Mermaid's Mirror By L.K Madigan

I was in a mermaid mood for reading this week. I took out two mermaid books this week. I started on this one and I’m just starting the second one.

                I liked the way of how the author started the book; she had it stuck in your mind that she wanted desperately to surf, but with her dad’s blessing. Her dad won’t go into the sea after this surfing incident. After she establishes that, she moves on the major plot of the death her birth mother.

                Lena, full name Selena is acting strangely. She faints when in high buildings; she sleepwalks to the beach, and finds herself looking for something that she doesn’t even know what she’s looking for is. She walks around the house humming a strange and staring blankly but not remembering it after. Lena is scaring her family. Lena needs something… but she doesn’t know what.

                There’s a story that’s waiting to be told to Lena, but no one wants to tell her. Soon enough, the story will tell itself whether Lena or her family wants it or not. Lena will have to stay true to her past.

This was a really good mermaid book. I love romance in a novel, but I don’t like the way it ended. I hope there’s a second book but you never know. Comment, if you read it if you liked the ending or no.

Tiger’s Quest (The Tiger Saga #2) by Colleen Houck

Tiger’s Quest (The Tiger Saga #2) by Colleen Houck

Hardcover, 457 pages

Published June 7th 2011 by Splinter
Source: Library

Kelsey Hayes is no ordinary college freshman. In fact, the eighteen-year-old girl has just returned from India, where she risked her life—and her heart—to rescue a handsome Indian prince from a terrible curse. Back home in Oregon, Kelsey is determined to move on, despite the lingering feelings she has for the man she left behind. She meets Li, a completely average guy who offers the promise of an ordinary, curse-free life. But just when Kelsey is ready to move on, Ren reenters her life, on a quest to reclaim her heart. Danger threatens their newly rekindled love and to save him, Kelsey must journey with someone else—a man who wants her for himself. The saga begun in Tiger’s Curse continues in Tiger’s Quest, as Kelsey finds herself in an epic battle between good and evil. From the shores of the Pacific Northwest to the jungles of India, the mountains of Nepal and Tibet, and the mystical realm of Shangri-la, this suspenseful tale of love, sacrifice, and redemption is not to be missed. – Goodreads

My Opinion:I have to say that even though i wasn’t in love with Kishan before I am now. I like this coloring more anyways. I like the Black tiger more. If you read my review of Tiger’s Curse you probably saw that pictures I have posted of the two tigers and I have to say, that Kishan looks better.
I have to say that the plot was really interesting. I was a little freaked out that Ren gets kidnapped but it opened up the possibilities between Kishan and Kelsey so thats not bad. We get to learn morea bout Kishan and who is as a person and tiger. I really liked the locations that Colleen Houck used this time around. We talks about the Dalai Lama, and we also visit Tibet and Paradise… it was just amazing. I love this series and can’t wait for the next installment, tiger’s Voyage.
One thing that I really loved was Kishan’s impression of Durga! LOVE IT! He is such a charmer and flirt.
If you want to read the beginning of Tiger’s Voyage, you can do so HERE its on the side of the page but you can read an excerpt of the book and see what to anticipate. Enjoy!
Overall: 5 out of 5!

