Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Pages: 452

Publisher: Philomel

Perspective: First Person

Age Group: Young Adult

Challenges: 350 Page Challenge

Release Date: October 19, 2010

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

Stars: 4.5/5

Cover: A+

Plot:

I had heard sooooooo much about this book before reading it. So, as it should be, I had extremely high expectations about this book, which it definitely met.

Now, I'm not completely obsessed with the series and everything like a lot of people are, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced, steamy, and action-packed. I also really liked how there was a bit of mystery tied into everything, also.

The only reason I gave it 4.5 stars instead of 5 was because for the first seventy pages or so, it was a little slow for me. But once I got past the beginning, this book literally flew by. It seemed like a two-hundred page book instead of a four-hundred page book because of how fast-paced it was.

I also loved the set-up of everything, and how instead of the characters just being werewolves, they had a whole governmental system set up amongst them, and they had purpose.

Characters:

I loved the main character, Calla. She told the story through her eyes exceptionally well, and she made the story all the more enjoyable. I respected her skills as a very fierce and loyal warrior, but also that she stood up for what she believed it, even though there was a ginormous potential to get her into a lot of trouble.

I also really liked Shay. He was wonderful for Calla, and he had that innocent-but-I-could-still-kick-your-ass thing going on for him. As for Calla's other "love-interest", Ren, I didn't like him at first. In fact, I hated him! It felt like, to me, he did not want what was best for Calla, and that he was only concerned about himself and his rank as alpha. I must say, though, as the book went on, I started to like him more and more. 

Writing:

I find it extremely hard to believe that this is Andrea Cremer's debut book. The writing is so beautiful, and it flowed extremely well. The beginning was a wee bit slow for me, but overall the book had magnificent pacing. 

Ending:

The cliff-hanger in this book is to die for! I am extremely excited to see what will be happening in the sequel.

Cover:

The hardcover is GORGEOUS. Like, seriously, it's probably one of the prettiest book covers I've seen in an extremely long time. The image is beautiful, yet fierce, and the cover appears to have pretty glitter everywhere. 

I must say, I am not a fan of the new covers. I think they in NO way catch the eye as well as the original cover. 

The Final Verdict:

I'm sure you've heard of this book before, and all of the great things people have had to say about it. So WHY haven't you read it yet?! I seriously suggest you go pick this one up ASAP, or add it to your Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Holiday book list.

FTC: Bought.

Cryers Cross by Lisa McCann

Pages: 233

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Perspective: Third Person

Age Group: Young Adult

Challenges: N/A

Release Date: February 8, 2011

The community of Cryer’s Cross, Montana (population 212) is distraught when high school freshman Tiffany disappears without a trace. Already off-balance due to her OCD, 16-year-old Kendall is freaked out seeing Tiffany’s empty desk in the one-room school house, but somehow life goes on... until Kendall's boyfriend Nico also disappears, and also without a trace. Now the town is in a panic. Alone in her depression and with her OCD at an all-time high, Kendall notices something that connects Nico and Tiffany: they both sat at the same desk. She knows it's crazy, but Kendall finds herself drawn to the desk, dreaming of Nico and wondering if maybe she, too, will disappear...and whether that would be so bad. Then she begins receiving graffiti messages on the desk from someone who can only be Nico. Can he possibly be alive somewhere? Where is he? And how can Kendall help him? The only person who believes her is Jacian, the new guy she finds irritating...and attractive. As Kendall and Jacian grow closer, Kendall digs deeper into Nico's mysterious disappearance only to stumble upon some ugly—and deadly—local history. Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.

Stars: 4.5/5

Cover: A-

Plot:

Cryer's Cross was an eerie, fast-paced, mysterious book. It was fairly short, but it had a lot going on in those pages! From missing teenagers, to romance, to folklore, Cryer's Cross had it all.

I really liked the whole idea behind the story. I thought Cryer's Cross was a very interesting book, and I liked that it continued to leave me hanging throughout the entire book, trying to unscramble the mystery.

Characters:

I looooooved Kendall. I thought she was an extremely unique character, and that added so much life to her. I've never really read a book that had a main character with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) and I really liked how Lisa McMann wove that part of Kendall into the story. In other words, it wasn't like Kendall had OCD, and that was that. Her OCD helped her and hindered her throughout the progression of the story, and I loved that.

Another awesome thing related to the characters is that Jacian and Kendall's romance didn't take over the book, but instead was a sub-plot. I really enjoyed the fact that the book stayed mostly centered around the mystery aspect. Not to mention, their relationship was paced perfectly. They didn't instantly fall in love one day, like a lot of characters in other books, which made this book even more realistic.

