The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

Title: The Calling (Darkness Rising Trilogy #2)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Acquired: Bought
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 93% or A-
Buy It: Amazon 

A powerful secret. A desperate race for survival.

Maya and her friends are on the run. Having escaped a deliberately set forest fire and a fake rescue team with dark intentions, they were just beginning to feel safe again. Then their helicopter crashes near the Vancouver Island wilderness, and Maya and her friends realize they're about as far from safe as they can get.

But Maya has a secret. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly anyone else. It's part of who she really is—and it has something to do with her mysterious paw-print birthmark. Yet as Maya and her friends face unforeseen dangers, it becomes clear she's not the only one in their close-knit group who has something to hide. And if they're going to survive, they'll need all their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

My Thoughts:: 

I get more and more impressed with Armstrong the more I read from her. I enjoy her books so much. She knows exactly what to do to keep her readers interested, but also doesn't just give everything away too quickly. I can't believe I was able to wait as long as I did to read this book. I read so many books that it is easy to forget how much I want to read certain ones. 

For like half of this book I was so annoyed with Maya. It was frustrating how she wasn't putting the obvious pieces together faster. That she wasn't the only one with some sort of power. It was almost worse that she waited so long to tell the others about her powers. And of course, every time she tried to tell someone, something happening stopped her from doing it. Though, this did add a level of suspense to what would happen when it would be all out in the open.

The more and more referenced that we get to The Darkest Powers trilogy, the happier I get. I will have a super fan girl moment if the two groups ever interact with each other.  At least we get some confirmation that the first group isn't captured or something. I can not wait until we get even a glimpse of Chloe, Derek, and Simon.

It is going to be really interesting once the full extent of everyone's powers are revealed. I also want to know more of the back stories or whatever of how they all got into the program. I feel like we knew the events leading up to the first group being a part of the program, but we don't know much of the sciencey and history details of this group yet.

Overall I think that this was a pretty good continuation but I wish we learned more. I believe there is only going to be one more book, and I just know that I won't get as many details as I crave in it because there won't be enough time or a good reason for it.

One Second After by William R. Forstchen

Title: One Second After
Author: William R. Forstchen
Publisher: Doherty, Tom Associates, LLC
Acquired: Bought
Age Group: Adult
Grade: 92% or A-
Buy It: Amazon 

New York Times best selling author William R. Forstchen now brings us a story which can be all too terrifyingly real...a story in which one man struggles to save his family and his small North Carolina town after America loses a war, in one second, a war that will send America back to the Dark Ages...A war based upon a weapon, an Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP). A weapon that may already be in the hands of our enemies. Months before publication, One Second After has already been cited on the floor of Congress as a book all Americans should read, a book already being discussed in the corridors of the Pentagon as a truly realistic look at a weapon and its awesome power to destroy the entire United States, literally within one second. It is a weapon that the Wall Street Journal warns could shatter America. In the tradition of On the Beach, Fail Safe and Testament, this book, set in a typical American town, is a dire warning of what might be our future...and our end.

My Thoughts::
It isn't a surprise to know that my favorite genre of books beyond dystopian are books based in some kind of post apocalyptic world. Some of my favorite books from the most random authors are books that have that theme. There is just something so interesting, frightening, and surreal about how society would react to such a collapse. Just going into this book I was so excited to read it and find out how this specific situation would turn out.

The book takes place in a pretty small community, which is pretty common in books like this. I'm getting a bit tired of that, but this book added a bit of a spin on it by having this town next to another small town and not too far from much larger cities. So even though they started out secluded it didn't last long and they had to deal with all of the problems that come with more people trying to get into their town than they could possibly help or support.

The best thing about this book was how realistic and plausible it all seemed. An EMP is pretty darn serious and there were so many results that I didn't even think about before. Books like this never really address one of the biggest issues besides food, which is disease. Without electricity and medicine people get sick and die so easily. It was scary how little of the population made it through the year.

A lot of moral dilemmas were brought up as well. Is it okay to sacrifice a large amount of people to get supplies that only help a few? If you only have enough food to feed 100 people through the winter and if you feed more everyone will die, what do you do? It was so hard to read this book because the problems that come up are so hard to answer.

Overall this was a great eye opening read that shows that such a simple weapon can destroy most of what we take advantage of everyday. My only complaint is that the book would skip ahead of large chunks of time and then give only a summary of the events that occurred during that time.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Title: Insurgent (Divergent Series #2)
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Acquired: Bought
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 95% or A
Buy It: Amazon 

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

My Thoughts::

I loved Divergent so much that it took my a long time to finally read its sequel, Insurgent. Book in trilogies, sagas, and series seem to want to stretch the books out for as long as possible, and since this book would be in the middle, I was worried that it would be dull. However, that was definitely not the case.

