Candor by Pam Bachorz

Candor

Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town
where his father brainwashes everyone, he's found a way
to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He's got them
all fooled: Oscar's the top student and the best-behaved
teen in town. Nobody knows he's made his own Messages
to deprogram his brain. Oscar has even found a way to
get rich. For a hefty price, he helps new kids escape
Candor, Florida before they're transformed into
cookie-cutter teens. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor,
and Oscar's carefully-controlled world crumbles.

At First Sight:
I've wanted to read this one for a while. It reminded me a lot of The Giver, one of my favorite books. And of course, the synopsis intrigued me. So when I had the chance, I picked it up and started reading it.

My thoughts:
In one word, Candor was scary. It was frightening everything that went on: how people turned so perfect, how there were subliminal messages, how it was wrong to do so many things. Even if the book started just a bit slow, it was surprising and sort of like a cultural shock to see it being developed that way.

The way Nia and Oscar's relationship progresses is almost hard to witness. We know in the deep down part of our heart that something isn't going to turn out right. These two people are in the constant look out.

But then something happens (I won't tell what) that leaves the reader so shocked that at one point, I was ready to stop the book. Nevertheless, I wanted to know what would happen, even if it seemed that all was lost.

The end of the book is sickening and perfect. It answers enough questions but leaves speculation, too. It was shocking (I know I'm using this word too much already but it was) and I kept thinking about it for days.

In One Sentence:
"Amazing and surprising, a book that encompasses it all."

Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Writing: 5
Cover: 5
Overall Feeling: 5
Average: 5

Gone by Lisa McMann

Gone

The third and final book in the paranormal teen series that includes The New York Times bestseller Wake and Fade.
Things should be great for Janie--she has graduated from high school and is spending her summer with Cabel, the guy she's totally in love with. But deep down she's panicking about how she's going to survive her future when getting sucked into other people's dreams is really starting to take its toll. Things get even more complicated when she meets her father for the very first time--and he's in a coma. As Janie uncovers his secret past, she begins to realize that the choice thought she had has more dire consequences than she ever imagined.

At First Sight:
I just love all the covers of this series. They are symbolic and yet simple. There's not too much that crowds the cover which is basically how I like them. I've read this series and I've fallen in love and learned to appreciate Lisa's style of writing.

My Thoughts:
I was afraid to know how this series will end but I think that it really tied up all the knots that were necessary. It left enough amibuity to let the reader imagine how Janie's future will be like.

This book was emotional, and sometimes hard to read. But it was Lisa's lyrical and poetic style of writing that made me stay reading the story. I really loved Janie's character and I thought that throughout the series, she's really grown to accept who she is and what she can do.

Overall, it was a good end to a series, it was not explosive like some thrillers are but it was peaceful and left a good feeling at the end.

In one sentence:
"Stunning."

Plot: 5
Writing: 5
Characters: 5
Cover: 5
Overall Feeling: 5
Average: 5

The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball by Risa Green

The Secret Society of The Pink Crystal Ball

Smart and sexy-"smexy," as termed in the novel-Risa Green's fabulously original, warm, and funny teen debut follows a trio of best friends as they navigate love, lies, school, and family-with some unlikely supernatural help. Erin inherits a plastic crystal ball and a set of cryptic instructions from her free-spirited aunt. Erin and her two best friends laughingly give it a try and discover that this particular crystal ball has an uncanny knack for being accurate-but as with all magic, it comes with limits and a price.

Risa Green brings to vivid life friendships and romance-with the perfect supernatural twist.
Praise for Notes from the Underbelly:
"...uproariously tart..." -Entertainment Weekly
"Debut fiction that's a cut above the usual chick-lit fare."-Kirkus

Sent by the publisher.

At First Sight:
The cover is simply amazing. Also, even though the title is a mouthful, it's really catchy. The little premise caught my attention but I honestly didn't think too much about the book. I thought it was going to be simply okay. Boy was I wrong.

