Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Angel

Author: Cassandra Clare

Series: The Infernal Devices Series #1

Genre: Fiction, YA, Paranormal, Romance

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Release Date: 2010, August
Format: Hardcover, 479 pages

Source: Purchased

Rating: 4.75/5

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble):

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

Review:

This is the first book by this author that I have ever read.  I definitely will be reading more of her books in the future!  Awesome Sauce is what it is and I LOVE me some Awesome Sauce!

Even though I think this book was Awesome Sauce I did think that it got off to a slow start.  I also was confused as to how exactly Will found Tessa at the Dark Sisters house.  Did he senses her while she was in someone else's body, a random tip?  That bothered me a little bit.

There were times when I thought Will was more than a little bit of an ass.  Now I like "bad boys" but there's a difference between being a "bad boy" and being verbally and emotionally abusive.  I think at times Will walked a little bit too close to that fine line for my taste.  I guess that makes me a member of Team Jem then.

I found the writing style to be of my liking also.  Once I got past the slow beginning I thought the story was a definite page turner.  The action throughout the book was very well described also.  You felt like you were there.  I also liked how the bad guy wasn't completely obvious (at least to me) until you got closer to the end of the book.  Just when you think you have it all figured out it turns out our completely WRONG!

Overall, I really enjoyed Clockwork Angel.  The cliff hanger ending has me thinking that next September will NEVER get here!



Arson by Estevan Vega

Title: Arson

Author: Estevan Vega

Series:

Genre: YA, Paranormal

Publisher: Tate Publishing

Release Date: 2010, May 4

Format: Paperback, 318 pages

Source: Received from the author

 

 

Rating: 4/5

 

Smuttiness: N/A

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

 

ARSON GABLE FEELS LIKE A FREAK. HE CAN CREATE FIRE. HE NEVER ASKED FOR IT. HE NEVER WANTED IT. BUT HE CAN'T SHUT IT OFF.

 

 

Before now, three things were true: he both loved and despised his grandmother; his life was going nowhere; and he was alone. But when a strange girl-who feels more normal behind a mask than inside her own skin-moves in next door, Arson hopes to find something he's never had: purpose. Using what he fears the most about himself, Arson must face his consuming past and confront the nightmare that is present as he walks the fine line between boy and monster. Dark, moody, and breathtakingly relevant, Arson, the chilling chronicle of an isolated boy with unimaginable ability, is sure to ignite the hearts and minds of a new generation.

 

Review:

 

Oh my goodness!  I've seen reviews for this book all over the book blogging community and it really caught my attention.  The cover has just enough "creep factor" that I had to get my hands on it.  I mean just look at the cover!  A Freddy Krugerish "mask" and flames!  Anyway....moving on.

 

What really turned me on about this book was the writing.  From the very first sentence until the very last sentence the way that it was written kept me engaged and reading and pretty much putting my life on hold because Arson's life was oh so very interesting.  Oh well, Arson is oh so much more fun than doing laundry anyway.

 

The characters in the story for the most part I really enjoyed.  I did at times have trouble relating to/understanding a couple of the characters.  That is the main reason that I wasn't able to give Arson 5/5.  After learning all sorts of secrets as the book progressed I am looking forward to learning even more about all of these very interesting characters in the sequel that's coming up.

 

Overall, Arson is most definitely the most "different" (in a good way) book that I've read in the past couple of months.  Once you get past the "creep factor" I think this book is pretty dang good.  I think that Estevan Vega hit a home run with this one!



Mini Review ~ Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Title: Mockingjay

Author: Suzanne Collins
Series: The Hunger Games
Genre: YA
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: 2010, August 24
Format: Hardcover, 390 pages
Source: Bought


Rating: 5/5

Smuttiness: N/A

 

  

Synopsis:

"My name is Katniss Everdeen. Why am I not dead? I should be dead."

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans -- except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay -- no matter what the personal cost.

