: Book Review : Spells By Aprilynne Pike

In case you are new here, I read books.  I love to read.  Anyone else?  I haven't had much time for reading lately, but I am hoping that will change very soon!  I not only read books I pick up from Borders, but I read books for certain publishers as well.  I mainly read Young Adult/Teen Fiction novels.  Because, I just love them.  They're addicting.  You'll often come here and find me talking about a book I have read and I recommend.  So get your paper ready for some book recommendations in the coming weeks and months.

Today I am reviewing the book Spells by the lovely Aprilynne Pike.  Spells is the sequel to "Wings".  Now, I don't like spoiler reviews, so I do tend to keep my reviews on the books vague.  OK.  Here we go!

: Spells :

By: Aprilynne Pike 

• 
  
• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (May 4, 2010)
• Language: English

Synopsis:

Six months have passed since Laurel saved the gateway to the faerie realm of Avalon. Now she must spend her summer there, honing her skills as a Fall faerie. But her human family and friends are still in mortal danger--and the gateway to Avalon is more compromised than ever.

When it comes time to protect those she loves, will she depend on David, her human boyfriend, for help? Or will she turn to Tamani, the electrifying faerie with whom her connection is undeniable?

My Thoughts:

Friends.  Let me tell you that I adored this book.  I read it in a week, which for me is a LONG time to read 1 book.  But as you know, my business has been keeping my time pretty limited lately.  I was just glad to finish a book!  And man was this book good!!  It hight exceeded my expectations.  Like I said, I really liked Wings (so did Stephenie Meyer, by the way), and really hoped that Spells would be just as good.  Of course I had to request Spells ASAP from HarperTeen!  Getting on with it... 

Spells wasn't just good.  It was great!  It had a lot more action, a lot of nail biting moments where I was literally standing and pacing while reading.  I even found myself yelling at Laurel a few times.  haha!!  Books like Spells really remind me why I love reading so much.  I felt like I was watching the story unfold before me as I read.  

I will say that I was a little frustrated with Laurel, though.  She is indecisive and naive.  I want her to make a decision already!  And stick with it.  But then I get mad when the decision she makes is not the one I want her to make, or the one I think she should make.  :)  I am funny like that, what can I say?  Laurel is wishy washy and that drives me crazy, but at the same time, all of those things are what makes her endearing and easily lovable.  She thinks a lot about her actions before she acts on them, which is a great character quality.

The events in Avalon were beautifully descriptive.  I want to live in Avalon.  

Be warned!!!  Spells ends with a ginormous cliffhanger!!  One that will make you yell and scream "WHAT?! NOOOO!!!"  "Aprilynne!  How could this be?!"  haha!  That is exactly what I said out loud when I realized that is was true.  That was THE END, and I have to actually wait for the next one!  But, let me tell you.  She has left me wanting more, and when that 3rd book comes out, I will be waiting impatiently for the store to open so I can grab it up immediately.  

Way to go Mrs. Pike!  Spells sucked me in just as fast as Wings did.  What a great fast paced, intriguing,  book that was full of so much wonderful! 

Spells gets a 5 out of 5 stars from me!!

28 Day Winter Escapes Giveaway By :: HarperTeen ::

Hello my friends!  There is something special going on today!  

HarperTeen is hosting an fantastic promotion.  They'll be giving away a signed book every day in the month of February and releasing an exclusive Q&A with the author to be posted on that day's partnered blog. Check out HarperTeen's 28 Days of Winter Escapes Book-a-Day Giveaway by clicking here!

I am really excited that I am hosting the Q&A with Amy Brecount White for you today!  I have had the pleasure of getting to know Amy on Twitter.  She is incredibly nice!  You can follow her on Twitter too!  I encourage it.  :)  To win a signed copy of Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White check out today's giveaway by clicking here! There is a chance at winning an iPod Touch!  Sweet!

Lovely friends... I would love it if you would get the word out about this blog post!!  Let's show Amy some love, because she seriously deserves it!  See that tweet button at the top left of this post?  If you click on tweet, it will automatically retweet this post.  How about linking it up on Facebook too?  Would love it if you'd do that!!  Hugs to you!

Let me brag about this book for a bit. . . 

