Anything But Ordinary by Lara Avery

When Bryce wakes up in the hospital, she knows that she was in a diving accident. It feels like it might have been a few days since she hurt her head in the pool, but she comes to find out that it was 5 YEARS!

Her little sister is now 17 years old. Bryce herself is now 22 years old. She missed her high school graduation, she missed going to the Olympics and getting gold medals. She missed going to college and graduating with her Bachelor's Degree.

She missed a lot of things.

And worse? Her boyfriend Greg and her best friend Gabby are now engaged to be married.

Everyone moved on without her. They continued her lives while she was in a coma for five years.

Everyone was surprised when she woke up. Because her injuries should have made Bryce be a coma forever.

Now Bryce is doing the unthinkable. She is walking, talking, and functioning after a few mishaps. She wants to get her life back in track again. And she has the help of Carter, the med student who has been watching over her for five years.

Carter has become her crutch, someone she can talk to because she can't talk to anyone else. Everyone else has either moved on or is expecting her to be the same Bryce she was five years ago.

But Carter just listens to Bryce and is there for her.

Things get really weird, though, when Bryce keeps having visions. But the visions aren't always about Bryce. Sometimes she has visions about other people. Things that have happened sometime during the last five years. Things that Bryce should have no way of knowing what happened because she was in a coma.

Somehow she does know. And this gift does not come without a price.

Just when things are starting to get better for Bryce, she gets another shock. Can Bryce survive this surprise, or will it be too much for her after everything she's been through? Read Anything But Ordinary by Lara Avery to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This was a very intriguing book. I was first sucked in when I read the summary, and it only got better when I started reading the novel.

I really liked the topic of diving and going to the Olympics. I found it refreshing and something I haven't read a thousand times in a YA novel. And Bryce knew that she was good; she wanted to win at least one gold medal, if not two by the time she was 22.

The idea of waking up after 5 years of being in a coma is scary. To wake up and realize that not only is she supposed to be graduated from college, but she is legal to drink and gamble? That is a bit much to process for anyone.

I think Bryce did a great job adjusting though. And the recovery she did! For being in one position for 5 years, she was able to start walking and moving around like normal in a remarkable time span!

I really liked Carter. He was always there for her and never asked questions. He looked after her and wanted to protect her. Even though he has seen her for five years, he never made assumptions about her after she woke up.

And the ending. It's gut wrenching. So bittersweet. I'm almost  unsure if I actually liked this book when I think about it as a whole. I mean, I do like this book and there is a great message in this novel, but at the same time... Very sad and heart breaking. I almost want another novel but in Carter's viewpoint to see what happens after the ending scene.

Overall, really, really enjoyed this book! Did not see a few things and other things were very obvious. I would definitely recommend this to other readers because there is a lot of different topics in here that could appeal to a variety of readers!

Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

This is the fourth, and final, novel in the Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

My review of #1: Beautiful Creatures
My review of #2: Beautiful Darkness
My review of #2.5: Dream Dark
My review of #3: Beautiful Chaos

WARNING - This will contain spoilers from the previous novels! Continue reading with caution!

Ethan remembers jumping off of the water tower to even out the balance in his world, knowing that he is sacrificing himself and leaving everyone he loves behind. But when he wakes up in the Otherworld and is reunited with his mother, he realizes that he hasn't "moved on" and still has some unfinished business.

Mainly, getting back to Lena. Because Ethan finds out that he wasn't supposed to be sacrificed, but it was written into the Caster Chronicles recently.

And Ethan found out that there is a way to go back to Lena, Link, Amma, everyone he cares about.

But first Ethan has to fight the inner battle inside of himself: does he want to leave his mother again after just being reunited with her? He's missed her this past year and wants to have everyone he loves alive and with him. But he must make a choice, and soon.

After deciding to go back to being alive, Ethan has a very hard task ahead of him. It's not easy becoming undead - otherwise everyone would be coming back to life.

There are certain things Ethan needs. Some are in the Otherworld. Some are back in the plane where everyone is alive. Ethan has to figure out how to get all of the items needed, find the path to the Far Keep, and tear his page out of the Caster Chronicle book. Sounds easy, right?...

When Lena gets a sense that Ethan is around and is communicating with her through the crosswords, Lena is on a mission to get Ethan back with her, no matter the price. Because even though the balance is in order, Lena needs to have Ethan with her in order for everything to be right again.

So when she is faced with the impossible mission to get the Book of the Moon, she starts planning and goes to no lengths to figure out how to give Ethan that book, even though he's in a different universe than she is.

And even though everyone is doubting that it is really Ethan communicating with her, Lena has no doubt and doesn't care what the others say. She will find a way to give Ethan what he needs and will hope that everything will work in their favor to bring Ethan back.

Because without one another, Ethan and Lena will not be whole again, no matter what universe they live in.

But there are a lot of obstacles ahead, for both Lena and Ethan. Can they both overcome the issues to come, or will it be too much to bring Ethan back to Lena? Read the epic final conclusion of the Caster Chronicles series, Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Such a great conclusion to this series! I'm so glad that I re-read them again after they were all published! Now I can say that I experienced this amazing world that Garcia and Stohl created about overcoming impossible obstacles to be with the one you love.

As I've said before in the previous book reviews, I just love the way that the authors made this though Ethan's point of view. It's refreshing from the other novels I've been reading and it's nice that even though Ethan isn't just a normal Mortal, he's still not the most supernatural being in the book.

I did like in this book that we got to read Lena's viewpoint a little bit. Let's the reader get inside of her head and see what she thinks for a change, instead of just Ethan's.

I thought everything was wrapped up very nicely with no loose strings by the end of the series, which is always a plus in my book.

One thing that I'm curious about in regards to the movie that they previously released is how things will go from book to movie for the upcoming novels. There were some things that were different in the first movie that wasn't in the book, which could cause for complications for the next movies if they decide to continue to make them.

