The Dark and Hallow Places

Grade B-

Synopsis-

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.

Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.
But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

My Review;

This was a good book but for me it wasn't as good as the first two. The ending where they got off the island came way to easily, I don't think anyone can build what they built without practice and some things going wrong. It just doesn't seem like something that could happen so easily but honestly what do I know about what it is they built ( I won't ruin the surprise by saying what they build). I didn't love the relationship between Annah and her sister, it just seemed to easy and after their past it just didn't feel real. I do love Annah's relationship with Catcher, I don't know if it's because it really is a good romance or because the rest of the book is so depressing that you cling to anything good happening in the story. The part of the book that bugged me the most is when Catcher saved Annah from the cage and then he had to kill the guy to save her life and later she lectures him for it, but there was nothing else he could do. It just really bugged me, she had a point about not becoming bad like the recruiters but when somebody saves your life don't chew them out for it.
I'm not sure but it seems that the author left it open for another book, if she writes another one I would read it but the first 2 books in the series were better than this one. One thing that will make this book more enjoyable too is to make sure you remember the details of the first 2 books. I thought I remembered them until I started reading this one and it kept talking about things that happened in the first and second book and I couldn't really remember what had happened. 

Wherever you Go

Grade C-

Synopsis
Seventeen-year-old Holly Mullen has felt lost and lonely ever since her boyfriend, Rob, died in a tragic accident. The fact that she has to spend most of her free time caring for her little sister and Alzheimer’s-stricken grandfather doesn’t help. But Holly has no idea that as she goes about her days, Rob’s ghost is watching over her. He isn’t happy when he sees his best friend, Jason, reach out to help Holly with her grandfather—but as a ghost, he can do nothing to stop it. Is his best friend really falling for his girlfriend?
     As Holly wonders whether to open her heart to Jason, the past comes back to haunt her. Her grandfather claims to be communicating with the ghost of Rob. Could the messages he has for Holly be real? And if so, how can the loved ones Rob left behind help his tortured soul make it to the other side?
     Told from the perspectives of Holly, Jason, and Rob,Wherever You Gois is a poignant story about making peace with the past, opening your heart to love, and finding the courage to move forward into the light.


My Review


The first 3/4 of the book was so dull. Reading about people being frustrated, confused and bored is frustrating, confusing and boring. I also hated the way it was written in the way that the point of view changed so often and without warning and you never knew from who's point of view you were reading when it changed because everything is written like "You wake up to a loud noise, or You find yourself in a room full of people.". I am all for trying to pull the reader into the story and making them feel involved but when it switched from a teenage girl to a teenage boy to a ghost of a teenage boy and the characters are always refered to as "you" it gets confusing and pull me as a reader out of the story. I got so sick of thinking -What the heck, who is the story being told by now? Tthen as soon as I figured out who it was it would switch again. Other people might like this style of writing but it wasn't for me at all. The last 90 or so pages things got pretty good, the story finally started moving and things started actually happening.
I think you are supposed to feel sad for the main character in the story because her mom is always gone and she has to take care of her sister who is about 9 years old and her grandpa with Alzheimer disease. I imagine that would be so hard, but honestly nothing in the story ever conveyed hard. Her sister was very well behaved and her grandpa although forgetful was docile and cooperative. The worst thing that happened was her sister cut her finger, there was no Dr visit or stitches or anything just a cut and that was as bad as it got. At the end of the story the main character (I cannot remember her name, I just finished this book that was over 300 pages long but I guess I just didn't care about the story enough to remember) was so frustrated and overwhelmed that she had to leave a note for her mom saying she just couldn't do it anymore and she needed help. I am 100% sure it would be too hard for any teenager to handle I just wish the story would have showed more of the struggles of her life because honestly most everything went very smoothly the whole story. I found the new boyfriend in the story to be too kind, perfect, thoughtful and involved. The kid was a rich boy from a broken home with a selfish mom, I just wasn't buying the perfect boyfriend thing. Rob the dead boyfriend was one of the the best characters in the story but even he wasn't great, at least I remembered his name right. Anyways I disliked the whole book except the last 90 pages when things got okay. The message of the book was nice, get help when you need it kind of a message. My very favorite part of the story, probably the part that kept me from quitting was Aldo (the grandpa with Alzheimer's). I love that he was clear thinking when he talked to Rob (the ghost boyfriend), I loved that he was still "there" and that he knew what was going on and that his granddaughter was taking care of him. I don't know anyone personally with Alzheimer's but I imagine that this part of the book would give them hope and some comfort that even though it seemed like their loved one was lost that they were still inside somewhere and that they know and appreciate what you are doing for them. I just thought it was so sweet to see things from Aldo's perspective. I found his character to be kind and deep and just overall a lovely man.

