Review Brightly Woven

Title: Brightly Woven

Author: Alexandra Bracke

Publication Date: March 23, 2010

Publisher: Egmont

Pages: 357

ISBN: 160684038X

The day the rains came was like any other, blistering air coating the canyon in a heavy stillness....
Just as the rains come after ten long, dry years, a young wizard, Wayland North, appears, to whisk Sydelle Mirabil away from her desert village. North needs an assistant, and Sydelle is eager to see the country - and to join him on his quest to stop the war that surely will destroy her home. But North has secrets - about himself, about why he chose Sydelle, about his real reasons for the journey. What does he want from her? And why does North's sworn enemy seem fascinated by Sydelle himself? Through a journey that spans a country, magic and hard-won romance are woven together with precision and brilliant design by a first-time novelist.

I’ve had this book waiting on my bookshelf for years, and let me tell you something: don’t make the same mistake. If you have it waiting around, pick it up, if you don’t have it and you love Fantasy you need to get it. Loved reading every page, it made me laugh, it made me swoon and it made me wonder.

I’ve been on a reading slump for the past few months and it was easy to get lost in this story. Brightly Woven did not take long to get me interested, it’s unlike any other book related to Magic, witches and wizards, that I’ve come across in all the years I’ve been reading.

It’s been 10 years since it last rained on Sydelle Miribel’s village, her small town of Cliffton is all she’s ever known, that is until a young stranger arrives and her world turns upside down, they need to stop a war before it’s too late. There’s magic and there’s romance without the romance taking the main focus. I enjoyed getting to know Sydelle and her brave disposition and Wayland North with his humor and imperfect personality.

Overall It left me wishing there was a sequel, I want to go back to the amazing imaginary world that Alexandra Bracken was able to portray.

Hysteria Review

Title: Hysteria

Author: Megan Miranda

Publication date: February 5, 2013

Publisher: Walker Childrens

Pages: 336

ISBN: 9780802723109

Mallory killed her boyfriend, Brian. She can't remember the details of that night but everyone knows it was self-defense, so she isn't charged. But Mallory still feels Brian's presence in her life. Is it all in her head? Or is it something more? In desperate need of a fresh start, Mallory is sent to Monroe, a fancy prep school where no one knows her . . . or anything about her past.But the feeling follows her, as do her secrets. Then, one of her new classmates turns up dead. As suspicion falls on Mallory, she must find a way to remember the details of both deadly nights so she can prove her innocence-to herself and others. In another riveting tale of life and death, Megan Miranda's masterful storytelling brings readers along for a ride to the edge of sanity and back again

Hysteria is a book that kept my attention throughout the story. We are introduced to Mallory as she is being accused of a murder, her boyfriend’s murder. I was excited to read this book since Fracture; Miranda’s first novel was one of my favorite books of 2012 with her ability to pull you inside a story I had high expectations about this thriller.

We get flashes of the past and the present as Mallory struggles to remember the night that changed it all. Her parents send her away to a boarding school since everybody in town is talking about the situation. But even if she is in another place she still feels Brian’s presence and has terrible nightmares involving what really happened or is it?.

Not everything is as great once she is in Monroe Academy there is more challenges for her to comfront including another murder and some mean situations. I have to warn you it gets a little gory at times but that’s just what makes the story feel more real.

After all of the traumatic events Mallory is left broken and Reid the new love interest is the one to help her, he is charming and it’s at her side in spite of everything. Her best friend Colleen was a nice character but nothing too special.

This book kept my attention and I couldn’t put it down, even if Mallory was just plain strange at times I ended up feeling for her. I liked the complications that where scattered through the story.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. The only thing that kept me from giving a higher rating was the ending, it just fell a little flat for me, but if you like suspense, Miranda’s books are great in their own way and I’ll keep reading her work in the future.

I received this book from the publisher, all the opinions are hontest and my own.

Confessions of an Angry Girl Review

Title: Confessions of an Angry Girl

Author: Louise Rozett

Publication date: August 28, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 272

ISBN: 0373210485

Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed word geek and angry girl, has some confessions to make…
1. I'm livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I'm allowed to be irate, don't you?
2. I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who might be dating a cheerleader. She is now enraged and out for blood. Mine.
3. High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is red and "seeing red" means being angry—get it?)
Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.
(Don't know what they mean? Look them up yourself.)
(Sorry. That was rude.)

