Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould

Goodreads Synopsis:
Venice, 1585.

When 16-year-old Laura della Scala learns that her older sister, Beatrice, has drowned, she is given no time to grieve. Instead, Laura's father removes her from the convent where he forcibly sent her years earlier and orders her to marry Beatrice's fiancé, a repulsive old merchant named Vincenzo. Panicked, Laura betrays a powerful man to earn her way into the Segreta, a shadowy society of women who deal in only one currency—secrets. The Segreta seems like the answer to Laura's prayers. The day after she joins their ranks, Vincenzo is publicly humiliated and conveniently exiled. Soon, however, Laura begins to suspect that her sister's death was not a tragic accident but a cold-blooded murder—one that might involve the Segreta and the women she has come to trust.

By Sasha Gould

Hardcover, 262 pages

Published March 13th 2012 by Random House Children's Books

4 out of 5 stars
Genre: YA Historical Mystery

Mystery, intrigue, secrets -- Cross My Heart was a surprisingly pleasant read.




Cross My Heart takes place in the town of Venice in 1585. Sasha Gould does a great job of setting up the atmosphere for the book in a delicate and exquisite prose. I was immersed in this world, and I loved the aristocratic parties, the carriages, the gondoliers, the palazzos--it created a vivid image in my head, and I was able to admire Venetian Society while reading. The main character, Laura della Scala has just been released from a Convent she's been in for six years because her father wishes her to return. Laura is expecting to come home to her sister and a real life, but ends up discovering her sister is dead, and Laura is now to marry her sister's fiance--an old and revolting man. She then joins a secretive society of women, the Segreta. In exchange for a secret, Laura is given a reprieve from her arranged marriage. But as she gets more entangled with the Segreta and learns that her sister's death was in fact a murder, Laura becomes suspicious of the secretive society and everyone around her.

The mystery in this book was definitely my favorite part. It's a guessing game, and Laura has plenty of suspects/clue to work with. Apart from the mystery, though, there were plenty of other plots going on in the book. We have a (secretive) romance with the doge's painter. There is another death of Laura's acquaintances that mysteriously occurred. The doge--who is the most powerful man in Venice-- has a longstanding feud with the de Ferrera's family. There's plenty of secrets about various people in the town, secrets that threaten to destroy lives and reveal lies. Laura is also dealing with her father, who is only concerned about the family's reputation and social standing. He is pressuring her to find a suitable and well-respected man to hurry up and marry. As a former nun, Laura deals with all this in a careful, but at times impulsive, manner. She is eager to experience the life she had missed out on, but at the same time is wary of what is out there, because obviously her sister was in some kind of danger somehow. She stands up to her father when she should. She's quick-minded at the right times, and acts as expected throughout the book. Her relationship with the painter, Giacomo, offers a few surprises later on, but was sweet and cute and grows at a moderate pace as the book progresses.

Because there was so many plots/side-plots going on, I felt that each one wasn't fleshed out as fully it could have been. There was a lot of unanswered questions at the end, lots of loose threads left untied. So, I'm guessing there might be a sequel. I didn't understand why the Segreta existed, or what even they exactly did. I did find them intriguing and neat, but their purpose wasn't as clear as I wanted it to be. The murder is resolved, but I was still confused as to what exactly snapped the murderer to be so vicious and cruel. The doge's secret is also left undeveloped, as well as Laura's consequences in the matter. If some of these plots had been given more attention, I would have given it more stars, but because the story seemed inconsistent and random, it's a solid four stars.

Regardless of the various plots going on, I enjoyed the book as a whole. It's well paced, with enough surprises and twists to keep me interested. I liked the characters, loved the atmosphere, enjoyed the mystery. It's a rich and vivid read, and if you enjoy quick, historical reads, this is a book for you.

"No -- we're looking for something more precious and more powrful than coins or jewels."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Why," she says, drawing out the word, "we want a secret."

Crusade by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié

Goodreads Synopsis
The authors of the "New York Times"-bestselling Wicked series deliver the first in a new trilogy--a darkly adventurous spin-off featuring vampires and those who hunt them.

By Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié

Hardcover, 470 pages

Published September 7th 2010 by Simon Pulse

3 out of 5 stars
Genre: YA Paranormal/ Fantasy

I had really hoped to like Crusade, but it ended up falling flat for me in the end.
In Crusade, vampires, or Cursed Ones, as they're called, have taken over the world. Small groups of hunters have come together in hopes of defeating them. Jen comes from Los Angeles where the vampires have practically infiltrated everyone her world, tricking the people she knows to be on their side. Even Jen's own father sides with the vampires, believing Jen's hostility towards them is wrong. So, Jen decides to go to Spain to train to become a hunter. There, she and five others form a group of hunters, called Team Salamanca. Each hunter comes from different parts of the world with different backgrounds, so they're not exactly a cooperative team. There's a Wiccan white witch, Sky; a witty but lonely Danish werewolf, Holgar; hot-tempered and hostile, Jamie; the Hunter and supposed leader from Japan, Eriko; a seriously religious vampire Antonio, and finally Jen. Together, they try to eradicate vampires, but really most of them don't even get along. They have trust issues. They argue a lot. They don't agree on many things, and so on. It was kind of hard to envision them as a team with all this going on. So, Crusade pretty much follows Team Salamanca when they decide to try and save Jen's sister, Heather, after she's been caught by a powerful vampire.

I really loved the premise of the storyline. Vampire taking over? I always love it when some kind of supernatural force tries to take over the world--those stories always capture my interest. But the characters in Crusade is what made me kind of disappointed in this book. Most of them infuriated me, and I couldn't relate or agree with their actions and thoughts. Crusade is told from practically all the characters' point of views. I stopped counting after seven.  I don't mind having multiple point of views; it's always interesting to see the story from another character's eyes, but here we were simply given background stories and I felt like they were added to make us feel sympathetic with each character, to give us a reason for their behavior and role in the book. I could have easily related with the characters from Jenn or Antonio's point of view if it were written that way.

Team Salamanca was a weird group. Jamie was a hothead. I didn't like his temper tantrums, his quick hatred toward Antonio and Holgar, his negative view on the world. I might have felt sorry for him if he wasn't so judgmental of everything. Eriko, the former Japanese schoolgirl, was assigned to be the Hunter. She was given an elixir to give her special strength, but she's so unsure of herself, and always questioning herself that it got annoying towards the end. Skye...well, I don't know. She hides a secret that puts everyone else in danger. She just seemed empty to me. Holgar, the werewolf was probably the only one I liked. He was almost charming, but not too cocky. He's easygoing, and I definitely was able to understand why he felt like he had to watch his back at all times with his hunters. Then there's Jen and Antonio, the star crossed couple of the book. Before Antonio became a vampire, he wanted to become a Priest. So, his relationship with Jen was bizarre. All the time, he's thinking of wanting to be with her, but then pushes it away by reminding himself of his calling. I understand that he's religious and devoted, and I liked that about him, but he mentions it everytime we're in his head. It became repetitive and unnecessary. Jen has self-esteem issues. She doesn't believe in herself, even though she's obviously good enough to have been chosen to be in Team Salamanca. I was hoping to see some bravery and kicking-ass from her, but she's helpless and weak whenever Antonio is with her, and denies any remark that she's "special", as Father Juan keeps telling her. The only time she showed any bravery and independence was when she had been in LA by herself with her father. I liked her at that moment, but she becomes blubbery when Antonio shows up again. I also found her and Antonio's romance to be seriously lacking passion or chemistry. They seemed to be so in love with each other, but they had doubts about their the other one and their relationship. Again, this was repetitive and could have been avoided if they trusted each other. We also have Heather, Jen's sister. Heather was a character with no spine. I tried to relate with her, but couldn't. There's also Father Juan, the one who chose the hunters for Team Salamanca. He's a nice man, supportive of his team. But he was very cryptic and I wasn't in the mood for those cryptic remarks.

I might try the next book. I might not. Crusade frustrated me. I liked the concept, but it just didn't engage me as I had expected it to.

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Goodreads Synopsis
Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything--her family, her future--to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the "New York Times" bestselling author of "Peaches" comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

By Jodi Lynn Anderson

Hardcover, 292 pages

Published July 3rd 2012 by HarperTeen

4 out of 5 stars

Genre: YA Fantasy

Tiger Lily, the girl with the crow feather in her hair...

Wow...so many things to say!
I admit, I don't recall her character when I had watched Peter Pan. I had been so focused on Peter and Wendy's relationship that I didn't realize Peter might have actually had a life before Wendy ever came along. This book explores what happened to him and Tiger Lily, and their story was a heartbreaking, bittersweet love story, an adventure that changed them both in good ways, and in bad ways. Tiger Lily is narrated by the famous Tinker Bell--jealous, pestering, ubiquitous, but wholeheartedly good in her own way. Tinker has her usual antics up her sleeve, but we also get to see another side to her, the side that explains why she gets jealous, why she seems to love Tiger Lily so much, why she is attracted to Peter, and why she harbors distasteful feelings for Wendy.

