Book Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Pages: 327

Genre: YA Sci-fi/Romance

Pub. Date: April 24, 2012

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon. But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks. Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined."

America Singer lives in a post WWIII world where people are divided into castes. She just so happens to be a Five, which means they are struggling musicians or artists.  America is in love with Aspen, who belongs to a caste below her. This makes their love forbidden and she has been meeting with him in secret for years.  Meanwhile, Prince Maxon is of the age where he must look for a princess, which is where the "Selection" comes in.  Think of it like The Bachelor. Much to America's surprise, she is chosen to be a part of the selection and for every week she is there, her family will be compensated.  This is what drives America to do it, but deep down she knows her heart belongs to someone else.  The Selection by Kiera Cass is an deliciously entertaining read, especially if readers can recognize that this is more of a young adult romance than a dystopian novel.

America is a likable girl that is easy to connect with.  She loves her family and feels she owes it to them to be a part of the selection as it's hard to be a Five in their world.  Some days they barely get by.  Even though Aspen doesn't want her to be a part of the selection, he recognizes that this could bring many opportunities for her and her family.  Once America is selected, she leaves things in a bad state with Aspen and while at the palace, she struggles to forget about him.  America knows she isn't interested in Maxon romantically, but as they become better friends, she realizes that maybe she was wrong about him.  Her internal struggle between the two boys, although a love triangle, was done well, especially because Aspen is absent for most of the book.  So, it wasn't an in-your-face type of love triangle that normally makes me cringe.

I know many readers had issues with The Selection because it was supposed to be a dystopia.  Yes, I found that it lacked in dystopian themes as well, but once I started to think of it more as a romance, similar to The Bachelor, I really enjoyed this guilty pleasure.  With many girls living at the palace competing for the crown, you can only imagine what kind of drama ensues.  

I wish that Cass would have explained a bit more about the post WWIII world and these different castes.  For example, there was a rebel attack on the palace, but it really wasn't explained fully. A little more background would have been helpful and would have probably strengthened the already weak dystopian themes.  

Overall, I found The Selection to be enjoyable and seriously entertaining.  I am excited that it is going to be turned into a TV show on the CW and I think it will be loads of fun.  So, if readers are interested in a hardcore dystopian novel, they won't find it with The Selection; however, if they want a fun, Bachelor-like romance, I recommend this series.  Book two, The Elite, comes out this April and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy.

Book Review: Twilight of Avalon by Anna Elliott

pages: 432

Genre: Adult - Historical Fiction

Pub. Date: May 5, 2009

Book received in exchange for review

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "She is a healer, a storyteller, a warrior, and a queen without a throne. In the shadow of King Arthur's Britain, one woman knows the truth that could save a kingdom from the hands of a tyrant...  Ancient grudges, old wounds, and the quest for power rule in the newly widowed Queen Isolde's court. Hardly a generation after the downfall of Camelot, Isolde grieves for her slain husband, King Constantine, a man she secretly knows to have been murdered by the scheming Lord Marche -- the man who has just assumed his title as High King. Though her skills as a healer are renowned throughout the kingdom, in the wake of Con's death, accusations of witchcraft and sorcery threaten her freedom and her ability to bring Marche to justice. Burdened by their suspicion and her own grief, Isolde must conquer the court's distrust and superstition to protect her throne and the future of Britain.  One of her few allies is Trystan, a prisoner with a lonely and troubled past. Neither Saxon nor Briton, he is unmoved by the political scheming, rumors, and accusations swirling around the fair queen. Together they escape, and as their companionship turns from friendship to love, they must find a way to prove what they know to be true -- that Marche's deceptions threaten not only their lives but the sovereignty of the British kingdom." 

Isolde's husband, King Constantine, died by the hand of Lord Marche who now assumes Constantine's former role as High King. The kingdom is in chaos as there is no official High King, but Isolde knows the truth surrounding Constantine's death and is determined to make sure everyone else knows too.  However, throughout the kingdom her reputation isn't always the best.  Everyone knows Isolde is a powerful healer, but many feel she is a witch and now with Constantine dead, she must watch her every move.  When she was healing prisoners, she met and connected with Trystan, who is surprisingly neither Saxon or Briton.   They decide to work together and escape from the kingdom all while plotting to overthrow the evil Lord Marche.  Twilight of Avalon by Anna Elliott is a tale filled with legend, fantasy, plotting, friendship, and the possibility of love.  Fans of historical fiction will love this new take on an old legend.