Almost every faction in the book started to really get on my nerves, even the factionless. None of them were seeing the big picture and just wanted to preserve themselves, even though as readers we could see that they were doomed. I was happy though that we get to know all of the factions better in this book. We're able to see more differences and similarities between them. This added dimension to the choices that the factions made as a group, and even individually.

Tris is kind of caught up in herself in this book. She tries to see passed the bullshit of some characters and wants to get to the bottom of things, and she does this eventually. But first we had to deal with her too trusting or too wary attitude. She would get suspicious, but about the wrong people or for the wrong reasons. It made the book a bit frustrating to read but it also added tension. And to Tris's credit, even I wasn't sure who to trust. I was very surprised by some of the actions of characters that I thought I could trust

The plot thickened so much in this sequel. We finally get to learn the motives of Erudite and get the even bigger plot of why they are all there in factions in the first place and what is outside of the fence. The next book can NOT come soon enough! Seriously, there was so much racing through my mind. The last book better be really thick with details. I don't care if I like any of the characters in the last book, the plot is shaping up way too well for me to care!

A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

Title: A Midsummer's Nightmare
Author: Kody Keplinger
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 91% or A-
Buy It: Amazon

Whitley Johnson's dream summer with her divorce dad has turned into a nightmare. She's just met his new fiancee and her kids. The fiancee's son? Whitley's one-night stand from graduation night. Just freakin' great.

Worse, she totally doesn't fit in with her dad's perfect new country-club family. So Whitley acts out. She parties. Hard. So hard she doesn't even notice the good things right under her nose: a sweet little future stepsister who is just about the only person she's ever liked, a best friend (even though Whitley swears she doesn't "do" friends), and a smoking-hot guy who isn't her stepbrother...at least, not yet. It will take all three of them to help Whitley get through her anger and begin to put the pieces of her family together.

My Thoughts::

I've read every Keplinger book as soon as she put them out and this one was no different. Her books always hold great interest for me because like most girls my age, I can strongly relate to them. Well, this book was a little different in that aspect, because the situation is more specific, but it was still a fantastic read. 

Whitley was a really hard character to like. She was frustrating and I just wanted to slap her sometimes for being so selfish and self centered. But I think the hardest part about trying to like Whitley was that we all have more Whitley in us than we care to admit, at least I know I do. It's hard to like someone that often displays the bad parts of themselves that you can see in yourself. But Whitley did have some great points, which is what won me over in the end.

The book was pretty predictable, which was disappointing, but the events that occurred really made me care about the characters and Whitley's story. Still, it was kind of just another classic story of a teenaged rebellion and wanting her parents to be there for her. The romance also bothered me a decent amount, and I'm not sure why, at the end, the ramifications of their choices weren't shown.

Still, with these complaints I couldn't help but be wrapped up in all aspects of the book. Keplinger pushes the envelope when it comes to writing YA, which I really appreciate. She's tackling topics that are difficult and definitely not written enough about. The book also felt incredibly real. Whitley might have annoyed me, but she felt very much like an actual person, as well as the other characters.

Overall I think that this book was a nice summer read that had a very sharp edge of seriousness that didn't take over the entire book. It was definitely a Keplinger novel with its risque content.

The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze

Title: The Last Princess
Author: Galaxy Craze
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 90% or A-
Buy It: Amazon

Happily ever after is a thing of the past.

A series of natural disasters has decimated the earth. Cut off from the rest of the world, England is a dark place. The sun rarely shines, food is scarce, and groups of criminals roam the woods, searching for prey. The people are growing restless.

When a ruthless revolutionary sets out to overthrow the crown, he makes the royal family his first target. Blood is shed in Buckingham Palace, and only sixteen-year old Princess Eliza manages to escape. Determined to kill the man who destroyed her family, Eliza joins the enemy forces in disguise. She has nothing left to live for but revenge, until she meets someone who helps her remember how to hope-and love-once more.

Now she must risk everything to ensure that she does not become . . .

The Last Princess.

My Thoughts::

At first I wasn't really wanting to read this book. I mean, it sounds like it's for me at first with the natural disasters decimating the earth and the terrible aftermath. But, oddly enough, I'm not a fan of princess things, so it turned me off of this book. But after thinking about it further I realized that the revolution that would ensue would be more impactful if done by a princess, so I was all in.

I think this is really realistic of what would happen almost everywhere if some huge devastation would occur. Just like in the past when food and resources were scare, we would look at whomever is in charge and accuse them of not helping their people. We would assume that they are just looking out for themselves and their families even though they are responsible for more.