This book follows the story of Tiger Lily, of course. Tiger Lily, dwelling with the tribe, the Sky Eaters, is being forced to marry Giant, a repulsive and hateful man. Because she is different from the rest of her tribe, her tribe members fear her and keep away from her. What they don't realize is that while Tiger Lily might seem fierce, confident, and stoic all the time, she is a lonely girl within herself. Tiger Lily doesn't speak much, and it's hard to connect emotionally with her. Sometimes, I found myself wondering if Tiger even cared at all about anything....but that was one of her beautiful flaws. She is a girl trying to appear brave, instead of admitting that she is just as afraid as everyone else.

When she meets Peter Pan in the forbidden woods, she opens up and explores a world she didn't think existed. She feels free, feels there is a place she might yet belong to. I felt for her. I was there with Tinker Bell, wanting to console Tiger, simply hope that she was as happy as possible. Sometimes Tiger Lily's sadness is so overwhelming, even Tink's amusing antics can't cover it up. Peter Pan was everything Tiger needed, and yet everything she needed to avoid. He offered a life away from her tribe, away from a marriage she didn't want, freedom she couldn't imagine. She liked hanging out with the Lost Boys, and during her time with them, she would laugh and smile, and have fun. Tiger Lily has responsibilities back with her tribe, though, and she isn't ready to simply give it all up for Peter just yet.

I don't know how to explain Peter. There's something innocent about him, but something mischievious. He is as playful as expected, but he is also restless and wounded emotionally. I came to realize that what Peter was missing was someone who would look after him, tell him that everything was going to be all right. I fell in love with him, and felt his pain. He was a confusing, and frustrating character because of his hot-and-cold actions. I suppose there were reasons for that, though... His and Tiger Lily's relationship was heartbreaking, to say the least. They each expected something from the other, trying to live up to those expectations. They loved each other, but each believed they weren't good enough. I wanted to shake them both, make them realize that there was no need to be the best. And when Wendy came along---well, I never thought I'd say this, but I really don't like Wendy. I guess I resent her like Tiger Lily and Tinker Bell both did, but Wendy was everything Tiger Lily wasn't, and she offered Peter something completely different from what Tiger Lily offered.

I did love this story, but I felt too saddened while reading it. I always thought of Neverland as a cheerful place where children lived and never grew up, but this book definitely ruined that image. The villain, Captain Hook, came to Neverland in hopes of finding a "greener" world, where he would stay young. But even he could see the despair in it. Neverland was a frightening world, and maybe that's where Tiger Lily belonged--to roam in this world forever, a fierce girl who didn't need to live by anyone's rules but her own. She's a strong heroine, and I admired her unfailing courage throughout the book. The ending made me cry, but I'm glad she found happiness in some way, some form. She deserved that, at least. Peter Pan is a boy I can't forget about, and just thinking about him makes me want to cry some more...

Tiger Lily did start out a little slow, but it picks up when we are introduced to the lost boys and the foreign English man. Emotions and action take over. Read it, and get compelled by a courageous, quiet, yet wonderfully fierce girl who tries to find her freedom in the complicated world of Neverland. I'll be thinking of Tiger Lily's story for a while.

From Tiger Lily:
I am only a faerie. I don't have grand ideas, or grand dreams, or long for grand freedoms like people do. But I wanted to be a part of their dream too, even if I was only a flea riding on their tails. To run and run and never worry -- that was what they wanted, and I wanted to go with them.
I could hear the quiet in Tiger Lily's heart. I had never heard it so soft, so at peace, as I did that evening, as she sat with Peter and watched those horses, and dreamed for a moment that she would never have to lose him, or herself.


Such a scene like this never happened in the book, but I thought it was an interesting scene from the movie..

Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari

Goodreads Synopsis
A thrilling tale of adventure, romance, and one girl's unyielding courage through the darkest of nightmares.
Epidemics, floods, droughts--for sixteen-year-old Lucy, the end of the world came and went, taking 99% of the population with it. As the weather continues to rage out of control, and Sweepers clean the streets of plague victims, Lucy survives alone in the wilds of Central Park. But when she's rescued from a pack of hunting dogs by a mysterious boy named Aidan, she reluctantly realizes she can't continue on her own. She joins his band of survivors, yet, a new danger awaits her: the Sweepers are looking for her. There's something special about Lucy, and they will stop at nothing to have her.

By Jo Treggiari

Hardcover, 344 pages

Published June 1st 2011 by Scholastic

3.75 out of 5 stars

Genre: YA Dystopia

 

Ashes, Ashes was a pretty quick dystopian read.
It's about a girl named Lucy Halloway who is living on her own (as in surviving on her own) after her family and anyone she knows has been killed off from a plague.

