Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin

Low Red Moon
Ivy Devlin
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Release Date: September 14, 2010
Pages: 244

Rating: 3 stars

The only thing Avery Hood can remember about the night her parents died is that she saw silver—deadly silver, moving inhumanly fast. As much as she wants to remember who killed them, she can't, and there's nothing left to do but try to piece her life back together. Then Avery meets the new boy in school—Ben, mysterious and beautiful, with whom she feels a connection like nothing she's ever experienced. When Ben reveals he's a werewolf, Avery still trusts him—at first. Then she sees that sometimes his eyes flash inhuman silver. And she learns that she's not the only one who can't remember the night her parents died.Part murder mystery, part grief narrative, and part heart-stopping, headlong romance, Low Red Moon is a must-read for teen paranormal fans.

Low Red Moon was a book I really had no idea what to expect when I had started it. It was a good read, but I had some issues with the overall plot.

The plot was interesting. The book was too short for some of the whys to some of the ideas raised to fully be fleshed out, and that left me dissatisfied. The whole deal with the forest was probably the biggest. I didn't quite get why everything happened because of it.

I overall liked the characters in Low Red Moon. I could not stand Krista, how she acted. That is just uncalled for. Then the fact that Avery forgives her for actions later in the book without even blinking an eye lowered my view of Avery. Other than that, I thought Avery was a great main character. I really liked Ben as well. Renee was my favorite character of the book - just something about her was awesome!

Low Red Moon was a pretty decent read, but it's not one I would be jumping out of my seat to get. It was an interesting read with a new take on werewolves, and am curious to see how the plot develops in the sequel.

From the Back of My Shelf (10): The Orange Houses by Paul Griffin

From the Back of My Shelf is a bi-monthly event, that happens on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month where you pull a book from the back of your shelf (with a 2009 release or prior) and review it. It's a way to read some of those books that have been gathering dust while new books came out. Feel free to join in and participate, and link your reviews up in the Mr Linky below. Check out more in my intro post here here.

The Orange Houses
Paul Griffin
Publisher: Dial
Release Date: June 11, 2009
Pages: 160

Rating:  2.75 stars

Meet Tamika Sykes - Mik to her friends (if she had any). She's hearing impaired and way too smart for her West Bronx high school. She copes by reading lips and selling homework answers, and looks forward to the time each day when she can be alone in her room drawing. She's a tough girl who never gets close to anyone, until she meets Fatima, a teenage refugee who sells newspapers on Mik's block. Both Mik and Fatima unite in their efforts to befriend Jimmi, a homeless vet who is shunned by the rest of the community.
The events that follow when these three outcasts converge will break open their close-knit community and change the lives of those living in the Orange Houses in explosive and unexpected ways.

I was very excited for this one after reading Paul Griffin's Stay With Me. Sadly, this one did not live up to the expectations I had for it.

I was not crazy about this one being told in third person. It made the story very hard to get into as it was so disjointed. The story was also told from 3 POVs, and that was too much for this book. I liked the idea of it, but considering the book was only 150 pages, it was too little for each character.

Most of the characters were great. I had a bit of an issue with Tamika, as to me, it felt like she didn't have the strength and courage to keep going. There was nothing holding her back but her own attitude, and because of that I was not too keen of her. I really liked both Fatima and Jimmi. They were definitely my two favorite characters of the book. Fatima was such a good soul.

There was definitely a plot, but there wasn't much to it in my mind. The characters all had a worthy story to be told, but there wasn't a lot of continuity between the plot points.

This was a book that had a lot of good things about it, but was not executed the best. I had a hard time getting past the writing, as it was just so disjointed that I couldn't get into the story.

Desert Angel by Charlie Price

Desert Angel
Charlie Price
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Release Date: October 25, 2011
Pages: 236


Rating: 3 stars

Fourteen-year-old Angel wakes up one morning at her desert trailer home to discover her mother has been murdered by a lowlife named Scotty, who has vanished. Angel has no water, no weapon, but she knows that Scotty, an expert tracker and hunter, will surface soon in order to eliminate her as a witness. She has to run, to disappear, if she is to survive and tell the world what happened. Her flight takes her through a harsh landscape to places she never expected to be, forcing her to trust others for the first time and strengthening her in ways she doesn’t even anticipate . . . until it’s time to take a stand.