Confessions of an Angry Girl is a fun contemporary novel. In this book we are introduced to  Rose Zarelli a fourteen year old girl with anger issues, her life is far from perfect and her whole world is crumbling at her feet, everything in her life is changing and not for good, her father died in Iraq, her mother isn’t emotionally available and her brother, the only person that makes her days a little bit easier, leaves for college. Rose is confronted with a reality she didn’t expected at such a young age.

Tracy, Rose’s best friend, got on my nerves a lot of times. The only thing in her head was how to lose her virginity and how to be accepted into the cheerleader squad even if she had to become another person. It was difficult to read about her struggles but at the same time made me realize that many teenagers go through this kind of pressure and not all of them are so confident to be who they really are without caring if they are accepted or not.

The love interest, Jamie, is an older guy and also the bad boy, everybody in high school respect him because of his tough guy attitude, there is a nice chemistry between them, the only problem is that he’s dating a cheerleader. Regina, the cheerleader, is the popular girl at school and her only purpose in life is to irritate Rose.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, the only reason I didn’t gave it 5 stars was because there wasn’t that much anger throughout the book, actually, I only found one chapter in the whole book that really portrait the angry girl I expected. I’m looking forward to read the next book in the series.

Review Lola and the Boy Next Door

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publication date: Sep 29, 2011
Publisher: Dutton Books
Pages: 338
ISBN: 9780525423287

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.

When I picked this book I was in the mood for a feel good romantic story. Stephanie Perkins knows how to write a fun heart-warming contemporary novel. This is the companion book for Anna and the French Kiss.

Lola Nolan is a quirky fashion crazy girl, her outfits were always over the top, with wigs and all. I liked that we get to see how she finds the balance to all the craziness in her life, I loved that her parents, Andy and Nathan were involved throughout the book and not just in the background, they were present and made the difference in many situations.

Lola has a happy life, a rocker boyfriend (Max) and a great best friend (Lindsey), but all of a sudden the boy next door returns and all the memories from their childhood hit full force, every now and then she remembered him but now he is in her life again and Lola has to confront their past.

Cricket is a great character he is sweet, nerdy and kind. He has his own family issues and I wished we had more time to know his twin sister Calliope. The relationship between Lola and Cricket is full of small and charming moments, everything about them was so eccentric but it worked for the story.

I was expecting to read this novel and be like “ok I enjoyed it” but at the end I loved it, all in all was a refreshing story with some characters out of the ordinary some cliché but was just what I needed.

There are several things I loved about this book: The setting, the childhood memories, the romance, the awkward situations Lola constantly manage to get into, get to read a little about Anna and Etienne relationship. Overall I recommend this book to people who enjoyed Anna and the French Kiss or is looking for a light and fun dose of romance.

Reason to Breathe Review

Title: Reason to Breathe
Author: Rebecca Donovan
Publication date: May 10, 2011
Publisher: Self-published
Pages: 374
ASIN: B00505AZRS

"No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where every thing was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?"He knows there’s something more to the girl sitting in the back of the class the moment he sees her. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and athletic – but she slips quietly through the crowded halls, trying not to exist. Determined to get to know the elusive girl, Evan soon discovers…Emma Thomas is hiding a terrible secret. Reason to Breathe is an electrifying page turner from start to finish, a unique tale of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and one girl’s fragile grasp of hope.

In this book we are introduced to Emma (Emily) Thomas, her life seems perfectly normal from the outside, she is a straight A student at Weslyn High, editor for the school newspaper, soccer and basketball player but what happens when she arrives home is something she is not willing to admit, not even to herself.

Her aunt Carol hates her just because but she stays strong throughout the book. There are some intense scenes that will have your heart pounding.

Emma is going through more struggles than the physical and emotional abuse, she is also making choices for the first time trying to find meaning to her life. I didn't agree with her decisions and at times was hoping for Emma to raise her voice.

Sara is her one and only true friend sometimes was a little cliché but she gave the book the spice you need to be able to breathe at times. Evan Mathews the love interest is totally swoon worthy, and I enjoyed the tension between them.

I found myself frustrated with some situations in the book, it was difficult to conceive the reasons behind them, as I kept reading it was easier to try and understand the mindset, sometimes it's difficult to see a way out when you are so deep into your troubles but yes, from an outsider point of view you want to scream at them.