The book begins with a rather gruesome scene that had me slightly repulsed of her making herself some turtle food. Or maybe I was just repulsed because even thinking of eating turtle doesn't do anything for my stomach. But, this first scene pretty much told me how desperate Lucy was for food, how scarce food really was for her, and how difficult it was to be surviving by herself.

It's this same day that she gets chased by some wild dogs, and finds herself rescued by a boy--the first human contact she's had in over basically six months.
Aidan was charming, with a crooked smile that so many boys in young adult novels seem to have (but it's okay, because I love crooked smiles:) ).

From here, the story gets interesting, because we finally have some dialogue going on.
She learns from Aidan that he lives with a bunch of other survivors in a place called Hell's Gate.
Lucy likes living on her own, and has managed to do so for a year now, but when the tsunami comes, she has no choice but to flee her home and go find Aidan at Hell's Gate.

Now, the evil people in the book are called Sweepers. They basically come in vans and take away any survivors back with them to the doctors. The people they take with them never come back.
And we'll learn towards the end of the book that Lucy is something special, and she's wanted for it. The plot sounds formulaic--girl is unique but she doesn't know it. And it is.
I don't want to give too much away, although I felt like the book's description had spoiled the climax for me. It was kind of predictable, but that's fine. I still enjoyed the book.
And the supporting characters were enjoyable too.

I just want to give some praise for the cover, though. It's so pretty when you actually look at it up close in your hands! Aidan is standing in a posture, facing this disaster in front of him, like he's ready to battle anything that comes his way. Lucy is beside him, almost gazing in the distance like she's thinking about her future. And Aidan is right beside her. It's almost like, together, they are unstoppable, or something like that. And the buildings toppling over before them, with all that water flooding? It's really amazing, and I commend the cover artists for such an amazing cover. I really liked that little bit of sunlight in the far off distance. Like there's hope even amidst chaos and disaster.

So, the book was a nice, light read (for a dystopia, that is), nothing too much for me to ponder about. I'm not sure if there's a sequel or not, but regardless, I liked the way the book ended here.

Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter

Goodreads Synopsis
With more than a million Gallagher Girls books sold, a legion of fans have fallen in love with the New York Times best-selling spy-girl series, and the fifth book delivers the most nerve-wracking, high-stakes adventure yet.

The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, her memory is a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and dirt under her nails. All she wants is to go home. But even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers as Cammie and her friends face their most difficult challenge yet. With only their training and a few clues to guide them, the girls go in search of answers on the other side of the world. But the Circle is hot on their trail and will stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

By Ally Carter

Hardcover, 294 pages

Published March 13th 2012 by Hyperion Book CH

5 out of 5 stars
Genere: YA Adventure/Mystery
Book 5 in the Gallagher Girls series

At the end of the fourth book, Only the Good Spy Young , we were left with Cammie planning on running away from the Gallagher Academy in hopes of finding answers about the Circle of Cavan, the terrorist group who wants Cammie for some desperate reason, and are willing to kill anyone in their way.

Out of Sight, Out of Time picks up four months after that. Cammie wakes up in a convent, thinking it was just last week that she was at the Gallagher Academy. But really, it's been months, and she realizes that she can't remember a single thing that happened to her over the summer, after she ran away. Cammie's mom finds Cammie at the convent, and takes her back home (Gallagher Academy), where basically everyone is angry/upset, shocked at Cammie for having run away, and at her appearance--she's bruised and dirty and much skinnier. From here, Cammie begins to think she's going crazy, that she is crazy, because she knows something important must have happened over the summer for her to have gotten her memory erased. This whole scenario created lot of questions for me--like, where did she go? Who caught her? What did she learn? What did she find? Did the Circle have her? And if so, what did they do to her? And why would they, or whoever it was, erase her memory?

I could go on and on with these questions, and thankfully they are answered by the end of this book. I'm not sure if I could have waited till next year to have them answered.

Flying Blind by Deborah Cooke

Goodreads Synopsis
The next generation of shape-shifting dragons from the popular author of the Dragonfire novels. 

 Zoë Sorensson is perfectly normal, except she's been told she's destined for great things. Zoë's the one female dragon shapeshifter of her kind. But Zoë is at the bottom of the class when it comes to being Pyr and her powers are AWOL, so she's sent to a Pyr boot camp.

Zoë quickly realizes that she has to master her powers yesterday, because the Pyr are in danger and boot camp is a trap. The Mages want to eliminate all shifters and the Pyr are next in line-unless Zoë and her friends can work together and save their own kind.

