After rescuing his brothers from Zacharov's retribution and finding out that Lila, the girl he has loved his whole life, will never, ever be his now that his mother has worked her, Cassel is trying to reestablish some kind of normalcy in his life. That was never going to be easy for someone from a worker family tied to one of the big crime families and a mother whose cons get more reckless by the day. But Cassel is also coming to terms with what it means to be a transformation worker and figuring out how to have friends. But normal doesn't last very long - soon Cassel is being courted by both sides of the law and is forced to confront his past. A past he remembers only in scattered fragments and one that could destroy his family and his future. Cassel will have to decide whose side he wants to be on because neutrality is not an option. And then he will have to pull off his biggest con ever to survive.
My Opinion:
Another great book by Holly Black! I can't get enough of this world of lies and cons.
After learning that his mother had worked Lila, the girl he's ever loved, Cassel believes that she will never be his, not like he'd want her to. Because sure, she's dying to get into his arms, but is it all because of the magic?
Cassel's older brother, Philip, is killed, and now Cassel wants to know who did it and why. He'll get called by the Feds to help them figure it out.
In the meantime, his only friends, Daneca and Sam, are trying to help him, but having been brought up by a worker family, Cassel isn't sure if he should trust them.
I love these books, and I love Cassel. I haven't read a book in a boy's perspective in a long time (the only other books I did read in a boy's POV are the Caster Chronicles) and I just love being inside his mind. And it's like he's actually talking to us sometimes, with little remarks like, "I told you I wasn't good at friendship, didn't I?"
His friends really are his friends, you can feel it. Even if he doesn't let them in that much, you can see how they do care about him, and it's not just an act. That is some spectacular writing from Ms. Holly Black.
I'll say it now, and I'll say it again, I truly love the worker world Holly created, because it's not just a fantasy world, it's one we could very well live in. There are laws and protests about worker rights, and mafia, and trust issues, and family you've got to stick up to. And there are kids actually studying. They don't just ditch school to go in pursue of their Great Destiny, they care about their education. And I think that's awesome.
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . .
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place —and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make —between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.
My Opinion:
Really liked this book! A very good debut for Cynthia Hand!
From the beginning we know Clara's an angel-blood, so that's a plus. We didn't have to wait until the MC figured out what she/he is. But we did have to wait until the very last second to understand Clara's purpose.
All that she knows about her purpose, is that it's something inevitable, something she has to do, or face the concecuences if she doesn't.
The plot starts with, oh, what a shocker!, Clara's family moving to a new town, making her and her brother, Jeffrey, the new kids in school. I don't see why they had to move (Clara's purpose makes them move, actually). Clara could have very well had a vision about someone from her own town. I didn't like the cliché, I think it was unnecessary.
Clara will make new friends, and new enemies. Again, another cliché which I didn't like = popular girl vs. new/shy girl. Among her new friends is Wendy.
This book has a major love triangle. It's the main focus of the novel. Clara's between Christian, the boy from her visions, and Tucker, Wendy's brother. She has a pull with Christian, she faints when she sees him, etc. Cliché. (Didn't I say I liked this book? Because I did! I'm getting to the parts I loved in a little while!)
Tucker, on the other hand, was something out of the blue. Clara begins by being a little reluctant to be around him, but gets to know him better thanks to Wendy. I'm a hopeless romantic, so I liked him better than Christian, and swooned when he appeared. But that doesn't mean it wasn't a cliché either, because it was.
Super sticky-sweet romance at first, but since this is the first in a series, I'm crossing my fingers for him!
Clara's mum, whose name I can't remember, has always kept her children in the dark about the whole angel business, so it's fun learning about it all along with Clara. Plus for Hand. Clara's mum has a reason for doing this, but we only find out a little about it -and about her and a certain Black Wing- so it's obvious we'll learn more about this in the next books.
In the end, it all comes down to choices. Will Clara make the right one? (No, seriously. There's a major cliffhanger at the end!)
I give it four monkeys based on how much it entertained me and kept me intrigued, and because of the romance. As cliché as it was, I love me a good romance!
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.
My Opinion:
What an awesome book! Truly amazing; I'm embarrassed to say that this was my first Clare book (if you don't count her fanfiction, which is amazing as well).
The the first book in the prequel series to The Mortal Instruments is beautifully written, it drew me in and didn't let me go until I'd finished it! And I like to read two or three books at once, but this one... this one kept calling me, telling me to finish it first!
As the summary says, Tessa is a 16 year old American girl who is left without nothing and had to go to London to her brother because she has nowhere else to turn to.
From the moment she sets foot in the city, the action begins. Tessa is captured by the Dark Sisters, ugly and evil warlocks who imprison her, and show her that there is a power locked inside her, a power she didn't even know she had. The power to transform at will, to nearly become the one she's turned into.
Tessa remains captive at the Dark House, until a Shadowhunter named Will comes to rescue her.
She is introduced to the Shadow World, and the London Institute opens its doors to let her in. There she meets Charlotte, who runs the Institute; Henry, her husband; Jessamine, a Shadowhunter too; Thomas, Sophie and Agatha, the servants -all with the touch of the Sight-; and Jem, a Shadowhunter and Will's best friend.
Charlotte promises that they'll do anything to help Tessa save her brother. But there's so much they don't know.
They're fooled into traps, make scary discoveries, and begin to fall in love. While Tessa clearly shows feelings for Will, I wouldn't be surprised if in book two we saw her and Jem having a moment. It's so hard to choose a side! Will is witty and he has these moments where you can't suppress that aww escaping you, and Jem is kind and caring 24/7, but lacks the boldness Will posesses. For now, I'm going to say, Team Will!