Rebecca Donovan made a wonderful job portraying all the conflict on Emma's feelings, creating and emotional roller coaster. I kept putting this book aside for months and I'm really glad that I finally had the chance to read it. Make sure you have Barely breathing ( The breathing series #2) because it ends with a mayor cliffhanger. I can't go deep into the story but overall I loved this book.

The Forever Girl Review

Title: The Forever Girl
Author: Rebecca Hamilton
Publication date: January 26, 2012
Publisher: Inmortal Ink Publishing
Pages: 350
ASIN: B00729GQ0A

Sophia's family has skeletons, but they aren't in their graves... At 22, practicing Wiccan Sophia Parsons is scratching out a living waiting tables in her Rocky Mountain hometown. Sophia can imagine lots of ways her life could be better, but she'd settle for just getting rid of the buzzing noise in her head. The spell she casts goes wrong. The static turns into voices. A man named Charles, a centuries-old shape-shifter that Sophia falls for despite her better judgment. He has connections that can help her unveil the mystery surrounding her ancestor's hanging, but she gets more than she bargains for when she finally decides to trust him. Survival in his world, she learns, means not asking questions and staying out of the immortal council's way. It's a line she crossed long ago. If Sophia wants to survive the council and save the people she loves, she must accept who she is, perform dark magic, and fight to the death for her freedom.

Where do I begin? without giving away too much. In this book we are introduced to Sophia Parsons, who is a practicing Wiccan, the mystery of her story revolves around whispering voices that don’t make sense, but that is definitely not the only problem in her life, she has to deal with a bi-polar mother that disapproves her beliefs and a nosy neighbor.

I enjoyed the twists and the way many characters developed. The romance was well done I liked the sense of humor that made me feel more attached to the couple. I have to admit at times it was a little predictable but it was quickly fixed by the twists on the story.

As the voices become louder Sophia starts looking for answers and Charles may be the one able to give them, but is she ready for the truth? This book is full of action, with a dash of romance.

In this book you are in for a treat if you like paranormal. There are shape-shifters, witches, vampires and spirits. The most important thing is that, no, it’s not another one of those books. It’s not your typical paranormal story, it’s full of mythology and great world building.

I received this book from the author and I’m so glad I got to read it, definitely worth it. This book grabbed my attention right from the first chapter until the last page and took me to places I hadn’t read about before or at least not the way Rebecca Hamilton portrays them. I can’t wait for the next installment in the series.

I received this book from Rebecca Hamilton, all the opinions are honest and my own.

Pieces of Us Review

Title: Pieces of Us
Author: Margie Gelbwasser
Publication date: March 08, 2012
Publisher: Flux
Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780738721644

Every summer, hidden away in a lakeside community in upstate New York, four teens leave behind their old identities…and escape from their everyday lives.
Yet back in Philadelphia during the school year, Alex cannot suppress his anger at his father (who killed himself), his mother (whom he blames for it), and the girls who give it up too easily. His younger brother, Kyle, is angry too—at his abusive brother, and at their mother who doesn’t seem to care. Meanwhile, in suburban New Jersey, Katie plays the role of Miss Perfect while trying to forget the nightmare that changed her life. But Julie, her younger sister, sees Katie only as everything she’s not. And their mother will never let Julie forget it.
Up at the lake, they can be anything, anyone. Free. But then Katie’s secret gets out, forcing each of them to face reality—before it tears them to pieces.

Pieces of Us by Margie Gelbwasser is a novel that broke my heart, I'm not normally lost for words, but this book left me overwhelmed. I do not like how this book made me feel but that doesn't mean this book didn't accomplish it's goal. This book talks about how life is for many people and we, who don't have those kind of issues, sometimes don't understand.

This novel will make you feel uncomfortable and when you think you've reach a point where it's just too much, think again. There are situations in life that are disturbing and this book will present them as raw as possible, the story is told from four P.O.V Alex, Kyle, Katie and Julie all of them broken and abused in one way or another, somehow the only thing they desire is to spend the summer at the lake house, it's the only place they can be who they really want to be away from all the pressure.

Katie and Julie are sisters, both have a bad relationship with their mother for different reasons, one of them because her mother ignores her and the other because she can't live up to her expectations without loosing herself in the process. Alex and Kyle are brothers, trapped in a tragic event with a mother that does not give a good example for any of them, the four teenagers feel trapped and confused in a sea of problems.

The writing style had me a little confused and made it hard to switch between characters, the ending left me upset, I just want to state that love doesn't hurt, not emotionally or physically and if you read this book and feel like you identify with any character please tell someone what's going on.

