Audio Book Review: Radiance by Alyson Noel

Radiance is a middle grade story that deals with a topic that is hard to broach with this age group: death. It can be difficult to talk about death with children, particularly in cases where the person who dies is very close to a child or where the person who dies is very young.

The main character of this story, Riley (only twelve years old), has just died along with her parents and dog. She references her life on the "Earth Plane" briefly, but does not appear to dwell on his previous life too much. Instead, her days are filled with Here and Now. She has the ability to manifest whatever she desires--clothes, money, food, excitement and entertainment. But, the novelty of this ability does not last long. Quickly, she looks for something to do. And it's not long before the The Council comes looking for her to give her a job.

She's paired with Bodhie, a teen whom she describes as "dorky," but who seems to have been cool at one time. Bodhie takes everything a little too seriously for Riley's taste, and she spares no time in telling him just how lame he is. Their conflict feels more like a sibling rivalry than a thinly disguised flirtation, which is nice in a middle grade story.

On their first mission together as "Soul Catchers,"where they try to convince souls who have remained on the Earth Plane to cross over to the other side. Riley's first assignment is one no other Soul Catcher has been able to crack, despite hundreds of attempts. Lucky for her, it involves spirits of the annoying ten year-old boy variety, a demographic she's dealt with extensively on the Earth Plane. I won't tell you what happens, but it is one of my favorite scenes!

I don't always love to read middle grade novels, but this audio book appealed to me because of the subject matter and its relevance to my life right now. My mother-in-law just passed away on Wednesday after a long battle with a variety of cancers. I listened to this book thinking that it might be of some comfort to the pre-teen nieces in my family. I think that, once they've had time to deal with their grandmother's passing, they will find solace in a vision of heaven where the elderly get to pursue all of their interests and dreams.

The reader for this novel is Kathleen McInerney and she does a wonderful job. It must be hard to find a reader who can capture the spirit and energy of a twelve year-old, but McInerney does it well. Also, this book is a quick listen at less than four hours. I can see this book being a staple of middle school libraries. I bet middle grade readers will identify with Riley and maybe even relate to some of what she goes through in the book.

Details:

Narrator: Kathleen McInerney
Length: 3 hours and 55 mins

**This audio book counts toward my participation in the 2011 Audio Book Challenge from Teresa's Reading Corner and Whisper Stories in My Ear Audio Book Challenge**

Book Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Is it possible that I like Gayle Forman's Where She Went even more than If I Stay? I didn't know that this was possible. I am a little taken aback. But, from the very first chapter, I was captivated by this second book and could not put it down. Now, I did have a difficult time putting down If I Stay, but there was something so compelling about this book, even without the lure of tragedy and melodrama.

**Please don't read this post if you haven't read If I Stay and want to. I'm going to have to SPOIL it for you if you do! There's just no way to talk about Where She Went without revealing what happened in If I Stay.**

Okay. Phew. I don't want to spoil anything about this series for anyone!

This second book is narrated completely from Adam's point of view. I have to admit that I was intrigued by this from the very start. I loved Adam in book one, but I completely fell for him in book two. He just seemed even more real to me in this second installment. Even though he's now famous and touring the world, his feelings and character just ring true to me.

And Mia. Love Mia. In some ways, she's even more complex in this second book than in the first. She, too, has become an accomplished musician, but there's something about her struggle to both move past and remember that fateful night on which If I Stay is based that feels very real to me. If you've ever had any sort of trauma in your life, I think you'll understand what she's going through.

I love that Adam and Mia are not perfect. I love that they are not fixed and that, though they've experienced success, they don't always feel deserving or good about it. All of this rings very true to me. And, Foreman made some great choices with this book. I loved that she start most chapters with lyrics from Adam's hit record, which is actually written about Mia. I found most of the lyrics to be interesting and to add to the narrative. I want to hear his music!

I know that many of you are waiting for this book to come out and that you cannot wait to read it. In my opinion, this is a great second book to a story that could have ended with the first. But, after reading Where She Went, I am happy to know more about Adam and Mia and understand where they'll go from here. I loved it.

**Thanks to Around the World ARC Tours for this reading opportunity**

Book Review: The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

Phew. Deep breaths. My breathing is a tad labored right now. I just finished this Carrie Ryan's newest installment of The Forest of Hands and Teeth series and realized that I hadn't taken one deep breath in a couple hours. How can you with action and stress and edge-of-seat (or bed, in this case) plot twists and turns?