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

Audio CD, Abridged, 5 CDs

Published September 12th 2006 by Random House Audio

Source: Library

“The end was near.” —Voices from the Zombie WarThe Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time. World War Zis the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years.Ranging from the now infamous village of New Dachang in the United Federation of China, where the epidemiological trail began with the twelve-year-old Patient Zero, to the unnamed northern forests where untold numbers sought a terrible and temporary refuge in the cold, to the United States of Southern Africa, where the Redeker Plan provided hope for humanity at an unspeakable price, to the west-of-the-Rockies redoubt where the North American tide finally started to turn, this invaluable chronicle reflects the full scope and duration of the Zombie War.Most of all, the book captures with haunting immediacy the human dimension of this epochal event. Facing the often raw and vivid nature of these personal accounts requires a degree of courage on the part of the reader, but the effort is invaluable because, as Mr. Brooks says in his introduction, “By excluding the human factor, aren’t we risking the kind of personal detachment from history that may, heaven forbid, lead us one day to repeat it? And in the end, isn’t the human factor the only true difference between us and the enemy we now refer to as ‘the living dead’?” Note: Some of the numerical and factual material contained in this edition was previously published under the auspices of the United Nations Postwar Commission.
Eyewitness reports from the first truly global war
“I found ‘Patient Zero’ behind the locked door of an abandoned apartment across town. . . . His wrists and feet were bound with plastic packing twine. Although he’d rubbed off the skin around his bonds, there was no blood. There was also no blood on his other wounds. . . . He was writhing like an animal; a gag muffled his growls. At first the villagers tried to hold me back. They warned me not to touch him, that he was ‘cursed.’ I shrugged them off and reached for my mask and gloves. The boy’s skin was . . . cold and gray . . . I could find neither his heartbeat nor his pulse.” —Dr. Kwang Jingshu, Greater Chongqing, United Federation of China
“‘Shock and Awe’? Perfect name. . . . But what if the enemy can’t be shocked and awed? Not just won’t, but biologically can’t! That’s what happened that day outside New York City, that’s the failure that almost lost us the whole damn war. The fact that we couldn’t shock and awe Zack boomeranged right back in our faces and actually allowed Zack to shock and awe us! They’re not afraid! No matter what we do, no matter how many we kill, they will never, ever be afraid!” —Todd Wainio, former U.S. Army infantryman and veteran of the Battle of Yonkers
“Two hundred million zombies. Who can even visualize that type of number, let alone combat it? . . . For the first time in history, we faced an enemy that was actively waging total war. They had no limits of endurance. They would never negotiate, never surrender. They would fight until the very end because, unlike us, every single one of them, every second of every day, was devoted to consuming all life on Earth.” —General Travis D’Ambrosia, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. – Goodreads

My Opinion: This was pretty interesting. It sort of reminded me of Resident Evil. If you are considering reading this I definitely suggest listening to it because it is “an oral history” and there are many readers. The readers have different voice and accents that add to the story. This was really cool. I liked that Max Brooks also participated in the reading. I really liked that there were so many different perspectives on how the World War Z happened and how people reacted in a time of crisis.

Something that I found really cool was that this is currently being made into a movie, and Bradd Pitt is one of the main actors for the movie. I thought that was pretty cool. I think more zombie movies need to be made.

Overall: 4 out of 5

Tantalize: Kieren’s Story (Tantalize #1) by Cynthia Leitich Smith, Ming Doyle

Tantalize: Kieren’s Story (Tantalize #1) by Cynthia Leitich Smith, Ming Doyle

Paperback, 192 pages

Published August 23rd 2011 by Candlewick Press

Source: Library

Illustrated by hot new talent Ming Doyle, Cynthia Leitich Smith’s TANTALIZE is reimagined as a graphic novel— seen through Kieren’s werewolf eyes.As a hybrid werewolf, Kieren is destined to join an urban Wolf pack and learn to master his shift. Soon, he’ll leave everything behind: home, school, his family, and Quincie, his human best friend . . . who’s beginning to be a whole lot more than a friend. For years, Kieren has managed to keep his desires— and his wolf— at bay. But when the chef at Quincie’ s family restaurant is brutally murdered, Kieren resolves to be there for her, even if it means being framed. Even if it means watching Quincie’s beloved restaurant morph into a vampire lair. But when the new chef begins wooing her, how long can Kieren control his claws? How long can he protect Quincie— and himself? In an elegant graphic edition featuring cinematic sequential art by debut artist Ming Doyle and lush, romantic cover art by Sam Weber , bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith re-envisions her delicious dark fantasy through wolfish eyes. – Goodreads

My Opinion: This was an interesting read. I haven’t read the book series that this graphic novel is based on but it was interesting. I might read the books now. I though that the art was really cool. The cover is GORGEOUS. I love the hair in the background, it makes Kieren look like he has wings.

Anyways, the novel is about a guy that is a werewolf and about how he tries to figure out what is happening to his town because people are disappearing all over the place. And because he knows some of the victims, he is one of the top suspects. However, everything changes for him when his girlfriend starts acting weird around the new chef at her restaurant and her behavior changes.

The plot was intriguing and interesting. Something that I didn’t like however was that he knew who it was and he didn’t really act on it. Especially when in the end it turned out that he was right and that what he had thought was true and as a result, people and his girlfriend ended up being hurt.

