Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

This is the first book in the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas.

After being in the salt mines of Endovier for a year, Celaena was given an opportunity to get out. Endovier almost broke the 18 year old assassin, so she was game for pretty much anything.

But when the Crown Prince Dorian was the man she was presented with a deal, she wasn't sure if she should take it. Dorian's father has created a competition for someone to be the King's Champion for 6 years and will do the kings biddings and "dirty work".

Celaena, before getting caught and sent to Endovier, was Adarlan's Assassin. She was the most feared assassin in Adarlan and she was such a good assassin that no one knew who she was. They especially didn't know she was younger than 17 or a girl.

So the thought of working for the king made her ill. But after 6 years, she would have her freedom - no more running from the authorities and she wouldn't have to be an assassin anymore because she would get a reward from the king.

After debating with the Crown Prince, they made a deal that she would be Dorian's candidate if she could take leave after 4 years, not 6, when she won. Because she knew she would win against any other candidate - that wasn't the issue.

Now Celaena is living in the castle under watch of numerous guards. But the one guard that is always around and trains with Celaena to get back into shape is the Captain of the Royal Guards, Captain Chaol Westfall.

Chaol does not trust Celaena - not one tiny bit. She is the feared and trained assassin that has no emotions and will do anything to survive, so he keeps both eyes on her and makes sure she can't harm the royal family.

But the more he gets to know Celaena, the more he might have misjudged her. That doesn't stop him from not trusting her, though. And the same is happening with the Crown Prince. Both men are surprised by how much they enjoy Celaena's company. Some times they even forget she's a trained assassin that will kill in a second.

Strange things are happening at the palace, though. The candidates are being murdered by a monster that tears through their skin and pieces are missing. With so many thieves  killers, assassins or hunters in the palace for the competition, anyone is a suspect, even Celaena.

And even though magic has been banned from the world, it seems that there might be someone who found a way to use the forbidden magic.

Can Celaena figure out who is doing the killings? Can she win against the other candidates, especially Cain who keeps getting stronger and bigger after each trial and test? And what will Celaena do if she does become the King's Champion, because she definitely doesn't want to work for the horrible king? Read Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I've been wanting to read this book for awhile and I'm glad I finally did! If there are any die-hard fans of The Hunger Games this might be a great novel for you to pick up! It has the same idea: a group of people fighting to the end to a prized title.

Even though this is more science fiction than dystopian, I didn't have any trouble keeping up with the different world that Maas created. It was nice and I loved how Celaena was the complete opposite of the other "proper" women in the novel.

Celaena was by far my favorite character! She has spunk, she talked back, and she is a survivor; she will do anything that needs to be done in order to live another day, even if it means becoming a killer and getting paid to do it.

And the interactions with the Crown Prince Dorian and Captain Westfall are amazing. The reader can tell that she has feelings for both men, but she doesn't know what to do with them or how to act on them. Plus, she knows nothing can come from it since they are located in the palace and she is just trying to get out of it.

Out of the two men, I like Captain Westfall the most. He doesn't say much, a man of little words, but he is always watching Celaena and, because we get multiple narrations in this novel, we know a little of what he is thinking when it comes to Celaena.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I think other readers will as well. Maybe if the cover was changed to make it gender neutral  more readers would pick it up and realize it's a different version of The Hunger Games, because the cover probably sends guy readers away.

I would definitely recommend this to other readers and I cannot wait to read the second novel later this year! Now I just have to play the waiting game!

Shadowlands by Kate Brian

This is the first novel in the Shadowlands series by Kate Brian.

When walking through the woods after school one day, Rory was attacked by her math teacher, Steven Nell. It turns out that Nell is a serial killer and has killed 14 other teenage girls all over the U.S. And Rory is going to be his number 15.

But then Rory fought back - something that most of Nell's victims doesn't do and she is the first one to escape. Now she and her family, her dad and her older sister Darcy, are sent in the witness protection system to keep safe from Nell.

That means no contact with anyone, including the boy that Rory is crushing on, Christopher. But that is also very complicated since Chris had dated Darcy for 2 years before dumping her for Rory.

So Rory and her family are off and end up in Juniper Landing, a tourist place next to the beach. And where there are tons of visitors - a great place to show up without having to have a reason to be there.

Except Rory gets uneasy feelings about the town, and the townspeople. She keeps hearing the song that Nell would hum under his breath. She saw his tan coat in a crowd. Rory does not think that they are safe, but no one will listen to her, so she decides she must be imagining things since she is still terrified Nell will find her and her family.

And the townspeople? Everyone is very interested in Rory, which is unusual because Darcy is the one everyone wants to be friends with. But the two good looking guys, Joaquin and Tristan, seem to always be staring at Rory. And Joaquin keeps flirting with her, as much as Darcy hates him doing that.

But Juniper Landing is not the town that it seems to be upon first impression. People disappear and no one seems to notice it - except Rory. She cares where everyone is going, and she wants answers to the mystery of Juniper Landing.

Those answers are answered, but Rory doesn't like the answer that she is given. In fact, everything starts to fall apart when Rory's nightmare comes to life and Nell has found them. Can Rory fight back again and win against Nell, or will he finally get his number 15? Read Shadowlands by Kate Brian to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
The first thing - this novel is probably the one YA novel that creeped me out so much that I was jumping at the little sounds in my house late at night. The writer did a great job writing this - especially the chapters that were through Nell's point of view.

I really liked this book. It is something different for the YA genre and I enjoyed reading a fresh story line that isn't over written today. Running from a serial killer. Hiding in witness protection. Trying to act normal in an impossible situation.

Rory is a great character. She is loyal, especially when it comes to her family, and she is a fighter, which Nell didn't see that as her math teacher and made her an "easy" target for him to pursue.

There is one very important scene in this novel that I could not get out of my head. I felt like it really happened and I kept getting reminded of it throughout the rest of the novel, so the ending wasn't surprising to me. I was actually expecting it. I don't know if the author meant to do that - to have the reader guess what was going to happen - or if I was just that into the novel and was overthinking because the novel spooked me that much.

Even though I guessed the ending and what was actually happening, I still really liked this novel.

I cannot wait until the second novel comes out and I can find out what happens now that the secret is out for Rory. I think it could go in a great direction, but it will definitely be different than this first novel. Almost like they weren't related at all, but I'm okay with that. I just want to find out what happens soon!

