Book Review: Just Like That by Marsha Qualey

When Hanna breaks up with her boyfriend of almost a year, she knows she’s supposed to feel . . . something. Liberated, maybe? Sad? Instead, there’s only one thing she feels for certain: She’s in for a pretty dull winter. Her job in the swimwear department certainly isn’t very exciting. But in an instant, everything changes. 

Hanna finds herself the bearer of a major secret: She was the last person to see two teenagers before they died in an accident on the icy lake, and she thinks she could have prevented their deaths. She can’t possibly tell her mother or her two best friends. She can’t tell anyone. Even drawing and painting — always her therapy in the past — aren’t the recipe for calm they once were. So when Hanna finds herself drawn to Will, the elusive boy she’s noticed around town, the kind of boy who’d quicken any girl’s pulse, she doesn’t hold back. Anything. What she learns about him will astonish her. But what she learns about herself — her friendships, her family, her life — will affect her far more.

Review:

This book is terrific! In spite of the fact that very little happens during the book (it mainly focuses on Hanna's guilt over not warning the two teenagers who die, her and Will's relationship, and her friendship with Maura and Kelsey) I think Qualey did a fabulous job with what little bit of a plot she was working with.

Qualey's development of the main characters was stunning. Hanna is an artist to the core, and Marsha Qualey beautifully wove that aspect of her through the novel. Hanna's character was easy to relate to, and Will was a really awesome guy who  definitely played a major roll in majority of the surprises throughout the book. I think that it was the characters themselves, and how well you grew to know them, that makes the book so good, so difficult to put down. The characters suck you in from the start and don't let you go until the last page! 

Just Like That wonderfully showed how its the smaller things--the things that, at the time, don't seem so big--end up changing your life the most and often end up changing you. With great characters, quite a few plot twists, unbelievable shocks, and an awesome author, Just Like That is the a perfect short read, and a great book to get sucked into. Check it out!

Grade: A

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Book Review: 13 Little Blue Envelopes (Little Blue Envelope, #1) by Maureen Johnson

When Ginny receives thirteen little blue envelopes and instructions to buy a plane ticket to London, she knows something exciting is going to happen. What Ginny doesn't know is that she will have the adventure of her life and it will change her in more ways than one. Life and love are waiting for her across the Atlantic, and the thirteen little blue envelopes are the key to finding them in this funny, romantic, heartbreaking novel.

Review:

If you love to travel (or love the idea of traveling, or the mere thought of traveling, or wish you had the money or the time to travel), this here is your book. Even disregarding the plot, and the characters, and the writing, the traveling just drew me in.

That said, everything else about the book is superb as well. The plot was great. Can you imagine if you were in Ginny's situation? I, of course, would be thrilled. Everyone needs some spontaneity in their life, I say. It's the perfect opportunity to see the world: without a camera, without a phone, without the internet. Ginny's aunt is absolutely crazy, others would think. Sending her niece on a wild goose chase? In Europe? Alone? I love it.

Ginny was great. I loved her personality, her voice, her thoughts, her actions. I really feel like I bonded with her. She's awesome. Most of the other characters in the book were very minor throughout the novel; Ginny was, essentially, alone during this entire trip. She grew a lot, and the minor characters helped her do that. For those of you wondering, there wasn't a ton of romance, but, surprisingly, I didn't think it was necessary. The romance simply wasn't needed. The story didn't need a helping hand, so the romance was a happy little extra. 

13 Little Envelopes is a perfect summer read, a perfect oh-my-god-it's-100-degrees-out-and-I-don't-want-to-leave-the-house read, and a great by-the-pool book. Of course, us on the west coast have already been forced back to school, but everyone else: hit up the bookstore and pick this one up! You won't regret it! If you do, feel free to send me some lovely hate mail.

Grade: A+

PS: Don't forget to check out the sequel, The Last Little Blue Envelope. It rocks.

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Book Review: Unremembered by Jessica Brody

When Freedom Airlines flight 121 went down over the Pacific Ocean, no one ever expected to find survivors. Which is why the sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating among the wreckage—alive—is making headlines across the globe.

