Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Synopsis:
Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father-an elusive European warlock-only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters. By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect. As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

My Review:
I heard a lot of rave reviews thanks to my friends at ‘Shelfari.com’ and ‘Goodreads.com’ and I am so glad I trusted their judgment. This book was a fun read and there were a lot of “laugh out loud” moments for me. The author has a knack for writing a story like a movie where you can see the facial expressions of the characters and from that find the humor in the moment. I liked Sophie as a character because she had similar reactions to things I would think in certain situations along with being quirky and sarcastic. She, like any teenage girl, gets flustered around the guy she likes and tries to deny her feelings for him which makes her very relatable. I loved all the pop-culture references like Harry Potter and Star Wars which was a nod to my generation but I don’t feel it will date the book too much.

However I do have some issues with the book. I guess there are only so many original plots out there but I felt the author had enough creativity to do something different with her characters and their situation but left them hanging. While the writing was not amazing the book over all was entertaining and I am looking forward to the next book.

Sleepless by Cyn Balog

Synopsis:
Eron DeMarchelle isn't supposed to feel this connection. He is a Sandman, a supernatural being whose purpose is to seduce his human charges to sleep. Though he can communicate with his charges in their dreams, he isn't encouraged to do so. After all, becoming too involved in one human's life could prevent him from helping others get their needed rest. But he can't deny that he feels something for Julia, a lonely girl with fiery red hair and sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved. In the past, Eron has broken rules to protect Julia, but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can't reach her. Eron's time as a Sandman is coming to a close, and his replacement doesn't seem to care about his charges. Worse, Julia is facing dangers she doesn't recognize, and Eron, as he transitions back to being human, may be the only one who can save her. . . . Even once they've become human again, Sandmen are forbidden to communicate with their charges. But Eron knows he won't be able to forget Julia. Will he risk everything for a chance to be with the girl he loves? Cyn Balog's follow-up to Fairy Tale has more wit, more supernatural delights, and more star-crossed romance! Teen girls will love this story of a Sandman who falls in love with his human charge.

My Review:
Really liked this one! I like the duel perspectives of the book told by both Julia and Eron so we get two sides to the story. I this book could have worked well also told in first person from Julia’s perspective. I thought Julia’s character was witty and did not take mean or harsh things people said personally which I have to say is very different from most teenage girls who get offended so easily. This was a stark contrast to Eron’s character who was a boy who grew up in a different time when women and men behaved around each other differently. He was such a gentleman and treated Julia with the utmost respect and I just loved hearing him talk (Not gonna lie, he reminded me a lot of Edward Cullen). I am almost shocked he fell for Julia because even though he has known Julia her entire life it does not seem like her “brush it off” attitude would appeal to him. But I think the author did not develop their relationship enough which comes to my main problem with the book.

I have a problem with the length because I felt the author could have done more with the story and relationship building. She could have even talked more about the history of “Sandmen” and how all of that came to be. The story developed nicely until Julia found out what Eron was and then I felt like it ended too abruptly. It seriously could have used another 50 to 100 pages to flesh it out. But that is my only complaint because the pacing and everything else was just great. I do not know if there is a sequel in the works but if there is I would love to read it because I loved the different take on “The Sandman” and it was a refreshing read.

Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher

Synopsis:
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch.

Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life.

Clay is one of the reasons why.

If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

My Review:
I happen to own this book but I decided to listen to it on audio CD instead. I don’t think either one would be a bad choice but I do think the audio CD was better because it was in the format that the book was told from and it made the story more real for me. The actual book jacket had the map that Hannah Baker gave to each person of the places that were significant to the story. It also offered an interview with the author at the end which I found really interesting.

At the risk of sounding morbid I have to say I loved everything about this book even though it was about a girl who committed suicide and it was very haunting. The pacing was really well done and I thought the format and layout of Hannah’s story on cassette tape was unique because it was like a eulogy of Hannah’s last days. This book brings to light the circumstances that could lead a person to consider going down that path and how everything and everyone is connected. While no one can make someone take their own life, they can have an impact on the decision.

I am currently taking a Crisis Intervention class for my masters in social work so this story was very appropriate for my current studies even though my choosing to read this book at the same time was unplanned. Although I have never known anyone personally who committed suicide, this is a topic that has current relevance with numbers of people taking their lives growing with each year. This is not just something teenagers go through and in fact the largest numbers of suicides are committed by the elderly which is also something I have been learning about in my Gerontology class. Like any death, it not only affects the person who takes their life but everyone else around them and especially this way because when you are sick or dying death is not out of the realm of possibility. Suicide is even more heartbreaking because we wonder if and what we could have done to keep the person from killing themselves. We wonder if we could have done anything or paid more attention and the guilt starts to eat away at us. The best we can do is bring awareness to others about this issue and offer help to anyone considering such an act.