Desert Angel was an interesting read - I had absolutely no expectations going in, and I found a story that I really liked.

The story started out very disjointed. You were thrown right into the action, which was great, but once I met some of the characters I had a bit of hard time following the story due to their dialogue. After a bit though, I got into the groove of the story and everything began to make sense. There definitely was a lot of suspense at moments - I wanted to know what was going to happen, yet I couldn't really guess a lot of the time. There were some aspects of the story I do wish had been fleshed out a bit more. I loved the way the book was written - for the most part you follow Angel's story, but there were little snippets from Scotty and the others, which made it really cool. It definitely made me more engaged in the story when those would come along.

I really liked the characters. Angel bothered me a bit at times, but overall she was a great character. Norma and Rita were definitely my favorite two characters of the book. With all Norma had been through, I just wanted to give her a hug. Rita was just an all around great person.

This wasn't an amazing book for me, but definitely still a worthy read. After this one, I'm curious to see what else Charlie Price has written. This wasn't a book that I had to be real involved in; I could just sit back and watch the story pan out.

The Vampire Stalker by Allison Van Diepen

The Vampire Stalker
Allison Van Diepen
Publisher: Point
Release Date: June 1, 2011
Pages: 272

Rating: 3 stars

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

The Vampire Stalker was a cute book, but I had several issues with it that kept me from loving it completely. Most of the characters were great and the plot was fun, but some of the things that happen in the book had my on edge.

The plot is super unique - these characters from the books Amy likes come to life. It's literary physics - the idea that some books are actually real and the authors just tap into their dimension when writing, which was super awesome. The world she crafts was also a lot of fun.

My big issue with this one is the fact that everyone obviously doesn't know these book characters have come to life, and when they assume some murderer is pretending to be a vampire, they blame the author! They have this whole interview and sit down and are like "Your book came out the week before, do you think it's a coincidence that this happened?" First, books are NOT that big of a deal, I don't care what world you live in. Yes, I love books, but it would not be the first conclusion people think of when a serial killer is going around. For that assumption to be made like a huge huge percentage of the population would have to read these books, and even then, since this book takes place in a normal world I just have a hard time believing this. And if the book only came out the week before, I seriously doubt enough people have read it in that time period. Plus, they basically interrogate the poor author and it's almost like they're trying to get her to admit something. After this I had a bit of a hard time taking the book seriously.

This is also a really small thing, but during the above mentioned interview the author kept mentioning how she wrote fantasy books. Her books are about vampires. I know it's a small technicality, but vampires are most definitely not fantasy, they are paranormal.

The characters drive from Chicago to New York in one day - and I get they think it's important, but to go half way across the country and in one day?! That is not short drive - it's like 17 hours without traffic.

The characters were all really easy to relate to. I loved Ms. P - she was such a cool character. I wish my school had had a librarian like her! The only character I wasn't too crazy about was Chrissy, she drove me nuts. Amy was a great main character; she was such a crazy reader.

I absolutely love the cover - it's just so cute! Overall, this was a fun book, you just have to really step back and let some crazier notions run their course. I loved everything else about it, and the characters were one of the best aspects of the book. A fair read.

Tour: Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne

Still Waters
Emma Carlson Berne
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: December 20, 2011
Pages: 215

Rating: 3 stars

Hannah can't wait to sneak off for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Colin. He’s leaving for college soon, and Hannah wants their trip to the lake house to be one they’ll never forget. 

But once Hannah and Colin get there, things start to seem a bit...off. They can't find the town on any map. The house they are staying in looks as if someone's been living there, even though it's been deserted for years. And Colin doesn’t seem quite himself. As he grows more unstable, Hannah worries about Colin’s dark side, and her own safety. 

Nothing is as perfect as it seems, and what lies beneath may haunt her forever.

Still Waters was a read I was pretty neutral on. I didn't love it, but I didn't dislike it either. The plot was cool; it just didn't develop to the level I was hoping for. The ending was great, and was definitely my favorite part of the book.