Even though Eliza questions herself many times on whether or not she should kill the man who killed her family, I think she should. He is obviously doing worse than just killing her family and he needs to be stopped. It bothers me even more because he is obviously evil and obviously evil guys in books with male main characters are usually killed. I just wanted her to stop questioning herself.

She really came through for us in the end though in unexpected ways and rallied everyone together. That was really impressive and also realistic. People in the real world just can't continue fighting and risking their lives without some kind of inspiration. The other characters were almost equally impressive and I could tell how much they cared about Eliza and their cause. It was truly heartwarming at times.

Overall I think that this book was an excellent take on how a country with royalty would react to such a huge world shattering disaster. The characters were great, if not a little flip floppy and unsure of themselves in Eliza's case.

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Title: My Life Next Door
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 91% or A-
Buy It: Amazon

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A dreamy summer read, full of characters who stay with you long after the story is over.

My Thoughts::
I requested this book while I was in a bit of a requesting spree on netgalley. It didn't sound like the typical book that I would request, but I just can't help myself when in comes to books that includes large families. My immediate family is only a little larger than average, but my mom came from a huge family and I've always loved reading about them when I was younger.

The plot and the way that the story was told reminded me of Sarah Dessen's books, which is a great compliment. I was enveloped by all parts of the story, not just the romance. I love getting to know the family and other side characters that aren't just the usual two best friends. Jase was the swoon worthiest character that I've had the pleasure of reading so far this summer. He was so caring and a great big brother. All of the characters really flew off of the page but I especially loved Jase's little brother George.

The plot was slow at some points and Samantha really got on my nerves at times. She would know the right thing to do, but still not do it, causing more to be ruined in the process. Her best friend bothered me even more. It really showed me how everyone can see a situation differently.

Overall I think that this book had a great romance and some fantastic characters that helped boost up the lackluster ones. This is a great summer read.

Serpent's Kiss by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: Serpent's Kiss (Beauchamp Family Series #2)
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Publisher: Hyperion
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Adult
Grade: 90% or A-
Buy It: Amazon

The intriguing Beauchamp family, introduced in the New York Times bestselling Witches of East End, returns in Serpent’s Kiss, with dizzying plot twists and spellbinding magic.

Joanna and her daughters, bookish Ingrid and wild-child Freya, are just settling into the newfound peace that has been cast over their small, off-the map town of North Hampton. With the centuries-old restriction against practicing magic lifted, casting spells, mixing potions, and curing troubled souls has never felt so good for the three witches. That is, until everything gets turned upside down—from Joanna’s organized kitchen to Ingrid’s previously nonexistent love life to Freya’s once unshakeable faith in her sexy soul mate, Killian Gardiner.

When Freya’s twin brother, Freddie, suddenly returns, escaped from Limbo and professing innocence on a long-ago crime, Freya should be ecstatic. The golden boy can do no wrong. Or can he? Freddie blames no other than her fiancé Killian for his downfall, and enlists Freya’s help to prove it. Now Freya doesn’t know who to believe or trust.

My Thoughts::
It wasn't until I started reading this book, that I remembered how much I enjoyed the first one. If you haven't read this first book yet, do so and then come back to read my review because there is a good possibility that it will include spoilers. As a person who also read the Blue Bloods series, I have to say that these books are better. So if you don't like that series and that is what is holding you back, stop it! Just read these books!

I really love that these books don't just try to fool you with a whole bunch of filler and leave you at the end thinking "wait...nothing actually HAPPENED" But there is a ton going on in this book. The three separate narrators are affected by each new event differently and it is interesting to see how they will all react. Because of the type of person each of them is, they have different problems. So we have the big storyline, but then also we have these little side stories from each character, which better yet, fit in with the big storyline as well. There were so many twists and turns!

And the book is even better because the characters are awesome! All three of them are so different, that you'll definitely be able to find traits you share with them. Maybe it's the fact that I am no longer in High School, but this book appealed to me much more than some of the YA novels I've been reading. Though there is some drama in the character's lives, that isn't what the plot its. Learning about all of the ancient stuff and history about witches was really cool as well. I also love how I felt like I got a lot out of the book where it comes to plot. By the end I felt fulfilled, but it leaves plenty open for the next book to pick up.

Overall I think this book was a good sequel. Things developed nicely and I can not wait to read the next book!

Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin

Title: Ashen Winter (Ashfall #2)
Author: Mike Mullin
Publisher: Tanglewood Press IN
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 90% or A-
Buy It: Amazon

It’s been over six months since the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano. Alex and Darla have been staying with Alex’s relatives, trying to cope with the new reality of the primitive world so vividly portrayed in Ashfall, the first book in this series. It’s also been six months of waiting for Alex’s parents to return from Iowa. Alex and Darla decide they can wait no longer and must retrace their journey into Iowa to find and bring back Alex’s parents to the tenuous safety of Illinois. But the landscape they cross is even more perilous than before, with life-and-death battles for food and power between the remaining communities. When the unthinkable happens, Alex must find new reserves of strength and determination to survive.

My Thoughts::
I enjoyed Ashfall so much, which was no surprise to me. I love survival, end of the world type stories. But no matter how much I liked it I was a little worried about the sequel. Sure, there was more story to tell, but my favorite part is always the immediate reaction to the tragedy. I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy book 2 as much as the first book.

Let start off by saying I was both right and wrong about my worries. I still like the first book more because I love when things begin and survival mode kicks into gear, but I really liked this book too for a different reason. First of all, we get some long term implications of how the U.S is going to be like for while. Next, we see what society is doing about it. It is really interesting to see the awful reality of how people would use this horrible situation to their advantage. And I know it would happen too. But we also see some hope in communities where they can stay in control by working together.

Darla and Alex are just so good together without taking it to a nauseating point. I don't want to get all spoilery but  I have to say that I was rooting so hard for Alex every step of the way. Whenever he got closer to his goal, or completed part of it, I wanted to jump up and down even though it would freak out my neighbors because I often read outside. That death near the end totally ripped my hear apart. I already loved him so much and I didn't want him to go! These characters are all just so good and I liked how they are changing with the world and all that jazz.

The ending though kind of angered me. You just went through ALL OF THAT, and now you're going to put yourself in danger AGAIN!?  It is pretty frustrating. I want him to just make the mayor listen, but I'm guessing he eventually will. This book was a great sequel and I can't wait until book 3!

Fear by Michael Grant

Title: Fear (Gone Series #5)
Author: Michael Grant
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Acquired: Bought
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 94% or A
Buy It: Amazon

It's been one year since all the adults disappeared. Gone.

Despite the hunger and the lies, even despite the plague, the kids of Perdido Beach are determined to survive. Creeping into the tenuous new world they've built, though, is perhaps the worst incarnation yet of the enemy known as the Darkness: fear.

Within the FAYZ, life breaks down while the Darkness takes over, literally—turning the dome-world of the FAYZ entirely black. In darkness, the worst fears of all emerge, and the cruelest of intentions are carried out. But even in their darkest moments, the inhabitants of the FAYZ maintain a will to survive and a desire to take care of the others in their ravaged band that endures, no matter what the cost.

My Thoughts::
This is the fifth book in a series that I love, so I pre-ordered it as soon as I was able to get the money. This review will definitely contain spoilers from the prior books. So please, don't spoil  this for yourself and read the first four books! Or, if you just like to follow this series from afar, read on.

The plot really progresses with this book! I mean, every book has a lot going on, but things were going on at an even larger scale with this book. Our main characters aren't at each other's throats anymore and most of the how to survive stuff is figured out. So the Gaiaphage is public enemy number 1 and it means business. That brought the excitement levels up a lot. You have no idea what the gaiaphage is capable of and you can't get inside it's head. When we finally learn what kind of things it's planning and trying to do..it is super shocking and keeps you hooked throughout the entire novel.

Since there was some huge plot going on in this book, the character development was slowed down. Though there was still a lot of progression. We finally get inside Penny's head in entirety and see how twisted she is. I really liked her part of the story because it shows us another side of Caine AND Quinn. Plus the stuff with Little Pete is confusing and strange, but also great because it helps out Astrid's development and kills off more characters because there are no big battles in this one.

The ending really took me by surprise and I wonder how it came about. I feel so sorry for Sam and how people must be thinking about him. But it must be practically impossible to explain to the outside world his position. I wonder how the world will react to everyone's powers? Even more so, I can't wait for the next book and see how anyone will deal with any of this!

The Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games

Director: Gary Ross

Writer: Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins, and Billy Ray

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth

Grade: 92% or A-

 

My Thoughts::
I was really excited for this movie to come out because I loved the book so much. Unfortunately I wasn't able to see the movie as soon as I wanted because I couldn't get my hands on the extra cash. But eventually I made it and went with a group of friends.

So as a person who was obsessed with The Hunger Games for a while, this review is probably biased. I obviously have no qualms about the plot and the story, except of course for the things that were left out or changed. But with the rate of YA books getting turned into shows or movies, it's something that I'm growing used to. Not everything can make it in, and in order for the story to flow well in the time allotted, some things have to change. So I can only think of two things that I wanted or that changed that I saw no reason for. First, why no Madge? She easily could have slipped in. Next, why did the cornucopia have to be so different from what most of us imagined?