Forget-Her-Nots Synopsis:

Something—some power—is blooming inside Laurel. She can use flowers to do things. Like bringing back lost memories. Or helping her friends ace tests. Or making people fall in love.

Laurel suspects her newfound ability has something to do with an ancient family secret, one that her mother meant to share with Laurel when the time was right. But then time ran out.

Clues and signs and secret messages seem to be all around Laurel at Avondale School, where her mother had also boarded as a student. Can Laurel piece everything together quickly enough to control her power, which is growing more potent every day? Or will she set the stage for the most lovestruck, infamous prom in the history of the school?

My Thoughts:

I was intrigued by the synopsis, so I requested this book.  I am really glad I did!  This book totally exceeded my expectations.  I loved how different it was from so many teen fiction out there right now.  Amy really went outside the box by making this entire book about Laurel and the flowers.  I found it to be very interesting, and a very good read.  I am a bit bummed, however, that it is a stand alone book. I would LOVE it if amy revisited Laurel and Avondale School.  I found the characters to be real.  Meaning that I could imagine the things they were doing in real life.  Amy was very detailed throughout the book, which is important for me while reading.  It helps me envision everything that's going on.  

I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend Forget-Her-Nots!  It'll be in stores March 2nd!  Go grab your own copy then!  I hope you'll come back here and tell me what you thought after you read it!  

I give Forget-Her-Nots a 4.5 out of 5 stars!  This is Amy's debut novel, and she definitely rocked it!

Now, here is the exclusive interview with Amy Brecount White!

Forget-Her-Nots

Amy Brecount White 

1. Laurel must deal with mean girls, crushes and the prom while trying to understand her own feeling about the loss of her mother. What was the hardest part of high school for you?

Trying to hide that fact that I was truly, irrevocably a geek. I could never get enough books! I loved to read everything from whopper Russian novels to travel guidebooks. Not exactly hot date topics. I mainly thought of myself as a smart girl, so when other things—like guys or friends or my tennis match— crashed and burned, I had my grades to fall back on and carry me on to exciting new people and places.

   Laurel had it much tougher than I did. 

2. Flowers play a main part of Forget-Her-Nots. What flower is your favorite to receive from a special someone?

I absolutely love all flowers, but if I had to pick one . . . gardenias. Their scent is so sweet— it can transform a whole room!— and they have a pure, ivory beauty about them. In the language of flowers, gardenias are for “ecstasy and transport,” which sounds fun to me. 

3. Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?

Absolutely.  I still do.  Wes in Sarah Dessen’s The Truth about Forever blew me away. And I will always have a thing for Nat from Elizabeth Speare’s The Witch of Blackbird Pond, one of my all-time faves.  I wouldn’t mind hanging out with Justin (from Forget-Her-Nots) either.  :)

4. Do you believe in love at first sight?

Yes and no. I definitely believe in crush at first sight, but I think love— the kind that lasts— is something that develops only when you come to know a person truly and deeply.  That takes time and energy and patience. 

5. What is your favorite wintertime activity?

Ice skating.  It’s smooth and elegant, and you can do it while holding hands. I’m not out there doing triple salchows, but I love to glide. 

Thank you for visiting my blog today to read about Forget-Her-Nots!  And thank you Amy Brecount White for the interview!  You sound so FUN!  Maybe I'll see you at a book signing here in Phoenix.  ;)  

Bellflowers to you all!

Book Review - Hush, Hush

I literally JUST finished this book, and had to open my laptop right away and write a review.

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Simon&Schuster
• Release Date: October 13, 2009 [OUT NOW!]
  
• Language: English

Book Synopsis:

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life. 

****

Here is the Hush, Hush book trailer...



****

My Thoughts:

First of all.  LOOK AT THAT COVER!  I have the ARC copy, but when I was at the bookstore the other day, I found Hush, Hush on display, and the cover is even more beautiful!  This cover would draw anyone in!  It's just fantastic.

 

I started Hush, Hush yesterday, and finished it this evening.  I brought it with me to The Pioneer Woman's book signing, and was so glad I did!  Hours of waiting turned out to go rather quickly while my nose was in this book.   