One of the big things that had me on edge at first was the fact that the main character first stole this file from her boyfriend’s house - it was just really odd. Then she lies to her mom to go on this trip. It was just very different from how I was expecting the story to begin. From there, I thought the plot was interesting. I liked the aspect of the fact that this cabin was in the middle of nowhere and it felt like everything was almost stuck in time. I had heard that this one was quite creepy, but I didn't get that aspect until happenings in the last few chapters. The last few chapters were intense!

The ending was great. It built up quite a lot, and then it ended. I am sitting here playing all the possible endings in my head and questioning everything that happened. Things happened earlier in the book, but it was much slower until the last chunk of the book. Once that hit, it was like bam bam bam and so much was happening. The creep factor succeeded here and it was great.

The characters overall were great. I really liked David - he was just adorable. Hannah was a great character overall, but I didn't get her overall fixation on those three words. I get if you don't want to say it because you don't feel that way, but it was almost like she had a one track mind. I really did like Colin, I thought he was a great character.

Still Waters was a book that was good, but definitely could have grown to be something bigger. It was a book that was a fast read and had some really great aspects to do. I am very curious to see what Emma Carlson Berne comes up with next.

My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher

My Not-So-Still Life
Liz Gallagher
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Release Date: May 10, 2011
Pages: 192

Rating: 3 stars

Vanessa is wise beyond her years. She's never really fit in at school, where all the kids act and dress the same. She's an artist who expresses her talent in the wacky colors she dyes her hair, her makeup and clothes. She's working on her biggest art project, and counting the days until she's grown up and can really start living. That adult world seems closer when Vanessa gets her dream job at the art supply store, Palette, where she worships the couple who runs it, Oscar and Maye. And she's drawn to a mysterious guy named James, who leads her into new, sometimes risky situations. Is she ready for this world, or not?

My Not-So-Still Life was an interesting read for me. I don’t really have that huge of an opinion about it, there were some things I liked and some things that I wasn’t as crazy about, with all the pieces falling in at about a perfect center.

I really liked Liz Gallagher’s writing, it was beautiful prose. Some of her descriptions got a bit lengthy though. I felt like so much of the book was Vanessa’s descriptions, which made sense, as she is an artist and I feel would see the world that way.

Not a lot happened in the book. My Not-So-Still Life felt like a lot of stiller moments, interspersed with touching, heartfelt moments. A lot of things weren’t fully explained. Events with Jewel were brought up numerous times, yet I never found out what those meant.

I had an issue connecting with Vanessa. She just wasn’t all that likable of a character to me. She seemed a bit selfish and acted without considering the consequences. That aside, I love Nick and Holly. They both had their oddities about them, and they were both super fun characters.

The cover is a lot of fun – I love all the colors between her eye makeup and hair. In the end, I really was fairly indifferent about this book. I wouldn’t be jumping up and down saying to go get it, but I definitely wouldn’t say I disliked it. I would recommend picking up a copy of this one from the library or something like that.

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

Definitely Dead (Sookie Stackhouse #6)
Charlaine Harris
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: April 28, 2006
Pages: 324
Source: Bought

Rating: 3 stars

Spiked with a frothy fusion of romance, mystery, and fantasy, this bestselling series sends the supernaturally gifted cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse to New Orleans, where she has to deal with the legacy of one of her own family and a host of potentially dangerous characters.

This was definitely my least favorite book in the series thus far.

The last 30 pages or so picked up a lot, and had a lot of fun action, but before that it was quite slow. And by slow, I mean I was rather bored. It still was a fast read, but merely because I was waiting for the fast paced action I've come to know and love with these books.

I was not as crazy about the newer characters in this book either. Quinn plays a much bigger role in this book, and I really can't say I am a big fan of him. I did really like Amelia, but she was probably the only new character I really liked. As for the old characters, I still love 'em :).

This is a super awesome series, but this was a lull in the middle for me. Regardless, I am eager to pick up book 7, and start reading again about the next tale of Sookie and the others.

Tour: Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison

Here Lies Bridget
Paige Harbison
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: January 18, 2011
Pages: 219
Source: Publisher

Rating: 3 stars

Bridget Duke is the uncontested ruler of her school. The meanest girl with the biggest secret insecurities. And when new girl Anna Judge arrives, things start to fall apart for Bridget: friends don't worship as attentively, teachers don't fall for her wide-eyed "who me?" look, expulsion looms ahead and the one boy she's always loved—Liam Ward—can barely even look at her anymore.

