Review: Archangel

Title: Archangel
Author: Sharon Shinn
Publisher: ACE
Date Published:1996
Type of Book: Fantasy/Science Fiction (Angels, Slavery, Love, Friendship)
Pages: 390
I received this book from/at: Calumet Public School Library
My interest in the book is: Plot, Author

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From inside cover: "And so it came to pass... Through science, faith and force of will, the Harmonics carved out for themselves a society that they conceived of as perfect. Diverse peoples held together by respect for each other and the prospect of swift punishment if they disobeyed thier laws. Fertile land that embraced a variety of climates and seasons. Angels to guard the mortals and mystics to guard the forbidden knowledge. Jehovah to watch over them all...
Generations later, the armed starship Jehovah still looms over the planet of Samaria, programmed to unleash its arsenal if peace is not sustained. But an age of corruption has come to the land, threatening that peace and placing the Samarians in grave danger. Their only hope lies in the crowning of a new Archangel. The oracles have chosen for this honor the angel named Gabriel, and further decreed that he must first wed a mortal woman named Rachel.
It is his destiny and hers. And Gabriel is certain that she will greet the news of her betrothal with enthusiasm, and a devotion to duty equal to his own.
Rachel, however, has other ideas..."

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Gabriel and Rachel: Sharon Shinn's lead characters are always amazing, even the ones that aren't my favorite (like those from The Thirteenth House). I really like Gabriel and Rachel though, they totally make the book!

When I finished this book I felt: This book is amazing! I wasn't sure what to expect, I just knew that I loved many of Shinn's other books and that many people raved online about this book. I am SO glad I decided to read it. I finished it and immediately wanted to read the next book, Jovah's Angel. Sharon Shinn is one of the best author's I have ever read.

Other books to read by this author: Jovah's Angel, The Alleluia Files, Angelica, Angel-Seeker, The Safe-Kepper's Secret, The Truth-Teller's Tale, The Dream-Maker's Magic, Summers at Castle Auburn, Mystic and Rider, The Thirteenth House, Dark Moon Defender, Reader and Raelynx, Fortune and Fate

I would recommend this book to: Readers who are already fans of Sharon Shinn, fams of epic fantasy/science fiction with religious undertones (and that like a romantic plot line interwoven)

Review: Impossible

Title: Impossible
Author: Nancy Werlin
Publisher: Penguin
Date published: 2008
Type of book: Young Adult (Curse, Teen Pregnancy, Teen Marriage, Impossible Tasks, True love)
Pages: 376
I received this book from/at: Spies Public Library
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From book jacket: “LUCY HAS ONLY NINE MONTHS IN WHICH TO BREAK AN ANCIENT CURSE. Lucy Scarborough is seventeen when she discovers that the women of her family have been cursed through the generations, forced to attempt three seemingly impossible tasks or to fall into madness upon their child’s birth. How can Lucy succeed when all of her ancestors have tried and failed? But Lucy is the first girl who won’t be alone as she tackles the list. She has her fiercely protective foster parents beside her. And she has Zach, whose strength amazes her more each day. Do they have enough love and resolve to overcome an age-old evil?”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Lucy: very brave, and though these things couldn’t, or at least most likely won’t, happen to me, I could still relate to her; Zach: amazing, amazing, amazing. There is nothing else to be said!

When I finished this book I felt: I really liked this book. I read it really quickly and was surprised when I finished it. It seem like it was only one hundred pages long instead of nearly 400… the story was totally engrossing.