My thoughts:
SOTPCB (as I'm going to call it now) is fun, unique, and definitely MORE than okay.

Erin is a unique yet normal character. Her two best friends provide the best balance and really, they're a terrific trio. The characters were all amazingly real and relatable. I could definitely see myself in any of them. This, like you should know by now, it's the most important thing for me when reading a book. I'm looking for myself in these characters, it's what makes YA YA.

Erin's aunt is quirky and not the normal person. I like how her death is pretty ambiguous and nobody really knows what happened to her. Erin's struggle to come to term with herself and the death of a family member is real and resonates with the reader.

I was afraid that it would be too fluffy and to "tween" but I'm glad that it did't turn out that way at all! It's a cute story that could be set in any high school. This book has humour and great writing.

In one sentence:
"Cute and entertaining!"

Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Writing: 5
Cover: 5
Overall Feeling: 5
Average: 5

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Wings

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

I borrowed this book.

At first sight:
I loved the cover since the first day I saw it. I also know that Miley will be doing Laurel for the movie and, some of you may hate me for this but, I love the diea. So I said, why not? And read the book.

My thoughts:
WINGS is very original. THe concept you have about faeries is very different in this book. I'm always a bit unsure when it comes to changing so much about mythical creatures but Pike did it with grace and good writing skills. And, of course, I really nice cast of characters.

My only real problem with this book is that I didn't quite believe the relationships. It all just seems a bit of cliched and not too realistic for me but I kept in mind that it is a fantasy book so that didn't stop me from reading.

Good thing, too. Because the plot is really unexpected and it's deeper than one might first guess. I really liked how it developed and I can't wait to get my hands on the second book, Spells.

In one sentence:
"Magical and enchanting, like your favorite fairy tale."

Plot: 4
Characters: 4
Writing: 5
Cover: 5
Overall Feeling: 4
Average: 4.4 stars

Karma Bites by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas

Karma Bites

Life seems to have it in for Franny Flanders.
Her best friends aren’t speaking, her parents just divorced, and her hippie grandmother has moved in. The only karma Franny’s got is bad karma.
Then Franny gets her hands on a box of magic recipes that could fix all of her problems. It could even change the world! Finally, life is looking up.
But Franny is about to learn that magic and karma aren’t to be played with. When you mess with the universe, it can bite back in unexpected ways.
Ouch!

Copy sent by the authors.

At first sight:
It's a MG book which might be a bit surprising to some since I don't really read MG books but I must say, I loved the cover of this and it sounded so cute, so I went right ahead and accepted to review it.

My thoughts:
Franny Flanders is just your typical Middle schooler with typical middle school drama. Except that she finds a not so typical magical box that changes everything.

Her two best friends, Kate and Joey, do NOT get along but with a little help from some magical recipes, Franny plans to get everything sorted out...and a few other problems, too.

Franny is a delightful narrator. She's funny, sarcastic, and a bit silly at times. She's really outgoing and true to her heart. She's motivated by love for her parents, friends, and family. Her actions are real and her fascination with the magical are true to her age.

All of the characters are believable, funny, and fun to read about. I really enjoyed this one more than I thought I would.

Overall:
This book is fantastically written with a great cast of characters. I loved it and I think it's appropriate for anyone, whether you're 8 or 80.

In one sentence:
"Fun, magical, and um...fun!"

Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Writing: 5
Cover: 5
Overall Feeling: 5
Average: 5

Songs for A Teenage Nomad by Kim Culbertson

Songs For a Teenage Nomad
After living in twelve places in eight years with her drifting mother, fourteen-year-old Calle Smith finds herself in Andreas Bay, California, at the start of ninth grade. Fearful of putting down roots anywhere, but armed with her song journal, she moves to her own sound track through a world that bounces her between the school drama crowd, a mysterious loner, and an unlikely boy who will become her first love. But it's the troubling truth she uncovers about her father that forces Calle to face the toughest choice of her young life.

I received this from the publisher.

