The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1) by Kelley Armstrong

The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1)

by Kelley Armstrong

Hardcover, 359 pages

Published April 12th 2011 by Harper (HarperCollins), New York
Source: Personal Collection

Plot:
Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.

Until now.

Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.

In The Gathering, New York Times best-selling author Kelley Armstrong brings all the supernatural thrills from her wildly successful Darkest Powers series to Darkness Rising, her scorching hot new trilogy. 

My Thoughts:

This novel to me just set up book two. I feel like Ms. Armstrong allowed us to dip our toes in the story with this one. I finished this novel with more questions than what I had while I was the middle of the plot. There are so many things I am curious about and I can't go into detail because that would just spoil the book for you guys, but I can tell you the mystery surrounding the town and her biological parents has me hooked. Sure there are parts of this novel that seem just like every other paranormal on the shelf, but this book has more mystery than just the paranormal elements. And that is very refreshing. 


I loved Maya's ability to get close with animals. It made me curious about her. Also I am still puzzled about the best friend who drowned. She actually start out with the friends death scene, but never get our answers about what really happened to her. Maybe we'll get that in book two...


Oh and Rafe. More of him please! He was one hot love interest. He was the token new guy who all the girls wanted but only had eyes for out main character, Maya. That seems to be the formula in YA now-a-days. And Daniel, Maya's closest friend...I'm left to wonder if he is hiding some secrets of his own. I kinda liked him and rooted for him and Maya to become something more.


If this series is anything like the Darkest Powers plot line, I know each book is just going to keep getting better. Can't wait for book two! I need these questions answered!


Pick this one up if you are into paranormals with animal-like bad boy love  interests.

A Beautiful Dark (A Beautiful Dark #1) by Jocelyn Davies

A Beautiful Dark (A Beautiful Dark #1)

by Jocelyn Davies
Source: Ebook

Hardcover, 390 pages

Published September 27th 2011 by HarperTeen

Plot: 

On the night of Skye's seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites;like fire and ice; Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye's life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.
In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can't help falling for, and Devin, who she can't stay away from, the consequences of Skye's choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

My Thoughts:

This novel was just okay for me. I enjoyed the story line, but I felt like I'd read it before. There really wasn't any huge shock or twist until the very, very end, so the plot was predictable. Maybe it was because I'd read a crap ton of YA paranormal/fantasy novels in the last few years. Who knows. But I didn't hate the book or anything, it was just an easy read for me. Nothing about it made it stand out.

What I did love about the novel was the secondary characters. Skye's best friend, Cassie, stole the show. She was funny, spunky, was in a bad. I totally loved her. Oh and I am still a sucker for bad boys, so I was team Asher throughout the whole book.

So read this one if you need your next angel book fix.

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi Review

Title: Shatter Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Hardcover, 338 pages

Published November 15th 2011 by Harper/HarperCollins
Source: Personal Collection

Plot:

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

My Thoughts:

This novel took me a while to get into it. I would say I struggled through the first 60-90 pages to find the flow of the book and whether I was going to like it or not. I’m glad I stuck with it, because once Warner came into the picture, things really took off for me.

The writing style is very different. It’s not like any other book I’ve ever read, which totally makes it stand out amongst the sea of YA novels out there. And the plot line is strange. Strange in a sense that you don’t really know what’s going on. Which is good. I like to be surprised. The plot just kept twisting and dragging me further and further into the story.

The only thing I would say I didn’t like about the novel was the quick emotional changes of the characters. Love just felt so rushed. I couldn’t see how this love triangle developed so quickly. I know that the MC and Adam have a past, but it was just a little hard for me to buy into a quick love story. They hadn’t seen each other in years, and even at that they never really spoke to each other before they are reintroduced in the current time frame of the novel.  But other than that I loved the book. The action was spot on and I enjoyed watching the MC morph into a strong female lead.

I recommend this novel to any YA Dystopian lovers!

 

The Iron Queen (Iron Fey #3) by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Queen (Iron Fey #3)

by Julie Kagawa

Paperback, 358 pages

Published January 25th 2011 by Harlequin Teen 

Source: Netgalley

Plot:

My name is Meghan Chase.I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.
This time, there will be no turning back.

My Thoughts:

I am absolutely in love with this series. The Iron Fey series is one of my all time favorite series. This series has taken me on a whirlwind journey and I have loved every second of it. Throughout this series there has been tons of actions and stakes that make me hang on to the edge of my seat and forgo nights of sleep just to see what happens next.