If you liked the book Hereafter you will probably like this book as well or vice versa.

Overall Grade C-

Bad-
-Book was too long
-Nothing really emotional, exciting or scary ever happens which made it dull.
-Too many of the characters were unrealistic or hard to relate to.
-Switched characters point of view too often and was always refered to as "you"

Good-
-Aldo's character
-The take on what Alzheimer's is like for the person suffering.
-The message at the end of the book about seeking help and taking care of yourself and your loved ones.

Hereafter

Grade; D
Cover; Pretty

This wasn't the book for me, there just wasn't anything there that I enjoyed. The whole book is a series of wandering, bad dream, drowning, waking, Joshua repeat. Nothing exciting happens until the very end and then it's short lived. Every time Amelia finally starts getting any answers about anything she gets upset and vanishes or runs away. It was good enough to keep reading because I finished it but really to me this book was boring and depressing. What a terrible thing to have happen when you die, no memories no help no contact with anyone no smells or sensations no heavenly help only the occasional spat with a bad ghost and spending time with a teenage boy. The cover of the book was pretty though.

Mercy

Mercy a fallen angel continuously wakes up in other women/girls bodies. Mercy doesn't know who she is or why these things are happening to her. Mercy wakes up in the body of Carmen a teenage singer who has traveled to a small town with her choir group, she is staying with a volunteer family. She decides to help Ryan her host families son find his missing twin sister who disappeared two years ago.

This wasn't a bad book but not one of my favorite books or one I would read again. Too much time was spent on things that just didn't matter, like page after page after page about choir practice. Then at the end when it should have been really exciting and tense it was mostly just rushed and confusing. I'm not really sure who is bad and who is good in this book at all which is frustrating because you don't know who to like or who to hate. Really I only liked the style of writing, and the idea of the story, the rest was just lacking for me. On the plus side even though I didn't love the story it wasn't hard to keep reading the writing was good and the story has potential, I might even read the second book because the story might actually go somewhere because the idea of the book is really fun. 

Grade C

Average book, not to hard to keep reading but not one I am excited about.

The cover is pretty but vague 

The Lipstick Laws

This was a fun short read, although the writing was a little young for me. Brittney is a very very mean popular girl. April becomes friends with Brittney and her gang of girl friends and ends up signing the ridiculous lipstick laws. The lipstick laws are a list of rules all of the girls must follow to remain in the group, including how they talk, dress, act and date. April breaks one of the lipstick laws and gets kicked out of the group and that gives her the idea to form the lipstick lawbreakers. April finds other girls who have been kicked out of Brittney's group and they begin to devise a way to take Brittney down once and for all.
In a lot of the reviews I read everyone talked about how much they liked the character April. I didn't I honestly think she was as shallow about looks and boys as Brittney was the only difference was she didn't have as much opportunity to  be as mean to as many people because she didn't have as many friends. April does come around a little in the very end but seriously if I had a daughter who was so shallow and mean and judgmental as April I would be very disappointed. At least Brittney had a reason to be such a jerk considering her terrible past. April on the other hand had a good life and a great family her only problem was small boobs.
I really did enjoy the writing in this book it was easy to get into and I didn't ever loose interest while reading. I also love the slang the author uses it really gave the feel that the story was about teenage girls.
I would recommend this book to tween and younger teen girls or anyone who likes books set in a high school setting.


Grade B+

Book Cover Grade A+
I love the cover it definitely grabs your attention.

The Goddess Test

Grade A+
Page Count 297
Author Aimee Carter


Synopsis;
Every girl who has taken the test has died.

