Deadly Little Lies - Laurie Faria Stolarz

Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Last fall, sixteen-year-old Camelia fell for Ben, the mysterious new boy at school who turned out to have a very mysterious gift--pyschometry, the ability to sense the future through touch.  But just as Camelia and Ben's romance began to heat up, he abruptly left town. Brokenhearted, Camelia has spent the last few months studying everything she can about psychometry, and experiencing her own strange brushes with premonition. Camelia wonders if Ben's abilities have somehow rubbed off on her. Can the power of psychometry be transferred? 

This one was much better than the first one, though I still found Camelia a tad annoying and a bit self absorbed at times. Ignoring Ben consistently when he was trying to speak with her and be civil grated on my nerves occasionally.

I thought this book was better written and the plot was more developed. We didn't need to go through all of the introductions and the author did to some back-story, but it wasn't annoying. Camelia's friends were probably the best part for me - I loved their banter and I think Wes is a closeted gay man ;)

The ending took me by surprise, so that's always a good thing. The mystery of Ben, Adam, and the other occurrences kept me reading and wanting to know more. I kept saying 'one more page' repeatedly. I recommend this series, it's really good and fast paced. I'm also really interested in Camelia's aunt Alexia, and what she has to do with the story.

*****

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner - Stephenie Meyer

Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily powerful senses, superhuman reflexes and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood... life before she became a vampire.

All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw attention to yourself and, above all, make it home by sunrise or die. What she doesn't know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out. 

When I first heard about this book being published, I wasn't sure how I felt about it. In some ways I felt like SM was milking the Eclipse release and in others it made perfect sense.

I'm not a huge fan of how SM writes, but I thought the plot of this was good and there wasn't a dull moment. I enjoyed learning about the newborn vampires behind the scenes and everything they had to do to get there. I did feel some sympathy for them, because they were so brainwashed.

If you're looking for more on the Cullens in this novella, they don't appear until the end and there isn't much between them. It's more the story and friendship between Bree and Diego, and Bree's adjustment to being a newborn vampire. I still really enjoyed this and was happy to have even the littlest bit about my favorite leech family! ;)

Now she just needs to write one about the Wolfpack. Sam/Leah maybe? I'd love to hear Leah's story.




****

The Dark Divine - Bree Despain

Monday, June 28, 2010
Grace Divine—daughter of the local pastor—always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared and her brother Jude came home covered in his own blood.

Now that Daniel's returned, Grace must choose between her growing attraction to him and her loyalty to her brother.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, she learns the truth about that mysterious night and how to save the ones she loves, but it might cost her the one thing she cherishes most: her soul. 

It took me a while to get into this book because Grace annoyed me a bit. She had a few Mary Sue like qualities, but being a preacher's daughter, I guess that she couldn't help that. I put the novel down and came back to it a couple weeks later. I was a bit intrigued by Daniel, but I wasn't compulsively turning pages to find out more. Some of the other characters fell a bit flat for me, like her best friend...who basically ditched her when she got what she wanted.

The way the author had history/mythological feel in the books was neat, and the way she weaved them in didn't feel boring to me. The ending threw me for a spin and I appreciated that, since I can usually predict the ending of books.

Overall I enjoyed it and will get the second book, but it fell a little flat for me.

****

The Hollow - Jessica Verday

When Abbey's best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey goes through the motions of mourning her best friend, but privately, she refuses to believe that Kristen is really gone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen's funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey's life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he's the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special.

Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen's betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her—one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity.

When I first laid eyes on this book, I had huge hopes for it. I just knew it was going to be good. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I did. At first, I was thinking 'okay, it'll get better' and then the book ended and...it didn't get better. Abbey annoyed me most of the time, and I thought the author focused way too much on what she did, ate, wore, and other mundane acts of her life.

The ending really threw me for a loop, but not in a good way. I felt as a reader, that everything I based my knowledge on, wasn't real or solid. I kind of felt like it was a waste of my time at the end. Caspian didn't have any depth at all for me (and not to mention, hello skunk hair?) and I felt he was a huge jerk to Abbey. They said they loved one another a couple days after meeting, it's just another example of that unhealthy teen relationship *cough*bellaedward*cough*.

I did like the idea of Abbey making perfumes, and I love that you can order the character's scents on the website and get the snickerdoodle recipe...I really like the details authors put in books. Apart from that, I think this novel leaves much to be desired and I don't think I'll be continuing the series.

**

Just One Wish - Janette Rallison

Sunday, June 27, 2010
Seventeen-year-old Annika Truman knows about the power of positive thinking. With a little brother who has cancer, it’s all she ever hears about. And in order to help Jeremy, she will go to the ends of the earth (or at least as far as Hollywood) to help him believe he can survive his upcoming surgery.

But Annika’s plan to convince Jeremy that a magic genie will grant him any wish throws her a curveball when he unexpectedly wishes that his television idol would visit him. Annika suddenly finds herself in the desperate predicament of getting access to a hunky star actor and convincing him to come home with her. Piece of cake, right?

I can't even describe how much I loved this book, and it is on my list of best books of 2010. I read it in one night and couldn't put it down for anything. Annika was very real to me and I loved her as the heroine in this book which is pretty rare for me.