I've read reviews where people either love it or hate it. There really is no in between. And some also said that they were confused on what happened in the book, which I can see how that could happen too. I would recommend it to other readers, though, especially my friends because then we could talk about it to make sure we understand the story line :)

So, yes, I would recommend it to readers and I am sitting on the edge of my seat for the sequel to come out!

Chasing the Skip by Janci Patterson

After Ricki's mother has left again for the umpteenth time, she is sent to live with her father because her grandmother doesn't want to take care of her anymore.

The thing is, Ricki's father is a bounty hunter, so she has to do school online, can't see her friend Anna or her boyfriend Jamie anymore, and is living in a trailer by night, truck by day chasing after teens who skipped their court date.

Not exactly the ideal life for a 15 year old.

And it's not exactly the glamorous life for her since she doesn't really know her father. Ricki's been living with her mother and whatever boyfriend of the week she has, while her father has basically ignored her until recently.

Things start to get interesting, though, when her father goes after Ian, the 17 year old car jacker. Ricki is curious about him, plus he's not hard to look at either. It also makes life intriguing when he keeps getting away from her father at every opportunity.

And Ricki wants to know more about Ian, despite her father's objections about talking to the "skips". Ian has a lot of viewpoints about life that are different than Ricki's, which make Ricki question how she should view life.

When Ricki has the choice of helping Ian or her father, she has to decide how she wants to live her life. And who in her life is the right person to trust and care about the most, since basically everyone keeps leaving Ricki to deal with herself on her own.

Who will Ricki choose: Ian or her father? Read Chasing the Skip by Janci Patterson to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Hmm. The context of this story was very appealing. A girl traveling with her father to snag court date skippers to bring them back and get money for it.

But for some reason, I just couldn't relate or understand Ricki. Yes, I know her mother just upped and left her alone, making her go to her grandmother's house and then finally staying with her dad, so she feels unwanted and unloved by everyone. But she has someone taking care of her. She's not completely alone.

And Ricki keeps wanting to go to her mother in California, but if her mother left her, why would she want to go find her? I would want to stay as far away from the woman that left me with only a note. And not even any money to buy food or take care of the bills.

But that's just me.

And her fascination with Ian? I can see that, in a way, but why would anyone want to be with a fugitive? I guess it must be the bad guy thing going for him. But if my father was chasing after him to take him to court, I doubt it would go anywhere since he was wanted for jail...

Again, that's just my viewpoint.

So, yes, I liked the idea and overall aspect of this book, I just didn't really enjoy the book itself  even though I did finish it. Some readers may enjoy the whole book, but it just wasn't for me.

If you are looking for a book about adventure and traveling, this could work for you. There's nothing horrible in the novel, so any age could read it, especially since Ricki is only 15 in here.

Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier

This is the second novel in the Ruby Red Trilogy series by Kerstin Gier.

My review of #1: Ruby Red.

Not even a week ago, Gwenyth found out that she, unlike her cousin Charlotte, has the time travel gene in her family. And Gwen has no idea about any of the historical information she should know, liker her cousin likes to point out.

So now Gwenyth is stuck with Gideon, the male time traveler who infuriates Gwen, even though he's a great kisser. Kissing or not, he is a pompous male who thinks he knows best about everything and likes to ignore her, until he wants to snog a bit with Gwen. Then they get along just peachy.

But now Gwen is stuck going in the past for 4 hours a day using the chronograph, the device that sends them back into time with a particular date in mind. Which is also the second chronograph created, the first having been stolen by Lucy and Paul, the other time travelers before Gwen and Gideon.

And no one is trusting Gwen with any of the information because they think she is going to betray them to unforseen events that came from Lucy and Paul stealing the first device, but also because she "stole" Charlotte's spot at being the time traveler.

Like Gwen really wanted it.

Thankfully, Gwen has Leslie, her normal human friend who is very resourceful at finding information on the internet, so Gwen has been getting a little bit of info, even if it isn't necessarily the right information.

And strange things are definitely happening because many occasions that they travel back in time, it seems that others are expecting their arrival.

One good thing has come from this, though. Gwen gets to see her grandfather again, Lucas, who died a few years ago. And they have devised a plan where he will find out information  and each time she travels to get in her quota of travel for the day, she will see him and gather all the information that she can about her traveling gene.

However, the count, the first person with the time travel gene, is very interested in Gwen and wants to know her more. Gwen's not happy about that though, because the count gives her a horrible feeling. And she swears that he tried to choke her and talked to her without speaking.

But the count gives some interesting news about Gideon that has Gwen doubting everything she's known for the past week as a time traveler. And she's not sure what to think anymore. What will Gwen do with this new information? How can she possibly do what she's supposed to do if she can't trust the one person who will travel with her? Read Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I finally got my hands on this book! And I only have to wait 8 more months for the conclusion of this series!

On the one hand, I really liked this book because Gwen is trying really hard to figure out what is going on, despite everyone keeping her in the dark about the secret of the time traveling gene and what they are planning to do with the chronograph.

But on the other hand, I felt like not a lot went on and Gwen should just refuse to help until she gets the answers that she wants. She's not a very docile character and she needs to start vocalizing what she is thinking and make sure that she starts getting heard.

So I liked it and I thought it could have been better. What I'm really curious about is how this series is going end since there is only one more novel to come out before the conclusion is revealed. It doesn't seem like we have enough information to go on in order to finish this series, but I will be excited to find out come October when the novel is released.

For anyone who likes books about time travel and set in the past with, at least for me, some pretty accurate historical subjects, I would definitely recommend it to you. However, I would say that reading the first novel would be something to consider as this book does start exactly where the first one ends. It will clear up any confusion.

So yes, I had ups and downs with this book, but I will be a dedicated reader and read Emerald Green when it is released to find out what will happen for numerous parts of this book!

Altered by Jennifer Rush

This is the first novel in the Altered series by Jennifer Rush.

For five years, Anna has been sneaking down to the basement to see the four boys that are being experimented on. Her father is observing them and giving them tests - tests for what, they are not sure, but the boys have been altered someway so they are faster, stronger, smarter than guys their age.

