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The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe
Release Date: January 24, 2012
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 320

Summary: It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.
And then you're dead.
When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.
Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.
Because how will she go on if there isn't?

My Thoughts: This novel was one crazy depressing story. I know it's supposed to be but it didn't make it any less harder.

We are introduced to Kaelyn who lives with her mother, father, and brother. Her father is a doctor and a well respected one. Kaelyn is just a shy teenager. She doesn't really fit in at school, nobody picks on her, but she's just average. She's invisible to the popular kids and just kind of stays to herself. She does have a few best friends though.

An epidemic, or sickness, starts to break out within their small town on an island and people start to fall ill. Everyone starts to wear face masks, and if you see someone sneeze or cough you better start running. If they start scratching themselves, you get away fast.

While, her father looks for the clues, Kaelyn is trying to find her own answers. Very few are surviving the sickness and as people start to die and the rest start to act crazy, Kaelyn is scared. She's scared they will run out of supplies, she's afraid of people dying.

This novel was basically written in letter entries-diary entries to her best friend who she is trying to make up with. They had a fight and she hasn't talked to him since. She wants to rekindle their friendship.

The Way I Fall was an interesting novel to read. It wasn't my favorite book of the year but it was a good story. I debated between giving this book a 3.5 rating or a 4. But I finally decided on a 4 because I did enjoy reading it a bit more than I would a 3.

Overall: All in all, I really enjoyed it. I liked all the characters and I'm glad there was a bit of romance thrown into the story. I'm also excited for the next book because of course the ending leaves you hanging! I think I may end up liking the next book more as other characters will be mixed in (I think).

Cover: Like it but it's kind of plain. I've seen a few different covers for this one but I do like the yellow the most.

What I'd Give It:

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

The Disenchantments by Nina LeCour
Release Date: February 16, 2012
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 304

Summary: Colby and Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate, hit the road with Bev's band, and then spend the year wandering around Europe. But moments after the tour kicks off, Bev makes a shocking announcement: she's abandoning their plans - and Colby - to start college in the fall.
But the show must go on and The Disenchantments weave through the Pacific Northwest, playing in small towns and dingy venues, while roadie- Colby struggles to deal with Bev's already-growing distance and the most important question of all: what's next?
Morris Award—finalist Nina LaCour draws together the beauty and influences of music and art to brilliantly capture a group of friends on the brink of the rest of their lives.

My Thoughts: Well, when I first read this description for some reason I thought Colby was a girl. No clue why. Maybe because it talked about an all girls band, I just assumed it was a girl.

Thankfully it wasn't because I like having guys in my story! This novel starts out with Colby (who is a boy lol) hitting the roads with his best friend Bev to go on The Disenchantments tour. This is the name of her band. This book takes course over a week. After the week, the original plan was they were going to go to Europe and take a year off college. They were going to explore and do the whole independent thing without parents, rules, and real goals.

This book is so full of art, music, and just plain old fun. The two have been saving to go to Europe for forever and once Bev reveals she isn't going and instead is going to college, Colby is left high and dry since he applied nowhere and has no job prospects. She has ruined his life, at least for a year!

Honestly, I fell right for Colby and didn't like Bev. I never really liked her. I felt like she thought she was better and had stuck up her nose at almost everybody and anybody while Colby is laid back and has a good head on his shoulders.

I loved all the motels they stayed out, all the traveling they did, and all the art/music thrown throughout the story.

The Disenchantments was such a fun and thoughtful book. LaCour really knows how to tell a story and she was so insightful. I also liked Jasper and all the weird people we met throughout the novel. Each one had his own story we could just tell.

I loved Colby!!!!

Overall: I really loved it! Every minute of it. I loved Colby's family. I loved his understanding of things. I loved the side characters. I really liked Meg. I liked all the music and art we got to experience. The Disenchantments was a wonderful novel!

Cover: It's ok but I don't really think it fits the story. It just isn't a great picture. Makes me think of more Hollywood than road trip.

What I'd Give It:

The Rivals by Daisy Whitney

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

The Rivals (Mockingbirds #2) by Daisy Whitney
Release Date: February 6, 2012
Publisher: Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 352

Summary: When Alex Patrick was assaulted by another student last year, her elite boarding school wouldn’t do anything about it. This year Alex is head of the Mockingbirds, a secret society of students who police and protect the student body. While she desperately wants to live up to the legacy that’s been given to her, she’s now dealing with a case unlike any the Mockingbirds have seen before.

It isn’t rape. It isn’t bullying. It isn’t hate speech. A far-reaching prescription drug ring has sprung up, and students are using the drugs to cheat. But how do you try a case with no obvious victim? Especially when the facts don’t add up, and each new clue drives a wedge between Alex and the people she loves most: her friends, her boyfriend, and her fellow Mockingbirds.

As Alex unravels the layers of deceit within the school, the administration, and even the student body the Mockingbirds protect, her struggle to navigate the murky waters of vigilante justice may reveal more about herself than she ever expected.

My Thoughts: I was way excited to read this one when I received it. I loved The Mockingbirds so I was excited when I got the chance to read The Rivals.

We are back with Alex Patrick. Remember her? The girl who was date raped in The Mockingbirds. She is now the leader of The Mockingbirds. We are also back with all of her friends and her boyfriend Martin. This book tackles the issue of prescription meds and students supplying them on campus. We don't know who is really doing it or who is behind it all. There are many people who could be the culprit and we don't always like who they might be.

We are also introduced to some new characters throughout the novel which make it more interesting.

I really like Whitney's writing style, I really do. But The Rivals just didn't do it for me this time. As a huge fan of The Mockingbirds, I just didn't feel as connected to this novel as I wanted too. Maybe because for some reason, I didn't love Martin as much anymore. I also didn't get the same vibe from Alex anymore.

The prescription meds was an interesting enough plot but I just didn't connect to this. I did enjoy learning more about Jones though. He was probably my favorite character in this one.

Overall: I liked it, but didn't love it. I just didn't have the same feelings as before. Maybe it was the topic, maybe it was all the finger pointing, maybe I just wasn't in the mood. Either way, I still loved The Mockingbirds and you should read both books and do a comparison. Maybe you'll enjoy this one more than me.

Cover: I like the cover but I still think I prefer the first cover more; The Mockingbirds.

What I'd Give It:

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
Release Date: January 31, 2012
Publisher: Tor Teen
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 368

Summary: New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard for her to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It’s hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.

My Thoughts: Okay, so another book I absolutely thought was wonderful. Oh man, Article 5 was an amazing debut.

We are introduced to Ember who lives with her mother. She never got to know her father, and her mother is considered unmarried and had a child out of wedlock and is in violation of the Moral Statutes. So, the soldiers come and take her and her mother away. Her mother gets sent to a place to await trial and Ember gets sent to a girls rehabilitation center. Of course, there is a boy thrown into the story too. Chase. Chase used to live next door to Ember before he joined the War and became a soldier. She really cared for that boy.

As Ember is thrown into the rehabilitation center, she never loses her spirit. She knows she must find her mother and get them to a safe place. She must not let the soldiers run her whole entire life. She has to keep hope and wish things get better.

Ember remembers what the world used to be like, where she could go outside and walk around and not have to worry about things. She could buy clothes, and eat food, and not have to worry about people trying to steal it right off her back.