Overall an emotional read. I think this book is not suitable for teens under 17 years old. If parents allow teenagers to read this book I would advice parental guidance. There is a lot of sex, abuse, drinking and cursing.

Review based on an Advanced Reader's Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.

New Girl Review

Title: New Girl
Author: Paige Harbison
Publication date: January 31, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 304
ISBN: 9780373210428

Welcome to Manderley Academy
I hadn't wanted to go, but my parents were so excited…. So here I am, the new girl at Manderley, a true fish out of water. But mine's not the name on everyone's lips. Oh, no.
It's Becca Normandy they can't stop talking about. Perfect, beautiful Becca. She went missing at the end of last year, leaving a spot open at Manderley—the spot that I got. And everyone acts like it's my fault that infallible, beloved Becca is gone and has been replaced by not perfect, completely fallible, unknown Me.
Then, there's the name on my lips—Max Holloway. Becca's ex. The one boy I should avoid, but can't. Thing is, it seems like he wants me, too. But the memory of Becca is always between us. And as much as I'm starting to like it at Manderley, I can't help but think she's out there, somewhere, watching me take her place. Waiting to take it back.

This book is a retelling of Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier which I have yet to read so I can't compare the story, we are introduced to the "New Girl" as she gets accepted to Manderley Academy, when she arrives at Manderley all drama unleashes, the New Girl realizes she was accepted just because Becca Normandy disappeared and now she is living under her shadow, nobody wants to know the New Girl, everything she does is compared to Becca and if that wasn't enough, her roommate is obsessed with Becca, this leads to some creepy chapters that I really enjoyed.

The book alternates between the New Girl and Becca's perspective. I like being able to read both points of view, this just adds to the suspense. Becca is extremely difficult to like, she always gets what she wants at any costs, using her beauty to manipulate those around her. The mystery of her disappearance was the reason I kept reading until the end. We get to see how the New Girl starts to stand strong against all the tension.

I didn't cared for the romance. Max was just annoying for me, he was attached to Becca by nothing more than pressure and had me rolling my eyes from time to time. 

I personally found some situations in the book difficult to believe starting for the reason the parents of the New Girl send her to boarding school and the end just fell flat for me, that's the reason I gave only 3 stars.This book had some sexual situations that I don't think where very descriptive.

Overall I enjoyed the writing style and the story in general was entertaining throughout the book.

Review based on an Advanced Reader's Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.

Getting Over Garrett Delaney Review

Title: Getting Over Garrett Delaney
Author: Abby McDonald
Publication date: January 24, 2012

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780763655075

Seventeen-year-old Sadie is in love: epic, heartfelt, and utterly onesided. The object of her obsession - ahem, affection - is her best friend, Garrett Delaney, who has been oblivious to Sadie's feelings ever since he sauntered into her life and wowed her with his passion for Proust (not to mention his deep-blue eyes). For two long, painful years, Sadie has been Garrett's constant companion, sharing his taste in everything from tragic Russian literature to art films to '80s indie rock all to no avail. But when Garrett leaves for a summer literary retreat, Sadie is sure that the absence will make his heart grow fonder - until he calls to say he's fallen in love. With some other girl! A heartbroken Sadie realizes that she's finally had enough. It's time for total Garrett detox! Aided by a barista job, an eclectic crew of new friends (including the hunky chef, Josh), and a customized self-help guide, Sadie embarks on a summer of personal reinvention full of laughter, mortifying meltdowns, and a double shot of love.

When I first saw this book I was expecting a romance novel but it was much more than that. Sadie has been in love with Garrett, her best friend, for two years. They have the same taste in movies, books and music the only problem is Garrett has no idea.In the summer he is going to be away for six weeks at a camp for aspiring writers, and she doesn't know what to do without him, her whole world is built around Garrett and now she's devastated.

Finally, after some thinking, she decides to get a job in Totally Wired coffee shop and starts becoming friends with her co-workers. This is the part of the book I really enjoyed, it was so much fun to know each of her friends, their personalities were so different but at the same time they complemented each other, they were essential for her to move on.

Sometimes Sadie drove me crazy mostly at the beginning of the book, but we get to see how she pulls herself together and starts a journey of self-discovery. As for Garrett, I never liked him, sometimes I though that maybe he was totally aware of Sadie's feelings for him and was just proud to have her like a trophy .