The choice in actors I originally didn't really like. I agreed with Haymitch and Katniss mostly, but was iffy on the rest. But after seeing the movie I think they did a really awesome job and I have a hard time coming up with actors who could have done better. Most complaints from prior fans that I see bother me. Some say that Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss) weighs too much to look like she lives in District 12, but it says in the book how hunting and eating meat has kept her healthier than a lot of people. What bothered me more was that people complained about Rue being African American, when it obviously states in the book that she has dark skin. It's sad that these things are being complained about.

Overall I think this was an action packed film that fans of the book should love. I can not wait for Catching Fire!

172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad

Title: 172 Hours on the Moon
Author: Johan Harstad
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 93% or A-
Buy It: Amazon

It's been decades since anyone set foot on the moon. Now three ordinary teenagers, the winners of NASA's unprecedented, worldwide lottery, are about to become the first young people in space—and change their lives forever.

Mia, from Norway, hopes this will be her punk band's ticket to fame and fortune.

Midori believes it's her way out of her restrained life in Japan.

Antoine, from France, just wants to get as far away from his ex-girlfriend as possible.

It's the opportunity of a lifetime, but little do the teenagers know that something sinister is waiting for them on the desolate surface of the moon. And in the black vacuum of space... no one is coming to save them.

My Thoughts::
After reading this book I realized that I do not read enough books having to do with outer space, which was one of the reasons that I wanted to read it in the first place. I like to say that I enjoy reading science fiction, but in all honesty, I haven't read many books that had their feet firmly planted, almost solely in the science fiction genre. So I might think more things were weird or amazing than people who read this kind of thing all of the time.

Let us start off with the characters. It was very refreshing to read a book with no American characters. Usually getting to know some characters isn't very exciting, but something that can be interesting. But this time it was pretty awesome. I knew barely anything about their cultures and it was cool to see what people around my age might be doing in other countries. It was also neat to see similarities even though they spoke different languages and were from three different countries. I really liked them. We aren't overwhelmed with unimportant details. We just get to know the kind of person they are and choices they would make.

The plot for this book was nothing like I've read before. Based off of the summary we know some bad things will happen, but I had no idea on what level I would be creeped out. During the entire first half of the book I already get a feeling of impending doom, like something bad is going to happen. This was even before the characters mention feeling similarly. Harstad is capable of making you feel that fear without having things jump out at you. It's more like a psychological thriller.

The ending surprised me and the entire concept of what was on the moon really freaked me out. I couldn't stop thinking about it and even told some friends and family about it, who in turn only smiled and nodded, not really understanding.

Overall I think this was a crazy freaky novel that will definitely make you think.

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Title: I Hunt Killers
Author: Barry Lyga
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 95% or A
Buy It: Amazon

What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?

Jasper (Jazz) Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could--from the criminal's point of view.

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret--could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

My Thoughts::
I love creepy. I really do. I like books that make me think about things in a different way and just bring up ideas that aren't commonly touched upon. When I read the description for this book I knew I wanted to read it because I never saw anything like it before. Besides, I love Criminal Minds, so this was kind of similar. You get to look through the eyes and go through the mind of a killer.

The plot was more exciting than I thought it would be. I just thought it would be gruesome or violent. Instead it was investigative and thought provoking. It really did feel like I was watching a crime show. The entire time you're just as in the dark as the other characters are and you're trying to put all of the clues together. I love it when a book makes my mind work. There were plenty of twists and surprises to keep the book even more intense.

Jasper had a dynamic personality. There were several sides to him that are all trying to coincide which adds another dimension to the book. I felt so bad for Jasper and all he is struggling with. The little flashbacks that we get were both super creepy and a way to get to know Jasper's dad.

There was so much about this book that I liked. The characters were amazing, though not all were very much fleshed out besides Jasper and his dad, but I can hope for a sequel right? I want more of Howie!!! Awesome best friend is awesome! Lyga did a great job of giving us just enough information about outside characters to make us suspicious and add to the mystery.

Overall I think I Hunt Killers was a clever book and a mind sharpening read.

The Stone Girl by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Title: The Stone Girl
Author: Alyssa B. Sheinmel
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 90% or A-
Buy It: Amazon

She feels like a creature out of a fairy tale; a girl who discovers that her bones are really made out of stone, that her skin is really as thin as glass, that her hair is brittle as straw, that her tears have dried up so that she cries only salt. Maybe that's why it doesn't hurt when she presses hard enough to begin bleeding: it doesn't hurt, because she's not real anymore.

