The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

Synopsis:My name is Chloe Saunders. I'm fifteen, and I would love to be normal.

But normal is one thing I'm not.

For one thing, I'm having these feelings for a certain antisocial werewolf and his sweet-tempered brother—who just happens to be a sorcerer—but, between you and me, I'm leaning toward the werewolf.

Not normal.

My friends and I are also on the run from an evil corporation that wants to get rid of us—permanently.

Definitely not normal.

And finally, I'm a genetically altered necro-mancer who can raise the dead, rotting corpses and all, without even trying.

As far away from normal as it gets.

My Review:
Man I love a happy ending! This one had me smiling even after I shut the book. This was a great series and I really loved the story line as well as the characters. The author’s writing style lends itself to both great story telling as well as exploring human relationships which I found easy to relate to and read and overall very enjoyable. It’s hard to believe that this story takes place in only two weeks with all the action and drama that unfolds. Parts of this book were thoroughly creepy with some of the scary ghost Chloe had to summon which made each scene even more exciting. There was also a good mix of action and humor which lightened up what could have been a very tense book. These poor kids could not catch a break and I was right there with them not knowing who could be trusted with their lives. But they ended up trusting each other which is all that really matters.

I think this one was my favorite of the three and it ended on a high note which makes me happy. I will be interested to see how Armstrong ties this story into her next series which introduces new characters but is somehow connected to this one. Well shall see… If you enjoyed the first two, give this one a shot because it’s good!

Hourglass by Caudia Gray

Synopsis:
After escaping from Evernight Academy, the vampire boarding school where they met, Bianca and Lucas seek refuge with Black Cross, an elite group of vampire hunters. Bianca must hide her supernatural heritage or risk certain death at their hands. But when Black Cross captures her friend--the vampire Balthazar--all her secrets threaten to come out.

Soon, Bianca and Lucas have orchestrated Balthazar's escape and are on the run, pursued not only by Black Cross, but by the powerful leaders of Evernight. Yet no matter how far they run, Bianca can't escape her destiny.

Bianca has always believed their love could survive anything--but can it survive what's to come?

My Review:
Such a gripping tale and a great continuation of the series! This was a beautiful balance between our deepest dreams and wishes and harsh reality. We get a good look into what life would be like for Lucas and Bianca if they were to try and live normal lives. While their love is unbreakable, living on the run and trying to make ends meet can push anyone to the breaking point. It is obvious that they lost a part of themselves when they left the worlds they have always known. Lucas is a Black Cross solider, period. While he can make it on his own he struggles with giving up his role in hunting and killing vampires but he is willing to do it for Bianca. Bianca on the other hand is eager to do whatever it takes to make things work for her and Lucas but their love is not the problem. She becomes sicker towards the end of the book and all but disappears.

I must say I loved the book cover with the bright pink script against the black. I bought this in hardback since I did not want to wait until the paperback version came out and I am glad I did. The book without the book jacket is even beautiful with the pink lettering on the spine and the main title engraved on the top cover.

I was not too crazy about the end and I won’t say too much because I don’t want to give everything away. I felt Lucas’ anguish right along with him because he felt guilty for not being able to take care of Bianca like he promised. And this book ends on a cliff hanger-so frustrating! Why do authors do this to us? Am sure I would not feel as upset about this if I knew I could go on and read the next book but I have to wait. But if you loved the first two books and are invested in Lucas and Bianca’s story then read “Hourglass.” You won’t regret it!

Stargazer by Claudia Gray

Sysnopsis:
Stargazer (March 2009) returns to Bianca's story a few months later. Both she and Lucas will stop at nothing to see each other again—even if it means living a life of secrets and lies. But even as Bianca finds herself torn between two worlds, she soon discovers they aren't the only ones keeping secrets. Will powerful forces within Evernight Academy keep her from deciding her own fate, or claim her forever?