I thought that this book was the most serious one, yet I found myself laughing out loud the most out of all 5 novels. I saw a bit more humor than the previous books, so that was a nice touch.

Overall, great novel and great series! So glad I decides to re-read them and was even shocked by some events that came to be in this last novel.

I would definitely recommend this whole series to teen readers and it will be at the top of my verbal recommendation list if any of my teen patrons at the library ask me for my opinion!

Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

This is the third novel in the Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

My review of #1: Beautiful Creatures
My review of #2: Beautiful Darkness
My review of #2.5: Dream Dark

WARNING - This will contain spoilers from the previous novels! Continue reading with caution!

Ever since Lena made her decision on her 17th moon, things have gotten a bit hectic for the small town of Gatlin, South Carolina.

For one, the water in the lake is all dried up. Another, they haven't gotten rain in forever and now they are having a drought where it's over 100 degrees outside.

But it's not just Gatlin that is getting hit with the strange weather. All over the world, locations are going into an "end of the world" feeling where things that aren't supposed to happen are.

And it's all because Lena chose which Caster she wanted to be: both. She chose to be herself and is now both Dark and Light Caster, making her have one green eye and one gold eye.

Ethan has been feeling weird ever since the night she chose. He has a feeling that someone is following him, but he can't see anything. And he's been having dreams. Not the normal visions he usually has with Lena, but more of someone trying to get him.

Also, Ethan has been forgetting little things. Like his birthday, his home phone number, etc. His favorite meals and drinks no longer taste appealing and he's eating things he used to hate.

Something is wrong with Ethan, and he needs to figure out what it is soon. Because with Abraham and Sarafine trying to keep the Balance out of order, he needs his wits together.

Along with Macon looking for John Breed, Abraham is too, and he thinks Ethan knows where John is. But when Ethan doesn't know, Abraham destroys the town of Gatlin to find him.

Which means that the people Ethan loves is in danger from creatures they can't even see. Now Ethan has to figure out where John Breed is, who the "One that is Two" is so they can sacrifice themselves to balance the order again, and find out what is wrong with himself and why he is forgetting things everyday.

But when everyone finds out who the "One That Is Two" is, convincing them to sacrifice themselves is going to be a lot harder than they originally thought. Because it is going to affect everyone in town, and everyone Ethan loves.

To find out what happens, read Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Garcia and Stohl just get better and better with these novels!

Yeah, I still have to read them slower than I would with other YA novels, but that's because there is a lot of information in these 500 page books. However, I really like them because they are so different than the other YA novels I've read, so I'm okay with going slow.

The way the authors tied everything together was amazing. I did figure out who the "One That Is Two" was before it was revealed, but only barely.

And the ending! Let's just say, I'm extremely glad that I have the fourth, and last, book available to read right away, otherwise I would have been majorly mad!!

I do have to say, though, that Lena and Ethan just can't get a break. They haven't really been together in forever and even when they are, the whole mortals and Casters can't touch thing is going against them. I hope in the end that the authors find a way for them to be happy, otherwise this whole series will be for nothing!

But yeah, I really liked this novel. It was slower than the other novels in the series so far, but every series needs a slower book to get everything in line for the ending.

I would definitely recommend these novels to other readers, and I can even recommend them to guy readers since Ethan is the narrator of the book! No sappy feelings about liking a guy - this time it's Ethan trying to find a way to be with Lena!

However, I would say that everyone needs to read these novels from beginning to end in order because otherwise ya might be a little confused and won't be able to see little hints throughout the series.

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

This is the second book in the Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

My review of #1: Beautiful Creatures.

WARNING - This book will contain spoilers from the first novel. Proceed with caution!

Now that Lena's 16th birthday has passed and she wasn't forced to choose between being a Light or Dark Caster, Ethan thinks that everything is going to go back to the way things were.

Except it isn't. Not by a long shot. In fact, the more Ethan tries to hangout with Lena, the more distant she becomes. She won't even Kelt with him - talk to him with her mind. She is completely cutting herself off from Ethan and won't tell him what is going on.

So Ethan decides to give her the space she seems to want and gets a job at the library to work with Marian and learn more about Casters and Mortals.

While at the library, he meets Marian's new "intern", Liv. And she is an intern, only she's interning to be the next keeper of the Caster Library, not the Gatlin library.

Things look bleak for Ethan, though, when he sees that Lena is hanging out more and more with Ridley and a new boy in town, John Breed. And John's not just a summer thing - he appears to be an Incubus, but can walk into the sun without getting burned like a Caster. All Ethan knows is that he doesn't like Lena being around two obviously Dark Casters when she is fighting inside herself if she is light or dark.

But the more Ethan tries to talk to her, the worse things get.

Then other strange things are happening. Ethan is having visions of the past again, only it's not through his ancestor, but through the Ravenwood Incubus's. First it was Abraham, the first Ravenwood Incubus and later he was seeing visions about Macon, Lena's dead uncle.

And somehow Ethan's mother is also in his visions, giving Ethan a different side of his mother that he had never seen before.

Even though Ethan and Lena aren't on speaking terms, that doesn't stop Ethan from trying to help Lena make her decision about choosing the Light or the Dark way. Ethan is definitely a part of her decision, if only he can find a way to get through Lena's defenses and really talk to her.

With Sarafine trying to get Lena on her Dark side and Ethan trying to convince Lena toward the Light, Lena has some tough decisions to make. And Ethan just hopes that he will be able to survive and stay alive long enough to talk to her.

What will Lena decide to do? Will Ethan's feelings about Lena change after everything she put him through? And will other supernatural forces and beings get in the way between Lena and Ethan before he can talk to her? Read Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Even though I find myself drifting throughout some parts in these novels, I'm still blown away by the imagination and creativeness in the books Garcia and Stohl have created!