Trev, Cas, Nick and Sam are her only friends - well not Nick because he hates Anna - because Anna is homeschooled and is an only child.

Just recently, her father is letting her come down to the lab during the day to help with the records and testing procedure. But Anna still likes to sneak down around midnight to see the boys when her father isn't around.

While Cas and Trev are funny and she can talk to them about anything, Sam is a different story. Anna has always been attracted to him, much more than a friend to talk to. But Sam is hard to read, so she's not sure what he thinks about.

After the authorities of the project come and try to take the boys away, Sam is able to escape and kill all of the guards. When him and the other boys are leaving, Anna's father says to take Anna with them, to protect her.

So now Anna is running off with the boys she's grown up with, away from everything she's grown used to.

The more the boys try to remember their past and why they are being experimented on, the more questions seem to pop up. Like, why do the boys feel the need to protect Anna? She's just the scientist's daughter - they should despise her.

And why is Anna getting headaches like the boys are? They are having headaches because of the lack of treatment... but Anna never got treatments.

With all of these questions building up, the five of them are still running away from Connor and Riley, the head of the project. They are not going to stop until they capture all of them - even Anna.

Will the group be able to get away and keep their freedom, or will they get captured and be forced to go back to a cage? What is Anna's part in all of this, because it seems that she might not be just the scientist's daughter? Read Altered by Jennifer Rush to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This is the author's debut novel?!? I would never have guessed, assuming that she has written many before! That's how good I thought this book was!

Right from the beginning I was sucked into this book and read it all in one sitting within a few hours. The world that Rush created was very intense.

Anna is such a sweetheart. She snuck down to see the boys and formed a bond with them. She brought them cookies, books, games, hair products, whatever they wanted. And she talked about outside, what color the sky was, if it was warm or cold. She was their outside source and most of the guys adored her.

But I liked that she wasn't completely a sweetheart - she also took self defense classes once every two weeks, so she was also able to defend herself if the situation ever needed her to do so. And she sure did need them when her and the boys were running from the special ops that were chasing them down.

All of the secrets that slowly came about was very refreshing, and I didn't see all of them coming, which I liked because I hate figuring things out before hand.

My favorite parts were with Cas and Trev - they were the goofy ones of the bunch, especially Cas. No matter how serious the situation was, Cas was always there to make a joke of something.

I really, really liked this novel and I can't wait to read the second one in the series! But Goodreads says it won't be out until January 2014 so I have a while to wait before I can find out what happens after the ending of this one!

I would definitely recommend this novel to other readers, because I think they will appreciate the freshness and action that this novel gives. Really great job!

Exile by Anne Osterlund

This is the second novel in the Aurelia series by Anne Osterlund.

My review of #1: Aurelia.

After finding out who was trying to kill Aurelia, she decided that she was going on an expedition through her country to get to know the different tribes and lands. She defied her father by not marrying the man he chose for her and took control of her own life.

And beside her is Robert. The man she kissed. The man she yells at, all of the time. But Robert is her companion - her friend - and one of the few people she trust now-a-days.

The expedition is not the nicest trip she's ever had. In fact, she's been taken more times than she can count, and is still finding herself in danger of being assassined - even though she found out who was trying to kill her before her trip.

One of the groups she gets captured by surprisingly has her mother located there - a mother she has not seen in 14 years.

Even though she wants to get to know her mother again, the trip is what is important, and she won't let Robert leave without her.

Robert is having conflicting feelings. He wants to protect the Princess, but knows that he is not capable of doing that. He wants her to be safe, but as long as she is on this expedition, safe is far from what she will be.

And is also starting to fall in love with her. Which can't happen because she is the royal princess, even if she is currently exiled from the palace by defying the King.

So both Robert and Aurelia take it day by day, but soon Aurelia realizes that she needs to face the problems at the palace rather than running away from them. However, they find out who is trying to kill Aurelia again, which makes going home a bit of a problem...

Will Aurelia be able to go back to Tyralt and take her royal place again? What will happen with the attraction between Aurelia and Robert? Who is trying to kill Aurelia, yet again? Read Exile by Anne Osterlund to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This book ended just where the first novel ended, which was nice for me since I read them back to back. And I really enjoyed where this book went. Aurelia has shown once again that she is not the spoiled princess that most are claimed to be.

She gets dirty and takes the blame for the mistakes she's made. She also wants to know the people of her country, who are ruled by her father and one day, by her.

Also, attempting to be assassined is a lot for a person to handle, but Aurelia gets back up and fights back, which I very much admire about her.

My favorite part of the novel is when she is at Robert's family's house and is working on the farm. Who would have thought that a royal princess could milk a cow?!

I guessed who was trying to kill her through this book, so the ending wasn't a surprise.

What was a surprise was how the book ended as a whole! Is there going to be another book? Cause that was not a final ending! There was too much left open and I need to know what happens next. Does anyone know if there will be another book to wrap everything up?!?

Other than the ending being what it is, I really liked this novel and enjoyed how both Robert and Aurelia developed from the first novel. The trust between them only grew, which made their decision choices a lot more wiser than in the first novel.

I would recommend this to any female reader, as it mostly focuses on Aurelia. For those that want a strong lead female character who isn't afraid to get in a bind, this book would also be good for you to read. I would advise that you should read the first novel first, though, as it will make it a lot more clearer when reading this novel.

Aurelia by Anne Osterlund

This is the first novel in the Aurelia series by Anne Osterlund.

After her older brother passed away and her mother ran off away from the kingdom, Aurelia has had to fend for herself against her father - the King's - moods and the dislike she gets from her stepmother, Elise. Good thing she has Malory, her step-sister, to keep her company without hating Aurelia on site.

When Robert comes back to the kingdom, he's doing so under false pretenses. The princess's life is in danger, which 3 attempts on her life by poison or "accidental" tears in her horses saddle. Robert has come back to find out who wants to kill the Princess.

Aurelia has no idea about the attempts on her life, but when Robert starts to act suspicious, she knows something is going on. Robert was once a close friend of hers before he moved away with his family. Now, she still wants to view him as a friend even though there's an air of mystery around him.

But Aurelia is no shy princess. She knows her town like the back of her hand and finds out that someone wants her dead. For what reason, she can only guess, but now she wants to find out who would risk killing her.