Even more strange is that her body is miraculously unharmed and she has no memories of boarding the plane. She has no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories period. No one knows how she survived. No one knows why she wasn’t on the passenger manifest. And no one can explain why her DNA and fingerprints can’t be found in a single database in the world.

Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her from before the crash. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him? And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her forget?*

Review:

When Seraphina wakes up at the site of a plane crash with absolutely no memories, you feel just as confused as she is. What's happening? What's going to happen? Who? What? Where? It's almost overwhelming. 

The mystery of Seraphina pulls you in on the very first page, immediately and suddenly dragging you along into the puzzling case of Seraphina's lost memories. Each page comes with a gasp, a shock, a realization. I discovered things just as Seraphina did, a rare occurrence that always manages to catch me off guard; after all, who likes to be able to guess the end of a book? Zen and Seraphina have a lot of romantic chemistry, but I wish that not all of the romance had happened before the novel began. It left me hungry for more, but also feeling somewhat jipped. Other than that, I have no misgivings with Brody's masterpiece. I can't wait for the next novel in the series! 

The suspense and romance keep the novel going, the heroine keeps the reader cheering, and the pages just won't stop turning. Plot twists and revelations carry Unremembered through to it's mind-blowing end. A must read. 

Grade: A+

*Summary from Goodreads.com

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Book Review: Of Poseidon (Of Poseidon, #1) by Anna Banks

Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . . *

Review:

While perhaps not the most well-explained mermaid world in existence, Banks's Syrena in Of Poseidon most definitely had me hooked! Every once in a while, the avid reader may have a craving for something in particular, be it vampires, fairies, mundane high school life, or, be it as it may, mermaids. In this case, Of Poseidon surely satisfied my hunger. 

The novel is told through both  Galen's and Emma's perspectives, although I for some reason did feel as if Galen was much more understandable at times than Emma was, or maybe I just didn't relate as much with Emma.The romance wasn't steamy, but it was sweet and certainly a tad "forbidden," which always makes for an enjoyable read. 

The writing was enjoyable, although I did sometimes struggle with what I've deemed to be "false teen syndrome," which can either be defined as the middle aged mother you see at the mall wearing short shorts and a Justin Beiber t-shirt, or as the author who isn't exactly sure what the thoughts of a teen in the twenty-first century should be like. This syndrome, thank goodness, only makes itself known sporatically throughout the novel, which leaves me feeling slightly less frustrated about it. Overall, aside from a few lapses into OMG-land, I had a pleasant time with Banks's nicely written novel. 

I would most certainly recommend it. 

Grade: A-

*Summary from Goodreads.com

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Article 5 (Article 5, #1) by Kristen Simmons

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned. The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes. There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved.

Review: 

Can you say impressive? I was incredibly blown away by this novel, more than I would have expected. Sure, the summary sounds interesting. Sure, the cover looks cool. But with the current dystopian trend just building and building, I wasn't exactly sure what I was getting. Certainly not something that would rival my beloved Wither or even The Hunger Games.  

It has a considerable amount of action, more than other dystopians that I've read--although not as much as The Hunger Games--and it definitely manages to keep you on the edge of your seat. The romance is the kind that is so frustrating, the tension between the two so apparent to everyone but them, that I swear I'd chewed off my nails by the time I read the last page. 

Ember and Chase are as developed as two characters can get, and Ember's voice is strong. She's a great heroine and pretty kick butt, admirably so. Writing was exceptional, and the futuristic world was constructed in a way that was startlingly believable. The plot was so outstanding I wouldn't even know how to explain it, so the best I can do is give you a shove in the right direction--go read this novel!

Grade: A++++++

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The Goddess Legacy (Goddess Test, #2.5) by Aimee Carter

The Goddess Test series, although a series I have yet to review, is one of my favorites. If you've read my reviews before, you know I have a weakness for books involving mythology or the Greek gods. This is no exception. 

