Review: School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins

Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.

Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.

Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt? 

Rachel Hawkins' delightful spin-off brings the same wit and charm as the New York Times best-selling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance!

___________________________________

Fans of Rachel Hawkins' novels will no doubt adore School Spirits, a spin-0ff featuring Izzy Brannick, a cousin to Hex Hall's Sophie Mercer. Those who haven't read one of Hawkins' fast-paced, witty novels will no doubt fall in love after meeting Izzy!

Brannick is more than a last name for the main character of School Spirits, it's a role to fill - and a big one at that. Izzy and the women in her family protect the world from monsters normal people don't even realize exist, living hard, nomadic lives filled with danger and with little time for friends, nevermind boys. Of course, all that changes when Izzy's mother gives her her first solo assignment: rid a high school of the spirit that haunts it, an assignment that requires Izzy to attend a public school and, for the first time, form relationships with her peers.

Izzy's independence is one of her best and worst traits. On one hand, she's a badass and can take care of herself. On the other, there are situations in which admitting some weakness would have been an obvious help. But, of course, this is part of Izzy's journey. It was clear Brannick women are expected to have a fierce sense of independence, but I loved seeing Izzy embrace her weaknesses and ask for help. There aren't very many Brannick's left and I felt Izzy's realization that it was okay to form relationships and ask for help was a valuable lesson for continuing the dying Brannick legacy. 

I was amused by Izzy's unique group of friends - who are members of a ghost hunting club - and found their attempts to track down ghosts comical next to that of a true Brannick. I also loved Izzy's protectiveness of the group, who she felt sure would find themselves in more trouble than they could handle. For a girl who has so little experience interacting with kids her own age, she is a surprisingly well-adjusted individual. I liked that about her; I think it made her easier to relate to.

Aaaaand, of course, Hawkins includes a splash of romance, an element that always proves to be absolutely wonderful in her novels. School Spirits is no exception and features a boy quite different from Hex Hall's Archer, but just as swoon-worthy.

I adored School Spirits and can't wait to read more about Izzy! I have a quite some time to wait before the next book releases, so I'll have to comfort myself by rereading Sophie's story in the Hex Hall books!

Disney-Hyperion, May 2013, Hardcover, ISBN:  9781423148494, 304 pgs.

Double Crossed: A Spies and Thieves Story (Novella) by Ally Carter

Ally Carter has released a new free novella that brings together the worlds of her two New York Times bestselling series: The Gallagher Girls and Heist Society! Eeep! I can't really explain how much I adore Carter's books. I'm more than a little obsessed with female spies and thieves plus these books are hilarious. And I love, love, love the idea of characters from the two books meeting!

Double Crossed: A Spies and Thieves Story is now available as a free ebook at all online retailers and here. Check out the description below:

Macey McHenry—Glamorous society girl or spy-in-training?  

W.W. Hale V—Heir to an American dynasty or master thief?  

There are two sides to every coin. Whether these two can work together is a tossup. Born into privilege, Macey and Hale are experts at mingling with the upper class. But even if they’ve never raised an eyebrow at the glitz, neither teenager has ever felt at home with the glamour.  When Macey and Hale meet at a society gala, the party takes a dangerous turn. Suddenly they’re at the center of a hostage situation, and it’s up to them to stop the thugs from becoming hostile. Will Macey’s spy skills and Hale’s con-man ways be enough to outsmart a ruthless gang? Or will they have to seek out the ultimate inside girl to help?  

The worlds of Heist Society and the Gallagher Girls collide in Ally Carter’s fast-paced, high-stakes and tantalizing new story. Get a behind the scenes glimpse as Ally delivers an irresistible thriller that is full of her signature style and savvy twists. 

The third book in the Heist Society series, Perfect Scoundrels, goes on-sale February 5th (FINALLY) and she’ll be on tour for two weeks! Click here to see if Ally will be in a city near you!

