Vanish by Sophie Jordan

This is the second novel in the Firelight series by Sophie Jordan.

My review of #1: Firelight.

WARNING - This will contain spoilers from the first novel! Continue reading with caution!

When Jacinda decided to go with Cassian, leaving Will behind in his little desert town, she was heartbroken.
But when she was confronted by his hunter family, one of whom saw Jacinda manifest into her draki, she knew they were in trouble and were about to manifest.

Only Tamra started to manifest. She's never been able to bring her draki out and everyone thought she was a defunt draki. However, it turns out she is one of the rarest draki's - a shader. She brings a mist and any human who touches it loses their memory of whatever the draki wants them to.

Now Jacinda and her pride are safe from the hunters because Tamra made them forget about knowing any of them. She even made Will forget about Jacinda, which tore a hole in her heart knowing that he will not come looking for her again or he won't recognize her if she sees him again.

When they all get back to the pride, things are extremely different. Jacinda used to be the most prized possession. Now, no one will talk to her except her sister and Cassian. Tamra, on the other hand, is treated like royalty and is learning how to be a shader draki.

Because Jacinda betrayed the pride, she is under surveillance and is treated like a traitor. Also, she is starting to get the feeling that the alpha of the pride, Cassian's father, only wants to have Jacinda start breeding more fire-breathers. And the two candidates for that job would either be Cassian or Corbin, his cousin and someone who makes Jacinda's skin crawl.

And Cassian has been spending a lot of time with Tamra, now that she is a rare draki and all. Maybe the chance that Jacinda once had. But she's happy that he might be interested in Tamra, since she's had a crush on him for years. On the other hand, he's always around and she feels something toward him that she thought she could only feel for Will.

Then the impossible happens. Will remembers Jacinda and everything they mean toward one another. Which is impossible since he was surrounded by the mist Tamra created. But with the draki blood in his system, he is more than human, even if he isn't fully draki.

Now Jacinda has to decide who she belongs with: Will or Cassian. And if she chooses Will, she will have to leave her friends and family behind forever. Before she can decide though, hunters find her and another draki. When the other draki is captured, she has to return and save her, otherwise she will never be found again.

Read Vanish by Sophie Jordan to find out what happens!

My Thoughts/Reflections
So glad I had this book! I flew through it - basically finished it in one sitting.

I have to admit this: I'm team Cassian. I loved him and Jacinda and want them to be together rather than her and Will. There less whining and complaining when she is with Cassian, and he is always trying to protect her. I just think they are better together than her and Will, but that's just my thoughts.

And Tamra. I had such a hard time with her in the first book because she was always "poor me, I never get anything". Well, I still have a rough time liking her because now she has this rare draki ability and now she's like "look at me, look at me!" and still treats Jacinda like she's trying to take her spotlight.

I dunno, for some reason she rubs me the wrong way and I don't know how Jacinda can stand living with her.

But there were times when they got along and I didn't roll my eyes when she was in the scene. Like when they got to fly together for the first time. I really liked that scene.

During the book, someone was following Jacinda, but she couldn't see them. I definitely knew who it was and why she as doing it, but the ending did throw me for a loop. I didn't see it coming and am very excited to continue reading to see what happens.

I doubt my happily ever after of Cassian and Jacinda will work out, but a girl can hope right?

So far I'm really enjoying this series, with the exception of Tamra, and the books are very easy to read and they fly by when there is action scenes.

I would definitely recommend this series to other readers, but I would strongly recommend that the readers read the novels in order. This book started right where the first book ended, so it might be confusing to start out of order for readers. Now, on the next one! :)

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

This is the first novel in the Firelight series by Sophie Jordan.

Jacinda is not a normal 16 year old girl. A major difference is that she is a draki, a descendant of dragons where she can shape shift from her human body into her draki skin. But even in the draki world she is unique because she is a fire-breather, the first one born in numerous generations.

So she has always been watched by the leaders in her pride. And she is also expected to mate with the "to-be" alpha of her pride, Cassian. Even if Jacinda doesn't want to be with Cassian, she is expected to try and get more fire-breathers in the pride, by having children.

But when Jacinda and her friend shape shift into their draki's during the daylight, she gets a punishment worse than death. A punishment so horrifying, that her mother takes Jacinda and her twin sister Tamra away from the pride.

And they go to a town in the middle of the desert, where Jacinda has a hard time changing into her draki. She needs moisture and mist - not dry humid air where she is slowly suffocating and can't feel her draki most of the time.

But she can feel it when she is around a particular person: Will. Who also happens to be a hunter, a person who kills draki's for a living. And he is also the hunter that let Jacinda go when she manifested into her draki the day at the lake.

With Will, she feels her draki come to life. For some reason, she is attracted to Will, and so is her draki. She can't control her feelings and she almost manifests when she is around him. Which would be horrible, since Jacinda knows he will kill her if he finds out what she is.

Things are about to get complicated, though, when Cassian comes and finds Jacinda in her town. He wants her back. Not because she is a fire-breather, but because he misses having her around. But Jacinda can't go back to pride, not if they want to clip her wings.

And Jacinda also has to worry about Will and his family of hunters. Because the more she is around him, the more risk there is of him learning her secret. But Jacinda is not the only one with a secret - Will is also hiding something from her. Something that could put Jacinda in a horrible situation.

Can Jacinda find a way to be with Will even though she is a draki? Will Jacinda have to choose between her life with Will or Cassian? Read Firelight by Sophia Jordan to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I have always had a fascination with dragons, so I was extremely excited when I found these books and that the series was complete! Of course I had to get it and, with no surprise, I loved this first novel!

There were times that I got annoyed with Jacinda or her sister Tamra. Not everything is life or death if they don't have the right clothes (Tamra) or if they don't have any friends (Jacinda). I do have to say, Tamra was not my favorite person. The amount of complaining she did drove me up the wall and I just wanted Jacinda to slap her.

Thankfully, it was Jacinda's point of view, not hers. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to finish this book!

I was slightly confused as to who Jacinda liked: Will or Cassian. I got the impression she didn't like Cassian but when he came back for her, she said she could vision herself with him at the pride. Maybe this ending will be more complex than I thought when I first started reading!

Also, I definitely knew something was up with Will. He couldn't be just a normal hunter - not with the strong attraction Jacinda felt for him from the moment they met. So I was glad that happened, because now Jacinda really needs to decide what to do between the two men in her life.