Other books to read by this author: The Rules of Survival, Double Helix, Black Mirror, The Killer’s Cousin, Locked Inside

I would recommend this book to: Readers of retellings, this book was modeled around the ballad Scarborough Fair (The Elfin Knight)

Review: Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty

Title: Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty
Author: Judy Gehrman
Publisher: Penguin
Date published: 2008
Type of book: Young Adult (Shakespeare, Virginity, First Love, Coffee Shops/Summer Jobs)
Pages: 255
I received this book from/at: local library
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From book jacket: “WATCH OUT, WORLD. THE BETTYS HAVE ARRIVED. Geena wants to hang out with her best girl pals this summer, but when her cousin Hero and her best friend Amber meet, it’s hate at first sight. The worst part is that all three have to work together at the Triple Shot Betty coffee shack. Geena’s dreams of a girl-bonding summer are driven away completely when a few cute (okay, drop-dead gorgeous) guys come along o woo he Bettys. But all is not what it seems, and in a story of mistaken identities and romantic summer high jinks, Geena and her friends discover that when Bettys unite, they can take on the most powerful force in their world. A HOT GUY.”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Geena: she was really funny – and I liked how she could be really laid-back and tomboyish, but at the same time really girly; Hero: she seemed a bit dense at first, but I liked her later on; Amber: I could definitely relate her to real life girls (not everyone is what they seem); Ben: the perfect Byronic hero! Very funny and cute.

When I finished this book I felt: This book was really cute, really funny, and sent a good message. I’m excited to read the next book: Bettys in Love.

Other books to read by this author: Bettys in Love

I would recommend this book to: Any girl – not really a guy book

Review: Sundays at Tiffany's

Title: Sundays at Tiffany’s
Author: James Patterson
Publisher: Hachette
Date published: 2009
Type of book: Fiction (Imaginary friends, Love, Family, Body Image)
Pages: 328
I received this book from/at: Les Cheneaux Community Public Library
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From inside cover: “AN IMAGINARY FRIEND. Jane Margaux is a lonely little girl. Her mother, a powerful Broadway producer, makes time for her only once a week, for their Sunday trip to admire jewelry at Tiffany’s. Jane has only one friend: a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael. He’s perfect. But only she can see him. Michael can’t stay forever, though. On Jane’s ninth birthday he leaves, promising her that she’ll soon forget him.
AN UNEXPECTED LOVE. Years later, in her thirties, Jane is just as alone as she was as a child. And despite her own success as a playwright, she is even more trapped by her overbearing mother. Then she meets someone – a handsome, comforting, funny man. He’s perfect. His name is Michael…
AN UNFORGETTABLE TWIST.”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Jane: she reminds me of me at times. She so easy to relate to; Michael: isn’t he every girl’s dream?

When I finished this book I felt: I really liked aspects of this book. The love story was cute and well executed. It was kind of odd though that in so many ways Michael still saw Jane as an eight-year-old, and he was totally in love with her. Emotionally and physically. Overall, it was a quick, easy read, but satisfying!

Other books to read by this author: there are many – too many to list

I would recommend this book to: Patterson fans/love story fans

Review: The Named

Title: The Named
Author: Marianne Curley
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Date published: 2002
Type of book: Young Adult (Time travel, Love, Powers/Gifts)
Pages: 333
I received this book from/at: Peter White Public Library in Marquette MI
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From book jacket: “Ethan is one of the Named, a Guardian of Time bound by duty to fight the Order of Chaos – evildoers who alter the proper course of history. Ethan is also a regular boy in school, who tries to keep up with his homework. When he is assigned a classmate, Isabel, as his apprentice, his two distinct lives begin to blur and the people he used to trust begin to take on new roles – both good and evil.”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Arkarian: I wanted to know who he was outside of the bounds of Ethan’s knowledge; Isabel: I liked her, she didn’t need her older brother looking out for her so much; Ethan: an okay character, the secondary ones were more interesting

When I finished this book I felt: This book moved really slowly – there really wasn’t much that popped out or made you unable to put the book down. For that reason, I did find myself putting it down. A lot. I do want to find out what happens with the characters, but I don’t know if I want to know enough to read the next two books.