In this collection of stories, Aimee Carter tells the untold tales of some of the main characters in the series: the Greek gods. During the first two Goddess Test novels, Kate Winters is groomed to take the place of Persephone, both as the queen of the Underworld, and as the wife of Hades (Henry).  In The Goddess Legacy, the stories of Aphrodite, Hermes, Persephone, Hera, and Hades are told by none other than the gods themselves.

I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this novel. A book about the Greek gods told by the Greek gods? There's nothing like it. Having already read the other novels in this series, it was also very interesting to see the gods further developed.

The writing was great, as always, but I think where this book wins is in it's creativity. It sticks, for the most part, to the myths that we've all studied in school, but it gives life to the gods themselves. They all have distinct personalities, voices, and weaknesses. 

For those of you who have read the first and second novels in Carter's series, you definitely won't be disappointed by this one. It gives a decent amount of background into the lives of the gods and goddesses and--spoiler--into the motives behind Calliope/Hera's actions. 

My advice to readers who are unsure about this series: read this book first. I know, I know, it's technically not the right order, but it's a great way to get into these novels. It's more of a prequel than anything else. If you're studying mythology at school this year, read this book. It doesn't get everything right, but maybe you won't be as bored in your English class. It's a fun, interesting take on stories that have been around for thousands of years. 

Grade: A+

To buy this book . . . 
Amazon.com 
Barnes & Noble 

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It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

For Craig Gilner, getting accepted into the prestigious Executive Pre-Professional High School in Manhattan isn't what he hoped it would be. Instead, it's too much. It doesn't take too long for Craig to realize that he is far from the best--in fact, he is mediocre. This realization crushes not only his ego; soon, he can't sleep. He can't eat. He is, it turns out, depressed. 

A late-night decision to commit suicide results in a call to the nearest suicide hotline--and, eventually, at the hospital down the block, where Craig checks himself into the psychiatric ward. When it turns out that the teen's floor is closed for renovations, he's put on the floor with the adults, where the true adventure begins. 

This is the first novel of Ned Vizzini's that I've read, and I enjoyed the ride. The voice is great and memorable, although sometimes childish--but the best part has to be the collection of strange and eclectic characters thrown into the mix. From Craig himself to Noelle, a girl who cut her own face with scissors, to the other patients in the psychiatric ward; I honestly don't think the characters could have been better. 

Development was pretty thorough; there were no loops or holes, and the novel was definitely well-written. There was a good balance of comedy and irony and depression, although maybe, when thinking of the novel's topic, it was lacking a serious undertone that stories like this, I feel, have the need for. The main thing I disliked was the flow of the story, and the romance was somewhat awkward and unfinished-feeling. I had brief flashbacks of Suicide Notes and Paper Towns, so pick up Funny Story if you're a fan of either of those. 

Unfortunately, the book I picked up before this one was The Perks of Being A Wallflower, so of course Funny Story was a bit of a let-down after that one. The ending wasn't my favorite, some aspects were a bit lacking, but overall Vizzini delivers.

Grade: B

To buy this book . . .
On Amazon.com
From Barnes & Noble

Don't forget to stop by later this month for my interview with Ned Vizzini himself! 

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Dark Frost (Mythos Academy, #3) by Jennifer Estep

I’ve seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I’m supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I’m just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me—again.


Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects—and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I’m also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me?


It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can’t use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me—and I’m in for the fight of my life.


Review:


This series never seizes to surprise me. Honestly, I find myself chewing off my nails and on the edge of my seat each time I pick one of these lovely books up. I also find myself loving Gwen more and more. She's still the great heroine she surprised us all by being in Touch of Frost and Kiss of Frost, but she is also continuously growing up as a character. Her awkward moments and uncoordination still make me laugh and her strength leaves a lasting impression. One of my favorite parts of reading a series is that you get to see the characters grow up and change, and Gwen is a perfect example of this. 


Gwen's friends, Daphne and Carson, are also incredibly sweet, as well as Grandma Frost and Nikamedes (in his own way). Logan is, of course, still Logan, and the romantic tension between him and Gwen just doesn't get old. There's nothing better than tangible teenage chemistry, especially when it can find away to be strange and yet also charming and impassioned. 


