Review: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Title: Jellicoe Road
Author: Melina Marchetta
Publisher: HarperTeen
Date published: 2006
Type of book: Teen fiction (orphans, boarding school)
Pages: 419
I received this book from/at: Amazon.com
My interest in this book is: plot, author

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From book jacket: “ ‘What do you want from me?’ he asks. What I want from every person in my life, I want to tell him. More.” “Abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was eleven, Taylor Markham, now seventeen, is finally being confronted with her past. But as the reluctant leader of her boarding school dorm, there isn’t a lot of time for introspection. And while, Hannah, the closest adult Taylor has to family, has disappeared, Jonah Griggs is back in town, moody stares and all.
In this absorbing story by Melina Marchetta, nothing is as it seems and every clue leads to more questions as Taylor tries to work out the connection between her mother dumping her, Hannah finding her then and her sudden departure now, a mysterious stranger who once whispered something in her ear, a boy in her dreams, five kids who lived on Jellicoe Road eighteen years ago, and the maddening and magnetic Jonah Griggs, who knows her better than she thinks he does. If Taylor can put together the pieces of her past, she might just be able to change her future.”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Taylor: she was a really interesting character and I really felt for her and wanted to find out what was going on with her past; Jonah: I was excited every time he came into the book… the tension between him and Taylor was amazing; Chaz (Santangelo): he was funny and deep at the same time; the kids from the past: I was seriously addicted to their story

When I finished this book I felt: I LOVE THIS BOOK! I usually can’t name a book as my favorite, but Jellicoe Road might be it. I have never been so excited and addicted to a book before. I read it in one sitting and was so into the book that I sobbed at the end. The characters, the plot, the emotion… everything about this book is AMAZING!

Other books to read by this author: Saving Francesca, Looking for Alibrandi, Finnikin of the Rock

I would recommend this book to: I am recommending this book to EVERYONE! I may even force them to read it. I’m not even kidding.

Review: Wherever Nina Lies

Title: Wherever Nina Lies
Author: Lynn Weingarten
Publisher: Point
Date published: 2009
Type of book: Teen Fiction
Pages: 316

I received this book from/at: Amazon.com
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From book jacket: “HAVE YOU SEEN NINA? Nina was beautiful, artistic, and wild… and adored by her younger sister, Ellie. But one day, without any warning, Nina disappeared.
Two years later, Ellie can’t stop thinking about her sister. Although everyone else has given up hope that Nina will return, Ellie just knows her sister is out there, somewhere. If only Ellie had a clue where to look.
And then she gets one, in the form of a mysterious drawing tucked into the pages of a book. Determined to find her sister, Ellie takes off on a crazy, sexy, cross-country road trip with the only person who believes she’s got a chance – her hot, adventurous new crush.
Along the way, Ellie finds a few things she wasn’t planning on. Like love. Mysteries. Lies. And something far more shocking… the truth.”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Ellie; Nina: I liked her even when she wasn’t around… she was so full of life

When I finished this book I felt: I was really surprised by this book; it wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. And it had a definite twist… I had guessed some it, but didn’t even come close to guessing the whole.

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

I would recommend this book to: anyone… it isn’t really a book that would be limited to one type of reader… teen and older though. It has some aspects that some younger readers might find troubling... I suppose it depends on the reader.

Confessions of a Book Buying Maniac

I placed an Amazon order the other night... I went to Barnes and Noble and it all went downhill from there. But, I'm super excited about these books!

Need by Carrie Jones
Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz
The Comeback Season by Jennifer E. Smith
Fade by Lisa McMann
Thrill Ride by Rachel Hawthorne
Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
Snowed In by Rachel Hawthorne

An Old Favorite

Title: Just Listen
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Viking
Date published: 2006
Type of book: Teen fiction (romance, eating disorders, music, rape)

I received this book from/at: Walden Books
My interest in this book is: plot, author

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From book jacket: “Annabel Greene is the girl who has everything. At least that’s who she plays in the commercial for Kopf’s Department Store: top student, popular cheerleader, dazzling prom queen surrounded by friends. In real life, though, Annabel is the girl who has nothing: no best friend since her friendship with mean-but-exciting Sophie ended with malicious rumors flying, no peace at home while her older sister’s eating disorder occupies the family, and no ability to tell anyone what’s on her mind.
And then she meets Owen Armstrong - intense, obsessed with music, and determined to always tell the truth, no matter what the consequences.
Can a girl who hates confrontation find a way to connect with a guy who thrives on it? And can Annabel find the courage to tell what really happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends?”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Annabel: I could identify with her inability to say what she really thought or was feeling – I think that is a pressure that many people feel; Owen: I thought he was an interesting character… it isn’t often that people, in books and in reality, are honest and straightforward, he was good for Annabel; Whitney and Kirsten: I really understood their relationship with one another… it reminded me of me and my younger sister in ways

When I finished this book I felt: Sarah Dessen, once again, doesn’t fail. I really related to this book, even though I haven’t experienced many of the issues in the book (like rape/assault). The emotions and thoughts of the characters are what readers can relate to.

Other books to read by this author: This Lullaby, The Truth About Forever, Dreamland, Someone Like You, Lock and Key, Keeping the Moon, Along for the Ride (out in June)

I would recommend this book to: all young adult readers!

Review: Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy

Title: Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Hyperion
Date published: 2007
Type of book: Teen fiction (romance and spies)
I received this book from/at: Walden Books
My interest in this book is: plot, sequel to I’d Tell You I Love You but Then I’d Have to Kill You
Ideas expressed/message/plot: From book jacket: “After staking out, obtaining, and then being forced to give up her first boyfriend, Josh, all Cammie Morgan wants in a peaceful semester. But that’s easier said than done when you’re a CIA legacy and go to the premier school in the world… for spies.
Cammie may have a genius I.Q., but there are still a lot of things she doesn’t know. Like, will her ex-boyfriend even remember she exists? And how much trouble is she really in after what happened last semester? And most of all, why is her mother acting so strangely?
Despite Cammie’s best intentions to be a normal student, danger seems to follow her. She and her friends learn that their school is going to play host to some mysterious guests – code name: Blackthorne. Then she’s blamed for the security breach that leaves the school’s top secret status at risk.
Soon Cammie and her friends are crawling through walls and surveilling the school to learn the truth about Blackthorne and clear Cammie’s name. Even though they have confidence in their spy skills, this time the targets are tougher (and hotter), and the stakes for Cammie’s heart – and her beloved school – are higher than ever.”
Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Cammie: she is hilarious!; Zach: very funny guy… he is good competition for Cammie, I hope he’s in the next book; Bex, Macey, and Liz: they come up with some pretty crazy ideas… very distinct personalities, even as minor characters
When I finished this book I felt: I can’t wait for the next one, Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover! It doesn’t come out for a few more months and I am very impatient! I laugh out loud sometimes when I’m reading these books…
Other books to read by this author: I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You, Don’t Judge a Girl by her Cover
I would recommend this book to: young adult readers who like romance and espionage!