 

Review:

I was really uber excited about this book.  Though I throughly enjoyed the book there were a few times that I thought that the story was dragging on.  I also didn't enjoy how everyone had all these carefully laid out plans and hidden agenda's and kept Katniss in the dark and treating her at times like she's almost disposable.  Even with those few quirks I still gave this book a 5/5 rating.

I felt horrible for Peeta.  Being treated the way that he was by The Capital.  I guess the saying "war is hell" is pretty applicable to a lot of what went on in this book.  The descriptions and imagery were excellent as usual.  The characters new and old were adding new twists and turns all over the place. The story line was pretty good even though there were parts where I felt it dragged on a little bit. I think overall this was a good ending to the trilogy.

NOTE: I purposely kept this review short, sweet and vague to not giveaway anything to anyone who hasn't read this book yet.

Mini Review ~ Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Title: Catching Fire
Author: Suzanne Collins

Series: The Hunger Games

Genre: YA

Publisher: Scholastic

Release Date: 2009, September 1

Format: Hardcover, 400 pages

Source: Bought

 

Rating: 5/5

 

Smuttiness: N/A

 

Synopsis (From Goodreads):

 

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

 

Review:

 

Another Awesome Sauce installment of the Hunger Games Trilogy!  I couldn't read this one fast enough...So far this series is one that once you start it it SUCKS YOU IN!  In other words...VERY HARD TO PUT DOWN!  The original cast of characters are back and better than ever. Even the new characters that are added for the Quarter Quell flow nicely with the original "cast".  The storyline is riveting and sucks you in. The harshness and bloodlust of the games are very vivid.  I LOVE this series enough that I've converted a couple of my co-workers into Hunger Games junkies!

 

NOTE: I kept this review a mini review and pretty vague to keep from giving away anything to anyone who hasn't read this book yet.

 

 



Radiance by Alyson Noel

 

Title: RadianceAuthor: Alyson Noel
Series:
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance
Publisher: Square Fish
Release Date: 2010, August
Format: Paperback, 192 pages
Source: Bought

Rating: 3.75/5

Smuttiness: N/A

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Riley Bloom left her sister, Ever, in the world of the living and crossed the bridge into the afterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. Riley and her dog, Buttercup, have been reunited with her parents and are just settling into a nice, relaxing death when she's summoned before The Council. They let her in on a secret—the afterlife isn't just an eternity of leisure; Riley has to work. She's been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a curious boy she can't quite figure out.
Riley, Bodhi, and Buttercup return to earth for her first assignment, a Radiant Boy who's been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But he's never met Riley...
 
Review:
 
I had read some pretty great things about this book on my travels through the book blog world.  When I started reading it I was really impressed with how well the author was able to write form the point of view of a pre-teen.  In my opinion she did an excellent job of connecting with the teen reader.
 
The different descriptions were well written also.  The description of life in "here" was really good.  There is no sense of time in "here" hence why Riley says she lives in the "here and now."  The description of what being dead feels like was even better in my opinion.
 
Riley in the beginning of the book was more of a follower/tag along who also happened to be pretty mouthy.  But as the story went along she grew stronger and wasn't so much of a follower anymore.  I think that she was headed more towards being a leader....even though she was still pretty mouthy.
 
Bodhi is Riley's guide.  When Riley first meets Bodhi he's dressed as a bit of a geek.  But the more time that Riley spends with him the more she realizes that there's more than what meets the eye.  In this case it also hands Riley a pretty sizeable piece of humble pie.
 
Buttercup....poor Buttercup.  See Buttercup is a LARGE MALE Labrador Retriever that accompanies Riley and Bodhi on their journey. I feel for Buttercup...His name alone is, in my opinion, meant for a k-9 that is much smaller and FEMALE.
 
I guess what disappointed me about the book was that it was one "mission" for both Riley and Bodhi and then the book is basically over.  I guess I was just hoping for a little more out of the book.
 
Favorite Quote: "You do know you can manifest a whole new wardrobe right?  We're really not bound to the mistakes of our past.  So go ahead, knock yourself out.  Just close your eyes and ask - What would Joe Jonas wear?"

