My Caitlin and I'm traveling this messed up world one book at a time. High school student, softball fanatic, and looking forward to talking with you here!
I'm a reader of mostly YA books.Nice to meet you. If you want to contact me, leave me a comment or send me an email at: VanillaMusic15@aol.com.
Title: Playing Hurt Author: Holly Schindler Publisher: Flux Publication Date: March 8, 2011 Pages: 303
Summary: Star basketball player Chelsea "Nitro" Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college-and everyone's admiration in her hometown. But everything changed senior year, when she took a horrible fall during a game. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family.
As a graduation present, Chelsea's dad springs for a three-week summer "boot camp" program at a northern Minnesota lake resort. There, she's immediately drawn to her trainer, Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player who's haunted by his own traumatic past. As they grow close, Chelsea is torn between her feelings for Clint and her loyalty to her devoted boyfriend back home. Will an unexpected romance just end up causing Chelsea and Clint more pain-or finally heal their heartbreak?
Review: Chelsea is the all-star player of her high school basketball game and now in her senior year with the plan of going to college on a full scholarship. But after a terrible accident that leaves her not only unable but terrified to play basketball, she’s stuck in a life where she has no idea where she belongs. Clint is a nature loving, formal hockey star that does anything he can to stay way from the sports he once loved.
There should really be more sports related books in the YA area! I mean teens love sports (myself included) and it can really open up your audience! I feel like anyone one’s whose ever been severely injured while playing sports will feel a real connection to this book. It’s tough being taken away from the thing you love to do most and that happens to both Chelsea and Clint.
The stories of why they don’t continue on with the lives they had while playing sports are completely different but both heartbreaking and legit reasons that happen to people all around the world. The relationship that develops between Chelsea and Clint is believe and a very supporting one. Both need each other at this time and they are just so funny together!
Overall, Playing Hurt is an excellent book that I hope will show the true value of adding things such as sports into the plot and how wonderful it can be to find someone that truly understands you.
Title: Possession Author: Elana Johnson Publisher: Publication Date: Pages: June 7th, 2011 Source: Simon&Schuster Challenge: Debut author challenge
Summary:
Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.
But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.
This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play
Review:
Intense. Captivating. Imaginative.
Possession has really given me a lot to think about. Compared to all the other blossoming dystopian novels coming out, it has something so special and different from them. The entire story was an adventure from page one until the every end. Ms. Johnson created a world that was not only creative, but so realistically built that I felt that it could possibly be what the future has in store.
I loved the main characters, Vi and Jag. Their personalities were definitely one of the shining qualities that made reading their dialogue so enjoyable. Jag was so different from other male characters in YA I’ve seen that I was at first shocked by it. Secretive and funny yet sensitive and fearful. And also had very awesome hair, haha. I think I have a major crush development!
Vi was a great character to see through. She definitely had a month on her and I loved that! She was a strong and independent heroine that played by her own rules. Through the whole book there are twist and turns. It seemed as of secrets and lies were the structure to everyone’s life. Possession is a book about a so called good girl gone bad in all the right ways. It’s a world that will leaving you wanting more. I know I do!
Title: The Sky Is Everywhere Author: Jandy Nelson Publisher: Speak Publication Date: March 22, 2011 Pages: 288 Source: Bought Challenge: none
Summary: 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.
This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie’s struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.
Review: The Sky is Everywhere could not have been a better book, I believe. Of all the contemporary fiction I’ve read it has to be one of the most heartfelt, agonizing, relatable books I have ever picked up. It’s incredible how much emotion Ms. Nelson was able to put on merely 270 so pages.
Lennie’s sister has just pasted away and now she is living in a life where it doesn’t seem right to live. The ever haunting memory of her sister lingers everywhere she goes and grief very nearly consumes her completely, until she meets Joe. The new boy in town who, unlike everyone else, didn’t know the Lennie when her sister was alive. He brings with him a breathe of fresh air that temporarily allows Lennie to breath without a pain in her chest. But then there is Tony, her sister’s boyfriend, who Lennie relates to more then anyone else. They both feel the terrible loss and pain and being together seems to be the only thing that keeps Bailey alive to them…
The story was really a roller coaster with too many pit falls with one emotional scene after an other. Lennie was such and incredible character. I found myself easily in her foots many times. The theme of music and poems weaves through the book and the results is a raw story of a girl who lost her sister, falls in love, and tries to find a way in and out of a world where the sky seems to be everywhere.
Title: XVI Author: Julia Karr Publisher: Puffin/Speak Publication Date: January 6, 2011 Pages: 325 Source: Bought Challenge: Debut Author Challenge
Summary: Nina Oberon's life is pretty normal: she hangs out with her best friend, Sandy, and their crew, goes to school, plays with her little sister, Dee. But Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council-ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world—even the most predatory of men—that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past—one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer.