Review: Wondrous Strange

Title: Wondrous Strange
Author: Lesley Livingston
Publisher: HarperTeen
Date published: 2009
Type of book: Teen Fiction, Supernatural (Faeries)

I received this book from/at: Amazon.com
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From book jacket: For seventeen-year-old actress Kelley Winslow, faeries are just something from childhood stories. Then she meets Sonny Flannery, whose steel-gray eyes mask an equally steely determination to protect her.
Sonny guards the Samhain Gate, which connects the mortal realm with the Faerie’s enchanted, dangerous Otherworld. Usually kept shut by order of icy King Auberon, the Gate stands open but once a year.
This year, as the time approaches when the Samhain Gate will swing wide and nightmarish Fae will fight their way into an unsuspecting Human world, something different is happening… something wondrous and strange. And Kelley’s eyes are opening not just to the Faerie that surround her but to the heritage that awaits her.
Now Kelley must navigate deadly Faerie treachery – and her growing feelings for Sonny – in this dazzling page-turner filled with luminous romance.”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Sonny: I like it when the guy love interests are protective…!

When I finished this book I felt: I was a bit disappointed. I did like it, but it wasn’t as amazing as I thought it would be. For a first novel I thought it was good… but I’ve read better books… nothing about this one really stuck with me.

Other books to read by this author: this is the author’s first book

I would recommend this book to: teen supernatural romance readers

Review: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You

Title: I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Hyperion
Date published: 2006
Type of book: Teen fiction/romance/espionage

I received this book from/at: Walden Books
My interest in this book is: plot (I’m an Alias lover!)

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From back cover: “Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school – typical, that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and the students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses, but it’s really a school for spies.
Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man seven different ways with her bare hands, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she’s an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the sill of a real “pavement artist” – but can she maneuver a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her?”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Cammie: I thought she was really funny and spies are awesome!; Josh: totally worth sneaking out of Gallagher for!, Macey, Bex, and Liz: awesome partners in crime and friends…

When I finished this book I felt: I really liked it… it was an easy read, with lots of comedy, romance, and espionage!

Other books to read by this author: Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy

I would recommend this book to: Lovers of spies, romance, and teen fiction

Review: Wake

Title: Wake
Author: Lisa McMann
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Date published: 2008
Type of book: Supernatural/Romance/Teen

I received this book from/at: Barnes and Noble
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From back cover: “NOT ALL DREAMS ARE SWEET. For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people’s dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie’s seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.
She can’t tell anybody about what she does – they’d never believe her, or worse, they’d think she’s a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn’t want and can’t control.
Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else’s twisted psyche. She is a participant…

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Janie: I was inspired by attitude and work/school ethics in spite of her mother’s lack of interest and horrible parenting; Cabel: I really liked his character, he was so caring and protective of Janie… and I liked the twist about his character. He’s definitely a dynamic character!

When I finished this book I felt: I can’t wait to read FADE, the sequel to WAKE. This book was amazing! It was such a quick read, only 210 pages, but it was surprisingly deep. One of my new favorite books!

Other books to read by this author: FADE, GONE (due out in Spring 2010)

I would recommend this book to: teen romance fans that like a paranormal/supernatural twist!

Review: Some Girls Bite

Title: Some Girls Bite: A Chicagoland Vampires Novel
Author: Chloe Neill
Publisher: New American Library (Penguin)
Date published: April 2009
Type of book: Supernatural/Vampire

I received this book from/at: Waldens
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From back cover: “THEY KILLED ME. THEY HEALED ME. THEY CHANGED ME. Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn’t exactly glamorous, but it was mine. I was doing fine until Chicago’s vampires announced their existence to the world – and then a rogue vampire attacked me. But he got only a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker… and this one decided the best way to save my life was to make me the walking undead.
Turns out my savior was the master vampire of Cadogan House. Now I’ve traded sweating over my dissertation for learning to fit in at a Kenwood mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan “Lord o’ the Manor” Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred-year-old vampire, he has centuries’ worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects my gratitude – and servitude. Right…
But my burgeoning powers (all of a sudden, I’m surprisingly handy with some serious weaponry), an inconvenient sunlight allergy, and Ethan’s attitude are the least of my concerns. Someone’s still out to get me. Is it the rogue vampire who bit me? A vamp from a rival house? An angry mob bearing torches?
My intuition into Chicago’s nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war… and there will be blood.”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Merit: I thought she was funny and spunky; Catcher: he was awesome!; Mallory: a lot of times the best friends kind of suck, Mallory was a good one!; Ethan: I liked him and hated him at the same time – he was so arrogant and should have acted more “human” with his emotions at times…

When I finished this book I felt: I’ll read the next book for sure…. There are books that I liked better, but I have a feeling that the sequel is going to be really good because the scene is already set from the first book.

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

Review: Cracked Up to Be

Title: Cracked Up to Be
Author: Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Date published: 2009
Type of book: teen fiction,drama

I received this book from/at: Walden Books
My interest in this book is: plot, reviews

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From back cover: “WHAT’S THE WORST THING YOU’VE EVER DONE? When “Perfect” Parker Fadley starts drinking at school and failing her classes, all the St. Peter’s High goes on alert. How has the cheerleading captain, girlfriend of the most popular girl in school, consummate teacher’s pet, and future valedictorian fallen so far from grace?
Parker doesn’t want to talk about it. She’d just like to be left alone, to disappear, to be ignored. But her parents have placed her on suicide watch and her counselors are demanding the truth. Worse, there’s a nice guy falling in love with her and he’s making her feel things again when she’d really rather not be feeling anything at all.
Nobody would have guessed she’d turn out like this. But nobody knows the truth.
Something horrible has happened, and I just might be her fault.

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Parker: I read in a review that Parker was a lot like Veronica Mars… and I’d have to agree, that was actually one of my favorite aspects of the book, I also really liked how Summers was so realistic about Parker’s guilt; Jake: I was definitely rooting for him!; Chris: He was really caring and composed considering what had been happening between him and Parker, etc.

When I finished this book I felt: This book was really intense… it wasn’t what I expected, but it was really, really good. It made was deep, it was emotional, and it was entertaining: all at the same time.

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

I would recommend this book to: everyone… it really is appropriate for all readers (above elementary school for the most part…)

Confessions of a Book Buying Maniac

I, of course, have recently gone book shopping. I got some books that have been out for awhile that I've been looking at, but not sure about...

Kissed by an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler
Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill
I'd Tell You I Love You, but Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter
Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter
Witch Season by Jeff Mariotte

I'm starting reading them right away!