The relationship between Ember and Chase was romantic. We see flashbacks of how things used to be between them. I could tell that even though Chase had to act all tough at first, he was still a good guy and really cared deeply about Ember. I don’t think his feelings ever really changed for her.

I hated the soldiers. Almost every soldier is mean, annoying, and corrupt.

I’m sure different people will have different perceptions of this novel. There are a lot of dystopians coming out so it’s difficult to find the best ones out there and not compare them. Article 5, in my opinion was pretty darn great. But, it also focuses a lot on the romance part so if your not into that, you may not like this one as much. There were a lot of different things happening, but for me, the romance was the most sweetest part.

Ember is on the run most of the novel. She’s trying to get to the carrier and find her mother. Ember and Chase do make a good team.

I couldn’t believe the twists in this book. I should have seen a few of them coming, but I didn't. Things were such a shock for me. I felt for the characters. I wanted good things for Ember. She wedged her way into my heart, and I wanted to see her happy all the way from the very first page.

Overall: I really loved this one. I loved all the characters. I loved the sequence of events. I loved the relationship between Chase and Ember. Granted, neither of them are perfect but they were a perfect team and had each other’s backs. I loved the setting. I loved how Simmons built up this really horrible detailed world and how I felt like I got the chance to live in it for a few hours. Definitely opened my eyes up to how it could be. For Ember and Chase, cars were rare, clothes were basically rags, and food was hard to come by.

Cover: The cover is cool! It’s a lot of lighter colors but I like the way the girl and guy are on the cliff looking out over the city.

What I’d Give It:

Forbidden by Syrie James

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Forbidden by Syrie James And Ryan James
Release Date: January 24, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 411

Summary: Syrie joined forces with her talented son Ryan to co-write her next novel, Forbidden. The book is about a 16-year-old girl who comes into unusual powers, only to discover that she's half-angel... and her entire existence is forbidden.

Alec MacKenzie is fed up with his duties to watch and, when necessary, eliminate the descendants of his angelic forefathers. He chose Emerson Academy as the ideal hiding place where he could escape and be normal for once. He hadn't factored Claire Brennan into his plans...

Their love is forbidden, going against everything Alec has been taught to believe. But when the threat to Claire's life becomes clear, how far will Alec go to protect her?

My Thoughts: This book took me a little longer to read than I thought it would. I figured I'd race right through it, but it took me almost 5 days to read, that is a record for me!

We are introduced to Claire who is in high school and lives with her mom. Her dad left a long long long time ago and she knows nothing about him. Claire and her mom move around a lot. When I say a lot, I mean A LOT. She never really has much time to make friends or fit in anywhere. Finally, they end up in a town where she actually makes friends. And best friends is what they are. They have been in this town for two years now.

She also attends Emerson Academy which is basically a private school. She has had a crush on someone for 2 years now and he is just starting to notice her.

Of course it would be after she starts having psychic powers, visions. How convenient, right?

At first Claire doesn't understand any of it, what is going on with her. She has been awakened because of puberty.

Of course, there is another guy thrown into the mix. His name is Alec and he is also special. Claire feels such a special bond with him and starts falling for him... But..... this is forbidden.

Throughout the book, it did drag a little bit and I wanted some action to start happening. Its 400 pages so about halfway through I wanted some major stuff to start happening. And it does eventually. And I was satisfied.

I really enjoyed reading Forbidden. I haven't read many books about angels, even though I want to read more. I really did like Claire and her friends. Alec had his ups and downs.

Overall: I enjoyed reading it. Would it be a 5 cupcake book to me? Probably not. It is quite long with not much really happening. I still enjoyed it a lot, but wouldn't go down as one of my very favorites that I would read over and over again. Overall, it was a fun and creative angel book. I need more angel books to compare it too!

Cover: Like it. Like the blue colors. I didn't notice the wings at first, until I really looked.

What I'd Give It:

Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald
Release Date: January 24, 2012
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 336

Summary: Can a twelve-step program help Sadie kick her unrequited crush for good? Abby McDonald serves up her trademark wit and wisdom in a hilarious new novel.

Seventeen-year-old Sadie is in love: epic, heartfelt, and utterly onesided. The object of her obsession - ahem, affection - is her best friend, Garrett Delaney, who has been oblivious to Sadie's feelings ever since he sauntered into her life and wowed her with his passion for Proust (not to mention his deep-blue eyes). For two long, painful years, Sadie has been Garrett's constant companion, sharing his taste in everything from tragic Russian literature to art films to '80s indie rock - all to no avail. But when Garrett leaves for a summer literary retreat, Sadie is sure that the absence will make his heart grow fonder - until he calls to say he's fallen in love. With some other girl! A heartbroken Sadie realizes that she's finally had enough. It's time for total Garrett detox! Aided by a barista job, an eclectic crew of new friends (including the hunky chef, Josh), and a customized selfhelp guide, Sadie embarks on a summer of personal reinvention full of laughter, mortifying meltdowns, and a double shot of love.

My Thoughts: A 12 step program to get over a guy? This is my kind of book! Oh, where was this book when I was a teen? Being in love with your best friend when he's constantly got a girlfriend? Yep, been there, done that.

We are introduced to Sadie (cool name) who is best friends with a boy named Garrett Delaney. She's been obsessed with him for 2 years waiting for him to open his eyes and finally notice she's the one for him. Of course, he always has a new girlfriend and she loyally plays the girl sidekick always giving him advice.

After not getting into a literary camp while Garrett does, after his call to reveal his love for yet another girl, Sadie is determined to get over this boy. She must. She has to find herself. How much of her personality is based solely on this guy?

She gets a job at a coffee shop, meets a bunch of new friends, takes up with her old friend Kayla, and starts putting her 12 step program into action. Even her newly found friends help her purge Garrett out of her life for good.

She ignores his calls, texts, emails, and tries to focus on everyday tasks and having fun.

There is also a cute chef who works there named Josh. Josh and Sadie are just friends. I knew from the get go, I was going to like Josh. He was a funny goofy kind of guy. He didn't put the moves on Sadie, he understood what she was going through.

With the help of her friends, she finally starts to learn who she is, and that she doesn't just love everything she thought she did, because of Garrett.

I wanted to hate Garrett but I didn't exactly hate him. But thinking about how some of the little things he did were jerky, I am kind of irritated with him. I mean, some of his actions, really stunk. Yes, at the beginning I wanted him to open his big fat eyes and see how much she loved him and realize maybe he felt the same way, but by the time he even halfway came to his senses, I was so over Garrett and into Josh.

As for Sadie, I loved her personality. She was very spunky. Her personality was so easy to relate too. The writing just flowed and flowed, and I finished this within a few hours!

Getting Over Garrett Delaney was a great contemporary novel. This is exactly the right book for anyone who has a crush on their best friend especially when they don't feel the same way. This book is exactly what you need to read if your in the mood for a funny but full of lessons novel.

Overall: A Great novel! Abby McDonald is an author to read. I always find her books to be so cute and funny and marvelous! Loved this book! Can't wait to read whatever she writes next!

Cover: Love it! Love how she is laying down with a book over her head. She looks frustrated! I also love how her feet are up against the wall. The cover alone has the word awesome written all over it!