That's when they devise a plan together. They are going to get the suspect, the attempted killer, out in the open and find out who has hired him to kill Aurelia.

But when the truth finally comes out, it is not what either Aurelia, Robert, or even the King suspect.

Will they be able to find the assassin in time before he kills Aurelia? Or will it be too late? Who is this mysterious killer? Read Aurelia by Anne Osterlund to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I've adored Osterlund's other novels and wanted to complete my reading history with her first two novels. And I gotta say, Osterlund is an author that has surprised me! Not only because I enjoy her novels, but because she has written 3 different settings and types of novels that have nothing related to her other novels.

That is a talent! And she makes each world so real that you would never guess that she has dabbled in contemporary, historical, and science fiction genres!!

Okay, on the the review of this novel.

I really liked Aurelia. She is going to be the ruler of her city one day and is making sure she will be the voice of the people, rather than a rule of a city. She wants to help the people who contribute and keep the city alive instead of punishing them with more taxes, etc.

She also knows what she wants and goes for it, whether it defies her father, the King. She is the only one who gets away with it, though that's not why she goes against her father. She just wants to do the right thing.

I enjoyed that this book wasn't all about the romance between Aurelia and Robert. Yes, there was a small portion, but mainly it was about Aurelia's love for her city and trying to find out who was attempting to kill Aurelia. And the historical aspect was very refreshing for me to read a YA novel in a historical setting.

This is the first of a two part book series, which I just happen to have the second waiting for me to pick it up.

While I did enjoy this novel, I found myself comparing it to the last two of Osterlund's novels that I really loved and found it lacking. However, if I would have read it by publication date, I might have seen that Osterlund's writing has improved throughout the years to make her latest release the best she has written so far.

For anyone who wants a strong female character who is bound to do what is right, with a historical setting, this would be a great novel for you to read!

Deceiving Destiny by Nadège Richards

This is the second novel in The Bleeding Heart Trilogy series by Nadège Richards.

My review of #1: Burning Bridges.

Now that Echo and Ayden are running from the king, everything is a little more intense than it used to be. And that was when they were sneaking around!

The king is destroying Echo and Ayden's home, now that she has broke his laws by seeing a Hunter and is also not the king's biological daughter. Everything is upside down now and Echo is only just seeing the beginning of a revolution.

When her and Ayden run away from New Haven, they get a group of followers as well. Many are friends of Ayden's who he grew up with, but all of them have decided that Echo is their leader. She is the Princess, though she doesn't think that way, and what she says goes.

Well, all but a few who have decided to hate Echo for their own personal reasons...

It is decided that they will go to another town ruled by another king to try to get his rule as their ally. The more to revolt against Echo's pretend father, the more they might win against this war of power.

But along the way, Echo is having visions and dreams of a mystery man. The only thing she knows about his is the color of his eyes: amber/gold/yellow. The dreams seem so real to Echo, though, and she is very disturbed by the feelings she gets when she wakes up.

She doesn't know what these visions mean. She doesn't know who the man is, but he sure knows her and secrets that she couldn't have imagined herself.

There are many complications on the way to the other land, and with a group of children and adults, it becomes a struggle to keep going. But Echo is able to keep everyone afloat and figure out a way to give the hope.

But will they make it in time? And will they get the help they need, or will their travels and hardships be for naught? What is happening to Echo? What do the visions and events mean? Read Deceiving Destiny by Nadège Richards to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I was given this eBook by the author to edit and review, since I also did the same for her first novel, and I'm glad I got it! It started right where Burning Bridges ended and even though it's been a few months since I read the first novel, I dove right back into the story without problems to continue Echo and Ayden's story of fight and survival.

Also - side note - I have to say that I LOVE the cover of this book!! Kudos to the artist!

Okay, back to my thoughts! I really think Ayden and Echo's character developed in this novel compared to the first.

Echo is a very caring person and hates the thought of hurting anyone, but when it comes to survival and protecting the ones she loves, she's now realizing that she will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. Even if it means a troubled conscience later.

And the banter between Ayden and Echo is adorable, as always, but now that they are in love with each other, they do it out of habit and to keep the other in line, rather than fighting the attraction between each other.

Of course, not everything is butterflies and sunshine - especially when Feven and Adamo come into the picture. They seem to have a grudge against Echo for obvious reasons and it's always interesting to read about those characters in regard to Echo.

Again, the ending leaves the reader wanting more, but it's not necessarily a cliff hanger. More of the next chapter in the series, so while the reader doesn't know what's going to happen, no one died or anything extreme happened at the end to curse the author for making me wait so many months for the conclusion to the story line.

So yes, I enjoyed this story and really got into it. Wish it wasn't so short! Can't wait for the third, and final, novel in this series to come out in April 2013!

For anyone looking for a dystopian novel about a war and fighting to survive, with a twist a mystery and forbidden love, I would recommend you pick this up ASAP. I would pick up the first novel first, though, so you have the complete story. Also, for the month of January both novels are only $0.99 on Amazon! So hurry!

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

This is the first novel in The Lynburn Legacy series by Sarah Rees Brennan.

Kami is never alone. She communicates with another person. A guy named Jared. Ever since she can remember, she will have full-on conversations with Jared. He is the guy that knows her the most, who knows what she is feeling and what she is thinking.

But that's because Kami and Jared can read and talk to each other through their minds. They've never met.

Until the day the Lynburn's move back to her town, Sorry-of-the-Vale.

The she meets Jared. And things become very weird. Yes, they still have their link and can read each other's mind. Yes, they still latch on to the other, mentally, when they need someone to steady them.

But in person, they are awkward. Jared has this feeling to protect Kami, but he does not want to touch Kami. It's too much, and it's a very complicated relationship.

They can count on each other, though, through thick and thin. Or so Kami thought...

Someone is killing animals and people in their town. Kami isn't sure who would do something like that. Many of the townspeople are blaming the Lynburn's - bad things happened when they were in the town years ago and now it's starting up again.

As much as Kami doesn't want to think Jared could have anything to do with it, he is a Lynburn. And she really doesn't know exactly what Jared is capable, because they have the ability to hide what they are thinking from one another as well.

Come to find out, they have even more of a connection than they thought. And now others are trying to sever that link - in the "dead" kind of way.