Now it's Kate's turn. 

It's always been just Kate and her mom--and now her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall. 

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld--and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests. 

Kate is sure he's crazy--until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess. 

If she fails...




My Review;
I LOVED this book, it is the best book I have read in a long long time and in my opinion deserves to become just as popular as Harry Potter or the Twilight series. The writing is impeccable and draws you into the story right on the very first page. The characters were well developed and varied and the main character was so good and so sweet without being someone readers can't relate to. I wasn't able to guess who the killer was until right before it happened and there are so many surprises along the way it makes it a story you never want to stop reading. I couldn't put this book down but I tried not to read too much a day because I didn't want the story to come to an end. I have been finished for 2 days now and have started another book but I am still pouting about being finished with this book. I don't buy a lot of books because between the library and Netgally I have plenty of books to keep me busy but this is a book I would buy in a heartbeat. The only thing I am worried about for the next book is it becoming another story about how a girl can't decide between two amazing guys who are both madly in love with her. It's been SO OVERDONE and I am really hoping that the next book doesn't follow that same pattern. But honestly I can't really think of anything in the first book I didn't like and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series and anything else Aimee Carter writes. This is a book that is definitely going on my list of favorite books.

SPOILER QUESTION

There was one part of the story I was confused about and if anyone else reads this book and can let me know that would be great!

Kate's mom dies and and Kate is killed and they are in the boat together and then Henry comes and takes Kate and carries her away. When Kate asks about her mom Henry says she agreed to give her life so Kate could live and that was the only way Henry could take Kate out of the underworld but then we find out Kate's mom is a goddess who took on a human body to raise Kate and that the body she was using died but she didn't because she is immortal. How did Henry get Kate out of the underworld if it took a life for a life? Kate's moms soul didn't really die so there was really nothing to trade for Kate's life. I don't know if it makes sense what I am asking or not but really it doesn't matter that much because I loved the ending and the whole story was amazing!

The Iron Queen

Grade A+

The Iron Queen is Book 3 in the Iron Fey series

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.

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. I liked the first two books in the series but I LOVED this one. I love that Megan picked Ash and didn't do the whole -I cant decide between two hot guys-  thing that happens in so many other YA fantasy books. I love the idea of Ash being Megan's night, it was so romantic! I love that Megan isn't perfect, she says stupid things and makes mistakes but she is doing her best it just makes her so easy to relate to. I loved the ending, it was happy and sad and amazing, best ending in any book I have ever read! I love Grim, he makes me want to hug him and slap him all at the same time. Ash was romantic and so much more open in this book. Puck comes to terms with Megan's choice even though he still loves her he is happy to still be her best friend. I am so excited to read the next book in the series!!! The only down side to this book is that it ended but I will anxiously await the next book The Iron Knight written from Ash's point of view!

Book 1 in the series The Iron King

Book 1.5 Winters Passage 

Book 2 The Iron Daughter

One Hundred Candles

One Hundred Candles

By Mara Purnhagen

235 pages on my Sony Reader

Grade A-

The author of One Hundred Candles was so kind and allowed me to upload this book onto my reader from Netgally and I am so grateful she did. I was not able to read the first book of the series because unfortunately my library doesn't carry it, but it is one I am going to have to get my hands on so I can read it because I really enjoyed this book. Even though I didn't read the first book (yet) I didn't really feel lost reading the second book, there were things that were talked about from the first book that I wish I could know more about but it didn't stop me from enjoying this book. Charlotte is finally settled into a home and a school and is the daughter of famous parents who travel around debunking hauntings. Trouble starts when Charlotte's mom begins believing in the supernatural while her father firmly holds onto the belief that strange happenings are the result of residual energy left behind. Charlotte tries to balance a new romance a few new friendships, school, her parents fighting and the supernatural happenings all around her.
There were so many original ideas in what could have turned into a typical girl sees ghost story. I love the idea of residual energy and the power of good thoughts. I love that most things in this book dealing with the supernatural turned out to be hoaxes because when there were real demons or ghost it made it all the more intense. I loved the mixture of mystery, romance, family, friends, school, death, faith, friendship, belief and disbelief in this story. There were so many different aspects that it kept the story from getting boring even when nothing was happening. I know I like a book when I am excited to pick it up and reluctant to put it down and that is how I felt with this book.
There were only two things I could think of that I didn't love about this book. 1- Something would be happening and then all of the sudden the chapter would be over and a new one would start and a few days had past. It only took a page or two to pick up again but I found myself being pushed out of the story a little at the end of each chapter. 2- I don't know if I just missed it or what but one minute Charlotte's parents were on the brink of divorce and then the next minute he dad believed everything and they were in love again. Like I said maybe there were signs I missed because I was so into the whole demon chasing Chloe thing that I might have just missed it. Other than that though this book was awesome, I can't wait to read book #3 and book #1 in this series. Thanks again to the author Mara Purnhagen for allowing me to read your book! 