Review: The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

Title: The Ghost and the Goth
Author: Stacey Kade
Publisher: Hyperion
Pub. Date: 6.29.2010
Genre: Paranormal YA
Keywords: Ghosts, Seer, High School, Romance, Social Identity
Pages: 281
Description (from Goodreads):
Alona Dare–Senior in high school, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Homecoming Queen three years in a row, voted most likely to marry a movie star… and newly dead.

I’m the girl you hated in high school. Is it my fault I was born with it all-good looks, silky blond hair, a hot bod, and a keen sense of what everyone else should not be wearing? But my life isn’t perfect, especially since I died. Run over by a bus of band geeks—is there anything more humiliating? As it turns out, yes—watching your boyfriend and friends move on with life, only days after your funeral. And you wouldn’t believe what they’re saying about me now that they think I can’t hear them. To top it off, I’m starting to disappear, flickering in and out of existence. I don’t know where I go when I’m gone, but it’s not good. Where is that freaking white light already?

Will Killian–Senior in high school, outcast, dubbed “Will Kill” by the popular crowd for the unearthly aura around him, voted most likely to rob a bank…and a ghost-talker.

I can see, hear, and touch the dead. Unfortunately, they can also see, hear and touch me. Yeah, because surviving high school isn’t hard enough already. I’ve done my best to hide my “gift.” After all, my dad, who shared my ability, killed himself because of it when I was fifteen. But lately, pretending to be normal has gotten a lot harder. A new ghost—an anonymous, seething cloud of negative energy with the capacity to throw me around—is pursuing me with a vengeance. My mom, who knows nothing about what I can do, is worrying about the increase in odd incidents, my shrink is tossing around terms like “temporary confinement for psychiatric evaluation,” and my principal, who thinks I’m a disruption and a faker, is searching for every way possible to get rid of me. How many weeks until graduation?


Stacey Kade's THE GHOST AND THE GOTH is just so. much. fun. 


I've come to appreciate novels in which the point-of-view switches between two or more characters, and I think that this tactic works really well with this particular novel. When characters are like Will and Alona, coming from totally different backgrounds with completely different views about people and their surroundings, and the reader knows their hatred is going to turn into some kind of smoldering attraction, being able to experience both characters' emotions and snarky thoughts makes the buildup so much more intense.


I liked Will right from the start of the novel, but Alona took a bit longer to grow on me. I was worried that I'd continue liking Will and Alona wouldn't grow on me, then the romantic plot line would fall flat, but not the case! There's more to Alona than meets the eye... Which is good because, even though Will is a teenage boy who appreciates Alona from the outside, the reader might want a bit more for him.


This novel isn't all ghosts, witty banter, and growing attraction though, there are some more serious elements as well. Kade seamlessly wove these elements into the supernatural plotline... It would spoilery to go into detail, but this aspect of the novel was done extremely well.


I'm anxiously awaiting the next installment of Will and Alona's story, QUEEN OF THE DEAD, which will be released this summer!

Review: Heist Society by Ally Carter

Title: Heist Society
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pub. Date: 2/9/10
Genre: YA
Main Themes: Thieves, Love, Family, Heists, Mystery
Pages: 304
Plot (from Good Reads):
When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.


Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in history-or at least her family's (very crooked) history.

HEIST SOCIETY is absolutely amazing! When I heard that Ally Carter was writing a new book that wasn’t a Gallagher Girls book, I was intrigued. And, after reading the premise, I was unbelievably excited. Carter continues to write books that rock my socks off. For readers who love the GG books, HEIST SOCIETY is a must read and won’t disappoint. For those of you who haven’t read an Ally Carter book, for goodness sake, what are you doing!? Go out and pick one up now!

First off, I have to start off by saying that one of my favorite movies of ALL TIME is The Italian Job. So Ally Carter writing a book about a teenage thief who pulls off intense heists while attempting to solve a mystery definitely appealed to me. I mean, it would appeal to most people, but I was so excited that I literally jumped up and down. If HEIST SOCIETY wasn’t amazing, my heart would have been broken. Thank you, Ally Carter, for not breaking my heart.