Review ~ The Iron Daughter **Contains a few spoilers**

Title: The Iron Daughter
Author: Julie Kagawa

Series: Iron Fey #2

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: 2010, August 1

Format: Paperback, 359 pages

Source: Bought via Barnes and Noble webpage

Rating: 5/5

Smuttiness: 2/5

Synopsis:

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

Review:

I LOVED The Iron King and I could hardly wait for the second book in the series to come out. This book came out and because I ordered it with a pre-ordered book I had to wait for it!  It was the LONGEST 26 days EVER!

The story starts out with Meghan saying good bye to her family, yet again as she's about to fulfill her contract with Ash and head for enemy territory. When Meghan get's to the Winter Court she is basically a prisoner to Queen Mab and Prince Ash abandon's her.  Needless to say that the Winter Court is NOT happy to have Meghan around at all.  SPOILER AHEAD>>>When the Sceptor of the Seasons is stolen and Prince Sage is murdered by the Iron Fey, Mab becomes enraged, because she doesn not believe that these Iron Fey exsist and think that Oberon took the Sceptor, and a war between the Courts is in the works.  The Iron Fey are looking forward to the long trail of death and destruction that will come from the war. END SPOILER.  Now Meghan and her crew are on a journey to find the Sceptor of the Seasons, return it to the Winter Court and stop the bloody war that is taking place.  All of this while being hoplessly in love with Ash.

Book number 2 in this series is just as captivating as The Iron King was.  The writing is very intense and extremely passionate.  In book 2 Julie Kagawa continues to build the world of Nevernever even bigger and badder than in the first book.  Nevernever only get's even more dangerous (as if that were even possible) in this book.  There are new characters that will have you completely mesmerized.  The plot, I think is better in this book, there are all sorts of twists and turns and it keeps you guessing.

This book is very fast-paced and I totally felt like I was there in Nevernever and as another member of Meghan's team trying to get back the Sceptor.  I had a hard time putting this book down.  Ms. Kagawa does an excellent job of describing Faerie politcs in this book, just to show how very dangerous the Fey can be.  The book is also a little bit of an emotional rollercoaster.....Meghan learns some things along the way...some good and some not so good.

I was really happy with Meghan's personal growth along the way.  She's powerful and yet vulnerable as well....You mash those two things together and you get a pretty badass combination if you ask me.  There are times when she's struggling pretty badly with all the things that are going on around her.  She also makes some pretty bad decisions too....But in the end she rises to the occassion.  Meghan really is a force to be reckoned with!

OMG!  The romance triangle! As much as I love Puck I'm Team Ash (I have a "thing" for the "bad boy" types).  Puck has a lot of amazing qualities and when things started to heat up with Meghan I got a little bit worried.  But then along comes Ash, who has long since given in to his feelings for Meghan, and things get a "little bit" explosive.

My new favorite character is most defiantely Ironhorse!  He's a bad guy turned good.  And that's HOT!

Overall, I'm hopelessly hooked on this series and I'm finding it VERY difficult to wait until February for the Iron Queen to come out!

Review ~ Paranormalcy **Tiny Spoilers**

 

Pub. Date: August 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Hardcover, 335pp

Rating: 

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble): Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.


Review: OMG!  This book was "bleeping"(read the book and you'll understand) AWESOME!  I had heard so much about this book in the weeks leading up to it's release that I decided that I needed to check it out. Evie, the main character, is able to see through other paranormals' "glamour" to what's really underneath...Like for example: Vampires....On the outside sex but underneath the glamour 'oh so NOT sexy'.  Evie thinks she's just a "normal" teenager that is able to do something "interesting" when it comes to paranormals.  But then bad things start to happen, paranormals start dying and Evie learns a couple secrets about herself. Reth, her ex-boyfriend, who happens to be a faerie is crazy!  Through most of the book you think he's on one side but by the end you realize you were oh so wrong.  That all his craziness was supposed to be "helpful."  Then there's Lend, a shape shifting hottie!  He get's captured by the IPCA and is held prisoner for awhile.  When the center comes under attack Evie helps Lend escape.  Then we learn a little bit about Lend's life prior to being captured. I loved the way that the story was written.  All of the dialouge for Evie and Lend were written in a way that was very believeable.  Things that teens would actually say.  The dialouge for the other characters in the book were written in a very "grown up" manner....things that adults would say. The way things were described were very vivid as well. Overall, I can hardly wait to read more of this series!  I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a fresh take on paranormal YA fiction. 