Cassel comes from a family of curse workers -- people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail -- he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.
Holly Black has created a gripping tale of mobsters and dark magic where a single touch can bring love -- or death -- and your dreams might be more real than your memories.
My Opinion:
What an amazing book! I have nothing but great words for this book, it's awesome!
From the beginning we're trapped into this game of trust and deception, of cons and murders, of love and brotherhood. I loved the world Black has created and can't wait to read more about it!
The story is all about Cassel (pronounced like "castle", according to the author) and how he is a non-worker in a family of workers. To be a worker means to have a special ability: emotion workers can change your feelings just by touching you, memory workers change or block your memories, etc., etc. But transformation workers are the rarest workers in the world. Basically just one is born within a decade, or a generation even.
Workers work their magic by touching other, hence the use of gloves. To be seen without gloves is very serious thing, and "bare hands can be as dangerous as knives".
Cassel has killed his friend Lila, and now his guilt is coming back. And so is his mother, locked up in prison, and about to be set free. Cassel is asked to leave school after an incident involving the school's roof, and has to go home.
To prepare for his mother's arrival, his grandfather gets him to work on cleaning up their old house. There, he sees cats lurking around. And a white cat he thinks he's seen before.
From that point on the story gets more amazing and fast paced. We learn the truth about Cassel and the cat, and there's a scene towards the end that is just plain awesome.
The ending made me groan in frustration! How could Cassel's mother do that to her son? Ugh! Poor Cassel!
I really have nothing more to say, except that I loved this book and can't wait for Red Glove.
When an accident in Potions class turns Harry into Draco and Draco into Harry, each is trapped playing the part of the other. Romance, mistaken identities, really Cunning Plans, evil bake sales, a love triangle, and snogs galore.
When an accident in Potions class turns Harry into Draco and Draco into Harry, each is trapped playing the part of the other. Romance, mistaken identi...moreWhen an accident in Potions class turns Harry into Draco and Draco into Harry, each is trapped playing the part of the other. Romance, mistaken identi...mo
A must-read to all Harry Potter fans.
My Opinion:
I love reading Fan Fiction, and was looking for a good Harry Potter one, and came across this one. Everyone called it "THE Harry Potter Fan Fiction". And they were right.
It was like reading something J. K. Rowling had written herself!
I know that name must sound familiar to you all, and that's probably because you've seen it written differently. Cassandra Claire is the pseudonym Cassandra Clare, author of the Mortal Instruments trilogy, used to publish Fan Fiction back in the day.
The story revolvs around Harry and Draco, which are stuck in each other's bodies as a result of a Polyjuice Spell gone wrong. They have to play the role of the other, so as not to raise suspicion.
Like this, they both get to see what it's like to be the other. Draco, who's always envied Harry thinking his life was great, whereas his was not, finds that this is not the case.
Harry, who's always hated Draco, and thought he was the most evil of students at Hogwarts, discovers that Draco actually has a heart.
This piece of Fan Fiction is written in novel-length, at 207 pages. A warning: It includes the Harry/Hermione pairing, and while I'm a big Harry/Ginny - Hermione/Ron fan, I have to say, this is so well written, that I love this couple way too much!
It also plays with the Draco/Hermione pairing, and we all know that this isn't too far off from the actual books.
One thing that makes this so amazing, and loved in the HP fandom, is, I think, the completely accurate characterisation of J. K. Rowling's characters. Yes, the pairings are changed but, the characters remain the same. Draco is still too full of himself, Harry pushes everyone whom he loves away in fear they might end up dead, Hermione is the brightest young witch of them all, and Ron... he's Ron. Only, he isn't in love with Hermione.
The ending of Draco Dormiens leaves you wanting to read the sequel right away! (Too bad it is way too long!)
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Before the release of her first book,City of Bones, "Claire" began taking down her Draco Trilogy Fan Fiction from the online archives. Of course, something this big can't ever completely disappear, and can still be found if you know where to look. I've found that you can download them from the Cassandra Clare Wiki page, under the Bibliography section. Just click on that link and you'll be taken there. I've downloaded them from someplace else too, to see if they were the same archives, and can guarantee you that they are. NOT ANYMORE!
If you want to read them and have trouble downloading them from the Wiki page, you can always contact me, and I'll email them to you, just look for my email address on the right sidebar, under the heading Contact Me.
EDIT 13/09/13: A LOT of people have been contacting me about this series. Truth is, my links had been taken down once someone got wind of them. But no matter! I have the files saved and was able to upload them again. So, here and here and here.
Release Date: July 15th, 2007 Publisher: Earthshaker Books Age Group: Young Adult* Pages: 160 Overall:3 Monkeys Source: Publisher Interest: Series, For Review Other Titles in the Series:Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country
Summary from Goodreads:
The hero, Zan-Gah seeks his lost twin in a savage prehistoric world, encountering suffering, captivity, conflict, love, and triumph. In three years, Zan-Gah passes from an uncertain boyhood to a tried and proven manhood and a position of leadership among his people. Themes: survival, cultures, gender roles, psychological trauma, nature's wonders and terrors.
My Opinion:
When I was first asked to review this, I visited its website to see if I'd be interested in reading it. I'd never read a book about prehistory, so I said yes, and then I started reading it.
Although I thought the beginning was a bit slow, once you get to the middle it does get good!
I love everything that has to do with past and lost cultures, and the description that Shickman gave us of Zan's people's beliefs and customs was incredibly believable. I was thrown into this lost and supersticious world for a few hours.