Overall: 3.75 out of 5

Twilight Graphic Novel Volume 2 by Stephenie Meyer and Young Kim

Twilight Graphic Novel Volume 2 by Stephenie Meyer and Young Kim

Hardcover, 240 pages

Published October 11th 2011 by Yen Press

Source: Library

Having uncovered the dark secret of her enigmatic classmate, Edward Cullen, Bella Swan embraces her feelings for him, trusting Edward to keep her safe despite the risks. When a rival clan of vampires makes its way into Forks, though, the danger to Bella has never been more real. Will she make the ultimate sacrifice to protect the people dearest to her?The second volume of Twilight: The Graphic Novelcompletes the visual adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s worldwide bestselling debut novel and is a must-have for any collector’s library. – Goodreads

My Opinion: The art work was amazing just as in the first volume. I am also really glad the story/plot was kept the same as the book. I even think that it connected the movie to the books very well. The line that James says to Bella when they are at the dance studio is included in here and I thought that was pretty cool. The dialogue flowed and was well written. Most of it was dialogue straight from the book which was pretty cool.
I hope that thy continue with the graphic novels. The are is very beautiful and I would love to see the wedding, not the movie version, but the version in which Stephenie Meyer envisioned it. It would be brilliant to see I think, because we can draw thing that don’t exist.
Overall: 4 out of 5

Isle of Night (Watchers, #1) by Veronica Wolff

Isle of Night (Watchers, #1) by Veronica Wolff

Paperback, 302 pages

Published September 6th 2011 by NAL Trade

Source: Library

Is life offering fewer and fewer options? Then join the dead.
When Annelise meets dark and seductive Ronan, he promises her a new life-if she has the courage to chance the unknown. Now, she’s whisked away to a mysterious island and pitted against other female recruits to become a Watcher-girls who are partnered with vampires and assist them in their missions. To survive and become a Watcher, Annelise has to beat out every other girl, but she’s determined to do so, because to fail doesn’t mean dishonor-it means death. – Goodreads

My opinion: The plot was interesting it had promise. The only thing I did not like was that Drew kept saying how smart she was over and over again and thinking that being smart made her better than everyone else in a way. Something else that bothered  me was that she was so willing to jump into situations. For such a smart girl… she is not very smart. However, I liked her. After all that she has been through in life, she wanted an escape maybe that is why she didn’t really question Ronan.
Anyways, my favorite character had to be Master Alcantara. He is my sort of vampire, alluring, smart. The interesting thing about him was that it appears that he is the chooser of the girls. As well as that he was really smart. I like that.
I also sort of liked how the story ended. I will be reading the second book in the series. Even though the books were about the vampires, it seemed as though the story wasn’t based on the actually vampires. It was basically about Drew and these students and the way that they have to survive. It was an interesting idea, it reminded me a little of Vampire Academy, but more blood thirsty and vicious, with a little more edge.
Overall: 4 out of 5

The Hunger Games Official Trailer 2012 HD

Once In a Full Moon (Full Moon, #1) by Ellen Schreiber

Once In a Full Moon (Full Moon, #1) by Ellen Schreiber

Hardcover, 292 pages

Published December 28th 2010 by Katherine Tegen Books

Source: Copy won in giveaway

Beware of a kiss under the full moon. It will change your life forever.

Celeste Parker is used to hearing scary stories about werewolves—Legend’s Run is famous for them. She’s used to everything in the small town until Brandon Maddox moves to Legend’s Run and Celeste finds herself immediately drawn to the handsome new student. But when, after an unnerving visit with a psychic, she encounters a pack of wolves and gorgeous, enigmatic Brandon, she must discover whether his transformation is more than legend or just a trick of the shadows in the moonlight.
Her best friends may never forgive her if she gives up her perfect boyfriend, Nash, for Brandon, who’s from the wrong side of town. But she can’t deny her attraction or the strong pull he has on her. Brandon may be Celeste’s hero, or he may be the most dangerous creature she could encounter in the woods of Legend’s Run.
Psychic predictions, generations-old secrets, a town divided, and the possibility of falling in love with a hot and heroic werewolf are the perfect formula for what happens . . . once in a full moon. – Goodreads