My Review:
Another great read! I enjoyed this one as well though not as much as the first mostly because Bianca and Lucas did not get to spend as much time together. It also somewhat bothered me that Bianca would share an intimate moment with her pretend boyfriend even though she still loves Lucas. But I know that had to happen in order for both Bianca and Balthazar to realize they are still tied to the ones they love regardless of how right they might be for each other. I always love Vic who puts a smile on my face and makes me laugh every scene he turns up in.

The danger and action increase in this one which kept me on the edge of my seat not knowing who was going to live to see another book. I think Bianca grew on me a bit more in this one because she started to consider how her actions affect others and really starts questioning who she is and where she came from. This shows maturity on her part by not taking everything at face value. I am SO ready to read book three!

Evernight by Claudia Gray

Synopsis:
Bianca wants to escape.

She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.

Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.

My Review:
This book was just plain fantastic! I got so caught up in the Evernight world that I totally lost track of time and found myself finishing well past my bed time. It only took me one day to read and I did not even stop to eat which is hard to do by the way. I love the relationship between Bianca and Lucas so much so that I was giddy when they were together and really sad when they were apart. While it could be said that Bianca fell for Lucas way too fast I would say what person has not been infatuated with someone they just met-we have all been there once. There are some great characters and funny moments in this book that made me laugh out loud. The pacing was great and the plot kept me guessing the whole time. I think what I loved most about this book was the feeling I got when reading it. It was like I had completely escaped to another world and I felt like one of the characters walking the halls of Evernight Academy or looking out the windows at the gargoyles and the snow-covered grounds below.

Who knew you could be so entertained this day and age with a great book considering all the other distractions and sources of entertainment?! Thank goodness I went ahead and bought the second book when I got the first book on a hunch that I would enjoy this series.

Go Ask Alice by Anonymous

Synopsis:
After you've had it, there isn't even life without drugs....

It started when she was served a soft drink laced with LSD in a dangerous party game. Within months, she was hooked, trapped in a downward spiral that took her from her comfortable home and loving family to the mean streets of an unforgiving city. It was a journey that would rob her of her innocence, her youth -- and ultimately her life.

My Review:
I really do not have much to say which for me means this book did not have an impact on me. I respect this book for what it is and the subject matter. With that said this is not my type of book so I mostly skimmed through after I had read the first half. I feel like there are better written books about people dealing with drug use. I am not really a fan of the way in which the story was presented because while diary entries can be insightful and be a place to explore inter feelings, these were just uninteresting. I think the problem is that a diary is mostly a random commentary on life which is not meant for other people to read. It is also a place to ramble about our day and other people and no one can ramble like a teenage girl. I won’t be recommending it to other people because I don’t want them to waste their time like I did.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Synopsis:
Berlin 1942

When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move from their home to a new house far far away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. A tall fence running alongside stretches as far as the eye can see and cuts him off from the strange people he can see in the distance.

But Bruno longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate new place than meets the eye. While exploring his new environment, he meets another boy whose life and circumstances are very different to his own, and their meeting results in a friendship that has devastating consequences.

My Review:
This book was so good but SO haunting. I thought about this book long after I finished reading it considering the subject matter and the way it was presented. The story, told through the eyes of a child named Bruno, makes these atrocities even more disturbing because having to justify and explain evil will never make sense to children and it should never make sense to any of us. I read a Q & A the author did at the end of the book and he explained that an integral part to the story is the theme of the innocence of a child juxtaposed with the evil that comes from this world. When Bruno asked questions and expressed curiosity about the differences between the Nazis and the Jews to the people around him it showed just how crazy those reasons were for deciding one race is superior to another. In this sense a child’s mind proved in the best way how hatred towards others can be played out in the most unimaginable ways.

The writing reminded me a lot C. S. Lewis and “The Chronicles of Narnia” in the way that something can be simply stated while at the same time having such a profound meaning. I cried a few times during this book even though I am sure it is not the most disturbing of books about the Holocaust but the horror of that event is all the same-families were torn apart, lives were destroyed, and innocence people were killed. This was a quick read and I would recommend it to people of all ages.