When we meet Zan, he's a little boy trying to prove himself to the men in his village. But a life changing event turns him into a man, and throughout the book we read about him living up to that new status. He earns the name "Zan-Gah", Zan of the Rock, and people start respecting him. It was nice to read about him being put almost in the same category as the clan's leaders, but still being modest and prudent. It shows that people back then had a little more respect for others and every living thing. Which is more than we can say for ourselves.
He goes looking for his long lost twin, facing terrible circumstances. Those times when he would be alone, it did get slow, but then the pace found its way to pick itself up, whether it be by challenging someone or discovering a new weapon.
Once he finds his twin though, it gets really good. I found myself wanting to throw a rock at Dael, Zan's twin, for being like he was. And then we meet Lissa-Na. Oh love triangle, how I love to read thou!
The ending was a bit too fairy-tale-ending for me, so I wouldn't know what the sequel's about.
*I don't know if I would put it in the YA category. To me, it really should be a Middle Grade book. This is important, if you ever want to read this, or give to your kids.
If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl—someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment—not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control; I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.
Now I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends—a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch—and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.
My Opinion:
From the beginning I was hooked, and I read this book in just three days. This book was as exciting as The Summoning, but more fast-paced which kept me at the edge of my seat all the time!
While in the first book we see Chloe clearly falling for Simon, here we get to see Derek's other side, his warmer side, turning this into a brother love triangle. The events that push Chloe and Simon away, bring her and Derek closer. And I still haven't picked a team! Both Simon and Derek are lovely and mysterious, things I love to read about the book's hero. Simon is more open about his feelings towards Chloe, while Derek keeps to himself. This made me swoon for him: he's the kind of guy who suffers in silence and takes all of the responsiblity on himself, trying to protect the others. In the rare occasions in which he smiled, I would go all awwww and smile too.
In the last book, we see Chloe, Simon, Derek, Rae and Tori managing to escape the conspiracy in Lyle House. Only to be caught again. This time we learn more about this conspiracy, and the people behind it.
I was really interested in reading more about Chloe's stone necklace, and wanting to know why it was a different colour. We only get a glimpse into that story, so I'm really looking forward to reading about its real power in The Reckoning.
We also see Chloe's powers as a Necromancer increasing, discover Tori's so-far-non-existing power, as well as learn more about Derek's, Rae's and Simon's.
In those scenes where Chloe's powers were set in motion, I'd get chills on the back of my neck, and had to take my mind off the book for a second, to remind myself that what I was seeing wasn't real.
That's what I love about Paranormal books: the fact that (when they're well written) they can transport you to a whole other world.
Release Date: 2007 Publisher: Pan Macmillian Australia Age Group: Young Adult Pages: 213 Overall:3 & 1/2 Monkeys Source:Publisher Interest: Series Other Titles in the Series:Surf Sisters
Fifteen-year-old Tilly, Fran, Marlee and Pink are surfer girls.
They have been meeting for the first surf of the season every year since they first met at the surf school run by Tilly’s dad, Phil, when they were eight.
Phil has big plans for the surf school this year, but when he is injured in a hit-and-run accident, everything suddenly seems uncertain.
While Phil languishes in hospital and the police track his attacker, Tilly is determined to realise his plans and keep the surf school open. To do this, she needs all the help she can get from her friends.
But Marlee is training for the surfing competition to win a new board and beat the moody Kyle, Pink is warring with her parents and intrigued by the stranger Kim, and Fran is busy making jewellery.
My Opinion:
Reading this book made me want to go to Australia and surf with the girls! Tilly, Marlee, Pink and Fran, all fifteen-year-olds, are great friends and really cool surfers!
We begin this book reading Tilly's and Marlee's Blood Book. This is their secret book, where they put all their hopes, dreams and fears. It's really special to them and it reminds me of when I was younger, because my friends and I kept a journal very much like the Blood Book.
It's summer and it all seems to be going well with the girls, Tilly and Marlee are getting ready to enter a competition, and the Surf School, the one that brought them together, is doing okay. Until Phil, Tilly's dad, gets run over by a car. He's seriously injured and Tilly and her brother Sam are left to take care of the School.
Pink meets a handsome guy, very mysterious, and she's smitten by him.
Fran, I think she lacked the background the other had. Maybe I'll learn more about her in Surf Sisters, the sequel to Surf School.
There are also some boys here, of course, two of the girls' love interests: Kyle, surf-know-it-all and somewhat bully in the water and Jamie, sweet guy who's fallen for someone who pays him zero attention. We'll want to punch Kyle in the face sometimes, and go awww for Jamie when he gets crestfallen.
The pressure Tilly's been handling starts hurting her friendship with the girls, even with her older brother. She thinks she's alone, and refuses to talk to Marlee.
A big misunderstanding leads the girls to stop talking, and this is very painful for all of them.
The resolution of the book was very well delivered, and I can't wait to read Surf Sisters!
I'd recommend this book to: teen surfers, kids who have to deal with adult situations.
I really think anyone would enjoy this quick read!
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I've been offered to host a giveaway for both Surf School AND Surf Sisters. I've posted the giveaway before, but wanted to give it more publicity. Those who've already entered don't have to re-enter. This is open Internationally and ends on May 25th.
What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?
Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.
Instead, it turns out to be her last.
Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.
My Opinion:
What a wonderful debut from Miss Lauren Oliver! Completely powerful and exciting, hard to believe this is her first book.
For those of you who don't know, this is a long book, comprised by seven long chapters. But their inner division was very clever, actually.
It took me a while to get into it, but after the third chapter, maybe the fourth, I couldn't stop.