Can Kami and Jared get used to knowing each other in person, or will the link make it too hard for them? Who is after Jared and Kami - trying to kill them? Read Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
There was some love and hate toward this book. But it was evenly spaced out to the point where I didn't put the book away and quit, but I didn't race through it either.

I love Kami. She was a great character, a reporter, and dug all the dirt on the subject that she was interested in at the time. She didn't take no for an answer and she always pursued until she felt she had all of the information.

I didn't like the way Jared acted. I was all for Jared and Kami getting together after all of these years and to start dating. I mean, what more do you want if you can read the other's mind? NO SECRETS!! Plus they have a connection - it just makes sense to me.

But alas, that isn't the way it worked out.

Now, there is other stuff in this book that I didn't talk about in my review. I did it for a reason, so if you've read the book and say this is a horrible review since I missed a lot of the main plot, I completely understand.

I was going to read this book and then be done with this series. However, when I finished it, the ending!!!

Gah, the ending!

It hooked me in, it shocked me, and made me want more. So now I will be reading the second novel of the series when it comes out because I HAVE to know what happens now. I'm hooked and gutted, waiting on a string until Untold comes out in August 2013.

For anyone who is looking for a bit of magic, mystery, unrequited love, and supernatural, I would recommend this to you. It takes a while to get into the novel, but I think it was worth finishing because he got me over the fence of hating/loving!

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!

Wrecked by Anna Davies

After her parents accident on their home island, Miranda and her brother Teddy have stayed with their grandmother on Whym Island for the last ten years.

There is a legend, a curse, on Whym Island that is you say the sea witch's name while on a boat in the ocean that she will get revenge and take the souls on the boat.

When Miranda and 7 of her friends were on Miranda's boat, one of the passengers said Sephie and before the night was out, 4 of her friends died in a boating accident and 3 were severely injured before the life rescue came.

But Miranda was miraculously saved. She got caught in the cable underwater and she remembers someone saving her, carrying her out of the water and onto shore. She should have died with her best friends and boyfriend, but for some reason someone saved her.

Life on Whym Island wasn't easy before the boating accident, but now that she was one of the survivors and it was her boat that caught on fire, she is even more outcasted than before. Miranda has no friends now, she can't talk to her grandmother or Teddy because they are getting the social outcast stare, so Miranda is just keeping her thoughts to herself.

That is, until she met Christian, who just happened to be the one who saved her from the accident.

And Christian has a secret that he's keeping from Miranda: he's a betwixted, part human, part merman. When he saved Miranda, he took a soul from Sephie and now she wants revenge.

Either Christian takes Miranda's soul to make up for her mistake or Sephie will take Christian's soul. One way or another Sephie will have her soul to add to the many souls in the ocean.

But when Christian meets Miranda and starts talking to her, he realizes that he is getting feelings for her.

Can Christian do what he is supposed to do, or will he disobey Sephie? And can Miranda trust Christian with all of his secrets, or will the secrecy tear them apart? Read Wrecked by Anna Davies to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This book was...eh. I did finish it, which was a plus because there were a few times where I just wanted to call it quits. But I stuck through it to know the ending, since I don't think it's part of a series.

I don't know. The writing, for one, was not my style. There would be two lines of dialogue and then half a page of narration, of observance and I'm more of an action and dialogue reader than a ponderer.

Plus Miranda was ready to run away from everything because it wasn't going her way. There were a few moments where she talked back and fought against someone, which I liked, but being docile and timid is not a quality that I like in my lead characters.

Christian was alright as well. He was confused being on the surface rather than in the water, so I'll give him a leeway because of that but he didn't fight very hard overall.

I'm going to have to say that this book is not for me. I was intrigued by the synopsis, but overall it turned out to be a good that I enjoyed at all.

And the ending is something else. I won't say that it was horrible, because it wasn't. It was just different than most endings that might cause it to be hated by many readers.

So yeah, I didn't really like this book. There were some parts that peaked my interest enough to read a full two pages in a row, but otherwise it was a snooze fest.

But anyone who wants to read a twist on merpeople, you might enjoy this novel. It's also in alternative viewpoints between Miranda and Christian, though Christian doesn't have many pages of narration.

It is also the author's debut novel, so maybe for her next one I'll pick it up and see if she changes her style.

Stay With Me by Paul Griffin

Cece

Working in a restaurant is hard business, but her family has a great time doing it. Cece works with her mother, who's a server, and her brother, Anthony, who prepares the food. 

Things were going good. They weren't great, but it was what they were used to. 

But then Tony tells everyone that he signed up with the armed forces - army. He'll be leaving in a month. Cece thinks she's psychic and sees her brother dying overseas in the war. She doesn't want him to go. 

But he does go. Before he leaves, he tells his friend Mack to take care of Cece for him while he's gone. Cece just met Mack and doesn't want a stranger looking out for her, even when Mack is the most gorgeous guy she's seen. 

Mack

Growing up, Mack has had it rough. His mother bailed, his father is a drunk, Mack dropped out of high school because it was too hard for him, and Mack is not the kind of guy someone wants to mess with. He has learned to grow up expecting the worst. 

The only thing Mack likes is to train dogs - pit bulls preferably. Mack has the touch, he's a dog whisperer. He'll take any wild dog and will be able to train them to be house pets. 

When he is transferred to another restaurant after the first one closes, all Mack wants to do is make money and go home to work with the dogs. 

But then he meets Cece, the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. 

Even though Mack knows not to get involved with Cece, he does anyway. Things are bound to get screwed up because of Mack's personal life and nothing good ever sticks for him. 

Can Cece and Mack beat the odds and find a way to stay together? Or will circumstances tear them apart to the point where they will never be able to be a couple in the future? Read Stay With Me by Paul Griffin to find out happens with these two characters!

My Thoughts/Reflections

This was an okay book. There were good parts and bad parts to it, for me, and overall it was a decent novel. 

It took a while for me to get used to the writing of the novel. The dialogue and narration was a little different than most, making me have to slow my reading pace in order to really understand what was trying to be said. 

I felt like I, personally, didn't connect with either Mack or Cece at all throughout the novel. Maybe it's because I never experienced what they went through, but then again, I've waitressed before and still couldn't connect with that aspect of the novel. 