High school senior Sarah Beth (Sethie) Weiss is disciplined. She has never cut a class in her life, has never had a grade below a B+, and has always been a favorite among her teachers. Her college applications are finished and she only ate six Ritz crackers today. But even on days when Sethie needs to eat more, there's always the toilet to make up for her mistakes. Sethie manages to get down to 104, and maybe if she works just a little bit harder, becomes a little more disciplined, she can get below 100. Truth be told, Sethie has more to worry about than her relationship with her body; but the deeper she descends into her disorder, the smaller her world gets and the harder it is to see her way out.

My Thoughts::
Books that dealt with serious issues like this used to be my favorite kind of thing to read. I couldn't really relate to the problems, but I liked being aware of what some people my age are going through. So even now when these books take a back seat to end of the world stories, I still have an interest in them. When I saw this book on netgalley I clicked request right away and was very happy when I was approved.

Stories like this always impress me. Not the fact that the author was brave enough to talk about these issues, even though that IS impressive. But I just love when books can hold my interest just by having interesting characters. Sure, I am the first to admit how much I love action, suspense, and crazy dystopian worlds, I just also love books that can capture your mind just as strongly by having a fleshed out main character that you want to be on this journey with. Who you root for and feel for.

And there WAS action. Just not...running from the corrupt government sort of action. It was emotional action. Sethie felt like she could have been my best friend. We often thought the same way and I could identify with her a lot. The whole book the eating disorder was there, but we were able to almost forget about it during the first half. This gave us time to feel like we were in her shoes, so when things started to spiral, well...they spiraled for us too.

My favorite part of the book would have to be the ending. When Sethie is finally talking to her mom and finally realizes that she hasn't been eating nearly as much as she thought. It was strange to learn this because I thought Sethie was a reliable narrator so when we find out that we were also kind of living in her mind (feeling like she ate a lot, when she barely ate anything) was fascinating and surprising.

The Rivals by Daisy Whitney

Title: The Rivals (The Mockingbirds #2)
Author: Daisy Whitney
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 92% or A-
Buy It: Amazon

When Alex Patrick was assaulted by another student last year, her elite boarding school wouldn't do anything about it. This year Alex is head of the Mockingbirds, a secret society of students who police and protect the student body. While she desperately wants to live up to the legacy that's been given to her, she's now dealing with a case unlike any the Mockingbirds have seen before.

It isn't rape. It isn't bullying. It isn't hate speech. A far-reaching prescription drug ring has sprung up, and students are using the drugs to cheat. But how do you try a case with no obvious victim? Especially when the facts don't add up, and each new clue drives a wedge between Alex and the people she loves most: her friends, her boyfriend, and her fellow Mockingbirds.

As Alex unravels the layers of deceit within the school, the administration, and even the student body the Mockingbirds protect, her struggle to navigate the murky waters of vigilante justice may reveal more about herself than she ever expected.

My Thoughts::
After reading The Mockingbirds, I really really wanted to read the sequel, but I didn't quite see the need for one.  I felt like nothing more could be said Alex, the school's way of NOT disciplining students, or the Mockingbirds. But I was really really wrong.

I loved and hated Alex in this book. I loved her because she was getting her confidence back and moving passed her date rape. She was getting stronger and I loved her for it so much! She was also very smart, she saw a lot of things about the case that I didn't even begin to think about. But other times she took things too far and made the worst possible decisions imaginable. She also kept repeating the mistake of not telling people what she should tell them. She just kept digging herself into a bigger hole, which was hard to read at times.

This book did a great job of creating a mystery. But not just some creepy mystery, more like an old detective type novel. This made the book very exciting and kept my mind working. Even when there wasn't much going on, I was still thinking about the clues and evidence that we had and contemplating who the culprit could be behind the drug ring. There were several twists and surprises along the way that kept making me change my mind about things.

Overall I think that this novel was a great continuation that shows even more faults in their school system, while also giving hope that they will be solved. There were many elements to this book that makes sure that you won't become bored. Afterward you'll be left with plenty to think about.

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls #3)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Acquired: Won
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 91% or A-
Buy It: Amazon

then.
When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their love transformed from curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives.

now.

That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be hunted in one final, spectacular kill.

forever.

Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future will all collide in one pure moment - a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.

My Thoughts::
In my review of Linger I had a few complaints. I thought that there wasn't much action, they were worrying about things that weren't as important as some other issues, and I didn't care that much about the characters to feel very emotional. Well..that I changed. I don't know if its because less time has passed between reading these two books for me, or what, but I am certainly attached to them now.

The plot picked up so much for me in this book. We still get the dose of emotions, relationships, and character building, but this actually felt like Shiver did for me. Like, there was a thing to figure out and they didn't have much time to do it. Right when you think everything can't get anymore crazy THEY DO. So many variables just kept popping up which overlapped all of the thoughts and feelings that were pouring from this novel. My senses were working overdrive here.