Sea by Heidi R. Kling

Synopsis:
Still haunted by nightmares of her mother’s death, fifteen-year-old Sienna Jones reluctantly travels to Indonesia with her father’s relief team to help tsunami orphans with their post traumatic stress disorder—something Sienna knows a lot about. Since her mother’s plane went missing over the Indian Ocean three years before, Sienna doesn’t do anything if it involves the ocean or planes, so this trip is a big step forward. But the last thing she expects is to fall for Deni, a brooding Indonesian boy who lives at the orphanage. When Deni hears a rumor that his father may be alive, Sienna doesn’t think twice about running away with him to the epicenter of the disaster. Unfortunately, what they find there could break both their hearts.

My Review:
This book was not what I expected but in a good way. First of all I did not realize the story took place in Indonesia shortly after the 2004 Tsunami. The Indonesian culture added richness to the story with unfamiliar sights and sounds of the people and place. Second I did not know Sienna was also going to be suffering from her own tragedy-that being the death of her mother which she had never fully dealt with up until this point. This along with the destruction from the Tsunami added depth to the characters and their situation.

I was very entranced by everything the author said when she was describing Sienna and Deni’s adventures through Indonesia because it is a place I know nothing about. But while I have never been there I felt like I was and I would love the chance to go see it now in person now. I liked Sienna as a character mostly because I felt it was very selfless for a 15 year old girl to go to an orphanage and be a mentor for girls who do not speak her language and take herself way outside of her comfort zone. She also dropped what she was doing to help Deni find his father even though it could have been driven by the fact that she liked him. But towards the end there was a particular scene where she showed tremendous grace for a very tough situation. On the relationship aspect, I could never fully get into the Deni and Sienna romance because while I thought they were suppose to learn something from each other, I did not see them ending up together. I also thought it was very bold of the author to have Deni and Sea talk about religion which in this case was Christianity, Buddhism, and the Islamic religion. It’s not clear what Sienna decided to believe in but I can appreciate the fact that she was seeking the answers for herself.

All of these elements woven together create a beautiful story that really took a look at what it is like to lose someone you love and everything you ever called home.

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Synopsis:
Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere.
Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen.
As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron Fey, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen.
But no one believes her.
Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off.
She's alone in Faery with only her wits for help.
Trusting anyone would be foolish.
Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly.
But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

My Review:

(Spoiler Alert!)

I loved this book! It struck a balance among all the elements I would look for in a good story: good pacing, intrigue, action, and romance. Along with that this story was jam packed with fight scenes and danger lurking around every corner for Meaghan Chase and her friends. I also think the characters really came to light in this book and the author made the story reveal more about the relationships among the characters. Everything is not always as it seems, which was the case with Iron Horse, who turned out to be a loyal friend in the end. Also Meaghan’s relationship with both Puck and Ash becomes more complicated as feelings are revealed and we uncover more about Puck and Ash’s past. I never shy away from a good love triangle because it presents the ultimate choice between two different worlds, two different lives, and the decision between which side of yourself is the true you. For Meaghan it is hard not to love both guys with Puck’s quick wit and charm and Ash’s loyalty to his family and doing the right thing. All at the same time they are fully devoted and totally in love with Meaghan who knows in her heart who she truly wants but does not know how to make that relationship work. I really liked Meaghan who is honest both with herself and others and very selfless at times making decisions not based on what she needs or wants but puts the fate of her family and friends first. She also wants to believe that people have the best intentions at heart but knowing the ways of the fey has become much smarter in her decisions about who to trust.

I can not wait for the third book “Iron Queen” to find out what will happen next to all the characters in the battle between the iron world and the Nevernever.

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Synopsis:
Enter a bizarre new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu who claims Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth and he's her long-lost fiance. He's arrogant, officious, embarrassingly overprotective, and well, incredibly hot.

Armed with a copy of "Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire's Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions," Jessica tries to imagine the transition from an average American teenager to a glam European vampire princess.

My Review:
This story was much more serious than I had expected for a couple of reasons, one in particular which would be the look of the cover. I am not a fan of the cover because it is not very fitting to the tone of the story and evokes a much lighter storyline. Also the description on the back cover makes it sound like Jessica’s biggest problem is having a boyfriend as opposed to marrying a dark, damaged, and dangerous vampire to save her people in Romania from an all-out war (two very different scenarios, don’t you think?). But I think I liked this story better because it was not light and cheesy and took me back to when I first read Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” with the descriptions of the Carpathian Mountains and the dangerous vampires that lived there. However that portion was more towards the end and in my opinion was not long enough. I wanted an Epilogue or something so as to have a little more detail about what happened with Jessica and Lucius. But as it is we are left with our imaginations.