First, I must confess how much I loved the character of Isolde in this novel.  Unlike other portrayals of Isolde, Elliott's version is determined, strong and heroic.  I really admired that and was rooting for her the entire time.  She also possesses the power of "Sight" which proved to be very interesting as the story progressed.  Trystan won't disappoint either as he harbors his own secrets which also make for a fascinating plot.  I expected more romance in this novel, because after all, it's Trystan and Isolde, but their relationship is just at the beginning stages so it was more about friendship and trust.  I surprisingly preferred that, because I think it will make what comes later in their relationship that much more believable and less rushed.


Elliott makes the time period come to life. I really enjoyed all the parts of history and legend that she captured and incorporated in her story.  The references to Arthur, Modred, Morgan, and Camelot were especially captivating.  I am familiar with the legend, but the interactive family tree (link is below) really helped me keep things straight as I was reading the novel. Overall, I really enjoyed Elliott's take on the legend.


Thankfully, Twilight of Avalon is part of a trilogy.  The next book in the series, Dark Moon of Avalon, just came out a few weeks ago and I can't wait to see what happens next and how Trystan and Isolde's love develops. I'm sure it will be swoon worthy!

*Buy Twilight of Avalon

*Read an excerpt

*Watch the book trailer here

*Refer to the interactive family tree

*A big thank you to Stacy at Touchstone for sending me this book!

Review of Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side 
by Beth Fantaskey

Pages: 351

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pub. Date: February 1, 2009

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "The undead can really screw up your senior year ... Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction."

Jessica Packwood wants a normal senior year of high school.  She wants to date her cute neighbor, Jake, and have fun with her best friend, Mindy.  She has no clue what is in store for her when she heads out for her first day of school.  She notices that a tall, dark, mysterious, yet handsome guy is staring at her while she is waiting for the bus.  Shockingly, he never gets on the bus and ends up at her school.  He's the new foreign exchange student, Lucius, and he has come to Lancaster, Pennsylvania all the way from Romania.  He ends up telling Jessica that she is actually a vampire princess as her birth parents come from a very important royal vampire family and were unfortunately killed.  Jessica is in a state of disbelief.  Although she is aware that she is adopted, she doesn't believe in vampires or anything irrational and has hard time accepting Lucius' claims.  And on top of that news, he says that as children they were betrothed with hopes that the two opposing families would join together; therefore, avoiding a war.  Lucius tries and court Jessica using all of his European flair and etiquette; however, she is extremely resistant and wants a more normal life.  Jessica starts to wonder if she can turn her back on her Romanian family and betrothal; in fact, she doesn't even believe in vampires!  And much to her annoyance, the head cheerleader starts showing an interest in Lucius and she worries that maybe she is starting to feel something for Lucius, but she questions how on earth can she actually be a vampire princess?  Beth Fantaskey's debut novel Jessica Guide to Dating on the Dark Side is definitely not one to be missed, especially for fans of the vampire genre.  


Lucius.  Wow, what a character.  I really enjoyed him and not just, because he's the extremely good looking , irresistible vampire, but because he's hilarious.  I don't think I have laughed out loud as much while reading a book as I did when I read the letters he wrote to his uncle concerning his adventures in Pennsylvania.  I don't know if it's because I live in Pennsylvania and went to college in rural Pennsylvania, but I was dying!   His letters were so witty and hysterical. They were my favorite part of the book!  His observation on American teenage life was spot on and comical.  I was reading this book at the pool while on vacation and I'm pretty sure the people around me thought I was nuts due to the fact that I kept laughing out loud to myself.  I also LOVED that Fantaskey made Jessica real.  She didn't immediately decide she was "in love" with Lucius and quickly form a bond. It was something that grew.  She also didn't believe in vampires initially and I thought that was realistic being that Jessica is someone that is extremely logical and a fan of math and science.  Lastly, I adored the fact that she was a curvy girl and embraced her weight.  I am so sick of size two girls in literature; plus, Lucius told her that he liked her curves and wanted her to not be "invisible" like most of the American girls today.   What a great message!  