Review ~ Spiral of Destiny

Published: May 6th 2010 by Gryphonwood Press Details: Paperback, 248 pages  Rating:

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Forget everything you thought you knew about unicorns and maidens... A unicorn is not supposed to survive the death of its rider, but Majherri did. Now he is a pariah, mistrusted by the Greater Herd. To reclaim his lost honor and status, he will entrust the remnants of his life to a new human female while unraveling the mystery of his continued existence. Kayleigh Reese is not Battle Maiden material. She's three years older than any other recruit and has enjoyed a peaceful, nomadic life working with her artist mother. The rigors of joining the High-King's elite unicorn cavalry are clearly not for her. Now, with a bond to Majherri, she must overcome her mother's disapproval, the ire of her commanding officer and fellow trainees, and, most importantly, the secrets of her unicorn's past if she is to become a legendary warrior. To prevail, they must quickly come together as a team and unlock the powerful and dangerous magic inside them.

Review:

I was asked by the author if I would be interested in reading and reviewing his book on my blog.  Again, I apologize for taking so long getting this review up...Real Life has been really crazy.  The synopsis really drew me in...this is not usually the type of book I would be interested in.  I'm glad to say that I proved myself wrong by throughly enjoying a book about unicorns and maidens!

What I really liked about this book was that the unicorns actually played an very large part in the storyline...I mean what's a story about unicorns if the unicorns aren't brought in to the story?!  Another part of the story that really made me happy was that there were parts that were told from Majherri's (the unicorn) point of view.  I also really enjoyed "seeing" how Majherri interacted with all the other characters in the book....human's and unicorn's alike.

What I also liked about this book was that it was very fast paced.  Once I got into it I had a hard time putting it down.  Which seems to been a reacurring thig for me lately....after my slump I've been "zooming" through books left and right!

Review ~ The Hunger Games

To sign up for The Hunger Games Book Club click here

Barnes and Noble

Review:

NOTE: My computer is not letting play the copy and paste game right now for some strange reason...so if you click on Barnes and Noble it will take to the page for The Hunger Games.
......Now back to our regularly scheduled programming......OH MY GOODNESS! WHERE HAS THIS BOOK BEEN "ALL MY LIFE?!" Since I've started book blogging I've come across many reviews of this book and the vast majority of them have been really shining reviews. But it wasn't until last week that I actually took the book off my shelf and read it. I'd like to thank my co-workers for that....They were talking about the book at work and started giving me crap cause I hadn't read it yet. As my co-workers say....."It's Awesome Sauce!"

I really don't know what to say beyond the above words that are in all capital letters. I don't want to say to much because I don't want to give anything away....I'm occasionally bad about putting in unintentional spoilers. I LOVED this book. I LOVED the story line, I totally felt like I was there. The main character is very real and relatable, you totally feel her pain. The secondary characters are also written in a very real and relatable fashion. The games themselves are written in a way that it paints a vivid and brutal picture of what it must be like for these kids. I guess the only problem I had with the book was the end....I didn't want it to end....cause when the book came to an end I'd have to wait to start reading Catching Fire because I lent it to a friend to read.

A House Afire

Published: December 1st 2009 by PublishAmerica

Details: Paperback, 506 pages

Genre: YA, Paranormal
Rating:

Synopsis (from Good Reads):

Phyllis Sorin has seen all sorts of people. With two kind Aunts who rent out the rooms of their house to anyone in need, the people she calls family are a little different from most. There’s Bill, who takes on the personalities of movie characters. There’s Quincy, whose best friend is a drag queen. There’s Anna, an opera singer and kung-fu master. And Phyllis, well, she’s not exactly normal herself. But even as she begins to navigate high school’s social jungle, Phyllis finds comfort and humor in her odd home.