Review: So Inn Love

Title: So Inn Love
Author: Catherine Clark
Publisher: HarperCollins
Date published: 2007
Type of book: teen chick lit

I received this book from/at: bookcloseouts.com
My interest in this book is: author, plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: from back cover: Reservations? Yes. A couple. Like: Is Hayden really as interested in me as I am in him? And is my roommate right—should I "beware of hookups"? Confirmation? Doubtful. Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you said "commitment." Special Requests? Let me get through this summer without being fired and heartbroken. Let me fall in love this summer. Let me be part of the inn crowd.

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Liza: I liked her and understood her love of the ocean… even though I’m more of a lake girl myself, I also liked how she stuck up for herself when Hayden was being a jerk. Hayden: I kind of liked how he had some issues…. And that he had to overcome some things to get Liza!

When I finished this book I felt: I definitely wasn’t my favorite Catherine Clark book, The Alison Rules, Frozen Rodeo, and Truth or Dairy are much, much better! I also felt like the plot kind of dragged on… I probably will forget about it in a couple weeks…

Other books to read by this author: Icing on the Lake, Frozen Rodeo, The Alison Rules, Maine Squeeze, Truth or Dairy

I would recommend this book to: not really sure… but I’d probably only recommend it if they read all the better books on my book shelf first… or all of Clark’s other books!

Review: Labor of Love

Title: Labor of Love
Author: Rachel Hawthorne
Publisher: HarperCollins
Date published: 2008
Type of book: teen chick lit

I received this book from/at: bookcloseouts.com
My interest in this book is: author, plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From back cover: “TO DO: Investigate the French Quarter, Buy new hammer, stop worrying that hard hat is going to ruin my hair, stop thinking about ex-boyfriend. No guys this summer!, Find some cool jazz clubs to visit later, get psychic reading with Jenna and Amber, get Jenna and Amber to stop talking about psychic readings, the cute guy the psychic said I would meet, and the cute guy I just met. NO guys this summer!!, Throw self into work, STOP THINKING ABOUT THE CUTE GUY!

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Brady: he was so cute… and he put up with Dawn (I thought she was a bit rude to him…kind of annoying.)

When I finished this book I felt: I really like Rachel Hawthorne’s books! I thought that they would be really cheesy, but I actually find myself enjoying them… and wishing I was the main character! I really like the fact that Hawthorne is so realistic. She doesn’t skirt around topics like partying and sex… they appear in her books without being overwhelming. Labor of Love wasn’t my favorite of Hawthorne’s but it is definitely worth reading… after Caribbean Cruising. 

Other books to read by this author: Caribbean Cruising, Island Girls (and Boys), Love on the Lifts, Thrill Ride, The Boyfriend League, Snowed In

I would recommend this book to: fans of teen chick lit

Review: Caribbean Cruising

Title: Caribbean Cruising
Author: Rachel Hawthorne
Publisher: Avon
Date published: 2004
Type of book: teen chick lit

I received this book from/at: bookcloseouts.com
My interest in this book is: plot, author

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From inside: “On a Caribbean cruise, eighteen-year-old Lindsay’s to-do list includes having a one night stand, but when her wealthy new stepfather introduces his gorgeous godson as her traveling buddy, things become complicated.

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Lindsay: I liked her, even though sometimes she was annoying because of her obsession with the fact that Ryan was her stepfather’s godson (it really wasn’t that big of a deal); Ryan: he was really, really cute. I liked his protectiveness and how he did so many unexpectedly nice things. I don’t know many girls who wouldn’t have fallen for him

When I finished this book I felt: Caribbean Cruising was a quick, light read, but I really enjoyed it. Hawthorne is good at allowing her readers to form a connection to the characters in a relatively short amount of time. I’ll definitely be reading her other books… and dreaming about taking a cruise of my own!

Other books to read by this author: Moonlight, Labor of Love, Snowed In, Thrill Ride, Love on the Lifts, The Boyfriend League, Island Girls (and Boys)

I would recommend this book to: young adult chick lit readers looking for a quick, romance-filled read

Review: The Book of Luke

Title: The Book of Luke
Author: Jenny O’Connell
Publisher: MTVBooks
Date published: 2007
Type of book: teen fiction

I received this book from/at: bookcloseouts.com
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From back cover: “Emily Abbott has always been considered the Girl Most Likely to Be Nice – but lately being ice hasn’t done her any good. Her parents have decided to move the family from Chicago back to their hometown of Boston in the middle of Emily’s senior year. Only Emily’s first real boyfriend, Sean, is in Chicago, and so is her shot at class valedictorian and early admission to the Ivy League. What’s a nice girl to do?
Then Sean dumps Emily on moving day and her father announces that he’s staying behind in Chicago “to tie up loose ends,” and Emily decides that what a nice girl needs to do is stop being nice.
She reconnects with her best friends in Boston, Josie and Lucy, only to discover that they too have been on the receiving end of some glaring Guy Don’ts. So when the girls have to come up with something to put in the senior class time capsule, they know exactly what to do. They’ll create a not-so-nice reference guide for future generations of guys – an instruction book that teaches them the right way to treat girls.
But when her friends draft Emily to test out their tips on Luke Preston – the hottest, most popular guy in school, who just broke up with Josie by email – Emily soon finds that Luke is the trickiest of test subjects… and that even a nice girl like Emily has a few things to learn about love.

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Emily: I understood her motivations for her action, no matter how flawed they were; Luke: he was one of the most realistic guy characters I’ve read about… and I totally loved him!

When I finished this book I felt: I have to admit, I was really, really impressed with this book. Not only that, I totally loved it. The Book of Luke had a premise similar to the movie John Tucker Must Die, but it was totally better than the movie. When I started the book, I wasn’t really sure if I was going to like it… or if I was going to like Emily’s love interest, Luke. The book started a bit slow… and Luke seemed like too big of jerk to salvage as a good guy to fall for. O’Connell totally proved me wrong though!

Other books to read by this author: Plan B

I would recommend this book to: fans of teen chick lit…

Terribly Addictive

My younger sister, Megan, started her own blog about books:

http://terriblyaddictive.blogspot.com

We read a lot of the same books so if you want a different point of view on a book I've reviewed, you might want to check out her site. She also reads some books I don't... so look at her page for some different books as well!

Confessions of a Book Buying Maniac

I placed an Amazon order last night... I am out of conrol!

Chasing Boys by Karen Tayleur
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
The Boyfriend Game by Stephie Davis
Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten
Willow by Julia Hoban
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley

Review: Audrey, Wait!

Title: Audrey, Wait!
Author: Robin Benway
Publisher: Razorbill
Date Published: 2008
Type of Book: Young Adult fiction

I received book from/at: Barnes and Noble
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From inside book: “While trying to score a date with her cute co-worker at Scooper Dooper, sixteen-year-old Audrey gains unwanted fame and celebrity status when her ex-boyfriend, a rock musician, records a breakup song her that soars to the top of the Billboard charts.”