Overall, I really did enjoy this book. I read Sophie Jordan's adult romances, so I knew I would like her writing style and had no hesitation picking up this book!

The best part is the trilogy is over with and I have the second book in hand! No waiting after that horrible cliff hanger and I can delve right into the next part of the story!

I would definitely recommend this to readers who like fantasy aspects, especially dragons. I think it's more suited to female readers because it's Jacinda's story, but I really enjoyed it and think other readers will too!

Soulbound by Heather Brewer

This is the first novel in the Legacy of Tril series by Heather Brewer.

Kaya has grown up living with the Unskilled - humans who known nothing about the Barrons and Healers who are in a 100 year war. But Kaya knows enough about them since her parents are both Barrons.

The only problem is that Kaya has not been introduced to that world. She has been told that she is a Healer by her parents, but because her mother and father are both Barrons, they broke the rule where they could not marry one of their own. It needs to be Barrons married to Healers.

Because her parents did that, they have been hiding with the Unskilled and have made sure that Kaya has stayed out of trouble.

But when a Graplar comes into her town, a creature that's soul purpose is to kill humans, and kills Avery, Kaya's best friend, the location of Kaya and her parents was revealed. Now, Kaya got an "invitation" to go to the Shadow Academy to be trained as a Healer. Only in the invite, it basically said that if Kaya doesn't go, her parents will pay the punishment.

Now Kaya is stuck in a place where Healers are snobs and Barrons are cocky. She has a guard, since Healers are not allowed to fight and are "weak" unless they have a Soulbound or a Bound where they can protect their Healer.

Kaya is not having it. She wants to learn how to take care of herself instead of waiting for someone to save her in a fight. But that is against Protocol. No one is willing to teach her how to protect herself, except for maybe one person.

Darius.

But for some reason, Darius, who is the only Unskilled at the Academy who trains all of the Barrons to fight, seems to hate Kaya on sight. And Trayton, Kaya's Bound who she is to be with at all times in case he gets hurt and needs Kaya to heal him, won't help her because it is his responsibility to protect Kaya if she is in trouble.

Somehow, though, the Graplars are able to come inside of the walls protecting Shadow Academy. And Kaya keeps getting caught by them. She will find a way to defend herself, even if it is against the law at Shadow Academy.

But can Kaya find a way to protect all of the ones she's come to care about at the Academy before it is too late? Read Soulbound by Heather Brewer to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I have not yet had a chance to read any of Heather Brewer's novels, but I really loved this first novel of her new series! I wasn't sure what to expect going in, but after reading the synopsis about a girl wanting to find someone to train her to fight, I knew I would like it!

And I just have to say, once I met all of the characters I knew exactly where this was going to go. Especially because of the tension and the intensity with both male characters in Kaya's life, I knew exactly what was going to happen and I was waiting at the edge of my seat for it to occur.

But to have it happen on the last page?!? Gah, it just about killed me. I cannot wait until August to find out more of Kaya's adventure! Should have waited until closer to August before grabbing this and falling in love with this storyline.

So, as you can see, I really did like this novel. Actually, I liked it more than I thought I will.

Kaya is a great character. She knows she is a Healer and is anxious to learn more about Healing, but she also wants to learn how to protect the ones she loves. After seeing her best friend get attacked in her village  she never wants to be defenseless again.

And the love interest in this book! I definitely have a favorite and hope it goes in that path because I think they were made for one another.

Now I will have to look into Brewer's other series to see if they are as good as this novel. Maybe I will get a new favorite author!

I would definitely recommend this novel to young readers and try to explain the amazingness of this book to them! Can't wait for the sequel to come out!

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.

Dream Dark by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

This is a novella, #2.5, in the Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

My review of #1: Beautiful Creatures
My review of #2: Beautiful Darkness

WARNING - This will contain spoilers from the first two novels of the series! Proceed with caution!

With all of the confusion and chaos that happened during Lena's 17th moon, everyone was oblivious to what
happened to Link, Ethan's best friend. Even Link himself didn't know what happened until it was too late.

Link got bit by John Breed, who is part Incubus and part Caster. And when Link got bit, he turned into a weaker, but still potent, version of John Breed, making Link Quarter Incubus.

Now Link is going through major changes. All of the girls are going to start drooling over him, he has grown into his skin and has definite muscles he never had before, is most definitely strong and fast, can see long distances and hear like a dog, and can smell subtle smells he never thought existed.

And now Link he can stand a chance with the one girl who was out of his league: Ridley, Lena's cousin who is a Dark Caster and stole Link's heart a long time ago.

But with these changes means a lot of things are going to change. Sure, there are some benefits, but Incubus's have a hunger. Not for food, but for something stronger. The Ravenwood Incubus feed off of human blood. But some can feed off of emotions or dreams.

What will happen to Link? How can he keep this big secret away from his protective and crazy mother? Read Dream Dark by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl to find out what will happen to Link in this Caster Chronicle novella!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This was a very short novel, just 41 pages long, where the reader got to see what happened to Link in a little bit more detail, which I appreciated because he had the biggest change of all from the 2nd novel.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. It was nice to see Link's home life and how hard it must be to live with Mrs. Lincoln and her crazy theories. And I think Link needed a change in his life with all of the Caster business going on around him - he was bound to get caught up eventually.

Not much to say about this because it was so short. I'm glad I got it, though I think $1.99 is a little much to pay for a 41 page novella... That's just my opinion anyway.

It isn't needed to be read in order to appreciate the series, but I do think readers will like reading Link's side of things for a change of pace of Ethan's.

So overall, good, but not as good as the Beautiful novels in the series!

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!

This Is Not a Drill by Beck McDowell

For their French class, Emery and Jake got a chance to tutor a class of first graders with french words during their French period. Emery really enjoys it and she connects well with the kids. Jake just wanted to get out of French class, though being paired up with Emery could be a great chance to correct a wrong Jake did last year.

One day when they were doing flash cards of animals, one of the students's father walks in demanding that they let Patrick out of class with him.

As it was against protocol, the teacher led the father, Brian Stutts, toward the office to clear it with the administration.

But he was back in just a few moments with a gun in his hand and demanded his son. Stutts was leaving with his son, even if some causalities had to be made.

However, there were witnesses in the hallway and then the authorities came, so Stutts was stuck inside of the classroom with Emery, Jake, the teacher and 18 first graders.

And when the teacher collapsed, it was up to Emery and Jake to take care of all of the 5 year olds and make sure they didn't upset Stutts, who looked very unstable and was also under the influence of alcohol.