What I'd Give It:

Fracture by Megan Miranda

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Fracture by Megan Miranda
Release Date: January 17, 2012
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 272

Summary: Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine
-despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?
Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.

My Thoughts: This is one of the best books ever! Oh my gosh, it was that good. I loved every minute of it. From the first page, it sucked me right in. I had to know more, I had to read more, I had to keep going.

We are introduced to Delaney Maxwell. Since she was a little kid, she's had a best friend/next door neighbor named Decker. Decker was one of the sweetest guys on the planet. I loved and adored him.

Delaney and Decker do everything together so its not surprising that on one winter day they go to meet up with their friends and cross the frozen lake to get there. It's not surprising they goof off as much as they do and Delaney takes an accidental fall. But, Decker is already half way across the lake. The ice breaks and Delaney falls through. Right into the ice cold water. And dies. For eleven whole minutes.

We are swept away and end up in her hospital room. Delaney is hooked up to machines and barely alive. She's been out cold, hooked on a ventalitor for 7 long days. Those 7 days, Decker barely leaves her side. Delaney wakes up and she recovers pretty well. Doctors don't understand it, how can this girl die for eleven minutes, wake up and just be okay? According to the MRIs she should have major brain damange and not be fuctional. Her family is just happy she's alive.

Delaney goes on with her life and meets a mysterious boy named Troy. Troy understands Delaney since he's been through a horrific event himself. As she gets to know him, she learns more about him and what his problem is.

What can I possibly say? About 50 pages in, we start to believe there is going to be a major love triangle going on, there really isn't. I knew the whole time whose Delaney's heart really belonged too. Troy isn't who we really think he is. He's somewhat dangerous if you really think about it.

Fracture was an intense debut. The people who died, and the people who lived, I really didn't see the deaths coming. I really didn't. I was surprised and found myself sad through most of it. Is it nature? The way things are supposed to be? The chain of events? The effects it has on us?

I also liked how it was set around wintertime. Even though I read Fracture near fall, I still felt like I was walking across the frozen pond and driving down the snowy road.

I loved all the characters. I loved her friends. I loved her relationship with Carson, her relationship with Deckor, even to an extent I liked learning about Troy and seeing her explore that relatoinship.

Fracture was a great novel. It had romance, mystery, happiness, sadness, friendship. It had everything to make a perfect novel.

Overall: Hands down one of the best novels I've read all year. This is a book you should read as soon as possible. Keep some tissues handy. I loved it. Beautifully written and a spectatulcar story.

Cover: Love it. It fits perfectly and I like the blueness of it. I even like the trees in the background.

What I'd Give It:

Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey

Release Date: January 17, 2012

Publisher: Walker Childrens

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 288

Summary: For seventeen years, Eloise Hart had no idea the world of Faery even existed. Now she has been abducted and trapped in the Rath of Lord Strahan, King of Faery. Strahan was only meant to rule for seven years, as Faery tradition dictates, and then give up his crown to another. But he won't comply, and now chaos threatens both worlds.

The only one who can break his stranglehold on the Faery court is his wife. . . Eloise's aunt Antonia. Using Eloise to lure Antonia, Strahan captures his wife, desperate to end the only threat to his reign. Now Eloise must become the rescuer. Together with her best friends Jo and Devin, she must forge alliances with other Fae, including a gorgeous protector named Lucas, and Strahan's mysterious son, Eldric—who may or may not betray them.

My Thoughts: Stolen Away is told in two different prospectives. First, we have Eloise whom the book is about. Than we have her best friend Jo who falls for the bad guy. A guy who is supposed to be against Eloise.

Eloise has spent her whole life with a glamour hosted on her to protect her from the world of fairy but over time it wears off and now she's likely to being seen.

Her aunt has been the faery queen for many years and her husband is looking for a new wife. Someone in the same family line. Her aunt is the only one who can break it.

Eloise gets kidnapped and than goes after the king, to take him down.

With the help of Lucas, who is sexy by the way and Eldric who is the king's son she goes on her way to freeing her aunt and destroying the king's reign. She must enlist other fae to help her fight a long the way.

Honestly, this one sounded really great and I enjoyed reading it a lot but it still wasn't as great as The Iron Knight. I think that is probably my favorite book based on fairies. It would be very hard to top that series though.

Stolen Away didn't have a lot of depth, half the time I wasn't sure quite what was going on and I had to sit back and think, so what just happened? It was a really good book but just not as great as other fairy books out there.

Overall: I enjoyed reading it a lot but not a 5 cupcake fairy book in my eyes. Would I recommend it to other people? Sure. Could it become a series? Sure, but I think it would be better as a stand alone and if the ending was just left alone.

Cover: The cover is gorgeous, has a lot of colors.

What I'd Give It:

Mercy Lily by Lisa Albert

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Mercy Lily by Lisa Albert
Release Date: October 8, 2011
Publisher: Flux
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 240

Summary: A poetic, moving story about a teen who must make an unimaginable choice
Mom has slowly been losing herself to MS. After traditional treatment fails, she takes bee sting therapy, administered by Lily, to alleviate her pain. Lily is trained as a veterinary assistant, so she can easily handle the treatments. What she can't handle is what happens when the bee sting therapy fails and it becomes clear that Mom wants to die.
One beautiful spring day, Lily's mother asks her for the most impossible thing of all—mercy. They live in Oregon, where the Death with Dignity Act allows a patient to make the decision to end their own life.
While navigating first love, friendship, and the other normal worries faced by high school sophomores, Lily also has to choose: grant Mom's request, or cling to Mom's fading life for all it's worth.

My Thoughts: I kind of didn't want to even read this book because I knew it was going to be sad. But every once in a while, we need to read books that shed some light on subjects and really effect us. That make us feel things and make us want to cry.

That was how Mercy Lily was for me. A few friends recommended it to me so I decided I would read it.

We are introduced to Lily who is a trained veterinary. Her mom was also a veterinary. She lost her father a few years ago and it's just been her and her mom since.

Her mom has MS and Lily is only 14 years old. This is far too young to have to deal with this stuff. Her mom wants Lily to help end her life. She was also giving her mom treatment for MS by bee stinging. She would actually catch and collect the bees and sting her.

There are also a few other characters throughout the book, like Jed. Jed was the neighbor man and then there are Lily's friends. I liked most of her friends and I thought Jed was an interesting character. He actually did care about her.

I finished this book even though at times I didn't like where it was headed. It really bothered me she had to go through so much at a young age. Part of me thinks her mom was selfish for asking Lily to do this instead of getting professional care. I understood that Lily would do anything for her mom but why did Lily's feelings not get taken into account?

This book was just ok for me. Yes, it was heartbreaking and I got emotional a few times but I didn't love the story like I hoped. This is such a great story but I had trouble connecting with the characters like I wanted too.

Overall: Probably more of a 3.5 for me. It wasn't a bad book, will probably just be a hit or miss with fans of books that are based on sick characters. Yes, I felt frustrated at times for Lily but I also wanted to finish so I could read something more "happy." I usually just don't read books like these. Maybe you'll like it more than me.

Cover: I do like the cover! It's very pretty.