The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

Synopsis:
Book II in the Darkest Powers trilogy takes us deeper into a world where the supernatural intrudes on the everyday with riveting effect.

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl – someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I’m as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment – not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a group of people who call themselves The Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I’m a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control: I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

I’m running for my life with three of my supernatural friends – a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch – and we have to find someone who can help us gain our freedom back before The Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

My Review:
I enjoyed this one even more than the first book. We finally learn a little more about the other characters and their past while they continue to stay on the run from the Edison Group. It was a fluid continuation of the first book and I grew more attached to the characters and what happened to them as the story progressed. I thought at first the first two books could have been combined but now I am glad they were split up because it would have felt too overwhelming. I like that while Chloe could be helpless against her enemies considering her lack of fighting experience, she stands up for herself and does not try to play the role of damsel in distress (even if she is).

I love this author’s writing and the way she tells the story and how the characters interact. Although I will say that there were a few times where I was confused about how we got from point A to point B with things suddenly happening in the action scenes. She tells you some things in detail and others are left to your imagination but it’s not significant enough to take away from the overall story. This one was not hard to finish in a day because I had to keep reading to find out what happens next. All I can say is thank goodness the third one already came out because I would be struggling with having to wait to see where the story goes next. Read it!

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Synopsis:
My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.


All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me.


Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House . . . before its skeletons come back to haunt me.

My Review:
This book was good! I was not sure what to expect because I had not heard anything about the story, only that it was a popular series. I was surprised to discover what it was about because the cover is somewhat misleading making me expect something along the lines of a “Beautiful Creatures” story line. It was more like X-Men and or a comic strip with kids dealing with supernatural powers and an opposing group trying to experiment on them and bring them down. I really loved it and it was leaps and bounds better than another book I finished.

Although Chloe is only 15 she considers the impact her actions will make and explores the conflict raging inside her because of her supernatural abilities. I like the way Chloe thinks by picturing different scenarios from a film director’s point of view which adds a creative flare and imaginative element to her character. While the story itself slowly builds up to the climax at the end, I enjoyed that aspect because too many times I feel the plot is rushed to get to the action sequences which I think does a disservice to the characters and their development.

The romantic relationship between Derek and Chloe was not as obvious in this book and that’s a real change because many times I am easily able to pick it out and I liked not knowing. I also appreciated the author not making these characters seem perfect because they have supernatural abilities. These teenagers deal with real teenage issues like acne and seeking approval from not only their peers but their parents while dealing with having a “mental illness” and having to cope with that truth or in these case, that lie. This one was a page turner for me and I can’t wait for the next one!

Marked: A House of Night Novel by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Sysnopsis:
The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed. In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change. Not all of those who are chosen do. It’s tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.

My Review:
I saw this series of books in Sam’s Club which is why I was really compelled to read them because Sam’s usually carries best-sellers. Now I am confused as to why this is considered a best seller. This is a great concept in theory: Mother daughter writing team which will lend the knowledge needed for the generational gap and an interesting plot that could go in many different directions which offers a great basis for a series. Someone who reviewed this book on Amazon.com said it best: This book was like watching a train wreck that, for some unknown reason, you can’t look away.

Let’s talk about the pitfalls of the main character Zoey. Her language is that of a 12 year old and she is suppose to be 16, she is self-centered and gets annoyed easily and rarely considerers other people’s point of view, and she does not develop as a character what so ever and so she continues to respond to everything in her childish manner. This book lacks the sophistication needed for me to continue reading this series. I mean, please, shows like “Gossip Girl” are a guilty pleasure for me and I consider that show silly and humorous so I am not asking for a lot to be entertained here people. But there is more whit and smart comments in one scene of “Gossip Girl” then there is in this entire book.