This was told through alternating viewpoints of Mack and Cece, giving the reader a chance to look into both of their heads and understand their side of the story. 

Yeah, usually I have more to stay about a book but this one left me feeling, "meh". I can't say that I loved it but I can't say that I hated it either. It was just a story that I read and will probably forget in a week or so. 

I did like the aspect with the dog training. And with pit bulls, none the less. 

There was a lot of information and subjects in this novel to keep track of, but it wasn't rushed or glimpsed over either. 

And now that I've completely confused every one of you who has read my reaction to this novel because of how contradictory I am, I think I'll just end this by suggesting who might enjoy reading this novel. :)

I read a reviewing saying that fans of Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles might enjoy it, but I think that anyone who wants to read about a rough life trying to live day by day and falling in love for the first time might enjoy this novel as well. It's a standalone so what you read it what you get, leaving no doubt how this story ends. 

I'm sure others have read and enjoyed this novel more than I did, and if you have I would really like to hear what you thought about it! Feel free to leave a comment if you want!

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Christmas time has always been Lily's favorite holiday. She gets into the holiday cheer and celebrates with her family.

Except this year, her parents are at Fiji for a belated honeymoon trip, her grandfather went to Florida to see his lady friend, and her brother, Langston, is so hooked on his boyfriend that he's not into the holiday cheer.

Happy Holidays to Lily.

Then her brother came up with an idea - create a notebook full of dares and hope that someone fun, smart, and male will take the dares to do throughout the holiday break. Lily had little hope that someone would play the daring game.

She was wrong.

Christmas is not a holiday that Dash particularly likes - and this year instead of spending it with one of his divorced parents, he's on his own while they celebrate in warmer areas than New York.

So when he saw the red notebook at the bookstore, he figured, "why not?" and filled in the missing pieces. But before giving it back to the designated bookseller, he made a dare of his own. And this is how Dash and Lily got their book of dares started.

Instead of dreading the holidays, Dash and Lily are now conversing to one another by daring each other do to random things - not illegal, well, not always, but just random events to get to know another another.

But will Dash live up to lily's expectations? Or will they forever be adequateness through the notebook, never to meet in person? All I have to say is, they are in for an interesting ride! Read Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan to join them on their adventure.

My Thoughts/Reflections
What a great story Levithan and Cohn created - again! And I love how both characters are book lovers - that's always a plus in my book!

Lily is a silly character. She has random acts and does really weird things, but if she wasn't weird than this book would not have been as entertaining with the certain dares she gives to Dash.

And Dash is so serious and grown up, knowing words at the age of 16 that I don't even know in my mid 20's! It was nice to see him loosen up and have fun during these dares.

By the way, if you're wondering, there are no bad, dirty dares in here. Just fun, simple dares that made the characters think and be creative.

There were a few times where I actually did laugh out loud, and couldn't stop thinking about the amusing scenes even after I read past them. I really enjoyed this book and thought it was very unique and entertaining, but also a story about trusting a stranger and getting to know a possible friend.

I think this would be suited for any readers. It alternates chapters by Lily and Dash's point of view, so we are able to see what they are thinking when they are making the new dares and when they create the other persons dares. And we also get to see a glimpse in their real life away from the dare book.

A great book. I am now converted to Levithan and Cohn's writing and will be making it a goal to read more of their works!

P.S. - if you actually look at my labels, which some may not, I only put "murder/mystery" there because there is a little bit of mystery as to what the dares would be and who the other person is. There is no murder in this novel. Just to clarify :)

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!

Wildefire by Karsten Knight

This is the first novel in the Wildefire series by Karsten Knight.

Back in New York, Ashline Wilde witnessed a horrible accident. Even though she didn't commit it, Ashline still feels responsible for what happened so she moves to California to a boarding school in the middle of nowhere.

Things were going fine until she got paired up with other "unnatural" students who are at Blackwood Academy: Raja, Rolfe, Ade, Lily, and Serena.

Turns out that all six of them are gods/goddesses. Raja is the Egyptian Goddess of the Dead; Rolfe is the Norse God of Light; Ade is the God of Thunder; Lily is the Goddess of the Blossom; Serena is a siren. But for some reason, Ashline doesn't know which Goddess she is - only that she is special just like the other five.

Oh, and Ashline's older sister Eve is also a goddess - the Goddess of Weather. And she doesn't use her powers for good all of the time...

Now the teen gods/goddesses are finding out that others are trying to capture them for their unique talents. But Ashline has no idea what hers is... Until it erupts out of her - quite literally. She has a knack for fire, but her real title is the Volcano Goddess.

Then Eve comes back after the horrible accident in New York. And she is starting to cause trouble for Ashline in California as well.

Before, Ashline couldn't stop Eve, but now that she knows her power, can Ashline figure out how to use them in time before Eve strikes again? Or will it be too late and Ashline will be haunted by more of Eve's destruction when she is finished? Read Wildefire by Karsten Knight to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Another book about Gods/Goddesses! Normally I wouldn't be excited for the same topic, but Knight did a wonderful job bringing a new tale and a very different journey with this subject that I was kept very entertained and intrigued throughout this first novel.

I felt for Ashline when she was devastated by what her sister had done in New York. But she toughed it out and moved across country to start over and try to live as normal as possible. Which of course, wasn't that normal when she found out she was a goddess in a mortal body.

I really liked her though. Not only is she a kick a$$ goddess, but she's sporty! She plays tennis and is quite good at it - a way to release the anger inside!

And it wasn't as romantic as it could have been. Sure, there were romantic scenes, but Ashline wasn't one of those girls that needed to have a guy around to save the day.

In fact, Ashline was pretty good at taking care of herself. And there were a lot of fighting scenes in here as well!

This is the first book in a series (so far I know of 3 books in the series - not sure if that is all or if there is more to come though). And the second novel, Embers and Echoes is already out in print! I've ordered it and will hopefully get it soon from the library.

For anyone who is a Percy Jackson fan or fans of mythology, I would definitely recommend this to you! It is told through Ashline's point of view, so there will probably be more girls than guys reading it, but I think guys might enjoy this story as well!

Dark Companion by Marta Acosta

Growing up through foster homes has made Jane very leery and on guard. She doesn't trust many and can figure out if someone wants more than what they are saying.