What I'd Give It:

Truth (XVI #2) by Julia Karr

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Truth (XVI #2) by Julia Karr
Release Date: January 19, 2012
Publisher: Speak
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 320

Summary: Nina Oberon’s life has changed enormously in the last few months. When her mother was killed, Nina discovered the truth about her father, the leader of the Resistance. And now she sports the same Governing Council–ordered tattoo of XVI on her wrist that all sixteen-year-old girls have. The one that announces to the world that she is easy prey to predators. But Nina won’t be anyone’s stereotype. And when she joins an organization of girls working within the Resistance, she knows that they can put an end to one of the most terrifying secret programs the GC has ever conceived. Because the truth always comes out...and the consequences can be deadly.

My Thoughts: Nina has so much more to deal with in Truth than XVI! Her grandfather has committed a crime (is it really), her grandma is in the hospital, Dee is almost a teenager, her boyfriend Sal is never around, she might have feelings for another guy, and on top of that she still has to deal with the FELS and the never ending problems there.

Nina has quite the hectic life going on. She finally has her tattoo and boys think she is now available and can be taken to their liking.

Nina is much more stronger in Truth. She's grown into a nice, caring, strong, empowered women who will fight for what she believes in. She can easily stand on her two feet and not let others take advantage or persuade her.

Nina starts to find out more about how corrupt the government really is. She has to keep her motivation going strong and keep her friends and family safe. She must do the right thing, even if it doesn't always feel right and sometimes seems wrong.

The twists and turns keep me entertained. The ending, gah. I really want another book right now!

Overall: I really enjoyed Truth. It wasn't quite a favorite of mine (no 5 cupcake) but it was definitely up there on the good factor. I really thought Nina grew up and finally had her head on completely straight. She is such an intelligent girl. She understands things can't be sugarcoated and she gets it, meaning life.

I really liked Truth and can't wait until Karr's next book!

Cover: I think I like the cover of this one more than of XVI. I like the white slants going through her face. These covers are pretty cool!

What I'd Give It:

Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Try Not To Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard
Release Date: January 19, 2012
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 272

Summary:Learning to live is more than just choosing not to die, as sixteen-year-old Ryan discovers in the year following his suicide attempt. Despite his mother’s anxious hovering and the rumors at school, he’s trying to forget the darkness from which he has escaped. But it doesn’t help that he’s still hiding guilty secrets, or that he longs for a girl who may not return his feelings. Then he befriends Nicki, who is using psychics to seek contact with her dead father. This unlikely friendship thaws Ryan to the point where he can face the worst in himself. He and Nicki confide in one another the things they never thought they’d tell anyone—but their confessions are trickier than they seem, and the fallout tests the bound of friendship and forgiveness.

My Thoughts: When I started this novel, I wasn't sure what I was in for? I don't normally like reading books based on a males perspective, as I've said time and time before. I have a problem connecting for some reason.

Try Not To Breathe was a sensible beautiful novel. I really felt like I understood exactly what Ryan was going through. He made it all so clear. He made me feel what he felt.

He tried to kill himself by locking himself in a garage and turning the car on. He had to go to a mental hospital to get better. While, he was there he met Val and Jake who also have their own problems.

He finally gets out and goes back home to his parents. One day he's down at the waterfall swimming and he runs into a guy's sister he knows. He can't even remember her name. He does eventually find it out and her name is Nicki. Nicki has a lot of questions, she wants to know why her father killed himself. She wants to know what he felt and what made him do it, what lead up to that point, and she believes that Ryan can help her.

Nicki and Ryan become friends, and they share experiences with each other, including visiting psychs.
I really liked Nicki as a character. She is younger than Ryan but she wasn't really immature. She understood him, she never made fun of him, or thought of him as crazy just because of what he has been through or what he's done.

Try Not To Breathe was a really good book. It is short, a little under 300 pages but it’s a remarkable novel. I felt like I really knew Ryan. I felt like I could be friends with him and try to help him get better and want to live.

Overall: I really enjoyed this one. Characters were great. Even the Male POV was great. I also liked Nicki's personality, she just fit with Ryan. She never cared what anyone else thought about her, and she believed in herself. She wanted answers, and she wanted them bad enough to go to someone she didn't really know.
And Ryan, was a pretty brave realistic character. All in all, Try Not To Breathe was a breath taking and lovable novel. It had depth and it made you want Ryan to live forever and ever. I wanted him to get better and I liked seeing him on his journey to improving his mind and health.

Cover: Love it! I've actually seen both covers, and I like them both. Both are emotional in their own way.

What I'd Give It:

Lovetorn by Kavita Daswani

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Lovetorn by Kavita Daswani

Release Date: January 17, 2012

Publisher: HarperTeen

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 304

Summary: When Shalini’s father gets a new job in L.A., she is torn away from her life in India and the boy to whom she’s been betrothed since she was three. L.A. is so different, and Shalini dresses and talks all wrong. She isn’t sure she’ll survive high school in America without her fiancé, Vikram, and now she has to cope with her mom’s homesickness and depression. A new friend, chill and confident Renuka, helps Shalini find her way and get up the courage to join the Food4Life club at school. But she gets more than just a friend when she meets Toby—she gets a major crush. Shalini thinks she loves Vikram, but he never made her feel like this.
In Lovetorn, Shalini discovers that your heart ultimately makes its own choices, even when it seems as if your destiny has already been chosen.

Author Kavita Daswani has always been fascinated by child marriages and betrothals, and this story of a traditional girl from India, who is exposed to so many more freedoms and experiences after being dropped in a completely alien culture, is a fresh and contemporary look at the subject.

My Thoughts: When I first heard about Lovetorn, I honestly didn't know if it would interest me or not. It didn't sound like anything I had read before but it was also about a culture I didn't know much about.

But hey it's published by HarperTeen and you can't go wrong with that, right? Did I hear you agree? Yes?

We are introduced to Shalini who has just moved to the United States from India with her father, mother, and little sister. Shalini isn't used to living with only three people. Back at home, she lived with almost 40 people. There was always someone around doing dishes, chatting, or just in the background making noise. This is so different from what she is used too.

Shalini starts a new school and right away realizes she doesn't fit in. The way she talks, the way she dresses, the way she acts isn't like these American girls. She feels like an outcast. Not only that but her sister is adapting really well and that tugs at Shalini a little bit. She wants to fit in. She wants to feel like she belongs.

Shalini also misses her fiance Vikram. She's been engaged to him since she was 3. How is she going to spend 2 years away from him? This seems impossible.

In time, Shalini makes a new friend Renuka who helps her realize there is more to life than what other people think of you. Shalini starts to be her own person and stops caring what others thinks. She gets involved in a charity project and really helps out. She feels useful. She starts to feel good about herself again.

She only wishes her home life was that great. Her mother is taking a fall. She's depressed. She misses India, she's not herself. She gets put on medication, sees a therapist, nothing helps.

Shalini doesn't know what to do and tries to cope with things day to day.

She also meets a boy. He's a talented flute player and helps with the charity event. She starts to develop feelings for him and starts to question her relationship with Vikram.

Need I say more? Read the book now.

Overall: Honestly, I was a little hesitate going into this book not knowing if I would like it or understand it. Yes, there is a lot of Indian lingo, but I understood it perfectly. It all flowed just right. I really liked reading about Shalini's traditions and I liked reading more of her story. I wasn't sure which boy I wanted her to end up with but this was a realistic novel. No vampires, fairies, or werewolves. Just plain old simple boys. They weren't perfect, they weren't fighting over her, they were real.