My Opinion: I have to say… the concept of this was interesting… the writing… not so much. Ellen Schreiber had me hooked on Vampire Kisses books, and when I found out that there was going to be a series on werewolves, I was really excited and I have had this on my shelves for a while now waiting for the perfect time when I can read this and just relax and enjoy it. I have been anticipating this. But now I am sad to report that it wasn’t all that. It was just a simple read, REALLY simple. There wasn’t really any thinking involved in this one the only big thing that made me think in the whole story was who was impersonating the werewolf on the news.
Thee really is nothing else to say about the book. I might read the second in the series but it very doubtful. I would most likely read it just to see that it gets better, I am hoping, just hoping that it gets better.
Overall: 2.5 out of 5

The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4) by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4) by Julie Kagawa

Paperback, 361 pages

Published October 25th 2011 by Harlequin

Source: eARC from NetGalley

My name- my True Name- is Ashallyn’darkmyr Tallyn. I am the last remaining song of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court.And I am dead to her. My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…
To cold faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing gentler feelings the Winter Prince might have had. Or so he thought.
Then Meghan Chase- a half-human, half-fey slip of a girl- smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer faery can survive,
With the unwelcome company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through its end- a quest to find a way to honor his vow to stand by Meghan’s side.
To survive the Iron Realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. And along the way, Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice. -Goodreads

My opinion: Wow… I think I have a new favorite character in the series. I is not Ash, it is the Big Bad Wolf. I have always been a dog person but this wolf totally rocked. I can’t believe what he was willing to do for Ash, or to have this story told about his part.

Anyways, the plot was really cool, I really liked the village of the Forgotten and the mayor was seriously freaky and the Spider woman. I liked the challenges that Ash had to face on his journey, it kept me on my toes just as he was kept on his toes. It was fun going through everything with him and experience it as he did. I’m glad that he learned what it means to be a human. Another character that I really liked was the Guardian, even though he technically plays an antagonist because he is in the way of Ash and his goal of becoming human, he teaches Ash something that I think is very important.

But overall, I’m glad with who was on the quest with him and I am also very happy that Meghan made a couple of cameos throughout the novel.

Overall: The novel rocked and I give it a 4.75 out of 5 stars!

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Hardcover, 338 pages

Published September 29th 2011 by Dutton

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit — more sparkly, more fun, more wild — the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.When Cricket — a gifted inventor — steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. – Goodreads

My Opinion: I have to say that although the location was not as interesting as Anna and the French Kiss because this was a suburb and not Paris but I liked Lola. She was quirky and i liked that about her. She was easy to relate to because of her personality, she was just so loveable, I would trade her for Anna. The guy, Cricket, however I would trade for Ettiene. So both books had something I loved about each of them but put together they rock.

I also really liked that Anna and Ettiene made appearances in the novel. It brought the books closer together as a continuation sort because it showed how they were getting more serious and that made me smile and be happy. I liked knowing how the relationship was going. I also really liked Max. Even though he was mean in the end and the relationship ended badly, there was just something about his bad boy image that was very appealing, especially when she talked about what he read and the topics he liked to talk about in the beginning of the book.

Anyways, I loved Lola just because of how fun she  is. I love that she dresses. It shows a lot about a person that they are willing to show off their alter egos to the world.

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Funny, If It Weren’t So True

Funny, If It Weren’t So True

Celebrate Teen Read Week with Simon & Schuster

Celebrate Teen Read Week with Simon & Schuster

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #1) by Michelle Hodkin

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #1) by Michelle Hodkin

Hardcover, 452 pages

Published September 27th 2011 by Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.
She’s wrong. -Goodreads

My Opinion: I really enjoyed this book. Mara was a really cool character and what she was able to do, I haven’t read a book about a character being able to do that before. It was really interesting. The concept f her power and the guys were not bad. Noah and Jamie were awesome. How they both stuck up for her.

I loved how Michelle Hodkin did the amnesia aspect so that as she was discovering what really happened the night her two friends and boyfriend died, the readers were discovering it along with her. I really liked that and wish there were more books out there like that. I was amazed at how much people were led in their emotions, especially Anna. Jealously leading to the point of cruelty. Jamie was a really cool character, I think he was one of my favorite characters. I loved how much he cared about Mara and how he protected her.