Like I mentioned above, I got really attached to the characters. Their situation was so risky and unstable that I worried for them soooo much. I didn't want any of them to die, but with the twists and turns I was never sure if they would be safe. The characters just seemed so much better this time around. Grace was a wolf so much and it was cool to see her that way. It kind of calmed down the overthinking and boy drama. Isabel was her same self but went overboard at times. I couldn't believe she would act that way towards Cole, especially with all what was going on.

Overall I think that this was a FANTASTIC conclusion to a pretty good trilogy. Things got wrapped up, but not to the point that we're not kept  wondering about things. There are questions about what happens next, but its nice not to know everything.

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

Title: The Mockingbirds
Author: Daisy Whitney
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 90% or A-
Buy It: Amazon

Some schools have honor codes.

Others have handbooks.

Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.

Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way-the Themis way. So when Alex Patrick is date-raped during her junior year, she has two options: Stay silent and hope someone helps, or enlist the aid of the Mockingbirds-a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of the student body.

In this account of a teenage girl's search for her voice and the courage to use it, debut author Daisy Whitney reminds readers that standing up for someone, especially yourself, is worth the fight.

My Thoughts::
Ever since I first read the plot summary for this book, I wanted to read it. Unfortunately the need was never great enough for me to bring it to the top of my list. Eventually the need fell entirely to the wayside and was forgotten. When I got the opportunity to review this book, as well as its sequel, I jumped on it it. I put it on the top of my review pile.

The book starts right in the meat of the story. There is no tiptoeing around the issue or what is going to be happening. We start out alongside Alex and have to discover what happened along with her as well. The story is told through the present and also flashbacks/sudden memories that Alex has about that night. It was eery to read the flashbacks because we know how it turns out in the end. It was also interesting to see what would trigger these flashbacks.

I felt so bad and scared for Alex. This is an important book that tackles an important issue. You can really tell when an author writes passionately about something, and you can tell here. I was so worried for Alex because I thought that people at her school wouldn't be supportive in what she was trying to do. Thankfully only the people that we expected to be harsh were harsh. And there were unexpected people who turned out to be on her side and wanted to help.

Overall I think that this is an impactful book that takes a look at several different issues, not only date rape but also school administration.

Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

Title: Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances
Author: John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Acquired: Bought
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 92% or A-
Buy It: Amazon

The weather outside is frightful, but these stories are delightful! When a huge blizzard (that doesn't show signs of stopping) hits, Gracetown is completely snowed in. But even though it's cold outside, things are heating up inside, proving that the holiday season is magical when it comes to love. In three wonderfully (and hilariously!) interconnected tales, YA stars John Green, Lauren Myracle, and Maureen Johnson create a must-have collection that captures all the spirit of the holiday season.

My Thoughts::
It was sort of a goal of mine to read and own every book that John Green wrote. Well, after I did that I wanted to read and own every book that he also contributed to. This is the last one that I got to and honestly? I have no idea what took me so long! I trick myself into thinking that other books are newer and therefore deserve to be read first, but that's not true! Besides, it's winter now (barely) and I love feeling in the wintry spirit.

I'm not going to review each story separately because all three of these authors used a similar voice and have a similar style of writing. I went into the book knowing that they would be christmastime love stories and I thought I would enjoy them well enough. Little did I know that I would be earning stares from my classmates from giggling in the middle of classes. It was ridiculous how much humor was able to be shoved into this book without it tipping from sweet to trying to hard. I also loved that the three stories were sort of intertwined with each other. Once I realized this was the case, reading it became even more exciting.

I went swoon crazy while reading this book. Especially about the first two boys. They were kind of my dream boyfriends. I will forever hold a torch for them. Isn't that strange? How you can completely love a character from a book and still not want him to be in a relationship with that awesome girl from the book? They were all just so cute together! I was amazed by how well the authors were able to develop these relationships and let us get to know the characters so well in such a short amount of time.

Overall I think this book was a really funny and cute read. I'd recommend this book to fans of any of the authors or just those who need a good winter/valentine's day read.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Title: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Director: Stephen Daldry

Writer:  Eric Roth (screenplay), Jonathan Safran Foer (novel)

Starring: Thomas Horn, Tom Hanks, and Sandra Bullock
Grade: 92% or A-

My Thoughts::
I read this book for my AP class during the summer and had some pretty intense conversations about it at the beginning of the school year. Once we learned that there was going to be a movie made out of it, we made plans to see it once it came out. So that's what we did yesterday. I wanted the movie with my AP English class and our fantastic teacher.