The love story between Ash and Meghan is so epic. Their love for each other shines on every page and I can only pray the next book in the series The Iron Knight continues this pattern.

The end to the series in Meghan's point of view broke my heart. I so didn't want it to end like that. But I have faith that Ash's story, The Iron Knight, will mend the pieces.

Kudos Ms. Kagawa on a kick ass series!

Trickster's Girl (Raven Duet #1) by Hilari Bell

Author: Trickster's Girl (Raven Duet #1)

Author:Hilari Bell 

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published January 3rd 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Source: NetGalley 

 

 Plot:

In the year 2098 America isn't so different from the USA of today. But, in a post-9/11 security-obssessed world, "secured" doesn't just refer to borders between countries, it also refer to borders between states. Teenagers still think they know everything, but there is no cure for cancer, as Kelsa knows first-hand from watching her father die.

The night Kelsa buries her father, a boy appears. He claims magic is responsible for the health of Earth, but human damage disrupts its flow. The planet is dying.

Kelsa has the powers to reverse the damage, but first she must accept that magic exists and see beyond her own pain in order to heal the planet.

My Thoughts:

The concept of this novel sounded really promising and I was excited to dive in, unfortunately I had a little problem focusing on this one. While the plot was fresh, the characters didn't force me to care about them enough to stay engaged in the story. I think the main problem for me was the romance didn't seem to progress, which is what keeps me hooked. I enjoyed the dystopian aspects of the novel and the ungraded technology that was represented in the book though. I just wish I would have been a little more vested into the characters.

Our 5 Star Book List of 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

It's time for us here at Reading, Writing and Waiting to round up all the novels we've reviewed during 2011 that received the coveted five star rating. I want to thank all of my review partners for their hardwork this year! I am so glad you came on board with me. I couldn't have got through all the reviews without you!! So, without further ado, here's the Young Adult novels we went Gah-Gah over last year:



Clarity by Kim Harrington
"First off, um, WOW!! This book has easily pushed its way to one of my favorite novels. True crime mysteries in YA are few and far between, and Clarity helps fill that void. This novel totally reminds me of a psychic Veronica Mars, and those of you who know me know how much I loooooooooove Veronica Mars. I know I'm not alone on that one. :)"--Annie



Demon Glass by Rachel Hawkins
"I loved every second of this book and it's so hard not to spill the beans because I could go on and on about the plot. There are so many things that happen in this book that make me think WTF, and OMG what's gonna happen next. This book is a must read for the Sophie Mercer fans out there."--Annie



Wither by Lauren Destefano
"There's just something about a forbidden love that hooks me every time. Rhine's relationship with Gabriel is risky. They'd be killed if anyone ever found out she liked anyone other than her husband, Liden, and that heightens the stakes tremendously. "--Annie



Vicious Little Darlings by Katherine Easer
"A good young adult contemporary novel, to me, is gritty and real, with a plot that is reasonable, yet has a great twist. A twist I can't guess by the second chapter of the novel. Well, my friends, I am so happy to tell you I found that in Vicious Little Darlings."--Annie



Secrets (The Ivy #2) by Lauren Kunze
"The drama kept me turning the pages. I just had to know what was going on, plus book one left off with a huge cliff hanger, so I was immediately hooked into book two."--Annie 



Lure by Stephaine Jenkins
"The voice in the first paragraph hooked me right away and told me this was a girl I could totally be friends with. She isn't afraid to call someone out on their crap, which in my eyes makes for an awesome female lead character. She will keep you on your toes."--Annie



We'll Always Have Summer: Jenny Han
"OMG, you guys. That's all I have to say about the final book in this series. I liked the first book, really liked the second book and absolutely LOVED the third. The third book was so emotional."--Annie



The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
"I literally carried this book around with me everywhere until I finished it. Not since Edward in Twilight has a love interest hooked me this way. He has so many inner demons and Meghan is the one person who can get beneath that frigid layer of ice that surrounds his heart. Love him!"--Annie



Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
"Gah! I love, love stories. Especially when the two people in the relationship want to kill each other all the time!"--Annie



Crush Control by Jennifer Jabaley
"I read through CRUSH CONTROL at lightning speed because I couldn't stop myself! I remember reading about this sale in Publisher's Marketplace and thinking how awesome it sounded, and it didn't disappoint. I loved it!"--Jamie