Voices of Dragons

Voices of Dragons                           Carrie Vaughn




This was an enjoyable read and towards the end especially hard to put down. 

Kay is out hiking one day when she falls into a fast moving stream and is saved by a young Dragon. Kay and Artegal (the dragon) become friends and Kay builds a harness and even learns to ride him. Everything goes downhill when the army provokes the Dragons and a war begins. When everyone finds out Kay is friends with a Dragon the army tries to use Kay to spy on the Dragons and to trap Artegal.

Sometimes I felt the story was a little flat like there could have been a deeper storyline, it almost seemed dumbed down a little too much. 

The love story was fantastic, it was sweet and age appropriate. There were a few quotes in the book that I was not impressed with like " 17 is too old to be a virgin..." It kind of makes sense in the end why quotes like that were used but still the book would have been better without it. 

The book doesn't really end, the ending kind of reminded me of The Giver, I don't know if that is just the end or if there will be another book, if there is another book it is one I would like to read. 

I would like to read more by this author, maybe some of her books not directed towards young readers. I like my story lines a little more complicated than this story. 

I would recommend this to young teens and anyone else looking for a sweet fairly quick read with a simple storyline.

page count- 309 Grade- B Why I Read it- Found it at the library

A blue so dark

Title; A Blue So Dark

Author; Holly Schindler

Page count; 266

Why I read it; Pretty cover, Good reviews on goodreads.com

Grade; A

Synopsis;

Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been hiding a secret. Her mother, a talented artist and art teacher, is slowly being consumed by schizophrenia, and Aura has been her sole caretaker ever since Aura's dad left them. Convinced that "creative" equals crazy, Aura shuns her own artistic talent. But as her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet draws Aura toward the depths of her imagination. Just as desperation threatens to swallow her whole, Aura discovers that art, love, and family are profoundly linked—and together may offer an escape from her fears.

Praise for A Blue So Dark:

"A truly real, emotional, and honest read."—Catherine Ryan Hyde, author of Pay it Forward

"A Blue So Dark is a raw, compelling and eloquent portrayal of art and madness, and the freeing, healing gift of creativity. Schindler's voice is brilliant and true."—Carrie Jones, New York Times bestselling author ofNeed and Captivate

"Schindler's lyrical debut explores the nightmare of mental illness in a voice that is sharp and funny and all her own. This is as real as teen fiction gets. A must-read."—Crissa-Jean Chappell, author of Total Constant Order

My Review;

This books sucks you right in! It's so well written that sometimes you feel like you are the one with a mentally ill mother struggling to make the right decisions. The characters were all so realistic, you hated them and loved them just like real people. Sometimes I got so mad at Aura's best friend Janny, some of the things she said were just so mean but in the end you realize that she was dealing with her own crap and was just doing the best she could. I hated Aura's dad, he left because Grace's illness was too much for him to handle but for some reason he thinks a pre teen girl can do it all by herself. He even gives her a pile full of journals every year for her birthday for Aura to keep track of her mothers moods to try to catch any mental break downs before they happen, like that is any kind of job for a child let and the worst birthday present ever! The only bad thing about this book was it made me so sad! The ending though is just the way a book should end, nothing is perfect but things get better. I am going to look into other books written by Holly Schindler because she sure can write! 

The cover is beautiful and the title is just perfect.