Nora Grey walks into her Biology class one day to find the her Biology teacher has suddenly decided to change the seating chart in class.  So instead of sitting with her best friend, Vee, as she always has, she is now sitting next to the new transfer, Patch.  Patch is a looker to say the least.  He is also dark, mysterious and at first rarely says anything.  Patch does end up teasing Nora a lot.  Along with teasing he acts like a jerk.  Which immediately puts Nora off.  Nora is very unsure of Patch, and goes to great lengths to get her Biology teacher to switch their seats.  

Soon into the book, weird things start happening to Nora.  She starts getting the feeling that she is being watched.  She sees a hooded figure almost everywhere she goes, calls the police several times reporting things she has seen, but the things she sees aren't actually there.  Or are they?

Due to Patch's vague past, and how incredibly mysterious he is, Nora almost immediately begins suspecting Patch is behind all of these things, but as time goes on, she begins wondering if it might actually be someone else . . . but who could it be?

 

This book was an incredible read!  It was incredibly mysterious to the point that you don't get complete answers about Patch until the last 50 or so pages.  But I didn't mind that.  That is just one aspect that kept me addicted to this book.  I was drawn in immediately and did not want to put this book down!  For being a debut novel, Becca Fitzpatrick rocked it!!

I give Hush, Hush 5 out of 5 stars!!  

GO GET IT!

 

*I also wanted to note something, because it's getting really irritating.  I read a couple of other reviews about Hush, Hush and in the review, the reviewers talked about how this book was very similar to Twilight.  Let me be clear here.  I do like the Twilight series.  A lot.  But, it does get quite tiresome to hear people *always* comparing this book or that book to some similarities in Twilight.  I mean, give me a break... just because this book starts off in a Biology class, and there is a love interest there, albeit extremely resistant on Nora's part, that DOES NOT make it like Twilight.  Like I said, Nora was *not* into Patch at first.  Yes, she was drawn to him, yes she thought he was "hot".  But.  She wanted to have nothing to do with him.  No matter if she had to lie to herself about the attraction she felt towards him.  There was more mystery in this book than Twilight.  There was less "love scenes" in this book than Twilight.  But it didn't matter.  This book was just as good without it, if not better.  All I am sayin' is that Twilight is NOT the end all of books.  The Twilight Saga is definitely not the best series out there.  I agree with another book blogger... the Twilight train has arrived, but it so needs to leave now.  Again... I liked the Twilight series A LOT!  I was quite obsessed with it for a long time.  I read the series 5 times.  In a row.  LOL!  But, I have read SO many books since then that Twilight is not usually at the forefront of my mind.  Ok.  I will get off my soapbox now.  Sorry you guys!  Just tired of hearing everything compared to Twilight.*

 

 

Book Review - Hourglass

Hourglass

By: Claudia Gray

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen
• Release Date March 9, 2010
• Language: English

__________________________________________________________________________

As with Gone [scroll down], I will not be doing a summary.

Hourglass is the 3rd book in the Evernight series.

I do not want to ruin anything for anyone.

OK, I changed my mind.  I will do a summary, but I will not say anything about Hourglass in my summary, but I will give you a small summary about the characters themselves.  It will be very vague like I was reviewing the first book in this series, Evernight.

Bianca is the main character.  She often feels like an outsider.  In the first book, you learn why she feels this way.  And in a shocking way I might add.  :)

Lucas soon becomes another main character.  Like Bianca, he also feels like an outsider, but he prefers it that way.  He and Bianca end up falling in love.  But Lucas is hiding something that is potentially devastating.

Balthazar is also in love with Bianca.  He is handsome, intelligent and caring.  At times Bianca thinks she should be with Balthazar, but would he be the best choice for her?

Raquel is Bianca's best friend and roommate at Evernight Academy.  But, Raquel has yet to learn the biggest secret of all.

I will give you my thoughts as I did with Gone.

____________________________________________________________________________

My Thoughts:

As I said, Hourglass is the 3rd book in the Evernight series.

If you haven't read the Evernight Series, you need to.

I loved the series quite a bit.

I think you will too.

I read Hourglass in a day and a half.  It drew me in right away.  There was so much action in this book, which made it hard to put down.  This book was constant.  There was always something happening, which I loved!  So much more is learned about Bianca.  So if you have read the first 2 in the series, just wait!  You will learn a lot more in Hourglass!