It also mean that Emery and Jake's past was bound to come up since they were working together and were stuck taking care of the kids. Even though it was the wrong time to be hashing out their past, they had to deal with both the past and present problems going on.

Can Emery and Jake fix their problems? Can they save all of the kids with no one getting hurt, and get Mr. Stutts the help he needs? Or will things get even more out of control than they already are? Read This Is Not a Drill by Beck McDowell to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This is a very hard book to read considering what has happened the last few years with school shootings. From the minute I read the synopsis, I got goosebumps. I think other readers will feel the same since today's society has had to deal with this topic more than we want to.

Overall, it was an okay novel. I really didn't care for the blast of the past between Jake and Emery. Yeah, there was history there between them, but I think that if the author just summed it up into one chapter of what had happened and then went into the main part of the novel it would have been better.

I'm glad the reader got to read through both Emery and Jake's point of view. Knowing what each character was thinking was nice to read about because both characters are so opposite of the other.

I think the teacher got the reaction of the kids right, even though I would assume that they would cry more than they really did.

Now, Mr. Stutts. I'm not sure how I felt about him. He has PTSD from being in Iraq for the war, so that was one of the reasons for his reaction and actions in this novel.

I dunno. This book is still a really impacting topic in today's society and it's a good way to get one reasoning over why someone might do this, but I just can't say that I loved the book. Maybe because of the subject, maybe just because of the characters reactions and reasonings... I can't say.

I'm not sure who I would recommend this book to. I can see a lot of parents getting upset if their child brings this book home to read, but I also think it could be a good thing to read for what's happened lately in our time period.

And if you haven't gathered, this book has really stumped me. I'm glad I read it and it's a very short book, but at the same time I think it could have been better.

I applaud McDowell for writing about a horrible subject, even if it didn't impact me the way it should have.

Paradise by Jill S. Alexander

Paisley's one wish is to get out of her biased little town in Texas. She hates being under a microscope and wants to play drums for a band.

Her mother hates that Paisley won't do something else but plays the drums in her marching band. Little does her mother know that she is secretly the drummer for Waylon Strikers band and they are trying to get ready for Texapalooza where tons of high school bands come to play and get a chance for an internship or a job offer from professional band corporations.

The only problem is that their band needs a singer. When Gabe shows up, Paisley gives him one shot and he nails it. Until Gabe, otherwise known as Paradise by Paisley since he is from Paradise, TX, pulls out an accordion  That doesn't bode well for their country rock band, but he somehow pulls it off.

And the band can't be picky right now since they really need a good singer to win the Texapalooza competition.

So now Paisley is secretly practicing with Paradise, Cal, Levi, and Waylon while trying to keep it away from her parents attention. Although Paisley is pretty sure her father has figured it out, but he hasn't said anything to indicate he does.

Things get bad at home when Paisley's older sister, Lacey, decides she's not going to do what her mother wants her to do anymore. Unlike Paisley's decision to tell her mother she wasn't going to sing or dance, Lacey has gone with her mother's wishes and has sang at any performance her mother has snuck her way in.

Now Lacey is going off to college and wants to go for hair and make up, cosmetology  But her mother is going to have a cow and Paisley wants this all to happen after her performance at Texapalooza.

And on top of that, Paradise keeps showing up around Paisley and makes Paisley feel things she's never felt before. All she's ever wanted was to be a drummer - that is her only passion.

But now with Paradise around, things might change as she can't stop thinking about him and gets jealous when he dances with another girl...

Can Paisley have both her drumming career and a life with Paradise, or is she wanting too much and won't get either? And how long can she keep the secret about drumming away from her parents before it explodes in her face? Read Paradise by Jill S. Alexander to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This was a cute story. Paisley was living a lie after a lie, so I knew they were going to explode in her face by the end of the novel.

The one thing that I loved about this book was Paradise. He came into the band audition as confident as anyone, even though he pulled out an accordion and started playing like it was a guitar and nothing was wrong with it.

And he was very confident around Paisley, even though she tried her hardest to ignore her feelings toward him and only focus on drumming and the band.

There were a few things I didn't enjoy about this novel.

One, the ending. Didn't enjoy that at all and wish it would have ended differently. But in a way, I could have seen it coming if I wasn't focused on the "here and now".

Two, the writing. For some reason, I felt like there wasn't enough description in the book. I had to go back many times just to figure out what happened that I skipped, only to find a few words describing what happened. Some places were very vague and I didn't get a lot of feeling from this book. Just an author telling a story, not describing in detail what happened.

I did like this story, but there were times when I found myself bored or missing a major plot and had to go back. Like I said, I liked Paradise the most and really enjoyed when he was in the scene because he was so confident and never got embarrassed by things that he did.

For anyone who likes music, I would definitely recommend this novel to you. And even though I didn't have the best time with this novel, I think a lot of other readers will really enjoy this book!

Hooked by Liz Fichera

This is the first novel in the Hooked series by Liz Fichera.

When Fredricka Oday, also known as just Fred, was offered to play for the boys golf team, she was stunned. She lives on the reservation with her Native American culture. She has no money and her dad works on the golf course as a mechanic - that's how she grew to love the game of golf.

So getting a chance to play on a team where scouts can see her play and she could possibly get a scholarship to go to college in a few years is a great opportunity.

But she knows it won't be easy. She will be the only girl on the team. The only Native American on the team. She is not as rich as the other teammates so her hand me down plaid golf bag, along with other hand me downs, will definitely stick out.

In the end, she says yes, because she loves the sport of golf and wants to go to college with as much help as she can get.

And, as she predicted, no one on the boys golf team liked this idea. Especially Ryan, the best player on the team. Or, he was until Fred showed up. And when Fred took that spot, Ryan's best friend Seth was kicked off, since there wasn't any other room and Seth was the worst player.

To make things even worse, Fred and Ryan are now partners for golf matches. So even though they don't talk to each other and have hostile feelings toward one another, they are forced to work together at every game in order to win.

Fred is just trying to keep out of trouble and have fun while playing golf. But that is hard with everyone around her hoping she will mess up. When she is playing golf, though, she can block anything out and just picture herself practicing at the practice range.

But things are about to get interesting. Seth is not as forgiving as the rest of the golf team and decides Fred needs to pay for taking his spot on the team. And now Ryan is stuck in the middle of his best friend and the girl he is starting to like.

When family problems occur, Fred has to decide if she wants to be part of a hostile environment or stay and help her family. And the issue with liking Ryan as more than a friend might be a factor in her decision as well.