Estep's writing, as always, has distinguishable personality and voice suiting to Gwen, and her developing skills put other authors to shame, both in character and plot development. I can't wait to get my hands on the next one!


Grade: A


Dark Frost was released today, so don't forget to make a quick trip to amazon.com or Barnes and Noble to get your copy! Also, check this out.  


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Tempest Rising (Tempest, #1) by Tracy Deebs

Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. 


The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kona, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her-and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.


Review:


Mermaid books--well, mythology books of any sort--are a type of guilty pleasure for me, so when I picked up this novel the other day, craving the comfort of a good read, I couldn't have been more excited. 


Deebs tackles the whole concept wonderfully, and not just one aspect of it. The development was done well and subtly, not taking center stage. The characters are thought out and memorable, especially our lovely Tempest. And may I just say I love her name? The writing was without flaw. The descriptions of the sea life were pretty darn good. 


With Tempest Rising came more than I was hoping for; romance, action, angst, suspense . . . really, there was not one thing I didn't like. The swoon-worthy setting wasn't exactly discouraging, and the plot was as sturdy as plots can get. Major brownie points. A promising debut from Deebs, I can't wait to see what she'll throw our way next. 


Grade: A+

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Storm (The Elemental Series, #1) by Brigid Kemmerer

Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her, Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys—all the ones she doesn't want. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water—just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They’re powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life’s at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who’s hiding the most dangerous truth of all.


Review:


If I had to sum this book up in one word, I would say boys. Five beautiful, sexy boys. Four of which are brothers. Hot damn. Major brownie points to Kemmerer for that one. 


But with all of this testosterone in one place, there are bound to be problems--especially when you throw in elemental powers. I was pleasantly surprised by how intriguing the idea of the boys' powers turned out to be, and how Kemmerer developed the concept. 


The Merrick brothers are quite the characters. Each one had a unique and thoroughly explored personality, and their imperfections just made them all the more perfect. Their brotherly banter was incredibly amusing, and their behavior and interactions with Becca left a lasting impression. The fourth and equally attractive boy, Hunter, was also memorable, as were most of the other characters, like Becca's family, friends, and classmates. Generally, it's a sizable cast that Kemmerer succeeded outstandingly with.


Becca was not an exception. She was quirky and relatable, and a very unlikely heroine. From the beginning of the novel, she's off saving Chris, and she doesn't back down during the endless twists and turns that are thrown at her. Instead, she behaves in a way that is admirable and that anyone should be able to appreciate.  


The chemistry in this novel was impressive, especially in the way that it was tangible between both of Becca's romantic interests. I don't usually feel so torn about who I'd like our lovely female lead to fall for, but I definitely felt conflicted reading this one. The mess of their relationships is well-written and complex in a way that it doesn't fall into the standard love triangle cliché. 


Storm is a spectacular debut and a great start to a promising new series that you don't want to miss out on. 


Grade: A+


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Socialpunk (Socialpunk, #1) by Monica Leonelle

Ima would give anything to escape The Dome and learn what’s beyond its barriers, but the Chicago government has kept all its citizens on lockdown ever since the Scorched Years left most of the world a desert wasteland. When a mysterious group of hooded figures enters the city unexpectedly, Ima uncovers a plot to destroy The Dome and is given the choice between escaping to a new, dangerous city or staying behind and fighting a battle she can never win.

Review:

I was equal parts impressed and disappointed by this novel. It took about one chapter for me to get to the edge of my seat, but after that it was impossible to put it down. Every page was a new twist, each chapter ending with a cliff-hanger. The novel practically turns it's own pages. 


The writing wasn't exceptional--I didn't really like the way that the futuristic world was developed, and the voice of Ima fell sort of flat--but I liked the plot and the concept, and the tension and suspense was palpable. The ideas behind the futuristic world were incredibly interesting, and most of them were ones that I've never come across in the world of dystopian fiction.  