Sam begins as a shallow character, always thinking about what others think of her. As the book progresses, we begin to find little changes in her, that'll later become more obvious.
Her friends Lindsay, Ally and Elody are just like her: typical popular girls. But then we begin to discover that not all is what it seems, that everyone has their flaws.
Sam's boyfriend, Rob, was a pain in the butt. I disliked him from the beginning, and I think he got what he deserved in the end.
And then there's lovable Kent. The invisible boy who becomes a major part in Sam's life, and in her choices. I couldn't help but swoon along with Sam every time he appeared.
This book is all about choices, and their consecuences. Sam has to relive her last day seven times, each time learning a little bit more about herself and those around her. She grows enormously and becomes a very deep character.
Oliver does a great job twisting and turning Sam's path, so we're always left wondering what'll happen next.
I really liked this book, and if you still haven't read it, I totally recommend it. Try to read at least until chapter three, it gets a bit long at first, but you won't regret having stuck out until the end.
There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
At least, that’s what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
There was a curse. There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.
My Opinion:
WOW. Just WOW. Do I need to elaborate?
I'm not sure there are enough words to explain just how wow-worthy this book is, but I'll try.
Know that I do not like to post two posts on the same day (this being a Waiting on Wednesday), but I'm making an exception here.
(FYI, this is going to be a review full of fangirlying)
I do need to say this, and I apologise in advance:
OH MY FREAKIN' GOD! (In a Southern accent)
KAMI AND MARGIE, YOU ARE TRULY WRITING GODDESSES!
I LOVE BOTH OF YOU!
THANK YOU FOR HAVING WRITTEN THIS BOOK!
There, I needed to get it out of my system. On to the review.
This book is the longest I've read in a while, but I wish it would've kept on going, I didn't want it to end.
There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
Everything's been the same in old Gatlin for as long as Ethan can remember. He's gone to school with the same people every year, he's played with his best friend every day since he was little, he knows who's gonna win the election for Snow -I mean, Ice- Queen every time.
He always knows how the movie's gonna end.
At least, that’s what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
A nightmare haunts Ethan's nights. One where he's not alone. There's a girl with him, but he can't see her face, he can just smell her. She smells of lemons and rosemary. And they're falling, never able to come too close. She slips away from his grasp every time. Even his dreams never change. He's had this nightmare for months now.
But to Ethan's surprise, along comes a girl ready to turn his world upside down.
There was a curse. There was a girl.
That girl is Lena Duchannes. Dressed in all black, Ethan first sees her in the school's halls. And he's mesmerized by her immediately.
And when he goes looking for her, it hits him. The girl from his dreams -more like his nightmares- is here. She's real, and he can't believe she's so close to him, when in his dreams, they fell more and more apart.
But Lena's an outsider, she's seen as an intruder, and to top it all, she's the town's crazy shut-in's niece. Ethan doesn't care about this, about any of it, because she's the one he's been dreaming of all this time. And he has to know her. Even if that can kill him.
And in the end, there was a grave.
Ethan and Lena become fast friends, a friendship that'll later blossom into love. But she could leave him anytime, because the curse upon her is a very old, very powerful one. He tries to help her find the loopholes in this curse, but the closer they get, the worse it is.
Secrets and lies and spells and voodoo intertwine and it is up to Ethan to help Lena survive.
I loved everything about this book, I wouldn't change a single thing. Margie and Kami do a great job describing the town and its people. Their sacred traditions, and the rolls every one of them plays in their lives.
I think Amma was my favourite character; being Ethan's only parent (his mum died, and his dad is locked up in his study) she's taken upon herself the job to raise him well. But of course, like everything in this book, there's more to her than you would know.
I also liked how well characterised Ethan was. And Lena. And Uncle Macon. And Marian. Everyone, really.
Everything was there and done for a reason. Everything had a purpose.
I felt like Ethan a little, because I was able to guess some parts of the ending -in this case- of the book. Whenever this happens, I feel a little proud of myself. :D
And Oh. My. God, the kissing scenes! Ahhh! I just died a little every time I read them, I LOVED their description of how it felt like, it made me feel butterflies in my stomach.
The twists and turns this novel took were more and more exciting. I kept on reading until my eyes were closing at 3 a.m. It only took me three days to read this, that's how good it is and how much I loved it. Only a good book can keep me up at night.
And now, for the Monkey Rating, because I loved this book so much: 6 Monkeys!
(Please note that the highest rating is of 5 monkeys. Yep.)
I never reviewed Harry Potter because I read it before having started this blog, but I'd give it this rating too. I am a die hard HP fan, and now, a BC fan too. Can't wait until Beautiful Darkness, and, I have to say, I guessed its title right the first time Kami and Margie asked us what we thought it'd be.
Because there's something you don't know. I'm a Caster Girl too.
And I'll even tell you what I am. I am a Sybil, a face reader. So be careful when you're around me if you don't want me finding out your dirty secrets!
Perfect Parker Fadley isn’t so perfect anymore. She’s quit the cheerleading squad, she’s dumped her perfect boyfriend, and she’s failing school. Her parents are on constant suicide watch and her counselors think she’s playing games… but what they don’t know, the real reason for this whole mess, isn’t something she can say out loud. It isn’t even something she can say to herself.
A horrible thing has happened and it just might be her fault.
My Opinion:
THANK YOU Shesten (I Heart Monster) for having sent this to me! EVERYONE in the blogging world talked about this book when it came out, like it was The Greatest Book. And let me tell you, it's more than that.