There is so much I want to say, but I can't.  :o(  Sorry guys!  Like I said, there will be no spoilers.  I hate spoilers, therefore I will not give them.

Bianca's character becomes more evolved due to everything she goes through in Hourglass.  And man does she go through a lot!

Lucas is with her throughout this book as are Balthazar, Raquel, and so many others from the first 2 books.

I have to admit... I was very surprised at the turn this book took!  But, with that turn came answers.  So many answers that were left unanswered.  But, it leaves you with a cliffhanger!  So there are still so many questions I am dying to have answered in the next book as well!  I can't wait until the 4th book comes out!!

I love Balthazar.  He is so caring, and always there for Bianca when she might need him.  His love for her is evident, but he never lets it get between them, which I love as well.  He is just an all around good guy.

Raquel... hmmm.  I have mixed feelings about her.  That's all I will say.

Sometimes I wish Lucas would GET A CLUE.  He is one of my favorites too, though.  His love for Bianca is completely romantic, as well as unconditional.  He is much manlier than Edward from Twilight.  ;)  To be frank, Lucas as well as Balthazar are badasses.  Excuse my language, but it's true.  LOL!

Now.... go out and get Evernight and Stargazer!  Hourglass comes out in March!

I give Hourglass 4 our of 5 stars!

Book Review - GONE

Gone

By Lisa McMann

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse
• Release Date February 9, 2010
• Language: English

___________________________________________________________________________

This is the 3rd and last book in the Wake and Fade series.

I can't tell you a lot, because I don't want to give ANYTHING away.

So, I won't be doing a summery. 

But I will tell you my thoughts... with NO spoilers.

___________________________________________________________________________

My Thoughts:

First of all, I LOVED Wake and Fade.  Loved them a lot! 

Book clubbers, we will be reading this series... so do not read Wake and Fade just yet...

Everyone else... GO GET THEM!  Now.  ;)

Lisa McMann is lovely.  If you recall, I MET her a couple of weeks ago.

My friend, Jenn and I were over the top excited to meet her. 

And man was she super nice! 

Anyway. 

First off.  I want to mention Lisa McMann's writing style.  It's likely a lot different than you're used to.  It's written in the third-person present tense.  It took me about 4 pages to get used to.  LOL!  I actually found her writing style very refreshing, and I so hope you do too!  

Wake, Fade and Gone are easy reads that will have you up late furiously reading.  I remember being up late into the night reading Wake and Fade.  When I got Gone to review, I knew better.  LOL!  I made sure to finish it before I wanted to get in bed by midnight, and I did.  

Janie is the main character.  She has an ability to be sucked into people's dreams.

Cabel is Janie's boyfriend.  He is the love of her life, her support system and biggest supporter.

I was so addicted to Gone!  I could not put it down.  I really could feel for Janie in this book.  I knew how I wanted this book to end, since it is the last in the series.  I will not say if it ended the way I wanted to.  I feel like that might spoil it.  But the conflict that Janie goes through in this book had me going through many feelings.  Confusion.  Thinking, why would she do that?!  Anger.  Thinking, why DID she do that?!  Happiness.  Thinking, I am SO glad she did that!!  Fear.  Thinking, I hope she DOESN'T do that!  Sadness.  Thinking, I wish she didn't have to go through that!  Relief.  Thinking... I Can NOT tell you that!  HA HA!  Sorry.  I can't.  It would spoil it.  ;)

I was sad to say good-bye to Janie and Cabe.  I feel like when I series ends it's the end of a friendship.  Is that weird?  I don't know.  You get to know these characters so well, it's almost as if you know them.  

Lisa... you wrote another GREAT GREAT book!  Thank you so much for the ride!  I cried, I laughed, I rejoiced, and I yelled.  I was that into the ENTIRE series.  

Thank you for the adventures for my mind!  You ROCK! 

 

I give Gone 5 out of 5 stars!

Also... just because I didn't get ARC's of Wake & Fade is not going to keep me from giving them star points...

Wake I gave 4 out of 5 stars

Fade I gave 5 out of 5 stars.

This series is seriously in my top 5 favorite book series'.  And you all know I have read a lot of book series'!  LOL!


P.S.  Lisa McMann actually took the picture on the cover of the chair!  She took it with her CELL PHONE!  How rad is that picture?!