Favorite characters, quote/lines: Audrey: She was an awesome character, very “real”; James: I really liked him, at first I wasn’t sure about him, but as the story went on and more details about him were revealed, he became one of my favorite characters
When I finished this book I felt: Wow! I definitely should have read this book sooner, it was an amazing read! Audrey was a character that was full of life and someone that I could have went to school with! Robin Benway is an author to watch!!

I would recommend this book to: teen fiction/romance fans

Other books by this author: this is Benway’s first novel

Review: In Your Room

Title: In Your Room
Author: Jordanna Fraiberg
Publisher: Razorbill
Date published: 2008
Type of book: teen fiction

I received this book from/at: Barnes and Noble
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From the back cover: “ When their families randomly switch houses for the summer, retro-chic LA fashionista Molly Hill and laidback granola boy Charlie Richards find themselves living in totally unfamiliar rooms for two long hot months. Soon they become entwined in each other’s secrets, relationships, and dreams. Day by day, they grow closer… even though they’re living 1,000 miles apart and have never met face-to-face. Can perfect strangers be perfect for each other? Will Molly and Charlie make it through the summer of seductions, missed connections and the thousand miles between them to find out?”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Molly: I really liked and identified with her, I too have had troubles trusting people… Molly is a character that I think every girl can relate to at some point or another; Charlie: he was funny and I totally understood why Molly fell for him… I think I would have too. He seemed realistic to me…. Especially his confusion during various situations.

When I finished this book I felt: Yay for Joanna Fraiberg… I’ll definitely be looking for her books after reading In Your Room. For a first novel, I was very impressed. It was a book that had a predictable ending, but the story and my connection with the characters made me want to read their story regardless of the fact that I already knew the ending.

Other books to read by this author: this is the author’s first book

I would recommend this book to: Any young adult female reader looking for a good love story…

Review: What Would Emma Do?

Title: What Would Emma Do?
Author: Eileen Cook
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published date: 2009
Type of book: Young Adult fiction

I received this book from/at: Barnes and Noble
My interest in this book is: plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: “Thou Shalt Not Kiss Thy Best Friend’s Boyfriend… again… There is no greater sin than kissing your best friend’s boyfriend. So when Emma breaks that golden rule, she knows she’s messed up big-time. Especially since she lives in the smallest town ever, where everyone knows everything about everybody else… and especially since she maybe kinda wants to do it again. Now her best friend isn’t speaking to her, her best guy friend is making things totally weird, and Emma is running full speed toward certain social disaster. This is not the way senior year was supposed to go.
Time to pray for a minor miracle. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s time for Emma to stop trying to please everyone around her, and figure out what she wants for herself.

Favorite character, quotes/lines: Emma: I thought she was good protagonist, and her choices wouldn’t have been easy for me to make either, I definitely identified with her/ Todd: I wished he was in the book more… he seemed like he would have been an interesting character to explore

When I finished this book I felt: I definitely liked it, but I wasn’t really impressed with the ending. I really enjoyed the book: it was funny and relatable. However, I thought the ending was really sudden and left me wanting more of a wrap up of the story. I thought that the religion aspects of the novel were well incorporated and I identified with Emma’s doubts and thoughts on faith, church, and church-goers (in particular).

I would recommend this book to: teen girls… and their mothers. I think it sends some thought provoking messages.

Confessions of a Book Buying Maniac

This weekend was spent in K-zoo, Michigan... which has a Barnes and Noble that I am absolutely in love with... So, like any devoted reader... I bought some books!! I was in HEAVEN!! Reviews will be posted soon for:

What Would Emma Do? by Eileen Cook
In Your Room by Jordanna Fraiberg
Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway
The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King
Night World Vol. 3 by L.J. Smith
Wake by Lisa McMann
The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
A Little Friendly Advice by Siobahn Vivian

I am now a happy little reader!!

Review: The Vampire Diaries (Bk. 2)

Book Title: The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion
Author: L.J. Smith
Publisher: Harper Collins
Date Published: 1991

I received this book from/at: Christmas gift
My interest in this book is: second in Vampire Diaries series

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From back cover: “LOVE CAN KILL. Elena: transformed, the golden girl has become what she once feared and desired. Stefan: tormented from losing Elena, he’s determined to end his feud with Damon once and for all – whatever the cost. But slowly he begins to realize that his brother is not his only enemy. Damon: at last, he possesses Elena. But will his thirst for revenge against Stefan poison his triumph. Or can they come together to face one final battle?”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Stefan: he’s just as intriguing as in the first book, Elena: It is interesting seeing how she has changed from the last book, Damon: I liked him a lot more than I did before , a different side of Damon was shown in this book.

When I finished this book I felt: Ahhh! I loved this book… L.J. Smith rocks!

Other books by this Author or Theme: see past blogs

I would recommend this book to: everyone!

Review: The Vampire Diaries (Bk. 1)

Book Title: The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle
Author: L.J. Smith
Publisher: Harper Collins
Date Published: 1991
Type of Book: Supernatural (Vampires) Romance, Young Adult

I received this book from/at: Amazon.com
My interest in this book is: I love L.J. Smith! She’s an awesome writer.

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From back cover: “A DEADLY LOVE TRIANGLE. Elena: the golden girl, the leader, the one who can have any boy she wants. Stefan: brooding and mysterious, he seems to be the only one who can resist Elena, even as he struggles to protect her from the horrors that haunt his past. Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Determined to have Elena, he’d kill to possess here.

Favorite character, quotes/lines: Stefan: I definitely wanted him to be with Elena. Elena: I actually liked her, even though I wasn’t sure I was going to…. I thought she would be more self-absorbed, but she was actually okay.
When I finished this book I felt: I really, really want the next book! But it isn’t out yet… I might even go as far as to say that L.J. Smith is better than Stephanie Meyers! Well, I definitely think her writing skills are better, but her stories might be as well! :s

Other books to read by this Author or theme: The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion, the Secret Circle books, the Nightworld Omnibuses: 1,2,3

I would recommend this book to: young adult readers, but even older readers. I think anyone can enjoy this book!!

Review: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Darkside

Book Title: Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side
Author: Beth Fantaskey
Publisher: Harcourt
Date Published: March 2009
Type of Book: Supernatural (Vampire) Romance

I Received This Book From/At: Amazon.com
My interest in this book is: vampires, romance, coming of age, plot

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From inside cover: “Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. Enter a bizarre new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu who claims Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth and he’s her long-lost fiancé. He’s arrogant, officious, embarrassingly protective, and well, incredibly hot. Armed with a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Heath, and Emotion, Jessica tries to imagine transition from an average American teenager to a glam European vampire princess. But just when things start to heat up with Lucius, a devious cheerleader sets her sights on him. Soon Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war – and save Lucius’s soul from eternal damnation. All of which leaves her to wonder: Wouldn’t life be easier if she could just fall for a nice mortal boy?”