A while ago I complained here how US books took forever to get to LA (Latin America). If they got here it was with months, sometimes years of delay.
CUTB was first published in 2008, and I really think it should be published in Spanish. I think every teenager in North, Central and South America should read this book. That's how good this book is. And the themes in it are great to discuss in and out of schools.
CUTB tells the story of an eighteen year-old teen, Parker Fadley, and what happens to her after Certain Event changes her life drastically.
Cracked Up To Be is the perfect title for this novel. After finished reading it we realize Parker Fadley is not at all cracked up to be.
An Event has twisted her life forever, leaving her taciturn and lonely. Summers does a great job hiding this Event throughout the book -we only discover it, or begin to guess at it towards the end of the book. I had my suspicions after having only read 75 pages, and I'm proud to say I wasn't that mistaken.
Parker won't let anyone get close to her. She wishes to die alone, literally. Having tried it once, she's constantly watched to prevent it from happening again. She meets with her Student Counselor and is threatened by her principal: if she fails to catch up with her asignments, she won't graduate, and what she wants most is to leave that school forever and be left alone. Her parents are strangers to her now, and she practically has no friends since That Event that changed everything for her.
At the beginning we don't know why Parker wants this things, nor what happened. And don't try to guess it, 'cause I can tell you, it's completely unexpected (well, I did guess the global Why, not exactly What).
And here comes Jake, the new kid. He gets close to Parker and she starts to change, to open up.
This book deserves all the high praise it's getting and more. It's a real book with characters that might as well be. It reels you in and doesn't let you go. I read it in two days. And stopped 'cause I had to get some sleep...
The problems that Parker deals with are entirely believable, and Summers' narrative (going from present to The Event) makes the pace of the book fast, keeping it really interesting.
An unforgettable story of first love in World War II
‘I'm not going to be able to see you for a while, Kitty. I have a couple of days' leave and then I'll be gone.' Kitty felt her stomach turn. A few minutes ago, waiting to meet Sammy, she had felt giddy with happiness. Now, she felt sick with fear that she might never see him again.
One beautiful spring morning, Kitty Danby meets Sammy Ray Bailey, a handsome young American pilot stationed nearby. Sixteen-year-old Kitty and Sammy fall quickly in love and, for a few precious weeks, the future holds a promise of happiness that Kitty hardly dares hope for. But it is 1944 and a tragic incident changes everything, leading to a web of secrets and misunderstandings which will only be understood years later . . .
My Opinion:
First of all, I'd like to thank author Val Rutt for having contacted me on impulse. Great things come from acting on impulse, and I think this was one of them.
Why? Because I loved this book. The story of an impossible love. Who doesn't want to experience that at least once in their lives? I do.
From the start we're introduced to Kitty Danby, 16, who's left her home in London to go and live with her aunt and uncle in the country. This happened during WW II, where most kids had to leave the comfort of their homes to be safer.
And if Kitty hadn't moved, she wouldn't have met Sammy.
Sammy Ray Bailey, American pilot, enters Kitty's life as a rescuer, and sweeps her off her feet. The two of them immediately become friends, and later fall in love. But what happens when one of them has a duty that forces him to go away, leaving the other one behind?
The writing style was one that's known, yet not really used nowadays. But it made complete sense. Going back and forth in Kitty's life, makes us understand the decisions that led her to where she is now. The people around her have an enormous impact on it, too. And I mean, it is big. This is one of those stories where you ask, what if?
And the ending made me go awwww! So, to me, that's what makes it a good book, one I'll remember reading when I'm older.
I wouldn't say this is completely YA, because it has Adult bits in it too. It can be enjoyed by people of all ages. (Well, 11+, really).
When Cassie moves from the tiny town where she has always lived to a suburb of Seattle, she is determined to leave her boring, good-girl existence behind. This is Cassie's chance to stop being invisible and become the kind of girl who's worth noticing.
Stepping into her new identity turns out to be easier than Cassie could have ever imagined...one moment, one choice, will change everything.
Cassie's new existence both thrills and terrifies her. Swept into a world of illicit parties and social landmines, she sheds her virginity, embraces the numbness she feels from the drugs, and floats through it all, knowing that she is now called beautiful. She ignores the dangers of her fast-paced life, but she can't sidestep the secrets and the cruelty.
Cassie is trapped in a swift downward spiral tinged with violence and abuse, and no one—not even the one person she thought she could trust—can help her now.
My Opinion:
Beautiful is a very powerful novel, and the fact that it's told from a thirteen-year-old makes it all the more profound.
Beautiful starts with the introduction of Cassie, who's recently moved with her family, and sees this as an opportunity to start over. Having had no friends in her old town, Cassie will do anything if it means she'll be accepted.
So when Alex comes along and invites her to join her table, Cassie is more than happy. But soon she'll learn that being Alex's friend, and trying to stay on her best side is not an easy thing to do.
Alex pressures her into taking drugs and having sex, both things that don't really have meaning, according to her.
Cassie comes from a broken family. Her mother is an alcoholic and her father wishes her were someplace else, rather than pretending to love Cassie and her mother. The world Alex introduces her to seems to hold all the answers to her problems. With drugs being an escape from the real world, alcohol filling the emptiness, and sex only meaning that someone wants her -even if it is just a physical thing- Cassie begins to feel that she belongs.
And then comes Sarah, Alex's half-sister. With a backstory so dark, it makes Cassie feel sick. Sarah and Cassie become fast friends, they both understand each other. But Alex is not so happy about this. Leading Sarah to make a decision that'll change her life forever. One that'll also impact on Cassie.