The Reckoning

Title; The Reckoning

Author; Kelley Armstrong

Page count; 391

Why I read it; 3rd book in the series

Grade; B

Synopsis;

Only two weeks ago, life was all too predictable. But that was before I saw my first ghost. Now, along with my supernatural friends Tori, Derek, and Simon, I’m on the run from the Edison Group, which genetically altered us as part of their sinister experiment. We’re hiding in a safe house that might not be as safe as it seems. We’ll be gone soon anyway, back to rescue those we’d left behind and to take out the Edison Group . . . or so we hope.

My Review;

I liked this book most out of the three in this series, the only part that really bugged me was the non ending but hopefully these characters will be re introduced in another series. I am so happy this book never turned into a love triangle, as soon as Chloe realized she didn't have feelings for Simon she told him and it was over and they stayed friends I liked that a lot. I like Derek even more in this book, Chloe bugged me a little less and Tori actually proved herself useful and showed that she actually had feelings. A little too much of this book was of them sitting around waiting which happens a lot in this series, it could have had a little more action. There were some twists and turns that I never saw coming and it's hard to tell who is a good guy and who is a bad guy which keeps you on your toes as you read. 

Other Books in this series

Book 1- The Summoning

Book 2- The Awakening

Book 3- The Summoning

Other Books I have read by Kelley Armstrong

1- Bitten (Women of the otherworld series book #1) Grade I gave it 4 out of 5 stars

2-  Stolen (Women of the otherworld series book #2)Grade I gave it  5 out of 5 stars

Read my reviews of these books on goodreads.com

The Awakening

Title; The Awakening

Author; Kelley Armstrong

Page count; 357

Why I read it; Second in a series

Grade C+

Synopsis;

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl—someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment—not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control; I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

Now I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends—a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch—and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

My Review;

This book was better than the first book. It still bugs me that no questions were answered or mysteries were really solved, there were just more questions the be answered. Kelly Armstrong has a lot to resolve and a lot of questions to answer in her last book, it makes me worried that the third book will be rushed and still at the end of the book that all of the mysteries of the book won't be answered but I could be wrong. I like Derek more and more, Simon seems like a wussy little boy to me. Chloe the main character is just ok there are things I like about her but a lot of things that bug me too. Tori is just crazy and has no morals or compassion at all and the books would be better without her. I think that Derek and Chloe have a "thing" for each other even though Simon obviously likes Chloe and I don't think Cloe's aunt is dead. I hope it doesn't turn into a love triangle book where Chloe can't decide who she likes better between Derek and Simon I swear that will make me hate this whole series. I am going to read the next book because these books are interesting enough but overall I am underwhelmed. 

Book series 

Book 1 The Summoning

Book 2 The Awakening

Book 3 The Reckoning

The Summoning

Title; The Summoning

Author; Kelley Armstrong

Page Count; 390

Why I read it; Got good reviews on goodreads.com

Grade; C

Synopsis;

After years of frequent moves following her mother’s death, Chloe Saunders’s life is finally settling down. She is attending art school, pursuing her dreams of becoming a director, making friends, meeting boys. Her biggest concern is that she’s not developing as fast as her friends are. But when puberty does hit, it brings more than hormone surges. Chloe starts seeing ghosts–everywhere, demanding her attention. After she suffers a breakdown, her devoted aunt Lauren gets her into a highly recommended group home.

At first, Lyle House seems a pretty okay place, except for Chloe’s small problem of fearing she might be facing a lifetime of mental illness. But as she gradually gets to know the other kids at the home–charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a “thing” for fire–Chloe begins to realize that there is something that binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual “problem kid” behaviour. And together they discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home either…

My Review;

This book was just okay. I felt like it went back and forth from being boring and a little repetitive to too scary (I'm kind of a baby when it comes to anything scary). There was one part where Chloe sees a ghost man standing up on a ledge thing and he jumps off into some sort of big grinding machine and blood and body parts go flying everywhere and it keeps happening over and over again. I kept picturing that scene over and over in my head at night in bad, not exactly my favorite image to fall asleep to. There is still too many questions left unanswered in the first book, I know it's a series but Chloe is just as clueless and confused at the end of the book as she was in the beginning maybe even more so. It wasn't a bad book, I am even going to read the second book in hopes that it gets better because it seems to be a series that could have potential to be really good. I would recommend this book if you are looking for something to read but if you have a whole list of to read books don't rush to start this series.