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Jess: sometimes she was annoying, but for the most part I could understand why she was so upset about things… but I think she could have been a bit more understanding toward Lucius (it wasn’t his fault after all!)

When I finished This Book I Felt: I had mixed feelings. I liked it, but there were parts I thought unnecessary and drawn out. I didn’t think it had anything that required much thinking or inspired any outside thought.

Other Books To Read by this Author or theme: this is her first book

I would recommend this (to): young adult readers, specifically age 13-20ish

Review: You Are So Undead To Me by Stacey Jay

From back cover:
"Q: How many zombies does it take to ruin a social life?
A: Not many.
Megan Berry is Zombie Settler by birth, which means she's part-time shrink to a whole bunsh of semi-dead people with killer issues. All Megan really wants is to go to homecoming, but when you're trailed by a bunch of slobbering corpses whenever you leave the house, it's kinda hard to score a date. Let's just say Megan's love life could use some major resuscitation.
Megan's convinced her life can't get any worse - until someone in school starts using black magic to turn average, angsty Undead into scary, hardcore flesh-eating Zombies. Now it's up to Megan to stop he Zombie apocalypse. Her life - and more importantly, the homecoming dance - depends on it."

I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I really don't think that the back cover really does it justice. It is definitely one of those books that I will remember and suggest to my friends!! One of my favorite parts of the book was the romantic plotline. Even though I was pretty sure Kayla would get the guy, I still wasn't exactly sure what was going on the between them. And Kayla's confusion about Ethan was believable because of their estrangement and age difference. Lately, a lot o the romances in books isn't very convincing, but I believed in the connection between Kayla and Ethan. The supernatural element of the book was very well done as well. I though Jay was convincing with the lore and spells. I've never been much of a zombie fan, but this book made be see them in a different light; they seemed likeable in some parts of the book. I also enjoyed the humor in this book; I was smiling at various parts in the story. I highly recommend You Are So Undead to Me... And stay tuned for Jay's second book about Kayla and Zombie Settlers!

Review: Evernight (Evernight Academy Bk 1) by Claudia Gray

From inside cover:
"Bianca wants to escape. She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy , an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somewhat too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.
Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful - even when it comes to caring about him.
"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would."
But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart... and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed."

Evernight wasn't really what I expected. I felt like the author was trying to be clever and tricky, but she didn't really succeed. And the parts that I didn't figure out were disappointing... I felt misled.
However, the world of Evernight was interesting. It was a new take on vampires that wasn't really my favorite but I could see others liking it.

Scores out of 10:

Originality: 8
Romance: 6
Obsession-worthy: 5

Confessions of a Book Buying Maniac

This is the part of my blog where I tell you what books I've just purchased... I admit that I go a bit crazy when I'm book shopping... It seems that I go into some type of book-induced mania and a few hours later I always find myself with another shelf on my bookcase full. My most recent acquisitions are Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers and You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay. I'm looking forward to reading both, but I'm more excited about Cracked Up To Be. The synopsis really caught my attention... stay tuned for reviews for each of these books!

Contests

Genevieve from http://caprubia.blogspot.com is holding a contest for an ARC copy of What Would Emma Do? by Eileen Cook. If you want to enter for a chance to win, you'd better hurry!! because the contest ends March 31st at midnight!!




Stephanie Kuehnert is giving away an ARC copy of Ballads of Suburbia, her new novel, if you vote by March 31st for a program called Tipping Points to win a funding grant. For details, visit: http://stephaniekuehnert.blogspot.com/!!

Review: To Wed a Scandalous Spy by Celeste Bradley

From back cover:
"Lovely, highborn Willa Trent was an orpahn, raised by a local, somewhat odd family in the country, who want nothing but the best for the girl. So when she drags home the unconscious man she accidentally hit with a slingshot, they arrange a hasty marriage and pack the couple off with best wishes. Armed with a groggy husband and a new future, Willa's pie-eyed optimism has no limits.. until she discovers the secret, dangerous world of Nathaniel Stonewell, Earl of Reardon, a.k.a "Lord Treason."
Though Nataniel is reviled by most England for his devious plot against the crown, he is, in reality, a member of an elite cadre of secret royal defenders on a daring undercover mission. He must keep his secrets at all cost, especially from Willa. And yet, he is enchanted... though he stubbornly refuses to surrender to his passion. Far better, he tells himself, to turn his back on love than risk anything for it. Luckily, his bride has other plans..."

I will admit, even though I am a bit embarassed, that I will occasionally read romance books. In the past I have mostly refrained from posting reviews for them, but I have now decided to post reviews for the good ones that actually have a plot. And are worth reading. Of course, I only read those ones! I ask you, what girl doesn't like a good romance once in awhile?!

Review:
This is Celeste Bradley first in her Royal Four quartet. The Royal Four is a group of secret spies that work for the King of England. To Wed a Scandalous Spy is about Nathaniel Stonewall, known as the Cobra to his three fellow spies. His romantic counterpart is Willa Trent. I liked this book because the sex bits weren't overwhelming, there was an interesting plotline, there were spies (which are cool :)), it was funny, and had other interesting characters. I like books that occasionally make me laugh out loud and Celeste Bradley's books are definitely funny. I also really like the fact that these characters will show up in Bradley's other books because I often become attached to characters and don't want to let them go!!

Review: Jinx by Meg Cabot

From inside cover:
"It's not easy being Jinx.
The only thing Jean Honeychurch hates more than her boring name (not Jean Marie, or Jeanette, just... Jean) is her all-too-appropriate nickname, Jinx. Misfortune seems to follow her everywhere she goes - which is why she's thrilled to be moving in with her aunt and uncle in New York City. Maybe when she's halfway across the country, Jinx can finally outrun her bad luck. Or at least escape the havoc she's caused back in her small hometown.
But trouble has definitely followed Jinx to New York. And it's causing big problems for her cousin Tory, who is not happy to have the family black sheep around. Beautiful, glamorous Tory is hiding a dangerous secret - one that she's sure Jinx is going to reveal.
Jinx is beginning to realize it isn't just bad luck she's been running from. It's something far more sinister... and the curse Jinx has lived under since the day she was born might just be the only thing that can save her life."

This wasn't my favorite Meg Cabot book. Jean, aka Jinx, wasn't really a character that I felt a connection with. In fact, I found her a bit dull and not very bright. It was, however, interesting to read a Cabot book that had a bit of a "magical element" in it... but I think her books that lacked the element were much better. The love interest aspect of the story was okay... Jinx was kind of clueless in this arena... and not in a good, cute way... in an annoying way. 5 out of 10 stars for Jinx...

