Review - The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland...

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship Of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

SUMMARY:
Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn't . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.

With exquisite illustrations by acclaimed artist Ana Juan, Fairyland lives up to the sensation it created when the author first posted it online. For readers of all ages who love the charm of Alice in Wonderland and the soul of The Golden Compass, here is a reading experience unto itself: unforgettable, and so very beautiful.

REVIEW:
What a fun book! It's classic in the best way, reminding me of both The Wizard of Oz, and Alice in Wonderland, and it's got a modern touch with issues such as September's father gone to war.

The vocabulary and wordplay in this book is fantastic. I would give it high marks just for the sheer amount of new words a young reader is bound to pick up. Plus, the wordplay adds another level to the story that makes it fun for adults to read as well.

September is a spunky girl and a bit of a tomboy who doesn't quite realize how strong and brave she is, but as her adventures into the world of fairyland continue, her confidence in herself grows. What I loved most about this book is it's subtle way of getting it's "messages" across (I hate to use that word in the sense that it can sound like it's preachy, which it isn't, but I can't think of a better one) without making September's experiences feel like LESSONS. It is truly charming.

This is a great book for parents and kids to read together, especially because younger ones might find some of the words challenging, although I don't think they will be off-putting. If you're looking for a fun classic (in the best sense of the word) story, you should definitely check out THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKING!

Review - Her And Me And You by Lauren Strasnick

Her And Me And You by Lauren Strasnick -
3.5 out of 5 stars (release date )

Summary via goodreads.
First love, broken friendships, and heartache all play a part in this evocative, voice-driven novel about Alex, a girl whose world is ripped apart when her father’s affair splits her family in two.

Alex moves with her mess of a mother to a new town, where she is befriended by hot, enigmatic Fred—and alternately flirted with and cold-shouldered by Fred’s twin sister, Adina. Others warn Alex to steer clear of the twins, whose sibling relationship is considered abnormal at best, but there’s just something about Fred—and something about Adina—that draws Alex to them and makes her want to be part of their crazy world…no matter the consequences.


REVIEW:
First of all let me say that I recently finished Lauren Strasnick's debut novel NOTHING LIKE YOU and I LOVED it. It is easily one of my favorite reads so far this year. If you haven't read NOTHING LIKE YOU, you should definitely check it out!

Because of my love for Strasnick's first book, I had high hopes for HER AND ME AND YOU. I think she delivered when it comes to a complex, realistic character, stuck in a situation that has no easy answers. Alex is dealing with so many difficult issues: a father who completely let her down, a mother who can't cope, a best friend who's moving on without her, conflicting emotions about her sexuality, and being the new girl in town.

I loved that Alex was struggling to figure out who she was in so many ways. Is she the good girl? Does she like boys or girls? Does she need to fit in with the "right" group or the right group for her? All of this is handled realistically, and is well done.

When Fred and Adina enter the picture, things get interesting, twisty, and dark. I loved the dynamic between Fred and Adina, and the fact that Strasnick didn't shy away from Adina's serious mental health issues. I would've liked to have seen more development of Fred and Adina, and Alex's relationship with them. Fred and Adina, as well as Alex's parents and best friend Evie, all felt a bit underdeveloped. Mainly because they all had the potential to be so interesting and complex had we gotten to know them better.

What I love about Strasnick's books is that people don't get redeemed just because it's the end of the book. Just like in real life, not everything ends happily or gets resolved easily.

HER AND ME AND YOU is a very short book, written in spare prose. I would've loved to have seen the entire story fleshed out more, with a little more insight into everyone. That's where the book fell a bit flat to me. It was maybe a bit rushed. I think it says a lot about Strasnick's writing though, that I was left wanting more rather than the other way around. I'm already looking forward to her next book! If you love contemporary YA, I highly recommend you check out NOTHING LIKE YOU and HER AND ME AND YOU.

Cover: OMG I love this cover SO MUCH! Even better, it does actually fit the story, sort of.

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Plot: 3.5/5

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Review - The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson -
5 out of 5 stars

Summary via goodreads.
Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two.

Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.


REVIEW:
First let me start by saying I'm reviewing the UK version of this book. The UK version has a soft, leather-like cover and is bound like a journal. It features color photos of all the poems in their locations (written on trees, candy wrappers) and I understand the US version doesn't have that, which is a shame because I think it really elevates the book into a piece of art.


I loved this book. Although honestly, it took me a while to get into it. I love poetry, and poetic writing, but for whatever reason I found I had to sort of adjust to the way Lennie spoke. Once I did though, I was hooked. So if you start it and like me aren't fully sucked in immediately, stick with this book. It's worth it!

I loved how complicated, and messy, and beautiful and painful this story was. It has to be one of the best, most honest, and realistic portrayals of grief that I have ever read. I loved that Jandy Nelson didn't shy away from the raw emotions Lennie and Toby felt. Lennie and Toby's need to be close to the thing Bailey loved the most (each other), combined with her need to be comforted physically and emotionally is real and heartbreaking to watch. You want to shout at them and you want to give them a hug.