Other books to read by this author: Old Magic

I would recommend this book to: not really sure – previous fans of Marianne Curley, but otherwise this book didn’t really have a lot of magic for me

Review: The Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic
Date published: 2008
Type of book: Young Adult (survival, reality tv, love, family, parallel/future world)
Pages: 374
I received this book from/at: local library
My interest in this book is: plot, reviews

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From book jacket: “COULD YOU SURVIVE ON YOUR OWN IN THE WILD WITH EVERY ONE OUT TO MAKE SURE YOU DON’T LIVE TO SEE THE MORNING? In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before – and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Katniss: She was the perfect heroine for this book… strong, smart, and compassionate!; Rue: She was an interesting character – brave and smart for her age – I was very sorry to see her go; Peeta: Hmm. What can I say about him? Except that he was amazing! I wanted Katniss to see how much he loved her and I felt so sorry for him when she only saw his feelings as part of the game. He was so different from Katniss, but exactly what she needs.

When I finished this book I felt: I never thought I would like this book, so whenever I saw it, I just passed right by it. Now, I’m really regretting that! This is one of my all-time favorite books and I can’t wait to read the next one. The idea of Panem is terrifying – and I like to imagine that it could never happen – at least not in such extremes as in the book. But there are some definite parallels that can be drawn between the world today and Panem. The love story in this book was perfect. I never really expected to see a love plot in this type of book but it was there and it was one of my favorites. It was so perfect because Peeta is obvious about his love for Katniss, she thinks it’s just part of the Games, and she doesn’t recognize her own return of those feelings. I’m definitely rooting for Katniss and Peeta. I will be anxiously awaiting the next book!

Other books to read by this author: The Underland Chronicles, Catching Fire (Sept. 2009) (next Hunger bk)

I would recommend this book to: Guys and girls with a liking for adventure and a touch of romance (the love story isn’t overwhelming so even my little brother will like it)

Review: Second Helpings

Title: Second Helpings
Author: Megan McCafferty
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Date published: 2003
Type of book: Young Adult (Graduation, Love, Sex, Dating, Writing)
Pages: 368
I received this book from/at: local library
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From Publisher’s Weekly: “Every day, I wait for that doomsday shoe to drop on my head and crush my spirit," laments New Jersey high schooler Jessica Darling. This hilarious, candid sequel to Sloppy Firsts opens the summer before Jessica's senior year of high school, when the precocious misfit is at a New Jersey academic enrichment camp whose competitive enrollment is belied by its acronym-SPECIAL. There, she meets Prof. Samuel MacDougall, a handsome writing teacher with "three novels, two works of nonfiction and one hot piece of ass to his name," who challenges Jessica to imagine the world outside of her native suburbia. She also runs into her former "crush-to-end-all-crushes" Paul Parlipiano (he's gay, of course), who introduces her to Columbia University-which she decides she must attend. Come September, Jessica works on her college applications, dearly misses her best friend, Hope, who has moved to Tennessee, and spends much of her time trying not to think about bad boy Marcus Flutie, who broke her heart last winter when he confessed that he only asked her out as an experiment. As her senior year progresses, Jessica starts dating Len Levy, her rival for class valedictorian, and becomes the subject of the school's new anonymous gossip rag. The material is typical teen fare, but Jessica is a captivating, intelligent, acidly funny-but always believably adolescent-narrator who is unsparing in her sketches of Pineville High "society" yet touchingly alive to her own vulnerabilities.”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Jessica: she was just as sassy as ever – though I didn’t always really like the choices she made, it was important that she made them; Marcus: I was excited that he had a bigger part in Jessica’s life – and that we learned more about him. In Sloppy Firsts Jessica didn’t learn near as much out about him as he did about her; Bridget: I liked the new Bridget - and her new boyfriend!

When I finished this book I felt: I think I liked this book more than Sloppy Firsts because I felt like I knew Jess better – she was an old friend instead of an acquaintance. Jessica was closer to my age in this book too and I could relate to her even more than before. Yay!! for Marcus! Definitely one of my favorite guy characters of all time!! I’m excited to read Charmed Thirds next.

Other books to read by this author: see past post

I would recommend this book to: teens and their moms!