Writing:

I've read two out of the three books in the Wake series by Lisa McMann, and after reading this book, I have been able to come to the conclusion that Lisa McMann is extremely consistent with her writing. She hasn't written a bad story yet, and I don't expect she will.

The way she writes is addicting, and makes the book progress swiftly. Also, the diction she uses increases the creepiness of this book. For example, she uses "darker" descriptive words, making this book both eerie and mysterious.

Ending:

I liked the ending -- especially since I didn't see what was coming. The ending of this book was bittersweet, but tied it up very nicely.

Cover:

I personally love the cover. It's just SO creepy! I think it really helps tell what this book is about, and when a reader sees it at the book store they'll know exactly what type of book it is.

The Final Verdict:

Cryer's Cross is definitely one of those books where you end up staying up into the wee hours of the morning finishing it and scaring yourself to any little sound outside your window. A perfect winter read!

FTC: Zoe.

Island Girls (And Boys) by Rachel Hawthorne

Pages: 336

Publisher: Avon

Age Group: Young Adult

Challenges: N/A

Release Date: June 1, 2005

Date: July 4
Rental type: 2-person sailboat
Rented by: Jen Taylor and Dylan Nelson
Rental time: 8:15 p.m.
Destination: Out to sea!
Life jackets: 2 
Time back: ??? Don't wait up!

Stars: 4.5/5

Cover: B+

Plot:

I bought this book while in San Diego so that I would have a nice, summery, fluff read. I honestly didn't expect the book to be anything special, and let me tell you, I was extremely surprised. The story started off strong, and right away, I was swept up into the pages. 

It was an easy read, and only took me a day, but it was very eventful. I especially liked the plot in this book because it wasn't just about one thing --- Jen had to deal with her extremely annoying best friend, Chelsea (more on that later), keeping her grandparents' house in one piece, while also falling for a boy camping on the island. 

All-in-all, the book was very fast-paced and a very enjoyable read. :)

Characters:

Jen was a fun MC. She was easy to relate to, and overall, I thought she made rational decisions and wasn't overly annoying.

Speaking of overly annoying, let's talk about Jen's friend, Chelsea. I absolutely HATED her. She was irritating, bossy, childish, she put her loser of a boyfriend before her friends, and she just rubbed me the wrong way. Now, that's not to say I didn't completely admire Jen and their other friend/roommate, Amy, for putting up with her. 

Writing:

As I mentioned before, Island Girls (And Boys) was extremely fast paced. It didn't have any dull spots in the plot, and I was constantly wanting to read on to find out what would happen next in the book. 

Ending:

The ending is cute! I thought I knew what was going to happen, and then I went back on my prediction, and then I changed my prediction . . . I like that about this book. I thought it would be completely cliche, but it kept me guessing a little bit.

Cover:

I think the cover is what stopped me from having any good expectations for it in the first place! It's not really enticing, and kind of seems a little childish. on a brighter note, it's cute, and it attracts people looking for a summer read (Exhibit A: me).

The Final Verdict:

I've never read any of Rachel Hawthorne's books before, but after reading Island Girls (And Boys) I will definitely be checking them out!

I recommend this book for anyone who wants a taste of summer and a quick, romantic read.

FTC: Bought

Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby

Pages: 336
Publisher: Speak
Age Group: Young Adult
Challenges: N/A
Release Date: June 9, 2011

Stars: 4.5/5
Cover: B+



The Final Verdict:
Fairy Bad Day put a fun twist on paranormal creatures, and was a cute, fast read. I recommend this book for anyone who wants a fluff read.


FTC: Zoe.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Stars: 4.5/5
Cover: B

Overall, The Hunger Games was amazing. It started out a little slow, but really picked up. There was a lot of character development, and the characters were easy to relate to and realistic.

I definitely recommend this book to everyone twelve and up.

FTC: Bought.


****This was my FIRST video review!!! Did you like it? Do you want to see more video reviews in the near future? Tell me below! :)

Lies by Michael Grant

Pages: 447

Publisher: Harper Collins

Age Group: Young Adult

Challenges: 350 Page Challenge

Release Date: May 4, 2011

It's been seven months since all the adults disappeared. Gone.