One thing that I am really enjoying about this series is that it is through Ethan's point of view. Not many YA books are told through a guy's point of view and I'm actually really liking this different narration.

And the second thing I really like and think is unique is that Ethan is the lowly human, the Mortal, in this story, yet we get to read through his point of view. Many times it's through the supernatural character that we read through, so this is another thing I found enjoyable.

I have to give Ethan props. Even when Lena was pushing him away and saying she doesn't want to be with him anymore, Ethan didn't give up on helping Lena. He wanted to show her what she could do with her choice and was very persistent on trying to help her and find her when she was in trouble.

I did enjoy the moments between Liv and Ethan, even though many readers are probably a "team Ethan+Lena" fan. There was just something about the way they acted that had me smiling when Liv and Ethan were hanging out.

I was very curious about John Breed. He seemed possessive of Lena, but it was obvious they weren't together, together. Just protecting each other.

So, yeah, I did like this novel and thought the ending was again vague like the first one, but I have two more books to go through so I won't have to wait long to read what happens next!

I would definitely recommend readers to read this series, but would suggest they read them in order to fully understand the storyline. And guys can definitely read this book since it is 100% through Ethan's point of view.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

This is the first book in the Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

Nothing changes in the small town of Gatlin, South Carolina. Ethan can attest to that. He can't wait to get out of this traditional town that is more focused on what happened in the past than what will occur in the future.

But the minute a new girl comes to town, everything changes. Gatlin doesn't get new comers. In fact, the last new person was when Ethan was in 3rd grade.

And it's not just a nobody that comes to town, but Old Man Ravenwood's niece  Macon Ravenwood hasn't been seen by anyone in town - he stays locked up in his house. So when Lena Duchannes comes into town and is in Ethan's class, things are about to get interesting.

The Ravenwood family has a unique story, or at least the story that the locals tell. It's said that her whole family are witches and cast curses left and right.

All Ethan knows is that he is fascinated by Lena. She is not like any girl he has ever met before. She dresses differently than the girls at school, she knows all of the answers in their English class because she reads all of the time. And she doesn't try to gain attention from all of the guys, even though everyone can't take their eyes off of her or stop gossiping about her.

But Ethan finds out that Lena really isn't like other girls. In fact, she's extremely unique from everyone who lives in Gatlin.

Lena's family are casters, people who have unique abilities and can cast spells or curses. And on their 16th birthday, they are either casted to the Light or the Dark. But for Lena's family, they don't get a choice of going good or evil, but will be forced to be whatever the moon decides for them.

Lena's birthday is coming up soon. And she is getting more and more nervous about being forced to be Dark. Ethan won't allow that. He will make sure that she will go to the Light. Only Ethan is a mortal, just a mere human who has no say over the caster business.

So the two play a waiting game and try to find a way to not get casted by the Dark.

However, other players are coming into the game. One of the darkest Casters wants Lena on their side, and will stop at nothing to get Lena. Because once she becomes Dark, there will be nothing stopping the two of them.

What side will Lena end up on? Will Ethan be able to keep her safe, even though he's only human? Or will the choice be inevitable for Lena? Read Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I've read and done a review about this book two years ago, but just recently re-read it and decided to do a different review for it. The one I did previously was when I first started this blog and didn't really have a system, so there were spoilers and I wanted a non-spoiler one for readers to read.

Again, I really enjoyed this novel. I did go watch the movie they made, which was another reason I read this again and found the differences from the movie and the book, but both were really good.

One thing that I had forgotten since the last time I read this was that the whole book was in Ethan's point of view. I really enjoyed reading about what the main guy was thinking and how a human would perceive information about a supernatural issue.

I really enjoyed reading about this small, southern town ways. I live in the Midwest and there aren't any traditions that have been kept, so reading about Gatlin and their strange ways of reenacting the battle from over 100 years was interesting and something I'm not familiar with.

I'm also glad that I read this novel again because there are things that are different from the novel that will be more helpful when I read the next 3 novels in the series.

For anyone who is interested in supernatural topics such as magic, along with reading about an old style town that can't get out of the past, this would be a perfect book for you. There are times where it is a lot of description and not a whole lot of action, but overall I really enjoyed it and can't wait to find out what happens next in this series!

New Girl by Paige Harbison

Being the new girl sucks. Being the new girl at a boarding school senior year? It's horrible. Plus the fact that she took the place of another girl who went missing the previous year didn't make for a very good start to this huge change in life.

But she didn't want to disappoint her parents - they've been sending applications every year until she finally got in.

Now that she's at Manderley Academy, though, the thought of going back to FL where everything is familiar and normal is very tempting. But she's sticking it out for the year - what could possibly go wrong?

Well, one, the roommate, Dana, hates her on sight. Dana used to be roommates with Becca, the very popular, very pretty girl who disappeared right before the previous year.

Two, everyone at this preppy school thinks that she wants to be Becca. They have the same hair color, the same room, so of course she wants to be like the one person at the school that she hasn't met.

And three, no one - NO ONE - calls her by her name. They all think of her as "the new girl" and for some reason that's the only thing she's been associated by.

Finally, Max Holloway. He makes her feel all sorts of feelings. The problem? Max is Becca's boyfriend - well before she disappeared. So now she has to stay away from Max because everyone will think that she wants to be Becca even more.

But no one knows the drama that happened between Becca, Max, and Max's best friend Johnny. Not even Max and Johnny. Only Becca, and she's not around to tell it.

So now she has to take the consequences of Becca leaving and make her parents happy, while also trying to fight her attraction toward Max, which is a little difficult because it seems that Max might like her as well.

What will the new girl do? Can things get to a point where she might get her own identity, or will this whole senior just be a time where she wished never happened? Read New Girl by Paige Harbison to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Goodreads recommended this book to me so I thought I would try it. It was alright, not the best thing I've read, but there were some things that really interested me.