When Dominick Siddons moves in, however, all of Phyllis's priorities become inferior to finding out his secret. A young lawyer with a vicious wit and ferocious temper, Sid may understand Phyllis in a way no one else can. And through truth and fiction, through the inevitable chaos of the house, Phyllis finds much more than she bargained for.

Review:

I was asked by the author to review her book a little while ago. I apologize that it took me so long to get this review up. Well anyway on to the long awaited review......

I LOVED the characters in this book! They were all extremely original....not an ounce of "cliche" to be found anywhere with the characters. I especially loved the main character Phyllis. She's written in a way that makes her very real with a rich honest voice. Even going through that weird teen stage where she feels weird and unsure of herself, she wasn't cutting herself down. For me it's a major turn off when I read a YA novel where the female characters are constantly cutting themselves down.

Phyllis has the awesome (in my opinion anyway) ability to breath fire. How this ability came to be is very original....you never really would have expected it to come about that way. Phyllis has shall we say a very interesting "family," which ultimately was one of my favorite parts of the story. See Phyllis lives with two of her aunts and these aunts rent out rooms in the great big house that they all live in. Her aunts have spent their lives trying to help the people who rent the rooms, so naturally there are some very neat characters, with very neat characteristics. Of these characters my favorite was Bill, he liked to take on different movie persona's.....my personal fav was Captain Jack Sparrow (cause honestly Captain Jack is my favorite character in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies). Followed closely by Anna, the opera singer/kung fu master.

Figuring out Sid's "mystery" becomes the number 1 priority of Phyllis when he moves in. It was very exciting for me to follow along as she kept trying to figure out what it was. That and he was written in a way that had me thinking HOTTIE!

Overall, I really enjoyed Emma's unique writing style. I think she's excellent at dialogue and character developement. It seemed to me that when Emma was writing this book she wanted to get right inside the head of all her characters. The dialogue was very realistic....which is a major plus, because the story is pretty dialogue driven. Being that the story is so dialogue driven it is a little on the long side (504 pages) but they honestly go by very fast.

I also liked how Emma took the time to make sure that each of the characters were explained. It defiantely helped to keep track of all of them while I was reading. In the beginning I was a little bit weirded out by the relationship between Phyllis and Sid....the age difference had me thinking it was going to be on the creepy side. I am glad to say that that was not the case. If anything it was more of a friendship than anything else. I found A House Afire to a very unique and original story, that I enjoyed VERY much. I can hardly wait to read more by this author!

Cinderella Society review

Cinderella Society

Kay Cassidy

336 pages

Category: YA/romance

Source: Purchased/own

Rating:

Challenges: YA, Chick lit, 100+, Debut Authors

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Jess Parker survives by staying invisible. After nine schools in ten years, she's come to terms with life as a perpetual new girl, neither popular nor outcast. At Mt. Sterling High, Jess gets the chance of a lifetime: an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret club of the most popular girls in school, where makeovers are the first order of official business. But there's more to being a Cindy than just reinventing yourself from the outside, a concept lost on Jess as she dives tiara-first into creating a hot new look.

With a date with her popular crush and a chance to finally fit in, Jess's life seems to be a perfect fairy tale. That is until the Wickeds—led by Jess's archenemy—begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers her new sisterhood is about much more than who rules Mt. Sterling High School. It's a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and the Cindys need Jess on special assignment. But when the mission threatens to destroy her new dream life, Jess is forced to choose between this dream realized and honoring the Sisterhood. What's a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn't want to wear it anymore?

Review:

I had read soooo many really great reviews of this book that I thought that I would check it out as well. Though I didn't absolutely HATE the book, I didn't absolutely LOVE the book either. I guess some parts of it cut a little bit to close to home. But anyways, that's neither here nor there.