 

Book Review - The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove

By: Lauren Kate

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Razorbill
  
• Release Date: November 12, 2009
  
• Language: English

 _________________________________________________________________________

Natalie Hargrove is a senior at Palmetto High.  She is popular, and dating a very nice looking and popular Mike King.  They are the perfect couple... or so you might think.

Natalie's one biggest care in the world is becoming the Palmetto Princess, and her boyfriend, Mike becoming Palmetto Prince.  Being the Palmetto Princess/Prince gives you a heads up in life. It gives you high status, and a guaranteed successful life.  Who wouldn't want to be Palmetto's Princess/Prince, right?

Natalie soon finds out she and Mike have competition.  This competition's name is Justin Balmer.  And, it just so happens that Justin and Natalie have a history... but it's not a good history.  Natalie has kept this history with Justin a secret.  In fact, a lot of Natalie's past is a secret, and she doesn't want that secret to get out.

At an annual party, Natalie and Mike decide to play a prank on Justin.  A prank that can not be taken back.  A prank that changes the lives of many, and throws Natalie and Mike into a huge downward spiral they can't get out of.  What was supposed to be a prank turns out so wrong.  Pranks are just a joke right?  Right?

_______________________________________________________________________________

My Thoughts:

I was unsure about this book when I first got it, but of course didn't let me unsureness get in the way!  The back summary intrigued me a lot.  And I am so glad I sat down with this book.  It was a good one.

Stuck up, superficial, materialistic.  Those were my first thoughts about the main characters, Natalie and Mike.  While those things were definitely true, I soon learned that there was so much more to them than that.  Natalie has a "forbidden" past.  If her peers and elders found out where she came from, she would be shunned.  Or worse.  When I began getting to know Natalie's character, I really couldn't blame her for putting on a show.  Because while she was a snob, she was also very insecure.

Mike came off less stuck up, superficial and materialistic, but you still get a hint of it upon first impression.  But quickly, you will learn that there is more to Mike than that.  Mike is genuine, caring, thoughtful, and a darn good boyfriend to Natalie.  Maybe he was a little "too" good to her.  But, I felt that maybe he should have thought about himself a little more. 

This book took me on a snobby roller coaster ride through Natalie's and Mike's life, especially after the prank they pull.  The deceit was incredible in this book, and I found myself yelling at Natalie in my head.  I kept wishing she would have come clean.  But she doesn't, which then leads to a very shocking ending.

I give The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove 3 out of 5 stars.

Book Review - Tangled

Tangled
By: Carolyn Mackler

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen
  
• Release Date January, 2010
• Language: English

_______________________________________________________________


1 place. 4 people.

Life is interesting. Sometimes events in our lives can make a huge affect on what takes place in our lives as well as others. Jena, Skye, Dakota, and Owen go to Paradise in the Bahamas for vacation.

Jena and Skye aren't friends, but their mother's are.

Skye is a beautiful seemingly perfect model type, she's an actress with a very bad attitude, and a big secret.

Jena is average with freckles, a curvy figure and shy personality. She cares for everyone, even if they don't care much for her.

Dakota is a jock, he's outgoing, a flirt, and incredibly good looking. He is also grieving. Lately, Dakota has a bad reputation of using girls.

Owen is Dakota's brother, and is also Dakota's total opposite. His life is online, he is extremely shy, nervous, asthmatic, works at a library, and a blogger.

1 vacation hot spot makes 4 people's paths cross. 1 vacation hot spot leads to life changing events, decisions, and consequences. 1 vacation hot spot causes 4 people's lives to become tangled.



______________________________________________________________

My thoughts...

I enjoyed this book very much! I love books that show when people's lives cross paths with each other, and the effects that happen because of it.

Carolyn Mackler wrote a very enjoyable novel about 4 people anyone can relate to, even if it's just a little bit. I loved reading how the character's lives changed, the risk that some took, and the love that happens to the ones that least expect it. This book is realistic, and shows the good side of people as well as the consequences that must be paid when these people make a bad decision.

Tangled isn't going to be out in stores until January of 2010, but I highly recommend putting it on your "To Read" list.


I give Tangled 4 out of 5 stars!