This is the first novel I've read by Abby McDonald and after reading this book it won't be my last. It was a fun read I loved the writing style and the humor in the book, but most of all, I loved the message: there's more to life than a boy.

Overall I enjoyed this light and entertaining story and I would recommend this book to contemporary YA readers.

Review based on an Advanced Reader's Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.

Incarnate Review

Title: Incarnate
Author: Jodi Meadows
Publication date: January 31, 2012

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 384
ISBN: 9780062060754

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?
Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

In this book we are introduced to Ana, who has spent her whole life thinking she is a no soul, lacking confidence and self esteem thanks to her abusive mother, who reminds her that since the day she was born she's worthless. When Ana turns eighteen she packs her bags to go out on her own looking for answers, knowing the only place that possibly have them is the main city, the city of heart.

Her journey is not off to an easy start, but Ana needs to know her purpose in a community of souls that have been reincarnated for centuries. Sam her love interest, doesn't think Ana is a no soul instead he thinks she's a new soul. Sam offers Ana the friendship she never had and desperately needs, the relationship between Ana and Sam was full of chemistry.

As the story unfolds she finds herself tangled in rules and misunderstandings. Those difficulties are the ones that help her become a stronger, more confident character, and that's something I truly appreciate. Incarnate is set in an amazing world that Jodi Meadows created, however, I would have loved if the world building was more balanced with the romance. I liked the premise and enjoyed the book but was not able to love it.

Overall I loved the concept behind this book and I believe it has a lot of potential for the next installment of the trilogy.

Review based on an Advanced Reader's Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.

Fracture Review

Title: Fracture
Author: Megan Miranda
Publication date: January 17th 2012

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

Pages: 272
ISBN: 9780802723093

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it? Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

Author Megan Miranda launches her debut novel with the absorbing story of Delaney Maxwell, it should be just another day in her life but instead turns out to be the day she died, for eleven minutes she was under freezing water, for 11 minutes she was considered death. That should have been the end of her story, but life gave her a second chance and now her world will never be normal again.

As she struggles to cope with the situation her relationship with her best friend Decker starts falling apart. I fell in love with him from the first chapter. The way he feels about her will evoke all kinds of emotions. Miranda's writing style flows smoothly, and keeps the reader engaged through the entire book.

I enjoyed the first person narrative, all the conflict on Delaney's thoughts, until she meets Troy and her confusion starts forming deeper questions on life and death. After she meets him I start to believe there's going to be a love triangle, but is he trust worthy?

Overall I enjoyed this book, it was different, with the perfect amount of description and a little dash of romance. The only big problem I had with this book was I couldn't put it down.

Review based on an Advanced Reader's Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.

Never Eighteen Review

Title: Never Eighteen
Author: Megan Bostic
Publication date: January 17th 2012

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Pages: 204
ISBN: 9780547550763

Austin Parker is on a journey to bring truth, beauty, and meaning to his life.
Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. The doctors say his chances of surviving are slim to none even with treatment, so he’s decided it’s time to let go.
But before he goes, Austin wants to mend the broken fences in his life. So with the help of his best friend, Kaylee, Austin visits every person in his life who touched him in a special way. He journeys to places he’s loved and those he’s never seen. And what starts as a way to say goodbye turns into a personal journey that brings love, acceptance, and meaning to Austin’s life.

"Life doesn't wait. If we stand still it passes us by and by the time we understand that, it may be too late".

In this book we are introduced to Austin Parker a 17 year old boy who's never going to see his eighteenth birthday, he has leukemia. This, however, does not stop him from trying to find meaning in his life. The book is narrated in first person and we get to know all the emotions the main character is feeling.

With the help of his best friend ( and secret love) Kaylee, he visits every person around him that needs to appreciate life and not take anything for granted, Austin speaks in a voice that is honest, funny and unusually eloquent. His relationship with Kaylee is amazing, I loved how they cared for each other, you can't help but feel for them. If anything I would have loved to had more backstory to their relationship.

While Austin is burdened with his own feelings he's still trying to live the rest of his live to the fullest, he is determined to confront his fears and help all the people around him. The waterfall scene was perfect, every detail made you feel right there with them. There's some language and sexual content. I would suggest the book for a young adult 14 and up.

Overall Never eighteen is a powerful novel. I'm not going to lie, you may need a box of tissues, the ending did make me tear up and that is not an easy task for a book to make me feel so much. I found myself absorbed in his journey. Megan Bostic manages to bring all these emotions to life and makes you feel them along with the characters. This is a great debut novel and can't wait for more from this author.