Review: What a stunning book. With all the dystopian novels coming out now in YA this one definitely stands out among them. Nina is around the age were all her friends are becoming sixteen, which, in her world, means teens are ready for sex. But with her mother’s rebellious words and her mysteriously killed father Nina soon finds out that there is more to the Governing Council then everyone knows.
Julia Karr’s book takes you into a rather fearful future, where the young is marked at sixteen that they can have sex. It’s an interesting concept, one that some authors would shy away from in the YA department but Karr embraces it and uses it to her advantage. Though it is in no way what the book in centered on. It is really just the base of the corruption that is being fed into the minds of the people. And as Nina uncovers secrets from her past and new friend that share her belief she soon discovers that she may not be allow in her fight against the government.
I also really enjoyed Sal. He was a great character and his personality just entertained me. He added a lot to the story along with Nina’s other friends and the sad conclusion to the book will leave you heart broken and eager to seeing the end to the world where no one – marked or not – is safe.
Summary: Dancia Lewis is far from popular. And that's not just because of her average grades or her less-than-glamorous wardrobe. In fact, Dancia's mediocrity is a welcome cover for her secret: whenever she sees a person threatening someone she cares about, things just...happen. Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt. So Dancia does everything possible to avoid getting close to anyone, belieiving this way she can supress her powers and keep them hidden.
But when recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy show up in her living room to offer her a full scholarship, Dancia's days of living under the radar may be over. Only, Delcroix is a school for diplomats' kids and child geniuses--not B students with uncontrollable telekinetic tendencies. So why are they treating Dancia like she's special? Even the hottest guy on campus seems to be going out of his way to make Dancia feel welcome.
And then there's her mysterious new friend Jack, who can't stay out of trouble. He suspects something dangerous is going on at the Academy and wants Dancia to help him figure out what. But Dancia isn't convinced. She hopes that maybe the recruiters know more about her "gift" than they're letting on. Maybe they can help her understand how to use it...But not even Dancia could have imagined what awaits her behind the gates of Delcroix Academy.
Review: I’d been really looking forward to reading Delcroix Academy ever since a friend of mine recommended it to me. Now, with all the books I’ve read there are quite a few that take place in boarding schools and academies where the children are usually unsupervised and there because they all have special powers or something. Well, with Delcroix Academy the students there do have very skilled talents but ones that any one of you could have. It’s an interesting concept on people that excel in talents more than others. I really enjoyed seeing how it worked in with the book and Dancia.
The unknown is a strong element in the book. You can’t really trust anyone through out the entire book but it leaves you guessing the motives of each person. Dancia was a fun person to read through. Cam and Jack were so different from each other that it set up a hard chose for Dancia to pick from (but I’m a Jack fan^^).
Overall, Dexcroix Academy is a great read that introduces a new twist to a person’s skills and questioning who you can really trust or love.
Title: Firelight Author: Sophie Jordan Publisher: HarperTeen Publication Date: Sept 10, 2010 Pages: 323 Source: borrowed Challenge: none
Summary: A hidden truth. Mortal enemies. Doomed love.
Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.
Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.
Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.
Review:Firelight truly surprised me with it’s incredible story! I never really thought I’d be into the whole human’s-shifting-into-dragons thing but it was so cool to get out into a different world from werewolfs and fairies and any of the other million of things you want to name. Firelight definitely stands out among them and I’m craving more!
Firelight was a good take on the whole Romeo and Juliet concept. The hunter falls for the hunted. I say it was a “good take” on the whole impossible love concept because there are stories where they try to make it seem like it’d be impossible to be together but, really, there is a clear why around it. With Will and Jacinda I have no freaking clue how they are going to work things out and I wish them the best! The characters in the story were really awesome and well-described. I loved that Jacinda had the ability to breath fire (it made for some hilarious moments) and the whole mystery surrounding Will definitely pulled you through some loops and I loved how it all worked out (even though it ending in a pretty devastating way)!
Really if you’re looking for a new kind of paranormal story make sure to check out Firelight. If not for the fact that it’s an incredible story with great characters, do it for the fact that smoke comes out of Jacinda’s nose when Will’s around. xD
Title: I Am Number Four Author: Pittacus Lore Publisher: HarperCollins Publication Date: August 3, 2010 Pages: 440 Source: Bought Challenge: none
Summary: In the beginning they were a group of nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorian. Nine aliens who scattered on Earth. Nine aliens who look like ordinary teenagers living ordinary lives, but who have extraordinary, paranormal skills. Nine aliens who might be sitting next to you now.
The Nine had to separate and go into hiding. The Mogadorian caught Number One in Malaysia, Number Two in England, and Number Three in Kenya. All of them were killed. John Smith, of Paradise, Ohio, is Number Four. He knows that he is next.