It happens in one night. A girl who died now walks among the living; Zil and the Human Crew set fire to Perdido Beach; and amid the flames and smoke, Sam sees the figure of the boy he fears the most: Drake. But Drake is dead. Sam and Caine defeated him along with the Darkness—or so they thought.
As Perdido Beach burns, battles rage: Astrid against the Town Council; the Human Crew versus the mutants; and Sam against Drake, who is back from the dead and ready to finish where he and Sam left off. And all the while deadly rumors are raging like the fire itself, spread by the prophetess Orsay and her companion, Nerezza. They say that death is a way to escape the FAYZ. Conditions are worse than ever and kids are desperate to get out. But are they desperate enough to believe that death will set them free?


Stars: 4.5/5
Cover: A

I am absolutely in love with this entire series, and have been since my first time reading Gone, the first book in the series, a couple of years ago. Even though every book in the series has been massive so far, the story is worth every page.

Lies is the third book in the series, and is one of the most fast-paced books in the Gone series so far. For the last half of the book, there's constant action, but Michael Grant does it in a way that readers are able to absorb it enough, and experience the feelings that the characters do, before moving on to the next action scene.

This whole series is full of moments that you're sitting on the edge of your chair, holding your breath, and unable to tear your eyes away from the page. Michael Grant is the master of suspense and twisted plot lines.

This book is written in third person, but in a bunch of different perspectives. I love how when Michael Grant is in the view of Drake, the sadistic boy with the whip hand, he writes from Drake's point of view, showing his thoughts the way he would think them. Another example of this is when he writes in Little Pete's, Astrid's autistic little brother, point of view, the sentences are short and repetitive.

I love the covers to all of the books in the series, especially since they have the models representing and looking vry similar to the way they are described in the books. The one thing I would change about this cover is how old Astrid looks, because she's supposed to be a fourteen year old girl. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the girl on the cover does not look fourteen.

Lovely Line:
Brianna dropped the skateboard in front of Sam. "Don't worry: I won't let you fall off."


"Yeah? Then why'd you bring the helmet?"


Brianna tossed it to him. "In case you fall off."
(409)

The Final Verdict:
Lies was a big step up from the second book in the series, Hunger, which was still amazing. I love everything about this series, and I definitely recommend you read this series.

Other Books In This Series:
Gone by Michael Grant
Hunger by Michael Grant


FTC: Bought.

Hunger by Michael Grant

Pages: 590
Publisher: Harper Teen
Age Group: Young Adult
Challenge: 350 Page Challenge
Release Date: May 26, 2009


IT'S BEEN THERE MONTHS SINCE EVERYONE UNDER THE AGE OF FIFTEEN BECAME TRAPPED IN THE BUBBLE KNOWN AS THE FAYZ. 


THREE MONTHS SINCE ALL THE ADULTS DISAPPEARED. 

GONE. 

Food ran out weeks ago. Everyone is starving, but no one wants to figure out a solution. And each day, more and more kids are evolving, developing supernatural abilities that set them apart from the kids without powers. 

Tension rises and chaos is descending upon the town. It's the normal kids against the mutants. Each kid is out for himself, and even the good ones turn murderous. 

But a larger problem looms. The Darkness, a sinister creature that has lived buried deep in the hills, begins calling to some of the teens in the FAYZ. Calling to them, guiding them, manipulating them. 

The Darkness has awakened. And it is hungry.

Stars: 4.5/5

Cover: A-

Plot:

Hunger was a huge book, but when it ended, I wished it would continue on longer. It was really fast-paced, and I couldn't help by being entranced by this book. I am abolutely in love with the Gone series, and this book is the prime example of why.

There were a lot of elements to this book --- there were many different characters, so in turn there was also many different story lines all weaving together. The longer the kids are in the FAYZ, the darker the books get, which I love. There are lots of kids making enemies, and the "Darkness" --- the creature that lives in the mine --- is getting more powerful, and getting into lots of peoples' minds.

Hunger is one of those books that, once it gets its claws in you --- you'll never escape it.

Characters:
There were a lot of characters in this book, and usually with books I'd get them mixed up and confused. But, that wasn't the case with Hunger --- Michael Grant was able to make the characters unique enough, and introduce them to me not so close together, that I knew exactly who each one was.

I loved how the different problems of all the characters weaved together, and they were all connected in some way.

Writing:
Michael Grant is one of my all-time favorite authors, and I practically WORSHIP him for writing this series. Yes, these books are that good. I stay up late reading this book, thinking, "okay, just one more chapter." But then, there's a cliffhanger, and of course I have to read on to find out what happens next!

Grant is a master at transporting us to Perdido Beach, and into the minds of his characters. This series is also very thought-provoking because while reading it, and oftentimes after, I wonder what I would do if I were in the positions of the characters.