This was a really good debut novel. I would definitely recommend this for readers looking for a good romance/paranormal/mystery novel to read.
Overall: 5 out of 5

Wildefire (Wildefire #1) by Karsten Knight

Wildefire (Wildefire #1) by Karsten Knight

Hardcover, 400 pages

Published July 26th 2011 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Every flame begins with a spark.
Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm. - Goodreads

My Opinion: I really enjoyed reading this novel. There were many things that I really enjoyed about ti. One thing was the mystery of who she was. I also really liked the supporting characters, who also happened to be Gods like her. I was really surprised about her love life and at the beginning I really liked her sister for some reason. It might have had something to do with her take no prisoners persona in a way and that was something that I really liked about her. I also liked that she wasn't afraid to say what was on her mind and did not really care about the consequences, (which is something that I think every single one of us, think about on a daily bases). Ash however, even though it appears as though she has a tough exterior and doesn't care about people and consequences, she definitely cares.

The plot was interesting. I really liked how they find out who they are and that they have these missions that they have to complete. What I didn't like was that although there was some resistance as to who they were, because they had experienced all of these things previously, they trusted their "prophet" for all intents and purposes really quickly and gave her credit.

Overall, the characters were interesting and the plot keeps you guessing as to who is who (Godwise and other things (don't want to give it away!))

Overall: 4.5 out of 5
If you want to read an excerpt of Wildefire, here is the first Chapter CLICK HERE!

Fins are Forever

 Fins Are Forever:

               Are mermaids real to you? They are to Lily; in fact she’s a walking one. She takes long hot…saltwater baths. She’s in love with this really hot guy named Brody. They’re perfect together; he’s hot, buff, and a swim team captain. She totally wants to go out with him, except she’s got to get over of the fear to talk to him. It’s her time to act when he and his long-time cheerleader girlfriend break up. She finally gets to courage to ask him to the dance when her annoying neighbor Quince tells her that he’s going stag for the dance. Lily doesn’t believe him and think it’s just a stupid prank to keep her alone forever. But it’s true; Brody was going to the dance alone. So Quince comes up with a quick plan for Brody and Lily to meet up… and this is where all the action plus romance starts.

I loved this book. I finished it in a day. This book is amazing in both cliffhanging and romance. I love the sequel also. It’s almost impossible to not love world of Lily and her love.

Speak

Speak

By:

Laurie Halse Anderson

               Speak is about a fifteen year old girl that is nearly mute, depressive, and alone. High school still dances around her taunting her. She’s doesn’t really care, even though she doesn’t say much on the outside she has a lot of thoughts on the inside. Melinda is now known as the girl that doesn’t speak nor has friends; she pulls a disappearing act sometimes. She is known as the “Girl that called the cops at that last great party”.  What people don’t know is why and why is she so depressed? Last year, people knew Melinda had a friends, she talked quite a lot even if she didn’t have a say in everything. Something happened that pushed Melinda over the edge, but… what? Melinda won’t Speak.

I read a lot of books but never like this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved it. I read it more than a couple times. I am now reading it for a small group assignment. I thought that I would be completely bored with it reading it, but it was like I just read it for the first time.

This is a great book to read at school.

Perfect By Ellen Hopkins

I thought that this new book was just as great as all of her other books. My number one was identical but I think perfect is a close second.

Don't you just love the cover?

Goodreads
"Everyone has something, someone, somewhere else that they’d rather be. For four high-school seniors, their goals of perfection are just as different as the paths they take to get there.
Cara’s parents’ unrealistic expectations have already sent her twin brother Conner spiraling toward suicide. For her, perfect means rejecting their ideals to take a chance on a new kind of love. Kendra covets the perfect face and body—no matter what surgeries and drugs she needs to get there. To score his perfect home run—on the field and off—Sean will sacrifice more than he can ever win back. And Andre realizes that to follow his heart and achieve his perfect performance, he’ll be living a life his ancestors would never have understood.
Everyone wants to be perfect, but when perfection loses its meaning, how far will you go? What would you give up to be perfect?
A riveting and startling companion to the bestselling Impulse, Ellen Hopkins's Perfect exposes the harsh truths about what it takes to grow up and grow into our own skins, our own selves."


I thought that the book had all the right character and plot along with a perfectly patterned and tied together ending.... Makes you wonder... What would you do to be perfect...?