I AM NUMBER FOUR is the thrilling launch of a series about an exceptional group of teens as they struggle to outrun their past, discover their future—and live a normal life on Earth. I AM NUMBER FOUR. I AM NEXT
Review: I Am Number Four was so much fun to read! One of the first things I thought about it was that both a girl a boy would enjoy the book with it’s action and romance mix. There were so many elements to it that make me just fall in love with the characters and the unique story lines draws you right in.
“John” or so what his name is for the moment is an alien from the planet Lorien which was taken over by other aliens and he, along with eight other children, were able to get away in time to survive and make it to Earth. They are now scattered all through out Earth and the Mogadorians are hunting them down and killing them off one by one. Number three was just killed, and Number Four is next and now that they are all developing their powers the Mogadorians are even more impatient to see them done with.
Like I said, a truly amazing book! The characters were so enjoyable to read about, especially Sam! The romance between John and Sarah was nice and I loved the relationship between John and Henri, his guardian from Lorien. They had a special bond that showed clearly through the writing. The action scenes were fun to read and sometimes a bit gory but nothing too rough. Overall, I Am Number Four is an action packed adventure with secrets and love that will entertain anyone looking for a new world to explore!
Title: Brightly Woven Author: Alexandra Bracken Publisher: EgmontUSA Publication Date: March 23, 2010 Pages: 354 Source: won Challenge: none
Summary: Sydelle Mirabil is living proof that, with a single drop of rain, a life can be changed forever. Tucked away in the farthest reaches of the kingdom, her dusty village has suffered under the weight of a strangely persistent drought. That is, of course, until a wizard wanders into town and brings the rain with him.
In return for this gift, Wayland North is offered any reward he desires—and no one is more surprised than Sydelle when, without any explanation, he chooses her. Taken from her home, Sydelle hardly needs encouragement to find reasons to dislike North. He drinks too much and bathes too little, and if that isn’t enough to drive her to madness, North rarely even uses the magic he takes such pride in possessing. Yet, it’s not long before she realizes there’s something strange about the wizard, who is as fiercely protective of her as he is secretive about a curse that turns his limbs a sinister shade of black and leaves him breathless with agony. Unfortunately, there is never a chance for her to seek answers.
Along with the strangely powerful quakes and storms that trace their path across the kingdom, other wizards begin to take an inexplicable interest in her as well, resulting in a series of deadly duels. Against a backdrop of war and uncertainty, Sydelle is faced with the growing awareness that these events aren’t as random as she had believed—that no curse, not even that of Wayland North, is quite as terrible as the one she herself may carry.
Rating: 5 stars!
Review:
Sydelle lives in a land where it hasn’t rained in years but one mysterious day when rain starts to fall from the sky Sydelle meets a suspicious and handsome warlock in the mountains of her land. It is then that her village is attacked by solders from another country and everything start to unravel. Sydelle soon finds out that the warlock, Wayland, has requested that she go on a journey with him to the palace where the Queen resides to stop the growing war. Now, Sydelle, with her talented weaving skills and determination, sets out with Wayland, a mysterious and cocky warlock that gives her more questions then answers to his intentions.
Wow, this was really an incredible book! It had so many elements to it that made it such an enjoyable read that I stayed up way later then I should have to finish it. I must say that I wish there were more single novel fantasy books out there. I love my trilogies but the waiting it a kill. And what made this story so wonderful was that Ms. Bracken was able to create her world world and tell a complete start to finish story in just one book. That takes incredible skills I think.
The characters were very good. I enjoyed Sydelle and how she never put up with Wayland’s odd behavior. Wayland was a very interesting character and he knew how to make me laugh. The romance between them was subtle and worked very well. The ending took a very unexpected turn and I loved it! It was an overall well-written, fantasy filled novel and I can not wait for more of Alexandra’s work!
Title: A Touch Mortal Author: Leah Clifford Publisher: GreenWillow Books Publication Date: February 22, 2011 Pages: 336 Source: Different Area Codes Tour Challenge: Debut Author Challenge
Summary:Eden didn’t expect Az.
Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings. Yeah. So long happily-ever-after.
Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven. She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else’s game. Her heart is her own. And that’s only the beginning of the end.
Rating: 4 Stars
Review:
This book totally twisted with my mind! It was nothing like I expected it to be but it a good way. Eden was an extremely interesting character and the whole concept of the book was one I’ve never seen explored. Trust me, the summary does not do it justice.
We first meet Eden on the beach and it’s there that we also meet Az and Gabriel. The beginning of the story is the love development between Az and Eden but then turns horribly wrong when Az’s true identity is revealed and has a terrible accident that forces Eden to take drastic measures and kill herself. It is then that she becomes a Sider, which is a nickname for a person who has committed suicide, and discovers that while trying to escape from life she discovers a whole new one of her own. And one that seems much more dangerous then when she was alive.