Ever since Firelight by Sophie Jordan,I've loved the idea of dragon shifters. There's something amazing and unique about them. So, of course, when I found out about this book, I was eager to read it.
By Deborah Cooke

Paperback, 308 pages

Published June 7th 2011 by New American Library

4 out of 5 stars

Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy

Flying Blind is about fifteen year old Zoe Sorenson, a Wyvern who is the only female dragon-shifter among the Pyr (the official name of the dragon-shifters), trying to find her powers and defeat the Mages, spell casters who want to eradicate all shifters in the world. Along the way, she gets help from her dragon-shifter friends, and a really cute boy, Jared.

Wow! So, I don't know where to start. I really liked this book. There was action, suspense, romance, betrayal--all the good makings of a book I enjoy. We go on a journey with Zoe, as she discovers more about herself and what she's really capable of. Being the Wyvern, she's got some extraordinary powers and we're given some awesome kick-butt moments by Zoe. She's a feisty character with a snarky but fun attitude. She's also stubborn, self-conscious, and resentful towards herself. She's actually very insecure, and she repeatedly thinks negatively about herself. She's also lovesick with a fellow Pyr, Nick. The first half or so, she pines for him in am almost irritating manner. She gets jealous of the human girl, Isabelle, who Zoe thinks is perfect and more gorgeous than she'll ever be. I felt for her, sort of. There were some connections I made, and then there were some thoughts and actions by Zoe that made me cringe and shake my head at her. She's immature in the beginning of the novel, but really, she did a tremendous amount of growing as I read on. It was surprising, but I did end up loving her at the end.

So, Zoe and her friends are sent to a boot camp to develop/practice their powers. This boot camp isn't what they think it is, and all the time during it, as a reader, I was filled with this impending sense of doom that was surely coming up. The other three Pyrs are Garrett, Nick, and Liam. Each guy had their own fun personality. We have Garrett, the serious and determined one. There's Nick, the aggressive and kind-of-cocky one. Then there's Liam, the playful and easygoing one. They're also joined by another Pyr Adrian, aware and observant. Isabelle is a human girl who's intertwined in all of them somehow, but Zoe doesn't know how. All five of them made an interesting dynamic, and their interactions were amusing to read. And plus, they can all shift into dragons! There was plenty of awesome dragon-fighting scenes, and I was rooting for Zoe the whole time.

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Goodreads Synopsis
First there are nightmares.
Every night Ellie is haunted by terrifying dreams of monstrous creatures that are hunting her, killing her.

Then come the memories.
When Ellie meets Will, she feels on the verge of remembering something just beyond her grasp. His attention is intense and romantic, and Ellie feels like her soul has known him for centuries. On her seventeenth birthday, on a dark street at midnight, Will awakens Ellie's power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that stalk her in the grim darkness. Only Will holds the key to Ellie's memories, whole lifetimes of them, and when she looks at him, she can no longer pretend anything was just a dream.

Now she must hunt.
Ellie has power that no one can match, and her role is to hunt and kill the reapers that prey on human souls. But in order to survive the dangerous and ancient battle of the angels and the Fallen, she must also hunt for the secrets of her past lives and truths that may be too frightening to remember.
 By Courtney Allisson Moulton

Hardcover, 453 pages

Published February 15th 2011 by HarperCollins / Katherine Tegen Books

Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy

3.5 out 5 stars

Decent but not overtly engaging read.
It was good packed with some good action. There were a lot of fighting scenes, in which our main character kicks lots of evil-reapers butts.

Ellie, the main character, is a seventeen year old girl who's reincarnated every time she dies, brought back for the sole purpose of killing the reapers from the Grim. She's what they call a Preliator, aka a warrior, who's been alive for thousands of years. She doesn't know how she came to be or even where she came from. She just is. She also has a Guardian. That is Will, and it is his job to protect her and make sure she defeats the evil and try to avoid the Apocalypse that could maybe happen. The demonic reapers come in all kins of forms, but they mainly just hunt humans and hope to create an army for Lucifer for the upcoming end of the world.
It's a very interesting premise, and I've always loved the plot line where the characters are expected to save the world in some sort of way. In Ellie's case, it's to kill off the reapers.
While it was interesting, and I was captivated at some moments, I was confused at some places, like how or when she was supposed to acquire back her memory from her existence in the past thousand years or so--I also simply did not understand why her father was so mean to her. I feel like there must be a reason for that, but if there isn't, then his hatred and cruelty seems like a forced factor to make the reader feel sorry for Ellie. But I'm hoping that's not the case.