There's a perfect bookvid on the right http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9917945-perfect

Tell It to Naomi

This book is about a teenage boy in high school who is struggling. He has a hot older sister in which everyone looks up to, Naomi. Everything goes wrong when his sister Naomi faxes her brother sample advice column to her ex-boyfriend/ her brother's English teacher and Newspaper Teacher. He starts writing advice to high school classmates..... This doesn't sound to bad right? But what if he's posing as his sister while writing all the advice?

Cleopatra Confesses

Cleopatra Confesses was an interesting book to read. The back of the book with all of the facts and how she researches was something worth to read. I thought that the story itself was good also this fictional story goes a lot along the lines of the Elizabeth Taylor's Cleopatra. But if you really wanted to read about her whole life, I wouldn't read this book. While it was all-together very fascinating. it only delved into your younger years, thirteen though eighteen. I was deeply disappointed that it didn't go very much into her relationship with Marc Anthony.

Be sure to watch Cleopatra Starring Elizabeth Taylor! A wonderful companion to this book.

Kiss in Time By Alex Flinn

I loved this book. As you should know, Beastly is a book also by Alex Flinn that has made it big by being made into a movie. She has started making classic fairy tales into funny modern novels.
A Kiss in time is a book based on the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. It is very much the same except the main character in this movie doesn't live in a cottage in the woods for the first sixteen months of her life with fairies. No, no. She is a spoiled brat of a princess because she gets what ever she likes as long as she stays away from the needle of her death.
One day from her sixteen birthday she asks for the most perfect dress in the world for her birthday ball. The king invited all of the finest seamstresses and dress designers to bring their most wonderful dress designs. This is where the princess meets the wicked witch that has cursed her. The next thing she knows. She's being kissed by a boy. A boy in "Old Navy" cloth on him. He tells her that it is 300 years from the year that she fell asleep.  This is where the story gets exciting.

Glow (Sky Chasers #1) by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Glow (Sky Chasers #1) by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Hardcover, 307 pages

Expected publication: September 13th 2011 by St. Martin’s Griffin

What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you’d been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth’s collapse, the ship’s crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader’s efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don’t know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them… Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he’s the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.
But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren’t all from the outside. – Goodreads

My Opinion: This was interesting. I think that Amanda was my favorite character. She seemed like someone who had influence but didn’t know how much. Also, that she was willing to right a wrong that was committed, I admire that about her. I also really like Waverly. Kiernan seems to be someone who does’t necessarily understand what others are trying to say because he has always been in a position of power.

 

At first the plot reminded of Across the Universe and the other cover for this book is VERY similar to that of Across the Universe. However, as I continued to read the book, the book changed and it allowed me to move past the AtU and it became interesting. I really liked the dual point of view, from Kiernan and Waverly and we get to see the world and what is happening to each of them and how their worlds change. Something that really surprised me though was how the New Horizon treated them and how they did what they did. I have to admit though, Anne Mather wanted power and she got it, she is one smart woman. I wonder if she is going to still be in control in the second novel. She seemed like a very powerful character because of her manipulations. It sort of made me wonder whether you can trust anything she was telling the girls, especially about the history of the training, although it is highly probable that she was telling the truth about that.

 

I really liked Seth as a character as well, he was scared but was willing to step up and help and try to be in charge and keep cool especially when his father died, because of the actions of Kiernan.

 

Overall it was an interesting read and in the end one question kept popping into my mind, What would you do in space without any adults and only having controlled the space shuttle through simulation? Would you panic?

 

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2) by Andrea Cremer

Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2) by Andrea Cremer

Hardcover, 390 pages

Published July 26th 2011 by Penguin Young Readers Group

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she’s certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer—one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack—and the man—she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive. – Goodreads

My opinion: I have to admit that i was surprised by this one. Most of the time when new books are published in a series, they aren’t as good as the first. However, I think this might have been better than Nightshade. I really liked the progress between the relationships of the characters. The only disappointment I had was that Ren wasn’t as much in the book as I had hoped. I also had my reservations about the cover, I really really really liked the old ones but now that I see the cover in my hands on the book, its not that bad, in fact its starting to grow on me so that’s good, maybe they should make the covers double-sided. But now lets focus on other things.