When a desperate Bridget drives too fast and crashes her car, she ends up in limbo, facing everyone she's wronged and walking a few uncomfortable miles in their shoes. Now she has only one chance to make a last impression. Though she might end up dead, she has one last shot at redemption and the chance to right the wrongs she's inflicted on the people who mean the most to her.
 
And Bridget's about to learn that, sometimes, saying you're sorry just isn't enough….

Here Lies Bridget was a book I was super looking forward to - I loved the idea of the premise and it was from Harlequin Teen, which is one of my absolute favorite imprints. The majority of the book just didn't do it for me, but I absolutely loved the last 50 pages and the growth they brought with them.

The first half really just didn't do it for me. It was simply Bridget going through life being a snot to everyone and treating everyone absolutely horrible, and I really did not like her as a character. I am not a fan of shallow, conceited, witchy characters. The next chunk was reliving her being a witch, with a few touching scenes thrown in. I liked that section a wee bit more, but not much. The last 50 or so pages I really enjoyed - while it was really predictable as to what would happen, I thought it was super sweet and cute.

Besides Bridget, there were quite a few characters I really liked - particularly Liam and Meredith. I thought both were such good souls and before that last chunk, it was the scenes with them that I was looking forward too.

While it started out on a bumpy ride, I really did end up liking Here Lies Bridget. It wasn't my favorite read or one I would be jumping out of a chair to go get, but the ending was really sweet.

Cover Rating: B - I like this cover, I like the layout. It's super fresh and fun.

Cupidity by Caroline Goode

Cupidity
Caroline Goode
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: December 28th, 2004
Pages: 288
Source: Bought

Rating: 3 stars

Dating in high school is like reality TV. It can get pretty surreal.



Between the strict social ladder (geeks' lockers left, jocks' to the right), and silly, pointless rules (no hand-holding, no kissing, no breathing!), high school is the single worst place to find a boyfriend. And Laura Sweeney is no exception. She hasn't had a date since...well, ever.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. So Laura is calling in the big guns. She needs guidance. A proven "get the guy" strategy. Luckily she knows exactly the expert to call. He's a matchmaking mastermind who actually has the bow and arrow to prove it. Let's just call him...Cupid.

The Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies are always such great reads! Cupidity was no exception, and I found myself loving the story. I love mythology, so finding books that incorporate it is a ton of fun.

The characters were very real in Cupidity. I found it very easy to connect with them. While the plot was a bit corny, it was still fun to read about.

I suggest Cupidity, and all the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies. The story is a bit cheesy, but it is fun to read anyways.

Sinful by Sara Dailey and Staci Weber (T2T Tour)

Sinful
Sara Dailey and Staci Weber
Publisher: Mundania Press
Release Date: November 16, 2010
Pages: 232
Source: Copy for Review/Tour

Rating: 3 stars

After the death of her mother, seventeen year old Elizabeth Carrington is starting over. In a new city, at a new school, with a dad she hardly knows, it isn’t going to be easy. Trying desperately to find her way and cope with her unceasing grief, she finds herself surrounded by a force so compelling, so comforting, so captivating that she can’t deny its presence and soon fears that if it were to leave her, she might lose her very self. But is it all really happening or has her wavering sanity finally found its breaking point?

Michael’s role in this world has been the same for centuries, but now something is different. He is inexplicably drawn to an intriguing stranger so alluring that he can’t force himself to resist her. Is he willing to risk everything to be with her, even falling?

A dark force, hell bent on destroying any chance of happiness for his arch nemesis Michael, is lurking in League City, TX, and there is no limit to his need for vengeance. How far will he go to seek revenge for his sworn enemy’s betrayal?

Caught in a clash of good versus evil, Elizabeth soon finds herself in the crosshairs of a battle that has been brewing since long before she was even born.

So there were some really lovely things about Sinful, as well as some things I was not as crazy about. It was a very quick read.

The characters were my favorite part of the book. While many of them were cliched, they were still very well developed. Lauren was a ton of fun. Elizabeth was a bit shallow, but she really had her moments where I really enjoyed her as a character. I thought Jason was a ton of fun - and I loved how he was nice and off the beaten track of hot popular guys who can tend to be ultra jerks.