Review: Sloppy Firsts

Title: Sloppy Firsts: A Novel
Author: Megan McCafferty
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Date published: 2001
Type of book: Young Adult (high school, dating, loneliness, insomnia, family)
Pages: 304
I received this book from/at: local library
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From cover: ““My parents suck ass. Banning me from the phone and restricting my computer privileges are the most tyrannical parental gestures I can think of. Don’t they realize that Hope’s the only one who keeps me sane? . . . I don’t see how things could get any worse.”
When her best friend, Hope Weaver, moves away from Pineville, New Jersey, hyperobservant sixteen-year-old Jessica Darling is devastated. A fish out of water at school and a stranger at home, Jessica feels more lost than ever now that the only person with whom she could really communicate has gone. How is she supposed to deal with the boy- and shopping-crazy girls at school, her dad’s obsession with her track meets, her mother salivating over big sister Bethany’s lavish wedding, and her nonexistent love life?
A fresh, funny, utterly compelling fiction debut by first-time novelist Megan McCafferty, Sloppy Firsts is an insightful, true-to-life look at Jessica’s predicament as she embarks on another year of teenage torment--from the dark days of Hope’s departure through her months as a type-A personality turned insomniac to her completely mixed-up feelings about Marcus Flutie, the intelligent and mysterious “Dreg” who works his way into her heart. Like a John Hughes for the twenty-first century, Megan McCafferty taps into the inherent humor and drama of the teen experience. This poignant, hilarious novel is sure to appeal to readers who are still going through it, as well as those who are grateful that they don’t have to go back and grow up all over again.”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Jessica: she reminded me of myself in so many ways, except for the fact that she was much, much more entertaining!; Marcus: I loved the parts where he had little comments or interacted with Jess – he seemed to be the only one who really riled her

When I finished this book I felt: I couldn’t wait to start Second Helpings, the next Jessica Darling novel – I really want to see what happens with Marcus and the other characters… this book was addicting!

Other books to read by this author: Second Helpings, Charmed Thirds, Fourth Comings, Perfect Fifths

I would recommend this book to: all teenage girls and their moms – although there is some mature content

Review: Gone

Title: Gone
Author: Michael Grant
Publisher: HarperCollins
Date Published:2008
Type of Book:Young Adult (Supernatural/Powers, Good and Evil, No adults)
Pages:558
From:local library
Interest/Reason for reading:plot

Ideas Expressed/Plot:From book jacket: "IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE. EVERYONE DISAPPEARS. GONE. Except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not a single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. And just as suddenly, there are no phones, no interent, no television. No way to figure out what's happened. And no way to get help.
Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents - unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers - that grow stronger by the day.
It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you will disappear just like everyone else."

Favorite Characters, Quotes/lines: Sam: he was definitely a fav character, usually I don't like reading from a male point-of-view, but Sam was so easy to relate to and so easy to root for!; Astrid: she was funny and even though she was super smart, very down-to-earth and real; all the kids of on the Good side: especially Mary, Albert, Edilio

When I finished reading:I was surprised at how much I liked this book - and how excited I am to read the next one. Usually I don't read books written by men - I mean, I have my favs like David Eddings and some others that write Fantasy, but I generally avoid male writers. Often I find their writing style not to my taste, but Grant is an amazing writer and he get the male and female POVs down perfectly.
This book not only deals with supernatural occurances, but, at the same time, deals with issues that teens deal with in everyday life (bulimia, adoption, single parents, minority, racism, school, work/jobs, siblings). All while dealing with the end of the world as these young people know it. It really is powerful stuff!