Okay. Beyond this first paragraph, I am going to admit that I have no idea of how to review this book without revealing any spoilers at all. Not that I cannot review the book without talking about the plot, but I don't know how to review this book with no spoilers about the entire series. Therefore, if you have not started this series, I suggest that you do. Those of you who have read it know how great it is. I'm making a bit of a leap here, but I think that most of what I've read online points to a fairly high approval rating. If you like zombie apocalypse stories, or if you want to start liking them, read this series. It's a great way to become a lover of zombie lit. It was my first. A gateway drug, if you will.

For those of you who have read the first two books in this series, I'll explain why this third installment is so very good. If you haven't, it's okay to stop reading. I still love you.

Okay. Let's get down to business. This third book is told from the perspective of Annah, the twin sister of Gabry (nee Abigail), who left her sister behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth a dozen years ago. Annah escaped the forest with Elias, and they carved out a bit of a life together, posing as brother and sister, in the Dark City. Now, the Dark City is filled with the Unconsecrated. It is unlivable and the Recruiters have begun to terrorize survivors.

Annah has managed on her own for three years. She's pretty much living just to avoid the Unconsecrated and is waiting for Elias to come back to her. That is her life. No companionship, no love, no fun. Just Annah and her fears and insecurities and longing. She's alive but dead.

Until she sees her sister, her twin sister, from across a crowded platform. That sighting changes her entire life. Seeing her sister leads to Annah's search for the long-lost Abigail. And their reunion changes Annah's life and her life's purpose forever.

*   *   *

I was not disappointed with this newest series books in the least. I am left wanting more, but I think that this is good. I don't feel like I need more answers about the characters or that any topic was not covered, I would just love to see what continues to happen in this world. And I'm sure that's exactly where the author, Carrie Ryan, wanted to leave her readers. 

I am such a fan of this series and have enjoyed lending these books to my students. I have a creating a serious following among my freshmen boys. It's kinda like an infection spread by the Mudo or Unconsecrated. One student reads The Forest of Hands and Teeth, "bites" the brain of a friend, and the books are spread. It's like the most awesome virus ever.

**ARC Courtesy of Book It Forward Tours**

**Read as part of Presenting Lenore's Dystopian February Celebration**

Book Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Evie isn't your average every day girl. She's not even an average paranormal girl. Everything about her--from her birth to her teen years--is mysterious and interesting. Only, Evie doesn't quite see her life this way. She think it's pretty boring, not going to high school and having a locker like all other "normal" teens. Her life is anything but normal. And that's never really been enough for her.

She works and lives at the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA for short). She came to the IPCA when she was just eight years old, after she was discovered. You see, Evie can see through the glamours that most paranormals (vampires, werewolves, zombies, mermaids, faeries, etc) use when trying convince humans that they are regular people. So they can kill them. Evie sees what no one else can--the truth behind the lie.

But Evie's truth is that she'd rather have the every day problems of the teens she sees on TV than the ones she has. She has a sort of ex-boyfriend faerie man who is stalking her a little bit, a best friend who's a mermaid in a glass case, and no family that she's ever met. As far as she knows, she's entirely alone in the world. That is, until she catches a mysterious paranormal sneaking around the IPCA center after hours. Of course, she tazers him, but after that she realizes that he's cute and that they have a lot in common. By the time that she's figuring out who he is, she and all of the other humans and paranormals at the IPCA are in trouble. Because there's a serial killer going after paranormals. And it's just arrived at the IPCA.

I'm not even doing the plot justice by summarizing it here, so I'll just switch to gushing about how awesome it is. I really, really wish that I had read this book when it first came out, but I never really saw how great it was. I read the summaries and reviews and wanted to read it, but never got around to buying it.  Until Ms. Kai from Fiction State of Mind sent me this awesome book. I've been wanting to read it for some time and am so glad I did. Thanks, Kai!

What did I love about it? Well, it's funny and light and interesting and there is some suspense, but most of all, it's original. I felt like I was reading something totally new and fresh, which is awesome because I've read an awful lot of paranormal in the past year and I think it takes a great plot and cast of characters to seem "new" and "fresh" in this saturated genre.

I loved that it was funny, too. So often paranormal lacks a bit of the humor because it can take itself a little too seriously. Sure, the world and all of humanity is going to perish in a paranormal-induced whirlwind of fire and craziness, but there is room for a few laughs here and there, no? Best of all, the humor wasn't forced, but felt natural coming from Evie and a couple of the other characters. Not everyone was funny. Evie was because it is part of her personality. Love her!