Character development was a bit on the fritz. There were some parts where it was incredibly strong, and others where it just wasn't. I felt like Ima, as the narrator, didn't really resound as a heroine the way she should have, but her friends had distinguishable personalities. 


But the most surprising thing about Socialpunk--no matter what you dislike about it, you can't help but finish it craving for more. 


Grade: B- 

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Tangled (Torn, #2) by Erica O'Rourke

Constance started to keen as the air around us began to thrash and twist, the caustic scent of ozone burning my nose. As I watched, her dark gold hair began to lift and kink into knots. “I’m here. It’ll be okay.” It was the last thing I said before my best friend’s little sister went supernova in the second-floor girls’ bathroom, taking me with her. 

A month ago, Mo Fitzgerald risked her life to stop an ancient prophecy and avenge her best friend's murder. Now, she only wants to keep her loved ones safe. But the magic—and the Chicago Mob—have other plans. 
Mysterious, green-eyed Luc is back, asking for help—and a second chance. Colin, her strongest protector, is hiding a shocking secret. And inside Constance, the magic is about to go terribly wrong. Tangled in a web of love and betrayal, Mo must choose between the life she's dreamed of and the one she's destined for.

Review: 

Even better than it's predecessor, I was thoroughly absorbed in this novel by the second page. Mo returns with guns blazing (figuratively, of course) in this sequel to Torn, scheduled for release on January 31st, 2012. 

The plot is absolutely captivating, as are Mo's love interests, Colin and Luc. (Although I have to admit I've always been rooting for Colin.) The romance is interwoven with the story in a way that it doesn't take center stage, giving way to the various other conflicts--and trust me, Mo has enough problems to go around. The suspense is unbelievable, and kept me going for the length of the entire novel, and I was continuously surprised by the constant turning of events and I was caught off guard nearly every chapter.

I've yet to be disappointed by O'Rourke or her characters, and I don't see it happening anytime soon. I can't wait for the next addition to this thrilling series.

Grade: A +

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Loving Emily by Anne Pfeffer

 

Ryan Mills is torn with guilt over the death of his best friend, and it's all because of Emily Wintraub. If Ryan hadn't seen those incredible gray-blue eyes, hadn't pegged her as a Potentially Amazing Woman, he would never have gone looking for her at the party that night. He would never have left his wasted friend Michael alone, when Michael needed him and asked him to stay. And if Ryan hadn't left, Michael would never have driven off, totaled his car, and taken the cosmic rocket ride into death. 

As far as Ryan's concerned, when you’ve done something terrible, you don’t deserve to be happy. He tries not to fall for Emily, but he can't help it. Before long, he is "completely, gonzo, out-of-control in love." 

Ryan then learns that Michael died with a secret. Still grieving, he feels compelled to take on his friend's unfinished business. When Emily begins to question where his commitments really lie—with her or with Michael’s memory—Ryan is forced to examine his choices. What does he owe to Michael, to Emily, and to himself? 

Review:

For the most part, I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. The writing was exceptional, the plot was interesting, and the main character was fantastic.

Reading a book from the perspective of a boy doesn't happen very often--I would say about 8 books out of the last 100 I've read were from the perspective of a boy--so that's always something that makes those select books especially interesting to me, since it makes them stand out already.

Ryan is sweet and charming and adorable, and I fell in love with him right along with Emily. But for character development as a whole, I was a little disappointed. Emily herself wasn't developed well enough for me to really decide anything about her; whether I liked her as a person, as a character, as Ryan's person of interest, I was never really sure. On the other hand, Michael was developed stunningly well, especially when you take into account that he's no longer alive in the majority of the novel.

Loving Emily also happens to be one of the only general fiction novels I've read in a while, and one of the best. You won't regret snatching this one off the shelf.



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You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis

It's been a year since Luna's mother, the fashion-model wife of a successful film director, was hit and killed by a taxi in the East Village. Luna, her father, and her little brother, Tile, are still struggling with grief.

When Luna goes to clean out her mother's old studio, she's stunned to find her mom's cell phone there—charged and holding seven unheard messages. As Luna begins to listen to them, she learns more about her mother's life than she ever wanted to know . . . and she comes to realize that the tidy tale she's been told about her mother's death may not be the whole truth.