Can her team eventually get over her gender and nationality, or will she be the odd one out the whole time she is on the boys golf team? Will it just be easier if she stops playing and stays away from Ryan? Read Hooked by Liz Fichera to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I loved this book! Native American culture, girl playing in a boys sport, and the sport of golf: three different aspects all wrapped in one novel makes this book very unique among other books in YA literature!

I really liked how Fred was hesitant about joining the golf team, even though she knew what would happen but really wanted to play golf. She wasn't ignorant, she knew what would happen and she thought it out before deciding.

And I think she was really brave in deciding to join the guys team. She really loves the game and wanted a chance to go to college after high school, so she made the brave choice to join.

Even though all of the guys would do pranks on her and make her feel outside of the team.

And poor Ryan. After he finally got to know Fred he knew she wasn't as evil as the team made her out to be, but it was almost impossible for him to be friends with Fred knowing she got Ryan kicked off of the team, his best friend.

I loved the little scenes where they were teaching each other what they were doing wrong when playing golf. And when they met up just to chat because they didn't have anyone else to talk to.

This novel was amazing and I can't wait to read more by Liz Fichera. I especially like that she writes about Native Americans since I'm part Native American and it gives me another viewpoint and aspect of that culture in Young Adult literature.

I think that anyone should read this book and because it is through both characters point of view, guys and girls could like it equally. Although guys probably won't read it as much as girls because of the cover.

And I cannot wait until the second novel in this series! From the snippets I've read, it's going to be a good battle between the two characters! I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more of Fichera's works in the future.

Boys, Girls & Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman

Starting high school is going to be a new experience for Charlie. Middle school was a nightmare. She was friends with Lauren and Ally, who were not nice people and Charlie started to follow in their footsteps until one incident happened that sent Charlie to another school with a new start.

And it seemed to be going well. Charlie met Sydney at orientation and they became friends. Charlie also saw Will, the guy she lived next door a few years ago and they were best friends. Apparently he is back in town and now they go to the same school.

Just when Charlie was getting used to her school and joining the newspaper, a reminder about her past shows up: Nahdi.

Lauren and Ally did a horrible thing to Nahdi and Charlie was caught in the middle, so now that she sees Nahdi again, it seems that her past is catching up to her.

At her new school, sports are the rave. Will and his friend Tyler (who Charlie may have a little crush on) go out for lacrosse even though they hear the team hazes them before putting them on the team.

Charlie's new motto is to stand up for herself and not be bullied into anything, so she tries to make all of her new friends do that.

But with Will joining the lacrosse team, he may be forced to do things he doesn't want to do. And when Charlie realizes that she may have stronger feelings than just friendship toward Will, she has to decide if she wants to be with someone who gives into peer pressure. And she'll have to make a decision to tell the authorities what's going on, even though Will has asked her not to.

What will Charlie do? Will it ruin everything she has worked for at her new school? Read Boys, Girls & Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This was a cute novel. It was recommended to me through Goodreads and I had it at my library, so I just picked it up and read it really fast.

Usually I don't read YA books if they are a freshman or younger, but Charlie didn't act too immature for my tastes so I decided to keep reading and find out what happens with this group of teens.

And Charlie is really mature for her age because of the horrible things her "so called friends" did when she was in middle school. Now she's learned to try to stay out of situations that could hurt other people - even though in Charlies case that is kind of hard.

So, overall, it was a cute novel. Not my favorite, but not one that I didn't finish or wish that I hadn't read when I finished it. Just a cute little novel that had a little different plot than other YA novels that I've read lately.

If anyone wants to read a novel about trying to be your own person, not following cliques or popularity, learning when to stand up for yourself, and making friends with the right people, this would be a good novel for you.

I would say that any female teen could read this - even younger ones because Charlie and her friends are just freshmen in this novel, so they could find something to relate to.

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!

The One That I Want by Jennifer Echols

Gemma grew up known as the heavy girl, the overweight girl. Honestly, she didn't really care but when her best friend Addison wanted to try out for the majorettes and made Gemma try out as well, she decided that she wasn't going to be overweight when she had to audition in front of the whole school and get made fun of.

So she lost the weight. Not as much as she wanted, but she was eating better, and she started to feel better in her own skin. It wasn't like she was going to make it on the majorette squad, but knowing she can change her image into something better was a win for her.

Except Gemma did get into the majorettes. Along with Addison. And now Gemma realizes that she has to wear the leotard for their dances. So she lost more weight before the school year started.

Now that she is a junior and in the majorettes, things are changing. She looks better and is part of the "in" crowd, so her former best friend Robert, who she's had a crush on for forever is shunning her and calling her a poser.

And because Gemma isn't so heavy anymore, people are starting to recognize her and acknowledge her, whereas it used to be Addison that was the most popular out of the two.

Gemma also realizes that the friendship between her and Addison is getting very strained, now that Addison isn't the best out of the two.

Things get really tense between them when Gemma and Addison get boyfriends: Max and Carter from their rival school, who are on the rival football team. Gemma noticed Max first during summer workouts at the college, but Addison snatched him up for herself, making Gemma and Carter go out with one another, even though Gemma's not attracted to Carter.

So now Gemma has to watch Max and Addison get romantic, even though there are moments between Max and Gemma. She doesn't want to like her best friend's boyfriend, but she cannot deny the attraction between them.

Things were just looking up for Gemma, but this might make or break her friendship with Addison. What will happen between Gemma, Max, and Addison? Read The One That I Want by Jennifer Echols to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Whoo-hoo! The tension in this book in insane! I do not know how Gemma could stand being around Addison. That girl is the most selfish, spoiled person who stamps her foot when she doesn't get her way, or if that doesn't work, plays dirty and doesn't even seem fazed by her evil thoughts.

I would have ate that girl alive if she went to my high school! And Gemma just took the crap that Addison gave her. She is a saint.

But I really admire Gemma. She worked extremely hard. She did baton lessons for years, and no wonder she was better than Addison and could do more tricks. As much as I hate Addison, I'm glad she bullied Gemma into trying out because then Gemma became more confident and outspoken than she used to be.

And the thing with Max? Hate to say it, but Gemma is at fault for that just as much as Addison. Gemma needs to start saying what she feels and thinks, because a lot of the drama that unfolded between that group could have disappeared if she just told Max and Addison what she really felt.

So as much as this book frustrated me, I really enjoyed it at the same time!