At first, Joe is almost too perfect, and a lot of times I find that unappealing, but just when you think Joe is so good he can't be real, his shell cracks (or really, Lennie finally takes a moment away from her own drama to really see him and what's going on around her) and Joe becomes as three-dimensional as everyone else.

I loved the strong family dynamic and that at the same time, Lennie, her grandma, and uncle didn't know how to be a family without Bailey. The subplot about Lennie's mother, the world-adventurer, also added depth.

Lennie's poems, found scattered around town add an emotional touch. They're placed perfectly, often revealing things that she won't admit to us or herself. I can't say enough how beautiful, and okay, cool it is to see them in the book they way they were written in the book. If you're worried this is a verse book, it's not. But the poems are definitely essential and often, very moving.

I think a lot of people would call this a "quiet" book and in many ways it is, but it's also a powerful, emotional, sensual even, story filled with tiny earthquakes, that shake Lennie to her core and force her to rebuild from scratch. THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE is a beautiful book about loss and love and choosing the life you want to lead.

Cover: As you can see, I have the UK cover posted above. I really really did not like the US version. So much so (and this is just me being weird) that I didn't want to read the book despite all the good reviews. When I found the UK version at The Book Depository I was stoked. (Plus I got it for only $6!)

Writing: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4.5/5

Overall Rating: 5/5

Review - The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger -
4.5 out of 5 stars (release date )

Summary via goodreads.
Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.


REVIEW:
Here's how I can explain how I feel about this book. I started it on a Saturday afternoon. I had plans to see a movie that evening and I was about 2/3 in when reluctantly put the book down to go. The entire time I was watching the movie, I kept thinking about Bianca and Wesley. I needed to know what happened! I fidgeted through the rest of my evening and then as soon as I got home, even though it was after 11pm, I grabbed the book and read until I'd finished.

So yeah, THE DUFF is a surprising page-turner! It's also surprising in its depth. It could've been easy to take this idea and focus only on the fun and sexy parts (and there are some very sexy parts), but there is so much more to the story. Both Bianca and Wesley are complex characters with a lot going on in their lives. They're real people who do and say things we might not like all the time. I love that in many ways, Bianca and Wesley should both be unlikable, but they're not.

Bianca's world is fully realized, and all the characters feel like real people. I love the way this book shows that everyone has problems that they're hiding or trying to deal with on their own. No one's life is perfect. This extends beyond Bianca and Wesley to minor characters like Bianca's friends and family.

As the story unfolds we come to see why Bianca is the way she is. And even better than that we see Bianca come to understand why she is the way she is. This to me is one of the best aspects of the book. Bianca begins to examine her own life and the way she sees herself and how that has impacted her decisions. She begins to open up, and take risks. She realizes that she can't handle everything on her own.

I know some people will get hung up on the sex angle, but there is so much more to this book.

For the most part, I totally loved this book. I had maybe one small issue with Wesley at the end of the book, but it's spoilery so I won't go into detail, and I can live with it.

Fair Warning: This book has swearing and sexual content. In my opinion it's not overly explicit but it definitely goes beyond kissing on the page. If that's not something you want to read, you've been warned.

Cover: LOVE the cover. Bianca looks a lot like the way I pictured her here. And the bubble blow just adds personality. I have an ARC of this book that I picked up at BEA and the cover isn't as cool as the final. I also love the colors on this one. The whole thing just really works as a whole. I would pick this up in the store in a heartbeat.

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Plot: 4.5/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Review - Freefall by Mindi Scott

Freefall by Mindi Scott -
4 out of 5 stars (release date October 5, 2010)

Summary via goodreads.
How do you come back from the point of no return?

Seth McCoy was the last person to see his best friend Isaac alive, and the first to find him dead. It was just another night, just another party, just another time where Isaac drank too much and passed out on the lawn. Only this time, Isaac didn’t wake up.

Convinced that his own actions led to his friend’s death, Seth is torn between turning his life around . . . or losing himself completely.

Then he meets Rosetta: so beautiful and so different from everything and everyone he's ever known. But Rosetta has secrets of her own, and Seth will soon realize he isn’t the only one who needs saving . . .


REVIEW:
I really liked this book! I don't have a whole lot to say beyond that, which sucks, I know. But I really liked this book a lot!

I love boy narrators, and I think Seth is one of the most realistic male voices I've read in a while. Seth is believable and relatable as he deals with the death of his best friend and the realization that due to his hard partying lifestyle, he might not have seen his friend and the things around him as clearly as he thought he did.

I love that Seth tries. He tries to find what's broken in his life and fix it, even when it's scary. I love his relationship with his family and Rosetta as well. It's appropriately complicated and his emotions and confusion about everyone in his life is right on. I especially enjoyed watching him grow as his budding relationship with Rosetta also grew.

What's great about this book is that all of the characters are fully realized and feel like real people. They're complex, particularly Rosetta and Kendall (who I think was my favorite character), and no one can be labeled as all bad or all good. The world of FREEFALL is also beautifully realized. I could really see the small Pacific Northwest town and get a sense of the types of people that lived there. (Plus, I always give bonus points to a character living in a trailer park and not being a cliche stereotype.)