The action in Carter’s novels has never disappointed me before, and HS was no exception. Carter includes all the little quirks that you would expect to find in this type of novel, but doesn’t fail to make it her own. I love stories about thieves because even though you know stealing is wrong and you would never do it. You want to hear about it, especially when it is so epic it can be called a heist.

The characters in Heist Society are fun and realistic. Kat was a great main character. I liked that she had all the skills and is one of the best, yet she wanted out of the family business. It added a twist to the story and, I think, made her easier to relate to. I main character who wants to steal from people is a bit hard to relate to. A girl who doesn’t really want to steal from people, but does it to save her father and just happens to be amazing at it is a lot more relatable.

And, of course, there is a boy. The boys in the GG books were good, but, in my opinion, they don’t hold a candle to Hale. He is definitely swoon-worthy! He always says the perfect thing and it is so obvious that he adores Kat… My favorite scenes in the novel were the ones with Kat and Hale!

Ratings (Out of 10):
Plot: 10
Characters: 10
Writing: 10
Romance: 10
Originality: 10
Total: 50/50 (A!)

Cover Comments: I'm a big fan of Heist Society's cover! I think the cover model looks gorgeous and the reflection of in her sunglasses fits the novel perfectly! (A)

Heist Society is one of my favorite 2010 novels that I've read so far. I can always count on Carter’s books to make me laugh, fall in love, and keep me on the edge of my seat and I'm so glad that HS maintains that truth. Heist Society is definitely a book that I'll be buying hardcover - because I just can't wait for the paperback!

Cover Alert: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins!!

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins (Hyperion, 3.2.10)

When Sophie Mercer turned thirteen, she discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-Gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hecate Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward prodigium, a.k.a. witches, fae, and shapeshifters. By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard. Three powerful enemies who look like supermodels; a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock; a creepy, tag-along ghost; and a new roommate, who happens to be the most-hated person and only vampire on campus. Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her friend Jenna is the number one suspect. Meanwhile, Sophie has a more personal shock to grapple with. Not only is her father the head of the prodigium council, he's most powerful warlock in the world, and Sophie is his heir. As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all prodigium, especially her.

I've been looking forward to this book for months and after seeing the cover art I'm really not sure I can wait until March to read it!! I think it is going to be one of those books that I go to the bookstore the day it is released to get and then proceed to devour in one night!

Review: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Title: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

Author: E. Lockhart

Publisher: Hyperion

Pub. Date: 2008

Genre: MG to YA

Main Themes: Secret Societies, Gender Roles, Love, Friendship, Popularity

Pages: 342

Plot (from book jacket):

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 14:

Debate Club.Her father’s “bunny rabbit.”

A mildly geeky girl attending a highly competitive boarding school.

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 15:

A knockout figure.

A sharp tongue.

A chip on her shoulder.

And a gorgeous new senior boyfriend: the supremely goofy, word-obsessed Matthew Livingston.

Frankie Laundau-Banks.

No longer the kind of girl to take “no” for an answer.

Especially when “no” means she’s excluded from her boyfriend’s all-male secret society.

Not when her ex boyfriend shows up in the strangest of places.

Not when she knows she’s smarter than any of them.

When she knows Matthew’s lying to her.

And when there are so many, many pranks to be done.

Frankie Landau-Banks, at age 16:

Possibly a criminal mastermind.

This is the story of how she got that way.

I bought The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks shortly after it was released in 2008 and I kept passing over it when deciding what to read next out of my ridiculously large TBR pile. A couple weeks ago I decided to head home for the weekend, which is, total, a 10 hour drive. When I was browsing audio books, I stumbled across Disreputable and decided it might be fun to listen to during the long drive - I had no idea just how much fun it would be!

Disreputable was my first audiobook experience and I have to say I think I made a great choice! I will admit to feeling a bit awkward because I was laughing aloud as I was driving along and my mouth would occasionally drop open as new twists in the plot came to light. By the time I got home I was 5 hours into the book and I went straight to my bookshelf to finish up the last hundred pages - I couldn't even wait for the drive back to listen to the rest!