But maybe I am being too harsh. I do demand and expect more from books because I consider reading a prime form of entertainment and reading is somewhat sacred to me. Having said that, there was something about this book that pushed me to finish it. Maybe it was only the desire to find some redeeming quality in the main character Zoey or just to know that I did not waste my time reading this book. What I found is it was an easy read, the dialogue was ridiculous, and the plot itself was the only interesting thing keeping my attention. I liked the book, just not enough to recommend it to someone else or to want to see what happens to the characters.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Synopsis:
Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that's not safe. Because there's something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. This extraordinary first novel has captured the imaginations of teenagers and adults across the country.

My Review:
Laurie Halse Anderson captured the voice and character of a teenager in 9th grader perfectly. Melinda was smart and witty which I appreciated because often times I feel teenagers as a whole are degraded through the juvenile language associated with them in literature and popular films. This book was sad and sometimes hard to read but concluded in a positive way. It tackled some tough issues that all teenagers have to deal with, even some issues I wish no one would ever have to deal with such as rape.

I think this book was more meaningful to me now than it would have been if I had read it when it first came out. That’s because I personally know people who have been raped and I have seen the toll it has taken on their lives. It is one of the hardest things I have ever had to see someone I love go through. Melinda came to terms with what happened to her and ended up telling someone what happened but there are so many people who never find their voice and remain silent. In this way “Speak” offers an important message to not only teenagers but to everyone that we cannot afford to remain silent because one person’s silence not only affects them but impacts all of us.

Paper Towns by John Green

Synopsis:
Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life--dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge--he follows.

After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues--and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew.

Printz medalist John Green returns with the brilliant wit and searing emotional honesty that have inspired a new generation of readers.

My Review:
It’s official. John Green is one of my favorite authors of all time! Talk about a guy that can tell a story with such humor and depth that you are left wondering what just happened to you between reading the first page and finishing the book. I was afraid I would not like “Paper Towns” as much as “Looking for Alaska” but this book did not disappoint. I laughed so hard that tears almost rolled down my face. I actually listened to this book on CD which I highly recommend if you are into audio listening. The narrator did an amazing job with bringing the story and characters to life and he sounded exactly the way I would imagine the characters to sound.

What is wild is Green set this story in Orlando, FL which is another place I happen to know very well so I loved Q and Margo’s adventures up and down I-4 and all around the city. I also love Green’s view of the world in his books through the characters he creates and his take on love, friendship, and loss. He brilliantly addresses the issue of putting people we love on a pedestal and glorifying them in such a manner that there is no way the real person can possibly fulfill those expectations. Reality and fantasy come head to head as Q discovers that maybe Margo is not this vision that he imagined but just a normal and ordinary person like himself. How we chose to deal with and survive life’s disappointments says a lot about who we are which is something I took away from “Paper Towns.” I learn something every time I read his books about the nature of human beings and how complicated life can be. All in all a great read!

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie’s struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.

My Review:
This book was completely enjoyable and just plain fantastic! I love the author’s writing style which is infused with witty humor as well as poetry of our inner most feelings . I loved Lennie as a character and felt like I could relate to her so easily even though her life is nothing like mine. Lennie was so likeable even though she made some bad and questionable decisions but this made her human in my eyes and I could see how I might react in a similar manner if I lost someone I dearly loved. I do however write my thoughts sometimes on random pieces of paper which get thrown all over my car and random places in my room.

I try to look at books with a critical eye considering what could have been better about the story, the character development, or the pacing and I can honestly say I can’t find anything wrong this book. This book broke my heart and put it back together from beginning to end with thoughts about life, love, and loss. I laughed out loud so many times at some of the things the characters would say or the situations they went through. It was a very hard book to put down which I did only to sleep, eat, shower, ect and I still managed to finish it in a little over a day. “The Sky Is Everywhere” has captured my heart and will not let go and has become one of my all time favorite books! I can’t wait to see what this author will put out next!

All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab

Synopsis:
Carly: She was sweet. Smart. Self-destructive. She knew the secrets of Brighton Day School’s most privileged students. Secrets that got her killed.

Neily: Dumped by Carly for a notorious bad boy, Neily didn’t answer the phone call she made before she died. If he had, maybe he could have helped her. Now he can’t get the image of her lifeless body out of his mind.