Other books by this author: Hunger, the continuation of Gone

I would recommend this book to:Girls and Guys, Supernatural fans, but it really could appeal to anyone with an imagination because it deals with so many other issues as well

Review: Ransom My Heart

Title: Ransom My Heart: A Novel
Author: Princess of Genovia Mia Thermopolis (Meg Cabot)
Publisher: Avon
Date Published: 2009
Type of Book: Romance/Historical Fiction (Mistaken identity, hostages, love, arranged marriage)
Pages:396
I receieved this book from/at: local library
My interest in the book is:author and plot

Ideas expressed/Message/Plot: From back cover: "He's a tall, handsome knight with a secret.
She's an adventurous beauty with more than a few secrets of her own.
Finnula needs money for her sister's dowry, and fast. Hugo Fitzstephen, Earl of Stephengate, returning home to England from the Crusades, has money, saddlebags of gold and jewels, and lots of it. What could be simpler than to kidnap him and hold him for ransom? Especially when he's more than willing to allow himself to be caught by such a winsome captor.
Well, for starters, Finnula could make the terrible mistake of falling in love with her hostage, only realize he's been lying about his identity all along...
But then, so has she.
Now their lives - and the lives of everyone they know and love - could be in mortal danger.
Is Finnula Crais in hell? Or in heaven?"

Favorite characters, Quotes/lines: Finn: I really liked her at first, but then she started to get pretty annoying (see later comments)

When I finished this book I felt: At first, I thought it was going to be really good. Then it just started to get really, really ridiculous and disappointing. At the beginning, Finnula is a strong, unique, independent woman. By the end she can't do anything because as soon as Hugo touches her she is so lustful that she can't do anything except have sex with him. Hugo, while finding Finn amusing when she wears pants, hunts, etc, still wants to turn her into the perfect wife, skirts and all. It really was a disappoint because it turned into one of those really stereotypical romance books that is demeaning to women. I was really disappointed in Cabot! However, many romance readers like this sort of behavior by the main characters, so they probably liked the book and went out and bought it, which is good because the proceeds went to Greenpeace. So, in that aspect, I'm proud of Cabot!

Other books to read by this author:The Mediator Series, Princess Diaries Series, 1-800-Where-R-U series, Queen of Babble Series, Heather Wells Mysteries

I would recommend this book to: ???

Review: Love, Cajun Style

Title: Love, Cajun Style
Author: Diane Les Becquets
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Date published: 2005
Type of book: YA fiction (first love, marriage, sex, fine arts)
Pages: 296
I received this book from/at: local library
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From book jacket: “ ‘Why did people say they were ‘falling in love’? Why didn’t they step into love, or slide into it like a baseball player heading for home? Was it the thrill, ike jumping off a high dive, or the fear of not knowing how they might land?’
For Lucy Beauregard, each day in her sleepy southern town looks a lot like the next – days of riding her bicycle and skinny dipping with her friends, delivering flowers to the wonderfully odd folks of her town, and listening to her mama dish out her Loo-zee-anna gospel of wisdom.
Falling in love isn’t something she has planned. In fact, there are a whole lot of things she hasn’t planned, like her two best friends getting their first tastes of love, or the attraction her very-married mama seems to have or another man, or the confusing flurry in her own heart stirred by a handsome – and much older – stranger. And then there’s the arrival of Dewey, a boy unlike anyone she’s ever known. In one sweltering summer, Lucy not only discovers herself but soars into love, Cajun style.”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Lucy, Evie, Mary Jordan: they were really funny and reminded me of my closest friends, though we’ve never ridden our bikes naked; Dewey: he was cute and I wished I could hear him play the piano; Tante Pearl: she was a wise, wise lady

When I finished this book I felt: It was really funny, and sometimes outrageous. I thought it was a really great book though – full of wisdom about love. I liked the different types of love and relationships throughout the book: first love, married love, love that is found after loss, love that is found later in life, etc.

Other books to read by this author: The Stones of Mourning Creek

I would recommend this book to: all girls and their moms… it was a really touching book about love, without being shallow or immature