Writing wise I thought that Kay did a pretty good job of writing from the mind of a teenager. Jess is "the new kid" and is being bullied by her secret crushes sister. Which leads to an invitation to join the secret Cinderella Society, which in the beginning Jess is skeptical about. Because she feels it is an elaborate prank against her by her nemesis, but then she starts to really enjoy it UNTIL she is asked to gather info about a Reggie (regular kids) that she's tried to befriend in the past and is basically told that you can't "save" everyone. That's the point where Jess starts to resent being a member of the society.

Lexy is Jess's nemesis and is REALLY good at it. There was a very traumatic event that happened in her life that caused her to go from a "good girl" to a "wicked girl" that I'm not going to give away. Lexy's whole goal in life is to make Jess and a select few others lives miserable and for a while she succeeds in spades. Then Jess grows a backbone and decides not to take it anymore.

All the while Jess has a super huge crush on Lexy's older brother Ryan. And the feeling is mutual. Ryan is a pretty complex guy. At first you think he's just your typical high school jock (AKA...A Jerk) but then you get to the mini golf date and you realize that there is oh so much more to him than that.

I guess my only faults with the book are that Lexy is written with basically NO redeeming qualities and Jess is written in almost a "it's all about me" sort of fashion....You know typical TEEN mentality. Like I said earlier I liked the way that Kay was able to write from the teen perspective, I just didn't particularly care for the way that the two main characters were written. I thought that the supporting characters were written very well though.

Even though I am middle of the road on this book I totally would recommend reading it. A LOT of people have enjoyed it A LOT. Here are what others are saying about Cinderella Society:

The Compulsive Reader
The Page Turners
Chick Lit Teens
Bookworming in the 21st Century
The Book Cellar

Rules of Attraction review

Rules of Attraction

Simone Elkeles

336 pages

Avaliable April 13, 2010

Rating:

Challenges: YA, Chick Lit, 100+

Synopsis:

Carlos Fuentes doesn't want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him in Boulder, Colorado. He wants to keep living on the edge, and carve his own path?just like Alex did. Unfortunately, his ties to a Mexican gang aren't easy to break, and he soon finds himself being set up by a drug lord.

When Alex arranges for Carlos to live with his former professor and his family to keep him from being sent to jail, Carlos feels completely out of place. He's even more thrown by his strong feelings for the professor's daughter, Kiara, who is nothing like the girls he's usually drawn to. But Carlos and Kiara soon discover that in matters of the heart, the rules of attraction overpower the social differences that conspire to keep them apart.

As the danger grows for Carlos, he's shocked to discover that it's this seemingly All-American family who can save him. But is he willing to endanger their safety for a chance at the kind of life he's never even dreamed possible?

Review:

I was visiting one of my favorite book webpages recently and they had posted about an opportunity to win one of 20 advance copies of Rules of Attraction. This book was at the TOP of my I MUST HAVE list so I filled out the form, I actually didn't think I'd win, but I was pleasantly surprised when I checked my mailbox last Thursday and found a copy. Maybe my luck is changing?!

I had a very hard time putting this book down. I had read Perfect Chemistry not all that long ago and I LOVED Alex and Brittany's story, so I was really excited to read about Carlos and Kiara. Like with Perfect Chemistry I was NOT disappointed. Think West Side Story only with a happy ending.

Carlos plays the part of a bad ass real well. Though there are times when his "softer" side shows. You really start looking forward to seeing the "softer" side even though they are far and few between....cause believe me he's pretty much in bad ass a good chunk of the book. Then he meets his match in a little goody two shoes named Kiara. Oh how the "mighty" have fallen!

Kiara is as I just said above a little goody two shoes. She's never cut class, she's never done this, she's never done that. But she has a quirk....She stutter's and as a result has been picked on because of it. She's into cars, preferably VINTAGE. She volunteers to be Carlos' peer guide and this is were an unoffical WWIII starts. Pranks, trash talk you name it it happens.

Then Carlos get's himself into a little bit of trouble and comes and lives with Kiara and her family and things start to change. Yup. A little bit predicatable but I still love it!

In the end good prevails over evil and everyone lives happily ever after...Until book three....which I can hardly wait for.