I really enjoyed reading Lovetorn. Family was the most important focus in this book, with some relationships thrown into the mix. Culture also came into play. Lovetorn was just what I was in the mood for and if you like these type of books, you won't be disappointed.

Cover: Really like it. It fits. They also don't have completely white skin so its realistic. We also can't see their faces which I like so I can imagine them to look the way I want.

What I'd Give It:

Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic
Release Date: January 16, 2012
Publisher: Graphia
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 204

Summary: I had the dream again. The one where I’m running. I don’t know what from or where to, but I’m scared, terrified really.

Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. But in the short time he has left there’s one thing he can do: He can try to help the people he loves live—even though he never will.

It’s probably hopeless. But he has to try.

My Thoughts: We are introduced to Austin who is 17 years old. He is trying to be as happy as he can be, and undo all the wrongs in his life. He's trying to make everything right with people before he goes. He has leukemia and knows he doesn't have much time left. His mom wants him to keep fighting and go through another round of chemo but he just feels its time to enjoy his last moments and not be sick during them.

Over the course of a few days, he goes around and tries to fix things. First he goes to his best friend Kaylee's house to get her to help him, to drive him around. They have been best friends since they were kids and he's secretly in love with her.
He goes to his friends parents house, his friends houses, his dad's house, his grandma's house, parties, romantic journeys, to overcome the fear to face his greatest fears, etc. He wants to spend the next few days talking to people, trying to make them realize how important life is and how they can help theirs.

I'm going to stop there. This is a book you have to read to really "feel" it. I knew he was going to die, but all along I just wanted him to get better. I wanted him to spend the next 50 years telling Kaylee how much he loved her. I wanted to see him experience happiness. Yet, I still cried throughout the novel.

Overall: I really enjoyed Never Eighteen. I didn't know much going into it, except it seemed like it may be a sad story. I did enjoy it, but I try to stay away from books that I know might not have a happy ending.

Cover: Like it! Love the car!

What I'd Give It:

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 384

Summary: Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances… a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life…and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last….

My Thoughts: I had been eyeing this novel before it was ever called Bittersweet. It had a release date, the release date got pushed back, I was bummed. Than all of a sudden it got a new release date and I basically cheered!!!

Let's see, my wrist is killing me (hurt it last night) and I still am suffering the pain because I NEED to write this review! I feel it in my heart and soul that this book needs to be called awesome and sweet and holy moly full of craziness fantasticness!

We are introduced to Hudson who used to ice skate. She was pretty good and her family encouraged her. Her father was her biggest fan until one day when Hudson felt like she ruined it all. In reality, it wasn't her fault. It was just the way things were and how they worked out.

A few years later, and Hudson is going to school, working at her mother's restaurant making cupcakes and trying to deal with life. She has a new best friend Dani and takes care of her brother most nights. One day, an ad shows up advertising an ice skating competition. Here is her chance to come back and earn some money in the process. And its ice skating, in her heart she still loves being on the ice. Hudson has big plans for herself, bigger than her small town could handle.

So, when hottie Josh asks if she can help him learn to skate better she's excited. She figures she needs the practice too. Things get out of hand, when Josh mentions it to Will, captain of the hockey team. He gets a deal going where Hudson will help the whole entire team and in return use their ice to practice her skating.

Pretty sweet deal, right? Hot hockey players? Check! Ice skating? Check! 2 hot buys? Check! Hudson figures she can handle it and adds it to her already pretty full plate.

Hudson realizes she has some tough choices ahead of her and must face up to her past.

Let's just say one thing here. I loved this book! All the cupcake references, I loved! Come on, I love cupcakes! And hot chocolate! Yum!!! This book was perfect to me. It was a fun contemporary read which I love. It had hot hockey players, yum! And Josh, swoon!!!!! He was so freaking awesome!!! I could feel the chemistry a million miles away!

Bittersweet was an original read full of cupcakes, cold winter nights, a perfect book to snuggle in your warm bed with, that is exactly what I did!

Overall: Oh Yes! I loved Bittersweet! I adore Ockler! If you haven't read her other books, please go buy all three and read them now! Oh, the romance! Hudson is one tough cookie to crack but I loved how brave and tough she is.

This book will appeal to fans of contemporary, books full of hot guys (oh yes, all those sexy hockey players) and has real meaning behind it.

All in all, hot boys, hot chocolate, yummy cupcakes, snow, family, friends, how can you go wrong with this novel? Your right, you can't!

Cover: Love it! I've seen a few different covers and I think I like this one best! It also helps that it is blue! Blue is my second favorite cover! Pink is my first.

What I'd Give It:

As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott
Release Date: September 15, 2011
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 224

Summary: Ava is welcomed home from the hospital by a doting mother, lively friends, and a crush finally beginning to show interest. There's only one problem: Ava can't remember any of them - and can't shake the eerie feeling that she's not who they say she is.

Ava struggles to break through her amnesiac haze as she goes through the motions of high-school life, but the memories that surface take place in a very different world, where Ava and familiar-faced friends are under constant scrutiny and no one can be trusted. Ava doesn't know what to make of these visions, or of the boy who is at the center of them all, until he reappears in her life and offers answers . . . but only in exchange for her trust.

My Thoughts: Well, as a huge fan of Elizabeth Scott, I get excited when she releases a new book. I jump, I hop, I am excited to get it. I'm over the moon!

So when I picked up As I Wake, I was expecting this super great story I would love... Did I love it? Uh no. After I finished, I went and read other reviews on this one. Some really loved it, and others really did not, like me. Maybe I just like her contemporary more and when an author goes another way, it either succeeds or it doesn't. For me, it didn't.

We are introduced to Ava who wakes up not knowing who she is. She doesn't remember the girls who claim to be her friends, the boy named Ethan who her friends claim she liked, or even her own mother. She doesn't remember her house, or her classes. Nothing.. Except a few memories of a boy named Morgan.

As I Wake is told in present time and than memories. Ava starts remembering events that seem like they are from another life, another time, another world.

Half the book I was confused. I didn't know what the heck was going on or even remotely understand it. As time went on, I did get it and I caught on. But I did not like it. I just didn't connect. The only thing I did like was Morgan. And he wasn't around all that much.

Everything seemed to just be repeating over and over again.

As I Wake had potential, it really did, it just wasn't the right kind of Scott for me. Maybe more sci-fi lovers will enjoy it. But I didn't. I adore Scott so of course I'll still be picking up any other book she writes, I just hope they are contemporary.

As I Wake just wasn't the right book for me! I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

Overall: I just couldn't connect to it. I didn't like the repetitive tone, I didn't like Ava's voice, or the voice of the story. I didn't hate hate it, I just didn't enjoy it either.

Cover: Beautiful amazing cover! When I First saw this cover, I loved it!

What I'd Give it:

Half-Blood by Jennifer Armentrout

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Half Blood by Jennifer Armentrout
Release Date: October 18, 2011
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 304

Summary:
The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

My Thoughts: Seriously, why did I even wait the 3 months to read this yummy novel? Oh gosh, it was so awesome.