Book Review - The Everafter

The Everafter
By: Amy Huntley

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Balzer + Bray/ HarperTeen
  
• Release Date September 29, 2009
• Language: English

______________________________________________________________

Madison Stanton is dead. She doesn't know how she died, she just knows she is. While in a place she calls "is", she contemplates her death, but can't seem to remember anything. While floating in "is" she discovers items that are surrounding her. Soon, she discovers that the items can momentarily let her re-experience moments of her life. The only items in "is" with her are items that she has lost in her life that she was never able to find. Such as her boyfriend, Gabe's sweatshirt, a bracelet, an orchid, a pine cone, and several other things.

Madison becomes obsessed with visiting her life and getting away from "is". She missing living. And she is really wanting to know how she died. Madison makes the mistake of realizing she can change things while she goes back to re-experience these moments.

Madison begins to learn about her life more in depth. It's like being on the outside looking in to her once life.

She re-experiences these moments with one focus... her death. Will she discover how she died, or will she be stuck in "is" forever?



_____________________________________________________________

My Thoughts...

I was first attracted to this book, because the cover is fabulous! When I read what it was about, I was intrigued. So many of us think about the afterlife... what exactly will happen, etc. I know what I believe, and yes. It's completely different from this novel, but I thought this book had an interesting perspective.

I can't say "is" sounded appealing. But I loved how creative this author was. Each item that was lost could be re-experienced by the main character, Madison. She tries changing things, and then learns that she isn't supposed to mess with what's already happened. So, she just watches, and learns. She gets a more in depth look at her once life, and she learns just how much love she had for those important to her in that life.

She does eventually learn how she dies, and man was I shocked!

I will admit. I did have a little bit of a hard time getting into it, but once I did I found it interesting. This book is an easy read, and I was able to read it in 1 day.

You can purchase The Everafter HERE if you'd like. I recommend it.


I give The Everafter 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Book Review - Secret Society

Secret Society
By: Tom Dolby

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen
  
• Release Date September 29, 2009
• Language: English

A teeny-bit from Amazon:

"Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone. . . ."

______________________________________________________________

Phoebe, Lauren, Nick, and Patch - these are some of New York's privileged teens attending Chadwick School. The world they live in is a world that no other teen can even imagine, and most may be jealous. But, these teens might surprise you. On the surface some of them may seem to play the rich kid part well, but underneath it all, they would love nothing more than to be "normal". Whatever normal is.

A night out at a party turns out to be no normal party night, when Phoebe, Lauren and Nick get the text message. They have heard rumors about The Society before, but never imagined they would be chosen to be part of it. They are told The Society can make even your wildest dreams come true. And the money and fame are endless. They accept without hesitation and are then given The Society's tattoo, the ankh symbol. All The Society members must have one. But soon, the question that Phoebe, Lauren and Nick begin to wonder is, "All of this comes at what cost?" They are thrown into a very secret, exclusive world of money, lies, scandal and opportunities they only dreamed about before.

Every dream these teens have are being fulfilled, every want is given. But all of the excitement begins to wear off when a young man's body is found with no mark other than the ankh tattoo of The Society.

Questions are formed, risks are taken, bonds are formed, and secrets are revealed. The teens also begin to realize that once you get into The Society, you can't get out.

Tom Dolby's teen fiction debut is remarkable and addicting! You will not want to put it down!

My thoughts...

I loved this book! It was interesting, intriguing, and I didn't want to put it down.

I loved the characters, Nick and Phoebe in this book. From the beginning they sort of form an "alliance" with each other. Their promise to stick together and be there for each other stays true to the end, which I really liked. They end up trusting each other with every secret they find out, and cause a lot of their peers to question The Society.

I liked Lauren too. For the simple reason that there was more to her than a rich snob. I liked getting to "know" her. Her home life isn't great, but Lauren looks past all of it. She focuses on her future, and her dream of becoming a fashion designer. She and Phoebe became instant friends, and supported each other throughout The Society's events and shocking outcomes.

Nick's family is one of the wealthiest in New York. But once you get to know him, you would never think it. He is down to earth, caring, and anything but the standard privileged child. I loved that his favorite thing to wear was ratty jeans and an old sweater. He falls for Phoebe because she is different, and not the typical Chadwick student.