The overall plot arc was great, but I had some issues with it. Parts of it seemed very rushed and took place over the span of a few pages, but felt like they could last several chapters. Other parts seemed to almost drag on, instead of merely ending. The plot was fairly predictable, but the little things kept you guessing which was super nice. 

Elizabeth and Michael's almost instantaneous love bugged me. Elizabeth meets Michael and almost instantly she's proclaiming her love for him. Then he uses the pet name "Love" for her, and it was just a bit too cheesy for my liking.

The second half of the book was the redeeming factor for me. I was a bit iffy on Sinful until the second half, where the plot really picked up and moved on from the focus on more lovey-dovey type situations.

Sinful is a book with a great cast of characters with some flaws in the plot. The overall arc is great, but some of the stepping stones along the way weren't quite right to me. The story definitely gets better in the second half of the book and has an addicting quality that makes you want to keep reading.

Stake That! by Mari Mancusi

Stake That!
Mari Mancusi
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Release Date: December 5, 2006
Pages: 288
Source: Bought

Rating: 3 stars

Two sisters—as different as the sun and the rain. For one, getting into the Blood Cover is to die for, but it seems destiny has something else in mind...

Rayne McDonald had it all figured out. Get turned into a vampire, become the mate of the Blood Coven leader, and live the high-life for all eternity. Too bad the head vamp took a bite out of her twin sister by mistake. Now, not only is Rayne still not a vampire, but she learns she's a slayer instead—destined to destroy vamps gone bad.

After being recruited by a secret organization, Rayne is given her first mission: infiltrate a seedy bar downtown and expose its vampire owner, Maverick, for purposely spreading a nasty blood virus. Luckily the Blood Coven sends some help—in the form of sexy vampire Jareth. Will vampire and slayer be able to settle their differences and work together to bring down the evil Maverick? Or will they find their own hearts on the line?
Stake That! was an enjoyable read, but I didn't find it had the same appeal as book 1 in the series. I felt the plot and characters were never fully developed, and that several major occurances were rushed over.

The first thing I found really odd is the fact that Rayne is a vampire slayer, and she procedes to plaster this fact all over her blog. Then she says, it's ok, as I don't use real names. About half way through the book, she switches to a personal diary - yet the same names are still used. This completely made no sense, as clearly the names on the blog were real and she was essentially spilling all sorts of details to the world.

I felt the characters could have been a little more developed. I loved Jareth and Rayne, the two main characters readers deal with in this book. They are both fun - but I really would've like both to be a little more three dimensional. Frannie was a smaller character, that I really liked, and I hope to see more of in future books.

The plot was intriguing. I wasn't sure where Stake That! would go after the ending of book 1, when we find out Rayne is the new slayer, and I really liked the path Mancusi took. The issue I had with that path though, was the rushed feel some of it had. Jareth and Rayne's relationship didn't feel genuine to me, and just that is was more convient. Given what I know of both characters, neither would just settle for convience.

Stake That! is another nice contribution to the Blood Coven Series. I wasn't as impresssed with it at I was with Boys that Bite, but I am still very excited to start Girls that Growl. The ending of Stake That! has me itching to start reading!

Matched by Ally Condie

Matched
Ally Condie
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Release Date: November 30, 2010
Pages: 384

Rating: 3 stars

In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion.

Matched is a story for right now and storytelling with the resonance of a classic.

I've heard so many wonderful things about this book. I've heard nothing but glowing things about it. I really liked it, but for me it just didn't have a wow factor to push it to the next level. There were wonderful things about it, but it just didn't have that addictive quality I crave for in a book.

The characters were my favorite part of this book. I really liked Ky, he was so sweet. Cassia was a strong character as well. Even the smaller characters really just came to life and brought so much to the story. Cassia's Grandpa was another character I simply loved - he was such a nice person.

I loved the society aspect of Matched. The world was just so neat. I really liked all the little details Condie put in. The plot was intriguing, but for me was the biggest fault of the book. It just lacked that umph that makes me crazy addicted to a book. I still was interested while I read, but there was never that I need to know what is happening next. It was simply good.

The story was a bit slow moving for my liking. Condie did a wonderful job developing the world, but that took a lot of time. The ending was one of the best parts of the book, and has me very excited for the next book. I think the sequel(s) to this book will be even better than this one, as the world is already built and it doesn't need to be developed.