Fantaskey's writing style was extremely entertaining.  It was a pleasure to read this book and I couldn't put it down.  I felt the pace was perfect and it was a fun take on vampires.  She somehow got me to swoon over Lucius and his old world ways of courting one minute and then laugh out loud with something the next minute.  I didn't think I would enjoy this since I am kind of getting sick of vampires, but I was definitely wrong.  Fantaskey brought something new to the genre and I was pleasantly surprised.  Without a doubt, I am now a fan of Fantaskey and will be reading anything that she writes in the future.  


Ultimately by the middle of the novel, Jessica realizes that she may need to fight for love and she realizes that if it were easy, it wouldn't mean anything.  I think that's true about a lot of things in life and I could really appreciate Jessica's determination.  With that said, I am glad I picked up this novel despite the cheesy title and initial hesitation. It actually turned out to be one of the best books I've read this year.  A big thank you to Jenn at Book Crazy for recommending it to me.  Thankfully, there will be a sequel coming out in 2011 entitled Jessica's Guide to Ruling on the Dark Side.  I can't wait to find out what happens!  

*Buy Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side

*Read chapter one

*Once you have read Jessica's Guide, be sure to check out the story of what happens after the novel ends. It's posted on Beth Fantaskey's website.

Review of The Forest of Hands and Teeth

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Pages: 308

Genre: YA Sci-Fi/Horror

Pub. Date: March 10, 2009

My Rating: 3/5 stars

Goodreads says, "In Mary's world there are simple truths.  The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent.  And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.  But, slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future-between the one she loves and the one who loves her.  And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?"

Zombie apocalypse= the stuff of nightmares.  Thanks to zombies, I barely got any sleep last night.  I've never really been a fan, but I thought I would give them a try.  The first fifty pages of The Forest of Hands and Teeth were extremely well written and possessed such interesting and unique plot lines, but then things changed for me.  It got really dark and depressing.  I mean this is the apocalypse we are taking about here.  Man! Did this book freak me out!  Let me preface this by saving I am by no means a fan of the horror genre, but I thought I would attempt to leave my comfort zone.  Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth is really well written, but for me, it was too bleak and terrifying.


Mary, the protagonist, grew up listening to her mother's stories about the ocean and what lies outside of their fenced in world.  She always dreamt of leaving the village and seeing the ocean for herself, which in itself is challenging the Sisterhood.  The Sisterhood is a group of women that basically run the village, but Mary finds out that they are with holding some secrets.  The Guardians protect the village from what lies outside of the fence, which are, you guessed it, ZOMBIES.  Since I am not a fan of the horror genre, I really had little to no background knowledge regarding zombies.  I asked my husband, who loves horror films, all about them and he reported back that they are corpses that are mindless and eat human flesh as well as brains.  Yikes! They attack civilization and their victims become zombies, which in turn causes an outbreak.  Awesome.  I should have put the book down at that point, but Ryan's writing style was addicting. I am a glutton for punishment. But moving on, the village fence is breached and things take a turn for the worse in  Mary's community. It turns into chaos, because the Unconsecrated (zombies) have fractured the fences, which protects the village's fragile world.


Despite all the doom and gloom, there is actually a love triangle in this novel, which definitely adds to the plot. In short: Mary is going to be "bound" to Harry, but she truly loves his brother, Travis.  To complicate matters, Travis has "spoken for" Cass, who is Mary's best friend. Hey, it's a small community.  This triangle was interesting; however, I felt the characters of Travis, Harry, and Cass lacked depth.  I wanted something more from them; perhaps more emotion, but I never got it.  As I continued with the novel, I found this extremely frustrating.  


 I will admit that despite being scared out of my wits, Ryan's writing style is, as I mentioned before, addicting.  This novel is really written well, which is why I stuck with it.  I couldn't stomach all the gore and violence, but I know that fans of horror as well as dystopian fiction will love this book. The companion to this novel, The Dead Tossed Waves came out this past March and the third book, The Dark and Hollow Places will come out next March. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart; read at your own risk! 