First, the way everyone acted around Becca. I think everyone at Manderley Academy was very boring before Becca came, because they treated her like a celebrity. She made the party a party and everyone loved her for it, even though they never knew the real Becca.

Secondly, this is told through first person, so the main girl, the new girl? We only see her name once in the book, at the very end. Because it was told through first person, I never realized that no one called her by her name - not once. When I read her name, I was startled and had to remember hard if I had seen it throughout the book, but I hadn't. The reader basically generalizes the girl as the new girl because that's what the author wanted us to do.

And lastly, this was told by Becca and new girl's point of view, giving the reader a chance to see how the previous year was when Becca was the new girl. Both girls are very different from one another, yet there is something there that makes them unforgettable for the students at Manderley Academy.

So this book was okay. There were points where I rolled my eyes or thought it was annoying, but I think the storyline was really good and the author did a great job depicting new students coming into a shadow of a celebrity figure.

For anyone who wants a mystery plot line while also reading about a strong willed female character, I would recommend this to you!

Dreaming Awake by Gwen Hayes

This is the second book in the Falling Under series by Gwen Hayes.

My review of #1: Falling Under.

After Theia's trip back to her normal life after being abducted into Under, she finds herself a little out of place. Because Mara did a blood ritual with her and gave Theia her demon blood, Theia now finds herself having odd cravings and is trying really hard not to suck the souls out of her classmates.

But things are going semi-sorta good with her and Hayden. Granted, they both have some demon inside of them so they have the same urges - can understand one another better.

Also, after leaving her life for awhile, she comes back to having everyone assume she ran away from home. Her father hasn't said more than five words to her since her arrival, pretending that nothing wrong had happened instead of yelling at her or grounding her.

Something strange is happening at Theia's high school though. All of the sneetches (popular students) are looking a little down. It looks like they haven't slept in awhile, are having rough nights, and have shallow looking physique.

Theia thinks that Hayden is not able to control his Lure and is draining their souls a little bit at a time. Instead of confronting him about it, she just ignores it is happening.

Also, Theia's urges are getting harder and harder to control. She finds herself slipping, and at night she feels more comfortable in Under than with her friends and Hayden.

When Mara, Hayden's mother and the queen of Under, comes into Theia's human life and pays a lot of attention to her father, Theia must figure out what to do. Should she ignore her demon side and let Mara do whatever she wants or should she fight back using the very thing Mara gave her? Read Dreaming Awake by Gwen Hayes to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
It has been a very long time since I read the first book in this series, so it took a few pages to remember what had happened at the end of the first novel.

After I figured that out, though, I started to enjoy this novel. I didn't enjoy the reason why Theia and Hayden split in the middle, because I never like it when an obvious couple breaks up for no good reason, but other than that I really enjoyed where the story line went.

I also think there was a little bit of character development for Theia. There were times she went back into her shy self, but for the most part she definitely grew into a woman instead of a girl and she went after what she wanted instead of the people around her.

As far as I know, this is the end of the series? Just the two books. I think that there could be a great story to follow if Hayes wanted to keep going with Theia and Hayden, but it was a good ending for the two book series!

I would recommend this to anyone who wants to read about supernatural creatures - in this case demons or succubi's - and a main female who has found herself changed completely from the person that she used to be.

I'm really glad that I was able to finally get this book and finish the series! Really enjoyed it and I think others would as well :)

Eve of Destruction by Patrick Carman

This is the second book in the Dark Eden series by Patrick Carman.

My review of #1: Dark Eden.

It's been a year since Will left Fort Eden, minus his uncontrollable fear. Now him and the other 16 year olds are trying to live their lives as normal as possible.

Except that isn't happening very well. They may have been cured of their fears, but they got horrible side effects, such as falling asleep throughout the day, getting arthritis, becoming deaf, having dizzy spells, keep having consistent migraines, the ever present legs that fall asleep when one sits for too long, or white hair.

Things that normal 16 year olds would not have.

Out of the blue, Will gets an invite from his old doctor saying that Eve Goring wants all 6 of them to come visit one last time, as she is on her death bed about ready to die.

After much convincing, Will gets the others (Marisa, Kate, Conner, Ben and Alex) to go on the trip. The only one missing is Avery, who is with Rainsford transformed into Davis after the cure's results.

Only when they get there, things feel off. They can't find Mrs. Goring at first and when they do, she was acting a little odd.

Then she made Will become an outcast by announcing that Will has been keeping a secret from the other 5 the whole time they left Fort Eden. And that didn't bode well for them, especially Marisa since they have been dating this whole time.

Now, Goring is making them do another thing, because she's not really dying. She just wanted them to come do a task that she couldn't do herself.

Get vials of their blood that have their fear.

The reason the 6 of them do it? Because once they get all 7 of the vials, they can cure their side effects.

So now they are all positioned in another game created by Fort Eden in order to be a small pawn in a big game where they don't know all of the rules. But they will be faced with challenges that will test them mentally and physically to get what they all desire.

Will they be able to get all 7 of the vials? How can they get all 7, though, if Avery is still with Davis? And is Goring just pulling their strings about a cure, trying to get what she wants, or is there a chance that things can finally go back to normal for the 6 of them? Read Eve of Destruction by Patrick Carman to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
It's been awhile since I read the first novel in this series, but when I started reading this book, I fell right back into the story and was able to keep up with the characters, which I was very happy about.

I think Carman did a great job continuing the tale for the 7 teens who were cured in the first book. It wasn't a repeat of the first book and this time the teens had to literally fight their way through some creepy and scary things to get the cure they were all wanting.

Will was again stuck as the monitor of the group, watching in a locked room, only this time it wasn't because of his fear.