I really liked the new characters. Calla improved and so did Shay. There was good background information on who/what Shay is but not enough to make the readers not want to know more. It was just the right amount of information. I really liked the action in the story. Although it wasn’t that much, the whole book seemed to be filled with tension because the The Seekers and the Wolves didn’t know whether they could trust each other or not and the tension was so great that you could feel it, Andrea Cremer did a GREAT job expressing that.

Overall, the book kept me interested in it and I kept wanting to read it. It was a fast and easy read because of how fast paced it was and the book only covers a couple of days/ maybe a week after the ending of Nightshade.

Overall: 4.75 out of 5

To read the first chapter of Bloodrose (Nightshade, #3) click HERE

A review of John Green's "An Abundance of Katherines"

A former child prodigy named Colin only dates girls named Katherine, and every time he does, they seem to spurn him. He has dated nineteen of them so far, and is starting to despair after the nineteenth of them rejected him after 6 months of being together. In his dejected self pity, he accompanies his best friend Hassan on a road trip across America, and ends up finding laughs, love, and math in the tiny hamlet of Gutshot, Tennessee. The author of this book, John Green, has made many books along these same lines (an erudite, but highly neurotic Woody Allenesque character with a gratingly snarky best friend obsesses over an equally intelligent/neurotic, but inaccessible girl, and learns valuable life lessons along the way), including Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska, and this book, but I chose this one for its happier ending. It was less sad, and awkwardly hormonal than Looking for Alaska, was less existentially postmodern than Paper Towns, and was less disparate in tone than Will Grayson, Will Grayson. It was laugh out loud funny at points, and disenhearteningly sad at others. The main character was so annoying that I wanted to stop reading, but the less irritating side characters lessened my urge to play discus with the book. Over all, quite entertaining and emotionally resonant, even with its flaws, and is my favorite of Green's oeuvre.

Sea By Heidi R. Kling

Sea was a wonderful book that gave me a lot of insight of how it is to live in Indonesia. This book had a lot of romance, just my type of book.

Review on Goodreads:

Still haunted by nightmares of her mother's death, fifteen-year-old Sienna Jones reluctantly travels to Indonesia with her father's relief team to help tsunami orphans with their post traumatic stress disorder-something Sienna knows a lot about. Since her mother's plane went missing over the Indian Ocean three years before, Sienna doesn't do anything if it involves the ocean or planes, so this trip is a big step forward.

But the last thing she expects is to fall for Deni, a brooding Indonesian boy who lives at the orphanage, and just so happens to be HOT. When Deni hears a rumor that his father may be alive, Sienna doesn't think twice about running away with him to the epicenter of the disaster. Unfortunately, what they find there could break both their hearts.
A compelling summer romance, Sea marks the arrival of a stunning new voice in YA.

She does have an amazing way of writing and I enjoyed reading it a lot. I think it just might be one of my many favorite books. One of the interesting things that I learned is that people in Indonesia don't have toilet paper, so they eat with their right hand when they eat, it's disrespectful to point your toes at somebody,they aren't very sanitary since the country is in poverty, and I learned many more customs in this book. Heidi really did her research!

Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society, #2) by Ally Carter

Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society, #2) by Ally Carter

Hardcover, 298 pages

Published June 21st 2011 by Hyperion Book CH

Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life life. Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners. There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long, and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous and that is simply… the emerald is cursed.
Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all she has her best friend—the gorgeous Hale—and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses, realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.
Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules. – Goodreads

My Opinion: This was a quick read for me. I love Ally Carter and I especially love Katarina. She is one of my favorite characters to read about. I loved her even more in this one because of how she is. Hale is also a favorite of mine and I am very glad that Nick made another appearance in this novel. The Cleopatra Emerald sounds really cool. I wonder if its actually part of real history.The plot had me going. I was full of adrenaline just like Katarina and Hale and the rest of the team. I just could not put the book down. It was just powerful.

 

I really liked the mission. The twists were amazing. I really thought that Katarina and her team failed, but they rocked it. Ally Carter did an amazing job with the plot for this. She had me guessing the whole time about what the actually plan was and how they were going to do it. I really hope there is another book in the series but honestly the way the book ended I would be happy with the ending of the series.