We are introduced to Alex who is fighting daimons. She lost her mother recently and has been on her own for a little while. Her mother was everything to her, they had ran away from the Convenient three years ago and they had been on their own ever since. Just trying to make it, they moved around a lot and she never really had any real friends or a real house.

One night while fighting two daimons, a bunch of people show up, Sentinels. Including Aiden who is a few years older than Alex. He is also a pure. Alex is returned to the Covenant, where she hopes to rejoin and fight her way to the top. However, the Dean isn't happy about it. He wants her to become a slave for the Pures instead of rejoining her classmates and friends. He figures she lost too much time and there is no way to catch up. Of course Aiden offers to help her and train her and get her up to speed.

The chemistry between Aiden and Alex is hot! Smoldering. I loved it. Every meeting they had was amazing and full of spunk! But, but, but romance between a Pure and a Half Blood is forbidden. Totally forbidden. Not possible.

And than comes Caleb, Alex's best friend. No, nothing happens between them but I liked his presence and it was fun. Next, there is Seth. Whoa Seth. I don't really like that name a lot. But it grew on me. Him and Alex also had a special relationship and I can't wait until the next book to see where that goes.

Alex faces a lot of dilemma's in Half Blood. She is a strong character but she also has feelings that show us her true colors, how fragile she can be.

I've heard this book is compared to Vampire Academy. I have no clue if it is similar or not, because I'm one of the few who hasn't started that series yet... I know I know, I need to do that asap. LOL.

In my opinion, I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did. I read Jennifer's book Obsidian and even though I did really enjoy that one, I liked this one even better! I thought it was remarkable and I was sucked right into the storyline. The plot was pretty neat, and I loved all the characters!

Overall: I can't wait to read Pure!!! Seriously! I thought this book was super duper amazing! Loved everything about it!

Cover: Like it. Like the purple covers!

What I'd Give It:

Undercurrent (Siren #2) by Tricia Rayburn

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Undercurrent (Siren #2) by Tricia Rayburn
Release Date: July 12, 2011
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 352

Summary: The sirens are back, but Vanessa may be the biggest threat of all. . . .

Nothing has been normal since Vanessa Sands learned that her sister was murdered by sirens—femme fatales of the watery depths—and that everything she believed about her family was a lie.

Her boyfriend Simon’s been the only person Vanessa feels she can really trust. But now there are some secrets she can’t tell even him. And when Vanessa finds herself in the sights of Parker, Hawthorne Prep’s resident charmer, she needs someone to confide in more than ever. Doubting her relationship with Simon, unsure of Parker’s intentions—and of her own—and terrified by what she’s learned about herself, Vanessa has never felt so alone.

But personal problems must be put aside, because the Winter Harbor sirens are back for revenge. Now, Vanessa must face her past and accept that she is just like her enemies—every bit as alluring, every bit as dangerous.

The eagerly anticipated second novel of the Siren trilogy, Undercurrentis a seductive paranormal romance that will leave you breathless.

My Thoughts: I really wanted to like this one more than I did. I really thought Siren was a great novel. It was a great debut and just the right kind of water based creature that I tend to love!

We are back with Vanessa and her best friend Paige and boyfriend Simon. The summer is over and things are back to normal. Or as normal as they can be with Vanessa's new-found secret and the obstacles she is facing.

She's struggling to keep Zara off her mind and wondering if she's going to show back up. Most of the book is Vanessa worrying about this.

Vanessa has also developed a deep crazy thirst for salt water. She drinks it constantly, bathes in it as much as she can, and relies on it!

Not a lot happens in Undercurrent really. Vanessa is still dating Simon who she hooked up with in Siren. She's still wondering exactly what they are. Yes, they are dating now but it still felt kind of off to me. I never really felt much towards him in this book. Of course, there is a new boy that interests Vanessa. His name is Parker and he's popular, all the girls like him.

Those who helped once start to turn against her and Vanessa's life starts going down the drain. She finally gains the strength to let Simon go, thinking it's the right thing to do.

Undercurrent just wasn't what I wanted it to be. It was okay. I finished it, it took me a few days, longer than it usually does to finish a book. I have a lot of one sit reads.

I wanted more out of Undercurrent, I wanted the magic I felt as I read Siren, I just didn't get it. Hopefully the next book brings me back to that magic.

Overall: It was ok. I loved Siren so reading undercurrent was not what I was expecting. I felt bored within the first chapter. I just didn't get into it. And the plot felt like it was going nowhere for a while. not much action happens in the beginning, it takes a long while for anything to really happen. It was just okay.

Cover: Like it, but I still think I liked the cover for Siren more. I do like how she is walking along rocks and water.

What I'd Give It:

Just Your Average Princess by Kristina Springer

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Just Your Average Princess by Kristina Springer
Release Date: October 11, 2011
Publisher: Farrer, Straus And Giroux
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 208

Summary: Jamie Edwards has loved everything about growing up on a pumpkin patch, but ever since her cousin Milan Woods arrived, things have really stunk. Jamie can’t imagine it was easy for Milan to leave her life back in Los Angeles and move to Average, Illinois, population one thousand. But it’s kind of hard to feel sorry for her since (a) Milan’s drop-dead gorgeous; (b) she’s the daughter of two of Hollywood’s hottest film stars; (c) she’s captured the attention of everyone in town, including Danny, Jamie’s crush since forever; and (d) she’s about to steal the title of Pumpkin Princess right out from underneath Jamie!

My Thoughts: We are introduced to Jamie who has worked on her families pumpkin patch mostly all of her life. Its what she does. Its who she is. So she's super excited that this year she is going to run for Pumpkin Princess. She also has her eyes on a boy named Danny that she has pined after forever. She just wants him to ask her out already. This pumpkin season she wants all her dreams to come true and she thinks she might actually have the guts to achieve them.

Until her snarky cousin Milan shows up from California. Milan is everything Jamie isn't. Milan is outgoing while Jamie is somewhat shy. Milan is high maintenance while Jamie wears overalls and her hair in pigtails most days. Jamie used to get along with her cousin as kids but her cousin has completely changed and grew up.

Milan comes into the picture and starts hanging around Danny, she wants to run for pumpkin princess, she spends time with Jamie's parents so of course its human nature for Jamie to start to get jealous.

I thought the book was enjoyable as a fun read but there were times that Jamie did ramble on a bit much and annoy me a little bit. I think this felt more like a light read that can be enjoyed but your probably not going to get emotional over it. I really liked how it took place in Illinois. I loved all the descriptions of the pumpkin patch and the events that went on at the pumpkin patch. I loved the face paining, the Carmel apples, the lattes. Reading about it me me crave all of them!

I really enjoyed the storyline and the plot of this one.

Overall: Was a fun read. Didn't love it but did really like it. Liked the characters, liked all the descriptions, this book is definitely a book to read around Halloween. It will totally set you in the mood to go pumpkin hunting to find the right one! Just Your Average Princess was a cute and fun read.

Cover: I adore the cover. I love how the girl is sitting atop the hay. I love how she has a dress on and boots. Its very neat!