Patch is an aspiring film maker. He is also Nick's best friend. One thing that irritated me about Patch was how easy he found it to ignore his friends, and look only after himself even if it might hurt someone else. Patch is a good guy, but I thought he could use a swift kick in the behind in some parts. ha! In the end, he ends up helping Phoebe, Nick, and Lauren find answers they wanted, so I liked him once more.

All in all? I LOVED this book!! It kept me interested, and wanting to know more. I can't wait for the sequel!!

I give Secret Society 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Book Review - Possessions

Hello everyone! I have another book review for you! I have been lucky enough to be accepted not only by HarperTeen to review books, but also by Razorbill which is a Penguin Group publishing company. Razorbill has published many great Young Adult books, including 13 Reasons Why [I Just read it... fantastic!], and the Vampire Academy series... also fantastic!

I received a couple review copies [also called ARC - advanced review copy]. My first Razorbill review. Fun! :) I LOVE doing this!!


Possessions
By: Nancy Holder



Book Details:

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Razorbill
  
• Release Date: September 3, 2009
• Language: English

___________________________________________________________

Do not judge this book by it's cover. The cover isn't that great, but the book was so very good! I will never base one of my reviews on the cover. While I do love a good attractive cover, to me, the content of the book is most important. Hope you agree. ;)

Here is my summary and take on Possessions...

Lindsay has been through a lot. Her biggest hardship has been her mother's death. Lindsey and her mom were very close, her death has taken a big toll on Lindsey. Lindsey ends up going through a huge breakdown. After dealing with this breakdown, she is required to go to an all girl's boarding school. In going to Marlwood Academy, Lindsey hopes to get away from her broken past and start anew.

Despite some initial creepy feelings she gets when she first arrives Marlwood, Lindsey quickly makes friends with her roommate, Julie.
Julie shows Lindsey around making her feel more comfortable with her new surroundings.
Julie begins telling Lindsey about Mandy and her "people". Most everyone at Marlwood comes from a lot of money, and Mandy is one of those girls. Julie dreams of becoming part of her group.

During a class, Lindsey is partnered with Kiyoko, one of Mandy's friends. They are to work on a school project together. Lindsey goes to meet Kiyoko for the project research, but is told they are doing something else instead. This is the start of the weird things that begin taking place at Marlwood. But Lindsey is the only one who seems to notice the black eyes, the ghost with holes for eyes and open mouth, the never ending fog, Mandy talking to herself in weird voices, etc.

Then there is Troy. He and Lindsay have an instant intense connection. Lindsay begins trusting Troy as time goes on. During a day together, Troy admits to Lindsay that something is wrong with Mandy, but he doesn't know what. This starts Lindsay being even more suspicious, and leads Lindsay on to a chain of events that make her feel like she is going insane. She doesn't know who she can trust, because as time goes on, she can't figure out who will believe what she is seeing or not. She can hardly believe it herself.




I really enjoyed this book! Nancy Holder also wrote the Wicked Series, which I enjoyed.
This is the first book in a series. The 2nd book comes out next Summer.
This book had exactly what I love... it hooked me immediately, and kept me interested all the way through to the end. It has a slight bit of creepiness to it as well, which I actually liked. It was one factor that kept me interested. Nice thing too? It's already out in the bookstore!!

I give Possessions a 4 out of 5 stars!! Go get it! :)


As always, thank you for taking the time to read my review! Hope you enjoyed it!! :D

Book Review - Pretty Dead

Pretty Dead
By:Francesca Lia Block

Book Details:

Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 208 Pages
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: September 22, 2009
Language: English

______________________________________________________________


First thing I will say... I Love the cover of this book. I personally don't mind if the cover isn't attractive, but if it is, then I get excited. I am just like that. However. If the cover isn't all that great, but I read the back or the inside jacket and it sounds good... then the cover be damned! I am reading for the content, not the cover. ;)


Here is my summary and take on Pretty Dead...

