This awesome survey was created by the lovely Jasmine at Flip that Page, and after reading Jasprit's over at The Reader's Den, I felt like it was the perfect way to round up my favourite (and least favourite) books. For those of you that know me, you also know that I love Harry Potter, so I figure this is a win-win.

If you want to play along, too, it's simple enough! Take the spells from Harry Potter and answer the prompts about books you've read...Today's part one of the survey involves books I, personally, would like to cast some serious spells on. So, without further ado, here we go.

Stupefy

Puts victims in an unconscious state

A book with a chapter you couldn't seem to get over: Allegiant by Veronica Roth. There's a part of me that loved and appreciated how it ended, but there's another part of me that's just mad.

Confundo

Causes befuddlement and forgetfulness

A book that generally confused you: Conjured by Sarah Beth Durst. There was a lot going on in this book, but so very little of it actually made much sense to me.

Crucio

Inflicts unbearable pain

A book that was a pain to read: Fault Line by Christa Desir. This book was so very ehhhhhh to me. So much of it just made me feel gross and awkward.

Episkey

Heals relatively minor injuries

A feel-good book that you enjoyed: Racing Savannah by Miranda Kenneally. It wasn't perfect by any means, but it was certainly enjoyable.

Expelliarmus

Temporarily disarms the opponent

A book with a swoon-worthy character: Augustus Waters from The Fault in Our Stars. He was flawed and broken but oh-so beautiful.

Impedimenta

Impedes an object's progress

A book that kept you up all night reading: Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis. THIS is how you do dystopian properly. I'm completely serious.

Silencio

Immediate silencing

A book that left you speechless after reading it: Hate List by Jennifer Brown. It's rare that I read a book so very profound that I actually struggle to review it, but this was one of those.

Legilimens

Allows you to delve into someone's mind

A book with well-developed characters: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd. This book was so well-developed, and the characters are phenomenal. All of them.

Levicorpus

A spell that turns you upside down

A book that changed your mind about a character from its prequel: We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han. I was always torn between Jeremiah and Conrad, and Conrad took the cake for me like he's never done so before.

Obliviate

Used to hide memories

A book with a story that you can't remember: Vixen by Jillian Larkin. Despite the fact that I was so excited to read this book, I can't for the life of me tell you what sets it apart from the rest.

Reducto

Breaks through solid objects

A book that convinced you to reconsider a genre: Pawn by Aimee Carter. I've honestly had my fill of dystopian in the past two years, but this book really stands out from the crowd this year.

Rictumsempra

The tickling spell

A book that made you laugh: The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot. I swear this series never failed to make me smile and giggle and laugh uncontrollably.

Tarantellegra

Makes you dance uncontrollably

A series finale that made you giddy: The Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead. I never thought I'd get on this journey with everyone else, but I did, and I loved it.

Bombarda Maxima

Causes an explosion that breaks through obstacles

A book that made you explode with the feels: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick. This is a dark, emotional, powerful and highly underrated read. It's incredible.

Finite Incantatem

Nullifies other spells

A book you thought you'd dislike but ended up loving: Find Me by Romily Bernard. Honestly, I didn't see this being anything I'd really enjoy, but it was, and I did. It's fantastic.

Title: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock
Author: Matthew Quick (Twitter)
Publisher: Little, Brown BYR
Publish Date: August 13, 2013
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 288
Source: Publisher

Today is Leonard Peacock's birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather's P-38 pistol.

But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart-obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school's class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.

Leonard has given up. Today is the day, without a doubt, that he will end kill Asher Beal, then turn the gun on himself. It's the way it has to be. It's the only way out now. From his less-than-ideal family life, to the relationships with friends that never really got off the ground, or simply crashed and burned, there is a reason that Leonard has come to the school today with a loaded gun in his backpack. But before he can finally end it all, there are just four people to whom Leonard has to apologize. And, once he does, he's free to finally and ultimately be free...if he truly wants it.

I'm sure most of you can agree that this book has flown far beneath the radar on the YA market and, in some ways, I do understand why. Grappling with base human emotions, the darker side of the human mind, depression and suicidal themes, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock challenges the boundaries of young adult fiction. With heartfelt emotion, raw tension and a painful, palpable sadness, Matthew Quick paints a picture of a boy so desperate to get out, he sees no other option than a tragic murder suicide. And, with even greater precision and feeling, we are offered not only an insight into how Leonard's life became so hopeless, but also to the true hope for redemption.

When I read the synopsis of Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock, I'll admit that I had pause when considering picking it up. As readers of this blog, you know that I have a deep appreciation for darker books that tackle reality in a true manner. However, I was worried that a book this dark might be even too much for me to bear. However, I have to say that I was very wrong in that regard. Let me be clear though; this book is extremely sad. It's sad in the sense that it is so very heartbreaking to watch a teenage boy so lost in the throes of despair that he cannot find a way out. It's sad that we can't reach through the pages and hold this boy that is so real, tangible, sensitive and genuine. It's sad that we cannot convince him that it does get better. Leonard truly was a remarkable character. There's a distinct intelligence about him that contrasts perfectly with this shadow of depression surrounding him. He's lonely, and that feeling is aching and hollow from page one, and we're enveloped into the world in which Leonard has lost himself. Told in first person, I found it was easy to access Leonard's thoughts on life, as a whole. I'll admit it was a bit painful at times, and as we see in his footnotes describing the extraneous details, we see just how thoughtful he is. He examines everything. He sees and feels it all, and that pain and sense of loss is almost suffocating at times which, for a story such of this, is a huge talent. The brutal beauty of Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock lies within the ability to put us in Leonard's shoes though, and by giving us a true-to-life, searing tale of a teen who has no sense of self-worth left. I do wish the ending had been a bit longer to know with complete certainty Leonard's fate. There's something to be said though for leaving us with two divergent paths, a touch of hope and, after all, a resigned sense of closure.

Overall,  I was really, really impressed with Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock. It's about as dark as you can get in this genre without crossing the line because of the honest portrayal, but it is rich, layered and incredibly important. I give it a 4.5 out of 5, and I recommend it to all fans of YA and upper YA, especially those who enjoy contemporary fiction and issue books. Please be aware of the dark subject matter and, at times, coarse language.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.