Frankie Landau-Banks is a girl after my own heart. She makes her mistakes and she sticks to what she believes. I could definitely relate to her curious, and sometimes manipulative, nature. I would love to read another novel about Frankie's adventures!

I was in love with the secret society aspect of the novel. I can't say too much about it, as I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't read this yet, but it was really well written, and from what I could tell, researched. I liked all the little facts E. Lockhart threw into the the story about different well known societies. All of the history behind the different pranks that were performed was also interesting, and, in many cases, hilarious.

The only part that I wasn't totally satisfied with was the ending of the novel. Again, I can't say much because of spoilers, but I really thought the story would end a bit differently. I still loved it though - ending and all!

Ratings (Out of 10):
Plot: 9
Characters: 10
Writing: 10
Romance: 10
Originality: 10
Total: 49/50 (A)

I highly recommend The Disreputable History of Frankie-Landau Banks... in both audiobook and hardcopy form! The audiobook that I listened to had a great (female) narrator that I felt voiced the characters wonderfully. This book is a fun read that kept me entertained and engaged - even throughout a long and boring drive!

Review: Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda

Title: Devil's Kiss

Author: Sarwat Chadda
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pub. Date: 2009
Genre: YA
Main Themes: Knights Templar, Friendship, Good vs. Evil, Faith, Love, Family
Pages: 327
Plot (from book jacket):
"As the youngest and only female member of the Knights Templar, Bilqis SanGreal grew up knowing she wasn't normal. Instead of hanging out at the mall or going on dates, she spends her time training as a warrior in her order's ancient battle against the Unholy.
Billi's cloistered life is blasted apart when her childhood friend, Kay, returns from Jerusalem, gorgeous and with a dangerous chip on his shoulder. He's ready to slide back into Billi's life, but she's met someone new: amber-eyed Mike, who seems to understand her like no one else and effortlessly stakes a claim on her heart.
But the Templars are called to battle before Billi can enjoy the thrilling new twist to her life. One of the order's ancient enemies has resurfaced, searching for a treasure that the Templars have guarded for almost a thousand years - King Soloman's cursed mirror, a source of unimaginable power. To save the lives of millions, Billi will have to put her heart aside and make sacrifices greater than she could have imagined."

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up Devil's Kiss. I'd heard widely varied reviews, but I was intrigued nonetheless. I've always loved fantastical stories that are rooted in truth and I was even more intrigued by the fact that the main character was female.

Devil's Kiss pulled me in right from the beginning. While I had a pretty good idea of who the villain would be, it wasn't definite, the story could have progressed in a couple different ways. I liked that it wasn't completely obvious.

I really enjoyed Billi as a protagonist. I could understand how she felt pulled towards being a participant in this epic battle between good and evil and, at the same time, her deep resentment toward the life she had been raised to lead. I felt that her relationship with her father was written particularly well. As the reasons behind her father's actions and demeanor were further explored, I really grew to like him - which I didn't think would happen when first intruduced to his character.

Devil's Kiss moved at a quick pace and I was interested throughout. I felt like, at some points, the plot could have slowed down a bit and Chadda could have added a bit more detail. Especially when it came to historical information about the Knights Templar and monsters they battle.

Always a romantic, I loved the relationship between Billi and Kay. I'm a fan of plot lines where friends turn to into more and I felt that Chadda wrote that aspect of the novel well.

My one complaint was the ending of the novel. I can't say more than that it left me disappointed without spoilers. I could see the ending like that of Devil's Kiss as necessary in some novels, but I didn't feel that it was for this particular novel. I kept hoping for some type of loop hole, but none appeared. I'm hopeful that the next book will bring some type of twist to change the ending in some way or another.