Review: Moonlight (A Dark Guardian Novel) by Rachel Hawthorne

From back cover:
"I see him and know what this turmoil inside of me means: He's the one. My forever.
Kayla is a nature lover, the all-American beauty who can't understand why she's so drawn to distant, brooding Lucas. Adopted as a young child, she has no way of knowing that she's inherited a terrifying - and thrilling - gene that will change her life forever.
Lucas is dangerous, gorgeous... and a werewolf. As leader of the Dark Guardians, shape-shifters who gather deep within the state park, he has sworn to protect his pack. But when Lucas finds his true soul mate, his love could put them all in harm's way.
As Lucas and Kayla struggle with their feelings for each other, a greater danger lurks: Humans have discovered the Dark Guardians and are planning their destruction. Kayla must choose between the life she knows and the love she feels certain is her destiny."

I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The only other book I'd read by Hawthorne was How To Catch a Pirate written under the name Jade Parker (which I liked as well) and I hadn't thought her books looked that interesting. I think, after reading Moonlight, that I'll give them a try though. Moonlight is the first book in Hawthorne's Dark Guardians series which tells the stories of couples within a group of teenagers who are Dark Guardians, or protectors of a werewolf pack. Moonlight was a good introduction to the series, introducing the reader to many different aspects of the lives of the teenagers and leaving lots of options for expansion. At first I wasn't sure how I felt about Lucas, let alone of Lucas and Kayla as a couple, but as the story went on I became more comfortable with them as characters. The only downside is that the book was only 263 pages and seemed a bit rushed. I'm hoping that the next books will be a bit longer so that everything is so packed together. 9 out of 10 stars!

Review: Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott

From inside cover:
"I wonder what it would be like to do high school things. To go out on the weekends. To kiss a guy. To have a normal life. A real one.
Everyone thinks their parents are embarrassing, but Hannah knows she's got them all beat. her dad made a fortune showcasing photos of pretty girls and his party lifestyle all over the internet, and her mom was once one of her dad's girlfriends and is now the star of her own website. After getting the wrong kind of attention for way too long, Hannah has mastered the art of staying under the radar... and that's just how she likes it.
Of course, that doesn't help her get noticed by her crush. Hannah's sure that gorgeous, sensitive Josh is her soul mate. But trying to get him to notice her; wondering why she suddenly can't stop thinking about another guy, Finn; and dealing with her parents make Hannah feel like she's going crazy. yet she's determined to make things work out the way she wants - only what she wants may not be what she needs..."

Something, Maybe is another winner by Elizabeth Scott! Scott hasn't put out a book that I haven't enjoyed yet, my only complaint would be that they are just too short! I could have definitely read more about Hannah's life... as zany and quirky as it was. Finn was an amazing character as well. It amazes me how easily Scott draws readers into her stories, especially in so little pages! 10 out of 10 stars!!

Review: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

From back cover:
"At Fairfield High School, on the outskirts of Chicago, everyone knows that south siders and north siders aren't exactly compatible elements. So when head cheerleader Brittany Ellis and gang member Alex Fuentes are foreced to be lab partners in chemistry class, the results are bound to be explosive. But neither teen is prepared for the most surprising chemical reaction of all - love. Can they break through the stereotypes and misconceptions that threaten to tear them apart?"

I'm so so excited about this book! I just finished it today and it
is one of the best books I've ever read. The romance between Brittany and Alex is so intense, as are Brittany and Alex's lives. I really liked this book because it is real; bad things happen to the characters... not only good things. Simone Elkeles is an other that I'll be watching closely... I definitely won't miss her next book!

Review: Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

From back cover:
"All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far... and almost doesn't make it back.
John made a choice to stay. To enforce rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge - and over..."

READ THIS BOOK! Okay, having said that, I'll tell you why. This book is absolutely addicting! I could not put it down for anything, it was that good. Meg is an interesting character who has had a traumatic past that has caused her to push the limits. John, now one of my favorite love interests of all time, causes her to evolve and look at life from another perspective. This is one of those books that I won't forget about and am going to press onto every reader I know. I was disappointed to learn however, that this is Echols first book that isn't a Simon Pulse romantic comedy! I'll be anxiously awaiting her next book...!! 20 out of 10 stars. Going Too Far is not to be missed!!

Review: The Swan Kingdom by Zoe Marriott

From inside cover:
"Shadows have fallen across the beautiful and lush Kingdom. The queen was attacked by an unnatural beast, and the healing skills of her daughter, Alexandra, cannot save her. Too soon the widowed king is spellbound by a frightening stranger - a woman whose eyes reflect no light. In a terrifying moment, all Alexandra knows disappears, including her beloved brothers, leaving her banished to a barren land unlike her own.
Alexandra has more gifts than even she realizes when she is confronted with magic, murder, and the strongest of evil forces. She is unflinchingly brave and calver as she stuggles to reclaim what she knows is rightfully hers."

I really enjoyed Swan Kingdom, even though it was very similar to Juliet Marillier's Daughter of the Forest. Still, I felt that Marriott made Alexandra's story unique. The romance between Alexandra and Gabriel adds another dimension to the story that I really liked and helped to hold my interest.

Review: Night World Volume 1 by L.J. Smith

From back cover:
"Vampires, werewolves, witches, shapeshifters - they live among us without our knowledge. Night World is thier secret society, a secret society with very strict rules. And falling in love breaks all the laws of the Night World.
In Secret Vampire, Poppy thought the summer would last forever. Then she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Now Poppy's only hope for survival is James, her friend and secret love. A vampire in the Night World, James can make Poppy immortal. But first they both must risk everything to go against the laws of Night World.
Fugitives from the Night World, three vampire sisters leave their isolated home to live among humans in Daughters of Darkness. Their brother, As, is sent to bring the girls back, but he falls in love with their beautiful friend.
Two witch cousins fight over their high school crush. It's a battle between the black magic and white magic in Spellbinder."

L.J. Smith is one of my favorite authors and the first volume of Night World was the first book I read that she had written. It contains three stories: Secret Vampire, Daughters of Darkness, and Spellbinder. Each section of the book contains the story of two individuals who are soulmates and their journey to be together. The sections are all connected because characters from each show up in the other stories. Usually I don't like books with individual short stories, but the fact that all of these are interconnected makes it seem like a full book, not just short stories. 10 out of 10 stars!