The main reason I read this novel was so I can be updated with Jennifer Echols novels - which I have now read every single one of hers except for the newly released novel that just came out!

Another thing that I've noticed with Echols writing is that she is very open about what she writes. I have yet to read a novel about the same topic of hers. She's dabbled in majorettes, marching band, snowboarding, and so much more. I'm not bored with her novels because they have something unique that I haven't read about before, so she is definitely one of my favorite authors.

I really enjoyed this book and think other teens would too - especially ones interested in majorette or dancing!

Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This is the third book in the Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

My review of #0.5: Daimon.
My review of #1: Half-Blood.
My review of #2: Pure.

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

After what happened in New York with the daimons and the furies, Alex just wants a break from everything Apollyon. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen since her 18th birthday is right around the corner and she will turn into the second Apollyon.

And now she has to go back to classes. Without Caleb. Everyone is looking at her with weird looks - either because of the upcoming Apollyon or because she has been in a lot of incidents lately, but either way she just wants to get away for awhile.

Then Alex has her own personal problems that include Seth and Aiden. Alex chose Seth, even if they aren't technically dating but are just hanging out a lot, but she can't forget Aiden, especially since he is always around protecting Alex from some threatening group trying to harm her.

And Seth is acting very odd. He seems to want to be with Alex, but she can't figure out if he wants to be with her because of the odd connection between them or if he actually likes her, or if he just wants to speed up the process where she becomes the Apollyon.

Everyone is saying that Seth just wants Alex to be the Apollyon so he can be the next God Killer, but Alex doesn't think so. Seth is different around her and actually cares about her, but lately he's been around her step father, Lucian, a lot and that is never a good thing.

The situation with Aiden becomes unclear. Alex can't stop thinking about him, even though she's decided that they can't be together for more than one reason. But the attraction between them is growing stronger and stronger - almost to the point of not being able to avoid it any longer.

Another problem Alex has is Major Telly wanted Alex dead. He's tried over and over to figure out a way to ensure she doesn't complete the transition to being the Apollyon because no one wants the second God Killer to awaken.

And it it wasn't for Apollo, Alex would be dead, after being stabbed. So now she needs to fight for what she has to do, but the deciding factor will but what will happen when she turns 18.

Can Alex figure out what is the right thing to do? What will happen when she turns 18? Will Seth keep his promise to protect her, or will it go horribly wrong? Read Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
It's been awhile since I read the previous books in this series, but I still found myself sucked into the Covenant world with Alex having a difficult life. And I loved it!

There was a lot of down time in this novel compared to the others, but I don't think that was anything wrong. Stories need down time and Alex needed to figure out what she wanted. Sure, she's going to be the Apollyon but she can also enjoy making out with a boy here or there.

So yes, Alex did chose a guy and she did get deceived by another boy.

The part that I really enjoyed during this book was getting to meet more Gods. We met Apollo and Artemis, we read about Poisiden and also met Hades for a bit. It was also very humorous with the Gods when they interacted with one another.

Before, I did have a guy that I hoped Alex would end up with, but now I'm not sure who she should be with. There are good and bad things about both of them and I kinda just want a new hot guy to come in and sweep Alex off of her feet and there will be nothing bad about him. But I know that won't happen, haha.

I really enjoyed this novel and the ending was very interesting... I'm excited to see what will happen for Alex after she becomes the Apollyon and what will occur with Seth as the "God Killer".

If anyone wants to read this, I would definitely recommend that you read the first books in the series. Even after I read them, it took me awhile to get into this world, so I could never imagine someone just jumping in with this book!

For devoted fans of JLA, you must read this book! And for anyone who likes mythology, I would definitely recommend this series!

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

This is the first novel in the Hopeless series by Colleen Hoover.

Sky has finally gotten her adoptive mother to let her go to public school for the first time in her senior year. She wanted to get used to the public system rather than being home schooled since she is going to college the year after.

Right before she starts school, she meets Dean Holder - the only guy she's ever felt anything and she just saw him. Most guys that she makes out with leave her feeling numb, which she likes because she doesn't have to feel for awhile.

But Holder made her feel so many emotions and he hadn't even touched her - just looked at her and Sky was done for.

When Sky went to school, she already had a reputation as the slut or whore, since she has made out with different guys, even though she's still a virgin. Rumors and lies spread fast in high school, Sky figures out.

Holder fascinates Sky and even though she's hear rumors about him and his past, Sky wants to get to know Holder. But he has many different sides and Sky is not able to understand most of them.

He also gets very jealous around Sky, even though they aren't dating and she's not dating anyone else. But when comments are being made about Sky, Holder will most definitely fight back, unless Sky can talk him out of it.

The chemistry between the two has not gone unnoticed, and with Sky's no filter problem, she blurts out that she wants more with Holder. But he pans it out and let's it linger between the two, keeping their "firsts" spread apart and last longer.

However, things slowly start to go horribly wrong. Sky is having flashes and memories about her life before the adoption. Things she finds out she made herself regret. Things about her best friends when she was 3 and information about her real parents that Sky is now just realizing she wished she never remembered.

Because everything Sky has thought about herself is horribly wrong. She doesn't even know her real self anymore after the secrets get unburied. Now Sky has to deal with what happened, and how Holder is involved in all of her past dark secrets that he knew about before Sky did.

To find out what happened to Sky, and what will happen between Sky and Holder, read Hopeless by Colleen Hoover!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Just a forewarning, this is a NEW ADULT novel, which means that it's a little bit more mature and graphic than a YA novel but not too racy like an adult novel. Mainly, New Adult (NA) novels are set in college and are about characters who are starting to grow up, but still do things that are immature.

I read Hoovers other novel, Slammed, and enjoyed it, but didn't love it. But this novel? I read it in one sitting and wanted more!

I literally laughed out loud (especially when Sky didn't know what "lol" meant), made me gasp, hold my breath, and I cried. Oh, boy, did I cry at the end. I definitely went on an emotional roller coaster ride through this novel and loved every minute of it!

This novel was so intense - even before the big secret was revealed. Holder is an intense guy and Sky actually feels things when he's around, so that alone is intense.

And speaking of the big secret? I most definitely guessed correctly on everything that was revealed long before it happened. But when I guessed it, I didn't want it to be real. It was so horrible and that is why I cried at the end. Because even though I guessed correctly, I really didn't want my guess to be right.

Hoover did an amazing job. Even if all readers guess what happens at the end, it is still emotional and heart breaking - especially when we read about Sky and Holder's reaction and emotions to the revealing.