But I really liked how, at the end, he risked his own safety to help everyone else find the cure and get out of the predicament they were in.

Overall, it was a good sequel. It wasn't my favorite novel that I've ever read but I'm glad I was able to come back and visit these characters again.

I also felt like there was a lot of character development from the first book, which I'm glad because they were sad characters in the first novel. Now they were less worried about what they were petrified of and more determined to become the whole person they could be once they got the cure.

For anyone who read the first novel, this is a must read to find out what happens to all of the characters. For others, I would recommend this series to anyone wanting a thriller and survival story that will make them look upon their own fears to see if they are as petrified as the 7 teens in this book.

Glad I continued the story!

Gone by Lisa McMann

This is the third and final book in the Dream Catcher trilogy by Lisa McMann.

My review of #1: Wake.
My review of #2: Fade.

Note - This will contain spoilers from the first and second novel in this trilogy. Read at your own risk :)

Ever since Janie found out exactly what was going to happen to her if she continued using her dream catching abilities, she's been conflicted as to what she wants to do.

On the one hand, she could keep delving into others dreams and eventually lose her eyesight and the functioning of her hands, or she could be alone for the rest of her life and avoid all human contact to live a solitary life.

Not really ideal for a girl who is helplessly in love with Cabel. Who, by the way, keeps having horrible nightmares about Janie, but can't seem to remember them when he wakes up. Doesn't bode well for their relationship, that's for sure.

But then, something happened that was extremely unexpected... Janie's father shows up. The father that she has never met in her entire life. The man she has never really thought of all of these years.

Unfortunately he shows up at the hospital in a severe coma after having a brain tumor. So Janie can't really talk to him to ask him all of the questions that keep popping into her head.

Now, Janie has the hardest decision to make in her life. Stay with the love of her life and slowly deteriorate or leave him, disappear, and be alone until old age. She's not sure how she will choose, but some unexpected news comes into view that will make Janie's decision a lot easier to choose what her future will hold. To find out, read Gone by Lisa McMann, the final conclusion to the Dream Catcher trilogy.

My Thoughts/Reflections
My reaction to this book in one word?

Eh.

That's right, Eh. I dunno, it just didn't do it for me. I loved the second novel, there was a back story to follow plus the actiony part where Janie was busting some teachers.

But this novel was about Janie choosing what she wanted to do. Don't get me wrong, that was a huge decision and I respect the author for showing that it literally tore Janie up in two when trying to decide. But THAT'S. ALL. THAT. HAPPENED.

Nothing else significant happened. Sure, her father came. But we didn't get any satisfaction from that event.

I dunno, I was greatly disappointed with this novel.

It was a fast read, I flew through it, but it wasn't satisfying for me.

At least I was able to finish the series and I didn't have to wait extremely long for it to be released. I definitely would have been more angry if I had.

So, overall, I enjoyed the series as a whole, but wouldn't buy it for my own collection. I'm glad I finally got around to reading it and have read almost all of Lisa McMann's novels, but that's as far as I would go.

This would definitely be a book for anyone who started the series to read so they can finish the story and see what happens to Janie and Cabel. For one just starting this series with this book, don't do it. You'll be confused and spoil the first and second novels, which I thought were better.

I'll be keeping my eye out for more of Lisa McMann's novels, which will be happening soon with a new series she's starting and the first novel will be released in January 2013. It sounds a little bit like the Dream Catcher series, so I might just wait until all 4 novels are out before I start that.

Fade by Lisa McMann

This is the second book in the Dream Catcher trilogy by Lisa McMann.

My review of #1: Wake.

Note - There will be spoilers from the first novel in the trilogy, so if you don't want to find out what happens in the first book, Wake, you probably shouldn't continue reading this review.

Janie finally has a purpose. After finding out that Cabel works for a hush, hush government agency that narcs on people doing illegal activities, things have been different for Janie. Especially since she can now use her dreaming abilities to help find details out.

And now Janie is officially employed there and has her first assignment: find out if there is illegal student/teacher relationships at her high school.

Oh, and her and Cabel are dating, but can't make it public yet from the last assignment Cabel was on a few months ago.

So now Janie has to find her inner flirt and figure out if one of the teachers is taking advantage of his/her students. And fight Cabel every second because he doesn't like her getting into danger.

Janie is also learning how to manipulate the dreams she's sucked into, getting out of the dreams she doesn't want to be in, and learning more about what this ability will do to her.

Let's just say that Janie isn't bored anymore and has found a reason why her abilities can be a good thing.

But then Janie gets sucked into a nightmare that she has to figure out before it's too late. And time is running out as this is Janie's last semester in high school.

Will Janie be able to figure out if there is a teacher/student relationship before the next illegal activity happens? Can Janie and Cabel find a way to work together without Cabel getting upset every time Janie goes into something dangerous? Read the second novel in this trilogy, Fade, by Lisa McMann to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I think this novel was even better than the first in her series! I'm really growing to like Janie and think she's extremely brave for taking her ability and using it for good, while also learning how to control it so it doesn't control her anymore.

Janie is also learning to take care of her body and is working out more, eating right, etc. so it's nice to see that her character has developed a lot since the first novel.

And I love that she is an undercover "cop" working. She definitely needed something in her life to go right and it seemed that she got a lot working for her after joining the force.

It was very entertaining reading about Janie flirting with potential teachers who might be having the illegal relationship with students. She's not much of a flirt and it showed in the description.

I've always had a soft spot for Cabel after what he's been through, but the way he acted when Janie got back from a mission kind of bothered me. Yes, he needs to know that Janie is safe, but Janie has been able to take care of herself for 18 years. I think she can handle whatever comes her way. Cabel doesn't act like it and it really rubbed me the wrong way.

I'm so excited to read the last and final book of this series, Gone. I'm intrigued to see what the title means - hopefully nothing too sad. And speaking of the last book, I have it in my hands right now and am going to start it ASAP!