I love books like that.

Ending:
The ending is AMAZING. I don't know how I did it when I read it when it came out, and then had to wait a year for the third book to come out. I like it because it gives you some hope that things might just be looking up for the kids in the FAYZ. But, in true Grant fashion, the ending of the book also leaves you with a little inkling of doubt that things are about to go from bad to worse.

Cover:
I love the covers to all of the books in this series, and how they all correspond with each other.

Lovely Line:
The morphine did not eliminate the pain. It merely threw a veil over it. It was still there, a terrible, ravening lion, roaring, awesome, overpowering. But barely held at bay.


Barely.


 . . . .


He had a while. How long, he couldn't guess. A short while, maybe, to stop Caine.


And kill Drake. Because now, for the first time in his life, Sam wanted to take a life.
(Page 537)

The Final Verdict:
Seriously, what are you waiting for? If you've read the first book in this series, and have Hunger sitting on your TBR pile, put down the book you're reading (unless it's The Devouring by Simon Holt --- that book is amazing, too) and READ. HUNGER. NOW.

Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison

Pages: 224

Publisher: Harlequin

Age Group: Young Adult

Challenges: Debut Author Challenge

Release Date: January 18, 2011

Bridget Duke is the uncontested ruler of her school. The meanest girl with the biggest secret insecurities. And when new girl Anna Judge arrives, things start to fall apart for Bridget: friends don't worship as attentively, teachers don't fall for her wide-eyed "who me?" look, expulsion looms ahead and the one boy she's always loved—Liam Ward—can barely even look at her anymore.

When a desperate Bridget drives too fast and crashes her car, she ends up in limbo, facing everyone she's wronged and walking a few uncomfortable miles in their shoes. Now she has only one chance to make a last impression. Though she might end up dead, she has one last shot at redemption and the chance to right the wrongs she's inflicted on the people who mean the most to her.

And Bridget's about to learn that, sometimes, saying you're sorry just isn't enough . . .

Stars: 4.5/5

Cover: A-

Plot:

I was hooked from the very first page. The book started out showing us Bridget as a total (insert other word for a female dog here). She almost dies, and then has to try to right all the wrong that she's done so that she can live.

I reaaaaaalllyyyyy loved this book. Paige Haribson created an awesome world, and when the book was over, I was hoping there'd be a sequel just so I could be re-immersed in Bridget's life (Even though there'd be nowhere for the story to go in the sequel, I think).

Characters:

The character development in this book was spot-on. Bridget didn't come to realize how hurtful she'd been to other people too fast, but it wasn't too gradual either. 

The supporting characters were awesome. They helped the story along without hindering, and provided some comic relief and uniqueness to the story.

Writing:

I love the way Haribson writes. As I said up there, she had me hooked from the very first page, and I could not put this book down.

Her writing flows really nicely, and the different elements of Here Lies Bridget were molded together seamlessly.

Ending:

I liked the ending of this book! It was refreshing, and gave me hope that maybe Bridget really had changed.

Cover:

The cover to Here Lies Bridget is cute and eye-catching, but (I think) still has some edge to it with the dead body and all.

The Final Verdict:

Here Lies Bridget was one of those books that you can get a moral or life lesson from. It kind of reminded me of A Christmas Carol, with Bridget resembling Scrooge (though she doesn't walk around hating Christmas like he does).

If you haven't read Here Lies Bridget, I definitely recommend it.

FTC: NetGalley

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Pages: 464
Publisher: Harper Collins
Age Group: Young Adult
Challenges: Debut Author Challenge, 350 Page Challenge
Release Date: February 15, 2011

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul. 

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once. 

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Stars: 4.5/5

Cover: A-

Plot:

OMG. I just fell in love with yet another author and book series. From the first page, Courtney Allison Moulton had me cheering for Ellie. I really took my time (well, I TRIED) reading this book because I just didn't want it to end.

Angelfire provided a unique twist to the whole angel/demon trend that's been going around.

It was fast-paced and action-packed, with a little bit of romance mixed in, too. It's a book that I've been recommending to people all week.

Characters:

I loved Ellie, and how fierce (yet relatable) she was. She was someone I could see myself being best friends with.

Will was the perfect guardian/lover-boy to Ellie. They both had such great chemisty with each other. 

My all-time favorite thing about the characters, though, was the way they interacted with each other. They talked to each other the way my friends and I do, not like an adult trying to sound "hip."