And the relationships were interesting. I love thinking of this girl who has these powers and can use them to better the world, but who still sees her life as boring. Is any teenager every satisfied with their life? Doesn't every teenager claim to be bored most of the time? Even if they are chasing vampires and werewolves, I think that it's just the nature of the teen years to feel like they're missing out.

I cannot wait to read more of this series. I've read that it's going to be a three-part series, which is delightful. I haven't heard any info about the title/ cover for book two, but I will be on the lookout!

Book Review: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Ever since she was young, Violet Ambrose could smell and feel and sense death. And I don't mean that she could smell dead bodies, it is more like she has the ability to locate the spirit of a dead body, if that makes any sense. When she was just eight, she found her first dead body. A girl. Who had been murdered. Rather than scare her to the point of losing her powers, Violet has learned to listen to her senses and actively looks for the dead who call to her...Not that she can resist the urges when they call to her.

Now that she's a teen, she is living a fairly normal life. Not many people know about her special skills, and she normally senses the dead bodies of animal and birds that have been killed by a predator. Until she finds another body. This time, it's another teen girl and it's not long until another girl disappears. And then another.

It is clear that there's a serial killer on the loose. Violet's uncle, a local police officer, believes in Violet's ability and uses her skills every once in a while to help locate the dead. Now, Violet is in danger. The killer has spotted her talking with the police and is out to get her.

Along with this suspenseful story comes a bit of romance. Violet and her best best friend Jay have a great romantic tension between them. They are obviously compatible; that's what made them such great friends for so long. But, Violet is worried that a mistake or awkward encounter with Jay will interfere with her friendship. Jay doesn't seem to have these fears. He's pretty clear (in my opinion) about his feelings for Violet.

I enjoyed this suspenseful, romantic story. I've read some criticism about the author's choice to have the romance between Violet and Jay and the whole serial killer thing all together in one book. I liked it. I don't know that a book that was entirely about a serial killer and Violet's special abilities would've held my attention so well. I liked a respite every now and again from the serial killing, especially since the segments written from the serial killer's point of view were so utterly disturbing. Well written, yes. But totally gross.

I will definitely continue reading books in this series. I think it's original and interesting and even a bit realistic, as far as paranormal lit goes. Plus, it's entertaining and I like the characters. What more could you ask for?

Book Review: Lost Voices by Sarah Porter

Lost Voices is a story of a group of lost girls who have reclaimed some power over lives that have been ruined through abuse, torture, and neglect. Each of the girls in this group has a story and each one is shocking and painful in its own right.

We start this story with Luce, the main character. She's living with her uncle after her mother has died and her father disappears at sea. He uncle is cruel and abusive, but Luce has found ways to skirt his anger and to hide from his violent outbursts. That is, until the night that he hurts her in a different way--a near rape.

In a scene full of magic and surprising calm, Luce transforms from a broken, bloody girl to a gorgeous mermaid. She finds herself in the ocean, surrounded by a group of mermaids who are all former victims of some sort of abuse. The leader of this tribe, Catarina, tells Luce about their mermaid code, the "timakh." It's a pretty simple code, consisting of two rules: you cannot knowingly hurt another mermaid and you cannot have any sort of contact with humans.

Quickly, Luce begins to see that the timakh is not going to be the greatest of her undersea worries. To seek retribution for the crimes committed against them, the mermaids sink ships and kill every human on board. No survivors. As angry as Luce is about her human past, she has a difficult time reconciling her new job as a hunter of men (and women and girls and boys). And, she is blessed with an unfortunately alluring siren's song. When she sings underwater, sailors happily commit suicide. How will Luce begin to heal from her childhood pain if she is forced to kill for centuries to come?

*   *   *

This is my first book involving mermaids. Initially, I was drawn to this book because of gorgeous cover and the interesting description of its plot. I have read many YA books that deal with the subject of abused and neglected teens, but this one seemed to come from such an original place. I had to read it. 

And, I read it in one sitting. It had some slow areas, and it was definitely difficult at times to set aside my disbelief about some aspects of this book, but overall I thought that it was entertaining and interesting. I was drawn in by Luce, and intrigued by some of the other mermaids, Catarina in particular. She is the leader of this tribe of mermaids and is definitely hiding some secrets from the girls, even while demanding that they be open and honest with her. 