Calle has lived on too many places in a little time but when she settles into Andreas Bay, she hopes that this would be the last place she'd ever have to move to. Calle has now to navigate through uncharted territory and find out the hard way, the truth about love, friendship, and family.

Calle is a wonderful narrator. She's very laid-back and likable. I also thought she was realistic at all times with her decisions and her way of handling things. I loved the fact that she had a song journal and the way she interacted with everyone.

All characters in this book are very well-crafted and dimensional. They all ring with the reader so that you can see a bit of you inside each one.

The love story is beautiful and realistic, if sometimes a bit painful. But Kim handles everything so well and detailed that you are left completely satisfied.

The writing is lyrical and amazing. The soundtrack is great and I couldn't help but imagine myself having my own song journal.

Overall, it was a great book and definitely one of my favorites of the year. It's that good.

In one sentence:
"Beautiful, lyrical, and heart-warming."

Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Writing: 5
Cover: 5
Overall Feeling: 5
Average: 5

Emma And The Vampires by Jane Austen and Wayne Josephson

Emma And The Vampires
What better place than pale England to hide a secret society of gentlemen vampires?

In this hilarious retelling of Jane Austen's Emma, screenwriter Wayne Josephson casts Mr. Knightley as one of the most handsome and noble of the gentlemen village vampires. Blithely unaware of their presence, Emma, who imagines she has a special gift for matchmaking, attempts to arrange the affairs of her social circle with delightfully disastrous results. But when her dear friend Harriet Smith declares her love for Mr. Knightley, Emma realizes she's the one who wants to stay up all night with him. Fortunately, Mr. Knightley has been hiding a secret deep within his unbeating heart-his (literal) undying love for her... A brilliant mash-up of Jane Austen and the undead.

I was sent this ARC by the publicist.

This novel is witty and entertaining. It's funny and has such a great story. And the vampires are a great twist! The story begins a bit slowly but once it catches on, it's on a roll. This is a really addictive read with a classic twist. I am now almost wondering what the original book is like.

I loved Emma because I saw a lot of myself in her. She was real, independent, and assertive. She was able to think of others and not settle for something less than she deserves. She's a believable character and an entertaining narrator.

Mr. Knightley is so cool, too. He's down to earth but not perfect. He  is probably the only male character I ever truly liked and trusted. He seemed like the classic, timless man every women yearns for.

I particularly disliked Mr. and Mrs. Elton. They annoyed me quite a lot. Their attitudes were just puke-worthy but so amusing! Definitely not a flaw in the characterization. They are genious characters.

The characters are so well rounded and three dimensional. It's amazingly written and there's little to NOT like about this book. I'm big on character and often talk a lot about them and this book is filled with wonderful, memorable characters.

The prose is fantastic and really very true to the time period's language and dialogue. The plot catches up and the story becomes almost addicting and unputdownable. It's a MUST READ for everyone, classical nerdies or not.

In one sentence:
"The vampire classic that sinks in, literally!"

Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Writing: 5
Cover: 5
Overall Feeling: 5
Average: 5

Passing Strange by Daniel Waters

Passing Strange

Karen DeSonne always passed as a normal (if pale) teenager; with her friends, with her family, and at school. Passing cost her the love of her life. And now that Karen’s dead, she’s still passing—this time, as alive. Karen DeSonne just happens to be an extremely human-like zombie. Meanwhile, Karen’s dead friends have been fingered in a high-profile murder, causing a new round of antizombie regulations that have forced them into hiding. Karen soon learns that the “murder” that destroyed their non-life was a hoax, staged by Pete Martinsburg and his bioist zealots. Obtaining enough evidence to expose the fraud and prove her friends’ innocence means doing the unthinkable: becoming Pete’s girlfriend. Karen’s only hope is that the enemy never realizes who she really is—because the consequences would be worse than death.

Passing Strange was sent to me to review by the publicist, so thank you!

The world of Generation Dead is quite interesting. Very unexpected and it is known that zombies do exist. This was my first Generation Dead novel but I found that I needn't read the others to get into this one as it works well as a stand-alone.