I think that readers would find this very entertaining and something unique from what's been published now. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a little mystery with a little supernatural aspect.

Okay, off to read the next one!

Wake by Lisa McMann

This is the first novel in the Dream Catcher trilogy by Lisa McMann.

The first time it happened, Janie was 8 years old. One minute she was awake. The next, she was sucked into a dream; only it wasn't hers. And she couldn't wake up until the dreamer woke up.

Then, when Janie had her first sleepover, she was sucked into the dreams of both girls sleeping next to her: Janie's best friend Carrier and Janie's enemy, Melinda.

After that, Janie tried to stay away from crowds and if she ever saw someone drifting off in class, she ran from the room as fast as she could.

Because if the dreams are intense, Janie becomes paralyzed and can't find a way out of the dream. And if they are extremely intense, Janie has seizures she can't control. So it's better to find a way out of the dream than to be stuck in it for a long period of time.

Janie can't turn to her mother for help, since all she does is drink her life away in her room. Janie has never known her father, and this isn't the news to tell her friends for an afternoon chat.

On a trip to a school event, Janie found herself switching dreams for 4 consecutive hours. The only thing that got her through that trip was Cabel, who had no idea what was going on.

Well, that was before Janie got sucked into his dream. And the weird thing is, Cabel was sucked into the dream as well, and saw Janie watching his dream. Then he sorta figured it out.

Janie realizes that she needs to find a way to control this "gift" because it's getting out of control. Especially when Janie sees a gruesome dream that has chilled her to the bone. And she's seen a lot of unique dreams in her 17 years.

Will Janie be able to trust Cabel with this secret? Will she be able to figure out how to control her dreams before she gets hurt? Read the first in this completed trilogy, Wake, by Lisa McMann to find out!

My Thoughts/ReflectionsThis is the third novel I've read of McMann's and ironically, I've read them out of order from when she published them! I've reviewed both of her novels on my blog: Cryer's Cross and Dead to You.

And I haven't been disappointed by her work yet! I really enjoyed the beginning to this trilogy. Being sucked into other people's dreams is not as fun as it may sound, but Janie has been able to handle this unique gift that she never asked for.

McMann wrote this very differently. She jumped from scene to scene, some of them being from years ago reliving how Janie first handled the dream catching. And she wrote it based on the day and the time, which I'm really awful at looking at so I couldn't keep track of the time span very easily.

However, I really liked Cabel. When Janie heard that he was dealing drugs and dating a cheerleader, she stayed away from Cabel. She didn't need that complication in her life along with the dream jumping as well. Even though she felt a strong connection with Cabel.

But Cabel was very determined to talked to Janie. He left her notes and went to her house - anything to get her attention.

I could not imagine jumping from one person's dream to another and seeing their innermost unconscious thoughts. Heck, I don't even like dreaming my own personal dreams, so looking in on others would be tiring.

I'm glad I finally got around to reading McMann's first books that she published! Because this series is already complete, I don't have to wait around for the second or third. And actually, I have the second one right next to me that I am going to start shortly!

I would definitely recommend this book to readers. It's different because it's about dreaming, but also has everyday problems like how Janie lives in a trailer and gets bullied at school.

Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

Theia has a very controlled life. Her father has a decent job, travels sometimes, and also has his secretary buy all of Theia's clothes for her.

She doesn't get to wear what she wants, is always told to be perfect and sit up straight, and has a set schedule as to when she does homework, eat, and play the violin...

Because Thiea's mother died during child-birth, Theia figures that her father hates her for killing his one true love. So she usually does what he wants without question to try and make up for that.

However, there are some guilty pleasures that Theia still does, like reading non-educational books at night with a flashlight so her father doesn't know about it.

During one night, Theia saw a man, falling from the sky, and he was on fire. She ran out to see if she was hallucination, maybe by reading too many novels.

The next morning, she chalked it up to a dream. When she had another dream about a beautiful, mysterious boy, Theia thinks she has an uncontrollable imagination. That was proven wrong, though, when her mystery boy (named Hayden) shows up at school the next day.

The boy Theia interacts with in her dreams and the one she sees at school are so different that Theia is unsure if they are the same person.

But Hayden has a dark, dangerous secret. He's not who he seems to be, and Theia would be wise to stay away from him.

With the uncontrollable urge to be around Hayden, and the attraction Theia and Hayden have for one another, staying away from each other isn't an option. Will Hayden's dark past come to haunt them both? Read Falling Under by Gwen Hayes to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Wow. Dark, dangerous, mysterious. Those three words describe the novel as a whole, and Hayden.

I absolutely loved this novel! If I wouldn't have started reading it so late at night, I probably would have finished it in one sitting.

I felt so bad for Theia after reading about her life at home with her father. I would never want to be restricted that much by my parents, even though I know there are teenagers out there who live through that.

If I had been Theia, I probably would have grew up as a rebellious child, but she was a good daughter and did as she was told.

All bets were off, though, when Hayden dropped into her life. After that, she started to become rebellious and doing what she wanted to do rather than what her father wanted.

This started off as a contemporary novel, but definitely ended as a supernatural story. It was the best of both genres.

I would recommend this to anyone wanting a forbidden love story, a story about a dark past, or a mythical atmosphere.

Also, this is the first of a two book series (that I know of). I will be trying to get the next book to see what happens to Hayden and Theia hopefully soon!

Black is for Beginnings by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Black is for Beginnings - #5 in the Blue is for Nightmares series by Laurie Faria Stolarz.

Click here: Blue is for Nightmares to read my review of the first book in the series.

Click here: White is for Magic to read my review of the second book in the series.

Click here: Silver is for Secrets to read my review of the third book in the series.

Click here: Red is for Remembrance to read my review of the fourth book in the series.