Hourglass by Myra McEntire

"I just finished this novel and it was AWESOME. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2011 and I’m happy to report it didn’t disappoint. This time travel novel defiantly stood out among the sea of paranormal books out there on the YA shelf."--Annie



The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
"Added to the dual main characters are their two best friends--an on again, off again couple--who are fun and quirky. The ending is sweet and satisfying--not over-done or under-cooked. I give THE FUTURE OF US five stars! (Who didn't see that coming?) :)" --Jamie



Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
"All I can say is wow. I absolutely adored this book, the cast of characters was well-rounded and not what I was expecting AT ALL. A girl who is not only the leading quarterback, but captain of her team, respected and loved by the team mates? Never would've thought it could be pulled off and with such talent."--Jenn



Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
"This is one of those books, either you love it or you hate it. I've seen this novel referred to as literary crack before, and I have to say I agree. This novel grabbed me from the moment the bad boy love interest stepped on the scene. He was amazing. He did things that I didn't expect and I was shocked. SHOCKED and appalled by some of the things he did in this book, which in large part hooked me even more."--Annie



Everneath by Brodi Ashton
"I love it when a novel is so out in left field, it defies ever rational thought I have about what the underworld is suppose to be like. Plus, anything that can tie in Greek mythology and make you wonder if some things could actually be true…is a fantastic book. EVERNEATH grabbed me by the arms and yanked me into it’s world. I could not put it down. I read it in, like, two sittings. It’s that good!"--Annie



Lola and the Boy Next Door Stephanie Perkins

"What can I say? Stephanie Perkins creates contemporary magic. LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR was witty, and quite simply, irresistible. I couldn't put it down. "--Annie

You can find full reviews of our five star novels HERE.

We love bringing you book reviews and would like to thank all of our followers, commentors, and guests for an awesome year. 2012 is gonna rock!! Thank you all for checking us out! We love you all!

Catching Jordan by Miranda Keneally

Title: Catching Jordan
Author: Miranda Keneally
Source: NetGalley
Published: December 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire

Plot:

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.

My Thoughts:
All I can say is wow. I absolutely adored this book, the cast of characters was well-rounded and not what I was expecting AT ALL. A girl who is not only the leading quarterback, but captain of her team, respected and loved by the team mates? Never would've thought it could be pulled off and with such talent. It was believable, partly because she wasn't just some girl who happened to be able to play football, she was from a football family with a pro father and brother on the way to the pros. The family complications were real, along with her flaws and insecurities. It had a great plot that didn't depend on a mean girl or guy to bring conflict to the main character, which is refreshing. Great voice, hooked me from the beginning and I ignored everything else in my life until I finished it. In the middle of the day! And the romance was hot, believable and so messy, just like real life. Add in a swoon-worthy cover and I give it five stars!

Hourglass (Hourglass #1) by Myra McEntire

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I just finished this novel and it was AWESOME. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2011 and I’m happy to report it didn’t disappoint. This time travel novel defiantly stood out among the sea of paranormal books out there on the YA shelf.



Emerson is such a great character. She’s so flawed, which makes her seem real. She practically leaped off the pages. I loved how she was will to take risks. She wasn’t afraid to risk it all to go after what she wants. Her ability is amazing. It kept me hooked in the novel. I wanted to find out what she was capable of.



There are two boys in this book. Both totally swoon worthy. One guy, Michael, you meet at the beginning of the book and he has what I like to call the typical YA relationship with Emerson. She sees him and is totally smitten and talks about his hotness A LOT. I personally don’t mind a character being completely GA-GA over a boy, but I know it turns a lot of people off. Their relationship does grow, so hang in there for a little depth. The boy that stole the show for me was Kaleb. Let me just say, um, WOW. He’s hot. A little reckless, tattoos, muscles and totally into Emerson—my kind of guy. Kaleb wasn’t afraid to make it known that Emerson had another choice other than Michael. Kaleb was totally my pick. There’s a solid love triangle in this novel and I really want to see how it plays out.



The last ten chapters or so were the best in the book. I flew through them. My ereader could barely keep up. I love the twists and turns the story took. Myra did a great job weaving past, present and future together. I’m left with a ton of questions and what ifs after reading this novel. I can’t wait to get my hands on book 2 to get some answers!



www.youngadultbookworm.blogspot.com



View all my reviews

Populazzi by Elise Allen

Title:  Populazzi
Author: Elise Allen
Hardcover, 400 pages

Published August 1st 2011 by Harcourt Children's Books (first published July 20th 2011)

Plot:

Cara has never been one of those girls: confident, self-possessed, and always ready with the perfect thing to say. A girl at the very top of the popularity tower. One of the Populazzi.