*Buy The Forest of Hands and Teeth

*Read an excerpt

*Buy The Dead Tossed Waves

*Pre-order The Dark and Hollow Places

*Watch the book trailer

Review of Twenty Boy Summer

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Pages: 290

Genre:  YA Realistic Fiction

Pub. Date: June 1, 2009

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."  "Okay." "Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"  "Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"  According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.  Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer."

Anna, Frankie and Matt have been inseparable for as long as Anna can remember.  Not only were they childhood friends, but their parents are best friends and they live next door to each other.  Anna, the main character, has feelings for Matt, who is Frankie's older brother.  She confesses that she has loved him for years and one momentous birthday, Matt kisses Anna and shares that he has feelings for her as well.  Anna is beside herself with excitement and happiness, but there's one catch.  Matt would rather not tell Frankie just yet, because it might make her feel uncomfortable when they all hangout.  Anna reluctantly agrees and they decide they will tell Frankie after he comes back his family vacation in California.  Before Matt and Frankie leave for California, they all go to get ice cream at the local spot. Sadly, there is a tragic car accident on the way home and Frankie and Anna survive, but Matt doesn't.  This throws their world upside down and in the back of Anna's mind is the fact that she never told Frankie about her and Matt.  A year later Frankie's family is going back to California for vacation and is taking Anna.  Frankie, who has changed a bit since the untimely death of her brother, is set on getting Anna to meet a lot of boys and have her first summer romance; however, Anna has had a summer romance---with Matt and can't seem to get over him.  Plus, Frankie doesn't know any of this!  Sarah Ockler's debut novel, Twenty Boy Summer, is heartbreaking, beautiful, and it really captures what it's like for someone to grieve and ultimately, find peace and move on.  


The readers get a glimpse of Matt and Anna's secret relationship through flashbacks, which really illustrated the depth of their relationship.  Ockler touches on such serious and depressing topics, but it never feels oppressive, because it's written so beautifully.  Readers observe Anna's journey and can understand why she feels guilty for hiding this from Frankie and why she can't move on from Matt.  Her trip to California really opens her eyes to life and the fact she needs to live her life fully and not in the past.  Despite dealing with all this, Anna is a likable character and I enjoyed her narration.  She was truly navigating through her emotions and I felt the beach was the perfect setting for this.  However, every corner is hiding a memory of Matt and it's truly interesting to read how Ockler portrays all of this.  Lastly, I really enjoyed the character of Matt; I liked him for various reasons, but I loved that he was into reading and enjoyed books. Some of the things he said about books were quote worthy.  


For me, the character of Frankie was unbearable. I had to keep reminding myself that she lost a brother and everyone deals with death differently, but she really worked my last nerve.  After Matt's death, she morphed into a teenage girl who is only interested in makeup, boys, and other superficial things.  She was self-absorbed beyond belief and would give Anna a hard time about things.  By the end of the novel, Frankie's walls come down a bit, which I enjoyed much more.  My other complaint would have to be Frankie's parents. They were so unsupportive and expected Anna to give them updates on how Frankie is holding up. They couldn't communicate with their own daughter.  There's been a lot of really hands-off parents in YA lately. What's up with that?


All in all, Sarah Ockler's Twenty Boy Summer is a fantastic read that, although may seem like a breezy summer read initially, is truly much more as it covers such a serious topics and has important themes.  The ending is brilliant and really captured one of the important messages of the book, which is the fact that life is short and we need to savor each and every moment.  

*Buy Twenty Boy Summer

*Read an excerpt here

Review of The Dark Divine

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Pages: 372

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pub. Date: December 22, 2009

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held. The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes. The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul."

Grace Divine is the goody two shoes that we all knew in school. She always did the right thing, never cut class, and was a role model for other kids.  Daniel, her childhood friend, comes back into her life when she least expects it.  Daniel is the prototypical bad boy with a dark past. As Goodreads mentioned, the closer Grace comes to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life and the closer she gets to his dreadful secret.  Bree Despain's The Dark Divine is a fun read that fans of young adult paranormal romances will enjoy.  