More than the paranormal aspect of this book, I am left thinking about the true lost girls and lost voices in this world. There are so many lives that are lost to us from child abuse and there is so much that needs to be done to fight against it. At the beginning of the book, before Luce became a mermaid, her character was so realistic that I felt extremely connected to her. I couldn't help but be reminded of girls that I've worked with in the past who displayed a lot of the same characteristics as Luce. 

I don't know that I love reading about mermaids more than my usual paranormal creatures--werewolves and the like. But, this is an interesting new(ish) segment of the YA paranormal world that I'm interested in reading more about. And, lucky for me, there are two more planned books in this series. This book will be released by Harcourt in July of 2011 and it is the author's debut novel.

**ARC sent to me by Book It Forward ARC Tours**

 

Book Review: Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

In New England, we say the word "wicked" all of the time, though we don't mean it in the usual sense. To most others, this word mean "evil" or "immoral." We New Englanders use it to mean "very." Like, "This apple pie is wicked good!"

Given my (near) thirty years living with this word (and using it profusely), I have a special affinity toward it. So, when I spotted this book with its gorgeous cover and great reviews, I had to have it. It looked awesome. And, as I shall prove in this review, it was. Wicked.

Aislinn has grown up with her gram. Both are able to see and hear faeries, but Aislinn has always been taught to ignore them. Why? Because they are of obvious danger to an mortal girl silly enough to fall into one of their trips or to be used in one of their wicked games. This hasn't been too difficult for Aislynn, called Ash by her friends, because she's followed the simple rules set out for her by her gram: Don't stare at the invisible faeries, don't speak to invisible faeries, and don't ever attract their attention.

But this is not so easy anymore. Why? Because they won't leave her alone. All of a sudden, one of the most powerful faeries, the Summer King, has his sights set on Ash. And there seems to be nothing that she can do to stop him from pursuing her.

Luckily for Ash, she has an understanding and compassionate boy/ friend. They have not solidified the fact that they're in a relationship, but it's obvious that Seth is in love with Ash. Obvious to everyone but Ash, that is.

Unlucky for Ash, there's more at stake for the Summer King, his court, and for the evil Winter Queen than just a fun little romp with a mortal. All of their lives, and the lives of mortals, hang in the balance. What can Ash do to save them? Simple. Give up her life and all that she's known to test her fate as the Summer Queen. If she's not the true Queen, she'll be condemned to a fate worse than death. If she is, she'll have to battle to save the lives of the ones she loves most--Seth and her gram.

*  *  *

Though Ash is a strong character for most of the book, I wished that she was more confident when it came to her relationship with Seth. It was painfully obvious that he was in love with her, yet she still thought that he wanted to be "just" friends.  Not so much. Otherwise, I loved the way that Ash felt comfortable standing up to faeries and in taking control of her fate. She is not a dummy, I loved her for that reason.

I also truly loved that the faeries in this book were not all evil. Yes, their intentions were not always selfless, but they were round characters. They had emotions and reasons and thought behind their choices. The book went back and forth between Ash's point of view and two of the most powerful faeries--the Summer King and the Winter Girl. It was interesting to get to know some of the other characters in a more intimate way, and it made me sympathetic for them.

As many of you know, this is the first book in a series. I am far behind in this series, but I am going to try to read much of it before the newest book, Darkest Mercy, hits the shelves in late February. This may not be super realistic, but I am definitely intrigued and interested to see where this storyline will go. Next book in this series: Ink Exchange. Off to purchase a copy!

*Counts toward my participation in the YA Series Challenge for 2011**

Book Review: Vixen by Jillian Larkin

Chicago in the 1920s. Two teen girls desperately want to be the flappers they see in the silent films and read about in their gossip rags. And, one who wants nothing more than to escape the seedy underworld of speakeasies and underworld excess.

Gloria and Lorraine have always had it good. They attend private school, have their every need and want taken care of by their rich parents. They have maids, chauffeurs, and clothes. But, they don't have want they want most--The glam look sported by the local flappers. They want to bob their hair and wear daring clothes, ones that will get them in the illegal restaurants and bars that play jazz music and serve alcohol.

When Gloria's cousin Clara moves to Chicago from her family farm in Pennsylvania, her wants and desires have nothing to do with dancing, fashion, and booze. Unbeknown to Gloria, Clara wants to recover from her year in Mew York City, where she ran to from the farm and is now trying to escape. Exactly what happened in NYC is not clear until late in the book, but we know it's bad. Bad enough for her to want to hang up her dancing shoes and put away her flask forever.