Stolen Children

Title; Stolen Children

Author; Peg Kehret

Page Count; 165

Why I read it; Sounded like a good book

Grade; B-

Synopsis;

Amy learned a lot in her babysitting course, but not what to do if two thugs show up, intent on kidnapping. Armed with misinformation and a weapon, the men take Amy and little Kendra to a remote cabin in the woods. There they make videos of the girls and mail them to Kendra’s wealthy parents in an effort to get ransom money. After several of her escape attempts fail, Amy is forced to make one last, desperate move. Award winner Peg Kehret crafts a suspenseful thriller with a spunky heroine who uses her wits to save herself and the toddler.

My Review;

Another fun, quick read. Stolen children was an easy story to get into and was written really well and kept me guessing. The book cover was a bad choice, it makes it look a lot more scary than it was and there is nothing about being taken at night or an empty rocking chair. The three year old Kendra that was one of the girls stolen was a lot more well behaved than any three year old I have ever met, she acted more like a five year old. I did like the messages in the book about never giving up and not making excuses, a book with a moral is always good. This book only took a couple hours to read so it isn't long but the story line is well thought out and there are no big holes or rushed pieces in the story so really it was the perfect length. Read this if you are in to mood for a mildly intense short read.

Midnight Pearls

Title; Midnight Pearls

Author; Debbie Viguie

page count; 197

Why I read it; some of my friends on goodreads.com gave it good reviews

Grade B

Synopsis;

In a quiet fishing village, one lone fisherman rescued a child from the sea seventeen years ago. He and his wife raised the girl, Pearl, as their own daughter, never allowing themselves to wonder long about where she came from -- or notice her silver hair, usually pale skin, and wide, dark blue eyes.

Pearl grows from a mysterious child into an unusual young woman, not always welcomed in the village. As all the other girls her age find husbands, she has only one friend to ease her loneliness. One very special, secret companion: Prince James.

But their friendship is shaken when trouble erupts in the kingdom -- a conspiracy against the royal family combines with an evil enchantment from beneath the sea. Now, just when Pearl and James need each other most, bewitching magic and hints about Pearl's past threaten to tear them apart...forever.

My Review;

I liked this book a lot, it was easy to get into the story and the writing was really nice. There were enough similarities for it to be a retelling of The Little Mermaid but enough differences that you really don't know what is going to happen in the story. What I though was going to be the climax when Pearl went to face the Sea Witch really turned out to be short and honestly a bit too easy. The story really is more about Pearl and her "finding herself" than any actual event that happens. The story is sweet and innocent and a quick enjoyable read with a happily ever after ending. The romance was sweet without being overdone the same can be said for any action or intense parts of the book, they are there but nothing too intense and never very long lasting. Read this if you are in the mood for a nice easy romantic but not overly mushy book.

Mockingjay

Title; Mockingjay

Author; Suzanne Collins

Page count; 390 pages

Why I read it; 3rd and final book of a series

Grade A-

Synopsis;

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans -- except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay -- no matter what the personal cost.

My review;

I finished most of this book today, yesterday I read maybe 2 chapters. As expected this book was exceptionally well written, Suzanne Collins has a way of making you feel and be a part of the story even if like me you never get overly attached to the main characters. First with the negatives of the story so I can end with the positives. I never really felt any attachment to Katniss, Peta or Gale. I think mostly it's because I am so sick of teenage girl who has no idea what she wants or who she is has 2 boys so in love with her for no real apparent reason to me. I just don't understand no matter how many different ways it has been written why two amazing, talented, handsome guys are so in love with a teenage girl who can't decide who she loves so she ends up treating them both like crap the whole book. It just wouldn't ever happen, any real man would soon get sick of being treated like dog poo and move on to a real woman who can truly love him. Even so the author is so talented that even though that part of the plot drove me insane I still enjoyed the book. I do like a lot of the other characters in the book, Prim being one of my very favorites. 