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Synopsis:
An ancient prophecy divides two sisters- One good... One evil... Who will prevail? Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, the girls find themselves entangled in a mystery that involves a tattoo-like mark, their parents' deaths, a boy, a book, and a lifetime of secrets. Lia and Alice don't know whom they can trust. They just know they can't trust each other.

My Review:
I found this story very intriguing. I ended up listening to this book on CD and actually think I liked it better than if I had read the book just because the narrator’s voice was so engaging and she really brought the characters to life for me. This book did not necessarily keep me on the edge of my seat but there were parts that were freaky enough to make the hair on my arm stand up and I was entertained enough to want to know what would happen next. I think what kept this story rooted in reality was the fact that it took place in the 1800s and for me that made it seem like this could have happened because its almost like reading about a legend. The dynamic between Lia and Alice is fascinating because while they have been given their roles in the prophecy, it is hard to deny their true character. At the same time they have to consider family and someone they previously loved in a new light. I am interested to see how the story will end for Lia and Alice with everything currently facing them.

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Synopsis:
The Longing.

Once Grace and Sam have found each other, they know that they must fight to stay together.
For Sam, this means a reckoning with his werewolf past. For Grace, it means facing a future that is less and less certain.

The Loss.

Into their world comes a new wolf named Cole, whose past is full of hurt and danger. He is
wrestling with his own demons embracing the life of a wolf, while denying the ties of being human.

The Linger.

For Grace, Sam, and Cole, life is a constant struggle between two forces --
wolf and human -- with love baring its two sides as well. It is harrowing and
euphoric, freeing and entrapping, enticing and alarming. As their world falls apart,
love is what lingers. But will it be enough?

My Review:
At the beginning of 2010 I set out to complete one item on the list of things I must do before I die: Read 50 books in one year. As of August 4th, 2010 I did it!!! It just so happens that the very first book I read in my mission to complete this task was Shiver which is the prequel to Linger. So that means Linger was my 50 book-I just love how that turned out!

OK, on to the book review. I really liked this book! The cover along I thought was so beautiful and fitting to the story and I love that the text is also in green just like the cover. Maggie has a way of painting a beautiful picture in my imagination with her rich descriptions in terms of her character’s of emotions and the physical world in which they inhabit. This story continues with Sam and Grace and the wolves of Mercy Falls after Sam became a boy again for good this time. I like that we get a look into Sam’s world and what life was like for him growing up alternating between being human and being an animal. I love that his room was covered in paper cranes of all shapes, sizes, and colors and they all tell a story about Sam and his experiences.

I don’t want to spoil the story for those who have not read it (so stop reading if you don’t want anything revealed) but I will say that I can’t believe we are left hanging at the end not knowing what is going to happen to Grace and how Sam and Grace’s relationship will survive considering the circumstances. Until the next book comes out this story is an open door that I am anxious to close. Read it!

Social Work Research and Evaluation: Foundations of Evidence-Based Practice by Richard Grinnell and Yvonne Unrau

This book is the longest standing and most widely adopted text in the field of social work research and evaluation. As stated in the book's preface, it is intended for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate social work students in a one-semester research methods course. Since the first edition in 1981, this edition is designed to provide social work students with the basic methodological foundation they need in order to successfully complete more advanced research courses that focus on single-system designs or program evaluations. With its customarily straightforward user-friendly writing style by renowned educators, this edition will continue to maintain its notoriety as the premier social work research methods text. Thoroughly revised and updated, the chapters offer a wealth of new research examples and references, accessible diagrams of essential concepts and processes, and extended coverage of core social work research methods and recent developments. For example, with the inclusion of four new chapters on the evidence-based approach to social work practice, the book emphasizes how important this approach has become, and provides a rock-solid foundation for understanding how to evaluate and interpret research findings that have been derived from research studies-the minimal skills needed for evidence-based social work practitioners.

My Review:
I do not usually include text books even though being a student I have read texts books my entire life. But I can't ever say I read any of them cover to cover because there was always one chapter we would skip, I just did not read, ect. But this book I read the entire thing through so I think its only fair that I add it to my list of books that I have read. Not a bad book for Social Work Research Evaluation which can be a really dry subject and somewhat abstract. But the authors of this book really considered how to explain the information in a reader friendly way and took pains to explain everything without a lot of jargon. I can say I feel well versed in the area of research evaluation and this book helped me so much throughout my class this semester.