There isn't a lot of "action" in FREEFALL but it still kept me flipping the pages, wanting to know what was going to happen next and how it all ends. If you like contemporary fiction, I highly recommend this book! Even if you think you don't like boy narrators, or "quiet" books. FREEFALL is a great debut and I look forward to seeing what Mindi Scott has coming next!

Cover: I think this is a really cool, eye-catching cover. I love the colors, the simplicity, and the sense of movement, and best of all, I think it's a cover a boy would not be embarrassed to be seen carrying.

Writing: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 3.5/5

Overall Rating: 4/5

Review - Grace by Elizabeth Scott

Grace by Elizabeth Scott -
3.5 out of 5 stars (release date September 16, 2010)

Summary via goodreads.
Grace was raised to be an Angel, a herald of death by suicide bomb. But she refuses to die for the cause, and now Grace is on the run, daring to dream of freedom. In search of a border she may never reach, she travels among malevolent soldiers on a decrepit train crawling through the desert. Accompanied by the mysterious Kerr, Grace struggles to be invisible, but the fear of discovery looms large as she recalls the history and events that delivered her uncertain fate.

REVIEW:
The world of this story is fascinating. In some ways I loved the way Elizabeth Scott gave us hints about what happened to make the world the way it is in the story. It's very organic, and just enough is revealed to allow you to understand what's happening and the dangers Grace faces. But at the same time, it left me wanting more. Much more. And I'm torn between whether that's really great or kind of frustrating.

GRACE is (again) a fascinating look into the mind of a girl trained to die. Not only is she meant to die, but because of her heritage, she's raised to believe she is worth less than even the other girls trained alongside her. Shunned by her family and much of the community Grace grows up secretly resenting her place in the community and her mission.

I loved the moment when Grace chose to live. I especially loved the way that decision affected her as she slowly came to understand the true ramifications of what she'd done. GRACE delves into some deep thoughts about responsibility, courage, and asks what's worth fighting for? Worth killing for? Worth dying for?

What's great is that while getting somewhat philosophical, GRACE still manages to keep the tension high. It's a testament to Elizabeth Scott's skill that a several days long train ride kept me on the edge of my seat!

Overall, I thought GRACE was a great story filled with mind-blowing revelations, relatable characters, and really interesting worldbuilding. I liked the ending but at the same time I wanted more. I wanted to spend a little bit more time getting to know Grace and Kerr and their world both before and after the end. Still, GRACE is a quick read that will definitely stick with you.

Cover: I like the idea of the cover - the clouds superimposed over the face relate well to the story - but the muted orange color is sort of drab to me.

Writing: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 3.5/5

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Review - Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton -
4 out of 5 stars (release date - November 15, 2010)

Summary via goodreads.
Teagan Wylltson's best friend, Abby, dreams that horrifying creatures--goblins, shape-shifters, and beings of unearthly beauty but terrible cruelty--are hunting Teagan. Abby is always coming up with crazy stuff, though, so Teagan isn't worried. Her life isn't in danger. In fact, it's perfect. She's on track for a college scholarship. She has a great job. She's focused on school, work, and her future. No boys, no heartaches, no problems.

Until Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives. Finn's a bit on the unearthly beautiful side himself. He has a killer accent and a knee-weakening smile. And either he's crazy or he's been haunting Abby's dreams, because he's talking about goblins, too . . . and about being The Mac Cumhaill, born to fight all goblin-kind. Finn knows a thing or two about fighting. Which is a very good thing, because this time, Abby's right. The goblins are coming.

REVIEW:
TYGER TYGER reminded me of the books I read when I was a kid, and I mean that in the best possible way! It's a classic fantasy-world adventure story like The Wizard of Oz or Alice in Wonderland with a modern, more grown-up twist. And just like the books that I read when I was little, I also learned a lot. TYGER TYGER is a wealth of fascinating information on Irish mythology, goblins, Irish Travelers and more.

Right from the beginning, TYGER TYGER is interesting and different. Teagan is not your average girl. She works at a zoo communicating in sign-language with apes after school, she's got her entire educational career planned out. Her family isn't average either. From her little brother's uncanny musical abilities, to her Irish Traveler mother who writes and illustrates creepy children's books about goblins.

Teagan's life is going pretty great until her mother agrees to take in Finn - a totally crush-worthy Traveler who speaks with an Irish accent despite having grown up on the streets of Chicago. Teagan and Finn's attraction is instant, magnetic, and literally, electric.

But Finn's arrival brings trouble. Finn's claims that he's the Mac Cumhaill of legend and that the creatures Teagan's mother paints are real are unsettling. Suddenly Teagan and her little brother are seeing strange creatures doing terrible things. And then tragedy strikes and one thing becomes clear. The goblins are coming. It's up to the three to journey into the world of her mother's stories on a rescue mission.

I loved so many things about this book. The yearning between Teagan and Finn, the world-building and the secondary characters. Teagan's Chicago is a realistic and gritty place. No one gets off easy. Being a Traveler isn't romanticized. And this is what makes TYGER TYGER so great - it's believable.