Review based on an Advanced Reader's Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.

Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK Review.

Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK by Betsy St.Amant

In this book we follow Addison Blakely on her journey to find who she really is, not only who she has always been expected to be as a preacher's kid and let me tell you this journey is not going to be easy, as Addison meet Wes the typical bad guy she is comforted with some interesting decisions and has to stand strong to her beliefs. I liked Wes but sometimes I didn't agree with the way they where handling their relationship or the lack of it. 

I'm glad this story had romance and yet no explicit sexual references, this is not so normal for a young adult book these days and sometimes it's nice to have a little change. 

I can say I never got bored reading this book, the story holds some interesting dilemmas and the flow of the writing is good.

ARC provided by NetGalley

Expected Publication: January 01, 2012 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Racing in the Rain: My Life as a Dog Review

Racing in the Rain: My Life as a Dog by Garth Stein

For some people this is the story of a family and their dog Enzo, but for me is so much more than that, for me this is the story of a dog and his best friend. The book is told in the dog's perspective and tells the story of an amateur race car driver, his family and how they go throw the obstacles life has put on their way, you can share every emotion and as you read the book you will laugh and you may need a box of tissues. There's nothing else I could say about this book without giving too much.

I believe that you don't need to love dog's or know a thing about racing. There are important life lessons on this book and I think everybody should give it a try. This is the adaptation for young readers of the original book The Art of Racing in the Rain, and If you are interested in reading this book I can tell you one thing, This story will stay with you long after you have read it.

Bumped Review

Bumped (Bumped #1) by Megan McCafferty

When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents are forced to pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and had never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Until now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in religious Goodside, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to bring Melody back to Goodside and convince her that “pregging” for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

In this book we are introduced in the story of a society where humans loose their capacity to procreate over the age of eighteen because of a virus. In this world we follow Melody and Harmony, twin sisters living in very different worlds, while Melody lives in a liberal world where teens are encourage to have sex and get pregnant in order to surrogate, Harmony lives in a very religious restrictive one.

It's a dystopian novel set in 2035, sometimes while I was reading I felt overwhelmed for the slang and the story itself. Every chapter is written from Melody and Harmony point of view, since they are so far from each other it makes it interesting to try to understand their world.

Melody is preparing to be a professional surrogate at the age of sixteen when Harmony arrives to save her sister's soul, later on the book this may change. I believe the world Megan McCafferty made, as far as dystopian literature relates, is great, since dystopia is an often futuristic society that has degraded into a repressive and controlled state. Keep in mind the topics in the book made room for controversial point of views.

The story is a little complex for a teen audience, the sex scene is not descriptive but sex is a constant factor in this book, I believe it's up to you and your criteria whether to read or not this book. Overall I would recommend this book to dystopian lovers.

ARC provided by NetGalley

Hardcover, 336 pages

Expected publication: April 26th 2011 by Balzer + Bray

Anna and the French Kiss Review

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?

In this book we follow Anna as she's sent to boarding school in Paris which made me feel instantly interested in the story, one of the main reasons I liked this book was because I was able to remember my previous visit to Paris. I recognized many places mentioned in the book and felt like I was there.

The day Anna arrives, she meets a guy, Etienne St. Clair a charming, handsome and popular boy that will become her love interest with a little problem, he's taken. I enjoyed following how their relationship grew with all their romantic misunderstandings and misassumptions. The downside for me was that sometimes I was annoyed by St. Claire's emotional issues and the way he handled the relationship with his girlfriend and Anna

I can't really go deep into the story, but overall, I liked the book and would recommend this to anyone that enjoys a sweet charming novel.

Unearthly Review

Unearthly (Unearthly #1) by Cynthia Hand

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

We follow Clara a quarter-angel as she moves to Wyoming to complete her life's mission. Led by her mother, she tries to figure out the details of her visions but there are so many questions and her mother is not eager to answer all.

There is some romantic tension, that made this book even more enjoyable, things are going to get a little harder when Clara comes close to fulfill her purpose and the book turns more interesting at every page.

Cynthia Hand made a book that's hard to put down, it is a well written teenage love story. I enjoyed the mythology in the book and the realism of the characters .

Overall I believe this book has a lot of potential for the next installment of the trilogy.

Love or Duty, what would be her decision?