And there are boys and men. Lots of them. It seems that they are all dashing and handsome and want something from these girls. Of course, their motives can't be trusted. But, in this time where everything's illegal (or at least frowned upon), these three girls quickly find themselves going to places they've never been and won't soon forget. Once they enter this dangerous and magical world, their lives will change forever.

*   *   *

What a fast, fun read that was! This novel is the first in a new series about the 1920s. It seems like the series will follow the three girls I spoke about in my summary. Which is awesome. Because I want answers! This book has it all--Romance, action, time-period lingo, warring generations, illegal everything. I loved it and could not put it down. 

I don't know how necessaryily accurate every little detail of this book was, but I didn't care. It made me long to find a jazz bar and dance the night away. I felt entriely swept away by this story and could not put it down. Even though it was a little over 400 pages, I read it in the space of a few hours. It is light and fun and flirty. I can't wait for the second book, Ingenue, which is set to be released this fall.

**Counts toward the YA Historical Fiction Reading Challenge from YA Bliss**

Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

I feel like I want to scream and yell and whoop and jump off of something. Why? Because I have just finished debut author Veronica Roth's Divergent. And, it's one of the best YA books I've ever read. For real.

The world of Divergent is broken up into factions. Literally. There are five of them: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite. Everyone in this dystopian society belongs to one of these five factions. Unless, of course, you're Divergent. Then you could belong to more than one faction and you're considered dangerous. And you could be killed for it.

Beatrice, the main character, is about to turn sixteen, when she will go through the simulations that will recommend her to one of the five factions. She was raised in Abnegation, but can choose whichever faction she wants. If she chooses a faction other than Abnegation, she will not see her family but maybe a few times for the rest of her life.

Which is on her mind. She loves her parents and her brother, Caleb, but cannot stand the idea of staying in the Abnegation faction for the rest of her life. She is sick of denying herself basic pleasures--good food, wearing colorful clothing, looking in the mirror--and of having to always put others first. When her simulation results are inconclusive and she learns that she is Divergent, she has a decision to make. She now knows for sure that she could enter into Abnegation or Dauntless, a daredevil faction filled with tattooed adrenaline junkies.

Once she chooses, she cannot go back. Her life will change forever and as the peace of the five factions erodes into chaos, she will find that her Divergent personality is more of a help than a liability.

I don't want to give away too much of this story, especially since it's not out until May. But, holy man. If you're at all a fan of dystopian reads, of the Hunger Games, if you need a new Katniss Everdeen in your life, if you love great, dynamic characters and strong female leads then this read is for you. The world that is developed in this book is solid and interesting to think about on so many levels. I can see using this book in my classroom (afterall, how long can I continue to teach the Hunger Games when more and more of my students are reading it well before their junior year!).

I read this book as part of an ARC tour (Book It Forward) and cannot wait to purchase my very own copy. I am so very excited by this new series and this new author. It's amazing. When you read it, come back and tell me what you think!

Book Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Oh. My. Goodness.

Now I see what everyone has been raving about for months! This book was absolutely un-put-down-able. I was hooked almost as soon as I started it and could not help but sneak away from New Year's parties to read pages here and there. My friends must think there's something terribly wrong with me...Oh well. I had to finish this book!

For the (very few) of you who haven't read this book, Nightshade is a fairly complex, but irresistible story about love and lust and loyalty. It starts with the near-death of a human teen named Shay. He's been hiking in an off-limits section of the mountains of Vail, Colorado. In these upper peaks, the world is different. It's divided into rigid groups: The Guardians, shape-shifting wolf/humans, the Keepers who are witch-like masters of the wolves, and there are some humans. Add to this mix the dangerous Searchers, who the Guardians kill in order to protect the Keepers and the secrets of this little mountaintop world.

The main character, Calla, is the alpha of her pack. She is destined to be united with Ren, a handsome and powerful alpha from a rival pack. The Keepers have decided to join the packs, the Banes and the Nightshades, in order to form a new, younger pack. Calla and Ren will lead this new pack and protect the Keepers from any harm. That is, if all goes well.

Which it doesn't. When Calla saves Shay, the human boy, from death-by-grizzly attack, she sets into motion a huge turn in events. Shay is drawn to Calla and Calla cannot help but feel stirred by Shay. She knows that she's promised to Ren, and feels for him too, but she cannot ignore the innate response she has to Shay's presence. And, when she's assigned to protect Shay by her Keeper, she only grows more and more attached to him.