Freshman year at college is over. Now Stacey and Amber are taking summer classes to make up for taking their first semester off. 

After a horrible spring break visit to Colorado to visit Jacob, Stacey's unsure where her and Jacob stand. He was hanging out with his ex-girlfriend trying to remember everything in his past. 

The part that bothered Stacey the most was that Jacob never, not once, mentioned his ex-girlfriend Kira. The fact that Jacob and Kira were "taking a break" when he came to rescue Stacey makes Stacey unsure where they stand. 

Before they can figure anything out, Stacey goes back to school. Jacob had just remembered everything that had happened in the past, but he wasn't able to tell Stacey. 

Will Stacey and Jacob be able to communicate and find out if they are meant to be together, as soulmates? Read Black is for Beginnings to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections

Graphic Novel? That's a new twist to this series! It was nice, though, to see the characters as the artist portrayed them. 

It might not have been how I saw them through books 1-4, but it was a nice change. 

This didn't go too much into Stacey's magic, nor were there any life threatening events that she had to save the day. 

It was definitely more about Stacey and Jacob's relationship and what was going to happen in the future. 

The Blue is for Nightmares series is now complete with this graphic novel - a great addition and completion to the series!

Red is for Remembrance by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Red is for Remembrance - #4 in the Blue is for Nightmares series by Laurie Faria Stolarz.

Click here: Blue is for Nightmares to read my review of the first book in the series.

Click here: White is for Magic to read my review of the second book in the series.

Click here: Silver is for Secrets to read my review of the third book in the series.

Stacey is now at college, on her full ride scholarship at a prestigious school. She doesn't really care, though. After Jacob was proclaimed dead after months of search for him, Stacey has no reason to live. 

However, Amber and her mother want her to start living again. For their sake, Stacey goes to Beacon University. 

The first week, Stacey didn't go to classes. All she wanted to do was dream of Jacob, get premonitions that he was still alive. 

When the president of the university wants to talk to Stacey, she thinks she's in trouble for missing all of her classes. 

But really, the president's daughter, Porsha, has been having nightmares - the same as what Stacey got during prep school. The president heard of Stacey and her time at prep school and realized that she could help his daughter. 

At first, Porsha was not willing to talk to anyone about her nightmares. Whenever she did in the past, she was sent to doctors, psychiatrists, and was told that she was crazy and insane. 

Stacey was able to get through to Porsha, though, and get her to talk about what she was dreaming. A boy is going to die and Porsha needs to stop it. 

While all of this is going on with Porsha and Stacey, there is another story being told, through a boy's perspective named Shell. He is living in a camp where there is no electricity, no TV, just the simple life. 

That simple life also means "stealing" from rich people. They aren't really stealing though.... They are taking what the rich people don't need and they won't miss the items. 

Shell doesn't like this way of living, but he has no where else to go and this is his life... Or is it?

Read Red is for Remembrance to find out what happens to Stacey, Porsha, and Shell!

My Thoughts/Reflections

So, this is a spoiler for the third book about Jacob - it couldn't be helped. However, I didn't spoil this book. 

I have enjoyed this series so far. Not only has Stacey had different dream/nightmares but they aren't all the same, which is nice because that can be repetitive. 

Now Stacey is in college. She realized it was definitely different than her prep school because the teachers don't let her give lame excuses for missing the first week of classes. She has to cram hard and fast to catch up in hopes of keeping her scholarship. 

This was a little different than the other books in the series because there were two narratives: Stacey and Shell. 

For Stacey, it was first person like usual but for Shell it was in third person. This gave the reader two stories to follow which would end up combining together at the end of the novel.

Again, there are a ton of subjects in this series, including witchcraft, first year in college, losing a loved one, and premonitions of the future. Many readers can find something in this novel to relate to while also getting a fun and new storyline they may not have read before. 

There is one last book in the series before Stacey's story is finished. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Silver is for Secrets by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Silver is for Secrets - #3 in the Blue is for Nightmares series by Laurie Faria Stolarz.

Click here: Blue is for Nightmares to read my review of the first book in the series.

Click here: White is for Magic to read my review of the second book in the series.

It's the summer before Stacey and her friends, Drea, Amber, Chad, PJ, and Jacob, are leaving for college. They want one last trip together before everyone goes their separate ways.

Stacey just wants a nice, normal, stress free vacation, especially after her last nightmare/premonition during senior year. She was actually getting her wish.

Until Clara comes to their cabin on the beach and Stacey feels a cold, dead feeling when shaking Clara's hand.

It wasn't until Stacey had another nightmare, though, and woke up with a nose bleed, that Stacey realized that Clara was going to die.

Now, instead of a relaxing vacation, Stacey has to try to convince Clara that someone is going to kill her. Along with trying to get Clara to believe her, Stacey also has to keep peace in her cabin - Clara likes to snatch other girls boyfriends including Amber's and Drea's.

To top it all off, Stacey's boyfriend Jacob is keeping secrets. She knows that he is having nightmares, which means bad news like Stacey because he's a witch as well, but Jacob won't tell her what they are about.

By keeping secrets from one another, it is straining their relationship, and their friendship to the point where Stacey is unsure if she can talk to him about her nightmares.

Can Stacey save Clara from her predicted death? Will Jacob be able to open up to Stacey and tell her what is wrong so she can help him?

Read Silver is for Secrets to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Wow, Laurie Faria Stolarz is a great writer! She is very creative and has a knack for writing new mysteries to keep the reader in suspense to figure out who is the killer!

As always, I try to figure out who the culprit is before the book reveals it for me. I went through so many different characters, I lost track. I did not, however, see this ending at all!

Which was nice because I like to be kept on my toes and it also means that Stolarz pulled a 180 on the reader.

I was a little sad that things were on the rocks between Stacey and Jacob throughout this book. I wanted to see them as the newly-in-a-relationship couple from the last book, but in this book they were distant because Jacob was keeping secrets.