If there's any negative for me with this book, it's that I'm personally not a fan of cliffhanger endings, even in a planned trilogy. That's a matter of personal taste, but I would've liked a bit more resolution. Still, the set up is well-done and there's a promise of more adventure, and a deepening of the overall mystery. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book!

Cover: I like the colors a lot, and the sense of warmth and magic coming from the tree but the picture is a bit... fuzzy for my tastes. It was hard for me to tell at first what it was. After reading the book, it makes more sense why it is the way it is, but it didn't totally draw me in.

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4/5

Review - Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Firelight by Sophie Jordan -
4 out of 5 stars (release date September 7, 2010)

Summary via goodreads.

With her rare ability to breathe fire, Jacinda is special even among the draki—the descendants of dragons who can shift between human and dragon forms. But when Jacinda’s rebelliousness leads her family to flee into the human world, she struggles to adapt, even as her draki spirit fades. The one thing that revives it is Will, whose family hunts her kind. Jacinda can’t resist getting closer to him, even though she knows she’s risking not only her life but the draki’s most closely guarded secret.


REVIEW:
I'll be the first to admit that when I first heard about this book I was like, Dragons? Really? But then I read the blurb and I thought it sounded interesting although I still couldn't quite work out the whole "she turns into a dragon" thing. And then, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to read it. Especially once I started to see so many positive reviews, so I was THRILLED when I got a surprise copy in the mail from HarperTeen.

FIRELIGHT starts with exciting action that lets us know just what Jacinda and her people have at stake. They're hunted for their body parts and blood which is said to have magical properties. And Jacinda with her fire-breathing ability is the most wanted of all - and not just by hunters, her own people prize her above all others, too.

I was immediately sucked in to the story and from the moment Jacinda and Will met, I was rooting for them. Sophie Jordan does chemistry really well. You can feel Jacinda and Will's attraction and longing for each other. It practically drips off the page. Also, the kissing scenes? SO steamy!

What I love about the romance here, is that this story could've easily veered into Twilight territory and become a copycat, but despite the similar plot elements (the prey falls for the hunter and vice versa) FIRELIGHT is its own story. It has real depth by bringing in Jacinda's conflicted relationships with her non-manifesting twin sister and mother who want her to deny her true nature and live a normal life. And her changing feelings about her childhood friend (and intended) Cassian. As well as her confusion and frustration over wanting to go back to the one place she feels free and knowing that if she does, she could lose that freedom forever.

The characters, both major and minor are well-drawn here. No one is 100% bad or good. As the story unfolds, right up to the surprising, and thrilling climax at the end, we're forced to re-examine our opinions of almost everyone. I love that I can relate to and understand all the major players in this story. (Also, Will is dreamy.)

FIRELIGHT is the first in a trilogy that promises to be exciting, dramatic, and heartbreaking. I look forward to watching Jacinda's relationships play out both with Will and Cassian, and with her family and the draki people. I can't wait for the next book!

For those of you who are on the fence about this one, don't let the thought of yet another mythical creature keep you from reading FIRELIGHT. It's totally worth your time, and so much more than just a generic paranormal romance with a new creature inserted in it.


Cover: Love this cover! The hint of scales near her eye is really intriguing and after reading the book, I can also say that it's SO perfect.

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4/5

Review - Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver -
5 out of 5 stars

Summary via goodreads.
What if you had only one day to live?
What would you do?
Who would you kiss?
And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

REVIEW:
I LOVE THIS BOOK! Seriously. Love it! When I got to the last page I wanted to flip the book over and start all over again. It's that good!

Beautifully written, with a great, unique concept, this book haunted me for days after I finished it. I would think about what happened and I would just tear up. I was that attached to the characters and the world. BEFORE I FALL is an emotional read that never goes over the top to the sappy, or melodramatic place. Sam and her friends are beautifully rendered and I love that they are all flawed (as in realistic, three-dimensional people), and that Sam grows to see those flaws but doesn't love them any less. There's no moralizing here. No judgement, just real people trying their best to figure out how to live their lives.

BEFORE I FALL is by far one of my most favorite books that I've read this year. I could go on and on about this book, but that would just take time away from you that you should be using to read this book. Go, now! Get this book!

Cover: LOVE this cover! I was drooling over this book from the moment I saw it sometime last fall. I'm not sure what it is about the image really, that's so sort of captivating but it is. Even when after reading the book, you realize it doesn't really have much to do with the story at all. The book takes place in the winter and Sam isn't blonde - which I realize you can't really tell what color hair the girl has on the cover, it gives the impression that she's blonde. Anyway, it doesn't matter, the cover does it's job by totally evoking the emotion and feel of the book.

Writing: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5

Overall Rating: 5/5

Review - The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells

The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells -
4 out of 5 stars

Summary via goodreads.
"Sometimes I still wake up shivering in the early hours of the morning, drowning in dreams of being out there in the ocean that summer, of looking up at the moon and feeling as invisible and free as a fish. But I'm jumping ahead, and to tell the story right I have to go back to the very beginning. To a place called Indigo Beach. To a boy with pale skin that glowed against the dark waves. To the start of something neither of us could have predicted, and which would mark us forever, making everything that came after and before seem like it belonged to another life. My name is Mia Gordon: I was sixteen years old, and I remember everything..."