It also made her work extremely hard to succeed and get an education to get out of the slums of town. So she was happy to get a scholarship at the Birch Grove Academy for Girls who has a prestigious reputation and mostly rich girls go there.

Right away the headmistress Mrs. Radcliffe took Jane under her wing and gave her clothes, food, and a place to stay.

And on the plus side, Jane got to tutor the headmistresses handsome son, Lucien - aka Lucky. But she also saw the other son, Jacob, or Jack, even though it seemed that he hated her.

With the two Radcliffe brothers stealing Jane's attention, she has to really focus and make sure that her grades didn't drop.

But things are very odd at Birch Grove Academy. And Jane is trust right into the weirdness of the history.

Not only does Jane have to adjust from living in the slums to having her own cottage on campus, but now the Radcliffe's are asking her to be a Companion - something that most would jump at the chance to be.

Jane, though, has always looked over her shoulder, and does intense research. When she starts looking into the past of two girls who disappeared from Birch Grove Academy, she realizes that everything is not as it seems. Can Jane get out of this situation before it's too late? Or will she decide to stay and be wanted for once in her life? Read Dark Companion by Marta Acosta to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This was an...interesting novel.

Jane has had a hard life. After her mom died when she was 6, Jane grew up in foster homes. The last place she was at she was there for 4 years before she was able to transfer to the Birch Grove Academy. But being in foster homes and living on the wrong side of the block made her very protective and she knew what to do to get out of horrible situations.

But the way Jane acted around Lucien and after she found out about their secret, I couldn't feel pity for Jane anymore. She ignored her own health and her own wants, thinking only of what would be best for Lucien.

Sounds good in theory, but this girl has been fighting for the past 4 years to get to a better place and she wanted to dehumanize herself just to be like the "rich" people.

Thankfully Jane came to her senses and redeemed herself in my opinion by the end of the novel, but throughout most of the novel I just kept shaking my head at her.

The two characters I loved were Mary Violet - one of Jane's new friends at Birch Grove Academy. She said the most random and hilarious things that I found myself laughing out loud.

The other character I loved was Jack. He was so random and extremely different from his brother. I couldn't wait for the next time he randomly popped up in the book to have an odd conversation with Jane.

So, this book just wasn't for me. But for anyone who wants a Dark Gothic novel about an orphan girl trying to find her way in life, I would definitely recommend it to you.

Cold Fury by T.M. Goeglein

All Sara Jane Rispoli can think about is that in 2 years she'll be able to go to Rome, Italy after graduating and finally see the place of her heritage.

That was the only thing worth being concerned about.

Until Sara Jane came home one day to find that her mom, dad, and younger brother were kidnapped from their house and a guy in a ski mask was there to get Sara Jane.

Thankfully, Sara Jane has been boxing for 10 years - since she was 6 years old. She knows how to defend herself. So after getting away from the Ski Mask Guy, she goes to her boxing coach.

And then Sara Jane realizes that she has been ignorant of her real family history. What she once thought of as her family's baking industry was really just a cover up for being part of the Outfit, an underground mafia where each family has a "front" business to the public to keep from getting caught by the government.

The reason her family is part of the mafia is because they have ghiaccio furioso - cold fury. When a Rispoli has ice blue eyes, they can get the gene of having cold fury. Sara Jane got that gene, even though most Rispoli's previously were male, so no one expects her to have it.

When Sara Jane gets extremely angry, she feels a blue fire inside of her that calms her in intense situations and heightens her reflexes. It also, when staring at another person directly through the eyes, will paralyze the other person with so much fear that they will agree to anything to get away from their gaze. That's cold fury.

Now Sara Jane has to use any and every force possible to find her family. And she will stop at nothing to find them. Will she become the next big Rispoli in the Outfit mafia to save her family? Will she find them in time before it's too late? Read Cold Fury by T.M. Goeglein to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Wow. I knew going in that I would like this novel, but it surpassed what I thought it was about.

The thing that I loved most was that Sara Jane was no damsel in distress. She is a boxer - she knows how to fight and to take care of herself, not needing a family member or a male to look out for her.

I also really liked Sara Jane. Most girls in her situation would have ran away scared or wouldn't know what to do with herself, but Sara Jane really delved into her family's history and was smart enough to find clues to hidden passage ways and figure out how to use the Outfit mafia for her own personal use.

There were some places where I glimpsed through, especially the detailed information about Sara Jane's ancestors and how the Outfit was created, but it was information that was needed to explain what Sara Jane was learning.

The fighting scenes were really well written and I loved how Sara Jane took punches along with giving them.

Also, there wasn't too much romance in this novel. There were ideas of romance, but the farthest Sara Jane got to a boy besides knocking him out was holding hands - that's it.

Because of that, I think that guy readers would like this novel. Tons of fighting, the mafia, and racing around Chicago in fast cars - what's not to like?

I would definitely recommend this to any reader. It is the first in a series, although I'm not sure what #2's title is or when it will be released. I will be watching out for it, though, and pick it up when it comes out!

Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey

Quiet, shy Jill Jekel has always followed the rules without question. But when her father was murdered and the mysterious box that she was told to NEVER open was sitting in his office, Jill sort of broke the biggest rule of all...

When Tristen Hyde came to Jill's high school, there were a lot of jokes between Jill and Tristen's last name, always linking them together. It never mattered that they were different social status's at school; the Jekel and Hyde team were together. 

After awhile, the joke grew old and students stopped talking about it. 

But both Tristen and Jill are extremely smart at school. They are also really smart in chemistry class, giving them the opportunity to compete in a competition to receive a $30,000 scholarship for college. 

When Jill found out that her father stole her college fund, she decided to do an experiment for the competition and, following their chemistry teacher's advice, got Tristen to partner up with her to create the "Jekel and Hyde" duo to grab the judges attention. 

And the experiment? Well, recreating the potion that Jekyll made in the novel, The Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of course. 

See inside that box in her father's office? It's the original notes written by Dr. Jekyll to get rid of the curse he created known as Mr. Hyde. 

Tristen was a little leery to join Jill in this experiment, but after having blackouts and not remembering events that other people do remember, he realizes that the Hyde curse has taken over Tristen. He wants to recreate this potion to get rid of the monster inside of him before he completely takes over. 