    Now for the positives because really I did love reading this book. This book to me contained the perfect balance of hope and despair, love and hate, beginnings and endings. So many reviews I read on this book commented on how depressing the book was and how little hope it contained but I disagree. I thought that there was always something Katniss and other were hoping for and working towards without the situations being so easy or quick that it became unrealistic. I love that under the most depressing, horrible long lasting circumstances there was always something to hope for, to want and to work for. It was written that no matter how bad things get there really is always a reason to keep going, that nothing on earth can last forever. What is more hopeful than understanding that even if things are as bad as they can get that they will get better, maybe never perfect but better and always worth living for?

Artemis Fowl The Atlantis Complex

Title; Artemis Fowl The Atlantis Complex

Author; Eoin Colfer

Page count; 357

Why I read it; 7th book of a series

grade C+

Synopsis;

Artemis has committed his entire fortune to a project he believes will save the planet and its inhabitants, both human and fairy. Can it be true? Has goodness taken hold of the world’s greatest teenage criminal mastermind?

Captain Holly Short is unconvinced, and discovers that Artemis is suffering from Atlantis Complex, a psychosis common among guilt-ridden fairies -- not humans -- and most likely triggered by Artemis’s dabbling with fairy magic. Symptoms include obsessive-compulsive behavior, paranoia, multiple personality disorder and, in extreme cases, embarrassing professions of love to a certain feisty LEPrecon fairy.

Unfortunately, Atlantis Complex has struck at the worst possible time. A deadly foe from Holly’s past is intent on destroying the actual city of Atlantis. Can Artemis escape the confines of his mind -- and the grips of a giant squid -- in time to save the underwater metropolis and its fairy inhabitants?

New York Times best-selling author Eoin Colfer delivers a knockout, fast-paced, and hilarious adventure in Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex, the seventh book in the blockbuster series 

My Review;

This book was written as well as all of the other books were but I didn't enjoy most of it as much as I enjoyed the other books for a few reasons. All of the things I liked about the other books were missing from the first half of this book. My favorite things about the Artemis Fowl books are 1- Artemis Fowl himself, I love his nasty sense of humor and his quick wit. In this book Artemis comes down with a fairy condition called The Atlantis Complex causing OCD and multiple personalities. I hated Artemis's alter personality called Orion, he was gooey and old fashioned romantic and just plain annoying. I think maybe he was supposed to come across this way but it didn't make it any more fun to read. 2- I love the adventure and the lack of romance in the Artemis Fowl books and it's starting to come out that Artemis has feelings for Holly. I'm not a big fan of that relationship, it just seems strange to me that they are a different species not to mention the age difference. 3- In the other books you get a good sense of "the bad guy" who ever it is at the time, but the author never spends too much time focusing on the story of the bad guy. In this book it seemed to me almost the first half of the book was dedicated to the bad guy. I hated the bad guy, he was evil and enjoyed the thought of torture and death but at the end of the book the author seemed to try to make him come across as a man so in love that he just made some bad choices. That would have been ok if every time the story went to him he didn't keep thinking how he was going to kill everybody even the people who were helping him and that he was going to enjoy it. 4- I love Mulch Diggums and there just wasn't enough of him until the end of the book.
So overall I would have enjoyed this book if there was more written about the main characters and less about the annoying bad guy. I did enjoy the last third of the book a lot when the main characters were involved and the action really picked up. I also liked that Juliet was more a part of the story, I have always enjoyed her character even though she has never been a main influence in any previous books. I still feel too that the story was written well enough to keep me reading the series and I am curious to see how Artemis will overcome his illness. 

The Iron Daughter

Title; The Iron Daughter

Author; Julie Kagawa

Page count; 361

Why I read it; Second in a series, Netgalley review book

Grade; A-

Synopsis; 

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron Fey, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's alone in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

My Review; 

This book took me longer to read than I wanted and not because the story wasn't great, life and kids and surgeries just slowed down my reading. I really liked the second book in this series, it was interesting and the story kept moving and never got dull. There was a lot of detail without getting boring and I was able to get a clear picture in my head of the story and the characters. The whole teenage girl finds out she isn't all human in love with two guys who are so in love with her they would die to save her story line is a little over done for me but everything else about these books is creative keeping you guessing and hoping to the very last page. This is a series that I am excited to keep reading and I look forward to reading other things written by Julie Kagawa.