At first, I was very surprised with the changing of POV, it took me off balance and it was hard to get used to at first but once the novel progressed, I became accostumed to it.

Karen was a good character, if ever a bit distance. There were moments where I felt that I really knew her and then she pulled back and I wasn't so sure. Maybe this has to do with the POV change?

I really liked Pete's character, though. It was very three-dimensional and we see him change through the rest of the novel and come to terms with himself and the world he lives in.

Tak is another one I liked. He is a loyal friend who will do whatever with Karen.

Oh, and I didn't expect the end AT ALL. Which was really good. I did, though, wish that Pete wouldn't have found out about Karen until later but I was glad there was more to the story instead of just that.

In one sentence:
"A definitely unique read!"

Plot: 4
Characters: 4
Writing: 4
Cover: 5
Overall Feeling: 4
Average: 4.2

Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

Tyger Tyger

Teagan Wylltson's best friend, Abby, dreams that horrifying creatures--goblins, shape-shifters, and beings of unearthly beauty but terrible cruelty--are hunting Teagan. Abby is always coming up with crazy stuff, though, so Teagan isn't worried. Her life isn't in danger. In fact, it's perfect. She's on track for a college scholarship. She has a great job. She's focused on school, work, and her future. No boys, no heartaches, no problems.

Until Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives. Finn's a bit on the unearthly beautiful side himself. He has a killer accent and a knee-weakening smile. And either he's crazy or he's been haunting Abby's dreams, because he's talking about goblins, too . . . and about being The Mac Cumhaill, born to fight all goblin-kind. Finn knows a thing or two about fighting. Which is a very good thing, because this time, Abby's right. The goblins are coming.

Wow, this book literally left me breathless. First of all, the cover is fantastic. Very vivid and colorful.

Teagan is such a likable character. She's funny and it's natural, not forced in any way. She is also very realistic and doesn't believe she is super human. She knows her flaws and her limits but she's brave enough to surpass them. I found myself really realating to her.

Finn is so amazing, too. It's so weird having a character enter, leave, and then enter again totally different but Finn is just very three dimensional and has a million sides to him.

I absolutely LOVED Teagan's little brother, he is funny and very intelligent--many a times I thought he was actually older than he was.

Abby and the rest of the secondary characters felt like a family. Kersten did the character development wonderfully and vividly.

The plot and the premise, oh and the mythology is wonderful. I didn't expect a debut book like this be so rich and so well-researched. I applaud Kersten for that.

I do wish that the final 'battle' would have been more of a battle and I think the characters got off easy. But it sets the tone for the future books perfectly.

In one sentence:
"A striking book that you won't see it coming."

Plot: 5
Characters: 4
Writing: 4
Cover: 5
Overall Feeling: 5
Average: 4.6 stars

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

 The Great Gatsby

In 1922, F. Scott Fitzgerald announced his decision to write "somethingnew--something extraordinary and beautiful and simple and intricately patterned." That extraordinary, beautiful, intricately patterned, and above all, simple novel became The Great Gatsby, arguably Fitzgerald's finest work and certainly the book for which he is best known. A portrait of the Jazz Age in all of its decadence and excess, Gatsby captured the spirit of the author's generation and earned itself a permanent place in American mythology. Self-made, self-invented millionaire Jay Gatsby embodies some of Fitzgerald's--and his country's--most abiding obsessions: money, ambition, greed, and the promise of new beginnings. "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning--" Gatsby's rise to glory and eventual fall from grace becomes a kind of cautionary tale about the American Dream.