After getting dumped by her boyfriend, Mia is looking forward to spending a relaxing summer in the Hamptons with her glamorous cousins. But when she arrives she find her cousins distant, moody, and caught up with a fast crowd. Mia finds herself lonelier than ever, until she meets her next-door-neighbor, Simon Ross. And from the very first time he encourages her to go skinny dipping, she's caught in a current impossible to resist.

REVIEW:
I really enjoyed this book. Mia is easy to relate to and Simon is easy to fall for. I loved that this book was about more than just a romance. It was about Mia figuring out who she is and learning to love herself. I think almost everyone can relate to feeling inadequate or comparing themselves to those who seem "perfect" and feeling like they don't measure up. Mia's journey was believable, funny, and heartbreaking. And even though I saw the end coming from the very beginning, that did not in any way lessen the impact.

THE SUMMER OF SKINNY DIPPING is a sweet, emotional book with depth. It will definitely stay with you after you finish.

Cover: I like the cover. It has a nice summery feel.

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4/5

Review - The Light (Morpheus Road #1) by D.J. MacHale

The Light (Morpheus Road #1) by D.J. MacHale -
3.5 out of 5 stars

Summary via goodreads.
Marshall Seaver is being haunted. In the first installment of this chillingly compelling trilogy, sixteen-year-old Marshall discovers that something beyond our world is after him. The eerie clues pile up quickly, and when people start dying, it’s clear whatever this isit’s huge.

Marshall has no idea what’s happening to him, but he’s soon convinced that it has something to do with his best friend Cooper, who’s been missing for over a week. Together with Coop’s sister, Marsh searches for the truth about what happened to his friend, ultimately uncovering something bigger than he could ever have imagined


REVIEW:
First of all, I didn't know when I got this book that it's intended for younger readers (according to amazon it's for middle-schoolers). I think if I was in middle school I would've loved this book. It's creepy, it's gross, it's got a mystery and some genuine scares. I liked the concept of a character Marshall created coming to life. Overall, it starts out kind of slow, but picks up towards the last third or so. It sets up a lot of interesting stuff for the sequel (this is the first in a trilogy) which will probably be even better because all the set up has already happened.

Cover: The cover is okay. It works well for what the story's about.

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Plot: 3.5/5

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Review - Siren by Tricia Rayburn

Siren by Tricia Rayburn -
3 out of 5 stars

Summary via goodreads.
Seventeen-year-old Vanessa Sands is afraid of everything—the dark, heights, the ocean—but her fearless older sister, Justine, has always been there to coach her through every challenge. That is, until Justine goes cliff-diving one night near the family’s vacation house in Maine, and her lifeless body washes up on shore the next day.

Though her parents hope that they’ll be able to find closure back in Boston, Vanessa can’t help feeling that her sister’s death wasn’t an accident. After discovering that Justine was keeping a lot of secrets, Vanessa returns to Winter Harbor, hoping that Justine’s boyfriend might know more. But Caleb has been missing since Justine’s death.

Soon, it’s not just Vanessa who’s afraid. All of Winter Harbor is abuzz with anxiety when another body washes ashore, and panic sets in when the small town becomes host to a string of fatal, water-related accidents in which all the victims are found, horrifically, grinning from ear to ear.

Vanessa turns to Caleb’s brother, Simon, for help, and begins to find herself drawn to him. As the pair try to understand the sudden rash of creepy drownings, Vanessa uncovers a secret that threatens her new romance—and will change her life forever.


REVIEW:
This story had a very cool concept, with an intriguing mystery. I liked Vanessa and the way she grew throughout the story. I also really liked Simon and his growing relationship with Vanessa, I thought it was believable and emotional. I also felt like I got a good understanding of both Justine and Caleb despite their not being actively in the story as much.

Where the book fell a bit flat for me was in the plotting. I think there were too many things left out or sometimes I had trouble figuring out when and where things were happening. As the story reached the climax I felt like there was a lot of information missing about major plot points, particularly about Vanessa's heritage. Or things were revealed without explanation as to how they could've occurred. I'm guessing some of this information was intentionally left out because the ending leaves things open for a sequel, but I think I would've felt more satisfied had some of the mystery been explained in more detail.

The writing is nice though. I got a very strong sense of what Winter Harbor, Maine was like. I felt like I could envision everywhere they went which was great.

That said, this is a very interesting read that will keep pulling you along to ending, and the concept behind the story is unlike anything else out right now.

Cover: Very cool looking cover, though a bit spookier than the actual book. Also, Vanessa and her sister both have dark hair (as do all the major females in the story) so I'm not sure who it's supposed to be.

Writing: 3/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Plot: 3/5

Overall Rating: 4/5

Review - You Wish by Mandy Hubbard

You Wish by Mandy Hubbard -
4 out of 5 stars (release date August 5, 2010)

Summary via goodreads.
What if all your wishes really came true?