Did I enjoy the writing style, yes. What I thought was a little bleh was the ending, which was completely expected. I would have liked to see something different happen to Cassie, but this doesn't mean I didn't like the ending either. I goes to show how strong a person can become after having fallen so bad and hard.
Rebel without a cause. Except there is always a cause.
And the questions:
WHY AM I HERE? WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE? GUYS? GIRLS? HOPE? and FATHERS?
And it's there throughout the book, the songs, the video.
'That's Why I Wrote This Song' is the journey of four sixteen-seventeen year old girls and their relationships with their fathers - the good, the bad and the PSYCHO - and how that impacts on their relationships with boys, each other and their lives.
Something for Kate concert'That's Why I Wrote This Song' is about dependence-independence, guys, friendship, sexuality, mothers and daughters and the music:
* Rock concerts * Big Day Out * Weekend music festivals * The rock band with the four girls and * Eddie and their band called NOT PERFECT
NOT PERFECT - Hey, that's life, isn't it?
My Opinion: When Susanne asked me if I'd be willing to read and review her book, I said yes right away. I had no idea I'd love her book so much.
"Hope you love this book." I certainly did :) (Damn rain!!!)
This story's told from Pip's POV, guitar player, singer, songwriter, and daughter of a Psycho Dad. Gervay does a great job introducing the girls, and I fell in love with all of them straight away.
Pip, Karen, Irina and Angie go to an all-girls school, and together form a band (later called Not Perfect, which is a perfect name for them. Pun not intended.) They all have a solid backstory, and Pip's take on these things makes it completely believable. Plus for Gervay.
Pip comes from a home where her dad's absent (his job often takes him away). When this happens, the sun shines in Pip's home. But it goes away the minute her father walks into the house. Constant yelling, arguments and fear invade the house, and all everyone wants is for their dad to go back to work. Not her mother, though. She goes into an automat state, making sure everything is spick and span, and perfect for her husband's arrival. Which, of course, puts them all into a cleaning frenzy. Dad gets home, and hell breaks loose. Nothing Pip's mum does is right. There's always something wrong.
Karen comes from an even more broken family. With no real home, her mum has chosen her new boyfriend over her, and her dad his new wife. Karen's dad is the real Psycho Dad, angry and violent toward her all the time.
Irina's from a Russian family who moved to Australia to escape Russia's coldness, in every sense of the word. Her family's Jewish, and living in a country where you can't express your religion openly can be tough. More so if you're six years old, with no clue as to why that other kid just threw a rock at you, and is calling you names that make you cry.
Angie is the only daughter of her parents and lives a happy life. Happy until she discovers a secrer her father's been keeping from her, a secret that shatters her perfect life.
In Gervay's words: Life isn't perfect.
What brings them all together is their love for MUSIC.
After being asked by their Music teacher to perform at the school's Music Concert, Not Perfect is born. The band was always there, but naming it brings the girls closer together. Music is their escape from the dramas of life. Sometimes the only escape they have.
Gervay does a wonderful job describing every girl's emotions through Pip's eyes.
Why do I love this book? Because I can relate to these girls. I feel them as if they were real. Another plus for Susanne.
A whirlwind of real emotions with real foundations, and great story-telling make this book amazing. If I get to choose between a Coming-Of-Age book and a Paranormal book, I choose the Paranormal, so it's a big deal that I'm saying this.
"Psycho Dad"'s Lyrics and Video Clip You do NOT want to miss this!
Kudos to Tory for writing such a beautiful and heartfelt song! Listening to it makes me love the book even more!
Verse 1 -
All of the times I cried I wish you'd just die Shouting and all the rest But now I have learned best What you did was wrong That's why I wrote this song So maybe you would see Just what you have done to me
Chorus -
Cause I don't want you And I don't need you You were so bad You are my psycho dad
Verse 2 -
You call me all the time You won't give us a dime I can't believe this is real The way you made me feel You have your new wife And your new life My eyes are getting sore So just walk out that door
Chorus -
Cause I don't want you And I don't need you Your life is so sad You are a psycho dad
Cause I don't want you And I don't need you Your life is so sad You are a psycho dad
Middle 8 -
I (I) really (really) don't know how (don't know how) But I (But I) know I (know I) Hate you so much now
I (I) really (really) don't know how (don't know how) But I (But I) know I (know I) Hate you so much now
Verse 3 -
You made me feel always scared I knew you never cared You left me all broken and scarred And made our life so hard I've got my family And I hope you can see That I don't want you around I've got my feet on the ground
Chorus -
Cause I don't want you And I don't need you You are so mad You are no one's psycho dad
Cause I don't want you And I don't need you You are so mad You are no one's psycho dad
Outro -
No one's psycho dad No one's psycho dad No one's psycho dad No one's psycho dad
Susanne has agreed to let me host a Giveaway for That's Why I Wrote This Song, and it's open Internationally!
To Enter: Just leave a comment with your name and e-mail. -> 1 Entry.
Extra Entries: Tell us how you'd name your band, and why. For this you get 5 Entries! 1 Entry for Tweeting (leave link). 1 Entry for Linking on Sidebar (leave link).
The Giveaway will end on March 14th. That's 3 weeks from today. Spread the word, and good luck!
Ellie and six of her friends return from a winter break camping trip to find their homes burned or deserted, their families imprisoned, and their country occupied by a foreign military force in league with a band of disaffected Australians. As their shock wears off, the seven decide they must stick together if they are to survive. After a life-threatening skirmish with the occupiers, the teens retreat to their isolated campsite in the bush country and make plans to fight a guerilla war against the invaders. Writing in a distinct voice and showing rare intelligence and sensitivity, Ellie recounts their courageous battles against the Goliath in control of their land. She also records her feelings and observations about the romantic partnerships that develop within her small circle of friends, and shows how they mature and blossom during this time of crisis. Though readers are left wondering whether these heroes and heroines will survive (one is severely wounded at the end of the novel), Ellie's uncommonly honest and clear narration makes this coming-of-age adventure a story they won't forget.
