Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children By Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children By Ransom Riggs
Published by Quirk Books
352 pages
genre- paranormal fantasy
Learn about it here
Buy it here
Release date- June 7 2011
Challenges- Debut author challenge, 350 page challenge
Rating 3.5
Jacob portman's life was normal, that is until his grandfather died in his arms, and as his last words made Jacob vow to go to the island where he was as a child, living with a group of refugees during world war 2, and tell Miss peregrine and the children, what happened to him.  The only problem is that everyone who lived there seemed to have died during a bombing back in the war. and even if they had lived, they would all be well into their eighties by now... But Jacob goes anyway, desperate for information about his grandfather, or the children he lived with, and what he ends up finding, is much more then he ever imagined. 
I liked this story a lot more then I thought I would, and although the cover and story line were interesting, It usually ends up that I hate all the books that get sent for me for review. I don't know why that is, but in many situations I could not read past a few pages. The really interesting thing about this book was the photography that was spread throughout it. I haven't read many books with photos, and the visuals helped the book along nicely. I liked how Riggs didn't take the photos for the book, but gathered them from some collectors, and then wrote the story around them.
I also liked the children's powers, (Im a sucker for powers) or as they call it in the book, peculiarness.  I just wish they went into them a little more...
Jacob was a pretty good character and I liked Emma, and the other children also. I feel like they could have been characterized a bit more though.  The loops confused me a bit, but I understand the concept, and they are pretty cool. I don't like how you cannot leave, although that is realistic, and it isn't fair if i rag on that. Its just the romantic side of me that doesn't want Jacob have to make that choice. The book left off with the promise of a sequel, but no really intense cliff hanger.
My recommendation: It's a good read, but if your one of those people who only likes books that really wow them and keep them on the edge of their seat, or if you don't really read books a lot so you want to choose one carefully id pass this up. Theirs nothing particularly bad about it, it just didn't have that special something. I definitely don't regret that i read it though, it just isn't one of those books that sticks in my mind....
see you
Dana