Even though I heard tons of great reviews from this novel, it took me awhile to spend money on it for the eBook on Amazon, but I finally did and boy am I sure glad I experienced this novel. I will definitely not be forgetting this story any time soon, and I'm curious to see what Hoover is going to write about for the sequel of this novel. I will, however, be waiting to find out the minute any information about the sequel comes out, because I need to read more about Sky and Holder.

I would most definitely recommend this novel to my friends and any older readers, as the content is very graphic in some areas. Go read it. Now. You won't regret it!

From What I Remember... by Stacy Kramer & Valerie Thomas

Kylie wakes up in an unknown room with a massive hangover. Once the room stops spinning, she realizes that she is in bed with Max Langston - the popular, smoking hot boy she has known for 6 years, but hasn't said more than 10 words to.

And she realizes that her graduation ceremony is in 7 hours, and she's in Mexico. A bit problematic, since she is the valedictorian.

Flash back two days, to find out that Kylie is partnered with Max for a horrendous last assignment for English - one she is determined to do so her GPA won't go down and she could lose her spot as the valedictorian.

Only Max couldn't give a flying care for the assignment, and it's a partner assignment. When Kylie and Max get together to work on it, Kylie's backpack is stolen. She will not lose her backpack because her laptop is in there.

With her valedictorian speech. And her screen play she's been writing for 2 years.

So she chases after the thief, with Max trailing behind her. Then they go into the van the bag was placed in, only to find themselves trapped when the dealers start the car and drive.

And the next thing they know, they get out of the van in Mexico without their passports...

Kylie is very studious and serious, so this does not bode well for her plans for graduation  But what is a girl to do when she's stranded in Mexico with a cute boy? Lose all sense of self-control, get drunk for the first time, dance and party, and - wait - did she wake up with a wedding ring?!

As for Max, he has no idea why he followed crazy Kylie into the van and found himself in Mexico the day before graduation.  And the attraction he is feeling for Kylie? Not supposed to happen - especially since he is dating Lily, and has been dating her for a year.

Lily's life is falling apart and all she wants is to cling to Max and hope that he can make it all better. Because now that her life is done for, she will need Max more than ever...

When Max and Kylie get stranded, Kylie calls her best friend, Will, who is getting their passports and crossing the boarder to come save them.

And Will is having a great time with this situation. He's been wanting Kylie to loosen up for years, and it finally happen. He is not going to miss a moment of this. And he might just find a cute boy while in Mexico as well.

But everything comes crashing when Lily finds out about Max and Kylie - when she, Max's best friend Charlie, Will, Kylie and Max are all in Mexico the day of graduation.

Can they all make it back in time to graduate with their classmates, or will it be too late? And what is happening between the studious, serious Kylie and the popular, slacker Max? Read From What I Remember... by Stacy Kramer & Valerie Thomas to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Oh my. After reading the description, I knew this book would have some laughs, but I thought this book was hilarious! I'm glad Goodreads recommended it to me and I'm really happy it was located in my library, because this book kept my eyes glued to it until I finished it!

This book is told through multiple viewpoints, including Kylie, Max, Will, Lily and Jake, Kylie's younger brother. And I really enjoyed each viewpoint because it gave a different sense to the book, getting different thoughts and also different settings than a book from one point of view.

I have to say, the best parts (the hilarious parts) was when Will was somehow involved. Will is very gay, and he's proud of it, even though he gets crap from his classmates. Also, him and Kylie are movie nerds and quote so many great movies, I was quoting with them!

Kylie is a hoot. She is so shy and quiet at school, but when she is driving away from the goons that "kidnapped" her across the border, she's suddenly a character from Fast and Furious where she is a daredevil and has a very clear mind in intense, critical conditions.

Sure, this book had some scenes where it was literally too good to be true, but overall I really loved it. The reader got to see Kylie finally be a high school girl who gets to party for the first time. She lives in the moment, rather than thinking about what her actions will cost her the next day.

And Max! He's so loud and popular and brave when he's around his friends at school, but the minute they get chased by the thieving goons, he becomes a sniveling scardy cat while Kylie is taking control. It was so funny that I could picture it exactly how it was happening.

Yes, I would definitely recommend this novel to readers. Some parents may not like their teenage children reading this because of the underage drinking, but since most kids do anyway, I don't see the harm. It's about learning how to prioritize and let loose every once in awhile. Plus, it's just plain hilarious and the reader will be flying through the novel, even though it's over 400 pages!

Great novel. Very glad I read it!

The Seven Devils by Sara Danvers

When Ellen's father tries to drown her in their pool while drunk, Ellen's mother (after accusing Ellen of doing something to make her father mad) decided to move Ellen and her older brother Austin away from their father.

Ellen was all for that, since she was almost strangled to death, but her mother makes is seem like it is her fault, when it's technically her father's fault for being a brutal, angry, abusive drunk. And Austin is permanently angry with Ellen, treating her as if she didn't exist.

Which is how Ellen survives: being invisible.

But when they get to their new town and their new school, Ellen sticks out like a sore thumb. She is the only red head and everybody is gorgeous.

When she gets hassled at lunch in the cafeteria by a bunch of boys, while also getting asked out on her first day by an attractive, but cocky, guy named Derrick, she is saved by a mysterious loner: Neil.

Everyone at school has so much hostility and fear toward Neil that Ellen doesn't know what to do. However, Neil is the only nice person at her school and offers to sit with her at lunch, so she won't turn down that kind of offer.

The more Ellen gets to know Neil, the more she likes him. But with everyone warning her away, she wonders what the big secret is.

Even though she is dating Neil, against everyone's warnings, she's still getting attention from Derrick. He won't leave her alone and he is always showing up.

Suddenly, Neil starts to ignore Ellen, giving her no clue as to what had happened between them. Now that she's suddenly alone, Derrick is around more and more, and Ellen finds that she likes to hangout with him.

But when they start to date, he becomes possessive, threatening, commanding. Ellen wants out, but she's afraid to make Derrick too angry.

After much difficulty and close calls, they do break up and suddenly Neil is around again.

And he has answers to Ellen's questions. The questions she's been dying to ask all year - since that first day she met him. But what are the dark secrets that Neil is hiding? Will it be too much for Ellen to handle? will she end up leaving him for good, or can they work through Neil's past? Read The Seven Devils by Sara Danvers to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I got this off of Amazon for free and finally got around to reading it on my kindle. I thought it was an interesting story, the beginning sucked me in because Ellen was being choked and drowned by her father in the pool. That is definitely a scene that will capture any reader's attention.