What I'd Give It:

Ink Exchange (Wicked Lovely #2) by Melissa Marr

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr
Release Date: April 29, 2008
Publisher: Harpercollins
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 336

Summary: To 17-year-old Leslie, the tattoo is a thing of indescribable beauty, a captivating mark that she must make her own. But this subtle web of eyes and wings brings with it a transformation that no sweet young girl would ever imagine or welcome. Like its predecessor, this stand-alone sequel to Wicked Lovely plunges its youthful heroine into a faery world of almost constant peril. A tantalizing urban fantasy that won't let go..

My Thoughts: I really wanted to love this as much as Wicked Lovely but it fell a little short. We are introduced To Leslie who is Aislinn's best friend. Remember Aislinn from Wicked Lovely?

Leslie lives with her brother and her father is off doing only God knows what leaving Leslie and her brother to basically fend for themselves. Usually Leslie can float the bills with her job but sometimes it gets hard, especially since her brother doesn't do much besides smoke it up.

Leslie wants to get a tattoo, something to mark her independence. Something that will build her confidence and make her feel like she has some control over her own life.

Leslie ends up picking out a tattoo linked to the Dark Court and to Irial, the Dark Court's King. She is basically going to be used by him. She also has a thing for Niall (Keenan's "uncle.") Niall and Leslie are forbidden from each other by Kennan though.

I like the world of faeries. Its interesting how they can be around humans and the humans have no idea.

Ink Exchange was a lot different than Wicked Lovely. While Wicked Lovely was more interesting in my eyes, learning about the Summer Court. Ink Exchange had a dark feel to it. It dealt with many different addictions and made me feel a bit disorientated. It was still a good book; just darker.

I really liked Niall, I might even say I loved him! But there was something mysterious and sexy about Irial too. I found myself rooting for both guys at different times. And the ending, wow. I can't wait to see what he does next or how he's going to handle things.

I'm excited to read the next in the series.

Overall: Ink Exchange was good, but not quite as great as Wicked Lovely. I'm excited to see where the characters end up.

Cover: Such a pretty cover! All these books have such eye catching pretty covers.

What I'd Give It:

Dreaming Awake (Falling Under #2) by Gwen Hayes

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Dreaming Awake (Falling Under #2) by Gwen Hayes
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: NAL Trade
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 336

Summary: She fell for him in a nighttime world. But the time for dreaming is past—and the here-and-now can be just as fragile their love…

When Theia Alderson first encountered a mysterious, handsome boy in her dreams, she never imagined how finding Haden Black—and falling in love—could change her life. To save Haden, Theia sacrificed everything. And the dangerous bargain she made could have lasting repercussions.

Now Theia has returned to Serendipity Falls, and she finds herself struggling with the same deadly hungers that have tortured Haden. When students at their high school fall prey to a mysterious illness, Theia can’t help but wonder if Haden’s control is slipping—and how much longer she’ll have a grip on her own.

And still the nightmare realm of Under won’t let them go. Someone from Haden’s past is determined to destroy Theia from the inside out, starting with those closest to her, forcing Theia to choose between family and friends and a love that may have been doomed from the start.

My Thoughts: We are back with the crew from Falling Under. Theia and her friends, her really strict father, and of course Haden. Lovely, demonic, charming Haden.

In this book, Theia is trying to be normal again and deal with her non-humanly urges. She craves something she can never get. She knows she must be strong and overcome it. Theia is also trying to figure out how to be with Haden and have an uncomplicated relationship. This does not go over too well, since she has to be careful with him and not let either of them get carried away, or else she could unleash his demon side.

Students are also getting sick and Theia wonders who is to blame, plus her father has a new girlfriend. Yuck.

Dreaming Awake was a pretty good story, just as Falling Under was. I can't say too much about the plot or else I'll give too many spoilers away on this one. It didn't feel like a whole lot happened in the first half of the book, but by the middle things start falling into place, and crap hits the fan. haha.

I also liked seeing all the characters again. I liked seeing all Theia's friends, especially Gabe. I really like him. Also Varnie, he's a riot! I also like Haden, but there is something about him, that doesn't impress me all the way. I'm not in love with him like I am with other guy characters in books. I like him but he hasn't won me over just yet.

The ending was,,, whoa. I can't wait to read book 3. I knew something like this might happen but to see it actually happen, amazing. Wow.

Overall: I really enjoyed Dreaming Awake. I liked it a little less than the first but I still really enjoyed it. I'm excited to read the third book in the series. Bring it on!

Cover: Love it. These covers are so freaking pretty and this girl has amazing hair, right?

What I'd Give It:

Viola In The Spotlight (Viola #2) by Adriana Trigiani

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Viola In The Spotlight (Viola #2) by Adriana Trigiani
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 288

Summary: I am in the midst of a conundrum.
Viola is finally where she belongs—back home in Brooklyn, where there are no khakis or sherbet-colored sweaters and people actually think her yellow flats are cool. With two whole months of nothing to do but hang with her two best friends, Andrew and Caitlin, this is going to be the best break ever!
But her BFFAA, Andrew, has started acting weird around her, and a new boyfriend has her friend Caitlin ditching her every chance she gets. When Viola's roommates from Prefect Academy show up for a visit, she starts to wonder—is Brooklyn where she wants to stay? When a tragic event shakes everyone's world, Viola realizes it's not where she belongs that matters—it's who she's with that really counts.
In this heartwarming follow-up to bestselling author Adriana Trigiani's teen debut, Viola in Reel Life, Viola just may be ready to get out from behind her trusty video camera and take the starring role in her own life.

My Thoughts: I'm not going to say too much about this one. I thought it was ok, but wasn't a favorite. I read the first one and liked it well enough but it also wasn't a favorite.

We are back with Viola and she is finally back home. She's away from boarding school, back with her best friend, her best guy friend, and her parents. She always comes home to find out her family has people staying in her guest house. A father and his teenage son.

Does this mean Viola will get a new boyfriend? Nope.. But someone else will!

I liked Andrew even more in this book. He finally takes some chances and expresses his feelings for Viola. Was this good? Yes, and No. It didn't turn out like I wanted it too and that bugged me.

This is another installment in the Viola series and I'll probably read the next one but I most likely won't love it either.

Overall: LIked it, just didn't like it much more than average.

Cover: Like it! At first I thought it was a girl and a guy on the cover, but I'm pretty sure its two girls. LOL.

What I'd Give It:

City Of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) By Cassandra Clare

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:30:00 +0000

City Of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
Release Date: March 24, 2009
Publisher: Margaret K McElderry
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 496

Summary: Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

My Thoughts: Right after I finished City Of Bones, I had to start City Of Ashes. And now after that ending, I want to start the third right away!

We are back with Clary and all her gang. They are trying to stop the bad guy and a bunch of obstacles stand in the way. Some people don't trust Jace anymore and there are more rivals throughout this novel than friends.

City Of Ashes is another book you need to read. I haven't been this engrossed in a series since I read the Hunger Games.

I love all the characters even more than I did when I read the first book. These books are so amazing and addicting.

This is another short review, to say I loved this book. I don't want to give anyone any real spoilers and the people who haven't read this novel need to read it. I think it would be even better if I hadn't known a key detail when I started this series. I'm sure most of you know what I'm talking about. I had heard it on twitter and it would have been so much more stunning to find out if I hadn't started the book already knowing.

Overall: Loved loved loved loved it! Did I mention that I loved it? Great series! Need more now!

Cover: Like it. Love her red hair and how it looks wild!