The chemistry between Tristen and Jill is undeniable, but Tristen won't get close to Jill because of the monster trying to get control - especially when Jill is around. He needs to banish the monster forever before he can start something will Jill. 

Will they be successful to recreate the potion to 1) cure Tristen and 2) save Jill's financial crisis she's in? Or will the monster overtake Tristen and do what it does best: kill those who Tristen's attracted to? Read Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections

If you've ever read the classic story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, you'll love this creative, well written, unique tale spun by Fantaskey. 

Or if you've only heard of the story, that's alright too since this goes into a more dark, haunting story about two characters who are connected from an ancient tale and a curse that goes back in both families. 

This novel is told through both Tristen and Jill's point of view, giving the reader a chance to delve in both characters and read their inner most thoughts and reactions to finding the cure for Tristen and Jill. 

I absolutely adore Jill. She reminds me of myself a little bit back in high school, though I wasn't as smart as her (especially in science, shudders). And I have to admit that I found the idea of her wearing glasses amazing, as many main characters in books I've read don't wear contacts or glasses. 

And Tristen is so torn up inside. He knows he's cursed, he knows there is a monster waiting to come out, and he knows he's done horrible things because of the monster. 

But he wants to get better and destroy the monster so he can be a better person again. And he also wants the monster gone so he can be with Jill. The chemistry between them is undeniable, but he still finds a way to resist her so she won't get harmed by the monster in case it comes out. 

I really enjoyed this book. Also, on the plus side, it's a standalone novel, so no waiting for the rest of the story to come later. 

I would definitely recommend this to any reader. I think guys might like it as well because Tristen has a voice that they can read and relate to. And to anyone who likes science  this is definitely up your alley! Pick it up today and get lost in the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde through Jill and Tristen's point of view. 

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

It's a weekend to die for. The most popular girl has invited Meg and Minnie to her beach house for a weekend party that is exclusive for only certain people.

Meg doesn't want to go. Jennifer is not her friend and hasn't been nice to Meg since she came to school. But Minnie wants to go and Meg makes sure that she makes Minnie happy since she is not stable.

When the two get on the island, they find out that Jennifer hasn't shown up. Instead, it's a group of people that they do and don't know. By the end of the night, there are 10 of them, so they expect Jennifer to come the next morning.

But she doesn't show.

And one of the ten teens committed suicide by hanging herself.

Or that's what they think. One by one, one of the teens dies.

There is a killer on the island. Meg has found a diary that seems very eeriely close to what's happening in the house.

So is the killer an unknown person picking them off one by one? Or is it one of the 10 teens who are stuck in the house until Monday morning when the ferry comes back?

Meg is a watcher, a listener, so she is trying to figure out who is killing them and why. But will she figure it out in time for her to save her friends? Or will she find out too late? Read Ten by Gretchen McNeil to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I loved this novel!!

I got sucked right away into the story and I just had to find out who the killer was. I also tried to figure out myself by the clues hinting throughout the novel to see if I could predict it.

Yeah, I really didn't figure it out until 1 page before the killer was revealed.

I also really liked Meg. She has the patience of a saint with having a friend like Minnie. Minnie is not stable, she needs to lean on Meg and Meg is like another mother for her. That's not a friendship that one should have in high school.

While reading this, I was on my seat. I didn't know what was going to happen next and I really wanted to find out. I was left guessing until the last chapter and I didn't want it to end!

This is the first time I've read a novel by Gretchen McNeil and now I want more! I will have to go and see what else she has written and read them to see if it's as good as Ten!

I've read some reviews that they didn't like it, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a YA thriller/horror story. It's not perfect, but I really liked it and think others would too.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

This is the first novel in The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater.

Living with a family of psychics is interesting. For Blue, it's normal when random strangers come to her house to get their reading done, and hearing phrases that would normally make other people raise an eyebrow.

Also, ever since Blue was 6, her mother and her two friends Calla and Persephone have stated that she will kill her true love with a kiss. And it's not just Blue's friends and family who have said that - other psychics around the country have stated that same phrase.

So, it's safe to say that Blue has never had a boyfriend, nor really any guy friends for 10 years.

One night during their yearly visit to the graveyard where Blue's aunt hears the names of all the souls that will die within the year, Blue sees a boy.

Blue never sees a boy, or any other spirit on this night.

See, Blue isn't psychic like her mother. But she can make any psychics ability 10x stronger just by being in the same room.

So when Blue saw the boy, it meant one of two things. One, he was her true love. Or two, she was going to kill him.

After finding out his name, Gansey, Blue meets up with him in real life along with his 3 friends Noah, Adam, and Ronan.

Now Blue seems to be friends with not only one, but three guys when she has obviously sworn off boys for life.

But Gansey and his friends are looking for the ley line - the magical area where magic can be used if only the person knows what to sacrifice in order to possess the magic.

Gansey has been looking for this for over a year, and he's getting close now that he's met Blue and her eccentric family.

Will the secret of possessing the ley line magic get uncovered? And why did Blue see Gansey that night when she's having some feelings for Adam, his friend? Does this mean Gansey isn't her one true love? Read The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I have been a devote fan of Maggie Stiefvater since she first wrote Shiver of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series (which I haven't wrote about!!! I will fix that!!) and her recent novel The Scorpio Races.

So of course I would love this new book by her!

It was a little different though. The narration switched between multiple characters so we got a lot of different viewpoints.

And honestly, if I wasn't a devoted Stiefvater fan, I'm not sure if I would have been as interested in this book as I was. I'm hoping that someone who hasn't read her novels before would still pick this up and like it, but it was very deep and delved really far into the story line before coming back out crystal clear (well, kinda).

Blue is a unique girl but she kind of has to be when growing up she never got any commands - just simple remarks that her mother made letting her decide what she wants to do.

And the Raven Boys - boy are there some deep, troubled things going on which each of these boys. I love all of them for different reasons, but I think Gansey was my favorite. Being a nerd who likes to do research is not always found in lead boy characters, so of course I fell for him!

There is a lot of content in this book and once the reader gets to the end, everything makes sense. Just stick it out!

I would recommend this anyone who wants to read about magic, friendship, society, and second chances. I am looking forward to the sequel, which won't come out until September 2013 so I have a while to wait, but I'll be picking it up when it gets released!