It's also a love story, of sorts, the narrative of Gatsby's quixotic passion for Daisy Buchanan. The pair meet five years before the novel begins, when Daisy is a legendary young Louisville beauty and Gatsby an impoverished officer. They fall in love, but while Gatsby serves overseas, Daisy marries the brutal, bullying, but extremely rich Tom Buchanan. After the war, Gatsby devotes himself blindly to the pursuit of wealth by whatever means--and to the pursuit of Daisy, which amounts to the same thing. "Her voice is full of money," Gatsby says admiringly, in one of the novel's more famous descriptions. His millions made, Gatsby buys a mansion across Long Island Sound from Daisy's patrician East Egg address, throws lavish parties, and waits for her to appear. When she does, events unfold with all the tragic inevitability of a Greek drama, with detached, cynical neighbor Nick Carraway acting as chorus throughout. Spare, elegantly plotted, and written in crystalline prose, The Great Gatsby is as perfectly satisfying as the best kind of poem.

This will be short since I had to read it for school. The Great Gatsby is very poigant and creates such awesome images of 1920's New York, one of my favorite times and places in history. The characters seemed real and the love story is so relevant, it could have been told in high school hallways.

I got a bit bored but it didn't have to do with the book. It had more to do with the fact that I had to read it for school instead of it being for my own accord. It's a short novel with a well-paced plot. Easy read, really.

In one sentence: "Poigant and realistic."

Plot:  4
Characters: 5
Writing: 5
Cover: 3
Overall Feeling: 4
Average: 4.2

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Paranormalcy

Sixteen-year-old Evie's job is bagging and tagging paranormals. Possessing the strange ability to see through their glamours, she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency. But when someone--or something--starts taking out the vamps, werewolves, and other odd beasties she's worked hard to help become productive members of society, she's got to figure it out before they all disappear and the world becomes utterly normal. 

Normal is so overrated.

The much talked-about book is finally being reviewed here! Woo. Okay let's get it down.

I really liked Paranormalcy for different reasons. I loved the main character most of the time. Evie is strong and bad-ass. She is funny and has a really good heart. The only thing was that sometimes it was too much and it felt really pushy. Sort of annoying. Thankfully. that didn't happen often.

Lend is just adorable. I don't know if I LOVE him just yet because he seems like a very cliche'd guy in the book but he was entertaining and really cute. I look forward to seeing more of them.

I had to go back and re-read the ending for a second here (which can be kind of bad but may mean that I have been really busy). What an ending! It was definitely breathtaking and surprising. I don't want to reveal too much but I was surprised and shocked near the end.

Oh, and what an original premise, too.

In one sentence: "A great debut with great potential."

Plot: 5
Characters: 4
Writing: 4
Cover: 5
Overall: 4
Average: 4.4 stars

Gone by Michael Grant

Gone
In the blink of an eye. Everyone disappears. GONE.

Except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not one single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened.

Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day.

It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else...

Gone has an amazing premise: a world were adults just dissappear. At first it might seem like, 'Hey, party!' but the truth is, things are harder than they appear.

There's a new generation of kids with unexplicable powers that have something to do with the FAYZ. These teens are in the fight for their lives, espeically after Caine, a kid from town, starts taking over.

Gone is a fantastic novel. It was slow in some places, given but then it was so good I couldn't put it down. It's rather lengthy and I expected it to be more sci-fi than fantasy (you know, I like scientific explanations to things) but after a while, I didn't care.

The characters were all well-developed. I like that the many pages of this book were not spent in nonsense but in the development of the characters and the fleshing out of a great story to come. I can't wait to read the sequel.

In one sentence:
"A great story that everyone has to read!"

Plot: 5
Writing: 5
Cover: 5
Characters: 5
Overall Feeling: 5
Average: 5

Pretty Little Liars by Sarah Shepard

Pretty Little Liars

Everyone has something to hide—especially high school juniors Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna.

Spencer covets her sister's boyfriend. Aria's fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily's crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful.

But they've all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished.

How do I know? Because I know everything about the bad girls they were, the naughty girls they are, and all the dirty secrets they've kept. And guess what? I'm telling.

I really wanted to read the book before the series started but I couldn't so I bought it as soon as I could and finished it in like, two days.

Pretty Little Liars is a fun and sometimes suspenseful fast-paced novel. I love that, even though it was told from multiple points of views, I really got to know each character and I definitely got a feel for them.