Kayla McHenry’s sweet sixteen sucks! Her dad left, her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy Kayla’s secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles, Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin’ do.

Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year’s supply of gumballs arrives. A boy named Ken with a disturbing resemblance to the doll of the same name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla’s wishes-past appear, they take her on a wild ride . . . but they MUST STOP. Because when she was fifteen? She wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her. And Ben is her best friend’s boyfriend.

REVIEW:
Don't let the hot pink cover and cupcake fool you, this book has depth!

While the tone of the cover design and the blurb might make you think this is a fun, fluffy book, it's so much more than that. Don't get me wrong, YOU WISH is a lot of fun. I actually laughed out loud a few times - which almost never happens. But, YOU WISH is also about a very real girl going through a difficult time.

I really enjoyed this book. Kayla is a very well-developed, three-dimensional girl with conflicting desires, fears and hopes. Her fears of losing her best friend, her stubborn determination to be different, and her painful crush on Ben add up to create a unique, believable character that I liked a lot. Her best friend Nicole, and her mother are also well-created. These are people you know, and understand. They all make mistakes, or make bad choices but they're human, and it's easy to see why they do these things. I think it can be so easy to take the "villain" route with a character but when you can make that character's motivations as easy to understand and as sympathetic as the "good guy" then you've done a great job.

What's great about this book is that even though I felt pretty confident that I knew how it was going to turn out, I still didn't know how it was going to get there and so I had to read the whole book in one night just to find out. YOU WISH will keep you guessing even when you think you know where it's going. Factor in an awesome, unique concept, an interesting setting (rural "cow town" Enumclaw, WA - Mandy Hubbard's home town), and even more interesting hobbies (dirt bikes anyone?) and you've got a great read!

Cover: I think the cover is cute and it does represent the story well, but it also comes off maybe a bit too cute, which might turn away some people who think this book is all fluff, which it isn't. I think if I saw this in the store, I might think it's too young for me, which is a shame.

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4.5/5

Overall Rating: 4/5

Review - A Love Story: Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner

A Love Story: Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner -
3.5 out of 5 stars


For months, Cass Meyer has heard her best friend Julia, a wannabe Broadway composer, whispering about a top-secret project. Then Julia is killed in a sudden car accident, and while Cass is still reeling from her death, Julia’s boyfriend and her other drama friends make it their mission to bring to fruition the nearly-completed secret project: a musical about an orphaned ninja princess entitled Totally Sweet Ninja Death Squad.

Cass isn’t one of the drama people. She doesn’t feel at home with Julia’s drama friends, and she doesn’t see a place for her in the play. Things only get worse when she finds out that Heather Galloway, the girl who made her miserable all through middle school, has been cast as the ninja princess.

Cass can’t take a summer of swallowing her pride and painting sets, so she decides to follow her original plan for a cross-country road trip with Julia. Even if she has a touring bicycle instead of a driver’s license, and even if Julia’s ashes are coming along in Tupperware.

Totally Sweet Ninja Death Squad is a story about friendship. About love. About traveling a thousand miles just to find yourself. About making peace with the past, and making sense of it. And it’s a story about the bloodiest high school musical one quiet suburb has ever seen.



This was a sweet book. It's told in chapters that alternate between the past and the present following both Cass's bike ride across the country and the setting up of Totally Sweet Ninja Death Squad.

Once I got past the idea that parents would actually let a 17-year-old girl ride her bike across the country by herself (which, honestly, was really hard for me to get over, especially once you see the kind of conditions she has to deal with, like camping in abandoned fields by the highway, alone, in a tiny tent) I was able to enjoy the story.

It drags a bit in the middle, but just when you're starting to wonder where the story is going, it picks back up and gives you a couple surprises. I thought the unfolding of the love story worked really well, and the grief everyone was dealing with was complex and real. All in all, this was a good book, you just have to stick with it to the end.

Cover: 4

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 3.5/5

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Review - Party by Tom Leveen

Party by Tom Leveen -
3.5 out of 5 stars


It's saturday night in Santa Barbara and school is done for the year. Everyone is headed to the same party. Or at least it seems that way. The place is packed. The beer is flowing. Simple, right? But for 11 different people the motives are way more complicated. As each character takes a turn and tells his or her story, the eleven individuals intersect, and reconnect, collide, and combine in ways that none of them ever saw coming.


I was really attracted to the idea of this book. One night told through the eyes of eleven different people sounded cool. It turned out that it worked pretty well. Each character that narrates only has one chapter and the night moves more or less forward as each chapter progresses although sometimes a narrator will start their story earlier in the night and then move forward to whereever the last narrator left off at the party.

Some of the chapters were really great, with a fully realized narrator giving us insight into their lives as well as the party itself. Morrigan is one who stuck out to me as particularly authentic and complex. When Leveen is on, he's really on, painting portraits of kids that you feel like you know. Unfortunately, not every chapter is as interesting. There's a lot of internal dialogue in each chapter and some of them are fascinating while others are kind of boring. Several of the boy characters are very similar in voice and with eleven characters, I had a hard time keeping track of who was who and who did what. Especially because one character would mention something in passing that would involve a character that had already narrated, but never got to that point in the night. I did a lot of flipping back and forth to see who said what, when which was a little frustrating - but that's just me. You might be able to follow along much better than I did!