Review: The Sweet, Terrible, Glorious Year I Truly, Completely Lost It

Title: The Sweet, Terrible, Glorious Year I Truly, Completely Lost It
Author: Lisa Shanahan
Publisher: Delacourte Press
Date published: 2006
Type of book: Young Adult (theatre, Australia, weddings, abuse, poverty, Shakespeare)
Pages: 295
I received this book from/at: local library
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From book jacket: “ ‘In my family, when anyone rides the wave of their emotions, we say they’re chucking a birkett. When the emotion drives out all common sense, we say they’re chucking a big one. The telltale signs are: flaming cheeks, shortness of breath, bulging eyes, and a prolonged illogical outburst.’
Gemma Stone is convinced that it’s always unseemly to chuck a birkett and that it’s actually insane to chuck one in front of a complete stranger. But that’s before she falls for a boy who barely knows she exists, before she auditions for the school play, before she meets the family of freaks her sister Debbie is marrying into, before the unpredictable Raven DeHead takes an interest in her, and before she realizes that at the right time and for the right reason, a birkett can be a beautiful thing.”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Gemma: she was distracted by the wrong guy, but she was really funny so it totally made up for it. I loved her sarcasm; Raven: I felt so bad for him – his brother’s definitely left him with a bad reputation; Jackie: she was hilarious – actually the whole family was

When I finished this book I felt: This wasn’t really my favorite book, or even a really memorable book. But it was cute and funny. I really liked the Shakespeare incorporation and modernization.

Other books to read by this author: this is her first novel

I would recommend this book to: fans of theatre, Shakespeare, and funny young adult reads

Review: Graceling

Title: Graceling
Author: Kristin Cashore
Publisher: Harcourt
Date published: 2008
Type of book: Young Adult (love, kingdoms, Grace, rescue missions)
Pages: 471
I received this book from/at: local library
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From the inside cover: “His eyes. Katsa had never seen such eyes. One was silver, and the other, gold. They glowed in his sun-darkened face, uneven, and strange. She was surprised that they hadn’t shone in the darkness of their first meeting. They didn’t seem human…
Then he raised his eyebrows a hair, and his mouth shifted into the hint of a smirk. He nodded at her, just barely, and it released her from her spell.
Cocky, she thought. Cocky and arrogant, this one, and that was all there was to make of him. Whateer game he was playing, if he expected her to join him he would be disappointed.
In a world where people born with an extreme skill – called a Grace – are feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of a skill even she despises: the Grace of killing. She lives under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing anyone who displeases him.
When she first meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, Kats a has no hint of how her life is about to change.
She never expects to become Po’s friend.
She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace – or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away… a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.”
Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Katsa and Po: I wanted them to be together so so badly it drove me absolutely crazy until they admitted their feelings for one another; Bitterblue: she has such an awesome name and is so strong for such a little kid

When I finished this book I felt: I LOVE this book! I’m so excited for Cashore’s next book, Fire, due out in October. The idea of Graces is really interesting and I can’t wait to see who will be the main characters in the next installment or if the readers will get to follow Katsa and Po again. Or if it will be about Bitterblue (when she’s older). Or all new characters! It all sounds good.

Other books to read by this author: this is her first book

I would recommend this book to: Young Adult and Fantasy fans – Everyone!

Review: Night World 3

Title: Night World Bk 3: Huntress, Black Dawn, and Witchlight
Author: L.J. Smith
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Date published: April 2009 (first published 1997,98)
Type of book: Young Adult (Supernatural, Vampires, Witches, Shapeshifters, Soulmates, Apocalypse)
Pages: 732
I received this book from/at: Barnes and Noble
My interest in this book is: plot, author, Night World 3

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From back cover: “Vampires, werewolves, witches, and shapeshifters – they live among us without our knowledge. Night World is their secret society, a secret society with very strict rules. And falling in love breaks all the laws of Night World.
The apocalypse is drawing near. But four Wild Powers can save the world from the impending doom. Circle Daybreak, an underground with both Night World and human members, is searching for the four who can stop the darkness.
A vampire hunter – who is half vampire – stalks her own kind to protect humans in Huntress.
In Black Dawn, Maggie stumbles upon an old Night World kingdom where the ruling vampire prince is both an enemy and an ally.
And Circle Daybreak hires Keller, a shapeshifting panther, to guard a new Wild Power in Witchlight. But when Keller falls in love with the Wild Power’s soulmate, her love could destroy everything.”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Jez and Morgead, Maggie and Delos, Keller and Galen: all of their stories were addicting – each couple is so perfectly suited to one another

When I finished this book I felt: I can’t wait to read the conclusion: Strange Fate. At the same time, I don’t want it to end. L.J. Smith is one of my all time favorite authors. Her stories have the perfect balance of supernatural, romance, and action.