Ratings (Out of 10):
Plot: 8
Characters: 10
Writing: 10
Romance: 10
Originality: 9
Total: 47/50 (A-)

I'd definnitely recommend Devil's Kiss. I feel that it would appeal to readers who liked Rampant, as I felt that Devil's Kiss had a similar tone and feel. I can't wait to see what happens next to Billi... and I'm hoping for that twist!

Cover Alert: Heist Society by Ally Carter

Heist Society by Ally Carter (2/9/10, Disney Hyperion)

Any other student might have flinched in that bright spotlight, but from the moment Katarina Bishop had set foot on the Colgan campus, she'd been something of an enigma. Some said she'd gained her last-minute slot because she was the daughter of an incredibly wealthy European buisnessman who had made a very generous donation. Some looked at her perfect posture and cool demeanor, rolled her first name across their tongues, and assumed that she was Russian royalty--one of the last of the Romonovs.

Some called her a hero; others called her a freak.
Everyone had heard a different story, but no one knew the truth...

I adore Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls books and cannot wait until Heist Society is released. There aren't many authors that I love so much that I will rush out to get their books as soon as their book hits shelves, no matter what I've heard about it or how much it costs: Ally is one of those authors for me! It doesn't hurt that her books always have great plots, titles, AND cover art!

Waiting on Wednesday (11)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine!

Heist Society by Ally Carter (2/9/10 from Disney Hyperion)
"When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in history-or at least her family's (very crooked) history."

I can't even describe how much I NEED this book! I love Ally Carter's Gallagher Academy books and this one looks just as amazing. I'm a hugh fan of Alias and her books are basically Alias for teens! Eeek!

Review: Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter

Title: Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pub. Date: 2009
Genre: YA
Main themes: Spies, Spy School, Elections, Love, Family, Friendship
Pages: 263
Plot (from book jacket):
"When Cammie "The Chameleon" Morgan visits her roomate Macey in Boston, she thinks she's in for an exciting end to her summer break. After all, she's there to watch Macey's father accept the nomination for vice president of The United States. But when you go to the world's best school (for spies), "exciting" and "deadly" are never far apart. Cammie and Macey soon find themselves in a kidnappers' plot, with only their espionage skills to save them.
As her junior year begins, Cammie can't shake the memory of what happened in Boston, and even the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women doesn't feel like the safe haven it once did. Shocking secrets and old flames seem to lurk around every one of the mansion's corners as Cammie and her friends struggle to answer the questions Who is after Macey? And how an the Gallagher Girls keep her safe?
Soon Cammie is joining Bex and Liz as Macey's private security team on the campaign trail. The girls must use their spy training at every turn as the stakes are raised, and Cammie gets closer and closer to the shocking truth..."

I've been procrastinating doing this review for few days now... It isn't because it was a bad book, quite the contrary actually! I loved it! It is the perfect blend of boarding school drama, spies, romance, and mystery! It is just difficult to write a review for this book without saying: "Go read the first two!" I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You and Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy are both amazing books, but I think that this may have been my favorite one so far!

Cammie's aunt is a present throughout this installment of the series. Not only was she a pretty awesome character, I welcomed the knowledge and glimpses she gave the reader into Cammie's family and past. I feel like we will find out even more about that in the next book.

Speaking of the next book - I need to know what happens with Cammie and the guy in her life! I can't even give a name because if you haven't read book one and two, I don't want to ruin it for you! I'm totally in love with their love story. It is important to point out at this point that I am pretty much obsessed with the show Alias - so obsessed that I own all 5 seasons and have watched them multiple times. I may have cried when I watched the last episode... :S Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls books are basically Alias for a little bit younger crowd. Vaughn and Sydney from Alias? I'm as obsessed with Cammie and her love interest as I was with Vaughn and Sydney. There is just so much TENSION!

Ratings (Out of 10):
Plot: 10
Characters: 10
Writing style: 10
Romance: 10
Originality: 10

Total: 50/50 (A!)