Really, this is a very interesting story. There are many different characters and places that you get to experience. There is also an undertone of horror that takes place in the story. I didn’t see that coming and touches of slight horror in YA is something I’d love to see more of. We can take it!
The romance is really complicated by the end of the book. There have been liars and tricksters and you see that who you once trusted were the people against you. New York was definitely the perfect setting for this book.
Overall, with this story you get to explore a whole new New York where maybe the rude attitudes of those New Yorkers come from something not human.
Title: Across the Universe Author: Beth Revis Publisher: Razorbill Published Date: January 11, 2011 Pages: 398 Source: ARC For review from LibraryThing Challenge: Debut Author Challenge
Summary:
A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.
Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.
Rating: 5 stars!
Review:
Incredible. Truly and whole-heartedly a work of YA genius! Across The Universe was above and beyond what I expected from it! Time and time again I continue to ask myself what will happen once the YA genre becomes too repetitive with the same story lines and situations, but this is a book that honestly gives me hope that no matter how many books are published that the wonderful and creative minds of the authors out there will not fail in bringing us truly amazing tales.
Across The Universe takes place many decades in the future on the spacecraft, Godspeed. After being frozen for the 300 year trip to a new planet with her parents, Amy is suddenly awoken 50 years early then scheduled and brought into a world that leaves her trapped in metal and stars. Elder is the Godspeed’s future leader. He is being trained by Eldest to be able to take over the ship and run it’s people but everything changes when he comes across a beautiful girl with flaming red hair frozen in a tube of ice.
And so that is how our story is started but we are far from the awesomeness being over. There is something not right going on on Godspeed and we are put through an epic adventure of uncovering it’s secrets layer by layer. There were so many shocking twisted and turned in the book I had whiplash! I loved Elder’s character. He was just like any rebellious teen who had too much responsibilities resting on his shoulders. With the points of views switching between Amy and Elder we were able to get insight on both of them and so I would like to applaud Ms. Revis for her writing of Elder’s mind. There are books that I read from a teen boy’s perspective where not even the slightest inappropriate thought would go in there mind about a girl or whatnot. I’m a high schooler and know that the boy’s minds are far from clean. I’m not saying that Elder thoughts were dirty but they were definitely suggestive ;) I also LOVED Harley! Nothing else needs to be said, read the book to found out his amazing, heart-breaking story.
Overall, I just loved this book! With the original plot and mystery and love all mixed together you could not have made me happier while reading it. Make sure to pick up this book, it’s a story dying to be told. ______________________________________________________
Title:Last Sacrifice Author: Richelle Mead Publication Date: December 7, 2010 Publisher: Razor Bill Pages: 594 Source: Bought from store
Summary: Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules.
She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir’s Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir Princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardian to come.
Now the law has finally caught up with Rose- for a crime she didn’t even commit. She’s in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She’ll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.
But the clock on Rose’s life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back… and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your life is about saving others, who will save you
Rating: 5 stars
Review:
I can remember the first time I picked up Vampire Academy and thought it’s be just another vampire series. I soon found out how wrong I was and got sucked into Rose’s world. I was hooked and never looked back. And now, having just read the last book in the series, I’m so sad to see it over, though this could not have been a greater ending to a wonderful series.
Rose and the crew are back. With Rose having been jailed to allegedly murdering the queen, beginning quickly takes off with a crafty escape plan by her friends. Now, Rose and Dimitri take off to a safe place to stay hidden until Lissa & Co. come find the real murder. Though, who has known Rose to be one to sit back and let others do the dirty work?
I don’t think I could have loved this book any more. There was actions (as always), romance (hell yes there was), and a mystery that had to trusting no one. While Rose, Dimitri, and Sydney searched for Lissa’s lost half-sibling, we are trying to put the clues together as to who really murdered the queen. In the end I was put into shock more the a number of times and mead did a wonderful job at cluing in while not giving away.
The only thing that made me upset about the book was with Adrian. I won’t say too much, but I’ll say that I love him and I hope his heart can heal.
Overall, I honestly wish there was more to come in the series, it was the epitome of epicness. I enjoyed the wild, emotional roller coaster that I shared with Rose. It will stay with me forever.
Summary: Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.
Review:
Carrie Ryan’s book really puts a definition on what I expect from a wonderful story. There was suspenseful action, believable romance, and heart-gripping horror. We are taken through Gabry’s journey of finding out who she is in such a messed up world that is becoming more dangerous by the day. It makes you wonder how you would survive living in the world where your every move is surrounded by the undead.