I did like this one, and I would suggest reading it. It wouldn't make my favorite list, but worth a try.

The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti

The Nature of Jade
Deb Caletti
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: February 27, 2007
Pages: 304
Source: Purchased

Rating: 3 stars

I am not my illness. "Girl with Anxiety," "Trauma of the Week" -- no. I hate stuff like that. Everyone, everyone has their issue. But the one thing my illness did make me realize is how necessary it is to ignore the dangers of living in order to live. And how much trouble you can get into if you can't.

Jade DeLuna is too young to die. She knows this, and yet she can't quite believe it, especially when the terrifying thoughts, loss of breath, and dizzy feelings come. Since being diagnosed with Panic Disorder, she's trying her best to stay calm, and visiting the elephants at the nearby zoo seems to help. That's why Jade keeps the live zoo webcam on in her room, and that's where she first sees the boy in the red jacket. A boy who stops to watch the elephants. A boy carrying a baby.

His name is Sebastian, and he is raising his son alone. Jade is drawn into Sebastian's cozy life with his son and his activist grandmother on their Seattle houseboat, and before she knows it, she's in love. With this boy who has lived through harder times than anyone she knows. This boy with a past.

Jade knows the situation is beyond complicated, but she hasn't felt this safe in a long time. She owes it all to Sebastian, her boy with the great heart. Her boy who is hiding a terrible secret. A secret that will force Jade to decide between what is right, and what feels right.

Master storyteller Deb Caletti has once again created characters so real, you will be breathless with anticipation as their riveting story unfolds.

The Nature of Jade was my first Deb Caletti book. It was a very sweet book, but I found it very slow moving. There were aspects I really liked about it, yet others I wasn't crazy about.

The beginning of the story I had a major issue getting into. It wasn't until probably about a third of the way into the book that I really started enjoying it. I found the events of the book to be slightly awkward, in the sense that the nature of the relationship that occurs starts in a mildly creepy way. Furthermore, the relationship, to me, felt like it lacked substance. There was moments of genuinity, but I didn't feel that was consistant throughout the entire book.

I really liked the majority of the plotplot. I absolutely loved every scene with the elephants. I thought that was the most amazing thing ever, and I loved everything to deal with them. Everything with the elephants was so heartwarming.

The characters were really admirable. I loved Bo, he was too cute and I loved every scene with him! It just made me smile. Jade was a character, that at times was a bit too much for me. On the other hand I really could connect with her as I have anxiety issues myself. Sebastian was a good guy, almost too good. He seemed to really have no faults.

Being my first Deb Caletti book, I liked it, but it wasn't as amazing as I was expecting it to be. I will definitely be checking out the other books by Deb Caletti, to see what other stories she can whip up.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay

Suzanne Collins

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Release Date: August 24, 2010

Pages: 400
Source: Purchased

Rating: 3 stars

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

I thought The Hunger Games was just an average ok book. I liked Catching Fire a lot more. Mockingjay sadly didn't improve to the level I was hoping and evaded the wow factor I waas hoping for. It honestly was disappointing. It simply did not live up to all the hype it had received.

I felt nothing throughout the entire book until about the last 15 pages, then my emotions were running high. With everything that happens in Mockingjay, I thought my emotions would be going crazy. There was no urge to flip the pages as fast as I could and keep reading to find out the ending.

I absolutely adored the last page of the book and the epilogue, but other than that there were no moments I absolutely loved. Sure there were scenes I enjoyed, but after Catching Fire I was expecting a lot more. A lot of parts of the book just seemed under developed. I am just not a fan of the writing. I'm not sure what it is, but me and it simply don't click.

This series really for me came down to Peeta. I almost put The Hunger Games down and didn't finish, but then Peeta walked into the story and played a much more active part. Catching Fire largely revolved around Peeta. The parts of Mockingjay I did like tended to be Peeta scenes. I haven't been crazy about the other characters in the series, except for Cinna, Rue, and Peeta. I really am not a fan of Katniss. I didn't like her in The Hunger Games, but thought she rounded out a bit more in Catching Fire. In Mockingjay, I found myself not liking her.