I also hated Clara. Which I think I was supposed to. She was so annoying and trying to snatch any boy that walked 10 feet from her, whether they were taken or not.

I'm really excited to read the next novel in the series to see what other mystery Stolarz has thought of. I also hope that a certain character comes back, but I'm not going to say too much because I will be giving away a major ending spoiler.

However, for the next book review, I may have to spoil the end of this novel. Just to forewarn you.

White is for Magic by Laurie Faria Stolarz

White is for Magic - #2 in the Blue is for Nightmares series by Laurie Faria Stolarz.

Click here: Blue is for Nightmares to read my review of the first book in the series.

It's been one year since Stacey saved her friend, Drea, from her crazy stalker/murderer. The girls, along with their new roommate and best friend Amber, have been harassed by the newbie's of their boarding school, treating their horrible experience as nothing more than a joke.

When Stacey starts to have nightmares again, she's not sure what to do. She doesn't want to tell Drea because of what she went through a year ago, but when Stacey has her nightmares, she wakes up throwing up - nothing something that is easily hidden.

What's weird about Stacey's dreams is that she is reliving her nightmares about the little girl, Maura, who Stacey was unable to save 4 years ago. She's also dreaming about Veronica, a student that was killed by Drea's crazy stalker/murderer last year.

Stacey has never had nightmares about the past - they were all foreshadowing something horrible in the future.

When Stacey meets Jacob, a new boy at her school, she is shocked that he knows all of her secrets. He knows her current nightmares and seems to know what she's thinking or feeling.

As the time approaches Stacey's deadline to find out what the horrible nightmares mean, Stacey has to figure out who is after her and why.

Will Stacey figure out in time before her predicted death comes? Is Jacob somehow responsible for what's about to happen? And why, even though Stacey is having a hard time trusting Jacob, does Stacey feel a connection with him that she doesn't feel toward her boyfriend anymore?

Read White is for Magic to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I was wondering how Laurie Faria Stolarz would continue this series, since the first book was wrapped up and had a very solid ending. And let's just say that Stolarz wrote another great mystery that involved Stacey's "premonition" nightmares and magic!

I am growing more and more in love with Stolarz's stories! She is able to keep the reader in suspense, trying to guess who the culprit is way before he/she is revealed in the novel. I think I guessed about 5 people in this novel before I figured out who the culprit was.

Again, I loved Stacey as the character. She may complain a little bit throughout the novel, but if I was her? I would crawl up in a ball and will the nightmares to go away from frustration, being afraid, and just wanting the nightmare to stop.

Stacey is very brave. She goes to extreme levels to figure out what her nightmares are telling her. She goes through plans that are not so smart at first because she wants to find answers.

I don't think I gave too many spoilers from the first book, but I would definitely recommend that you read the first one before this novel as a lot of the key information from Maura's death was in the first novel.

Again, I think that this would be a great book for a variety of people because of the various topics that I've put as the label.

Just a reminder, THIS IS THE SECOND BOOK IN A SERIES. Also, there are FIVE books total, all of which will be reviewed this week on my blog!

Off to enjoy book number 3 and see what Stacey is up to next!

Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Blue is for Nightmares - #1 in the Blue is for Nightmare series by Laurie Faria Stolarz. 

Stacey has just started her junior year at her boarding school. She's having a tough time right off the bat, though. At night, Stacey has nightmares. Nightmares about her best friend and roommate, Drea.

In the nightmares, someone is trying to kill Drea. For any normal person, this would be just a nightmare.

But not for Stacey. She had these nightmares 3 years ago, with a little girl that she babysat. Stacey didn't think anything of it, didn't tell anyone, and the little girl was murdered, just the way Stacey saw in her nightmares.

Now that it's happening again, Stacey is not going to make the same mistake twice. She's protecting Drea with her magic. Stacey is a witch and she does spells to understand what she is supposed to do.

What really makes Stacey believe this is real is Drea has a "secret admirer" (or stalker) who calls her room and talks to Drea. Drea doesn't know his name, but keeps the conversation going night after night, making her caller keep calling back for more.

On top of all of this nightmares and murderer events, Stacey has a normal girl problem. Chad. She's had a crush on him for years. Unfortunately, Chad is Drea's ex, who they usually have a relationship with an on and off switch.

As much as Stacey likes Chad, she won't ruin her friendship with Drea. But as the nightmares get worse and the stalker gets angry, Stacey is not sure who the mystery man is... It might even be Chad, so Stacey is on high alert, watching out for mysterious men on campus, keeping an eye on Drea, and trying to juggle school.

Will Stacey find out who the killer is in time? Or will she lose another friend because she couldn't figure out her nightmares in time?

My Thoughts/Reflections
I've been wanting to read this book for awhile now! This is the first book in a 5 book series, all of which I will be reviewing back to back (or day to day on the blog) so we'll have the whole story to Laurie Faria Stolarz's tale.

I really liked Stacey. I'm not sure how she ever stayed friends with Drea - she was a bit too drama queen for me to handle, but Stacey was able to stand her somehow.

Stacey really had a handle on the magic that she got throughout her family. She had a book, she knew certain spells, and she kept her cool during her nightmares, and when her nightmare became a reality. I would certainly want her on my side of anything ever happened to me!

Stolarz kept the reader guessing throughout the book who the stalker/killer was. I had my guesses just to keep it entertaining, and I was not disappointed by the ending and the revelation of who the stalker/killer was.

I would definitely recommend this book to others! Even guys might enjoy this book as it's about a mystery and Stacey trying to figure out who it is before they get to Drea.

As you can see from the labels I've included at the bottom of this post, there are a lot of topics covered in this book - something for everyone!

And, since the series is complete, there will be no wait to dive into the next book!