The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver

Goodreads Synopsis:
Riley Blackthorne just needs a chance to prove herself—and that’s exactly what the demons are counting on...
Seventeen-year-old Riley, the only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper, Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father's footsteps. The good news is, with human society seriously disrupted by economic upheaval and Lucifer increasing the number of demons in all major cities, Atlanta’s local Trappers’ Guild needs all the help they can get—even from a girl. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing crush on fellow apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving distressed citizens from foul-mouthed little devils – Grade One Hellspawn only, of course, per the strict rules of the Guild. Life’s about as normal as can be for the average demon-trapping teen.

But then a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood. And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, sudden tragedy strikes the Trappers’ Guild, spinning Riley down a more dangerous path than she ever could have imagined. As her whole world crashes down around her, who can Riley trust with her heart—and her life?

By Jana Oliver

Paperback, US Edition, 340 pages

Published February 1st 2011 by St. Martin's Griffin

4 out of 5 stars

Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy

Being the first book in a series, this book set up a good start to what would be coming.
The Demon Trapper's Daughter started off with the main character, Riley Blackthorne, trying to trap a demon in a college library. It was a good introduction to the world where demon trappers and hunters exist to defeat the demons that have invaded the world.

Riley is the daughter of Paul Blackthorne, a master trapper, who's also a legendary demon trapper. Her father doesn't want her to become a demon trapper since it's dangerous work. She's also a girl, the only girl in the Trappers Guild. Of course, there is some controversy among them regarding Riley's presence. Riley still insists on becoming a demon trapper; she's stubborn in a good way.

Riley was a good main character. She was brave and clever without being overly cocky. She drew strength from tragedies. She faces her foes with dignity and doesn't let people step on her. There were plenty of people who taunted Riley, including her classmates and another master trapper, Harper. I did not like Harper. If I were Riley when he made her clean out that demon crap, I would probably have had some kind of temper tantrum or something! Riley didn't, and instead was determined to simply show him that she wouldn't let his taunts discourage her at all.

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

Goodreads Synopsis:

What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?

Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.

But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

By Cara Lynn Shultz

Paperback, 341 pages

Published June 21st 2011

4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Paranormal Romance

"Spellbound! I was spellbound by you, and to be honest, it took me a little off guard."

The beginning of this book was pretty slow. I wasn't sure where the storyline was going for the first 100 pages. All that had happened so far was Emma, the main character, had moved in with her aunt after her stepfather nearly killed her in a drunk driving accident. At the new exclusive school she's attending, she meets a mysterious and handsome boy, Brenden.

It was kind of irritating how she was almost obsessed with him for a while. She got upset and pouty when he blatantly ignored her. She was confused as to why she was so attracted to him, as well.
It seems like one of those 'insta-love' romances, but it actually turned out to be cute and understandable. It wasn't till about 100 pages in when Emma got nearly beaten up by the school bully that I got interested.

I liked Emma. She's had a tough past, her whole family is gone, including her twin brother and parents. She was abused by her stepfather for a while after her mother died. She comes to live with her aunt in New York for a fresh start. She doesn't complain about her past. Its more of mourning it silently, but never letting it get in the way of her living her life.

I also liked Emma and Brendan's relationship, after the 100 pages in. They believe they are a reincarnated couple, doomed to tragedy every time they fell in love in a lifetime. I liked this reincarnation story, and I could see why they were both so 'attracted' to each other for no reason when they met. Although, I have to admit, Emma is easily swooned by a boy. All he has to do is remember that she likes iced tea, and she's spellbound. Haha, but they do get to know each other as the book progresses. They were also both honest with each other, and both of them were just as confused as to what was going on with this curse and how they were a part of it. They talked about the curse, how it affected them. They didn't avoid talking about their problems. It was so nice to see that in the main couple for a book. Usually, the boy and girl are elusive with each other and I get extremely frustrated with that.

A Need So Beautiful

Goodreads Synopsis

We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten...

Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences.

By Suzanne Young

Hardcover, 267 pages

Published June 21st 2011

4 out of 5 stars
Genre: Paranormal

I really loved this book. It was one of those stories that just makes you think about stuff that you wouldn't otherwise think about in your everyday life.
Charlotte, the main character, has this need where she has some kind of obligation to help whomever the need needs her to help. If she doesn't follow her need, she's in great pain and gets some dried up, ugly skin too, in one case. She's got a best friend whose life is pretty much out of control, and her boyfriend is suspecting something's wrong with Charlotte, but feels hurt because she won't tell him the truth. Charlotte is destined to be forgotten one day, and this terrifies her. She doesn't want to expect her loved ones to remember her, so being distant with them is what she ends up doing.