The Dead-Tossed Waves, I would say, is better than the first book. Not that I didn’t love The Forest of Hands and Teeth, I just felt like there was a better connection I made with Gabry than Mary. There was more action in this book and it’s all epic and all begins on the very first pages. Also, Carrie did something that I was deeply impressed by because I have come across very few authors who could do so, but she made me fall in love with one guy and hope for Gabry’s romantic relationship to be with him, but she then brought in anther guy that I fall for. Love triangles are tricky, but she pulled it off flawlessly and there was a real struggle for who Gabry should go for. The way Carrie can tell a story is so graphic and real it really brought the story to life. There was never a dull moment while reading and I greatly am looking forward to the next in the series to see where Gabry’s journey continues! I loved this book’s every word and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves an epic adventure and seeing how love can be found in even the darkest of times.
Summary: Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.
Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.
Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.
Overall: 5 Stars!
Review:
He’s watching you. Out there, somewhere. Waiting for you to be alone, show a moment of vulnerability. Hiding in the shadows, blending into the darkness. Hunting you… Will he carry your echo?
Echoes, the aura of the dead that are left behind from a person who had been killed and it is Violet Ambrose who has the morbid ability to sense them. Ever since she was a little girl she had sense the echoes of died animals scattered through out the forests near her house but it’s one day she stumbles upon a girl buried in the woods that the realization of her powers are truly seen. Violet is now seventeen and has gotten use to her special power. That is until a series of murders start happening in her town and Violet along with her best friend, the totally smoking hot, Jay, are there to try and stop him… before he can get to her.
The Body Finder was an absolutely wonderful read! With a storyline like this I was ready for something different and boy did I get it. The characters in the story all had very descriptive and relatable personalities. One of the things that I was pleasantly pleased with is that the fact that Violet’s family knew about her ability to sense the dead. There are so many books out there where the main character has a big secret ability and hides it from his/her family. It left out the need to sneak around them and lie. Also, a very unique piece to this book is that there where chapters that switched POVs and went to the murderer’s mind! I was a little surprised by it but in a good way! Kimberly played it out perfectly and to be able to see the mind of a killer was spine-chilling. How she did it, I have no clue!
Though the murders and mystery plays a huge part in the book so does the romance! Jay was perfectly flawed and added some pretty steamy times for Violet. He was the hero for the hero, there when needed, though was pigheaded when needed most of all. The Body Finder will most definitely leave it’s imprint on you. ______________________________________________________
Summary: Welcome to Nightshade, California; a small town full of secrets. It's home to the pyschic Giordano sisters, who have a way of getting mixed up in mysteries. During their investigations, they run across everything from pom-pom-shaking vampires to shape-shifting boyfriends to a clue-spewing jukebox. With their psychic powers and some sisterly support, they can crack any case.
Teenage girls are being mysteriously attacked all over town, including at Nightshade High School, where Daisy Giordano is a junior. When Daisy discovers that a vampire may be the culprit, she can't help but suspect head cheerleader Samantha Devereaux, who returned from summer break with a new look; Samantha appears a little . . . well, dead, and all the most popular kids at school are copying her style.
Is looking dead just another fashion trend for Samantha, or is there something more sinister going on? To find out, Daisy joins the cheerleading squad
Overall: 4 stars!
Review: One of the hardest things that I can think about in the writing world is mixing a mystery in with romance. Now, think about it, you have to have clues and hints scattered throughout the story, some mysterious happens, the problem solver, the problem starter, mind tricks and riddles, suspicious suspects… writing a mystery story is like trying to put together a thousand piece puzzle. Now add some romance action in there and we all know how complicated romances are… So what I’m saying is that I impressed with Marlene’s work! Dead Is The New Black has all the above mentioned and only in a little 190 page package!
The town of Nightshade is not normal. Really not normal. But Daisy’s family fits right in with her mom being a psychic and her too sister also possessing powers, Daisy is the only one without a psychic ability. A norm. And she couldn’t hate it more. There is a mysterious murder case that can’t be solved and Daisy is on the search for the person responsible. When the head cheerleader and Daisy’s ex-best friend shows up to school with deadly pale sink and wearing all black. Daisy knows something is up. With the help of her friend (and maybe something more) Ryan, she searches for clues to help led to the strange happens in her town.
This was a really enjoyable, quick read. It took me about a day to finish and I loved a good mystery book. Loved the relationship between Ryan and Daisy and all the cleverly places clues that helped unravel the secrets yet leaving room for more which I’m looking forward to in the next novels of the Dead Is series! ______________________________________________________
Summary: 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 the 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...
Overall:5+ stars
Review:
I had never read anything of Jennifer’s before I read Going Too Far and I’m now hitting myself over the head for it! When starting Going Too Far I had heard a lot of wonderful things about it and I went in reading it with high expectations and I came out of completely blown away by it!
Going Too Far is about Meg, a girl who does anything but play by the rules. She has blue hair, drinks, and has a I-know-all attitude. All she wants to do is go on spring break, see the ocean, get waste, graduate high school and get the hell out of her home town. Well, that is until she meets John, the sexy police officer who arrest her when she is caught on the railroad trails with her “boyfriend”, both as high as kites.