Other books to read by this author: Vampire Diaries, The Secret Circle, Night World 1 and 2, Strange Fate

I would recommend this book to: young adult readers who like supernatural elements incorporated and a good love story

Confessions of a Book Buying Maniac: The End

So, I have decided to try to spend less money on books... because I am trying desperately to save money for college. Not buying books is the biggest challenge EVER for me.
So I've decided to take the library by storm - only buying books if I can't get them at the library or if they come out in paperback or are in paperback and I absolutely love them.
All in all, this is a pretty good plan I think because I won't be spending money on duds (i.e. Chasing Boys, The Boyfriend Game, etc.).
So yesterday I went to the library and checked out 15 books and put 5 more on hold/order from different libraries.
I feel very proud of myself!

Review: The Boyfriend Game

Title: The Boyfriend Game
Author: Stephie Davis
Publisher: HarperTeen
Date published: 2009
Type of book: Young Adult (soccer, first kiss, first crush)
Pages: 157
I received this book from/at: Amazon.com
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From the back cover: “I rested the ball on my hip and walked back toward the equipment shed. In the dark. Alone. With a boy.” “I would be completely freaking out over varsity soccer tryouts if it weren’t for the new student, Graham, who’s helping me practice. He has the most amazing green eyes, curly brown hair, and perfect legs. Plus, we have lots in common, since all we both care about it soccer! Well, that all he cares about. But my heart beats so fast when we’re on the field together… and I don’t think it’s just from all the running around.”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Trisha: her devotion to the game was amazing, even if she was a bit naïve at times; Graham: definitely cute, especially because he was nervous about liking someone

When I finished this book I felt: Well, it was cute. But I probably won’t buy anymore of Davis’ books because I think they might be just a bit too young for me. But I think they would be perfect for readers in junior high or 9th/10th grade.

Other books to read by this author: The Boyfriend Trick, Putting Boys on the Ledge, Studying Boys, Who Needs Boys?, Smart Boys and Fast Girls

I would recommend this book to: Girl readers between junior high and high school lowerclassmen

Review: The Summoning

Title: The Summoning (Darkest Powers bk 1)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: HarperTeen
Date published: 2008
Type of book: Young Adult/Supernatural (Witches, Shaman, Werewolves, Necromancers, Mental facilities)
Pages: 400
I received this book from/at: Walden Books
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From the back cover: “She sees dead people – and they see her. Chloe Saunders used to have a pretty normal life. But that changed on the day and she met her first ghost. Locked up in Lyle House, a group home for troubled teens, she finds out there’s more to the home’s teen residents than meets the eye. Will Chloe be able to uncover the dangerous secrets of Lyle House… or will its skeletons come back to haunt her?”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Chloe: I liked her, but sometimes I was disappointed in her (like her judging Derek by his unconventional looks), but she got much, much better towards the end; Derek: I liked that he had surprising depths, definitely one of my favorite characters; Simon: he was definitely the lighter character in the book – he wasn’t as intense as the other characters, like Derek

When I finished this book I felt: At first, I wasn’t sure if I liked it, but then I got further into it and I didn’t want to put it down. It left me wanting to go out right away and get The Awakening, the next book in the series. The characters, all in their young teens (15 and 16) were a bit of a negative for me at first, but they didn’t really act that young most of the time and I liked that. It just would have been better if the author made them 17 and older. I liked the mystery aspect of the book. And it reminded me of one of my absolute favorite shows: Supernatural! Derek and Simon are brothers, just like the main characters Sam and Dean in the show – and the first season was spent looking for their father in both the book and the show.

Other books to read by this author: The Awakening (Darkest Powers bk 2)

I would recommend this book to: Fans of Supernatural Young Adult fiction – guys and girls