I'm not going to lie. At first, Grace wasn't someone I enjoyed or even connected with.  She was the typical "good girl" who wants to save the world and everyone in it. That for me, in itself, was frustrating.  As the story progressed, Grace, the pastor's daughter, became more interesting to me as Bree Despain continued to develop her character.  For me, she was the type of character that you would yell at for making stupid decisions or for simply being mindless, but I found her to be absorbing nevertheless.  

Daniel, on the other hand, was mysterious and everything I would expect in a "bad boy." No complaints there!  Now....someone I have been dying to vent about:  APRIL!  I was really hung up on April, Grace's best friend.  What is up with some of these so-called best friends in young adult literature? They are THE WORST!  I wasn't a fan of her and her fickle behavior.  In fact, she sort of exits stage left and walks right out of Grace's life towards the middle of novel! I don't want to give too much away, but I found her character to be insufferable!  I wish Grace had more gumption and could tell April a piece of her mind!  I felt like she was never there for Grace.

On a positive note, I enjoyed Despain's writing style. I found myself quickly reading through the book. It definitely held my attention.  Despain also incorporated some mythology, which I felt was interesting and it held my attention.  However, when Daniel's secret is finally revealed, it felt a bit too cheesy for me.  I'm sure fans of Twilight will love this book, but for me, it was all a little too chintzy and derivative.  If you have read my reviews before, you know I struggle with this often.

All in all, this was a fun read and I'll probably read the next book in the series, The Lost Saint.  So you might ask did The Dark Divine "WOW" me?  No, I can't say it did, but it sure was entertaining nonetheless.  It would have been the perfect beach read for me!

Want to read the first chapter of The Dark Divine? Check it out here.  Check out Bree Despain's blog while you are at it!

Buy It Here:

Mini-Review of The Lonely Hearts Club

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

Pages: 320

Pub. Date:  December 29, 2009

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars 

Goodreads says, "Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like. . . ."

The Lonely Hearts Club is a fun, chick-lit novel.  Penny Lane, the main character, is named after the famous Beatles song....to put it mildly, her parents are Beatles fanatics.  Penny is sick of high school guys mistreating her and she gets fed up.  She starts a club called The Lonely Hearts Club and before she knows it, she has actually has a following of girls who want to join.  Some of the rules of the club include the following:  Stop dating in high school, attend Saturday night meetings, attend all dances together as a group, and be supportive of your friends no matter what.  Because of the popularity of the club, Penny is open to ridicule by not only the boys in her school, but also the ex-jock principal.  Her parents; however, are very supportive of her, which is a nice to see in YA literature.  This book made me laugh out loud as I have sworn off guys one too many times and I would have totally been a member of this club if my high school had one! Lastly, I really liked how Eulberg tied in the Beatles to all of Penny's experiences.  It was very clever and I enjoyed it. I know that others felt that this part got too cheesy, but I thought it was amusing and I liked the various connections that Eulberg made.

One aspect of the novel that I really enjoyed was Elizabeth Eulberg's message.  She is ultimately saying that guys come and go, but friends are forever.  Maintaining a strong friendship with your girlfriends is very important regardless of the guy you are dating.  This is such an important lesson for any high school girl.  It's refreshing to see such an independent female that isn't dropping her friends for a guy, because lately, I've been seeing that a lot in the YA world.  For example, the infamous Edward/Bella relationship, which as recently received a lot of ridicule, because Bella's is extremely codependent.  I think Penny Lane is a character to get excited about and I think it's safe to say that others are excited, too!  Mandalay Pictures has bought the rights to The Lonely Hearts Club; this book would definitely make a fun movie!

Watch an interview with Elizabeth Eulberg:

 

*I got this ARC through Elizabeth Scott's contest.  A big thank you to Elizabeth Scott! 

Review of Hush, Hush

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Pages: 391

Published: October 2009

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.  With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment. But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life."