From that point on Meg was punished by spending her spring break driving the night shift with officer John After. John is very serious about his job and we soon discover that he is also addicted to watching the train tracks. Just when Meg starts to believe she has feelings for John “the thirty-something man with a wife and four children” we discover he is in fact a 19 year old boy that had gone to her school the following year. Now everything is different.
This book was absolutely something that I would recommend to anyone (well of the age of 15 and above) but I really have no bad things so say about it. The characters were so detailed and you could feel their emotions. The setting and plot was all so realistic. Plus, this book is hot! Jennifer did something I believe a lot of YA authors are afraid to do and that’s put in more sexual tension in their books. This genre of writing is called Young Adult not Too Young To Understand. We know about sex, so authors shouldn’t try to hide it in their books like it’s some hidden secret we teens don’t know about. So, Thank you, Jennifer.
In all, you have to read this book. It’ll be one of those books that will have you laughing and crying and just feeling. I loved this book so much I can’t wait to get my hands on more of her work! ______________________________________________________
Summary: Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.
Overall: 5+ stars
Review:
I’ve been staring at my computer screen for a good twenty minutes wondering how I was going to review this book. I still don’t know how, but here’s my best shot.
Mockingjay has been the most highly anticipated book of the year and did it live up to its hype? Well, it sure put me through an emotional roller coaster. One moment I was up and then down and sometimes even doing upside down. It definitely hyped me up!
With respects to the author, who does not want us the readers to give away the big moments in the book, my review will be limited in detail and more focus on how the book made me feel.
Right now the world of Panem is going through war and the one that everyone wants to help stop it? Katniss. We go on the journey of a wild adventure with Katniss in hope of ending the battle between the distracts and the Capitol. One thing that I highly noticed in the book was that Katniss’ voice felt more developed, more mature. Compared to the first book, which I felt was a lot easier to follow, Mockingjay introduces us to a different girl than the one we meant who took her sister’s spot in the Hunger Games. She’s been through a lot more, she’s seen a lot more things and Mockingjay just keeps on bringing it on.
We see a lot more of the characters that were introduced earlier in the books. Minor characters become major ones and there are some new people we meet along the way. This book has all the things we were expecting and more: fighting, love, death, survival, defeat, heartache, tears, blood, and finally, the outcome of it all.
I was frustrated with the book when I was finished. I was emotionally drained and crying frustrated tears and kept on questioning whether or not I liked how everything turned out. And then I realized this is a book about war, about people losing and people gaining and this was not meant for me to fully enjoy but to get the message that Collins was trying to send to the world and I believe I got it.
This book is all mental. It tests what you think is right and wrong and how you can envision a world like this. It lets out a message that hangs about the heads of society today that we all don’t want to ask. Could this be us one day?
It’s possible and I believe that Collins made it clear what could drive a country to do this and how it could happen and I believe I got the message she was sending out. It’s a powerful message and this book really set in stone what it would be like if I was born in the early 1900’s; having to go through major life changing wars and then watching as society built itself back up again.
In the end, this book let me see the world in a new way. Let me questioned what I believed. I always say that if a book can get me to think it accomplished its goal. This was a wonderful series and one that will probably always stick with me. I tip my hat off to Ms. Collins because this was a truly brilliant book.
Summary: In Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past…and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabel, who already lost her brother to the wolves…and is nonetheless drawn to Cole. At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love–the light and the dark, the warm and the cold–in a way you will never forget.
Overall: 4.5 stars
Review:
Linger is a great installment to the Wolves of Mercy Falls series! Where we were left off in Shiver was quite the cliffhanger and Linger definitely lefts us off with that same feeling of mystery.
In Linger we alter from the pointed of view of Grace, Sam, Cole, and Isabel. I really enjoyed reading the book from different views because we got to see more of the story unfold instead of discovering out everything that’s been done behind the scenes. I sometimes found Isabel’s voice to be a little annoying at times, but I felt that having her say of things help develop her character.
It is now turning to spring and Sam is expecting his friends to be changing back to humans with the warm weather but he knows that the time for most of them is up and they won’t be turning back anymore. Cole, one of the new wolfs, is trying to get away from his old life and start a new one; one where it doesn’t require to think about a thing and to let yourself go. Grace is fighting with a terrible illness that may be more than it seems and Isabel is still getting over the hurt of losing jack and creating a friendship with Cole.
I enjoyed Linger more than I did Shiver and felt that I got to know the characters more. I loved the romance and feelings shared between Grace and Sam. And I really just loved Sam as a person so much! He’s so gentle at times and sensitive but that’s what makes him Sam and a likable character.
Over all, wonderful job! The writing was absolutely beautiful and flowed so nicely. The mystery continues and we are left to wonder if Sam and Grace will ever be together. Can’t wait for the Last and final installment of the series, Forever!
Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.
When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos. Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own. Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: Jem, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all
Overall: 5 stars
Review:
Ms. Clare is quite the sly fox of the writing world.
I would even go as far as saying she'd probably outsmart Sherlock Holmes himself.
This is why I love Clare’s writing and stories so much! There is romance, mystery, and always a twist that leaves me stunned and gasping.
Clockwork Angel centers on Tessa Gray, who has just travel from New York to London to live with her brother, Nate, now that their aunt has passed away. I have to say that I enjoyed Tessa very much! Her love for reading and books caught my attention right away and it’s so great to share a similar passion with a character you are reading about.
When Tessa gets to London her brother is not there waiting for her but two sisters that go by the names Mrs. Dark and Mrs. Black. They tell Tessa that her brother had sent them to get her. She is reluctant to go with them but she has nowhere else to go. We soon discover that the sisters are keeping her with them, forcing her to use her ‘powers’, and threatening that they’d kill her brother if she does not listen to them. They say they are preparing her for the Magister, their leader. It is than that Tessa discovers that she’s not all that human.
I find Tessa’s power to be able to change her shape into anyone so interesting! And the fact that she can hear the thoughts of dead people she changes into in completely different and I loved it! When Tessa manages to get away from the Dark Sisters we are introduced to the Shadowhunters. There is Will, Jem, Charlotte, Henry, and Jessamine. I really did love all the characters in this book (well excluding a few)!
And then there are the love interests. I really liked Will! He reminded me a lot of Jace from Clare’s other series, Mortal Instruments. Though, he did have his own personality and seemed even more tortured inside than Jace had been. Let it be known that you don’t have to read Clare’s other series to understand Clockwork Angel. They both take place in the same world but you’d be able to get everything going on. Though I do recommend you read her other series because it’s awesome and there are some characters that we see in both! The other love interest in Jem! Oh, how I loved Jem! He was so perfect and yet he wasn’t and I just wanted to hug him all the time throughout the whole book. And for some reason I always like to root from the underdog.
So now Tessa is on is out to search for her brother with the help of all the Shadowhunters and trying to understand this new world she’s in.
This book was truly awesome! I loved every minute of it! The amount of descriptions in the book helped me picture everything that was going on and I felt like I was actually living the adventure along with all the characters. About 3/4 through the book I had to set it down to prepare myself. For what you ask? For the shocking surprise I knew was bound to come. I tried to think of the most incredible impossible things that could happen at this point and I thought of some pretty weird things.
But in the end, Ms Clare got me again. I was so incredibly shocked at what happen I’m pretty sure I just stared at the page for a long time. Trust me; Sherlock Holmes has nothing on Cassandra Clare.
In a Nutshell: Clockwork Angel was a great addition to the YA world! It’s full of adventure, romance, mystery, love, family, friendship. All of it is in there. How Ms. Clare does it, I don’t know, but keep bring it because I can’t get enough!!!
This was apsolutely my favorite quote in the book and of course it was said by Jem:
“’When other Nephilim look at me, they see only a Shadowhunter. Not like mundanes, who look at me and see a boy who is not entirely foreign but not quite like them either.’
‘Half one thing and half another,’ Tessa said. “Like me. But you know you’re human.’
Jem’s expression softened. ‘As are you. In all the ways that matter.’” Tessa and Jem pg. 320
Don’t you just love him already?!
Clockwork Angel comes out August 31, 2010. Go HERE to pre-order it!
Fire, Graceling's prequel-ish companion book, takes place across the mountains to the east of the seven kingdoms, in a rocky, war-torn land called the Dells. Beautiful creatures called monsters live in the Dells. Monsters have the shape of normal animals: mountain lions, dragonflies, horses, fish. But the hair or scales or feathers of monsters are gorgeously colored-- fuchsia, turquoise, sparkly bronze, iridescent green-- and their minds have the power to control the minds of humans. Seventeen-year-old Fire is the last remaining human-shaped monster in the Dells. Gorgeously monstrous in body and mind but with a human appreciation of right and wrong, she is hated and mistrusted by just about everyone, and this book is her story. Wondering what makes it a companion book/prequel? Fire takes place 30-some years before Graceling and has one cross-over character with Graceling, a small boy with strange two-colored eyes who comes from no-one-knows-where, and who has a peculiar ability that Graceling readers will find familiar and disturbing...
Overall: 5+ stars
Review:
*sigh*
I hate this feeling. I hate it, hate it, HATE IT!
And, yet, I love it at the same time.
It’s that feeling you get right after you’ve read such a wonderful book. One that has made you laugh and smile and cry and truly care and love for every single word that was written on its pages. It’s that awe-struck feeling that has your heart swelling with the love and loss of the characters you’re just read.