So, all in all, this story was truly beautiful and I was so glad for the straight up romance between Charlotte and Harlin. There wasn't any drama or misunderstandings about how they felt for each other. They both knew what they wanted with their life, and they looked at their future together, planned what they would be doing with their lives. I thought that was really sweet, even if they are young and did seem naive at times. But it's a relief to see the main couples in love without any unneccessary drama between them. It was also refreshing to see the girl and boy already together from the beginning of the book. Usually, there's some big story about how the girl and boy get together. Not that I have anything against that, it's just nice to see a story from another angle.

I am a cryer. I cry pretty much at the smallest things, ever, but the ending in this book made me bawl. But, that's probably just me. Still, there was something about it that touched me, made me view lief differently. What would it be like, for even just for one second, for good to prevail the world, for all evil to juts vanish in one instant? Charlotte was the goodness, and it's sad that such evils exhist in our world. Harlin made the ending all the more amazing, and his character is one of my favorites.

There might have been some bland moments here and there, but that didn't really take away from the beauty of the book. The sequel, A Want So Wicked, is definitely on my to-read list!

7 Clues to Winning You by Kristin Walker

Seven Clues to Winning You
Goodread Synopsis

When a humiliating picture of Blythe goes viral, she's instantly the target of ridicule at her new school. To salvage her reputation, Blythe teams up with Luke to win the Senior Scramble scavenger hunt. But Luke is an unlikely ally and potentially can't be trusted.

Perhaps it's his Shakespearean witticisms that reel Blythe in despite her better judgment . . . or maybe she...moreWhen a humiliating picture of Blythe goes viral, she's instantly the target of ridicule at her new school. To salvage her reputation, Blythe teams up with Luke to win the Senior Scramble scavenger hunt. But Luke is an unlikely ally and potentially can't be trusted.
Perhaps it's his Shakespearean witticisms that reel Blythe in despite her better judgment . . . or maybe she just craves the thrill of the game. But as the hunt progresses, their relationship heats up. Soon their madcap mischief spirals out of control. Blythe is faced with arrest and expulsion, among other catastrophes - until Luke shows her what the Scramble (and love) is really about

By Kristin Walker

Paperback, 317 pages

Published April 26th 2012
4.5 out 5 stars


My Luke Pavel

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

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OK, so don't let this cover turn you off. That boy should look more like this guy (but with glasses)    
                                                                              ------------------------------------>
And now that we have decided we don't judge a book by its cover.... :)

I want to saw awww... that's pretty much what sums up this book.
It was endearingly adorable and funny, as in had me laughing out loud too many times.
The main character, Blythe, is the daughter of her rival's school principal. When her dad is eager to get promoted to superintendent, he packs up his family and moves to the Ash Grove High district, where Blythe now has to attend school at.
She pretty much hates this school, and it's obvious she looks down upon it and believes she's superior to everyone there, in intelligence and manners. She hates it even more so, for the main reason that her ultimate humiliation happened at Ash Grove high, where a really embarrassing picture of her was circulated. So, of course when she steps foot at Ash Grove, the students make fun of her and tease her. Blythe, in revenge (of to exact justice--as she thought), convinces her father, the principal, to ban the Senior Scramble, which is basically a longstanding tradition at Ash Grove high between the juniors and seniors.

Everyone now ends up hating her because of this, but to make up for her selfish act, she comes up with a secret and 'underground' way to play the Senior Scramble. All with the help of the one and only adorable geeky but most definitely hot guy, Luke Pavel.
I've got to say, my favorite part of the whole book was Luke. He was just so honest and genuine, and he cared for Blythe in a way that made me squeal tons of times. The apology e-mail he sent her for posting her embarrassing picture was too cute. And then the very last clue, the seventh clue, with that surprise for Blythe--(ahh, I don't want to give away a spoiler here!) ? That was just too romantic (maybe a little cheesy, but still). I loved their dumpster scene; my own heart was pounding just as heard as Blythe's was when she was so close to him.

"He held me against him, his hands on my skin, his face so close. I could feel his heart pounding against the wall of his chest.
Breathe, Blythe. Inhale. Exhale. Look at something other than his lips or his chest or his perfect blue eyes. Think about garbage.
Garbage. "

The feeling of actually being there is all too real--and that's a very good thing.
There were other characters in this book that I also loved: Jenna and Cy--the rebels who are intensely in love with each other, and had Blythe's back through it all; Ms. Eulalie and Ms. Franny-they had me laughing the most, especially at the magazine store--hahhaha that was hilarious; and then there's Blythe's family--the character of her brother wasn't expanded on that much except for the fact that he's a game player addict, like any normal boy. But her parents were developed pretty well. Her mother had pretty much given up her life of money and wealth to marry and live with Blythe's dad, and she supported him in every way possible. She was always by his side (except for who would buy their house, but that was minor) and she didn't ever doubt what his true intentions were, even if Blythe's father himself was uncertain as to what his own intentions were as well. Blythe's dad, he's also a romantic man. He was doing everything he could to try and impress his wife--Blythe's mother-- by making lots of money and having an awesome job. I thought it was sweet how they both did that, without even realizing that they were already happy just being with each other.

