The Best Reader:
review

The Story of Us by Deb Caletti
Publisher: Simon Pulse (April 24th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 390 pages
Source: ARC from Publisher
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Cricket’s on a self-imposed break from her longtime boyfriend—but she’s picked a bad week to sort out her love life. For one thing, her mother’s romance is taking center stage: After jilting two previous fiancés, her mom is finally marrying Dan Jax, whom Cricket loves. But as wedding attendees arrive for a week of festivities at a guesthouse whose hippie owners have a sweet, sexy son—Ash—complications arise:Cricket’s future stepsisters make it clear they’re not happy about the marriage. An old friend decides this is the week to declare his love for Cricket. Grandpa chooses to reveal a big secret at a family gathering. Dan’s ex-wife shows up. And even the dogs—Cricket’s old, ill Jupiter and Dan’s young, lively Cruiser—seem to be declaring war.
While Cricket fears that Dan is in danger of becoming ditched husband-to-be number three, she’s also alarmed by her own desires. Because even though her boyfriend looms large in her mind, Ash is right in front of her…

Review:

The Story of Us is a serious book, but there are so many hilarious moments. Cricket's family has gathered with her mom's future-husband Dan's family for their wedding and it's a little like that movie Christmas Vacation. There are so many disasters happening around every corner. Cricket's worried about her mom taking off again before the wedding but she's also dealing with her own issues which include the cute guy Ash, her evil future step-sisters, and a house full of crazy, stressed out family members.

Cricket was a good character because she does truly love her family and worry about them — even her older brother. And while she is young, she still comes off as mature and wise. She wants what's best for her mom and that has become a big priority in her life. She has started to question her relationship with Janssen. They have been together forever but she just can't get over a few doubts. Although we don't really get to know Janssen first-hand, he is still very much included in the book. Cricket emails with him often and shares their history. This gives us a great chance to get to know him through her experiences and he was a fascinating character!

Ash is there, and he's hot, and he pays attention to Cricket. He has a bit of that dark, mysterious vibe going on and that really draws Cricket to him. She just has trouble finding out if that's real affection or her just latching on to something for comfort.

The plot was really what created such a well-rounded story in this book. Each character brought so much drama and fun. I think that everyone will find at least a few characters who remind them of a person in their own family. Some parts of the story lagged a bit for me, especially with a great deal of focus on the family dog. Not that I dislike dogs, I don't, but her emails with Janssen were mostly about the dog and I just wanted to know more about their relationship instead.

This book is a real coming-of-age story, involving a girl just trying to deal with the changes in her life. As with many young adults, change is scary and it can be difficult to let go of the security of a home, boyfriend, or friend. It's a time where a person takes a big leap of faith and that's exactly what Cricket had to learn to do. Deb Caletti truly knows how to target the mind of a teenager and dive into their dreams and fears.

Recommended: People looking for something cute and funny, but with a deeper meaning.

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Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperTeen (February 28th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 375 pages
Source: ARC from Publisher
Series: Delirium #2
Rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.
Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

Review: SPOILERS!! Pandemonium may be just one of the many dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels we have seen recently; however, it will always stick out to me simply because of the complexity of Lauren Oliver's writing.

I admit, it took me a while to get into the groove of this book. The chapters alternate between"now" and"then" and I had a hard time figuring out when was now and what was then. Yes, slightly confusing. About mid-way into the story I felt more comfortable with that structure. It gave us a glimpse of what Lena is doing now, compared to where she was once she first got into the Wilds. Lena"then" was more weak, a bit whiny, and sort of got on my nerves. Then again, she is dealing with the fact that Alex is not with her so I tried to understand her struggles to fit into this foreign world.

If anything, Lena's time in the Wilds showed her exactly what she needed to survive. She learned how people take care of each other and the true dangers of living away from everything she knew.

The"now" part of the story takes place months later with Lena in New York. I won't go into a lot of details of this section because it was part of the surprise of the book. I was fascinated reading what was going on and how Lena was involved. But I will say that this is the part of the story where the love-triangle begins and we meet Julian.

Lena and Julian do have a very unlikely connection and I liked that a lot. I felt Julian was a wonderful character to add to this story; but, I have a difficult time with this particular relationship. Part of the enjoyment of Delirum was the honest, true love story between Lena and Alex. I feel that is a bit tainted now. This made me become irritated towards Lena during the end of this book and question her feelings. Plus, the cliffhanger didn't help. I like to have a book end during a good place where I can feel good about what I just read. I didn't really feel that way at the end of Pandemonium.

Although I didn't like this sequel nearly as much as Delirium, Lauren's writing still continues to amaze me. Each new plot line or setting is beautifully crafted and it really transports the reader into the story.

Recommended: Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic fans. Read Delirium first.

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Loving Emily by Anne Pfeffer
Published: October 2011
Paperback: 278 pages
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
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:

Michael's death hits Ryan hard, obviously. He can't shake the feeling that he shouldn't have walked away. It doesn't help that Michael seemed to have something he wanted to share with Ryan. For a while Ryan seems to just float from day to day. He spends time with Emily but holds back from really telling her how he feels. Ryan's relationship with Emily was sweet and romantic. It wasn't all"hot and heavy" from the beginning like some stories. They really seemed to slowly build upon their connection with each other.

Loving Emily doesn't just give us a sweet romance between 2 characters, we really get a good idea of Ryan's life. He has a life that may seem perfect from the outside but he doesn't have the best relationship with his parents, especially his mother. Even though Michael dies early in the story, Ryan shows us how their friendship developed and it was easy to see why Ryan thought so highly of his friend. This was what really seemed cute to me. His accounts of the childhood events he shared with Michael really helped me see how they were just two little boys trying to figure out life.

I won't give away what the secret is but it really puts a whole new spin on this story. At the same time, it made me dislike Emily in a lot of ways. She didn't seem to really grasp what Ryan was going through or why he was so focused on his"task". I thought her actions, while mostly realistic for a teenage girl, made her just seem selfish and uncaring. I'm a hopeless romantic but there were times where I thought that maybe she wasn't even needed in order to have a super strong story. Maybe it should have just been Ryan's journey to make peace with himself.

On the plus side, I adored Ryan's point-of-view and I honestly didn't want to put the book down. I felt very invested in the story and finding out what Ryan would do in his situation. It was gripping, heartbreaking, and realistic.

Loving Emily is honestly a beautiful story. It's so much more than a romance and, even though it deals with a serious topic, it wasn't dark and depressing. A very enjoyable read.

Recommended: People wanting a realistic teen read dealing with death.

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Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Flux (September 1st, 2010)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 302 pages
Source: Publisher
Series: Leaving Paradise #2
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Caleb Becker left Paradise eight months ago, taking with him the secret he promised to take to his grave. If the truth got out, it would ruin everything.

Maggie Armstrong tried to be strong after Caleb broke her heart and disappeared. Somehow, she managed to move on. She's determined to make a new life for herself.

But then Caleb and Maggie are forced together on a summer trip. They try ignoring their passion for each other, but buried feelings resurface. Caleb must face the truth about the night of Maggie's accident, or the secret that destroyed their relationship will forever stand between them.

Review:

We all know that Simone Elkeles is a brilliant author. Her stories are always raw, honest, and emotional. I picked up Leaving Paradise (book 1) after reading the first two books in her Perfect Chemistry series and while I didn't fall in love with this story as much as those, it was still amazing.

I was excited to see where Caleb and Maggie end up after finishing Leaving Paradise but it took me a while to get to read this book. I was still able to dive right in and pick up where book 1 left off without being confused or forgetting many of the details. Return to Paradise takes place 8 months after Caleb left Paradise. He has tried to escape the town, his parents, and the pain of seeing Maggie. But, as we know, you can't hide from your problems. Caleb is soon in trouble again and his own real option is to go on a summer trip with some other teens.

Maggie has somehow gained even more strength since Caleb left. She was hurt, but found ways to heal. She even joined a summer trip to help share her story of the accident, but she never expected to see Caleb there.

When Caleb and Maggie see each other again I could literally feel their anxiety. As much as they may have thought they had moved on, it was obvious that the feelings were still there. I admired Maggie's determination and resistance of Caleb. He attempted to push her buttons but she remained composed and refused to let him rule her emotions. The trip opens up the thing they each tried to keep locked up — the accident and what happened after Caleb got out of the juvenile detention center. But, with some help from the other teens on the trip, they do eventually learn a lot about themselves.

Endings can make or break and entire book for me. I despise if an ending (especially of an entire series) is rushed. I was extremely satisfied with this ending. I obviously won't say what happened, and there are several surprises, but it was gratifying.

Don't think that this is just a clear-cut story. Simone placed a lot of surprises and twists along the way. And, we meet some new characters that bring a lot of life to the story.

Recommended: Contemporary readers looking for something with a deeper plot. Read Leaving Paradise first. Also, if you haven't checked out Simone's other series, Perfect Chemistry, go do that.NOW!

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The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Publisher: EgmontUSA (December 22nd, 2009)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 372 pages
Source: Won from author
Series: The Dark Divine #1
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret… and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.
Review: I don't know why I waited so long to read this. I'm a big werewolf fan and this is a book I have wanted to read for a long time. The Dark Divine is from Grace's POV. She is a"good girl" with a loving family and her father happens to be a pastor. But, there is a lot going on behind the scenes.

Grace recalls the odd events that happened around the time her childhood friend Daniel disappeared. Suddenly, Daniel is back and he isn't exactly the same person who left 3 years before. Grace's family is desperate for her to stay away from him but she can't. She is determined to have him in her life and to find out why he went away.

I will say that nothing in particular about this book blew me away; however, it was a very well-rounded story. I enjoyed the characters. I never wanted to put the book down and I had no idea where the plot would take me. Grace was a good girl but she took a lot of risks. Daniel was just fascinating. I was curious to find out more about him because he started off as being very closed off and sad.

Another aspect of the story I really enjoyed was the fact that Grace's family was a critical part of the plot. That is often rare to find in YA books so I liked the fact that we get to know her father, mother, and older brother on a deeper level. It also allows the readers to see why Grace is who she is.

With Daniel's arrival, a lot of bad things start happening around town and people are blaming Daniel. Grace knows something evil is out there but she just can't believe Daniel would be the one causing the problems. The plot in this story was very creative and mysterious. I honestly didn't know what would happen and I was completely surprised many times.

Bree Despain is a fabulous author and The Dark Divine series is one that easily hooked me. Everything about this novel helped to bring the story to life and Bree's writing made me an immediate fan.

Recommended: In case anyone hasn't read this so far — paranormal/werewolf fans who like a good mystery.

A while back I was contacted by a representative of CSN Stores and asked to do a product review. They have so many amazing products and it took me a while to decide which one I wanted. Since my daughters birthday is coming up, I decided to buy an organizer for her bedroom. I went with the Honey Can Do Sort and Store Organize — SRT-01603.

I ordered it October 15th and it arrived Thursday, the 21st. Very fast! The box was in great condition.

(My daughter's hand- she was very excited! lol)

All of the pieces were in perfect condition, no scratches or parts missing, and the sides and bars seem very sturdy.
My husband put it together while I did homework, ha! And even with my daughter helping it only took about 15 minutes. It only required a screwdriver to place the bolts in and install the bars.

The buckets are bright and easily sit along the bars to hold toys. The handles on the sides make it easy to move the organizer from place to place if needed. The buckets come off if you'd like to have a few out for a while or move them to different sections.

This was exactly what I needed for the small toys my daughter has! CSN carries different colors and designs of this organizer so it's easy to find one that fits your needs. I am thrilled with the product, delivery time, and experience with CSN.
It was my first time using them and I am so happy I did! I would absolutely buy from them again and recommend them for purchases. They have pretty much any item you could think of and it's very easy to navigate around their site.
Rating:

ORDERING

DELIVERY

PRODUCT

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Thank you Jason from CSN STORES for contacting me!

* CSN provided a discount for a product of my choice if I reviewed it on my blog. This review is 100% my opinion and a reflection of my own personal experience with CSN stores.

1. Everlasting was your debut novel. What has been the most surprising part of the process from writing to promotion?
The most surprising part was discovering just how much marketing the authors must do themselves. My expectations were so far above the reality, so with my next few books I feel I much better prepared to be my own advocate.

2. You have done a lot of historical research in the past. What was the most fascinating thing you learned during that experience?
So many amazing tidbits captured my imagination. When researching, it’s a risk that I’ll stumble onto something that will distract me and make me want to write a new book! For Everlasting, I loved learning about sailing and a sailors life at sea. The superstitions, the work sailors were expected to do, the risks and the dangers of the ocean. All very fascinating!

3. If you could go back in time, what time period would you like to visit, and why?
Regency England would be my first stop, and the next would be Civil War era America. Someone better invent a time machine, pronto.

4. Your next book, The Midnight Tunnel: A Suzanne Snow Mystery, is set to be released next March. Can you tell us about this story?
Zanna is an 11-year-old girl who lives at the grand hotel her parents manage in New Brunswick, Canada. All she wants is to be a detective like her famous uncle, Bruce Snow. When a young guest goes missing and her uncle writes off the case as unsolvable, Zanna sets out to prove him wrong. I’m really excited about this new mystery series! It’s a fun one.

5. What other things do you have in the works right now?
Other than a few more Suzanna books and a possible third Everlasting novel, I am concentrating on a new historical paranormal YA. All I can say is Paris, 1899, and gargoyles. I’m still figuring it out!

Everlasting by Angie Frazier Publisher: Scholastic Press (June 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 336 pages Sailing aboard her father’s trade ship is all seventeen-year-old Camille Rowen has ever wanted. But as a girl of society in 1855 San Francisco, her future is set: marry a man she doesn’t love, or condemn herself and her father to poverty.

On her final voyage before the wedding, the stormy arms of the Tasman Sea claim her father, and a terrible family secret is revealed. A secret intertwined with a fabled map, the mother Camille has long believed dead, and an ancient stone that wields a dangerous—and alluring—magic.

The only person Camille can depend on is Oscar, a handsome young sailor whom she is undeniably drawn to. Torn between trusting her instincts and keeping her promises to her father, Camille embarks on a perilous quest into the Australian wilderness to find the enchanted stone. As she and Oscar elude murderous bushrangers and unravel Camille’s father’s lies, they come closer to making the ultimate decision of who—and what—matters most.

Beautifully written and feverishly paced, Everlasting is an unforgettable journey of passion, secrecy, and adventure.

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Jordyn by Tiffany King
Published: A.T. Publishing (February 9th, 2013)
Reading Level: New Adult
Kindle Edition: 280 pages
Series: A Deamon Hunter Novel, #1
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Summary:
Hand to hand combat training: Check
Cardio and strength training: Check
Daemon hunting: Check
Anomaly: Check

Check, check, check, check… That's all my life is. There's nothing ordinary about me. I'm"special." I know this because I'm reminded of it every stinking day. I can kick a Daemon's ass with both hands tied behind my back. I can run up a mountain without breaking a sweat. Know what I can't do? Get guys to notice me, or hang out with friends like normal people do. I can't just be ordinary because I have an Arch Angel for a mentor who is always breathing down my neck, and a family of angelic Guides and Protectors who scrutinize every little thing I do. Just for a day I want a life where I'm no longer some anomaly, where I don't have to feel like a lab rat.

And then I met Emrys. Okay, so my mentor and family hate him, but probably for good reason. After-all, he is a Soul Trader, and they aren't the most trust worthy beings. But, he is sooo hot with his green eyes, leather jacket and the sexiest tattoo you've ever seen running down his back. And-he doesn't treat me like a project.

I've got myself in quite a little quandary here. Choosing between my responsibilities and the Trader that holds my heart is something I didn't sign up for. Torn between two different worlds, I must now decide who to trust and who to walk away from. What's a girl to do? See what I mean? I am an anomaly. I am Jordyn.

Review:

…
…

I was serious…

…

I CAN'T WAIT
…

IS BOOK 2 READY YET????: )

Okay, back to the review. This book has a huge amount of detail for such a small package! We learn a lot about Jordyn, her"family", their world, and what it's like being a Deamon hunter. Jordyn really kicks butt. I loved her! She was just so bad-ass and awesome! She's a tough girl with a strong personality. She has guardians who are training her and it was great to really get to know each one of them.

Then, of course, we have Emrys. He is a Soul Trader, which is not something her guardians are happy about. The more they try to keep Jordyn away from Emrys, the more she feels drawn to him.

This book mostly seemed like a set up for an epic battle coming up. We learn a lot about Jordyn's world and what she can do. Then we get to enjoy the building chemistry between Jordyn and Emrys. He is very mysterious indeed, and I can't wait to find out more!!

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Bite Club by Rachel Caine
Publisher: NAL Hardcover (May 3rd, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 340 pages
Series: The Morganville Vampires, #10
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
After discovering that vampires populate her town, college student Claire Danvers knows that the undead just want to live their lives. But someone else wants them to get ready to rumble.

There's a new extreme sport getting picked up on the Internet: bare—knuckle fights pitting captured vampires against each other—or humans. Tracking the remote signal leads Claire—accompanied by her friends and frenemies—to discover that what started as an online brawl will soon threaten everyone in Morganville.

Review:

Recommended: People looking for a long paranormal series. Perfect for people who enjoy watching characters mature and change over time. Morganville will grab you and refuse to let go!

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Infinity by Sedona Venez
Published: January 15th, 2013
Reading Level: New Adult
eBook: 218 pages
Source: Author
Series: Valkyries: Soaring Raven #1
Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Summary:
Infinity discovers a dark secret from her past that rocks everything she knows to be true.

A troubled 22-year-old superstar singer, Infinity has a bad reputation for drugs and hard partying. Now, she is on the road to a comeback with her controversial tour. But everything about doing the concert feels wrong from missing employees, to anonymous threats about ruining her career. She is dealing with a powerful corporation that is determined to kill her and everyone she loves. She is also battling for control of her life and career from a relationship that crossed the fine line between love and obsession. Infinity knows too much, even though she doesn't realize it. Secrets have been kept and these secrets are powerful enough to destroy her and everyone she loves.

Now she must put her safety and trust in the hands of sexy, tattooed and delicious Torch Channing and Boulder Vigari, hired to keep her from getting killed. Boulder wants to make her his. He won't stop until he claims her. Torch struggles with his primal need to possess her and his hatred of everything she represents.

Infinity is determined to protect her heart while dealing with the pressure of pulling off another successful tour without spiraling into another mental meltdown.

Review:

Her relationship with her mother was another interesting area. They didn't have a typical mother-daughter relationship. But they do seem to have a great bond. The world we get to know in this book is very complex. There are several paranormal creatures — Valkyries, vampires, werewolves, other shifters and more!

Infinity's friends, Zoe and Diego, were fabulous! They had some fantastic interactions and I felt it allowed us to really see more of Infinity's personality. I was first interested in this story because of the paranormal elements. It's rare to see a New Adult story with a paranormal twist. I really enjoyed learning about the world, but at times I was a bit confused. Sometimes it was hard to keep up with the plot and I had to go back and slowly read through it again. It's important to do that with this story because there are times when a lot is told to us quickly.

Overall this was a solid story. There are parts that could have been taken out, or altered a bit to make it better. Some things were a bit repetitive but I will still read book 2!

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The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa Publisher: Harlequin Teen (April 24th, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 485 pages
Source: ARC from Publisher Series: Blood of Eden #1
Rating: 4 of 5 stars In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

Review:

First, the vampires in this story are not the kind we see nowadays. They are vicious, heartless, and cruel (most of them). There is nothing swoon-worthy going on here. People avoid the vampires at all costs. The first thing that grabbed my attention with this book was the world-building. This was my first experience with a novel by Julie Kagawa and wow, she has mastered this setting. I could picture this dark, deadly place, where vampires and rabids lurk in the dark and the people on the fringe just hope to scavenge some food each day. The kids grow up without parents and a person would rip your head off for a piece of bread. Yes, it's gruesome and real. Julie Kagawa did not shy away from exposing the real death in this story.

Allison is an Unregistered, which means she doesn't exist. Like many others, she has not been tagged by the vampires and doesn't have to give her blood to them. The downside is that she doesn't get their food or help either. But Allison is willing to risk this. Along with a few of her crew, she is forced to live off of very little and fight for survival. Then one adventure puts her on a completely new path.

Once Allison changes she learns way more about the vampire society than she would have thought possible. At the same time, she learned how strong and powerful she is. I truly admired Allison's courage and independence. It took an enormous amount of strength to get through what she had experienced and she never gave up.

She meets quite a few people on her journey and some prove to be challenging for her. One that she can't seem to keep her mind off of is Zeke. Zeke is kind, considerate, and loyal. He seemed to see a part of Allison that she didn't even know existed.

The plot of this book is full of twists and turns. There is a lot of intense action, heart-breaking moments, and blood-- lots of blood! My only complaint is that this book is long, super super long. Due to this, some parts were a little slow to me. Somewhere around the middle I lost focus and had to put it down for a while.

Julie Kagawa has created a fascinating story where vampires are not the good guys, and the humans are the cattle waiting for their slaughter. In this dystopian world, a young girl may have to fight everything she is in order to keep her humanity and compassion for others. The battles are deadly, and the heroine never back down. Julie Kagawa now has a new fan.

Recommended: People looking for an old-fashioned vampire tale with a brand new dystopian spin. Complex and full of action, with a plot that will keep readers intrigued.

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Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (August 28th, 2001)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 298 pages
Series: Jessica Darling #1
Rating: 3 of 5 stars
“My parents suck ass. Banning me from the phone and restricting my computer privileges are the most tyrannical parental gestures I can think of. Don’t they realize that Hope’s the only one who keeps me sane?.. I don’t see how things could get any worse.”

When her best friend, Hope Weaver, moves away from Pineville, New Jersey, hyperobservant sixteen-year-old Jessica Darling is devastated. A fish out of water at school and a stranger at home, Jessica feels more lost than ever now that the only person with whom she could really communicate has gone. How is she supposed to deal with the boy- and shopping-crazy girls at school, her dad’s obsession with her track meets, her mother salivating over big sister Bethany’s lavish wedding, and her nonexistent love life?

Review:

The idea of this book was a good one. I usually enjoy stories where young girls are faced with new obstacles, especially when a lot of humor is involved. While this book is funny at times, it wasn't enough to really make me all that interested. I guess mainly I didn't understand why Jessica surrounded herself with people who she really didn't like. But Jessica was a really funny character.

She had a lot of great qualities and I completely believed how devastated she was after Hope moved. I also really liked her interactions with Marcus. Marcus may have had issues but he did seem very realistic. Their slight friendship seemed to really make Jessica question a lot of what was going on around her. I loved that. The situations were also true to what many teenagers go through: friends leaving, crushes that lead to heartbreak, questioning what you really want.

I think that if the story wasn't portrayed as journal entries I would have definitely been more invested in the book. But I just mainly felt like it was being told to me instead of really seeing the story from the character's point-of-view. I'm very visual and I just didn't get enough of that in this book. Megan McCafferty did do a great job portraying the obstacles a typical teenage girl goes through, and I could really see the differences in Jessica's personality by the end of the book.

I know a ton of other people who enjoyed this more than I did so don't count it out! It does have a lot of perks.

Recommended: Contemporary fans looking for a cute, coming-of-age story.

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While He Was Away by Karen Schreck
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire (May 1st, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 256 pages
Source: eGalley from Publisher
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
"This is just something I have to do, okay?" I hear David say."The right thing."

He cradles my face in his hands. He kisses me hard. Then he lets go of me. His eyes dart from me to whatever's next.

All she wants is for him to stay. She's been doing pretty well, pretending he doesn't have to go. But one day, after one last night to remember, she wakes up and there's no denying it anymore. He's gone.

When Penna Weaver's boyfriend goes off to Iraq, she's left facing life without him. As summer sets in, Penna tries to distract herself with work and her art, but the not knowing is slowly driving her crazy. Especially when David stops writing.

She knows in her heart he will come home. But will he be the same boy she fell in love with?

Review:

I loved the beginning of the book where we really get a good idea of Penna and David's intense relationship. It's obvious that they care deeply about one another and are hurting from the idea of being apart. I gotta say, after David leaves the book took a lot of turns I didn't expect. Maybe it was the summary that threw me off but I thought this would be about Penna changing while David was gone and not feeling as connected to him, or David dealing with issues while he was away. Or, even Penna finding someone else she was interested in while he was gone. It wasn't really any of those things.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad book at all, and I do think it accurately portrays the emotions of a teenage girl missing her boyfriend who is overseas, but it just may not be the book people expect. To me, this was more about Penna's journey to find her grandmother, deal with being alone, handle her mother, and learn how to be more self-sufficient. Those issues seem to be much more important to the story, rather than anything about David's feelings about being away.

Penna was a good character and I admired her courage. Even though she was young, she did everything she could to keep in touch with David and let him know how much he meant to her. One bonus was Ravi. He was an old friend of David's and he is dealing with is own issues. I admit, I thought he would be playing a much bigger role in this book. He was an interesting character and I liked his interactions with Penna.

I could have handled the overall plot of the book just fine; however, the ending threw me off. I didn't expect it to be like that and I guess it didn't really make sense to me. I didn't see it coming, which was good, but it just seemed abrupt. This made it maybe a 3.5 rating for me but I went up to a 4 just because I did really enjoy Karen's writing style and realistic portrayal of a young couple dealing with being apart.
Recommended: Contemporary fans looking for a book with some deeper aspects.

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Broken at Love by Lyla Payne
Published: Createspace (March 12th, 2013)
Reading Level: New Adult
Paperback: 338 pages
Series: Whitman University, #1
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Summary:
When a knee injury ends twenty-year-old Quinn Rowland’s pro tennis career, he’s not only dumped by his hot Russian girlfriend but ordered to attend college by his disinterested billionaire father. A rich kid who’s not used to being disappointed by life, Quinn and his sociopathic half-brother Sebastian create a frat house game intended to treat girls how they see them—as simple game pieces to be manipulated for their pleasure.

College sophomore Emilie Swanson knows Quinn’s reputation—after all, he did send one of her sorority sisters into therapy earlier in the semester—but the game and his charm bring them closer together and soon she starts to believe there’s more to Quinn than people think.

But what if the more is something darker than a game of toying with emotions and breaking hearts?

Quinn and Emilie might be falling for each other, but there are secrets he’s not ready to tell—and lifestyle changes he’s reluctant to make. She willingly stepped on the court, but if Emilie finds out she started out as nothing as a pawn in Quinn and Sebastian’s twisted game, she might never forgive him.

To his surprise, Quinn finds that he might finally care about someone more than he cares about himself… even if that means letting Emilie walk away for good.

Review:

I really enjoyed this book. At first I worried that I wouldn't be able to see any redeeming qualities in Quinn. He is a tough guy to like. Him and his friends treat girls horribly and have even made a game out of getting them in his bed. It's gross. But sadly, I'm sure a lot of college guys do similar things.

Emilie was a challenge for Quinn from the beginning. Not only does Emilie manage to turn Quinn down, but she gives him a big surprise right from the start. It's obvious to Quinn that she isn't like all the others. She's also passionate about art and wants to prove to her parents that she's good enough to have that as a career. Both Quinn and Emilie have issues with their parents and it's a big force that tries to drag them down. It's also something they can relate to each other on.

I enjoyed the way we are able to get to know the characters in this book, and although it's harsh the way Emilie is treated in some areas, she was strong and able to fight back against Quinn's attitude.

She was the perfect match for him and it really challenged his way of thinking. We get to read from both points-of-view in this book, which was much needed. Honestly, I felt that Quinn's POV was the most interesting because he had the most growth from start to finish. He seemed to be in a bubble at the start of this book. He had no positive thoughts about anything and didn't care how he treated people. By the end of the story we can see how many changes he has made.

Broken at Love is a fantastic story with 2 characters who deal with the troubles of live in different ways. Through their connection they are able to help each other and finally find someone who accepts them.

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Anew by Chelsea Fine
Publisher: Acacia Publishing (December 7th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 385 pages
Series: The Archers of Avalon #1
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Two years ago, Scarlet awoke in the forest alone, afraid, and unable to remember anything. Lost and confused, her life was a mystery… until she met a boy with a familiar voice.

Gabriel Archer has a voice from her past, and Scarlet's determined to remember why. She immerses herself in his life only to discover he has a brother he's kept hidden from her: Tristan Archer.

Upon meeting Tristan, Scarlet's world becomes even more muddled. While she's instinctively drawn to Gabriel, she's impossibly drawn to Tristan--and confused out of her mind. As she tries to piece together her history Scarlet realizes her past… might just be the death of her.

Review:

In Anew we meet Scarlet. She woke up in the woods on day, two years ago, with no real memories at all. Since then she's been living with a young woman (her caretaker), and hanging out with her best friend Heather. She has adjusted pretty well considering, but then she meets someone who triggers something in her mind. Gabriel steps into the picture and Scarlet just knows his voice is familiar. She is instantly drawn to him and they have a nice, cute romance.

Soon, she gets the feeling that Gabriel may be hiding something. She goes to his house one day and discovers his brother Tristan there. As much as Gabriel triggers new thoughts in Scarlet's mind, Tristan does even more. But she can't figure out why she feels linked with him, or why he seems to absolutely hate her.

This experience puts her on the path to finding out about her past, and discovering who Gabriel and Tristan truly are. This was the part that was surprising to me. I didn't expect the events to play out the way they did. One perk of this story is that we get to see the point-of-view of Scarlet, Gabriel, and Tristan so it is well-rounded and fully developed. There are no real missing points that I wished would have been there.

As for the characters, Scarlet has been through so much. She has no family, no memories, and no way of knowing who she really is. She remained strong and determined throughout this story and I feel she was partly that way due to her best friend Heather. Heather is not like Scarlet at all. She's a total girly-girl and wants Scarlet to take more pride in her fashion sense. They make a wonderful pair. Heather is such a good friend and it was obvious that she would stand up for Scarlet through anything. Gabriel is the good guy. He does care a lot about Scarlet but Tristan really had the passion. He may have been mean and angry most of the time, especially to Scarlet, but I could feel the true passion in his personality. He was a very nice surprise!

Anew just gives us the beginning of what I feel will be a terrific series. This book sets everything up and leaves a lot of mystery that I'm sure will be unraveled in the next book. And wow, what a cliffhanger! I will definitely be reading book 2 as soon as it is released.

Recommended: Paranormal fans looking for something unique and interesting. Great characters, multiple POVs, and a terrific plot.

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The Space Between by Kristie Cook
Published: April 5th, 2013
Reading Level: New Adult
eBook edition
Series: The Book of Phoenix, book #1
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Summary:
When Life Falls to Pieces, Answers Lie in the Space Between

After a month-long dance tour through Italy, 20-year-old Leni Drago returns to Georgia to care for her great-uncle, only to find him gone, the home they shared empty and any evidence he ever existed wiped out. All that’s left is a journal she can’t open.

Jeric Winters has been searching for a piece of his past for over a year, only to reach a dead-end in Georgia. When an urgent and magnetic pull draws him out of his hotel room, he comes face-to-face with the beautiful dancer who’s been haunting his dreams day and night.

Jeric’s one to stay away from—a bad-boy, hit-it-and-quit-it type—but Leni can’t escape the fervent feelings between them. As their own existences begin to crumble around them and shadowy forms that are more monsters than men attack, they realize there’s more to the connection between them than physical fascination.