It’s the feeling when you reach the end of the story and just want to scream “I LOVE THIS BOOK! I LOVE IT!” And it’s the feeling when you reach the end of the story to know that the journey is over and that there are no more words to read.
That is the feeling I have right now. I’m in a state of bliss after reading this book, I loved it so immensely and, yet, my heart is breaking at the thought that I’ve read it all. That the adventure I loved so dearly is over.
There are very few books that have made me feel like this, for example the last Harry Potter book. I call it the Bitter-Sweet syndrome and I’m infected, bad.
The story Fire is about a girl named Fire with astonishing beauty, flaming hair, and the power to control people’s minds. The book takes place in a fantasy world called The Dells. In this world there are terrible mind controlling monster that roam everywhere. They are mostly animal monsters, all colored unnatural colors such as green and violet, but Fire is the last living human monster and she is feared, hated, and loved all over the land of The Dells.
Fire is one of the main reasons why this was such an amazing book. She was strong and brave, yet emotional and valuable at times, which did not lessen her as a character at all because I’d rather read of a character who was both closed off at moments and wide open at others than someone who is blocks themselves away from everyone and shares no emotion. Fire is at times complex but from her position where she has people wanting to kill her, use her, and control her I think she has the right to be quite the complex character.
The writing of the book was done so beautifully, it sucked me into the world of monsters and mind control and wars and love. I felt as if this world could truly be out there; that this book was in fact an ancient lost part of the world’s history and Cashore had been gifted with the knowledge of a part of the past that was unknown to the rest of the world and wrote it down for us to read. This type of history would be SO much more interesting to read about than what is in my history textbooks.
The characters are also so alive. I love Archer with his incredible skill and charm even though he might have been a player and my heart aches for him. I love Nash and his uncontrolled outbursts of love he express towards Fire. I loved Brigan and his stone face expression and cloud gray eyes and love of horses. I even had a little soft spot for Cansrel, who was Fire’s father (also a human monster) and an incredibly cruel man who liked to use his impeccable beauty and power to control minds to harm and torture people.
If you’ve read Cashore’s other novel, Graceling, which is the first book in The Seven Kingdoms trilogy, than you know that she writes about strong minded, brave leading characters and that’s also what I love about these books (lots to love!) and also that each has a strong message conveyed through them. And isn’t that what an author wants to do with his/her book? Tell and story and convey a message? Well, the message in this story is loud and clear and very inspirational and I’m going to let you guys figure the message out for yourselves because YOU BETTER READ THIS! I’m letting it be known that you DO NOT have to read Graceling to understand this novel for it’s a companion. Though I do highly recommend you do because Graceling is also an incredibly awesome book (though I like Fire better) and possibly one of the best debut novel I’ve ever read.
Though this book is heavy on the action there is still a lot of romance in it. The build-up of feelings between Fire and Brigan was done so perfectly. It wasn’t too rushed, things developed, the true colors of one’s personalities showed, and the end result was a beautiful relationship of trust and love. But trust me this book is far from being all happy. There is a war going on in the land of The Dells and there are three separate parties trying to gain control. This is bloodshed, lives lost, and secrets revealed that left me gasping at the book.
In a Nutshell: This book is one of those one that makes your head hurt and heart ache and you just want to be consumed by it all and never leave its pages. It’s a magically and frightening world of wars and love and for Fire, a place to fight to find where she truly belongs in life.
So I thank anyone still reading this. I know this turned more into a rant of admiration than a review, but if you’re still reading you deserve an award *hands out awards*. I truly hope you do check out this book. It’s quite amazing as you can already see and I honestly finished it in two sittings, which is saying a lot considering it about 500 pages.
Also I thought I’d share with you my favorite quote from the book:
“’You’re good at love,’ she said simply, because it seemed true to her. ‘I’m not so good at love. I’m like a barbed creature. I push everyone I love away.’
He shrugged. ‘I don’t mind you pushing me away if it means you love me, little sister.’” (Fire & King Nash, Page 413)
Kristin Cashore has two novels out, which are Graceling and Fire, and the final book in the trilogy called Bitterblue will be out April 1, 2011.
You can check out Cashore’s blog HERE. You can order Graceling and Fire from Amazon HERE and HERE.
Finally, IF YOU STILL need to be convinced here is a video for Fire:
To any Authors or Publishers who want me to review and/or promote your book, I would be happy to! I except ARC and finished copies. If you would like me to promote your book through a giveaway, I'd be happy to do that, too. Authors if you would like me to have an author interview or guest post you are welcome to ask; I'd love you on my blog. You can contact me at: VanillaMusic15@aol.com. Thanks!
My reviews are post on my blog, goodreads, and Amazon.
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Rating System
5 Stars + - Apsoluetly amazing! On the top of my list!
5 Stars - Fantastic!
4 Stars - I really liked it!
3 Stars - It was a good read.
2 Stars - It was okay.
1 Star - Not worth it.