The mystery is fantastic and it includes such a nice dose of romance. I love it!

I can't wait to read the next books. In comparison to the series, though. The first few episodes were pretty loyal to the book but it's starting to drift now and I wonder if I only think this because they're giving away stuff from the next books, which, in that case, makes me pretty nervous.

In one sentence:
"Suspense, romance, and everything you need in a novel, right here."

Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Writing: 5
Cover: 5
Overall Feeling: 5
Average: 5

Memoirs Of A Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

Memoirs Of A Teenage Amnesiac

If Naomi had picked tails, she would have won the coin toss. She wouldn’t have had to go back for the yearbook camera, and she wouldn’t have hit her head on the steps. She wouldn’t have woken up in an ambulance with amnesia. She certainly would have remembered her boyfriend, Ace. She might even have remembered why she fell in love with him in the first place. She would understand why her best friend, Will, keeps calling her “Chief.” She’d know about her mom’s new family. She’d know about her dad’s fiancée. She never would have met James, the boy with the questionable past and the even fuzzier future, who tells her he once wanted to kiss her. She wouldn’t have wanted to kiss him back.

But Naomi picked heads.

After her remarkable debut, Gabrielle Zevin has crafted an imaginative second novel all about love and second chances.

This is also a reread from last year. I loved it last year and I was happy to find out that I feel the same way. What first caught my eye was that it was authored by Gabrielle Zevin who wrote one of my favorite book of all times, ELSEWHERE.

Memoirs of A Teenage Amnesiac is not as good as Elsewhere in my opinion but it's such a wonderfully written book with such memorable characters. I love Naomi and I love Will to death.

I like that this book, or the plot in it, is not perfect. There are goods and bads to the relationships and not all is a happy ending. You feel for James but at the same time, it's a scary situation. I love how this book's relationships are not perfect, it makes it feel completely real and believable.

I also like how Naomi's background was told. It was not a chunk of information but simply weaved through the plot line. If flowed naturally.

Oh, and Naomi's dad is such a great character. He reminds me a bit of my own dad.

Overall, this is an amazing book that I will never forget and nor will the readers.

In one sentence:
"Memoirs leaves a lasting memory."

Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Writing: 5
Cover: 5
Overall Feeling: 5
Average: 5

The Turning by Helen Ellis

The Turning

Mary Richards is a normal sixteen-year-old girl living in Manhattan. Well, almost normal. She goes to private school on the Upper East Side, having been saved from a life of squalor by an adoptive family. But she’s also slowly transforming into a cat.

Struggling to hide her physical metamorphosis, Mary discovers that she isn’t alone. A whole race of cat people prowls the streets of Manhattan at night, including Mary’s long-time crush, Nick.

Aside from heightened feline senses, hanging out with Nick is the best thing about discovering her inner kitty. But Mary’s transformation is special and could decide the outcome of a citywide turf war. She must decide whether to embrace her powerful feline side and become a pack leader or go back to being a normal teenage girl. Can she land on her feet or will curiosity be her downfall?

What first caught my eye of this book was definitely the premise. Very cat-woman and original considering so many werewolves today. So of course, I dived in.

Mary is a fun narrator in Manhattan, one of my favorite places in the world. I liked her and despite the paranormal things, she was a very believable and relate-able character.

Then she discovers this whole other world and we're plunged in with her. I liked the descriptions of when she's turning. The book is per say is a good setup for the series and has enough plot substance to keep you entertained but it was a bit slow on some other parts and I kept waiting for the real action to begin.

Nick and Mary's relationship happens sort of out of the blue but it's very intriguing and different than other YA relationships so I was pretty satisfied with it.

Overall, I really liked this book and I can't wait for the rest of the series.

In one sentence:
"A perfect setup for an awesome story."