Review: 

The best way I can describe this novel is painfully, stunningly real. It is absolutely the most down-to-earth, believable novel I have read this year. Luna's struggle with the loss of her mother is equally heart-breaking and relatable, and her raw feelings are perfectly portrayed through Lewis's skilled writing and in-depth character development. 

The novel itself had personality, and Luna's voice (as well as Lewis's writing) was unique and likeable. The truth of the plotline, story, and characters shown strongly throughout, and the romance was sweet. Many young adult novels focus strongly on passionate romances, and I was surprised by how much the sweet, kind romance of Luna and Oliver draws you in. That gentle romance is enough to satiate even the most romantic of readers, and reminiscent of most young love. 

You Have Seven Messages is a fantastic novel, quiet in it's beauty and strengths, but unforgettable and touching. The perfect read for a wide variety of bibliophiles, I would not hesitate to add this novel to my list of favorites or to recommend it to all of you. 

Grade: A+

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Hourglass by Myra McEntire

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Review:

I was captivated at the very first page. Hourglass is an absolutely fantastic debut from Myra McEntire. Emerson is an irresistible character, one that you love from the very beginning. She is hilarious and quirky and vulnerable and strong. She is fierce (think Gwen Frost or Evie). The story wouldn't have been as impressive with any other character: she truly makes the novel. 


Hourglass spins so many different plot twists, and is so surprising in so many ways that I don't even know where to begin without spoiling it for you, so the best advice I can give is: just dive in! It's definitely a must read.


Everything you look for in a good novel is easily found in this one: solid characters, realistic [and believable] romance, honest friendship, mystery, suspense . . . it's like the perfect burrito at Chipotle; you won't find one person who doesn't like it. 

Grade: A+

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Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy, #2) by Jennifer Estep

Logan Quinn was try­ing to kill me. My Spar­tan class­mate relent­lessly pur­sued me, swing­ing his sword at me over and over again, the shin­ing sil­ver blade inch­ing closer to my throat every time. A smile tugged up his lips, and his ice-blue eyes prac­ti­cally glowed with the thrill of battle. . .

I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Acad­emy, and I have no idea how I’m going to sur­vive the rest of the semes­ter. One day, I’m get­ting schooled in sword­play by the guy who broke my heart—the drop-dead gor­geous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invis­i­ble archer in the Library of Antiq­ui­ties decides to use me for tar­get prac­tice. And now, I find out that some­one at the acad­emy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword—with Logan’s help—I just might die by the sword. . .

Review:

Princess Leia, Frances "Baby" Houseman, Sandy, Trinity, Jane Eyre, Elizabeth Bennett, Josephine March, and Buffy. They are our idols, our favorite characters of all time. Why? They are confident. Smart. Independent. Funny. Strong-willed. In some cases, kick-ass. They are our heroines. For many of them, their time is over. Done. Not because they failed, or were defeated, or were killed. Something worse happened to them: they were forgotten. The personalities of our original favorite heroines are now embodied by new ones. Now we have Jess Mastriani, Evie, Susannah Simon, Rhine Ellery, and Mia Thermopolis.

Now we have Gwen Frost, and she is fierce in our hearts. She is smart. Independent. Funny. Strong-willed. And very much kick-ass. Not always confident, but she tries.

Basically, Jennifer Estep is a genius. I really don't know how else to better sum up my thoughts of both this novel and it's predecessor. The overall concept of the book just rocks--Spartans and Amazons and Valkyries and more, all at Mythos Academy. My new dream school. Warriors.

And to go along with any true heroine, there must be a love interest. Johnny Castle. Rob Wilkins. Mr. Rochester. Jesse de Silva. Angel. Gwen and Logan are complicated. Troubled. In love. That's just how it goes, how they work--or try to work. The suspense of their romance is just as troubling to the reader as it is to Gwen herself; we love them for it.