Again, I keep saying it was sweet and cute, because it really was. That's what this book is, and though there were some unanswered questions--like about her relationship with Tara (though I guess it doesn't matter, since I hated her by the end), or Luke's article he promised Blythe he would write. But the ending was fine, and left off on a happy note.
I also loved the whole Senior Scramble game--the clues were creative and funny, and Blythe did pretty good for solving most of them!

The only thing that bothered me was the cover. Luke doesn't look like that! Cover Luke is too young. But I do like the idea of the cover, with seven arrows pointing up and down and high school students hanging out all over the place. It establishes the atmosphere for the book pretty well.
I can't wait to read Kristin Walker's other book, A Match Made in High School!
A quote from 7 Clues to Winning You:

"Luke edged closer and started brushing his fingertip briskly over the rust spot again. "So, Blythe, let me get this straight..." He watched his finger slide back and forth. "Are you saying that I'll get to be part of your evil plan for world domination?"
He studied his finger intensely. Too intensely. So I studied him. I saw blood rise in his cheek. Saw his breathing quicken. His hand tremble.
Was this real?
I said quietly, "If you want to be. Yes."

Switched by Amanda Hocking

Switched by Amanda Hocking

Goodreads Synopsis:
When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy finds out her mother might've been telling the truth. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - and it's one she's not sure if she wants to be a part of.

Paperback, 318 pages

Published January 3rd 2012

Book 1 in a trilogy

4 out of 5 stars
Genre: Paranormal/ Fantasy

This book seems to have lots of mixed reviews. I enjoyed it for the most part, because--trolls? Who knew trolls could be so fascinating?

Switched was an enjoyable read, giving us a new supernatural being to read about--trolls. Not the ugly ones; these trolls look like humans, and they're actually quite beautiful as well!
The trolls have 'tribes', and the one Wendy Everly comes from is called Trylle. They live within a gated community called the Forening. Their enemies are the Vittra, who for some reason desperately want Wendy.

Wendy is a changeling; she was switched at birth and is now being returned by a (handsome) tracker, Finn, back to her real home. Back in Forening, Wendy is introduced to the Trylle society, and meets her birth mother, who turns out to be a cold and distant woman, but also the Queen, making Wendy the princess. She doesn't share sympathy with Wendy, thus making Wendy feel angry and disappointed. Wendy also learns about the different types of people living in Forening. There's the Trylle, the trackers, and the manksling. Wendy befriends them all, not realizing the strong social class differences.

This book has some great world building, and we are sucked into the intricacies of the Trylle society, the politics that happen here, and how unfairly the lower class is treated. We are just learning as much as Wendy is in the book, so not much action takes place. It's toward the end when a big action scene happens, but it seemed almost anticlimactical, since we aren't given much background information on the Vittra.

The characters in Switched were developed nicely, and I could almost imagine myself with them. Wendy is spoiled at times, but is determined and stubborn. Finn is the best tracker in Forening, but he serves the Queen. There's some chemistry between him and Wendy, but I fould it lackluster. Maybe because he seemed to put the Queen's needs before Wendy's. There's Rhys, a manksling, who I adored. He's a sweetheart, and I could understand Wendy's flimsy crush on him. Elora, Wendy's mother, is a tough woman who doesn't let anyone in. I felt bad for Wendy for never getting a chance to have a mother, but I'm hoping we'll see Elora break down some of her barriers in the next book.

There was also a bonus story in the back, The Vittra Attacks.
It's told from the point of view of Loki, and I was intrigued by it. I definitely want to get to know more about the Vittra and why they seem to be keen on kidnapping the Trylle changelings.
Switched is a good introduction to the trilogy, giving us lots to look forward to in the rest of the series

Introducing Myself

This would be my first blog, and since I love talking about books, I thought this would be a fitting thing to do. I'll be posting reviews on books I read. Mostly, they're just my thoughts and opinions on the book. I love reading, and I love writing, so I don't have a problem with discussing the books I read. Feel free to comment or recommend anything about books or my reviews or whatever else. I just want to keep this blog fun and entertaining, and hopefully share some wonderful books for others to read.

Again, I am new, so I'm probably not savvy with this whole blogging thing, but I'm hoping I'll get the hang of it. And I'm looking forward to exploring the blogging world!