Plot: 4
Characters: 5
Writing: 5
Cover: 5
Overall Feeling: 4
Average: 4.6 stars

Wildthorn by Jane Eagland

Wildthorn

They strip her naked, of everything—undo her whalebone corset, hook by hook. Locked away in Wildthorn Hall—a madhouse—they take her identity. She is now called Lucy Childs. She has no one; she has nothing. But, she is still seventeen—still Louisa Cosgrove, isn't she? Who has done this unthinkable deed? Louisa must free herself, in more ways than one, and muster up the courage to be her true self, all the while solving her own twisted mystery and falling into an unconventional love . . . >Originally published in the UK, this well-paced, provocative romance pushes on boundaries—both literal and figurative—and, do beware: it will bind you, too.

The cover of Wildthorn first cought my eyes, I love historical novels and the historical aspect of this one was amazingly done. The title also cought my eye.

Other than that, the book lacked in a lot of other places. I expected a lot and was thoroughly disappointed. It's hard for me to say this because I liked the book, just not as much as I thought. The characters are good and the premise is good. But the story drags a bit and only gets better later.

It did bring a few surprises, that's for sure. But other than that, it didn't have much to offer.

Louisa is a good character but often, her narration drags a bit. The best parts are the flashbacks which show a much more dynamic Lousia. I still liked her strong mind and determination.

Overall, I recommend going into this book without a lot to expect. It's a good book but not amazing.

In one sentence:
"While it lacks in some parts, good twists and turns keep the reader interested."

Plot: 3
Characters: 4
Writing: 4
Cover: 5
Overall Feeling: 3
Average: 3.8 stars

Review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley

A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler

A Blue So Dark

Terrified that her mother, a schizophrenic and an artist, is a mirror that reflects her own future, sixteen-year-old Aura struggles with her overwhelming desires to both chase artistic pursuits and keep madness at bay.

As her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet keeps drawing Aura toward the depths of her own imagination—the shadows of make-believe that she finds frighteningly similar to her mother’s hallucinations.

Convinced that creative equals crazy, Aura shuns her art, and her life unravels in the process.

First off, I want to thank Holly Schindler who has been extremely awesome with me and sent me a signed copy of A Blue So Dark, so thank you.

Aura Ambrose shuns her art because she's afraid of becoming a schizo like her mother. But maybe running away from such a big part of herself will make everything worse.

A Blue So Dark is one of those books I've been waiting for all year. The cover is amazing and the story is mindblowing.

I devoured  this book like you don't know how. It is beautifully written and a visual delight, really.

Aura is a likable character whose problems are too big for her age. Her father isn't really there and she's basically on her own. I would have liked her to act sooner and take wiser decisions but I still understood why she did the things she did.

Overall, it was a great story and beautifully written. I give this two thumbs up.

Plot: 5
Characters: 4
Writing: 5
Cover: 5
Overall: 5
Average: 4.8

Waiting For You by Susane Colasanti

Waiting For You

At the beginning of her sophomore year, Marisa is ready for a fresh start and, more importantly, a boyfriend. So when the handsome and popular Derek asks her out, Marisa thinks her long wait for happiness is over. But several bumps in the road—including her parents’ unexpected separation, a fight with her best friend, and a shocking disappointment in her relationship with Derek—test Marisa’s ability to maintain her new outlook. Only the anonymous DJ, whose underground podcasts have the school’s ear, seems to understand what Marisa is going through. But she has no idea who he is—or does she?
In this third romantic novel from Susane Colasanti, Marisa learns how to “be in the Now” and realizes that the love she’s been waiting for has been right in front of her all along.

What a great book! I fell in love with Susane Colasanti's stle in Take Me There but Waiting For You was amazing.

I loved Nash. He was geektastic and just so sweet. I could hate Derek but surprisingly, I kind of don't. If you read this book, maybe you know what I mean. Marisa was such a well-rounded character, I loved her too.

The story was a wee bit predictable but sometimes, this works for me. In stories like these I prefer to know where the things are going and not have twists in the end because I already feel comfortable with it.