Sing Me To Sleep review

Sing Me To Sleep
Angela Morrison





Rating:







Synopsis:

THE TRANSFORMATION
Beth has always been “The Beast”—that's what everyone at school calls her because of her awkward height, facial scars, and thick glasses. Beth's only friend is geeky, golden-haired Scott. That is, until she's selected to be her choir's soprano soloist, and receives the makeover that will change her life forever.

THE LOVE AFFAIR
When Beth's choir travels to Switzerland, she meets Derek: pale, brooding, totally dreamy. Derek's untethered passion—for music, and for Beth—leaves her breathless. Because in Derek's eyes? She's not The Beast, she's The Beauty.

THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE
When Beth comes home, Scott, her best friend in the world, makes a confession that leaves her completely torn. Should she stand by sweet, steady Scott or follow the dangerous, intense new feelings she has for Derek?

THE HEARTBREAK
The closer Beth gets to Derek, the further away he seems. Then Beth discovers that Derek's been hiding a dark secret from her …one that could shatter everything.

Review:
I saw this cover a while ago and decided that I needed a copy of this book. I ended up winning a copy in a giveaway and I just got done reading it. In the beginning of the book Beth has been lead to believe that she's "damn ugly" and is the victim of much teasing and childish pranks at her school. But she's got her best friend Scott and she's got her choir. When her choir gets the opportunity to perform at the Choir Olympics in Switzerland Beth get's a MAJOR makeover and isn't really the same person that she was before the makeover.

While in Switzerland Beth meets Derek and that's when the trouble starts. He's addicted to her voice and in my opinion he kind of manipulated Beth. It get's worse once Beth get's home. Scott makes a pretty big confession and Derek also has a secret...one that I'm not going to giveaway! You'll just have to read the book to find out what it is!

The ending is a pretty sad one...I cried through it. Really the only reason I wasn't able to give this book 5 boots was because I felt that Derek was a tad bit too manipulative of Beth and Beth let him be this way.

The Iron King review ~ May contain a few spoilers

The Iron King
Julie Kagawa

368 pages

Rating:

Synopsis:

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Review:

OMG! I absolutely LOVED this book! Fan-freaking-tastic! I'm usually NOT a real big fan of faery books..Vampires, werewolves and those sorts of paranormal are more up my alley. But once I started reading it I had a VERY hard time putting it down.

Julie Kagwa is VERY vivid and thorough of her descriptions of not only the characters, but of Nevernever land and the overall landscapes of the various Fey Courts. I felt like I was right there with Meghan and crew while they were on their journey.

There is action and "weird" things happening almost from the very start of the book. So your

on a fast track to Nevernever land real quick. See Meghan's life is turned upside down when her little brother (technically he's her 1/2 brother but who's being technical?) is kidnapped and a super nasty changeling (who attacks both Meghan and her mom) is left in his place.

But this is where Meghan's best friend Robbie comes into play. See in actuality Robby is the prankster Puck from a Midsummer's Night Dream. And off they go through the "trod," which is the portal into Nevernever land (conviently found in the closet of Meghan's brother.) As beautiful as Nevernever is a VERY dangerous place and you never really know who your friend or your foe is.

Pretty much everything keeps going wrong, more so when Grimalkin, who is a cat sith gets involved. Meghan keeps finding herself in one pickle after another, which makes her goal of finding her little brother seem almost unattainable. She's fighting trolls, gremlins, other faeries, each other, and other mythical creatures. It seems that Meghan and crew just couldn't catch a break if their lives depended upon it.

There were a couple parts of this book that were predictable. Like...Meghan is the daughter of the Summer king, so naturally she's gonna go and fall for the son of the Winter Queen. In all honesty I think that that piece of predictability was key to the story. I would have been severly dissapointed if it wasn't written the way it was. But for the most part the story kept me on my toes and guessing what was going to happen next.

Unlike Meghan (who is there looking for her brother and wants to get back to her life ASAP), it seems that pretty much all the rest of the characters in the story have a hidden agenda or have something that is brewing right there under the surface.