Charlotte Emerson isn't your normal vampire. She was changed at only 17 years old. Before her change she was coping with the tragic and sudden death of her brother. The very handsome William shows up in Charlotte's life promising her everything, but she ends up only with regret, and loneliness. William was her maker, but she grows to hate him.
Now living on her own, Charlotte, attends high school and soon meets her best friend, Emily. Emily, among everyone else, is jealous of Charlotte, because she has everything. Beauty, money, a huge house over looking the Pacific Ocean, fabulous clothes, and more. Charlotte wishes she could be more like Emily... a human.
Charlotte then meets Jared. They are both dealing with a death to someone close to them. This death affects Charlotte. She starts noticing that a finger nail has chipped, she gets a zit, she can cry, and her cheeks blush. All of these things do not happen to vampires.
She and Jared are spending more and more time together and soon, they're falling in love. But, a vampire can not feel love...
That's when Charlotte thinks she may have been given a 2nd chance at mortality.

****



A few things. I felt that this book was too short. It needed more. I felt like it was too rushed in some parts, and I felt super confused at parts in the beginning. Not knowing who people were, and then finding out too much later. Charlotte should have been better characterized. You hardly get much information on a lot of characters in the book, and are left wanting to know those characters more. All in all, I liked this book, but I really feel like the author could have spent more detailed time on each character so we as readers could have gotten to know them better, and could have a better understanding of how they think, and who they really are.

I give Pretty Dead a 3 out of 5 stars.


***

Please comment on these posts so I know if these reviews are giving you good information or not. Are they lame? Too much info? Not enough?


Thanks for taking the time to read this book review!

Book Review - Crashed

My laptop is broken. I have no pictures to share. I have cried, but I am dealing. It will be fixed soon. :) Fortunately, I have a PC in my office. But Mac is just so much better! haha.

Anyway.

It's book review time! I am going to start writing separate book review posts for each book I have read. Clumping them all together takes a long time, and I realize I don't really give all that much information. I need to start doing that, though ... today I got my first review copy from HarperTeen. I should get a 2nd one from UPS today too. Fun! Expect a book giveaway next month! :)

The book I am reviewing today is not a review book, but a series a started at the beginning of the year. The 2nd book was released on Sept. 8th.

Crashed - By: Robbin Wasserman

This book is the 2nd in a series of 3. The first book is called Skinned... here is a little about it from Amazon:



"In a high-tech future, Lia Kahn is a rich, glamorous, "it" girl at a prestigious high school. Then a car accident leaves her body mangled beyond repair. Rather than let her die, her parents take advantage of a new procedure that downloads the contents of her brain into a sophisticated mechanical replica of a human body. Lia is now a "mech," known in derogatory slang as a "skinner." She still feels like Lia, but she no longer breathes, eats, sleeps, or ages. She can no longer enjoy the easy high of a b-mod, the ubiquitous mood-altering drug that gets the rest of her friends through lunch, and her boyfriend only touches her when he's drunk. She is kicked off her beloved cross-country team because the coach believes her new body gives her an unfair advantage over her competitors. Religious extremists hold a protest when she returns home from the download operation, holding up signs that say "God made man. Who made YOU?" Lia can only see her new body and new social status as a tragedy...."
—Megan Honig, New York Public Library
****

I give Skinned a 3.5 out of 5 stars. - It was good from the beginning, but I felt towards the middle it lost some edge, but then it picked back up the last quarter of the book.



Now about Crashed.

After reading Skinned, I was excited to read the 2nd book. While in the first book, you were learning about Lia Kahn, the 2nd book you feel as if you know her already. But truly, you still learn more about her. Which I find fantastic, because a character should always be evolving in front of you. That's how it is in reality. We grow and change as we get older and when we go through hardships in life, etc.

Robin Wasserman really paints a clear picture as to what "her" view of the future might be like. You really get the feel for the surroundings and characters. The main character, Lia Kahn is still living in her highly technological world with other Mechs. She has finally come to accept that she is not a human anymore, but a machine. She is going through her life (6 months after the accident) doing extreme, things trying to make herself feel something, like jumping from airplanes. All is as well as it can be as a machine. That is until she finds out about a major organization being lead by someone from her past. Lia is thrown into emotional turmoil having to visit the past, and fight for her future. She doesn't trust anyone, but soon learns that she will have to trust someone to make it through what's ahead. Lia is put through many tough situations, and faces many challenges. But will she succeed in saving herself and her fellow Mechs? You'll have to read this series to find out!

I give Crashed a 4 out of 5 stars.

***

I hope that was a good review! I can't say too much, or I will give away the book, and we definitely do not want that! :)