people liked it)
Jan 28, 2012
Bari
rated it:
Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced readers addition.
This book is amazing,a real page turner and will be a great addition to the YA market. I didn't want to put it down. Young adults looking to read something new, fresh, those that enjoy mysteries and adventure novels will like this book.
The plot starts off in one direction and through twists and turns the story takes an entirely different path. Just when you think you've figured out where the story is goin More...
This book is amazing,a real page turner and will be a great addition to the YA market. I didn't want to put it down. Young adults looking to read something new, fresh, those that enjoy mysteries and adventure novels will like this book.
The plot starts off in one direction and through twists and turns the story takes an entirely different path. Just when you think you've figured out where the story is goin More...
Sep 26, 2011
Kimberly
rated it:
Wow. I was hooked the moment I read the first page. Looking back at my progress posts on Goodreads, I compared this book to The Historian and The Da Vinci Code. I can't think of any comparison now that I've finished!
I didn't want to put the book down, but I didn't want it to end, either. This doesn't read like a typical young adult book, yet it feels like it has all of the compelling qualities of YA--teen characters, their relationships, their obstacles with authority. I think lovers More...
I didn't want to put the book down, but I didn't want it to end, either. This doesn't read like a typical young adult book, yet it feels like it has all of the compelling qualities of YA--teen characters, their relationships, their obstacles with authority. I think lovers More...
0 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Jan 16, 2012
Lucy (ChooseYA)
rated it:
This review was originally published January 16th 2011 at www.chooseya.com
The Book of Blood and Shadow already has a place as one of my favourite books of the year so far, and yes it is only January. From its opening sentence "I should probably start with the blood." to its final words I was fully immersed into the world Wasserman created. Part mystery, part thriller, part crime, a tiny bit romance and wonderfully written as well. This is a novel I believe audiences regardles More...
The Book of Blood and Shadow already has a place as one of my favourite books of the year so far, and yes it is only January. From its opening sentence "I should probably start with the blood." to its final words I was fully immersed into the world Wasserman created. Part mystery, part thriller, part crime, a tiny bit romance and wonderfully written as well. This is a novel I believe audiences regardles More...
Feb 20, 2012
Catie
rated it:
I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. It’s tense and exhilarating and I felt immediately drawn into the story. As it opens, the main character Nora is reeling in the aftermath of the gruesome murder of her best friend Chris. And then we are immediately thrown back into the past, where we get to see just how amazing and complicated Nora's relationship with Chris really was. Instant grief! Instant Intrigue!
There’s also a very nice romance between Nora and the quiet, nerdy M More...
There’s also a very nice romance between Nora and the quiet, nerdy M More...
11 comments
like
(12 people liked it)