Go out and read the Gallagher Girls books - they are some of my absolute favorite books! There is another book coming, but I haven't the slightest clue when (which drives me crazy because Ally Carter leaves you with questions and wanting more)!
I do know that Ally is writing a new series though. The first book is called Heist Society and comes out February 2010 from Hyperion. Here is a little blurb from GoodReads:
When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in history-or at least her family's (very crooked) history.

I want this book so badly! Perhaps if I were a thief/con man (or possibly a spy) I could just slip into Hyperion headquarters and steal the manuscript... alas, I am not... darn.

Waiting on Wednesday (8)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine!

I have two WoW books this week:



The Mark by Jen Nadol (January 19th from Bloomsbury)
"Sixteen-year old Cassie Renfield has seen the mark since forever: a glow around certain people as if a candle were held behind their back.

The one time she pointed it out taught her she shouldn't do it again, so Cassie has kept quiet, considering its rare appearances odd, but insignificant. Until she watches a man die. Mining her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person's imminent death. Now how or where, only when: today.

Cassie searches her past, her philosophy lessons, even her new boyfriend for answers, always careful to keep her secret. How does the mark work? Why her? Most importantly, if you know today is someone's last, should you tell?"

This looks so amazing! Another great looking supernatural read, but I'm especially interested in this one because of the last part of that summary: "if you know today is someone's last, should you tell?" Oooo.

And...



Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt (Disney Hyperion, March 2010)
"When a well-dressed woman steps out of a bubble and wants to know if you'd like to become a substitute princess, do you
A) run
B) faint
C) say yes?
For Desi Bascomb, who's been longing for some glamour in her Idaho life, the choice is a definite C). Desi has a rare ability: with the help of "Royal Rouge," she can temporarily transform into the exact look-alike of any princess who needs her subbing services. Dream come true, right?
Well, Desi soon discovers that subbing involves a lot more than wearing a tiara and waving at cameras.... In this winning debut, one girl's dream of glamour transforms into the desire to make a positive impact. And an impact Desi makes, one royal fiasco at a time."

I love the cover of this book! It is just too cute... Very cute plot as well, very like Princess Diaries, but with a little twist. I like the idea of substitute princesses. :)

Review: Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

Title: Bad Girls Don't Die
Author: Katie Alender
Publisher: Hyperion
Date Published: 2009
Genre: Young Adult
Main Themes: Family, Love, Hauntings, Spirits, Possession, Friendship
Pages: 346
Plot (from inside book jacket):
"Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existence: dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy, thirteen-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own antisocial, anti-cheerleader attitude.

When a family argument results in tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunctional to dangerous. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green; she uses odd, old-fashioned language - and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her weird behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves, water boils on the unlit stove, and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough for the girls to see their breath.

Alexis wants to believe it's all i her head, until these seeingly harmless occurences become life-threatening - to her, to her family, and to her budding relationship with the student council vice president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey; but what if taht green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?"

Bad Girls Don't Die was a great debut novel from Katie Alender! I really enjoyed the dialogue and characters. I think I liked the first half of the book better than the end though, as I felt that the end of the book was a bit rushed... At the beginning Alexis has a bit of a smart mouth and I found her conversations with Carter, the student council VP, to be amusing.

I also really enjoyed the haunting and possession aspects of this book, as I'm a big Supernatual (the CW show) fan! There were parts of this book that had me a little creeped out - like in the first chapter when Alexis is taking pictures. I used to be really into photography, so the idea of capturing a ghost on film is really spooky to me.

My one complaint about Bad Girls Don't Die is the fact that the last few chapters of the book seemed to be really rushed. I felt like there were many things that were glossed over or simply forgotten - like Alexis' parents relationship. I felt like that kind of detracted from the effect of the novel because I was left with a number of unanswered questions.

Ratings (out of 10):
Plot: 8
Characters: 10
Writing Style: 10
Romance: 10
Originality: 10

Total: 48/50 (A)

Overall, I felt like this was a really enjoyable novel and a very strong debut from Alender. I'm excited to see what she comes up with next. I wouldn't recommend buying this one though - it is kind of a one read kind of book, in my opinion.