Writing:

Once I started reading, it was like there was an invisible force connecting me to the book. I just couldn't get enough of Angelfire! Courtney Allison Moulton's writing was smooth, and everything flowed really nicely. She was able to successfully weave romance into the action without making it seem like she was telling two completely different stories.

Ending:

I love the ending! It ends on a positive note, showing Ellie's strong and powerful side to a reaper. It makes you wonder where Courtney's going to take the story in the sequel, and I really can't wait to find out.

Cover:

The cover is gorgeous. It's dark and mysterious, and Ellie is showing her "don't-mess-with-me" side, which I LOVE.

Lovely Line:

I shut up when I saw Lauren's face. Her mouth gaped open and her eyes had rolled into the back of her head until only bright white orbs were visible. At that moment I tried to yank away, but her grip was as strong as a reaper's. Power leaked from the sarcophagus, oozed from it, and the energy crawled up my fingers through my arm and into Lauren. Her body jerked once and she released me. She staggered back, and I jumped away.

The Final Verdict:

Angelfire was the type of book that makes you want to hug the author a million times over for writing such a wonderful, original, exciting, and lovable book. It will be a long wait until the sequel.

FTC: NetGalley

Vesper by Jeff Sampson

Pages: 304

Publisher: Balzer & Bray

Age Group: Young Adult

Challenges: Debut Author Challenge

Release Date: January 25, 2011

Emily Webb is a geek. And she’s happy that way. Content hiding under hoodies and curling up to watch old horror flicks, she’s never been the kind of girl who sneaks out for midnight parties. And she’s definitely not the kind of girl who starts fights or flirts with other girls’ boyfriends. Until one night Emily finds herself doing exactly that . . . the same night one of her classmates—also named Emily—is found mysteriously murdered.

The thing is, Emily doesn’t know why she’s doing any of this. By day, she’s the same old boring Emily, but by night, she turns into a thrill seeker. With every nightfall, Emily gets wilder until it’s no longer just her personality that changes. Her body can do things it never could before: Emily is now strong, fast, and utterly fearless. And soon Emily realizes that she’s not just coming out of her shell . . . there’s something much bigger going on. Is she bewitched by the soul of the other, murdered Emily? Or is Emily Webb becoming something else entirely— something not human?

As Emily hunts for answers, she finds out that she’s not the only one this is happening to—some of her classmates are changing as well. Who is turning these teens into monsters—and how many people will they kill to get what they want?

Stars: 4.5/5

Cover: A

Plot:

Emily was fine with being invisible at her school, and living in the shadow another girl named Emily that was sweet, popular, and pretty. But when the popular Emily is murdered, geeky Emily starts changing. She's more outgoing, and she'll do whatever to get what she wants.

When another kid is shot, but not killed, Emily starts getting scared. Soon, she finds out that the murderer is coming after her and trying to kill her.

Emily has to figure out what she is, and what she's changing into, and discover what connects her to the other two victims, before the murderer catches up to her.

Characters:

I loved Emily, the main character. She was witty, and very, very, likable. I loved who she was during the day, but I loved even more the daring side of her that came out when the sun set.

I found Emily's best friend to be extremely irritating, though. She seemed really arrogant and acted superior to everyone else.

Writing:

Jeff Sampson wrote a book that I couldn't put down. It was just simply amazing. I'd say to myself, "okay, just one more chapter," but then I'd get to the end of the chapter and just HAVE to know what happens next.

I love books like this, and Jeff Sampson pulled it off quite wonderfully.

I also thought it was unique how every so often the interview transcripts would be shown. (If you pick up the book and flip through it, you'll know what I mean.)

Ending:

All I can say is that it is going to be a looooooong wait until the next Deviant's novel.

I want to know what's going to happen with Emily, and I REALLY want to know how everyone is connected to each other.

Cover:

I think the cover is gorgeous! It's alluring and creepy, yet the pop of color makes it really stand out on the shelf.

Lovely Lines:

And he had said "us." I wasn't alone. Even though Emily Cooke was gone forever and Dalton would be in the hospital for who knows how long, I had found another person like me, someone who knew exactly what the past week of my life had been like. Someone I could talk to about everything without having to keep any secrets.

(Pages 251-251)

The Final Verdict:

Vesper was exciting, exhilarating, and an all-around good read. I enjoyed every single second of it, and I think you will, too.

FTC: Zoe

*By the way, if you haven't already, there's a suggestion box at the VERY bottom of my page. I would love it if you'd give me your feedback as to how to make The Cover better! :)