 

Something that I really enjoyed was the beginning of the book. How is describes the job Katarina did in Moscow. It’s just amazing. I also really enjoyed the different perspectives we get from the other characters on how they perceive Katarina. It made her seem more real and tangible. Ever since the Gallagher Girls series, I have been a huge fan of Ally Carter and I haven’t been disappointed by her, if anything she exceeds my expectations every time. I can’t wait to see what else she is going to write.

 

Overall: 5 out of 5

Anne Of Green Gables

I started reading Anne of Green Gables because of High School Entrance Exam. I thought Anne of Green Gables was going to be a dreadfully boring book that talks in confusing Old English. I was wrong. Anne of Green Gables is a wonderful series that I now enjoy reading. Anne is highly amusing to read about. Anne is the stereotype redhead though. She has a temper to match with her hair, but she's also very imaginative and comes from a interesting background. She's a orphan ever since she was a baby when both of her parents die. She was raising by a neighbor with three sets of twins and two more children. Anne in return was forced to help raise and take care of these children. Mrs. Thomas can't take care of her anymore so she is sent to an aslyum, which is an orphanage in the old days. Anne finally accidentally lands in the loving hands of Marilla and Matthew. The Anne series is about Anne growing up, meeting kindred souls, and falling in love. This is a great book and so great that there are television shows about the series and movies.

My rating: ***** out of 5
Comments: Most enjoyable old book I've read yet.

Die For Me (Revenants, #1) by Amy Plum

Die For Me (Revenants, #1) by Amy Plum

Hardcover, 341 pages

Published May 10th 2011 by HarperTeen

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity. When Kate Mercier’s parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life–and memories–behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate’s guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he’s a revenant–an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.In this incandescent debut, newcomer Amy Plum has created a powerful paranormal mythology with immortal revenants. The Paris setting comes enchantingly alive as a relentless struggle between good and evil takes place in its streets. Rich with romance, atmosphere, and thrills, Die for Me will leave readers breathlessly awaiting its sequel. – Goodreads

My Opinion: this was an interesting read. I really liked the different ways that Vincent’s supernaturalness is described and it was just different. However something that bugged me a little was that it was a little similar to Twilight. For example the way the relationship started out, about how Kate became obsessive about Vincent reminded me of Bella and Edward. But other than that I think that the story was unique.

 

I really enjoyed the ending. It just worked really well I think. I can’t wait to see what the next one in the series is going to be like. I also really enjoyed the setting. I wonder if the locations in the book are there in Paris. Like the out door market that Vincent showed Kate.

Plus the cover is GORGEOUS! I really like the dress. I think its supposed to be like the one that she gets from Vincent.

 

Overall I think the story was cute and sweet and a great read.

 

Overall: 4 out of 5

The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen

The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen

Hardcover, 272 pages

Published June 1st 2011 by Point

What if the characters in a vampire novel left their world–and came into yours?
Amy is in love with someone who doesn’t exist: Alexander Banks, the dashing hero in a popular series of vampire novels. Then one night, Amy meets a boy who bears an eerie resemblance to Alexander. In fact, he IS Alexander, who has escaped from the pages of the book and is in hot pursuit of a wicked vampire named Vigo. Together, Amy and Alexander set out to track Vigo and learn how and why Alexander crossed over. But when she and Alexander begin to fall for each other, Amy wonders if she even wants him to ever return to the realm of fiction. – Goodreads

My Opinion: this was definitely a unique read. There were lots of great things but i have to say that this is the first book where I have read that does the whole relationship with a character from a book. It was just interesting to keep reading to see what Vigo would do and how Alexander would react and if finally Amy and Alexander would go anywhere with their relationship.

My favorite character was Katie. Not just because she has my name, but also because she is tiny and can do A LOT of damage, physically. But we also share some similar qualities and she seems like a great friend to have in a time of crisis.

I also really enjoyed that I was on my toes the whole entire time wanting to know when Vigo’s next victim would come and who they would be especially when he started threatening Amy and her family and friends. It was interesting watching the development between all the characters. I really also enjoyed how the police reacted to the “vampire murders” and how they were willing to accept the impossible. I don’t think that would happen in real life. But I also really enjoyed that they were willing to work with Amy on how to defeat him.

The ending was interesting as well. I don’t want to spoil it but I really hope that there will a second or third book to this novel. But I haven’t heard anything about it. Plus the cover is really interesting.

Overall: 4.75 out of 5