I think that Robbie/Puck takes the cake in this one, with his wicked sense of humor. Meghan is a very likeable character and seems to grow as the story goes along. Sometimes you think she's not real bright....Like bargaining with a faery. But just when you think she's going to go and do something dumb yet again, she throws you for a loop.

Which brings us to Ash, who is the prince of the Winter Court. He's written as a total hottie who is seriously cold in so many ways. He's attracted to Meghan but at the same time he wants to kill her. He even thinks about it several times but manages to stop himself. Ash is a superior swordsman with his sword of iciness and if his sword isn't cutting it....he likes to drop his predators by shooting icicles at them. Which I think is pretty cool.

I have to agree with Alyssa from Teens Read and Write. I just don't think that there was enough Ash in the story. We see him a little bit in the beginning but after that we don't really see him again until your well over a 100 pages into the book. Really that is my only complaint with the book....I wanted MORE Ash.

I can hardly wait until the second book comes out in the series. The Iron Daughter is being released in August. August seems so VERY far away!

A Match Made in High School review

A Match Made In High School
Kristin Walker
278 pages


Ratings:






Synopsis:

When the principal announces that every senior must participate in a mandatory year-long Marriage Education program, Fiona Sheehan believes that her life can't get any worse. That's until she marries her "husband": jerky jock Todd, whose cheerleader girlfriend, Amanda, has had it in for Fiona since day one of second grade. Even worse? Amanda is paired with Fiona's long-term crush, Gabe. At least Fiona is doing better than her best friend, Marcie, who is paired up with the very quiet, very dorky, very big Johnny Mercer.


Pranks, fights, misunderstandings, and reconciliations ensue in an almost Shakespearean comedy of errors about mistaken first impressions, convoluted coupling, and hidden crushes.

Review:


There is a reason this book got 5 boots out of 5 boots....It's FREAKING AMAZING! Not only is the plot one that I've never read before....a MANDATORY marriage education program....the humor is pretty dang AWESOME too! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! I'm actually writing this review on 4 hours of sleep...and once I post this I'm gonna go get some more that's for sure! I picked this book up because all the ARC reviews I had read on it said pretty much the same thing....."Read this book! Awesome and totally hilarious!" Again, I'm jumping on the bandwagon and saying READ THIS BOOK! IT'S AWESOME AND TOTALLY HILARIOUS!


Here's a small passage, just to showcase a little bit of the humor:


"I could tell Maggie Klein realized the problem at the last second, because she made this squeaky inhalation. But it was too late. Zoe fell backward into the trembling arms of Izzy McCully, and continued falling with him beneath her. They thudded to the floor, and all that could be seen of Izzy were his spindly arms and legs flailing from Zoe's sides, making her look like a Hindu goddess on her back."


When we first meet Fiona she is in love with Gabe. But Gabe doesn't even know she's alive. Marcie is Fiona's best friend who has been helping her with her "Gabe craze" for a VERY LONG time. On the first day of senior year, the boom is dropped....They find out that the entire senior class must participate in a mandatory marriage education program for the whole year and will be randomly paired up with a partner. Of course Fiona has been having some pretty crappy luck and ends up being paired with uber-jock Todd Harding....One of the few people that Fiona can't stand! Marcie get's Johnny Mercer who is a bigger guy, quiet with a secret crush on one of the characters. And Gabe? Well Gabe get's paired up with Amanda (uber-jerk...I mean jock Todd's girlfriend).


From the first time Todd and Fiona converse in the book you can tell that they pretty much hate each other. The pranks and name calling start and the surprises start happening. Some of the surprises you expect, which I think actually helped the story in my opinion. Some were not so expected....Which made it all that much more fun and funny, for me anyway. So for real....If you haven't read this book yet....DO! NOW! YOU WON'T BE SORRY!


What we're really thinking:


Jamie - I LOVED this book! I haven't laughed that hard or that often in a pretty long time!

Gus - I'm glad you enjoyed , but you kept waking me up! The upside....LOTS of cuddle time!

Laci - I'm with Gus on this one!