But, not all is well in this seemingly luxurious and idyllic world. The Keepers are hiding some very important information from the Guardians. And Shay and Calla have discovered some ancient and recent historical facts that could change the relationship between the Keepers and the Guardians forever.

This layer, with the Keepers and the Guardians reminded me a whole lot of some of the dystopias I've read in this past year. The way that the Keepers govern over the Guardians, tricking them into towing the party line, was reminiscent of books like the Hunger Games. And, the way that Calla and Ren (and all other pairings) are planned by the Keepers and not the individuals themselves reminded me of Ally Condie's Matched. 

I loved that this book was more than just a love triangle, with an inevitable ending. I also loved that, like Calla, I was torn between Shay and Ren. There was no clear victor or best choice for me, and I think that Calla had the same problem in choosing. The fact that Ren was not made out to be some power-hungry monster, but a viable option for Calla's love and affection made her choice so much more real. She wasn't just choosing between two handsome boys, though, she had the weight of tradition and history on her shoulders, which also made her struggle so much more real.

This another series book that I cannot wait to read more of in 2011. Luckily, Wolfsbane, the next book in this series, comes out in July of 2011. Not so far away, kind of. Just all the more reason to be happy that 2011 has finally arrived!

Book Review: Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan

For some reason, possibly because I watched a movie with the same title, I thought that this book was going to involve Beethoven. Perhaps that is why I took so long to read it. I am a fan, but not so much that I was moved to read a book about him. Alas, I was wrong. This book had nothing to do with Beethoven and everything to do with utter awesomeness.

The immortals in this book are not vampires, not some crazy creatures. They are born like anyone, and are just exceptionally hard to kill. This does not mean that they make great decisions and choices after having lied hundreds of years. Lots are old, yes, but few seem truly wise.

Nastasya is one such immortal. In this first book of the planned triology, she's 449 years old.  Old enough to have lost loved ones, to have lived through plagues and dictators, to have pushed back tragic memories from her early years. You see, only two immortals can have an immortal child. So, Nastasya's parents and siblings should still be with her. But they're not. Because they were killed when she was just a little girl. And, try as she might with alcohol and meaningless excess, Nastasya cannot escape the pain and fear of that dark night. The night she lost everyone she truly cared about.

Now, Nastasya has left behind her reckless (and potentially evil) best friend and has checked into a sort of rehab for immortals. Here, she'll be expected to practice being "in the now" by doing lots of farming-related chores. Not this city girl's idea of a fun time. But, she'll also have a chance to learn more about her powers--the magick that affects her more than anyone else. She thinks she's just no good at it, but might surprise herself once she hones her skills.

As Nastasya opens herself to understanding more about her power and her potential, she starts to remember the details of the worst nights of her life. And, just because Nastasya doesn't understand her powers and her value does not mean that others don't. They might come looking for her.

*   *   *

I could not put this book down. It's one of those reads that I wanted to last forever. I kinda felt cheated that it was only a little more than 400 pages--Why couldn't it have gone on and on? I've never read any of Cate Tiernan's work, but am now a huge fan. She has this ease of narration and dialogue that sounds like actual people talking and thinking. Her characters are great, and this plot is absolutely engaging and riveting.

Moreover, I could completely picture everything that was happening in this book. Even the scenes where magick was used were crystal clear to me. This is not always the case for me. I cannot wait to continue this story and find out what happens--There are so very many possibilities! Alas, the next book does not come out until September of 2011. At least the New Year has started and I'm that much closer...Not really comforting, but it'll have to do.

The Persnickity Snark FIVE Challenge: The Great Series of 2010

I've decided to join the Persnickety Snark in her FIVE Challenge. Basically, there she has established a list of categories for each day leading up to the new year. Here are the lists that she has planned:

December 21 - 5 Great Debuts
December 22 - 5 Great Covers
December 23 - 5 Great Series
December 24 - 5 Great Re-Reads (books you've LOVED so much you went back for more)
December 25 - 5 Most Anticipated (2011 titles)
December 26 - 5 Hopes for YA in 2011
December 27 - 5 Great YA Movie Deals
December 28 - 5 Great Author (in the flesh) Moments
December 29 - 5 Great YA Bloggers
December 30 - 5 Great Miracles that Occurred to Get Me Reading More (choose your genre)
December 31 - 5 Best Titles for 2010 (which I double because 5 is too hard)

Here are my FIVE selections for Great Series 2010:

 

 

 

 

 These are some of my favorite series books for 2010. Again, and I'll say this every time, there were so many more series books that I loved this past year. I do love books in a series and am quick to feel attached to characters and worlds that authors have worked hard to make real-feeling. These series are all fairly different in their tone and their plots, but they all have great characters and solid plots. Love them! Can't wait to fall in love with more series books to replace the ones that finished in 2010.