At the very beginning Party sets up a sort of "mystery" that you then read through the whole book to get to, with lots and lots of other stuff unfolding along the way. It was enough of a set up to keep me reading but there were some chapters I wanted to skim or skip over just to find out the ending. Overall I would say this is an ambitious effort that's handled well and populated with some of the most realistic teens I've seen in YA in a while.

Cover: I think the cover is a good representation of what's in the book and it's eye catching. If anything, with all the white in the background, it makes the photos seem like they're posed, which is kind of weird but other than that, it's a pretty cool cover.

Writing: 3.5/5
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 3.5/5

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Review: The Rise of Renegade X byChelsea M. Campbell

The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea M. Campbell -
5 out of 5 stars


Damien Locke knows his destiny--attending the university for supervillains and becoming Golden City's next professional evil genius. But when Damien discovers he's the product of his supervillain mother's one-night stand with--of all people--a superhero, his best-laid plans are ruined as he's forced to live with his superhero family.

Going to extreme lengths (and heights), The Rise of Renegade X chronicles one boy's struggles with the villainous and heroic pitfalls of growing up.


I LOVE THIS BOOK! Seriously! It's funny - really, really funny. It's action-packed. It's got angst-filled romance and life changing decisions. In short it's just awesome.

There aren't a lot of books that can make me laugh out loud, but this one had me embarrassing myself in the waiting room of the Toyota service center more than once.

Damien is one of the funniest characters I've come across in a long time. What makes him so great is his skewed way (to most us) of looking at the world. He was raised to be a villain and his take on "good deeds" and heroic actions are as fascinating as they are funny. It was a lot of fun to be inside his head as he tried to reconcile being a villain with being a good person.

While the story sounds deceptively high concept, there is a lot going on here. Damien struggles with the meaning of family, and how to love someone when they let you down, all while trying to figure out who he is and who he's going to be. All the main characters in this story are well-drawn and fleshed out. Damien's relationships with Kat, Sarah, his parents and newfound siblings are all realistic. As is the world of Golden City, a place where tourists visit with the hope of being mugged by a supervillain and saved by a superhero.

I could go on and on about how much I love this book, but that would keep you from going out and getting your own copy. What are you waiting for? Go! Now!

Cover: I think this cover is perfect despite the fact that if you read the book you'll know that that specific image would never happen. Still, I think it gives off that superhero (or supervillain) vibe and the comic book-like look lets you know it's not going to be all serious drama.

Writing: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5

Overall Rating: 5/5

Review - Split by Swati Avasthi

Split by Swati Avasthi
4.5 out of 5 stars

Sixteen-Year-Old Jace Witherspoon arrives at the doorstep of his estranged brother Christian with a re-landscaped face (courtesy of his father’s fist), $3.84, and a secret.

He tries to move on, going for new friends, a new school, and a new job, but all his changes can’t make him forget what he left behind—his mother, who is still trapped with his dad, and his ex-girlfriend, who is keeping his secret.
At least so far.

Worst of all, Jace realizes that if he really wants to move forward, he may first have to do what scares him most: He may have to go back. First-time novelist Swati Avasthi has created a riveting and remarkably nuanced portrait of what happens after. After you’ve said enough, after you’ve run, after you’ve made the split — how do you begin to live again? Readers won’t be able to put this intense page-turner down.


While I wouldn't exactly call this an "intense page-turner", I really liked this book. Jace's voice is very authentic and so are the situations he finds himself in.

This book doesn't sugarcoat and I love that. There's no guarantee that everything is going to turn out perfectly after the book ends, but you have hope for all the characters.

My heart broke for Jace and his efforts to work through his issues on his own, while learning to trust other people. That his experiences have built up anger and fear to the point that he needs real help, just makes me like him more. I think it's a testament to Swati Avasthi's skill as a writer that when Jace's "secret" is revealed I still care about him without feeling manipulated to do so.

This book is honest and sometimes painful to read without ever being over the top. I was still thinking about Jace a couple days after I finished which to me, means it's a great book!

Cover: The cover is just eh, to me. The colors are dull and I don't think the keys really convey the depth and emotion of the book. It's kind of a cool looking image, but I don't think it would make me stop and pick up the book in the store. It might work well at getting boys to read it though, since there's nothing girly about it at all, which is a good thing.

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Review - Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus
3 out of 5 stars

His love captivated her... his secrets might kill her.

Since her sister’s mysterious death, Persephone “Phe” Archer has been plagued by a series of disturbing dreams. Determined to find out what happened to her sister, Phe enrolls at Devenish Prep in Shadow Hills, Massachusetts—the subject of her sister’s final diary entry.

After stepping on campus, Phe immediately realizes that there’s something different about this place—an unexplained epidemic that decimated the town in the 1700s, an ancient and creepy cemetery, and gorgeous boy Zach—and somehow she’s connected to it all.