Now, junior year could change everything. Cara’s moving to a new school, and her best friend urges her to seize the moment—with the help of the Ladder. Its rungs are relationships, and if Cara transforms into the perfect girlfriend for guys ever-higher on the tower, she’ll reach the ultimate goal: Supreme Populazzi.

The Ladder seems like a lighthearted social experiment, a straight climb up, but it quickly becomes gnarled and twisted. And when everything goes wrong, only the most audacious act Cara can think of has a chance of setting things even a little bit right.

My Thoughts:

I adored this novel. Cara was so fun to read about. She takes some major risks and at times I found myself biting my nails to see what she was going to do next. Cara and her best friend at times seem like they are only interested in climbing the social ladder and don't care who they hurt, but I was able to look past that because I was into the story.

There are so many deliciously steamy boys to read about in this novel. It really kept me hooked to watching Cara's climb to the upper hierarchy of popularity. There are some twists in this novel I didn't expect, but glad they were thrown in to make this novel stand out amongst the other YA contemporary novels out there.

All and all, I really liked it. I recommend this to any YA contemporary fan who likes plots centered around high school popularity and smexy time with guys.

Tales of Summer Romance

Plot:


Dip your toes into a collection of short stories that will warm your heart like a sunny day at the beach. Tales of falling in love and finding romance that mends the broken heart, romance that's just for fun, romance from days gone by and romance that lasts forever. Summertime is heating up, so grab a cool drink, kick back and get swept away by a flurry of summer romance.

Tales of Summer Romance: A Collection of Short Stories



Review: 

Love this collection. The stories range from Contemp to Historical. Great mix! Plus it features Historical Romance writer Susan Gee Heino (Author of Mistress By Mistake, Damsel in Distress, Temptress in Training). Each author brings a fresh new voice to the collection and it's a book I will probably reread again because I liked it so much. This is the ideal novel to take the beach and read while you soak up some summer sun. Great book for a cheap price (2.99) to add to you ereader. A the profits goes to animal charity too!

A Need So Beautiful (A Need So Beautiful #1) by Suzanne Young

Hardcover, 272 pages

Published June 21st 2011 by Balzer & Bray

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

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

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

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

My Thoughts:

A Need So Beautiful is a novel that will stay with you. It's different. The whole time I was trying to figure things out, and I have to say I was pretty close with my predictions, but the ending threw me for a loop.  Harlin absolutely made the book for me. It was nice to go into a novel with the main character already in a stable relationship and watch her struggle to maintain it with Harlin.The Need forces Charlotte to do things she doesn't want to do. When she tries to fight it, the pain is overwhelming. Harlin stays with her, he fights to keep her with him even though he's clueless what he's fighting against.

The ending is where everything goes down. You'll see what choice Charlotte makes and how much of a sacrifice it is. I felt my heart strings tug a lot in the last few pages.

I cannot wait for book two! I have to see what happens next, because for once, I am clueless on what could happen. This really was tied up so nicely it could've been a stand alone book, so I am interested to see what Charlotte will be up to!

Read this one if you like stories about helping people, angels, supernatural stores and great romance. 

Are You Going to Kiss Me Now? by Sloane Tanen

Are You Going to Kiss Me Now?

by Sloane Tanen

Paperback, 354 pages

Published May 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire (first published April 27th 2011)

Source: Sourcebooks Fire

 

 

Plot:

High school junior Francesca Manning is an outsider, an aspiring writer and secret devourer of celebrity gossip mags. A fake essay to Seventeen wins her the celeb-schmoozing opportunity of a lifetime, but after the plane crashes, she's stranded on a desert island with five of the most clueless, self-involved headcases to escape Hollywood. Happily skewering their foibles in witty observations on her iPhone proves surprisingly educational for Francesca. The group must work together to survive-if they don't insult each other to death first.

My Thoughts:

I'm lovin' all the great summer reads I've been sent lately. Are You Going To Kiss Me Now? was the funniest novel I've read in a long time. It took me back to the day when Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie started The Simple Life. Posh celebrities and their lifestyles crack me up. If they only knew how the other half of us live, right? This novel had the same kind of humor. I literally wanted to reach in and smack some of the characters for being so dumb.