My Opinion:
I started reading this book when I read that there was going to be a movie based on it. I like reading the books first, then watching the movies.
I'd read many reviews that spoke very highly of this series, so I was expecting something more. I really liked this book, but I didn't OMG-love it. There were times were I wanted something to happen, but it didn't and then I'd get angry. For instance, when you're reading about a character who's in love with someone, but they daren't make the first move, and that drives me up the walls, you know what I mean? And it's silly, but you get attached to those characters, and you don't want anything bad happening to them. That's exactly how I felt here.
Tomorrow... takes place in the small rural Australian town of Wirrawee (fictional), and its neighbouring farms and mountainous areas. Hell is where the characters make their new home, after everything else's been invaded. Ironically enough, Hell is the safest place left in Wirrawee for them to hide. I enjoyed thouroughly the scenary in which Marsden placed these characters, it was beautiful in my mind, and I can't wait to see the movie and really see those places.
This story's narrator's Ellie, but I didn't feel as much for her as I do for other MCs. I did want her to be happy, and safe and end up with the one she wanted to be, but I just wasn't "in love" with the character. It's not like she's plain or without background, I just didn't relate to her. Ellie's the designated driver, because of her skills in driving. I was quite happy to see that it was a girl who was in charge of such dangerous tasks. Then we've got Homer, who's sort of the natural leader of the group. He's a rebel, and that's mainly what made me love him. Corrie's Ellie's best friend, Ellie thinks of her as her sister. She's a very practical girl. She's also Kevin's girlfriend. I don't know what to think of Kevin yet. I'll have to keep reading the series to find out more about him. Then there's Fi, your typical city girl. She was my favourite character, because when it came to making the really difficult and most dangerous plans come to fruition, she was there and up for it, no matter how scared she was. In Ellie's words: "I admired her courage in taking the job Homer had given her, because I guess true courage is when you're really scared but you still do it." I could see how much she changed from being someone who has her things done for her, to actually doing these things herself. And I felt a little proud of her, I must say. She also falls for Homer, forming an interesting match. Lee's Ellie's love interest. I loved how quiet he was sometimes, but how outspoken he could get when encouraged. Especially around Ellie. He's very passionate, and sometimes I was jealous of Ellie and wanted to knock some sense into her (that was one of those moments where I wanted something to happen but it didn't. Arghhhh!). Robyn is a very nice and lovable character. Religious, and very determined. She's the glue in this group. Chris is the last to join the group. He's always trying to make himself noticed. But unlike Fi, when it's time to get down to it, he's the last to volunteer. Just like Kevin, I still don't know what to think of him.
One of my favourite parts was when Ellie discovers the truth about the Hermit, a man who supposedly lived in Hell, isolated and alone (he goes there after having killed his wife and son; those are the rumours), many years before. My other favourite part, the one I can't wait to see in the movie, is one that happens at the end of the book. Those of you who've read it know what I'm talking about.
Marsden leaves us with a great cliffhanger, and I can't wait to keep on reading the series. I really wanted to love this book, after all those great reviews I'd read. Maybe the fact that I started reading last month, left it there, and picked it up again last week is one of the reasons why I felt there was something missing. But who knows, I might change my mind about this one.
Fifteen-year-old Kambili is the dutiful and self-effacing daughter of a rich man, a religious fanatic and domestic tyrant whose public image is of a politically courageous newspaper publisher and philanthropist. No one in Papa's ancestral village, where he is titled "Omelora" (One Who Does For the Community), knows why Kambili's brother cannot move one of his fingers, nor why her mother keeps losing her pregnancies. When a widowed aunt takes an interest in Kambili, her family begins to unravel and re-form itself in unpredictable ways.
My Opinion:
Amazing book. Really, this is a must read for everyone.
To read a story like this, told from the POV of an innocent 15-year-old Nigerian girl, is a strong and powerful experience.
I feel like I'm not doing this book justice with this review, but I'll try.
Imagine if your world consisted of doing what your told, no matter how dumb, and thinking it's the right thing to do. And it's right because He says so. Imagine having to live by a schedule on a daily basis, with hours for study, and family hours. Everything organised, right? But what about your freedom? Freedom of speech, of action.
This is the life of 15-year-old Kambili (Káhm-bili not Kahmbí-li). She thinks she's doing what God has planned for her, and what will make her Father proud. Never taking herself into consideration, but it's not like we can blame her. She knows no other way of living. That is until she goes to Nsukka to spend a few days with her Aunt Ifeoma.
Spending five days away from home can make all the difference in the world. Now Kambili is learning that there's more to life than picking out an English name for your Confirmation. Knows that there are things her Father is the only one to blame. And not even his acts of charity can make up for what he's done. Because what father punches her child to the verge of leaving her half-dead?
With the help and guidance of her Aunt Ifeoma, Kambili and her brother Jaja begin to accept that it's time to make a better life for themselves and their mother.