I can now do this review in one of two ways. How the movie was on its own, or how the movie compared with the book. I'm gonna go with a sort of mix but going stronger on the first option. Just let me get a few things off of my chest first. The book had soooo many level of story to tell, but the movie kept it to Oskar, his journey, and the worst day. They totally left out the grandparents story which was crazy emotions for me when I read it! And no "things that happened to me" book? Nooooo. I'm done.

Oskar was so cute and was the perfect casting choice for the character. His look of wonder is just amazing. I think they did a great job casting all of the actors. Sure, Oskar was a little rusty at times, but he was true to the character. Their emotions seemed real instead of pretend and I cried plenty of times along with them.

The journey that Oskar goes on was sad and amazing. You get so in touch and invested in his character, it's crazy. Your heart will cry for him. The entire theater was filled with sobbing and sniffling. But oddly enough, there was also a lot of laughter and humor. Oskar is a clever kid who said some clever stuff!

Overall I think that Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close was extremely emotionally, fantastic, and meaningful even if it wasn't incredibly close to what was in the book.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Acquired: Bought

Age Group: Young Adult

Grade: 98% or A+

Buy It: Amazon

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green’s most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

My Thoughts::
I'd like to start off by saying that this review will HAVE NO SPOILERS. I won't even tell you if I liked/hated/got depressed about/cried when or WHATEVER. This review will be purely about the writing itself and my opinions about non spoilery things. I want you to be able to read this book without knowing anything that could ruin your experience.

The beginning of the book sucked me in right away. Both Hazel and Augustus are amazing and clever*. Their conversations are just so witty and the entire time I was reading it I kept thinking "I wish I talked to people like this!!" I've been seeing this as the only "bad" thing about the book. That Green's characters are TOO clever to be real or super relateable. But the truth is, in most of my favorite books, things happen or characters do things that I'll never do, but this doesn't make them unrelateable. It's the thoughts and ideas and feelings behind what characters do that makes them relateable. Besides, I'm not reading books for reality.

*Side note: Just about all the characters are amazing! Even though this is totally Hazel and Augustus's story, we still feel what an important part the other characters play.

Like most other readers, this book made me feel ALL OF THE EMOTIONS. I was never overwhelmed, but is was quite the emotional roller coaster. You know a book is truly amazing when it makes you want to read a book, talk to an author, and listen to a band that don't exist. This is because John Green is a great writer and knows how to immerse a reader completely in his stories. I really had to read huge chunks of this book at a time because I couldn't STOP reading and I didn't want to.

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Title: What Happened to Goodbye

Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Acquired: Bought
Age Group: Young Adult

Grade: 93% or A-

Buy It: Amazon

Since her parents' bitter divorce, Mclean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move - four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, Mclean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, Mclean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself - whoever that is. Perhaps her neighbor Dave, an academic superstar trying to be just a regular guy, can help her find out.

My Thoughts::
For those who frequently visit my blog, you'll notice that the blogs that get the highest praise in their reviews are innovative dystopians or end of the world type business. But believe it or not, I'm an old fan of Dessen and her delightful romances. She is probably the only author whose books I always love.

Now, if you haven't heard of Sarah Dessen, I suggest you search her name on Amazon and order any book that pops up because you are bound to fall in love with any one that you choose. More specifically, you'll fall in love with the lead male. In this novel it's Dave. Dessen has a 90% success rate with her men, and she definitely hit the mark this time. Ooooh how I swoon! He was sweet and nice, and I actually felt like he wasn't trying to "fix" Mclean, which sometimes happens in a Dessen book. Mclean stuck with Dessen's trend of creative female names, and of course the fact that girls everywhere can relate to her. I always love reading a Dessen novel because I know that our heroine will have problems that may seem small, but still matter.

Can we talk about the easter eggs for a minute? One of my favorite things about Dessen books are the recurring places, people, and ideas in her books. Pick up a Dessen book, and you'll find references to OTHER characters and events from another Dessen book. It's so nice to catch a glimpse of a character that we loved, or didn't love so much. We actually get to see a lot of Jason, the first boyfriend of the main character in The Truth About Forever. It's a really fun treat.

The plot was a bit of a let down for me though. It was great, it really was, until the end. There is always something big that hits the fan, and that happened, but there is also usually a reaction from the other characters that our heroine must muddle through, explain herself, realize her mistakes, and be forgiven. Mclean's secrets hit the fan, but none of the other character really cared, making the height of the novel anti-climatic.

Overall I think that Dessen did a great job on characters as always, but had a weak point in the book's conflict. I'd recommend this book to Dessen fans everywhere or someone who is tired of girls falling for the wrong guy, and wants to see a girl do it right.