What I'd Give It:

Viola In Reel Life (Viola #1) by Adriana Trigiani

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:30:00 +0000

Viola In Reel Life (Viola #1) by Adriana Trigiani
Release Date: September 1, 2009
Publisher: HarperTeen
Age Group:Young Adult
Pages: 288

Summary: I'm marooned.

Abandoned.

Left to rot in boarding school . . .

Viola doesn't want to go to boarding school, but somehow she ends up at an all-girls school in South Bend, Indiana, far, far away from her home in Brooklyn, New York. Now Viola is stuck for a whole year in the sherbet-colored sweater capital of the world.

Ick.

There's no way Viola's going to survive the year—especially since she has to replace her best friend Andrew with three new roommates who, disturbingly, actually seem to like it there. She resorts to viewing the world (and hiding) behind the lens of her video camera.

Boarding school, though, and her roommates and even the Midwest are nothing like she thought they would be, and soon Viola realizes she may be in for the most incredible year of her life.

But first she has to put the camera down and let the world in.

My Thoughts: When I started this one, I wanted to love it. I did enjoy it but didn't love it as much as I wanted too. We are introduced to Viola who is 14 years old. She has just been shipped to a boarding school while her parents go out of the country.

She meets her three roommates who I really enjoyed. Each girl had their own personality and I liked each one and how different they were yet they became great friends.

Viola is a whiz with her camera so she gets roped into help with Founders Day and actually enjoys it. She also starts to like boarding school which she thought she was going to hate.

We also meet Viola's boy best friend. His name is Andrew and they have been best friends since they were kids. I just didn't feel like there was enough Andrew in the story. I understand why though, he was thousands of miles away but I wanted more instant message sessions. We are also introduced to Viola's new boyfriend which I totally hated! Just something about him from the beginning I didn't like, or maybe the fact that I wanted her to wake up and realized her and Andrew were met to be together. haha.

I enjoyed Viola In Reel Life but I just felt like it was missing something. Yes, it was the contemporary I usually read but I think it was a bit more for younger audiences, though I love reading YA sometimes a book just feels too young for me. Its perfect for a teen though because its snarky but there is nothing that isn't appropriate for them if that makes sense.

Will I read the next book in the series? Yes. I still want to know what happens to Viola when she goes back home!

Overall: Liked it but didn't love it. I loved how each of her roommates helped her grow as a person and made her realize she could be happy with the situtation she's in and to accept things the way they are.

Cover: The cover is ok, I' not a big fan of it. I do like the camera though.

What I'd Give It:

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel And Friends
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 400

Summary: Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

My Thoughts: Every once in a while you come across a book that takes your breathe away, that is amazing, and that you want to recommend to all of your friends. Cinder is one of those books. It does start of a bit slow but by 30, I was hooked. Totally hooked where I couldn't stop reading.

Cinder is a mechanic but that isn't all she is. She is special, she has a family where she doesn't really fit in because she's different. She's a cyborg. Her stepmother doesn't feel like she's one of them, she doesn't have feelings, and can't really be true to common things such as crying or being compassionate but we can tell from the get go, she does feel things. She truly understands what its like to be human.

Cinder is basically an orphan, her family suffered a terrible crash and she barely made it out. She was than taken by a man, who also died and his wife took Cinder in. She's never really known what is was like to be a part of a family that appreciated her. She has a cyborg foot and hand.

Cinder works as a mechanic in Commonwealth. She is good at her job. She can fix most things. One day, the prince comes to her booth to ask for her help to fix his old android. His name is Kai, and she thinks he is very handsome but does her best to avoid the temptations of swooning over him like all the other girls in the world.

Let's talk about Kai for a minute. He is next in line to be emperor of Eastern Commonwealth. Kai was very handsome from Cinder's descriptions. But not only that, he also has a personality and is very likable. He's funny, snarky, and seems like even though he has to be serious, this guy can totally warm your heart. There was something about Kai that instantly drew me to him and I ended up falling in love with him. He was so darn sweet.

Cinder's sister Peony comes down with the Plague, which has been inhabiting earth for a while now, people are dying, nobody can sustain it. Including Kai's father who is also sick.

After Cinder's sister Peony comes down with the Plague, her stepmother volunteers her for the cyborg draft; to help scientists find a cure for the Plague. In the process, it also kills the volunteers.

Cinder gets a stunning surprise when she gets tested.

All the meanwhile, Kai is on the verge of marrying the Queen Of Lunar to acquire a truce between the two planets. This way, he figures they won't attack.

Kai also doesn't know she is a cyborg or any kind of special. He likes her, but in his eyes, she's just a normal citizen and a girl at that.

This world is filled with political struggles and you'll never see most of the events coming. You'll be stunned, you'll want to punch things, and by the end you'll be desperately wishing you had the next book in the series.

I loved all the futuristic talk. The hovers, the netscreens, androids, different kinds of people. Different species basically. I loved the comm talk, the way they could communicate.

Cinder isn't who everyone thinks she is. She's definitely unique. Not only her personality, but everything about her is amazing and different. I loved her voice. She is so real.

This book is basically a retelling of Cinderella but in my opinion it's just so different, its a whole new level of Cinderella. It's amazing. It's graceful. It's perfect.

Overall: Cinder was absolutely whole heartily freaking great. I loved Cinder, I loved Kai, I loved all the secondary characters, I loved her sister, I loved her android. Cinder is an interesting debut! And that cliffhanger, next book now please.....

Cover: This cover is amazing. I love it. And it represents the story perfectly. I love how we can see her cyborg foot. And love the red heels.

What I'd Give It:

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1) by Cassandra Clare

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Release Date: March 27, 2007

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books Age Group: Young Adult Pages: 485

Summary: When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know.

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

My Thoughts: Yep, I might be the last person to jump on the Mortal Instruments band wagon. I finally read City Of Bones. What did I think? I thought it was freaking amazing and I loved it!

We are introduced to Jace who is a shadowhunter and Clary who has lived a normal life. Along with her best friend Simon, Clary is thrust into the Shadowhunter world. She never even knew these people existed.

Oh gosh, how can I summarize this book and not give away anything or everything?

Vampires exist, werewolves exist; so many creatures that Clary thought were fairy-tales exist.

Clary's mom is taken, and Clary is left to find her.

Clary learns who she really is in City Of Bones.

Instead of giving away the whole plot and everything in the book, let's talk about the boys. Simon and Jace. Simon is Clary’s best friend, a mere human or mundane. I could tell he was a sweet patient guy who I could see myself falling for. As for Jace, he's a Shadowhunter and perfect to me in every way. He has tattoos, he's a bad boy, he fights, he's good with weapons, and he's not too bad to look at either.

Clary is torn between both boys I could tell from the get go. She's attracted to Jace but Simon has always been there. What team am I??? Right now, I think I'm more team Jace.

What happens to Clary and her friends? Who is she "really"? Read the book to find out!!

Overall: I'm not going to go on and on about this one, because everyone and their dog has already read and reviewed it. I will just say that I loved it. I loved the characters, I loved learning all about the Shadowhunters and their past. I LOVED THIS BOOK! I can't wait to dive into the next book! Oh man, so excited! I haven't been immersed in a book like this in a long time.

Cover: It's neat. I like all the covers! Fits perfectly!

What I'd Give It: