Ember by Jessica Sorensen

 
Title: Ember
Author: Jessica Sorensen
Series: Death Collectors #1
Publisher: Borrowed Hearts Publishing (August 28, 2012)
Length: 223 pages
Format: ebook

Description:

What if you knew when someone was going to die?

For seventeen-year-old Ember, life is death. With a simple touch, she knows when someone will die. It’s her curse and the reason she secludes herself from the world. The only person who knows her secret is her best friend Raven.

Then she meets Asher Morgan. He’s gorgeous, mysterious, and is the only person Ember can't sense death from. So when he pushes into her life, she doesn’t mind.

But when unexplained deaths start to haunt her town, Ember starts questioning why she can’t sense Asher's death and what he may be hiding.

My Thoughts:

      Ember by Jessica Sorensen is a true breath of fresh air. Not only is this book one of a kind, but it had me guessing until the very last page and let me tell you, that's a hard thing to accomplish. Ember is tired. Tired of seeing how everyone will die, tired of being alone, and tired of being death's constant companion. Things are about to get much worse with the arrival of two new guys to her small town. One is bright and shining and the other is dark and enigmatic. Both men want her, but what for? With talk of Grim Reapers and Angels of Death nothing will ever be the same for Ember again.
       Throughout the whole book readers are drawn to Ember and the insane agony that is her life. The poor girl literally lives with death and where she goes it follows. Her whole life seems to be one catastrophe after another from seeing things when she was young, to being blamed for deaths and disappearances. Despite this she isn't a girl that gives up. You can't help but go through the book hoping that something good will finally happen to her. Ember's best friend Rave is the perfect foil. Bubbly, care free, and living for the next party she keeps Ember together, but readers get a sense that in the end she might be Ember's downfall. The arrival of Cameron and Asher had me hoping that Ember just might get a happily ever after, too bad they brought nothing but mystery and trouble. I couldn't tell who I liked the best or what "team" I'm on. Each character has their own little story that adds to the overall depth of the book. They build a world of death and secrets that readers will get lost in. This is a dark and bleak book where you don't just fall in love with the characters, but the story as a whole.
      Speaking of the story as  a whole... it was amazing. With the recent popularity of YA books it is hard to find one that is truly original. Jessica Sorensen is an author that has. I have never read a book that combines these particular "creatures" in quite this way. What a combination they make! I definitely will be getting the second book. I give this book a 4 1/2 STAR rating.

*** I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Want to learn more about Jessica Sorensen? Check out her websites below!

http://jessicasorensensblog.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-Sorensen/165335743524509?ref=hl

https://twitter.com/jessFallenStar

Love and Other Things I'm Bad At by Catherine Clark

Title: Love and Other Things I'm Bad At
Author: Catherine Clark
Publisher: HarperTeen; Original edition (July 26, 2011)
Length: 592 pages
Series: Courtney Von Dragen Smith #3
Format: paperback

Description from Amazon:

What’s a girl to do when there are two guys who seem like The One?

Just when Courtney has found the Best Boyfriend Ever (aptly named Grant Superior), she has to leave him to go to college, because apparently the universe doesn’t want her to be happy. Now that she’s three states away, what’s going to happen to her Superior relationship? And what about that cute guy she works with at college? No, not him. Him. Definitely getting in the way with his cuteness. But not distracting Courtney enough to make her stop wondering what exactly happened between Grant and her best friend, Beth, back home. Why can’t dating be as easy as eating a healthy vegan diet? Not that she’s ever managed that, either, but still.

Will Courtney ever figure out how to get this love thing right?

My Thoughts:

It was only after I read this book that I learned it was part of a series. However, most readers will be able to understand/pick up on the characters and their situations.

~The Characters

 Courtney is hilarious. She is an almost always vegetarian who lives in cow land, goes to a small college who's offensive initials are CFC while trying to maintain her long distance relationship with the love of her life...Grant Superior. I have to admit she is one hard character to pin down. Sometimes I loved her and wished she was my friend, while other times I was wondering why she was holding my interest. Courtney is wishy-washy, a smidgen self absorbed, slightly whiny, and at the end of the day has a good heart. Then you have Grant Superior. I liked the guy. He isn't the most swoon worthy of YA men, but he was likable. That's about all there is to say about him.

~The Heart of the Matter

LAOTIBA is written in the diary form of Courtney. Normally diaries aren't that readable to me, but this one was more like a story with the occasional funny/smart alek interjection. So, as most diaries go there is a lot complaining. I must admit that this book did frustrate me at times. Courtney's whining self pity did get a little aggravating. It seemed as if she wasn't happy unless things went exactly the way she wanted them to. However, the funny antics of everyone in the book slightly made up for Courtney's whine fests. Another thing that helped the book is that these characters are in college. In my humble opinion there is a sever lack of "YA" books out that target the 18-23 year olds or what I like to refer to as the transitioning inbetweeners.
This is a great summer read. Love and Other Things I'm Bad At is a light, fun, and fluffy read. When looking for a book with no moral story, hidden meaning, or life lesson...look no further. If you have a reading crave for something full of romantic drama, quirky characters, and the just plain strange... give this a try. I give this book a 3 STAR rating.

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Title: Scarlet
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Publisher: Walker Childrens (February 14, 2012)
Length:304 pages
Format: hardcover

Description from Goodreads:

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.
My Thoughts:

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I am happy to say I wasn't disappointed. Scarlet is a retelling of Robin Hood from Will Scarlet's point of view. Will is the true thief of Robin's merry band and happens to have a few more secrets from the townspeople. Will is known as Scarlet among Robin and the other thieves after all, it's more befitting for a woman.  A.C. Gaughen was genius in making Will/Scarlet a woman of many secrets. I was sucked into the writing and world of Scarlet from the very first page and was held captive to the very last. In Scarlet you find a tough and unapologetic heroine along with a young woman who doesn't shy away from violence. I loved it! She is sassy and engaging and I couldn't get enough of her character. The rest of the band consists of Robin of Locksley, John Little, and Much. Each of these men are stand up thieves set out to save their town by any means necessary.The wasn't just a retelling of an old story, but one of duty and love at all costs. As alluded to in the synopsis Scarlet provides readers with a...love triangle. The romance between Robin, Scarlet, and John was done fantastically and believable. It added a tender and desperate side to this wild adventurous romp. This book is fairly unique in the YA world for the villains and the violence they bring to the story. They are bloodthirsty, evil, and added an extra "umph" to the book. If you have any love for strong female leads, swoon worthy men, swordplay, and legends...you shouldn't miss this. Scarlet is one of 2012's top books and gets a 5 STAR rating!

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacocok

Title: Hemlock
Author: Kathleen Peacock
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (May 8, 2012)
Series: Hemlock Trilogy #3
Length: 416 pages
Format: hardcover

Description from Goodreads:

Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.

Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.

Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.

My Thoughts:

Hemlock is one of my favorites so far for 2012. When I finished the thought crossed my mind to read it again right that instant. It was one of those cover to cover with no breaks kind of reads. Let's see, where to start? The characters were fantastic. Each one from the major to the minor all had a distinct personality that plays an essential part in the plot. Mac was the perfect combination of independent proactive heroine with a smidgen girly-girl-in-need-of-help. Now on to the good part...the guys. Kyle and Jason have quickly became some of my favorite men in love triangles. I kind of want her to date them both ;) Kyle has that boy next door, best friend, been in love with forever kind of appeal. Jason on the other hand is the "bad boy" in need of saving from himself. They both have a protective streak a mile wide (which I found incredibly appealing)  and both need Mac to help them get through their respective troubles. The romance/ love triangle was the main reason I enjoyed this book so much. The basis of Hemlock is also a little different than what has been floating around recently. There is a pretty good number of books out lately where vampires have taken center stage and announced their existence to the world. Well, Hemlock gives them a run for their money by introducing werewolves. The whole idea (don't want to give too much away) is unique and refreshing. This book also steps up it's game by introducing a creepy ghost who still has me guessing, throwing around conspiracy theories, and a bunch of really hatable bad guys. I can't wait to read even more about these characters and the sequel can't come out fast enough for me. This book gets a 5 STAR rating.

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Half-Blood
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press (October 18, 2011)
Series: Covenant #1
Length: 304 pages
Format: paperback



Goodreads Description:
The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

My Thoughts:

     Despite having heard numerous wonderful things about this book I stubbornly put off reading it. I made a mistake. Half-Blood is a very unique enjoyable read and I quickly fell in love with the world of the Covenant series. Ms. Armentrout masterfully combines a new twist on Greek mythology with creatures that one could call vampires. How awesomely genius is that? This book has so many aspects that I love and number one is the characters are all seriously kick-butt. Alex is training to be a Sentinel and learning how to do some serious damage to the daimons (and some of her fellow classmates) that have made her life a living hell. You have to love a strong female lead who can take care of herself. Onto the guys! Many readers are tired of love-triangles, but I just can't get enough of them. Half-Blood doesn't really develop one, but I can see one in the future of the series. I'm torn in this book between Aiden the Pure (smoking hot and completely forbidden) sentinel who takes her under his tutelage and Seth (whom I won't give any spoilers about). I must say that I am Team Seth. Other than the characters and potential romance triad of the story is the world that is created in the Covenant. Readers are thrown into the world of the Covenant, but Ms. Armentrout effortlessly and naturally introduces this new world and is able to keep readers up to speed. This world is strongly based on a rigid class system and class systems fascinate me. I cannot wait to see the evolutions of the characters, the world, and laws as this series progresses. I eagerly await the next installment to arrive in my mailbox and give this book a 4 STAR rating.

Torn by Amanda Hocking

Title: Torn
Author: Amanda Hocking
Series: Trylle Trilogy
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (February 28, 2012)
Length: 336 pages
Source: Walmart
Format: paperback


Description from Goodreads:
When Wendy Everly first discovers the truth about herself—that she’s a changeling switched at birth—she knows her life will never be the same. Now she’s about to learn that there’s more to the story…

She shares a closer connection to her Vittra rivals than she ever imagined—and they’ll stop at nothing to lure her to their side. With the threat of war looming, her only hope of saving the Trylle is to master her magical powers—and marry an equally powerful royal. But that means walking away from Finn, her handsome bodyguard who’s strictly off limits…and Loki, a Vittra prince with whom she shares a growing attraction.

Torn between her heart and her people, between love and duty, Wendy must decide her fate. If she makes the wrong choice, she could lose everything, and everybody, she’s ever wanted…in both worlds.

*  This edition contains a bonus short story.

My Thoughts:

Torn picks up where Switched left off. This second edition in the trilogy never lets up on the action and drama and far surpasses it's predecessor Switched. The elements and characters in this edition really start to develope. In the first book I wasn't a big fan of Wendy. She was a selfish and spoiled brat. In Torn, readers see Wendy grow up a lot and start taking responsibility. Some more background information on the troll societies is revealed and adds a sense of darkness to the story. There is the edition of two characters Loki and Duncan. First off, I love Duncan! He is so sweet and unassuming. As for Loki, I want him for a book boyfriend. The guy is made of suave, charming, and a dash of bad boy. Sadly, this sequel saw me fall out of like with Finn. He is a bit of a clueless A$$! Tove has a much larger role and quickly became one of my favorite characters in a slightly crazy and quirky way.There is a lot more action and things just seemed to flow more smoothly than they did in Switched. I believe that with this edition Ms. Hocking really stepped up her writing.  I love this series and can't wait to re-read Ascend in paperback! This book gets a 4 STAR rating!
** If you enjoy Amanda Hocking's writing you should try her zombie apocolypse series The Hollows! The first is Hollowland and it is free on Amazon Kindle as of the publish date of this post.

Q: Do you know of any other books about trolls? If not, supernatural is a wildly popular genre, why do you think there aren't any more about them?

Love Sucks! by Melissa Francis

Title: Love Sucks!
Author: Melissa Francis
Publisher: HarperTeen (July 27, 2010)
Series: AJ Ashe #2
Length: 288 pages
Source: Amazon.com
Format: paperback

Description From Goodreads:

AJ Ashe is moving on. Sure she still has not-so-sisterly feelings for Ryan, her ex-boyfriend-turned-step-brother, but there’s a new vampire in town and his name is Alexander Archer. Caught between the desire to move forward with Sexy Lexy and being drawn to her past with Ryan, AJ thinks life couldn’t get anymore complicated. Yeah, right. When her mother’s pregnancy is threatened, it looks like AJ’s long lost father is the only person who can save her. But Dad’s help comes with a price. AJ is forced join the evil side of her family, and a very creepy shape-shifting demon is there to make sure AJ cooperates. All this and she’s still got to plan the prom. Being a teenager is tough, but being a teenage vampire just flat out sucks. Pun totally intended.

My Thoughts:

Melissa Francis carries on the series with Bite Me! This was a fun and enjoyable read in the AJ Ashe series and far surpasses Love Sucks! by leaps and bounds. The tumultuous relationship between AJ and Ryan continues and gets even more complicated. There is an edition of a second love interest for AJ who I thought added a much need oomph to the book. Some of you might be thinking, really?, another love interest? I promise you Lex is amazing. He is definitely my favorite guy in the story. Readers learn a lot more background information about this world of vampires and witches, and AJ's family. The "big bad" of the series appears in this installment, but the whole story just seemed rushed. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the book, but at the end I as thinking, that's it? I couldn't believe everything was wrapped up that fast. The addition of a third book would be really good, but I haven't seen/heard of one (if you know please tell me!). Overall I was just the tiniest bit disappointed and this disappointment outweighed what I liked. I give this book a 3 STAR rating.

Reign Fall by Michelle Rowen

Title: Reign Fall
Author: Michelle Rowen
Publisher: CreateSpace (January 1, 2012)
Length: 282 pages
Series: Demon Princess # 3
Source: Amazon.com
Format: paperback

Description from Goodreads:

Prophesies, demon slayers, dragons, homework… It’s going to be a hell of a week!

It’s been a dangerous ride for Nikki Donovan since she first learned she’s a demon princess. And the ride isn’t over yet!

She’s just found out that her best friend is a demon slayer in training, one who doesn’t know that Nikki is exactly the prey she’s sworn to hunt. Nikki’s demon king father has signed her up for lessons in how to master her erratic half-demon powers, and that’s on top of her regular homework! Also, she’s torn between two boys—Rhys, the faery king she’s prophesied to marry, and Michael, a Shadow whom she’s forbidden to love.

To top it all off, a dark force is haunting Nikki, something mysterious and evil that wants the demon princess dead…but who — or what — is it?

My Thoughts:

This third edition of the Demon Princess just affirmed how much I adore Michelle Rowen. I cannot wait until the next book to see how it all turns out. Nikki is a demon princess who continues to grow and come into her own. The debate between Michael and Rhys rages on. I stand firm on the side of team Rhys, this book made me love him even more. I will admit that seeing Michael's jealous side made him the teensiest bit more attractive. (I know I'm weird) The conflict between Maegan being a demon slayer and Nikki the demon princess was handled nicely, but there could have been more there. Hopefully the fourth book will show more depth into how this revalation has effected their relationship. Chris also makes an appearance and I hope to see more of him in the next one also. His story is really starting to be interesting. The "big bad" of the book was a bit of a let down.I thought there would have been more build up to the villain of the final book. As I've heard there is only supposed to be one more book in the series, I hope that the next installment brings a little more to the table. I love this series and liked Reign Fall, but being so invested in the story I was expecting a little more. I liked this installment, but I've come to love this series so much that I was expecting a little more. I give this book a 3 STAR rating.

*Team Rhys!

Reign Check by Michelle Rowen

Title: Reign Check

Autor: Michelle Rowen

Publisher: Walker Childrens (May 25, 2010)

Length: 304 pages

Series: Demon Princess bk. 2

Source: Amazon.com

Edition: paperback

Description from Amazon.com:

Fresh from finding out she is a demon princess and meeting her father for the first time, Nikki Donovan is looking forward to getting back to her regular high school life. But then Rhys, the handsome teenage king of the faery realm, enrolls at her school as a "foreign exchange student." Her conflicted feelings for Rhys and her boyfriend are getting in the way of her new relationship with the Shadow-creature Michael. But this love triangle from hell isn't even Nikki's biggest problem: There's a new prophecy that claims she will destroy all the demon and human worlds. Her best friend Melinda just might be a demon-slayer-in-training. Throw in a field trip to none other than the Underworld itself . . . and Nikki's going to be hoping for a rain check on more than just her homework!

Link to description Amazon.com

My Thoughts:

Reign Check is the sequel to Reign or Shine by Michelle Rowen in the Demon Princess series and after the first one...I was a little leery going into this one. I wasn't really too sure how much I would like it since the first one was just OK for me. That said, I liked Reign Check soooo much better! What was better this time around? Everything was. The plot, the characters, and the love story were all more developed and not as predictable.

     Nikki, Michael, Rhys, Melinda, and literally all of the other characters were just more enjoyable. I'm a sucker when it comes to cute teen series and this edition really stepped it up. The romance in this one got a lot more interesting. I must admit that I wasn't a fan of Michael at all in the first book, but he progressed to OK in this one. I like someone else :) The introduction of several more supernatural characters answers some questions I had from the first book, adds much needed twists, and sets the third book up to be pure awesomeness! This is a light, fun, and cute supernatural series that hits the spot. I give this book a 4 STAR rating.

*** Michelle Rowen released the third Demon Princess book on January 1, 2012 as a self-pulished novel! Please support her and this series! Here is a link to buy it off of Amazon. (I don't get anything Amazon is just cheap and I love cheap books!)

Unleashed:Wolf Springs Chronicles by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie (bk. 1)

                      

Title: Unleashed: Wolf Springs Chronicles

Author: Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie

Series #: Book 1

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (November 22, 2011

# of Pages: 400

From the Book: 

Katelyn McBride's life changed in an instant when her mother died. Uprooted from her California home, Katelyn was shipped to the middle of nowhere, Arkansas, to her only living relative, her grandfather. And now she has to start over in Wolf Springs, a tiny village in the Ozark Mountains.

Like any small town, Wolf Springs has secrets. But the secrets hidden here are more sinister than Katelyn could ever imagine. It's a town with a history that reaches back centuries, spans continents, and conceals terrifying truths.

And Katelyn McBride is about to change everything.

Broken families, ageless grudges, forced alliances, and love that blooms in the darkness night-welcome to Wolf Springs.

My Thoughts:
I am conflicted when it comes to Unleashed. I am a huge fan of the Wicked series by these two authors. It is no secret that I like heroines who aren't perfect and Katelyn McBride is most definitely not perfect. She is a big city LA girl who fully expects the people in Arkansas to be wearing cut off jeans and overalls chewing on hay and there are various references to banjo (which I found funny). She is a city girl snob and I'm fine with it. Kat is a young woman whose life has changed drastically and traumatically. It's OK that some of her thoughts and actions aren't always PC or nice, give her a break. Really, perfect heroines are no fun. Let's get to the other characters. Trick (I love this name)...I don't know how I feel about him. His actions are all over the place and are never explained. He is sweet and cares for her sometimes and other times he is a class A jerk whom I wish Katelyn would punch in the face. Now on to Cordelia. I actually liked her at the beginning of the book, but by the end I felt pity for her and wanted Kat to punch her too. Justin, Jesse, and her grandfather were all good characters and I was perfectly happy with them.

Now we get down to everything else. There is a lot of mystery in this book and along with that a lot of unanswered questions in the end. There is a HUGE cliffhanger, but I think a few of the mysteries should have been wrapped up. The massive quantity of unanswered questions going on in the book confused me in the beginning and left me confused at the end. There was just too much. Hopefully the next book will do a better job of wrapping some of this up. I actually didn't see the "big surprise" of what happens in the book coming.(Email me if you want to talk about this) Will I be buying/reading the next book? YES! Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie are just too awesome and this series has too much potential for me not to. I am torn between a 3 1/2 and a 4 rating. It was a good book, but could have used some tweaks. I am going to have to give this book a 3 1/2 STAR rating.

A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies (Bk. #1)

Title: A Beautiful Dark
Author: Jocelyn Davies
Publisher: Harper Teen (September 27, 2011)
# of Pages: 400 Hardcover
Source: Bought on Amazon
***This is book number one of a trilogy***

From the Back of the Book:
On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.
In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

My Thoughts:

  A Beautiful Dark has been on my TBR list for a while so with my Christmas money I thought I would give it a try. I wanted to like this book but, it just didn't do it for me. The main thing not in it's favor for me was the fact that I just couldn't seem to like Skye. She is too wishy washy for me. Half of the book revolves around her going back and forth between having feelings for Asher and Devin. I love a good love triangle as much as the next person (actually one of the reasons I bought it), but I couldn't decide who Skye liked until the last two pages...literally. Then there is poor Ian, the best friend whom Skye has to be blind not to have noticed he has a thing for her, but constantly insists on hanging out with. Give the poor boy a break. Cassie, Skye's best friend, was way too shallow. When she finally did show the first sign of being growing as a character it came out of nowhere. The characters just weren't that likable to me. If I had to pick a favorite it would definitely be Asher. He was dark, brooding, and a bit of a playboy. The thing that made him stand out is that he was his own person. Asher isn't perfect and doesn't apologize for it. He goes after what he wants and still manages to make you like him.
     Now to the story line. I knew what the characters were from the first page. I wasn't expecting a big reveal or shock thrown in to the plot in that area. The thing is that I have read stories along this same line dozens of times.  A Beautiful Dark didn't add anything I haven't read before. I was upset with the lack of originality. I feel like I have done nothing but complain. Onto the part I liked. The ending was the best part of the book. It could have been fleshed out a little more, but I so was not expecting that to happen. A Beautiful Dark leaves with a huge cliffhanger. Will I be picking up the next one? The answer is if the price is right.  My review might sound a like I hated the book, but I didn't. A Beautiful Dark was just OK. I give this book  a 3 STAR rating.

Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK by Betsy St. Amant

Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK by Betsy St. Amant

Addison Blakely has led what one might say a complicated life. Addison is sixteen, in high school, lost her mom at a young age, and is the daughter of the local small town preacher. Everything she says or does reflects back on her dad and it seems people are always judging. This year has been more difficult than most; a new and intriguing bad boy has moved across the street and a sweet guy in her class has started paying attention to her. Making things more complicated her best friend Claire has been acting more like an enemy than a friend lately.  Thank God (literally), the new foreign exchange student Marta has swooped in to help just when Addison needs it the most. Putting together the school talent show, dealing with boy drama, her dad’s budding romance, and a religious revelation might be more than one girl can handle.

            I really wanted to like Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK by Betsy St. Amant. I just couldn’t get into it. All of the characters were too perfect…too put together. Even the “bad or wrong things” weren’t really that bad. The romance in this book was also seriously lacking. I understand that it came second to the true message of the book, but it was hard to believe. The main character Addison seems to be completely in love with the bad boy Wes and they’ve only talked in the street two or three times? The synopsis provided for the book says something about a “cute but arrogant jock” being in the picture. He is only present for about 10 pages.  The quickly deteriorating relationship between Addison and Claire is hard to believe also. Marta the exchange student seems to be too wise and above reproach. I have never heard of a teenager being that “perfect”. I kept wondering when the religious aspect of the book would kick in and it seemed too jammed into the last quarter of the book. I would have preferred at least some mention of it sprinkled throughout the beginning.  The lack of action or rather the lack of anything happening in a large portion of this book could be cut out to make it much shorter. As I was reading I honestly found myself thinking is this book ever going to end?

            After all of the not so good things about this book I did find some aspects I liked. There were several messages at the end of the book that were good. I won’t ruin it and say what it is I didn’t see them coming), but it is something that Christians especially often forget. My favorite characters of were the owner of the coffee café who provided much needed comic relief and Kathy Addison’s teacher. The intentions and premise behind the book were good and intriguing, but were poorly executed. Taking everything into consideration I give this book a 2 1/2 out of 5 STAR rating.

***Addison Blakely Extras***

Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK by Betsy St. Amant has approximately 368 pages and is published by Barbour Books. This title will be available on January 1, 2012.

Glimmerglass (A Faeriewalker Novel) by Jenna Black

Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

Dana Hathaway doesn’t have to grow up, because she has always been a grown up. That’s what you get when your mother is a drunk. Dana has had enough and is tired of it. She wants to try being a kid before she becomes an adult for real. Her father has always been a mystery and she wouldn’t know anything about him if she hadn’t questioned her mom in one of her drunken stupors. Here’s what she does know- her mom has moved around hiding her all of these years, her dad lives in Avalon where the mortal world and faerie collide, he is a high raking faerie, oh yeah, and that makes Dana half fae. When Dana gets to Avalon it’s not quite what she pictured. She keeps getting kidnapped and attacked by her family, Knights, faerie creatures, and hot fae guys. Why? You might ask. Apparently she is a Faeriewalker. A unique being who is able to do the impossible…bring magic into the mortal world and technology into faerie. People from all sides are after her. They want to protect her, control her, hide her, use her, and some even want to kill her. Whoever said faerietales had to be cute and sweet?

What can I say? I’ll try not to be too biased, but in full disclosure this is one of my favorite book series. Dana is the perfect combination, almost like a real girl. She is “helpless” and “take charge” in all the right moments. Ethan and Kimber are the perfect brother and sister polar opposites. Keane is awesome too. I love his surliness. I’ve read every book in this series and I want to let you know if you love this book, be prepared to be blown away by the rest of them. This series just gets better with every installment. Don’t pass this one up! It’s awesome! I give it a 4 ½ STAR rating.

***Glimmerglass Extras***

Glimmerglass by Jenna Black has approximately 304 pages and was published on May 25, 2010 by St. Martin's Griffin. This is the first book in the Faeriewalker series. Also available in this series are Shadowspell and Sirensong.

Possession by Elana Johnson

Possession by Elana Johnson

     Possession by Elana Johnson is a book about choices. Violet lives in a world of strict regulation. You're either a Goodie or a Baddie. Things like not locking your door, not wearing long sleeves or hats, being out after dark, touching the opposite sex (even platonically) is against the rules. Vi is a Goodie with a penchant for rule breaking. In an attempt to spend time with the boy she has grown up with and loves she is caught and taken to prison. There she meets Jag a bad boy who makes a play for her heart. She now lives her life as an outlaw trying to get to the mythical place where the strictures of her society do not touch.  On her journey, Violet will lose friends, make friends, discover secrets meant to be kept hidden, and question everything she has ever known.

     I was really excited to read this book. I was immediately drawn to the beautiful cover. It's also in the genre I'm currently interested in, the plot had twists that were new to me, and has romance (I can't resist love triangles). Possession did not live up to my expectations. The premise was good, but the reader is thrown into a technologically advanced world without any understanding of what is what. It was slightly confusing. It also did not "flow" as smoothly as I would have liked. I had a hard time distinguishing who was who, who betrayed who, and who was lying or telling the truth. At points I found myself having to go back a page of so to try and reread to better understand everything. It wasn’t that bad though. If you are looking for a dystopian novel and have read all the other ones go ahead and pick this one up. If you do read it I have to admit, the end was pretty awesome. I give this book a 3 STAR rating.

***Possession Extras***

Possession by Elana Johnson has approximately 416 pages and was published on June 7, 2011 by Simon Pulse.

Almost to Die For: A Vampire Princess Novel by Tate Hallaway

Almost to Die For: A Vampire Princess Novel by Tate Hallaway

Ana Parker has always been the loner, the loser, the freak. She has long dark hair, pale skin, and mismatched eyes. Ana can count her friends on one hand. It’s easy she has exactly two. High school is rough, being labeled the freakish witch girl.  On her sixteenth birthday she is to be initiated into the local coven. This would normally be an exciting time in a young witch’s life, too bad she can’t do magic. On her way to the initiation with her mother, a man appears outside of her house and tells her that he is her father. The problem is he tells her that he is the prince of the vampires and she is Princess Anastasija Ramses Parker. Since the beginning witches and vampires have been mortal enemies. The time has come for Ana to choose her place. Is she a witch like her mother or a bloodsucking vamp like her dad? Being a sixteen year old freak in high school is enough to drive any girl crazy. Try being a witch/vampire princess, having to choose between worlds and parents while a hot vamp and witch all vie for your attention. What ever happened to sweet sixteen? Welcome to Ana’s world.

Almost to Die For: A Vampire Princess Novel by Tate Hallaway was too cute. I loved Ana’s sarcastic comments through the book and her geeky awkwardness. This was a short book (I read it in one sitting) and it gave just enough detail without being too vague. The premise was an interesting and original take on vampire/witch lore that I hadn’t encountered before. The only thing I wanted different is I would have liked some more scenes with Taylor. She is Ana’s only human friend and seems very unique, but really clueless as to everything that is going on (along with all of the other humans). If two girls at my school were going around “hexing” people I would be questioning some things. All in all I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to get the next one. I give this book a 3 1/2 STAR rating.

***Almost to Die For Extras***
Alomst to Die For: A Vampire Princess Novel by Tate Hallaway has appoximately 256 pages and was published on August 3, 2010 by NAL Trade. This is the first book in the series. Tate Hallaway also writes an adult series calle the Garnet Lacey series. I recommend this also.

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han picks up at Belly’s next summer. Since the events of last summer Belly has been on one wild emotional ride. She thinks she has her summer plans all figured out, but when you involve the Fisher boys nothing is set in stone. ***The Next Paragraph Might Contain What You Consider SPOILERS but I promise I don’t tell you anything that would ruin the book so skip the next paragraph if you wantJ ************

Since the death of Susannah nothing has been the same. Not her, her mother, not Jeremiah, and certainly not Conrad. Dealing with the grief from their loss has been difficult for Belly. Conrad keeps sending her mixed messages, her mother is distant, Jeremiah isn’t there, and Taylor just doesn’t understand. Planning for her first summer away from Cousins Beach doesn’t exactly have Belly jumping for joy, because that’s where she wants to be the most. Then out of the blue Jeremiah calls her with the news that Conrad is missing. It’s off to Cousins Beach once again. This summer will be the one to change Belly’s life forever.

I just can’t get enough of this series. Jenny Han has me reading them over and over. Every time I read them it sends me on a girly, emotional, crying, and heartbreaking ride. I liked this this installment, it follows the flashback format of the previous book, but still stays unique by showing insights into Jeremiah’s point of view. I have to admit I found myself crying in this one too. At the end of this book I found myself heartbroken and hopeful all at the same time. I give this book a 4 STAR rating.

***It’s Not Summer Without You Extras***

It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han is the second book in the Summer series. This book contains 288 pages and was published on April 27, 2010 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers. The third and final book in the series is We’ll Always Have Summer and is available in hardcover now.

Blood on the Moon by Jennifer Knight

Blood on the Moon by Jennifer Knight    

             Blood on the Moon by Jennifer Knight introduces college freshman Faith Reynolds. She and her long time best friend Derek have decided to go to school in Colorado. Their friendship has become rocky lately, because Derek has decided he doesn't want to be just friends anymore. As she is trying to get through her classes Faith meets a boy named Lucas. He is mysterious, cranky all the time, seemingly can't stand to be around her, and just plain rude. Despite this, there is undeniably something going on between them. When Faith gets between attracts the attention of Lucas’ old rival it brings them together. Lucas devotes his time to keeping Faith safe. What do you get when you add a college love triangle + old rival + a serial killer + and a secret spanning centuries? You get Blood on the Moon by Jennifer Knight. When two worlds collide Faith's life and those of the people closest to her will never be the same.

I am a supernatural romance buff and I loved this book. Especially because there doesn't seem to be too many YA books out there about characters of "college age". I really liked this book and don’t know why it isn’t more popular. Take Twilight and combine it with Underworld and you get the awesome book that is Blood on the Moon. Prepare for one doozy of a cliffhanger that will leave you begging for more. I recommend it to any supernatural romance lover. I give this book a 4 STAR rating.

***Blood on the Moon Extras***

Blood on the Moon is by Jennifer Knight, contains 400 pages, and was published on August 30, 2011 by Running Press Kids. This is book one of what (I think) will be a series.

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han (Summer #1)

The Summer I Turned Pretty

Belly's favorite time of year has always been summer. Her, her brother Stephen, and her mom always spend the entire summer at Cousins Beach with Susannah, Conrad, and Jeremiah. Since she was a little girl Belly has been in love with Conrad, but he doesn't notice her that way. She has always been Steven's little sister, the tag along, the one to be avoided and looked after at the same time. This summer something is different. Belly is different and both boys can tell. This is the summer she turned pretty.
     Judging a book by its cover I thought that this would be a "fluff" novel. No substance, no deep emotion, and sickeningly sappy. I was wrong.This book has so much going for it. The Summer I Turned Pretty is the story of a girl growing up, the experiences that have led her to where she is now, and trying to get the boy she loves to love her back. This book really touched me and I can't put my finger on exactly why. I think it might be because its the story of a girl leaving childhood behind, realizing things are more complicated than they seem and learning that heartbreak is a part of life. Honestly I shed a few tears in this book. The only critique I have is that I'm not really a fan of flashbacks and this book is full of them. They do play an essential role though, they show the evolution of Belly's summers at Cousins Beach and how she came to be in this moment. Ms. Han delivers a book that will have a deeper meaning to women of all ages. It speaks to the life experiences we all go through; first love, growing up and leaving childhood behind, and entering that scary world of adulthood whether we are ready or not. This is a great book. Please give it a chance. I give this book a 4 1/2 STAR rating.
***The Summer I Turned Pretty Extras***
The Summer I Turned Pretty is by Jenny Han, contains 304 pages, and was published April 10, 2010 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. The next two books in the trilogy are It's Not Summer Without You and We'll Always Have Summer and are available now.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In the future citizens will rise up against the government. They will lose.


There are 12 districts left after the uprising. The Capitol controls almost every aspect of life. They live a frivolous and superficial existence while the districts live in varying degrees of poverty. The highlight of the year is The Hunger Games. This is the ultimate entertainment event of the year, generously provided and televised by The Capitol. At a certain age children will have their names put inot a drawing each year for The Hunger Games. One lucky boy and girl from each district is given the honor and prestige of being chosen to fight against 23 others to the death. The prize... your district will be taken care of and the winner will be provided for the rest of their lives.


Katniss Everdeen lives among the mining community of District 12. There is no going outside of the gated fence and definitely no poaching outside of said fence. The people of district 12 are poor and starving, and breaking rules is what Kat does best. Her hunting and tracking skills provide her and her hunting partner Gale with extra food for their families, but sometimes it isn't enough. To get more food for her family Kat has added her name to the drawing many times over the years. On choosing day the first name called is Peeta Melark the baker's son, the next name stops her in her tracks. Primrose Everdeen, her beloved little sister. There is no way Katniss can let this happen. She volunteers to take her place. Kat leaves behind her mother, sister, best friend, and everything she has ever known. She goes into The Hunger Games expecting to never see home or family again. This is the story of her journey.


There were the Hobbits of The Lord of the Rings, the wizards of Harry Potter, the vampires of Twilight, and now we have the future of The Hunger Games. To start off I must say that this book is AMAZING and Suzanne Collins is AMAZING!! Katniss' love and dedication to her little sister is absolutly heartbreaking. If you are looking for a book with a strong female lead and the perfect combination of action/romance/ and plot twists this is the book for you. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who can read. On a side note the movie version of this book is coming out soon, but please don't wait! I can't imagine how a movie will ever be able to do this book justice. I wouldn't want a reader to ever be turned away by a movie that couldn't live up to the book. (I'm not saying that the movie will be horrible and I will be going to see everyone of them, but just in case) This book gets a 5 STAR rating. Read It!!!

*** The Hunger Games Extras***

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is part one of The Hunger Games trilogy. The following two books are Catching Fire and Mockingjay. The Hunger Games is 384 pages long and was published on July 3, 2010.