Review: Big Boned by Meg Cabot

Life is reasonably rosy for plus-size ex-pop star turned Assistant Dormitory Director and sometime sleuth Heather Wells. Her freeloading ex-con dad is finally moving out. She still yearns for her hot landlord, Cooper Cartwright, but her realtionship with "rebound beau," vigorous vegan math professor Tad Tocoo, is more than satisfactory. Best of all, nobody has died lately in "Death Dorm," the aptly nicknamed student residence that Heather assistant-directs. Of course every silver lining ultimately has some black cloud attached. And when the latest murdered corpse to clutter up her jurisdiction turns out to be her exceedingly unlovable boss, Heather finds herself on the shortlist of prime suspects - along with the rabble-rousing boyfriend of her high-strung student assistant and an indecently handsome young campus minister who's been accused of taking liberties iwth certain girls' choir members.
With fame beckoning her back into show business (as the star of a new kids' show!) it's a really bad time to get wrapped up in another homocide. Plus Tad's been working himself up to ask her a Big Question, which Heather's not sure she has an answer for..."

This is the last book in the Heather Well's Mystery trio. Sometimes, writers seem to go down hill as they progress in sets of books, but Cabot stays strong! This book wraps up the plot lines that have been present throughout the other books and offers a new mystery for Heather and her friends to solve. When I finished I really wished that it wasn't the last book about Heather Wells, former pop sensation! 10 out of 10!

Review: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

From back cover:
"Only a true best friend can protect you from your immortal enemies...
Lissa Dragomie is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with an unbreakable bond to the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest and most dangerous vampires - the ones who never die.
The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that runs through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, make her a Dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making her one othem.
After two years of illicit freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, hidden in the deep forests of Montany. Rose will continue her Dhampir education. Lissa will go back to being Queen of the elite Moroi social scene. And both girls will resume breaking Academy hearts.
Fear made Lissa and Rose run away from St. Vladimir's - inside the Academy's iron gates their world is even more fraught with danger. Here, the cutthroat ranks of the Moroi perform unspeakable rituals, and their secretive nature and love of the night creats an enigmatic world full of social complexities. Rose and Lissa must navigate through this dangerous world, confront the temptation of hidden romance, and never once let their guard down, lest the Strigoi make Lissa one of them forever..."

The back of the book is a bit misleading to me because it makes it sound like Lissa is the main character of the novel, when really Rose is. To me, this is a good thing because I really like Rose... I think Lissa's perspective of situations would be a lot more boring. Vampire Academy is one of my favorite books. Richelle Mead creates an interesting world and does a great job of explaining the complexities of what it means to be Moroi, Dhampir, and Strigoi. I really enjoyed the romantic plot lines as well... that was probably one of the more addicting aspects of the book! 10 out of 10!

Review: Size 14 Is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot

From back cover:
"Heather sings the blues.
Former pop star Heather Wells has settled nicely into her new life as assistant dorm director at New York College - a career that does not require her to drape her size 12 body in embarrassingly skimpy outfits. She can even cope (sort of) with her ex-boyfriend's upcoming nuptials, which the press has dubbed The Celebrity Wedding of the Decade. But she's definitely having a hard time dealing with the situation in the dormitory kitchen - where a cheerleader has lost her head ont eh first day of the semester. (Actually, her head is accounted for - it's her torso that's AWOL.)
Surrounded by hysterical students - with her ex-con father on her doorstep bombarding her iwth unwanted phone calls - Heather welcomes the opportunity to play detective... again. If it gets her mind off her personal problems - and teams her up again with the gorgeous P.I. who owns the brownstone where she lives - it's all good. But the murder trail is leading the average-sized amateur investigator into a shadowy world. And if she doesn't watch her step, Heather will soon be singing her swan song!"

Words cannot describe the way I feel about the Heather Wells mystery series! Okay, so maybe they can a little... Cabot has hit a home run with this installment in the hilarious if not somewhat deadly life of Heather Wells. This time around the head cheerleader at New York College has been murdered and there are suspects a-plenty, but Heather has to figure out who had it in for the girl before they get her too. Cooper, her landlord and crush, is just as charming in Size 12 is Not Fat. The addition of Heather's father (who has been released from prison) also adds an interesting new dimension. And more funny situations!

Review: To Catch A Pirate by Jade Parker

From back cover:
"Once caught, it's harder still to let a pirate go...
When Annalisa Townsend's ship is set upon by pirates in seach of her father's treasure, one of the crew, James Sterling, discovers her in the hold. When he moves to take her necklace, she begs him not to, as it is all she has left of her mother. He accepts a kiss in exhange the necklace. "A fair trade, m'lady," he tells her afterward, before disappearing.
A year later, with a forged letter of marque, Annalisa is intent on hunting down the wretched James Sterling and relcaiming her father's treasure from him. But now she's in danger of him stealing something far more valuable this time: her heart."

To Catch a Pirate was a quick read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! I was in a Pirates of the Caribbean mood when I picked up this book and I wasn't disappointed! The love story between Annalisa and James was good as well... Its definitely a book I've recommended to others... who have loved it as well! 10 out of 10 stars!

Review: Pants on Fire by Meg Cabot

From inside cover:
"Kate Ellison is not a liar. It's just that telling the truth is so... tricky. She knows she shouldn't be making out with a drama club hottie behind her football-player boyfriend's back. She should probably admit that she can't stand eating quahogs (clams), especially since she's running for Quahog Princess in her hometown's annual Quahog Festival. And it would be a relief to finally tell someone what really happened the night Tommy Sullivan is a freak was spraypainted on the new wall outsid ethe junior high school gymnasium - in neon orange, which still hasn't been sandblasted off. After all, everyone knows that's what drove Tommy out of town four years ago.
But now Tommy Sullivan has come back. Katie is sure he's out for revenge, and she'll do anything to hang on to her perfect (if slightly dishonest) existence. Even if it means telling more lies than ever. Even if, now that Tommy's around, she's actually - no lie - having the time of her life."

This book was predictable, but that doesn't mean I didn't have fun reading it anyway. Cabot's voice, which is often hilarious, rings true throughout the novel making the not-so-honest Kate Ellison a true favorite of mine. I think I'd be having more fun if Tommy Sullivan came back to town too!

Review: Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott

From inside cover:
"My name is Danielle. I'm eighteen. I've been stealing things for as long as I can remember.
Dani has been trained as a thief by the best - her mother. Together, they move from town to town, targeting wealthy homes and making a living by stealing antique silver. They never stay in one place long enough to make real connections, real friends - a real life.
In the beach town of Heaven, though, everything changes. For the first time, Dani starts to feel at home. She's making friends and has even met a guy. But these people can never know the real Dani - because of who she is. When it turns out that her new friend lives in the house they've targeted for thier next job and the cute guy is a cop, Dani must question where her loyalties like: with the life she's always known - or the one she's always wanted."

When I saw that Elizabeth Scott read this book I expected to love it, and I wasn't disappointed! Dani is a character that is easy to love and root for! I really liked Greg... my head I have always picture him kind of like Leo from Veronica Mars. This book not only was insightful, it was also romantic and funny. I can't wait for more book by Scott... she hasn't let me down yet! 10 out of 10 stars for Stealing Heaven!