Nora Grey is the girl that most of us can relate to.  She does well in school, isn't overly popular, and stays out of trouble. That is until a mysterious guy, Patch, shows up in her biology class and ends up being her lab partner.  As I write this, I realize how derivative this may sound.   I know I've complained about this plot line before....the one where a good looking and mysterious guy comes to a new school... said guy meets female protagonist in biology.... they have an undeniable attraction and love/hate relationship....witty banter ensues, etc.  I would just like to take a moment to ask why authors pick biology as the class of choice? What about English class? There is something to be said of dark mysterious guy and a brooding female in English class discussing Wuthering Heights. But I digress.  Although this cookie-cutter plot may seem similar to many that are out there, I must admit that I didn't mind it and it didn't feel cliche to me as we weren't dealing with vampires and/or werewolves.  The plot was very entertaining and I was never bored.  Becca Fitzpatrick does a great job of reeling the reader in and not letting go until the end of the novel.  Thank GOD there was a blizzard and I was snowed in, because I read this book in one day!

If you've read my reviews before, you know that I adore the whole idea of angels as opposed to vampires, which may be why I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  This is the second book I've recently read that focuses on angels and I am really liking the concept. I want to point out that many book bloggers had a problem with the main character, Nora Grey, but I enjoyed her.  I think many people forget that this character is a teenager!  Teenagers are impulsive, they don't necessarily think things through, and don't always tell their parents the truth.  With that said,  Fitzpatrick portrayed this adolescent perfectly.  Nora's best friend, Vee, reminded me of someone out of Clueless; however, I liked that Fitzpatrick put a strong female friendship in this book as I don't see that in many young adult fantasy novels. Lastly, the elusive Patch was everything a reader could want.  Patch's story line drew me in from the beginning.  I'm a sucker for angels. 

I must mention the cover of the book. Wow! It's amazing! Even my husband, Mike, was asking questions about the book simply based on the cover.  I brought this book to my classroom and my students were all over it.  A big thanks to my fellow blogger, The Bookette.  She recommended this book to me and I'm glad I listened to her recommendation instead of the many bad reviews that are out there.  With that said, it looks like many would agree with us since Hush, Hush is number ten on the New York Times Bestseller List!  What a great debut for Becca Fitzpatrick! I look forward to reading the next novel in the series, which is called Crescendo and it comes out September 30, 2010. 

Buy It Here:

Book Trailer:

Interview with Becca Fitzpatrick:

Review of Wings

Review of Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Pages: 304
Published: 2009
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars


What Goodreads.com says: "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."


Pike's debut novel is unique; she puts a new twist on the faerie archetype.  I'm not sure any other author has done this.  With that said, I thoroughly enjoyed it.   I love an original read and Pike accomplishes that. 


Laurel Sewell has lived an childhood.  She's adopted and is different than the other girls her age.  Up until sophomore year, she was home-schooled.  Her adopted parents decided it was time to send Laurel to public school and yes, you guessed it......now she is a new student.  True, this sounds like the familiar cookie-cutter YA plot; however, Pike pulls it off effortlessly. We follow Laurel through her days as she is trying to adapt and make new friends, and then......a bump starts growing out of her shoulder blades.  At first she thinks... is it cancer? The dreaded backne? A bug bite? Wrong. She finds out that this bump is growing into wings. I know this sounds cheesy, but Pike makes it believable.  In all seriousness, it was a pleasurable read as I have never read a modern YA book about faeries before.  Pike tied in mythology seamlessly.


Like most YA books, there's the infamous love triangle, but this triangle wasn't one that I minded.  Laurel meets the "good guy," (David)  in biology class (sound familiar, Mr. Cullen?) and becomes friends with him instantly.  The love triangle develops between David, Laurel, and the mysterious Tamani who is a faerie.  I think that I was ok with this love triangle, because both romantic interests have their roots in friendship and not some superficial infatuation. If you ask me which team I am on, it's definitely Team Tamani. Lets hope that Pike can keep this love triangle fresh, because there are four books to this series, which is exciting news for Mrs. Pike! 


Aprilynne Pike writes beautifully and her story is enchanting.  It's no surprise that Disney, the place where dreams come true, is going to make it a feature film.  Pike spins a wonderful and original tale. Here's an excerpt.

"Taking a deep breath, she blinked away the dark spots and stepped toward the mirror. She didn’t even have to turn to see the new development. Long, bluish-white forms rose over both shoulders. For a moment Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were beautiful — almost too beautiful for words."