But the more questions she asks and the deeper she digs, the more entangled Phe becomes in the haunting past of Shadow Hills. Finding what links her to this town…might cost her her life.


I don't like to give negative reviews so I'll just say that this book didn't do it for me. While I liked the main character Phe, and several of the minor characters, I just didn't enjoy the plot the way I thought I would. Without spoiling anything I'll say that Shadow Hills is an odd mix of science and mythology that with the little explanation provided don't really mesh together well.

This story had so much potential but I didn't feel that it quite reached it. Intriguing mysteries were set up only to be solved with no effort whenever the plot required it. Help/solutions magically appear without explanation whenever Phe is in danger.

Romance fans will enjoy this book. The relationship between Phe and Zach is believable, and I cared about them. I felt most of the characters were well-drawn and interesting. They felt real. Overall, Shadow Hills is a good debut. I expected Anastasia Hopcus's books will only get better.

Cover: The cover is sort of cool looking but I have no idea what it is (orange smoke?) or what it has to do with the book. It doesn't give any sense of the spookiness of the town or the romance or anything else. I also don't think the tagline "His love captivated her... his secrets might kill her." is really representative of the story.

Writing: 2.5/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 2.5/5

Overall Rating: 3/5

Review - The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard

The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard -
5 out of 5 stars

Colt and Julia were secretly together for an entire year, and no one—not even Julia’s boyfriend— knew.

They had nothing in common, with Julia in her country club world on Black Mountain and Colt from down on the flats, but it never mattered. Until Julia dies in a car accident, and Colt learns the price of secrecy. He can’t mourn Julia openly, and he’s tormented that he might have played a part in her death.

When Julia’s journal ends up in his hands, Colt relives their year together at the same time that he’s desperately trying to forget her. But how do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place?

I LOVED THIS BOOK! Loved it. I seriously don't have much to say other than that. It was one of the most moving, and real books I've read in a long time.

I hate to use cliche words like "gritty" because it doesn't really describe this book, and yet, Colt is not a rich kid. He lives in a town literally divided by class (and a mountain) and his world is so vividly described. As someone from a small town (not a suburb) I could really relate to his world and I loved the way it was described.

Colt is a beautiful character and I loved being inside his mind while he read through Julia's diary entries and tried to sort through his feelings. His confusion and heartbreak are perfectly rendered here. This is such a great book. If you haven't picked it up yet, you're really missing out.

Cover: LOVE the cover! The cover of this book is one of the things that drew me to it. I love all the dark space with just the hint of the couple at the bottom. It looks sort of secretive and the way they're almost out of the frame gives a sense of motion and loss, like that moment is already drifting away from us. It really sets the tone of the book. Plus on the actual book it has a sort of velvety texture which is cool.

Writing: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5

Overall Rating: 5/5

Review - Hourglass (Evernight #3) by Claudia Gray

Hourglass (Evernight #3) by Claudia Gray -
3.5 out of 5 Stars

Bianca will risk everything to be with Lucas.

After escaping from Evernight Academy, the vampire boarding school where they met, Bianca and Lucas take refuge with Black Cross, a fanatical group of vampire hunters. Bianca must hide her supernatural heritage or risk certain death at their hands. But when Black Cross captures her friend—the vampire Balthazar—hiding is no longer an option.

Soon, Bianca and Lucas are on the run again, pursued not only by Black Cross, but by the powerful leaders of Evernight. Yet no matter how far they travel, Bianca can't escape her destiny.

Bianca has always believed their love could survive anything . . . but can it survive what's to come?


When I read the first Evernight book, I went in with low expectations. I kinda thought, okay, another vampire book. Everything in it seemed so obvious at first, but then, it wasn't! Claudia Gray has a really great knack for making you think you know where a story is going, and then turning the whole thing upside down without ever making it feel forced or like it was just for effect. Because of this, I really liked both Evernight and Stargazer, and I had high expectations for Hourglass.

Hourglass is a good book. I loved the deepening of Lucas and Bianca's relationship and the fact that they faced tough, heartbreaking choices. The only thing I wasn't as into about this book is that there's less action and a lot more time spent on the day to day. It was a necessary occurrence given the things Lucas and Bianca are going through, but it slowed things down a bit for me.

Claudia Gray has one heck of a story in this series and while I wasn't totally happy with how things ended for Lucas and Bianca (this is on a total fan level like I love them and I want everything to be perfect for them, and not at all a comment on the writing itself) I'm very interested to see how this whole story comes to a close.

Hourglass sets a lot of big changes in motion and I can't wait to see how things come together in Afterlife.

Cover: I have never been a huge fan of the Evernight covers, I just don't think they represent the book well at all. You don't get any sense of how exciting and twisty the books are. This is definitely my least favorite cover. I think it's because you can see the girl's face so well. Bianca is a 17-year-old redhead. The woman on the cover looks old, and nothing like the way Bianca is described. Plus she looks kinda mad. It just, doesn't work for me. I love the font though!

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3.5/5