The plot wasn't terribly involved, so if you are looking for a light read to throw in your beach bag that will entertain you for a while, this is it. You'll be able to zip through this one fairly quick and maybe get a laugh or two.

Original Sin (Personal Demons #2) by Lisa Desrochers

Original Sin (Personal Demons #2)

by Lisa Desrochers

Paperback, 398 pages

Published July 5th 2011 by Tor Teen 

Source: Review Copy from Tor Teen

Plot:

Luc Cain was born and raised in Hell, but he isn’t feeling as demonic as usual lately—thanks to Frannie Cavanaugh and the unique power she never realized she had. But you can’t desert Hell without consequences, and suddenly Frannie and Luc find themselves targeted by the same demons who used to be Luc’s allies.

Left with few options, Frannie and Luc accept the protection of Heaven and one of its most powerful angels, Gabe. Unfortunately, Luc isn’t the only one affected by Frannie, and it isn’t long before Gabe realizes that being around her is too…tempting. Rather than risk losing his wings, he leaves Frannie and Luc under the protection of her recently-acquired guardian angel.

Which would be fine, but Gabe is barely out the door before an assortment of demons appears—and they’re not leaving without dragging Luc back to Hell with them. Hell won’t give up and Heaven won’t give in. Frannie’s guardian exercises all the power he has to keep them away, but the demons are willing to hurt anyone close to Frannie in order to get what they want. It will take everything she has and then some to stay out of Hell’s grasp.

And not everyone will get out of it alive.

My Thoughts:

Going into this novel I knew there was a new point of view coming, thanks to Lisa's twitter teasers, but I wasn't sure who it would be until I got into the the book. I was surprised to find out it was Matt, Frannie's twin brother, whom we met in Personal Demons. It took me a while to get into his perspective on things mainly because he came off a little too pissed off at Frannie and Luc's relationship. I've always been Team Luc. But after reading further, I discovered the view from his eyes was imperative to propel the story forward and possibly lead us into book three. 

Luc is still Luc. Hot as ever and totally into Frannie, willing to do anything for her. And yes there are some smexy time scenes in this book. I can always count on Frannie to deliver those. That girl has some raging hormones. 

Gabe is still in the picture too, but he really only appears in the first and last 3/4 of the book. He wasn't really vital in the meat of the plot line this time. Frannie's attraction to Gabe is still there even though she and Luc are an official couple now. Is is wrong to lust after an angel? Because Frannie seems like she's always ready to jump his bones, which doesn't bother me because I love the love triangle and tension it creates. 

There's nothing like two guys jealous over a girl.

We meet some new demons this round as well. I like the spin Ms. Desrochers created on demons and biblical mythology. It was a cool twist. When you meet the villain, you'll want to punch them, or maybe that's just me.

This sequel is a must read for Personal Demons fans. If you haven't read book one and like demon vs angels stories, run out and get it. You won't be disappointed.

Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt

Sometimes It Happens

by Lauren Barnholdt

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published July 12th 2011 by Simon Pulse 

Source: Galley Grab

 

 

Plot:

On the last day of her junior year, Hannah's boyfriend Sebastian dumped her. Facing a summer of loneliness, Hannah turns to her best friend Ava for comfort. Ava does what BFFs do: she stays by Hannah's side...until it's time for Ava to head up to Maine for the summer. Also left behind is Ava's boyfriend, Noah, who's such a great guy he gets Hannah a job at the diner he waits tables at. Slowly, Hannah comes out of her funk thanks to Noah's good conversation and their fun times at the diner. But things get complicated when their friendship turns into attraction--and one night, into a passionate kiss.

The novel opens on the first day of senior year; the day Hannah is going to see Ava, Sebastian, and Noah all in one place. Over the course of the day secrets and betrayals are revealed, and alliances are broken and reformed. In the end, everyone is paired up once again, but not the way you might think...

My Thoughts:

There's nothing like a good contemporary in the summer. They can totally lift your mood because they are fun and the plots aren't super complicated, kind of like a romantic comedy. Ms. Barnholdt wrote TWO WAY STREET, another contemp novel that I feel in love with, so I was excited to review this novel.