For most kids, a trip to space camp is a trip of a lifetime, for Aadi it was life altering. After receiving a camp immunization needed for travel to Mars, Aadi finds that the immunization is the catalyst of an insidious experiment. Lucky for him, he was engineered to survive, thrive, and dominate. Without realizing he is being trained to conquer worlds, and manipulated under the guise of a camp, he unfolds the plot too late for a change of fate. Aadi’s world is shaken upon the revelation that life before camp was not what it appeared. This solidifies his plan to save them all from the company that seeks to control him, only for his rescue to end abruptly due to a freak accident on a field trip to Mars. The full experiment is set in motion when he and his co-pilot, Eirena, crash in a distant galaxy called Shrenas, where they change and realize the full extent of their power. Holding onto his humanity, in the midst of turning into a god is Aadi's biggest battle yet. This turn of events causes him to put his childish thoughts away, forcing him to accept his change, and to decide to save a world, or to do what he was trained to do, dominate it. In the midst his struggles with his changes, his power is coveted by the warring leaders of Shrenas, and he is forced to choose sides to save a life, or to save himself. A decision that may prove just how much humanity he has left.
My Opinion:
Explorer X - Alpha was my very first sci-fi book, and although it is a YA book, it was definitely
not a good book for me. I'm used to reading this genre, and when author LM Preston contacted me for a review, I said why not? I need to get out of my comfort zone from time to time.
This book's beginning was really slow for my taste, where I spent half of the book reading about Aadi and his friends at Space Camp, trying to find out more about why they were a part of an Experiment (called Experiment X). After the first 3/4 of the book, I did become attached to the characters, not wanting anything bad to happen to them. Let's not forget, this is the first in a trilogy, maybe that's why it was so slow to get into?
The writing was a little off for me, too. The character introduced themselves by saying: "Hello, my name is (Aadi)." After reading "Hi, my name is ..." ten times in a row, I started to get a little annoyed. It didn't sound like something a teen would say so often. I needed a "Hi, I'm ..." Sometimes less is more. Also, there were very few abreviations, which made the reading heavy. Sometimes, the kids sounded more like grown-ups than kids. I don't know if this type of writing is specific for the genre, but it was not my cup of tea.
Moving on to the story. We're immediately introduced to Aadi, our male protagonist, and join him in his entrance to Space Camp. Here he'll meet his new friends: Eirena, Raiko, Damien, Scott, Dakota and Tacitus. Aadi's relationship with Eirena begins as a competitive one, but it lets you know that they'll end up together in the end. Damien is your regular bad boy, very conceited. The rest of them were normal characters, with the exception of Tacitus, whom I'd like to find out more about. Overall, I thought the characters lacked depth. I would've liked to see more background to them.
In the last quarter of the book, the part I liked most, we finally see some action. Aadi and Eirena are thrown into an alien planet in the galaxy called Shrenas. Here they find allies... and enemies. They'll go through changes that'll turn them into something more than human and, while helping one of the races living in Shrenas win a centuries old war, they'll have to do everything in their power to find their way back home.
I confirm my previous suspicion: sci-fi is not a genre for me. I do like Star Wars, though.
But to those of you who do like this genre, I can tell you, you'd like this book.
About the Author: LM. Preston was born and raised in Washington, DC. An avid reader, she loved to create poetry and short-stories as a young girl. With a thirst for knowledge she attended college at Bowie State University, and worked in the IT field as a Techie and Educator for over sixteen years. She started writing science fiction under the encouragement of her husband who was a Sci-Fi buff and her four kids. Her first published novel, Explorer X - Alpha was the beginning of her obsessive desire to write and create stories of young people who overcome unbelievable odds. She loves to write while on the porch watching her kids play or when she is traveling, which is another passion that encouraged her writing.
For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.
But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.
For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.
My Opinion:
I can now die happy, knowing I've read this amazing book. Yeah, I loved it that much. Everyone was right, Becca has created a super dangerous but yet enticing world, and I couldn't help but to fall for Patch along with Nora.
Hush, Hush begins in 1565, introducing us to Patch and a boy called Chauncey. Patch forces the boy to take an oath, one that you cannot refuse to obey.
Fast forward to the present day. We meet Nora Grey, simple high school student, and her best friend Vee Sky in a biology class. Enter Patch -whose last name we don't discover until half of the book's been read-. After Coach McConaughy decides it's time to make a new seating chart, Nora and Patch end up becoming each other's bio partner.
When Coach gives them their first asignment, it's clear from a start that school's the last thing Patch is interested in. While he certainly shows no interest in finishing his task, the same thing cannot be said about his interest in Nora.
So, they meet again. And again. And every time, sparks fly between them, undeniably real. Nora is torn between the urge to escape him, and the need to kiss him.
Enter Elliot and Jules. Apparently rich kids, Elliot's transferred to Coldwater High School, and is now Nora and Vee's classmate. Jules remains in the background, barely making appereances. Which only makes him the more mysterious. As I read about him, I had a feeling there was just something wrong there. Hmm...
And now Nora's being followed. And there's someone in her mind... But who is it?
Nora'll find out the truth about Patch, even if it represents a risk to her life. Because there's one huge reason why Patch is after her. To kill her. Because a fallen angel needs a human sacrifice to become human. Will Nora make the ultimate sacrifice? Monkey Rating: 5 Monkeys!
If this book is still in your To Be Read pile, GO READ IT NOW! I know I'll read it again soon, when I find me a printed copy of the book.
How did I read this book you may ask? On E-Book format. How are my eyes after reading it non-stop (how could I stop when I was dying to find out Patch's true intentions!)? OK. Now that I'm done. I only stopped reading to get some sleep, because my eyes were begging me to rest. Last night I couldn't tell the difference between an l and an I.
I'll always remember Becca for being the very first author I interviewed! Thanks Becca for being so nice! Read the interview here.