I felt really bad for Ellen. She obviously didn't get love from any of her family members, and learned to blend in and hide from situations. She would jump at every loud noise or when someone yelled too loud, which I can completely understand after what she went through.

I really liked Neil. Sure, there were rumors about him at school, actually, in their whole town, but he treated Ellen with respect, which is more than what Derrick did in that cafeteria.

And he really cared/looked out for her. Whenever she was in trouble, he would come running to save her.

Because I read this on my Kindle, the formatting was a little off, so that bugged me a little bit. There were also some grammatical and punctuational errors that I noticed right away, but it didn't deter me from reading the whole novel.

I'd give this novel 2.5 stars. It was a good book, but there was a lot thrown into it and it seemed it could have been wrapped up faster than what it was. I did like the supernatural aspect of it, even though it seemed thrown in there at random times, where other times it could have been a contemporary novel.

If anyone is looking for a survival, supernatural, high school novel, I would recommend this book, but it wouldn't be my first choice to give to other readers.

I do wonder, though, if there is another novel coming? A sequel? Because if there is, I will read it because I want to know what happens between Neil and Ellen. The ending was very bland and sad toned, so I would want to read more to get a happier ending.

The D.U.F.F. by Kody Keplinger

Bianca is best friends with Jessica and Casey. Her friends also happen to be drop dead gorgeous and supermodel tall. Bianca never really noticed that though, until Wesley.

Wesley, the arrogant man-slut at school. He doesn't hide that he gets around with girls, but he's also very nice to them and treats them with honesty.

Though he was brutally honest when he told Bianca that she was the DUFF of her friends - the designated ugly fat friend.

So it goes to show that Bianca cannot stand Wesley, even though the whole school drools over him.

But with troubles at home and Bianca isn't able to talk to Casey or Jessica about it, Bianca starts to lean on Wesley a little bit. Okay, a lot in the fact that she sleeps with him. A lot. It's not a relationship because they are both using one another and have an agreement that no one can know about it. But it's a way to relieve the stress they are feeling from their home life.

Because Bianca's parents aren't doing so well. In fact, after traveling for two years, her mother sent her father divorce papers in the mail. And then her father, a recovering alcoholic, goes on a drinking spree.

After a few months of being with Wesley, she calls it off and starts dating the boy of her dreams from the beginning of the school year: Toby.

But why does Toby's touch feel different than Wesley's? And why does she think about Wesley, period?! Maybe it's because he keeps sending her notes, and calls her and texts her. Isn't he the one that is the player and doesn't stay with one person for more than a month?

And then there are the times that she day dreams about Wesley, not Toby. It seems she may have grown attached to Wesley...

What will Bianca do? Stay with Toby, the guy she's destined to be with because they are so similar or try to handle Wesley, the guy that she can't get out of her head? Read The DUFF by Kody Keplinger to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Kody Keplinger has become a fast author that I have immensely enjoyed reading! She has three novels out and I devoured every single one of them. I also really enjoyed them because they are different from each other.

This novel is no different, though I found it more rough than the others. To be called a DUFF behind your back is one thing, but Bianca was told that she was a DUFF to her face. I don't know how she handled it, but I probably would have done the same thing she did and just believed it to make me feel better. Knowing something and living up to it is sometimes easier than trying to prove it's wrong.

I did laugh out loud during the first time Bianca and Wesley kiss - well Bianca kissing Wesley when he wasn't expecting it. I can only imagine how shocked he was, but he didn't waste any time kissing her back, that's for sure.

Actually, Bianca threw Wesley off quite a bit. The playboy was shocked by the DUFF - that throws a twist into things and makes it even better because he's supposed to be ready for everything. Bianca definitely took him by surprise.

I felt for both Bianca and Wesley because they were having crappy family problems. And they both felt that they couldn't tell their friends because they didn't want to burden them, so they confided in each other. Not something either of them thought they would be doing, but it definitely helped them both.

I cannot wait for more of Keplinger's novels! She does a wonderful job with her books and I'm always sucked into them - usually reading them in one sitting! This book took me less than a day to read - that's how devoted to it I was!

I think teen girls would really love her novels, and this one deals with self-image that I think any females can relate to at one point in their life (usually high school). So I would definitely recommend this book to others!

Major Crush by Jennifer Echols

Out of the blue, Virginia gave up her crown and tiara's of being a pageant girl and decided to join the high school marching band. However, she didn't want to be a part of the band - she wanted to be the drum major and lead the marching band.

Which meant she had to compete against Drew, previous drum major for the last two years.

So it was to everyone's surprise when both Drew and Virginia were chosen to be the drum majors. The first time in their school's history where there were two leaders, let alone the first time that one was a female.

This made the relationship and work area very tense between Drew and Virginia, but after they tanked their first performance at the football game, they realized that they have to get over their anger and tension if they want their marching band to compete against other schools.

However, Virginia is having a hard time of with since Drew's girlfriend, the Evil Twin, keeps spreading rumors about her. So Drew and Virginia make a pact - they will play nice and be friends, and try to win the competitions - otherwise they might as well quit while they were ahead.

It's a good thing Virginia has Allison, her best friend and fellow pageant girl, to keep her sane so she can vent about all of the dreadful things that have happened.

Like, for instance, the new band director making Virginia wear a mini skirt and knee high boots instead of the normal drum major uniform.

And that Drew and Virginia have to do a dip for their performance, meaning that they need to be extremely close to each other, even though they can't stand being around the other.

But things are staring to change. Now that they are friends, they are getting along with one another. And for some reason, Virginia is having romantic thoughts about Drew? So not going to happen for many, many reason.

Everything gets blown up, though, when Drew and Virginia find out who really got the most votes to be the next drum major. Because no matter who got it, the tension shot rocket high between the two of them. And somehow, the deepest secret Virginia has about her family was leaked - but she only told one person what that secret was...

Can Drew and Virginia work things out? Can they both be drum majors and maybe even date one another? Or will there be too much tension between their past and present that they can't overcome? Read Major Crush by Jennifer Echols to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I'm getting closer and closer to my goal of reading all of Jennifer Echols novels! I think I have one more to read before I'm caught up with the published novels :D

This was a cute novel. I have no knowledge of marching band, so it was all very interesting to me. I was pretty amazed at how popular marching band is in this novel - is it like this for all schools?