 

The main character (MC) of Sometimes It Happens had such a great voice, as well as all of the secondary characters. If you've read any of my reviews before, you know the voice of the novels make or break a book for me. In young adult fiction, the teen voice has to ring true. If the MC sounds like an experienced adult or uses phrases that no teen would say I totally get turned off. YA is all about making mistakes and learning from them while you are coming of age and the voice needs to represent that.

 

I'm glad to say Hannah, our MC, pulled me in immediately. I loved how the novel switched from present time to past (over the summer) so we could watch things unfold. I understood why she liked Noah by reading the past parts of the story and then understood how guilty she felt by reading the present part of the story.  

I would recommend this novel to any YA contemp fan. Readers who enjoyed novels like The Duff, Twenty Boy Summer, The Sky is Everywhere, Something Like Fate, Sarah Dessen novels, Anna and the French Kiss and Rachel Hawthorne novels will fall in love with this story.

 

The Book of Lost Souls by Michele Muto

The Book of Lost Souls

by Michelle Muto

Kindle Edition, 324 pages

Published March 6th 2011
Source: Author Provided ARC

Plot:

When teen witch Ivy MacTavish changes a lizard into her date for a Halloween dance, everything turns to chaos. And when no one is powerful enough to transform him back except Ivy, it sparks the rumor: Like father, like daughter. Ivy has heard it all before - that her father, who left when she was seven – was involved with the darkest of magic.


Making the rumors worse, someone uses an evil spell book to bring back two of history's most nefarious killers. Ivy's got a simple plan to set things right: find the real dark spell caster, steal the book, and reverse the spell. No problem! But she’ll have to deal with something more dangerous than murderous spirits that want her and her friends dead: the school’s resident bad boy and hotter-than-brimstone demon, Nick Marcelli. Nick’s offering Ivy more than his help with recovering the missing book – he’s offering her a way to ditch her scaly reputation as a lizard-lover. Demons are about as hard to handle as black magic, and as Ivy soon discovers, it’s going to take more than a lot of luck and a little charm if she wants to survive long enough to clear her status as a dark witch, get a warm-blooded boyfriend, and have her former date back to eating meal worms before the week’s end.

My Thoughts:

I must say that this cover is quite alluring. It immediately drew my interest and I had to find out more. I was pleasantly surprised to find the story is a blessedly fresh new take on the supernatural world. There is lots of mystery, plotting, subterfuge and generous handfuls of comedy throughout the story. While there is a love triangle, it does not overwhelm and derail the plot line. I particularly liked the group of friends and their intra-dynamic.


The story itself is fast-paced, had me laughing out loud and rooting for bad-boy love interest Nick. This YA novel is definitely worth the wait.

----Michele

Love Story by Jennifer Echols ARC Review

Love Story

by Jennifer Echols

Paperback, 256 pages

Expected publication: July 19th 2011 by MTV Books

http://jennifer-echols.com/lovestory.html

Source: Galley Grab

Plot:

She's writing about him. he's writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines..


For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions--it's her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family's racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin's college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she's sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He's joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin's heart with longing. Now she's not just imagining what might have been. She's writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

My Thoughts:

I love Jennifer Echols. Her contemporary YA stories hook me every time. I think I've read GOING TOO FAR at least three times. So, when I saw this book listed on Simon and Schuster Galley Grab I just had to read it.

This book is different than most YA contemp stories currently out there. Our main character (MC) Erin is a writer, just like many book worms out there. We follow along with Erin as she goes through her first critique session and watch as it doesn't go along as planned. We also get to read some of her work, including some steamy historical romance pieces that are based on events that have actually happened to her. No one would ever know this story is about her and the guy she used to lust after if said guy, Hunter, wouldn't happen to have joined her writing class on the second day.

I was embarrassed right along with Erin while Hunter read steamy scenes that obviously included him. I would've been mortified. I kept thinking OHMYGOD, OHMYGOD.

Another cool thing about this book is we get to read some of Hunter's writing, which obviously includes Erin. It was a way to get inside his head without the book having dual points of view. Let me just say, I don't know if I could've ever written about groping someone for my class. lol These two are very brave.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was it ended too quickly. I wanted more closure at the end. Sure it was implied what would happen, but I wanted to experience it with them. I wanted the showdown. For that reason I had to give this novel a 4/5 just because I felt a little gypped.

Read this one if you like a contemporary romances!