This book had it all, emotion, sarcasm, humor, and everything else that I find intriguing in a book. I can't wait to read Susane Colasanti's other books. I'm adding this one to my favorites!

In one sentence:
"You have to read anything by Susane Colasanti...NOW!"

Plot: 4
Characters: 5
Writing: 5
Cover: 5
Overall Feeling: 5
Average: 4.8

Annexed by Sharon Dogar

Annexed

Everyone knows about Anne Frank and her life hidden in the secret annex – but what about the boy who was also trapped there with her?

In this powerful and gripping novel, Sharon Dogar explores what this might have been like from Peter’s point of view. What was it like to be forced into hiding with Anne Frank, first to hate her and then to find yourself falling in love with her? Especially with your parents and her parents all watching almost everything you do together. To know you’re being written about in Anne’s diary, day after day? What’s it like to start questioning your religion, wondering why simply being Jewish inspires such hatred and persecution? Or to just sit and wait and watch while others die, and wish you were fighting.

As Peter and Anne become closer and closer in their confined quarters, how can they make sense of what they see happening around them?

Anne’s diary ends on August 4, 1944, but Peter’s story takes us on, beyond their betrayal and into the Nazi death camps. He details with accuracy, clarity and compassion the reality of day to day survival in Auschwitz – and ultimately the horrific fates of the Annex’s occupants.

I have mixed feelings about this one, in good ways. It's a very powerful book - as the blurb suggest - and it's very historically accurate in all ways it could be. I find it amazing that Sharon Dogar was able to create such a resonating story based on a diary (which, getting all lit tech, is only from Anne's very biased point of view) and still make it truthful and honest.

Peter is just like every boy, no matter which year this story is set it. I love how the relationship with Anne seamlessly develops through the story. It doesn't happen in a blink of an eye  and it takes time.

The thing that I'm more mixed about it the slowness. For those of you who've read Anne Frank's diary know that it is in no way an action book, therefore, at times, it is quite slow. But nevertheless I liked how Peter's story was more than just Anne, it was about faith, family, and identity.

I wished Sharon would have taken more of a creative liscence and done more with the story but at the same time I feel like I would have been mad if it were not as historically loyal. Ah, I'm to confuzzled (yes, I made that up.)

In one sentence:
"Sharon Dogar once again creates a powerful story that resonates with the reader."

Plot: 4
Characters: 4
Writing: 5
Cover: 4
Overall Feeling: 4
Average: 4.2

The Gardener by S.A. Bodeen

The Gardener
Mason has never known his father, but longs to. All he has of him is a DVD of a man whose face is never seen, reading a children’s book. One day, on a whim, he plays the DVD for a group of comatose teens at the nursing home where his mother works. One of them, a beautiful girl, responds. Mason learns she is part of a horrible experiment intended to render teenagers into autotrophs—genetically engineered, self-sustaining life-forms who don’t need food or water to survive. And before he knows it, Mason is on the run with the girl, and wanted, dead or alive, by the mysterious mastermind of this gruesome plan, who is simply called the Gardener.



Will Mason be forced to destroy the thing he’s longed for most?

It's funny how I came across this one. I was reading a blog and someone (I can't remember who, sorry!) reviewed this and I was like "OMG! I have to get this," because I'm recently in a wild dystopian, sci-fi thing. So I emailed the publisher that very day and they were so nice and sent me a copy! It was actually my first time emailng a publisher and having them send me an ARC so THANK YOU!

The book was not what I expected at all. I imagined a very far future dystopian sort of thing but it was not, it's set on current times which makes it even more scary! It really worked well with it.

The book is extremely thought-provoking and I liked both Mason and the girl's relationship. His best friend, Jack, is hilarious. I loved him to death. The Gardener is very fast paced and unique.

OH! And the end is just FANTASTIC. Just wait.

In one sentence:
"A old problem given a completely new and unique premise make this a one-of-a-kind read."

Plot: 5
Characters: 4
Writing: 5
Cover: 4
Overall Feeling: 4
Average: 4.4