If you're interesting in linking your top FIVE lists, visit the Persnickety Snark!

Book Review: This World We Live In

I started reading this series last February. Big mistake. Maine is too cold, too much snow, too much like the world of the book. So, I decided that I had better hurry up and read the second and third books in this series before I became buried again--and feeling like I was going to perish in a post-apocalyptic nightmare.

Now that I am finished with the third and final book of this series, I am not feeling settled. The weather is still unpredictable, there is more chaos than order, and I don't feel like the characters are completely safe. Basically, all of the stress and concern I had for the characters in this book, who feel so much like my students and neighbors, is not gone. The messed-up America of this book is it. It's not that good and is not getting better anytime soon.

So why read it? Because of the characters. If you feel as in love with Miranda from Life As We Knew It and/or Alex of The Dead and the Gone, you'll want to read more about them. Because their stories and their lives cross in this final book. It kinda feels like a weird blind date, where you played cupid. Two totally different personalities, totally different experiences in the world of this book combine in this last chapter.

It is an interesting story, if a little implausible. But, I guess that we need to stretch our imagination muscles already to envision a world where the moon is so close to the earth but yet people and electricity survive. It's an impossible but believable story. And I wish that there were another.

**Read and reviewed as part of the YAD2 Dystopian Lit Reading Challenge**

Book Review + Swag Giveaway: Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia

Beautiful Creatures is a Southern Gothic novel of epic proportions. It is complicated and intertwines Civil War era history and paranormal activity in with a modern teen romance.

Ethan and Lena meet in a thunderstorm of nightmarish proportions. Ethan has just lost his mom and Lena has never known hers. They are a motherless pair, and the quickly become inseparable. But, Ethan is from one world and Lena is from another. Ethan's world is filled with Southern tradition, sports, and traditional Southern Belles. Lena's world is filled with mystery and magic. But, when these two get together, it's impossible to ignore the almost visible sparks.

The only thing that can keep these star-crossed lovers apart? The fact that Lena is turning 16. Seems innocuous, yes, but in Lena's world, 16 is an age where you find out whether you're Light or Dark. Either way, Lena and Ethan are not sure what the future holds for them.

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This plot is even more complicated than I'm making it out to be in this review. That's because this tale is masterfully told. It's like it's an historical novel, a murder-mystery, a paranormal tale, and a teen romance all woven together. It's awesome. And, the next book in this series, Beautiful Darkness, is out in stores. So, there's zero wait!

To win a Beautiful Creatures bookmark and a pin, simply comment on this post. Make sure to leave an email address so that I can contact you. Ends 10/26 at midnight EST. This bookmark is so gorgeous and I have a bunch, so I may even choose more than one winner! Fun!

Book Review: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

 If you read James Dashner's The Maze Runner, chances are you're dying to find out what's happening next in The Scorch Trials. If so, you need to read this book soon. Rather than finding answers, you may be asking more and more and more questions. Nothing is as it seems in this bizarre world.

If you thought that the Gladers were safe after leaving the maze, you're wrong. WICKED, the mysterious organization behind the maze and the scorch trials is upping the ante. Only a few will survive the next test. And this test is much harder than the first. This will test the boys and girl(s) mentally and physically. There are no safe spots, there is no way to escape the game.

Was it a little frustrating to have this book pile on more and more questions and offer no answers? I'm not going to lie, it was. For sure. But, I was not disinterested in the story once. And, I am looking forward to the next book in this series even more than I was this second installment.

So, I guess that I have to wait a whole year to find out the what's going on in this whacked-out world. I hope it's well worth the wait!

Free Book: For REAL!

So, I'd read in a couple of spots that I could download a Chaos Walking book for free, but I didn't really have time to investigate this situation until tonight. I'm happy to report that it's completely true! I just downloaded The New World by Patrick Ness FOR FREE. From amazon. No kidding.

If you've been following the Chaos Walking series, you'll want to get this book. It's Viola's story about leaving Earth. And, if you haven't read this series, you should probably download this book for the minute you do finish it, because you'll want it. It's just an amazing series. And it's a free book.