The only thing that I am bummed about regarding this upcoming movie adaption is that Disney picked up the dazzling actress Miley Cyrus to play Laurel. (*barf*).  Even though I am not a fan of Cyrus, I am definitely interested to see how this movie will be portrayed on the big screen.  And let me put it out there--Tamani better not be played by any of the Jonas Brothers. 


I think Aprilynne Pike is an delightful author that my middle school students will love.  All I had to do today was say that Miley (a.k.a. Hannah Montana) is playing the main character in the movie and immediately I had their attention....boys and girls alike! 


Spells, the sequel is coming out in May of 2010 and I look forward to seeing what will happen between Laurel/David/Tamani.   You know I am rooting for Tamani!  I must admit before Tamani and Laurel, faeries were never this cool.  
Buy It Here:

Interview with Aprilynne Pike:

Review of Beautiful Creatures

Beautiful Creatures 

by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Pages:563

Published: 2009

Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy)

My rating:  3.5 out of 5 stars

 In my blog  entitled “The Good, The Bad, The Ugly,” I mentioned this book and all the buzz it was receiving.  I knew that I had to read this book over Winter Break. Even Entertainment Weekly, one of my favorite magazines, was praising it and claiming this series to be the next big thing.  Warner Brothers bought the movie rights to it BEFORE it was published!  People were “tweeting” about this novel.  There was an article in Teen Vogue commending it and it’s currently a NY Times Bestseller! Need I say more? I assumed that this was going to be a young adult book that I loved. Well, not so much. You know what they say about assuming. 

    This book is from a male point of view, specifically a sixteen year old boy named Ethan Wate.  Ethan lives in a Gatlin, South Carolina and can’t wait to move away as he is bored of his town and the small minded people.  Just like any cookie-cutter young adult novel, Ethan’s life is changed by the entrance of a new girl, Lena Duchannes. Of course, Lena is unlike anyone he has encountered before.  She is a “caster” (pretty much a witch) and has come to live with her eccentric Uncle Macon--think Rhett Butler meets Professor Snape from Harry Potter.  Ethan finds out that he is psychically connected to Lena as they share dreams, nightmares, thoughts, etc.  To make a long story short, Lena and Ethan find out about a curse on her family that could destroy their world and threaten their very existence.  

    I will admit that Garcia and Stohl write beautifully- especially their descriptions of the southern plantations and landscape.  They used an elegant tone and rich imagery; I felt the Old South really came to life.  Some connections that come to mind are True Blood meets Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil meets Twilight --except as a young adult gothic novel, of course. I also applaud Garcia and Stohl for having Ethan as the narrator as there are too many novels with female point of views. For me, this was a welcomed change.  Lastly, I really enjoyed the authors’ allusions to To Kill A Mockingbird.  I personally LOVE LOVE LOVE the classic TKAM! I even named my dog, Scout!  This was a nice touch.

    With that said, there were many aspects of this novel that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy.  For example, the male point of view. Yes, I realize I said I loved it; however, by page one hundred, I started to question the authenticity of the narrator. Ethan didn’t sound like sixteen year old boy to me at all. Seriously. I don’t know any sixteen year old boy that gives such detailed descriptions of clothing or hair.....you get the idea.  Next, this book was simply too long.  Could the authors have said what they needed to say in half the amount of pages? Yes. There were pages and pages of questioning and self-indulgence. I felt disengaged at certain parts; essentially, the middle of the novel dragged on. I even found myself wondering what would Katniss do? (By the way, if you live in a bubble and you don’t know who Katniss is, please read my blog from December 12th!)  

    Many claim it to be one of the best young adult novels of 2009.  Do I agree? Nope. Do I think it’s a decent young adult novel? Yes, but I feel it doesn’t live up to its hype.  I find myself questioning all this hype. Could it be because Warner Brothers’ Harry Potter movies are ending soon and they need a new hit? Perhaps.  One things is for sure. We will see more of Ethan and Lena as this is going to be a five book series!  After reading this book, you may disagree with me, but lets be honest. There is only one female “caster” that my heart belongs to and that’s my girl, Hermione.