While I wasn't crazy that crazy about Mockingjay, Collins did a nice job wrapping up the series. It, to me, was a book that was disappointing, and nothing worth rushing out at midnight to get.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: October 1st, 2008
Pages: 374

Rating: 3 stars

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with every one out to make sure you don't live to see the morning? In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

I think I'm about the last person on the planet earth to read this book, and also about the first person not to absolutely adore these books. I had been told to read them for ages, particularly from Gail. The last 100 pages or so is really what redeemed it for me.

My big issue with this book was the writing. It seriously almost made me put it down, but every time I was about to do that, the book would redeem itself slightly. The first third to half of the book was awfully slow. It was slow reading, but at the same time intriguing. I didn't really understand all of what was going on, so I wanted to know everything.

I loved the characters. Most of them all had such depth and were wonderful. Rue was absolutely my favorite character of the book. I adored her. Peeta was a character I liked right off the bat. Katniss was an interesting character, but I found her a bit annoying. I just didn't like her thoughts. I found her flat and I didn't like her at all.

Another thing about The Hunger Games I really did like was the world. I thought it was simply fascinating and I loved how Collins set it up.

This was overall a good read, but it just didn't live up to what I thought it would be. I have heard nothing but glowing things for it, and while I loved all the character (minus Katniss some of the time) and thouht the plot was original and intriguing, the plot was slower and I really wasn't a fan of the writing. The ending though, was ace, and has me extremely excited for Catching Fire.

The Heart Is Not a Size by Beth Kephart

The Heart Is Not a Size
Beth Kephart
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: March 30, 2010
Pages: 244

Rating: 3 stars

From Goodreads:
Georgia knows what it means to keep secrets. She knows how to ignore things. She knows that some things are better left unsaid. ...Or are they?

When Georgia and her best friend, Riley, travel along with nine other suburban Pennsylvania kids to Anapra, a squatters' village in the heat-flattened border city of Juarez, Mexico, secrets seem to percolate and threaten both a friendship and a life. Certainties unravel. Reality changes. And Georgia is left to figure out who she is outside the world she's always known.

Beth Kephart paints a world filled with emotion, longing, and the hot Mexican sun.

The Heart is Not a Size was an alright read. It wasn't amazing or anything, but still worth your time.

I loved the idea behind the plot. It was very thought provoking, but the issue I had was that I kept getting bored. None of the scenes really grabbed me and hooked me in. I loved Kephart's writing and how accurate all the descriptions were. I really enjoyed the ending.

I really enjoyed the characters. Kephart did a wonderful job in writing a wide range of characters who were all very well written. I really liked Riley as a character.

The Heart is Not a Size is a read I would definately try! It's got a great idea and good characters. It's not the most captivating read in the world, but still very good!

The Light by D.J. MacHale

Morpheus Road: The Light
D.J. MacHale
Publisher: Aladdin
Release Date: April 20, 2010
Pages: 352

Rating: 3 stars

Marshall Seaver is being haunted. In the first installment of this chillingly compelling trilogy, sixteen-year-old Marshall discovers that something beyond our world is after him. The eerie clues pile up quickly, and when people start dying, it's clear whatever this is - it's huge.

Marshall has no idea what's happening to him, but he's soon convinced that it has something to do with his best friend Cooper, who's been missing for over a week. Together with Coop's sister, Marsh searches for the truth about what happened to his friend, ultimately uncovering something bigger than he could ever have imagined.

The Light is an interesting new series filled with wonderful characters. It's suspenseful, and will keep you on the edge of your chair.

The Light is filled with an abundance of well rounded characters. All the characters felt so real, and were unique in their own ways. I loved the development all the characters had throughout the book, particularly Sydney and Marsh. They started as basic characters, and by the end were these layered, complex characters.

The plot had a bit too much going on at times. There was so much description, you had to concentrate to understand exactly what was happening. This aside, the plot was very entertaining. I love ghost stories. MacHale did an awesome job playing up the eerie aspect of the horrors in this. I was continuously creeped out by all the different happenings in the book, as well as by Gravedigger. It was a dark book, and that added to the creepiness. After finishing it, I felt creeped out and had a need to keep lights on at all times.

The ending was my favorite part of the book. I am definately intrigued, and am interested to see what will happen next!

Check out the epic trailer for Morpheus Road. I think I'd have to say it is one of my favorite book trailers!