Review: Evermore (Immortals Bk. 1) by Alyson Noel

Summary from back of book:
"After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, hear thier thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school - but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste.
Damen is gorgeous, exotic, and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head - wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can peer straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she hasno idea just who he really is - or what he is. The only things she nows to be true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him."

From the summary on the back of this book it many parallels can be drawn between this book and the extemely popular Twilight. While I'm not sure Evermore will ever be the megahit that Twilight is, it is definitely a book to take a look at. The Immortals idea is not new, but it is a bit of a new take from Noel's perspective. The romance between Ever and Damen is very well done. I personally like when two characters who are so obviously destined for one another have some obstacles to overcome. I'll be looking for the next book in the Immortals series, Blue Moon. 9 our of 10 stars for Evermore!

Review: Aurelia by Anne Osterlund

Excerpt from back cover:
"MYSTERY. ROMANCE. DANGER.
Aurelia, the crown princess of Tyralt, wants control over her own life. Robert, her former classmate, wants Aurelia. And someone wants her.. dead. There have been several narrowly escaped attempts to assassinate the priness, but the king has no desire to incite panic by making the information public. Instead, Robert, the sone of the king's former royal spy, is allowed into the inner circle to secretly investigate and watch over Aurelia. Robert is determined to help, if only Aurelia would let him! But the princess will not heed the danger around her, and she does not need Robert to save her. Just as their friendship begins to grow into something more, the threat on Aurelia's life become paramount. With everything possible on the line - her life, her kingdom, her heart - Aurelia must take matters into her own hands, whatever the cost."

This book, to be honest, was not as good as I'd expected it to be. I must admit I was drawn to the book by the beautiful cover art and I should no better than to judge a book by its cover! The main problem was that it was so utterly predictable. Except for the who the attempted murderer is... that aspect was disguised pretty well. Otherwise, it all played out just as expected. However, this book is definitely worth reading... it just probably won't be your favorite. Well, it wasn't mine at least. 7 out of 10!

Review: Summers At Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn

Excerpt from back cover:
"She was a girl with a talent for witchcraft and a taste for adventure. The illegitimate child of a royal lord, she longed for a man who could never be hers. and she lived for her summers at Castle Auburn.
She is a woman who has grown accustomed to standing alone. What she once loved, she has lost. Where she once saw joy, she now sees terrible injustice. And at the castle where she once lived in peace, she now walks in fear for her life..."

Sharon Shinn is one of the best romantic fantasy writers I have ever read. I can say without any embarrassment that I am obsessed with her books! Summers At Castle Auburn is not my favorite, but it is still definitely worth reading. It is aimed primarily at young adult readers, but it is appropriate for older readers as well. Corie, the main character, changes throughout the story which starts when she is 14 and ends when she is around 20 years old. Corie, who once though living at Castle Auburn was the greatest part of her life, grows to understand the indignities and unfairness that surround court life, especially in respect to the enslaved Aliora that work in the castle.

Another interesting aspect of this novel is witchcraft, which Corie learns from her grandmother. Corie has a divided heritage that she much choose between, that which consists of witchcraft and life in a village with her maternal grandmother or court life with her deceased father's family.

Review: Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater

Excerpt from back cover:
"Don't you know what happens to Cloverhands who cannot control the fey?"
Summary:
"On the day of an important music competition, talented but painfully introverted and nervous Deirdre Monaghan is helped to perfrom by the compelling and enigmatic Luke Dillon and find herself inexorably drawn into the mysteries and dangers of the faerie world."

This book, though it has its flaws, has been stuck in my mind since I read it couple weeks ago. Its sequel, Ballad, doesn't come out until the fall of 2009 and I find myself anxiously awaiting it. I'll start with the negatives about this book because I feel like they must be addressed as they might be distracting to the reader. The romantic plot line between Deirdre and Luke is very immuture and sudden at the onset of the novel. Luke and Deirdre meet and are immediately spending time together and expressing intrest to the extent of love. While this may work with characters that have a history or knowledge of one another, these two have just met at the beginning of the book and are Deirdre is already spending a lot of time alone with him. I find this odd and it was a bit of a distraction. I did get over it pretty quickly though because of their great chemistry together and I soon found myself rooting for their sudden relationship. I attributed Deirdre's easily given trust and affect to the fact that she is an introverted person who doesn't have a lot of experience with dating... even though she does seem pretty outgoing for someone who is supposed to be so shy.
Now on to the positives. The fey in this book are intriguing. I found myself eager to learn more about their world and why they were so interested in Deirdre's family. I also really enjoyed reading about Deirdre's best friend, James. He was a really funny character that was easy to become attached to and I found myself torn about the status of his character throughout the book.

I rate this book 9 out of 10 because the negatives are easily overlooked when one considers all the positives!

Review: Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

Excerpt from back cover:
"Heather Wells rocks! Or, at least, she did. That was before she left the pop-idol life behind after she gained a dress isze or two - and lost a boyfriend, a recording contract, and her life savings (when Mom took the money and ran off to Argentina). Now that the glamour and glory days of endless mall appearances are in the past, Heather's perfectly happy with her new size 12 shape (the average for the American woman!) and her new job as an assistant dorm director at one of New York's top colleges. That is, until the dead body of a female student from Heather's residence hall is discovered at the bottom of an elevator shaft.
The cops and the college president are ready to chalk the death off as an accident, the result of reckless youthful mischief. But Heather knows teenage girls... and girls do not elevator surf. Yet no one wants to listen - not the police, her colleagues, or the P.I. who owns the brownstone where she lives - even when more students start turning up dead in an equally ordinary and subtly sinister ways. So Heather makes the decision to take on yet another new career: as spunky girl detective!"

Lately I've been on a bit of a Meg Cabot kick... and really who could blame me? Her books are hilarious (laugh-out-loud funny sometimes... which can be embarrasing when reading in a room full of people). Heather Wells has to be one of the best heroines that I've encountered in awhile though. In a society where weight is definitely a talked about issue, a character like Heather (who acknowledges that size 12 is the average for American women) is loveable, attractive, and smart. To me, Cabot is sending the right message to women!

In regards to the plot, Size 12 Is Not Fat is addicting! Cabot keeps the reader guessing about who the murderer is well through the book (it just isn't much fun when you know whodunit right away!). There is a romantic plotline as well... one that I must admit I'm smitten with... There is just something about private detectives... :) I'll be sure to read the next two in the series!

I'm Back!

After a two year hiatus... I'm finally back. And I have plenty of books to review because even though I haven't been blogging, I've definately been reading. For anyone who posted comments previously and never received a response, I apologize. I've been attending college and working and honestly haven't spent very much time on the internet. I've missed sharing all the great books I've been reading though, so I've returned!

So please, peruse the reviews and find something to read! I've definitely enjoyed these books!