Submerge (Sequel to Lure) by Stephanie Jenkins

Plot:
One month has passed since Charlotte revealed her world to Wyatt and now, she’s running out of time. The Winter Solstice is under three months away, and she’s still immortal. To complicate matters, she’s stuck with Lorelei’s old job of guiding bad souls—a curse that pulls her to the sea like a magnet she can’t possibly ignore. When Matt returns to town and the banished goddess of temptation shows up claiming she’s in charge of watching over Charlotte, it’s apparent that her senior year will blow.


The siren hunter is back, the gods are furious, and as the goddess of temptation toys with the male—and female—population of Gloucester, Charlotte can’t help but notice that Wyatt is pulling away from her. When her time is up, will Charlotte chose love and mortality or protecting the ones she loves from the gods she’s offended?

Expected publication July 1, 2011!!! So if you haven't read LURE (Siren's Call) you better get on it so you're ready to snap up book number two soon!

Lure's Book Trailer:

The Iron Thorn (Iron Codex #1) by Caitlin Kittredge

Title: The Iron Thorn (Iron Codex #1)
by Caitlin Kittredge

Hardcover, 512 pages

Published February 22nd 2011 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers (first published February 20th 2011)

Plot:

In the city of Lovecraft, the Proctors rule and a great Engine turns below the streets, grinding any resistance to their order to dust. The necrovirus is blamed for Lovecraft's epidemic of madness, for the strange and eldritch creatures that roam the streets after dark, and for everything that the city leaders deem Heretical—born of the belief in magic and witchcraft. And for Aoife Grayson, her time is growing shorter by the day.


Aoife Grayson's family is unique, in the worst way—every one of them, including her mother and her elder brother Conrad, has gone mad on their 16th birthday. And now, a ward of the state, and one of the only female students at the School of Engines, she is trying to pretend that her fate can be different.

My Thoughts:

I'm lovin' all these dystopian novels that are out right now. This was one was so dark and twisted, which to me, made it stand out among some of the others. There is some very dark imagery in his novel, but I kind of expected that going in because I have read Ms. Kittredge's adult series. I very much appreciate a dark story. They really pull me into the world.

The main character is very caring and somewhat brainwashed in this novel, but she a little snark in there and isn't afraid to turn it on when it comes to her family. The journey this story takes you on is awesome! It will keep you on the edge of your seat and make you root for Aoife to succeed.

Read this one if you like dytopian, steam punk novels! 

STARCROSSED by JOSEPHINE ANGELINI - Review

Title: STARCROSSED
Author: Josephine Angelini
Hardcover, 496 pages

Expected publication: May 31st 2011 by HarperTeen

Plot:

How do you defy destiny?


Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

My Thoughts:

Gah! I love, love stories. Especially when the two people in the relationship want to kill each other all the time! LOL

This one was so good. I loved the spin on Greek mythology--very original. The first couple chapters really just help the reader get to know the main character and build repore with her, but then once we meet Lucas I was absolutely hooked. Romance makes or breaks a story for me and it definitely made the story here for me.
Read this one if you are a romance junkie!

Lost Voices by Sarah Porter

Lost Voices (Lost Voices #1)

by Sarah Porter

Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication: July 4th 2011 by Harcourt Children's Books

Plot:
Fourteen-year-old Luce has had a tough life, but she reaches the depths of despair when she is assaulted and left on the cliffs outside of a grim, gray Alaskan fishing village. She expects to die when she tumbles into the icy waves below, but instead undergoes an astonishing transformation and becomes a mermaid. A tribe of mermaids finds Luce and welcomes her in—all of them, like her, lost girls who surrendered their humanity in the darkest moments of their lives. Luce is thrilled with her new life until she discovers the catch: the mermaids feel an uncontrollable desire to drown seafarers, using their enchanted voices to lure ships into the rocks. Luce possesses an extraordinary singing talent, which makes her important to the tribe—she may even have a shot at becoming their queen. However her struggle to retain her humanity puts her at odds with her new friends. Will Luce be pressured into committing mass murder?

My Thoughts:

This book has some pretty dark themes. There's abuse and neglect and a near rape scene, so even though the the protagonist in this story in only fourteen don't expect a fluffy story. I read this novel in one sitting and while I found some slow parts in the novel the main plot kept pulling me through. I just had to see how Luce was going to deal with the struggle and choice she was faced with. I loved the spin on the mermaid tale in this one, but this one isn't the typical type of book I like to read.

Read this one if you like novels like SPEAK and WINTERGIRLS with a supernatural twist.