To solve the riddle their lives have become, they must embark on a journey that requires them to face their pasts and release their true souls. And they must do it fast—dark ones from another world are closing in, intent on killing them. Permanently.

Review:

Leni and Jeric were outstanding! I truly believed their chemistry and the pull they felt towards one another. There was no doubt that they were connected. But these characters were far from perfect. They both had their flaws which made their personalities much more believable. The circumstances surrounding their meeting was so complex but it truly kept me intrigued and wanting more.

I've honestly never read a story even close to this one, plot-wise. I had no idea where the story was going or what the characters would find out. They are able to delve into the past and see how it would alter their present, and future. Although a lot of this story does help us grasp that idea, there is no lack of action and adventure for the characters. I was scared for them on multiple occasions! Darn you Kristie for making my heart race like that: )

The entire idea behind this was so intense and … romantic. Another perk is that we get the chance to hear from several POVs. That was critical to this story because it allowed me to truly understand the past of each character.

If you are looking for a story with a unique plot and fantastic characters, pick this one up. I am thrilled Kristie ventured into the NA area and I cannot wait to read the next book in this series!

Prize:
1 winner will receive a $5 G ift Card to Amazon or B&N.

Rules:

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is International and ends May 6th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

Kristie will be hosting a major giveaway on her site at the end of the tour for a $200 gift card or a swag bag full of goodies!
To enter, readers can head over to http://www.kristiecook.com/2013/04/the-space-between-release-tour.html and enter via Rafflecopter.
Rafflecopter form can be found HERE.

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A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers (March 20th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 448 pages
Source: Author/Publisher
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Even angels make mistakes in this page-turning epic romance…

When her parents are murdered before her eyes, sixteen-year-old Helen Cartwright finds herself launched into an underground London where a mysterious organization called the Dictata controls the balance of good and evil. Helen learns that she is one of three remaining angelic descendants charged with protecting the world's past, present, and future. Unbeknownst to her, she has been trained her whole life to accept this responsibility. Now, as she finds herself torn between the angelic brothers protecting her and the devastatingly handsome childhood friend who wants to destroy her, she must prepare to be brave, to be hunted, and above all to be strong, because temptation will be hard to resist, even for an angel.

Review:

She has no idea what's going on and Darius, the older of the brothers doesn't seem too pleased with her arrival. Soon she gets a much better understanding of who she is, what her parents were trying to protect, and what she will have to do in order to stay safe.

Helen was a pretty strong character. I was amazed at her ability to remain calm under stressful situations. This is a historical novel so she seemed very composed and poised most of the time. Then there were times where her emotions showed — like when she was with Griffin, or when she would become stubborn when listening to Darius and his demands. While she does make a few silly, and dangerous, decisions, she was enjoyable to get to know.

Darius is hot-headed, bossy, and difficult. He knew how to push Helen's buttons but in a way, that helped her become so much stronger. Griffin was the sweet, gentle brother. There was immediate chemistry between Helen and Griffin and I enjoyed watching their relationship form. Then there is another young man from Helen's past that truly makes her question what is right and wrong. I won't spoil it, but I liked this character and I felt he really brought a lot to the story. In a lot of ways he helped me to better understand Helen as well. I am curious to see where this"triangle" goes.

The plot and world-building of this story is very complex. Most of this book did seem to be focused on setting up the world these characters live in. We get to know the paranormal creatures, history, and powers involved. For this reason, the beginning was a bit slow for me. There is a large chunk of it dedicated to explaining the history and current situation Helen is faced with, which was needed, but got a little tiring. But, by the middle I was hooked on this story and excited to see what would happen.

A Temptation of Angels was a great beginning to this paranormal story involving fantastic world-building, a steamy romance, and a heroine seeking justice for her family.

Recommended: Paranormal/historical fans looking for a new series with a complex format and great characters.

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How to Ruin My Boyfriend's Reputation by Simon Elkeles
Publisher: Flux (November 8th, 2009)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 257 pages
Series: How to Ruin #3
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
In the third book of this bestselling series, Amy Barak-Nelson misses her boyfriend Avi, who is in the Israeli army. Her grandmother convinces Amy to sign up for two weeks in a military training base. Not her idea of fun, but what's worse? Her team leader turns out to be Avi.

Review:

Nathan, Jessica, and Miranda are joining her and they get into quite a few hilarious situations. Amy isn't sure what to expect when she gets to the Israeli training base but she seemed to have no idea it would be so hard. The teens are treated like real soldiers and are forced to"rough it" just like everyone else.

The big surprise is that Avi is one of Amy's team leaders. They realize quickly that alone-time may not be possible on the base. And, while Amy may have thought Avi would be easy on her, she was wrong. He pushes her to do her best, while being absolutely adorable whenever she needs help. What is cuter than a tough team leader rushing to the aid of his girlfriend in front of all his friends? Nothing, I tell ya! So cute!

But, Avi made me angry in this book. Actually, very angry. I felt so invested in this story and Amy and Avi's romance that I really started mumbling things like"OMG how could he do that? That is so wrong! He'd better stop that!" LOL. Yes, I might be crazy, but I guess that's a good sign because I really connected with the story and cared about what they were going through.

There are a lot of physical and mental obstacles Amy and Avi must face in this story. Simone Elkeles really knows how to weave together a brilliant romance, laugh-out-loud humor, and serious moments throughout a story. I read this book in just a few hours and never even put it down. I am so sad to see it all end. *sigh* I'm glad we get the chance to get to know Amy's friends in this story and it all seemed to come together to show us the full picture of Amy's and Avi's experiences.

Recommended: EVERYONE. Pick up this series immediately. It's funny, romantic, and so well written. Start with How to Ruin My Summer Vacation so you don't miss a moment of Avi (and Amy, of course).

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How to Ruin My Teenage Life by Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Flux (June 8th, 2007)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 281 pages
Series: How to Ruin #2
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
In this sequel to How to Ruin a Summer Vacation, EVERYTHING in sixteen-year-old Amy Nelson Barak's life is going wrong! Her mom got married and moved to the suburbs, and now they are going to have a baby. Amy moves in with her dad in Chicago and signs him up for an online dating service. His first four dates are that night..
What else? Her dog Mutt impregnated her grumpy neighbor's prized poodle, so Amy will actually have to get a part-time job to pay for half the veterinary bill. And there's this totally annoying boy, Nathan Rubin, who just moved into her apartment building. Luckily, Amy has a cute boyfriend named Avi. Only he's more like a non-boyfriend considering Avi is in the Israeli army for the next three years.
What's a girl to do when everyone is conspiring to ruin her life?

Review:

Amy is now back in Chicago after her summer in Israel. She has little contact with Avi because he is now serving in the Israeli army and she isn't sure what to make of their dating status. She refers to him as her"non-boyfriend". On top of that, Amy's mom is now married and expecting a baby. Amy doesn't really feel she belongs in the house with her mother and stepfather. Instead, she moves in with her father so they can build a better relationship.

I really enjoy Amy's no-nonsense attitude but she did make a few silly decisions in this book. Signing her dad up for the dating service was one of them. He had no interest in dating and it only proved to get her into a lot of trouble. It did seem that while this was a heavy focus in the book, it was just thrown in without real meaning. I wanted to know more about Amy's school life, friends, and experiences.

There is a new guy in this book, Nathan, and he was a fun character. Amy isn't fond of him from the beginning and then he starts giving off some very mixed signals. She is confused as to what he wants from her and what she wants with him. After a huge surprise, things get even more complicated for her.

I liked that this book lets us get a better idea of Amy's new life. How she deals with her father, who is very strict, and how she deals with Avi being away. I feel that by the end of the book Amy really understands herself much better than she did before. Her and her friends were a fascinating group to get to know! This book has nearly as many laugh-out-loud moments as the first one. Now, I have to get my hands on How to Ruin My Boyfriend's Reputation! It sounds amazing! That review will be up soon… (update: soon as in, tomorrow).

Recommended: Contemporary fans who love Simone's writing. Be sure to read book 1, How to Ruin a Summer Vacation first.

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How to Ruin a Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Llewellyn (October 8th, 2006)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 234 pages
Series: How to Ruin #1
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Moshav? What’s a moshav? Is it “shopping mall” in Hebrew? I mean, from what Jessica was telling me, Israeli stores have the latest fashions from Europe. That black dress Jessica has is really awesome. I know I’d be selling out if I go with the Sperm Donor to a mall, but I keep thinking about all the great stuff I could bring back home.
Unfortunately for 16-year-old Amy Nelson, “moshav” is not Hebrew for “shopping mall.” Not even close. Think goats, not Gucci.
Going to Israel with her estranged Israeli father is the last thing Amy wants to do this summer. She’s got a serious grudge against her dad, a.k.a. “Sperm Donor,” for showing up so rarely in her life. Now he’s dragging her to a war zone to meet a family she’s never known, where she’ll probably be drafted into the army. At the very least, she’ll be stuck in a house with no AC and only one bathroom for seven people all summer—no best friend, no boyfriend, no shopping, no cell phone…
Goodbye pride—hello Israel.

Review:

I do admit, the summary doesn't even come close to really telling what this story is about. I have never read a book set in Israel so I was a little worried it would be a bit of a shock, but Simone captured the setting brilliantly. Amy is somewhat forced to spend the summer with her father"AKA Sperm Donor" and meet his Israeli family. She does not look forward to this in the least. Then once she arrives in Israel she really gets a huge culture shock. She has no idea what anyone is saying or what to think of the family she never knew existed.

Then she meets Avi and a few of his friends. Plus, a cousin who does not want to welcome her to their home with open arms. I gotta say, Simone is creative with names. Cousin O'Snot, and her friends (Doo-Doo included). Hilarious!

Amy is a fun character. She's not nice or one to walk away from a fight. This made her great IMO because a lot of YA characters fall flat but Amy did not, at all! She could be cruel but at least she had a strong personality.

Her relationship with Avi is very love/hate. Avi knows how to push her buttons and he seems to enjoy it. But Amy really learns how to survive by watching him and his friends. They are hard workers and very loyal to each other. She really gets a good idea of how people can live with very little and still have a good time. This experience also gives her a chance to get to know her sick grandmother. It was nice to see Amy's true self come forward whenever she spoke with her grandmother.

After reading How to Ruin a Summer Vacation, I immediately read the next book, How to Ruin My Teenage Life and purchased book 3, How to Ruin My Boyfriend's Reputation. It was that good! I have learned never to doubt the powers of Simone Elkeles and her epic writing skills.

Recommended: Contemporary fans looking for something hilarious!

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