Audrey: She’s the reason Carly got tangled up with Brighton’s fast crowd in the first place, and now she regrets it—especially since she’s convinced the police have put the wrong person in jail. Audrey thinks the murderer is someone at Brighton, and she wants Neily to help her find out who it is.

As reluctant allies Neily and Audrey dig into their shared past with Carly, her involvement with Brighton’s dark goings-on comes to light. But figuring out how Carly and her killer fit into the twisted drama will force Audrey and Neily to face hard truths about themselves and the girl they couldn’t save.

My Review:
This book was different from the types of stories I usually go for which was a nice change. It was not what I expected but it drew me in because the characters were so believable and the conversations among them seemed so real. The author did a great job with the combination of mixing the narration between Neily and Audrey because the author made Neily and Audrey’s parts distinctive and I never got confused about reading a guy’s voice or girl’s voice which was impressive. Many of the reactions and feelings of the characters were raw and real which left the characters exposed really making you feel their emotions personally.

While the main drive of the story was about the death of a girl it involved much more. It was also about the people who loved her and how death can change us. Even after you leave this earth you can never disappear from the memory of the people you knew and the characters made that apparent. The story itself kept a steady pace until the end which was the climax and it worked perfectly with the way the mystery of the murder unfolded. The best part was I did not figure out who the murderer was until the characters discovered it too which left me guessing the entire time.

Brisingr by Christopher Paolini

Synopsis:
OATHS SWORN . . . loyalties tested . . . forces collide.

Following the colossal battle against the Empire’s warriors on the Burning Plains, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have narrowly escaped with their lives. Still there is more at hand for the Rider and his dragon, as Eragon finds himself bound by a tangle of promises he may not be able to keep.

First is Eragon’s oath to his cousin Roran: to help rescue Roran’s beloved, Katrina, from King Galbatorix’s clutches. But Eragon owes his loyalty to others, too. The Varden are in desperate need of his talents and strength—as are the elves and dwarves. When unrest claims the rebels and danger strikes from every corner, Eragon must make choices— choices that take him across the Empire and beyond, choices that may lead to unimagined sacrifice.

Eragon is the greatest hope to rid the land of tyranny. Can this once-simple farm boy unite the rebel forces and defeat the king?

My Review:
To start, this was an epic book so I am going to write and epic review. I will be honest, it literally took me a year to finish this book but not for the reasons most people would think. I started this book in May 09’ right around the time finals were in full swing and I was starting to interview for an internship SO this book was put on hold. Then around January 10’ I began reading again but it was so hard to hold up this massive, hardback book at night and carry it with me so I found the audio CDs at the public library. Hands down this is one of the best audio CDs I have ever heard and I highly recommend them to anyone. The narrator portrayed the characters in such a real way and I loved hearing this story told with a British accent. The only thing I did not like was what he decided the dragons should sound like which I would imagine as being smooth and regal, not course and brash, but other than that it was amazing.

Ok on to the book review. This was a wonderful continuation of the Inheritance Cycle where we get a chance to witness the characters both succeed and struggle in the fight against evil and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next. I will say I was surprised to find out that this would not be the last book considering the author talked about it being a trilogy. So I will have to wait patiently for the fourth and hopefully final book.

I am glad I dragged this one out over a long period of time which is not my normal style at all. I usually tear through books in a matter of days because I have very little patience. The story is epic and so I felt it needed time to resonate with me and I was not eager for it to end. I love, LOVE the relationship between Saphira and Eragon which can be characterized by loyalty and unconditional love. Eragon is such a real, believable, and passionate character and I have loved watching him grow during this series. The other thing I like is that his relationship with Arya, unlike many other YA novels, is not about lust and the physical relationship, but friendship and mutual respect which should be the root of every “romantic” relationship in my opinion. With that said, the girl in me wants some action eventually because while their friendship is growing they are still no closer to being in that kind of relationship. I will cry if they do not end up together because they have been through so much and I can’t picture them with anyone else.