Well anyway, I loved Virginia. She didn't take crap from anyone and had some sass to go along with it. Plus I loved how she had her nose pierced and everyone thought it was a crime.

Virginia had a lot of courage to stop pageant showing and do something that she actually wanted to do. And she was proud to be the drum major, even if the whole band was angry she took Drew's thunder by making them partners.

So, yeah, this was a cute novel. I liked how I was introduced to a different topic in a YA novel and a topic that hasn't been written about too much - at least one that I haven't heard too much about.

And I also liked how Drew worked in a family business where he was trying to get out of it, so he was very intense and serious until it came around Virginia, who seemed to push all of his buttons to let him speak his mind for once, instead of the "proper" thing to do.

My favorite part was when Drew wouldn't yell at his evil girlfriend because "a gentleman doesn't yell at girls", but when he got around Virginia, all he seemed to do was yell at her :) Oh, and how Virginia kept stealing Drew's marching band shoes so he had to march in his normal shoes. Ah, the small details in this story that cracked me up!

The Ex Games by Jennifer Echols

When Hayden moved to Colorado from Tennessee 4 years ago, everything went perfectly. She had friends and dated the hottest boy in her class.

That was until she found out Nick only dated her because he was dared to.

Four years later, the dislikeness between the two has not dimmed from each other. They still pick on each other and say cruel things to one another because of what happened when they were 13 years old.

During that time, Hayden has become very competitive in snowboarding and is one of the best female snowboarders in her class. She even won a competition and got lessons from a famous female boarder.

The only problem is that Hayden is afraid of heights. She won't do any jumps when snowboarding - just small tricks that are impressive for the low distance she goes off the ground. The famous female boarder likes very big jumps, and now Hayden has to find a way to keep her secret still a secret.

But once Nick said that she would not win against the guy that won his class, they declared war and have made a competition between the two of them to see who would win.

The prize being the loser has to buy the other one tickets to the dance/concert on Valentine's Day. It seems that everyone in their town has heard of this bet and the guys have sided with Nick to win, while the girls have sided with Hayden to win.

There is no way Hayden can back out of this bet with the whole town vouching for the ultimate win, but she can't do the jump. Everytime she tries, she gets too scared and ends up quitting. How can she win this bet and show Nick that she really is a great boarder if she can't make a jump? Read The Ex Games by Jennifer Echols to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I got this book from a library because my all time goal is to read all of Jennifer Echols novels she has published. I really enjoyed this book as well! Very cute and funny, but also serious and mature in some aspects.

I think I really liked this novel because I was able to relate to it - well a little bit. I work inside at a ski resort during the winter and have heard a lot of my friends talking about boarding and skiing, so it was familiar in a way that I could relate to the competition between Hayden and Nick.

And I can definitely relate to Hayden's fear of heights because of a broken leg many years ago since I won't even touch a snowboard or skis, knowing I'll probably break my own leg!

Hayden is very confident for a 17 year old, saying she isn't going to go to college but is instead going to be a professional boarder. Unfortunately, she needs to be able to do high jumps and she's terrified of them, so I'm glad Nick came along and challenged her to their bet.

Otherwise I don't think she could have become a professional boarder by the time she wanted to be one!

There were some points where I thought it was immature - especially the miscommunication between the two main characters. But then I thought back to high school years and realized that Echols got that exactly right because high schoolers like to jump to conclusions without thinking through everything.

Heck, adults do that as well! But the things Hayden and Nick assumed were very obvious, so it was more high schoolish than adult mistakes.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I think that other readers who are into sports and competitions  along with  battle of the sexes and exes will really like this novel!

Slammed by Colleen Hoover

This is the first novel in the Slammed series by Colleen Hoover.

The move from Texas to Michigan - Layken can deal. The new school, she can handle, even though it's senior year and she has no friends to speak of. But the fact that the move happened because her father died from a heart attack is not something she ever wanted to happen.

However, everything does happen and now she's in Michigan, where it's suddenly a lot colder than Texas. But the plus side? Her brother's new best friend after knowing one another for 1 minute and who lives right across the street has a very hot older brother. Just a few years older than Lake.

And the chemistry between them is out of this world.

But something horrible happens. It turns out that Will is her poetry teacher at school. So they cannot be together, even though they are insanely attracted to each other.

Now they have to pretend they don't feel anything for each other. And when Lake goes to the slamming nights - where volunteers recite poetry that they feel very emotional about to the point of yelling, screaming, crying, etc. - Lake gets another viewpoint of Will.

Things go from bad to worse, though, when Lake finds out a secret about her mother. A secret that could either destroy her family or bring them closer together.

And Lake wants to go to Will for a shoulder to lean on, but their relationship needs to be non-existent because of the teacher/student thing.

Can Lake make it past this stage in her life and come out in the end a better version, or will everything that happens between her family and her relationship with Will destroy her? Read Slammed by Colleen Hoover to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Also, just a forewarning, this is a NEW ADULT novel, which means that it's a little bit more mature and graphic than a YA novel but not too racy like an adult novel. Mainly, New Age (NA) novels are set in college and are about characters who are starting to grow up, but still do things that are immature.

I've been hearing great things about this novel and found myself with a gift card, so I purchased it having high expectations.

But for some reason I found it a little bit lacking. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the story and was very sympathetic toward both Lake and Will. Their lives and tragic events are what made them who they are and I am very admirable of how they are. So grown up and mature.

I think what might have turned me off from part of this book was the slamming. I'm not a poetry person nor a big public speaker, though I have gotten better at that, so I wasn't able to relate to that aspect of the book. And it's a big part of the book because that's one form of communication to one another.

However, I did enjoy this book. I especially liked the relationship between Lake and her brother Kel, along with the relationship between Will and his younger brother Caulden. If anyone has any siblings, one knows it's hard to get along with them all of the time and both Will and Lake are like another parent to their brothers instead of an older sibling. And both Will and Lake are good at being a parent to their sibling.

This is the first in a series and after reading the synopsis for the second book, I'm not sure if I'm mental prepared to go through the rollercoaster ride of Will and Lake's relationship again just yet. Reading a book with snippets of kissing, only to be let down because of the "grown-up" situation occurring between them was very time and emotion consuming. I may have to wait a little longer before picking up the second one. But I will, eventually!

So while this wasn't my favorite NA novel, I'm glad I read about it after all of the hype I've heard about it. I would recommend this for any female reader since the narration is through Lake.