The Iron King

Title; The Iron King

Author; Julie Kagawa

Page count; 363

Why I read it; Recommended by my sister in law Brenda

and was given a copy off of netgalley to read.

Grade A-

Synnopsis;

Meghan Chase has never fit in at her small-town high school, and now, on the eve of her 16th birthday, she discovers why. When her half brother is kidnapped, Meghan is drawn into a fantastical world she never imagined--the world of Faery, where anything you see may try to eat you, and Meghan is the daughter of the summer faery king. Now she will journey into the depths of Faery to face an unknown enemy . . . and beg the help of a winter prince who might as soon kill her as let her touch his icy heart. The Iron King is the first book in the Iron Fey series.

My Review;

My sister in law Brenda recommended this book to me and the author was kind enough to

allow me to read it from Netgalley. The first half of this book was a little bit hard for me to

get into. I felt it was the typical teenage girl doesn't fit in at school because there is something

different about her. Girl finds out she is connected to magical world and escapes some dangers

with the help of a new cute magical guy friend. It was very well written I just felt like it was like

a lot of stories I have read before. At about the half way mark the story really started to come

alive for me. The story branched off in new original and exciting directions. I like the background

story between Puck and Ash and the conflict between like and hate and doing what you want to

do vs doing what you have vowed to do. The author is really able to convey the feelings and the

struggles that all of the characters have without slowing down the story. I am excited to read the

next one and find out how Ash truly feels and what happens to Puck. I am curious to figure out

Grimalkin, I can't decide if he cares about Meghan or if he is just waiting to use her sense she is

in his debt like almost everyone else has. I am curious to see if the friendship between Puck and

Ash can be healed or if it;s too late for that. And mostly I wonder what the winter queen really

wants with Meghan and if Ash will protect Meghan or be loyal to his queen. I guess thats what

makes a book great is that it keeps you wondering and makes you excited to read more.

The Secret Of Ka

Title: The Secret of Ka

Author: Christopher Pike

Genre: YA Fantasy

Page Count: 416

Why I read it: Was given permission to read

by author on Natgally.com

Grade: A

Synopsis:

One minute Sara's bored on vacation in Istanbul. The next, she's unearthed a flying carpet that cleverly drags her to the mysterious Island of the Djinn—or genies. By her side is Amesh, a hot boy she's starting to love but doesn't yet trust. When Amesh learns the secret of invoking djinn, he loses control. He swears he'll call upon only one djinn and make one wish. The plan sounds safe enough. But neither Sara nor Amesh are any match for the formidable monster that that swells before them. It hypnotizes Amesh, compelling him to steal Sara’s flying carpet—the ancient Carpet of Ka—and leave her stranded.

Discovering the Carpet of Ka has sparked a new path for Sara, one that will lead her to battle creatures even deadlier than djinn. In this fight, Sara can save mankind, herself, or the boy she loves. Who will she be forced to sacrifice?

My Review:

I am so glad I read this book so soon! When I read the description of the book it sounded good enough to read but I really didn't expect it to be one I would really enjoy. I was so wrong, I wish the description of the book was as well written as the book was because I would have read it sooner. I really expected a juvenile book about genie's and flying carpets but it was not juvenile at all. It was such an original take on magic and fantasy. The story is fun and interesting with so many twists that it keeps you guessing the whole story. There were only a few things about the story that bugged me a little that is very common in many fantasy stories. Sara the 15 year old main character falls so in love with a Turkish boy in a matter of hours that she risks her life and basically the fate of humans and other species of magical beings for him. It just seems a little much for a 15 year old girl to feel in a matter of hours and days, but at least the romance never got out of hand or overly mushy. Everything else about the story was fantastic! It was such a page turner I didn't even realize when I was at the end, I turned the page and it was blank. I am pretty sure this is going to be the first of a series, I can't wait to read the next book even though it will be a while because this one isn't even for sale yet. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes YA fantasy. Don't judge the book by whats written on the back it's so much better than it sounds, I don't think this book will disappoint very many people at all!