The writing is, not surprisingly, fantastic, because how can you possibly have such incredible ideas and such incredible stories and not be a stunning writer? You can't. It's perfectly paced, perfectly told, and drawn together without a flaw. Estep does not try and prove us wrong.

Thank God for that.


Expect to see Kiss of Frost in December from Kensington Publishing Corp. Don't worry. Only 67 days until Christmas, so it's not that far off.

Grade: A+


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Hooked by Catherine Greenman

Thea Galehouse has always known how to take care of herself. With a flighty club-owner mom and a standoffish, recovering-alcoholic dad, Thea has made her own way in her hometown of New York, attending the prestigious and competitive Stuyvesant High School. But one chat with Will, a handsome and witty senior, and she's a goner—completely hooked on him and unable to concentrate on anything else.

Always worried that she loves Will more than he loves her, Thea is pleasantly surprised when their romance weathers his move to college and Will goes out of his way to involve her in his life. But then, Thea misses a period. And that starts Thea and Will on a wild ride that neither of them could have possibly prepared for.

When they decide to keep the baby, their concerned parents chip in what they can to keep Will in school and give both teenagers a comfortable place to raise their child. But when a freak accident leaves Thea shaken and threatens to upend their little family altogether, Thea is forced to turn to the last place she would have chosen for comfort: her stiff, uncompromising father.This smart, touching first novel brims with realistic, beautifully drawn characters, and reminds us that love is never as easy or predictable as we might like it to be.

Review:

This is my third teen pregnancy novel, and the first that I've really, really liked. The first was Dessen's Someone Like You which just didn't have any appeal for me at all, and the second was such a terrible experience, in fact, that it became the only book that I have ever reviewed negatively.I was pleasantly surprised with Catherine Greenman's debut novel Hooked and dually shocked by the negativety of other reviews I've seen.

The entire novel is very fresh and relatable; it's a sweet (and sometimes not-so-sweet) story of teen romance, pregnancy and parenthood that hasn't been told before. The plot is thoroughly developed and carried out perfectly. The writing is stunning and shines with personality. The characters are what draw you into this book from the start, and keep you hooked--Thea especially. She's your average teenager--sort of--with doubts about college and the future, issues with her parents, and boy troubles. Until it gets a little trickier; pregnancy tends to do that.

There are common stereotypes and misconseptions in our country about teen pregnancy. This novel--and Thea herself--push the boundaries of these stereotypes until they've been completely demolished. Thea is not irresponsible (at least not any more so than any other American teen), she is not extremely poor, she is not a hooker, she is not a slut. She is on the pill. She uses protection. The affect that this has on the reader's view of the novel is overwhelming: this could happen to me.

And, of course, this just happens to be Hooked's selling aspect. The fact that it is so relateable just makes you admire Thea so much, and question those stereotypes that I'm sure most of us must have hidden in the dark corners of our mind; the kind that comes up when you see a pregnant girl in the hall at school, or overhear someone in the bathroom talking to their doctor over the phone about the effectiveness of the pill.

I absolutely loved this novel. Don't listen to what anyone else says. It's fantastic.

Grade: A+

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The Sleepwalkers by J. Gabriel Gates

Privileged and popular Caleb Mason is celebrating his high school graduation when he receives a mysterious, disturbing letter from his long-lost childhood playmate, Christine. Caleb and his jokester friend Bean decide to travel to his tiny hometown of Hudsonville, Florida, to find her. Upon arrival, they discover the town has taken a horrifying turn for the worse. Caleb's childhood home is abandoned and his father has disappeared. Children are going missing. The old insane asylum has reopened, and Christine is locked inside. Her mother, a witch, is consumed with madness, and Christine's long-dead twin sister whispers clues to Caleb through the static of an a.m. radio.


The terrifying prophesies of the spirits are coming to pass. Sixteen clocks are ticking; sixty-six murdered souls will bring about the end of the world. As Caleb peels back layer after layer of mystery, he uncovers a truth more horrible than anything he had imagined, a truth that could only be uttered by the lips of the dead.