Explorer X-Alpha by LM Preston

Explorer X-Alpha
LM Preston
Publisher: Phenomonal One Press
Release Date: February 7th, 2010
Pages: 400

Rating: 3 stars

For most kids, a trip to space camp is the trip of a lifetime for Aadi it was life altering. After receiving a camp immunization needed for travel to Mars, Aadi finds that the immunization is the catalyst of an insidious experiment. He realizes what is happening too late for a change of fate. The full experiment is set in motion when he and his co-pilot, Eirena, crash in a distant galaxy called Shrenas, where they change and realize the full extent of their power. This turn of events forces him to grow up quickly, accept his change, and to decide to save a world, or to do what he was trained to do dominate it. His power is coveted by the warring leaders of Shrenas, and he is forced to choose sides a decision that may prove just how much humanity he has left.

Explorer X-Alpha was a perfectly enjoyable read. It was fairly unique, had a intriguing premise, and great characters.

It had a great premise! The story was very interesting, but was a bit slower. There was a lot of description, and that slowed down the story a bit. The last 1/3 of the book really picked up though, and was more fast paced. It really made the story seem whole and everything made more sense. One thing I wasn't crazy about was all the violence. There was so much! I really enjoyed the setting. It was something new, which I liked.

Some parts of Explorer X-Alpha were almost a bit unbelievable. It seemed as nothing could get in Aadi's way, and everything went his way. There was also the fact at how everyone trusted each other so easily. I found that a little hard to believe.

As the book went on, the characters grew drastically. I liked the characters in the beginning, but I liked them much more as the book went on. I loved Eirena and Raiko both. Everyone expected them to be weak girls, and they handed it to the boys numerous times! That was one of my favorite aspects of the books - that the girls were weak and boring.

I found myself confused at different points in the book. Explorer X-Alpha switched to different characters' stories at random times without any noting of it. You would be reading about one character, then all at once you were reading about another.

Explorer X-Alpha was a fun read, and I can't wait to hear more of the story!

Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer

Eighth Grade Bites
Heather Brewer
Publisher: August 16, 2007
Release Date: Dutton Children's Books
Pages: 182

Rating: 3 stars

Junior high really sucks for thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod. Bullies harass him, the principal is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret: his mother was human, but his father was a vampire. With no idea of the extent of his powers, Vlad struggles daily with his blood cravings and his enlarged fangs. When a substitute teacher begins to question him a little too closely, Vlad worries that his cover is about to be blown. But then he faces a much bigger problem: he's being hunted by a vampire killer.

This was a cute read. The characters were great. Vlad was a sweetie. Nelly was a really great character - she was so warm and brought a lot to the story. The plot was average, nothing about it really jumped out at me or hooked me into the story. I did enjoy the mythology that Eighth Grade Bites had. Throughout the entire story, there were bits of mythology and family secrets. Eighth Grade Bites was an alright read with great mythology and lovely characters.

Boy Toy by Barry Lyga

Boy Toy
Barry Lyga
Release Date: September 24, 2007
Publisher: Graphia
Pages: 416

Rating: 3 stars

Five years ago Josh’s life changed. Drastically. And everyone in his school, his town—seems like the world—thinks they understand.

But they don’t—they can’t.

And now, about to graduate from high school, Josh is still trying to sort through the pieces. First there’s Rachel, the girl he thought he’d lost years ago. She’s back, and she’s determined to be part of his life, whether he wants her there or not.

Then there are college decisions to make, and the toughest baseball game of his life coming up, and a coach who won't stop pushing Josh all the way to the brink.

And then there’s Eve. Her return brings with it all the memories of Josh’s past. It’s time for Josh to face the truth about what happened.

If only he knew what the truth was . . .

Barry Lyga writes a powerful story in which he holds nothing back. Boy Toy's written back and forth between Josh's flashbacks from 5 years ago and the present. At any given time, you're chance to be wondering what Josh's thinking, and later you find out. Joshua has withdrawn himself, and avoided Rachel, because of the incident 5 years ago, until he bumps into her. Now he must face himself and open up with the truth. The plot kept me flipping pages, waiting to see what Josh would do next. Josh was a great narrator, his voice was pleasant and kept you reading. I definately will be checking out Barry Lyga's other works!