Book Review: Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Even though she's a Draki, Jacinda's ability to breathe fire is rare. In fact, there have been no fire-breathing Draki in Jacinda's pride for generations. Because of her special ability, Jacinda has earned a coveted spot in her pride, but when she puts herself in harm's way, the pride decides that it might be time to clip her wings.

Jacinda is not sure as to how far the pride will go to keep her precious genes safe, but her mother knows that they will stop at nothing. So, whether Jacinda likes it or not, their family is going to escape the rule of the pride. They are going to run to the relative safety and anonymity of the southwest. There, the dry weather will challenge Jacinda's ability to keep her Draki side alive and well. She may lose it altogether.

That is, until Jacinda meets a handsome and intriguing boy at school. Every time she is near him, her Draki flares up and comes alive. Which feels great, but what will happen if she transforms in the middle of the school? What if hunters find her? And, why does her body respond to this boy and this boy only?

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I've read a lot of paranormal romances lately, but none like this. Lots of wolves and zombies and angels and such, but never a dragon. It's quite interesting to think about a dragon with human-like qualities. Also interesting is the idea that the Draki can die off if it is not maintained. I've read lots of paranormal tales where the enviornment influences whether or not one transforms, but don't remember reading any books where the paranormal can be killed off so easily with the human form surviving. Usually, it seems that the humanness in these characters is fragile. Not so in the world of this book.

I enjoyed this book. It was fresh and original and fast-paced. Whereas I've read lots and lots of wolf and vampire and zombie stories, this whole world was completely new to me. So, I didn't know the ins and outs of this world. It was kind of refreshing to explore this world.

Already, some of my students have expressed interest in reading this book. I did a book talk on Friday, and had a couple of ninth grade students who wanted to read it. I love it when that happens!

Book Review: Fallout by Ellen Hopkins

Fallout is the third book in the Crank series. For those of you who have dutifully read Crank and Glass, you may be sad to learn that Kristina is not the central character in this last book. Instead, this poignant third book revolves around Kristina's three oldest children: Hunter, Summer, and Autumn.

Though Kristina's story is no longer the focus of this story, she is everywhere. She is present in the shattered lives that she created in her drug-induced haze. She's present in the addictive personalities and in the poor choices her children make while searching for someone to care for them. She's there when they are trying to make it through the day-to-day struggles that are sometimes too much to bare.

I love that Ellen Hopkins took Kristina and put her in the background. As every family member, friend, or lover of an addict knows, the person with a drug habit is not the only one to suffer the consequences of a drug affair. Certainly, Kristina's children have done well to overcome the huge obstacles placed in their way by their never-there mother, but this book also shows just how deeply these children are scarred because of their parents' choices.

I can think of no better book to offer to a student or adult child who is dealing with a family member or loved one who is lost to drugs. I know that I have several students who are already clamoring to read this book. I don't blame them. The narrative verse in this book is outstanding. It is sure to pull in even the most reluctant of readers. I have already ordered an extra copy for my classroom. I have a feeling that I'm going to need it.

**Read as part of a tour from Around the World ARC Tours**

Just Released: The Final Cover in the Linger Series

Oh my. Isn't it gorgeous? And, the title implies that we have a happy ending on our hands. But, I' learning to not put too much faith in my predictions where happy endings are concerned.

This book is now available for pre-order. It does not come out until June, but maybe you are the type who pre-orders waaay in advance, just so you know that it's coming to you. Like me pre-ordering Mockingjay the day the cover was released. Months and months in advance. And then I kept ordering copies because I was getting all fidgety. That's probably what'll happen with this book, too!

Visit Maggie Stiefvater's site for more info and some crazy/cool contest info.

Book Review: 13 To Life by Shannon Delaney

Jessica is having a rough year. Her mother has just died in a horrific car crash and she can't seem to get her life back together. Even worse, she's assigned to show the new guy, a cute Russian boy, around the school. And he won't leave her alone.

Jess has been crushing on a football player, who's way out of her league for some time. Finally, he starts to pay attention to her, but his ex-girlfriend, the head cheerleader is having none of it. To top this off, the new Russian guy, Pietr, keeps showing up whever Jess goes.

There are many layers to this novel. There is a paranormal element--Werewolves have invaded the woods surrounding the town. And there's a cultural element--The Russian mafia has supposedly come to town. It's a little bizarre at times, but ultimately fairly engaging.

I put off reading this book because I was a little tired of werewolves, but I did like it. I read it pretty slowly, but not because I wasn't invested in this story. The end is a bit of a cliffhanger, but there's a sequel to this book that promises more action and (hopefully) answers.