Review:

Going into The Sleepwalkers, you need to be aware of one fact, and one fact only: this book is SCARY. When I read the summary, I thought Oh, well, it sounds kind of creepy, but nothing too intense. And then I read the book.

And then I couldn't sleep.

It's like a horror movie on paper. I'm telling you, don't read it at night. Or, if you read it at night, you should probably leave the lights on. I am a crazy horror film fanatic, but for some reason scary novels get to me a lot more than scary movies do. And, realistically, it takes some serious skill to actually make that happen.

The characters were awesome, espeically Caleb and Bean. Their friendship is easy to relate to; anyone who's ever had a really close friend before can admire that. The writing was fabulous, not a surprise after having read Dark Territory. The plot was outright astounding, as creative as you can get.

I absolutely loved this novel. As much as it freaked me out, I adore the fact that it was able to. As much as it made me crave my night light, I enjoyed every moment of it. Literally everything that could ever possibly be in a novel, is in this one. There's action, there's suspense, there's mystery, there's a surprisingly high amount of blood and gore, and there's romance.

Basically, it rocks.

Grade: A+

The Sleepwalkers is scheduled for release on October 1st from HCI Teens.

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Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

When Jacob was young, his grandfather used to tell him stories of his time at a magical orphanage with peculiar children. He would tell of how they were hiding from "horrible monsters" and that the orphanage was the happiest place in the world.

As he grows up, Jacob loses his faith in his grandfather and in the stories he told. He realizes that they were fancied versions of what really happened: World War II. And the children weren't really peculiar; the monsters were not hairy and with fangs, but something much scarier. This all makes sense to Jacob until he witnesses his grandfather's death, glimpses an unlikely kiiller, and hears his last words. Jacob is sent back to where everything began: Cairnholm Island, and the orphanage where his grandfather grew up. It is here that Jacob discovers something even crazier than he had imagined, and he begins to wonder if maybe his grandfather was telling the truth.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is equal parts eerie and exciting and scary. It has some pretty intense action scenes, some romance, and enough mystery to get you going in the start, and keep you going all the way through. The writing is strong, the voice is powerful and mature. Jacob is a well-developed character, and all it took was the first chapter for me to be sucked in. Grandpa Portman was a great and solid character, even after only being in two chapters of the book. Miss Peregrine, Emma, and the peculiar children are all fabulously well-rounded.

Another great aspect of this book was the vintage images included throughout; I'm an aspiring photographer myself, and anyone who has any sort of interest in photography or art will enjoy the pictrues just as much as I did.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book; it seemed kind more middle-grade than it actually was, and the summary of the book didn't make it seem like much of a teen read, aside from mentioning that Jacob was 16 years old. Don't let the summary make it seem boring! It's amazing, and you'll breeze through it.

Grade: A+

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What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Angry about her parent’s divorce and her mother’s role in it, Mclean moves in with her father. This means a life on the move because of her dad’s new job; four towns in two years.

And while Mclean’s dad is busy fixing restaurants, Mclean is busy inventing new personas for herself. Whether she is a drama queen or a preppy cheerleader, Mclean isn't Mclean anymore, and she is still angry at her mom. But now, in Lakeview, Mclean discovers a desire to stay in one place, and leave Lizbet, Eliza, and Beth in the past.

But how can she be herself if she doesn’t even remember who the real Mclean is anymore?

Every reader of YA fiction has come across at least one of Dessen's novels; if you've come across more than one, you begin to notice certain things. For one, they're all very realistic; every teen and every adult can relate to the issues and themes dealt with in these books. What Happened to Goodbye is no different. It's a great addition to Dessen's collections, and one of my new favorites.

Character development is superb, and the plotline is great. Everybody can easily relate to wanting to make yourself into someone totally different; change your clothes, your styles, your interests, everything. Even your name. The reality of why Mclean was so desperate to do this is upsetting, but understandable. Most teens today have divorced parents in the US; I'm one of them. It's easy to understand how she felt. And as for romance--there is NO shortage of that in this one.

What Happened to Goodbye takes Dessen’s usual path through the hardships of family, first loves, and friendship in a new way. You'll love it!

Grade: A+

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