The plot was really unique and interesting, and I thought it was executed wonderfully. Jeremy really captured my heart and I too felt like an overprotective big sister to him by the end. Speaking of the end...oh my goodness, I was a wreck. I was crying like a baby! Definitely not what I was expecting but I still loved it. I picked this book from the library on a whim and I'm so glad I did.

I'll be definitely checking out more works by Janette!

*****

Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris

Thursday, June 24, 2010
Sookie Stackhouse is a cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana, but she keeps to herself and doesn't date much because of her "disability" to read minds. When she meets Bill, Sookie can't hear a word he's thinking. He's the type of guy she's waited for all of her life, but he has a disability, too--he's a vampire with a bad reputation. When one of Sookie's coworkers is killed, she fears she's next.
I think I'm one of the late bloomers on the Sookie Stackhouse/TrueBlood bandwagon, because I just recently began reading the books and watching the first season of the show. I have to admit that I think watching the show first was a downfall for me. The writing was great and I liked all of the characters, but the show was so bad (in my opinion) that I couldn't get into this book. Sookie, however, is adorable and so innocent, I think she's one of those female heroines that doesn't know how strong she really is.

I think it's hilarious how people are comparing this to Twilight and saying how this author 'copied' SM. Um, have you looked at the publishing dates? SM didn't even begin writing Twilight until 2005. It just makes me chuckle.

I rated this book on the low side, but I'm definitely going to read the second book (Living Dead in Dallas) because I'm sure I'll like the series and I'm not going to watch the show. It's a little too cheesy and I'd rather not watch a porn, kthnx. I do think Charlaine Harris is an excellent author and I am totally going to give her another chance!

***.5

The Forest of Hands and Teeth - Carrie Ryan

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?

I had read this book back in December and didn't like it at all. When I saw it at the library this week I thought to give it a shot because so many people liked it and I thought maybe I misunderstood it. I have to say that I still don't really love this book. I found the ending to be horrible and the idea of zombies don't really scare me.

I think the author tried to combine too many elements and it didn't work. For example - Mary is in love with Travis and she needs him - why? The author never really explains Mary's deep attraction to Travis and I thought the relationship between her and Harry was a little more strong because it had a bit of a back-story. Besides a few brief kissing encounters with Travis, she doesn't really talk to him.

The one part I did enjoy was the Sisterhood. I found them to be very intriguing and I loved when Mary was in the Cathedral and sneaking around to find answers. I think when they escaped was when it fell flat for me. I'm definitely going to read The Dead Tossed Waves, but I'm not going to put this one on my favorite series list!

***

Nothing Like You - Lauren Strasnick

When Holly loses her virginity to Paul, a guy she barely knows, she assumes their encounter is a one-night stand. After all, Paul is too popular to even be speaking to Holly, and he happens to have a long-term girlfriend, Saskia. But ever since Holly’s mom died six months ago, Holly has been numb to the world, and she’s getting desperate to feel something, anything—so when Paul keeps pursuing her, Holly relents. Paul’s kisses are a welcome diversion, and it’s nice to feel like the kind of girl that a guy like Paul would choose.

But things aren’t so simple with Saskia around. Paul’s real girlfriend is willowy and perfect… and nothing like Holly. To make matters worse, she and Holly are becoming friends. Suddenly the consequences of Holly’s choices are all too real, and Holly stands to lose more than she ever realized she had.

I picked this book up at the library because many bookies had it in their IMMs so I thought to give it a try. What a lovely read this was! I deeply and highly enjoyed it and finished it in one night. There was something about Holly's voice that I craved to know more about and my heart went out to her.

I did find it a little frustrating when she kept coming back to Paul even when as the reader, I could clearly see he was using her and didn't feel the same. You could tell Holly was in desperate need of love and affection and it was really sad to read. I still loved the characters, especially Nils. The ending wasn't what I expected, but I liked the way she ended it since it can't be happy every time.

*****

Waiting on Wednesday (6/16/10)

Wednesday, June 16, 2010
This is the story of Amelia and Riley, bad kids from bad Brookfield High who have transferred to Ashbury High for their final year. They've been in love since they were fourteen, they go out dancing every night, and sleep through school all day. And Ashbury can't get enough of them.

Everyone's trying to get their attention; even teachers are dressing differently, trying to make their classes more interesting. Everyone wants to be cooler, tougher, funnier, hoping to be invited into their cool, self-contained world.

But they don't know that all Amelia can think about is her past -- an idyllic time before she ran away from home. Riley thinks he's losing her to the past, maybe even to a place further back in time. He turns to the students of Ashbury for help, and things get much, much worse.

In the tradition of the gothic novel, this is a story about ghosts, secrets, madness, passion, locked doors, femmes fatales, and that terrifying moment in the final year of high school when you realise that the future's come to get you.

The Ghosts of Ashbury High by Jaclyn Moriarty

I don't think I need to say more about this book! A gothic romance like novel? I'm SO in! I know it's already out (came out on June 1st) but I'm SO excited to read it! Woot!

Teaser Tuesday (6-15-10)

Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should be Reading.

* Grab your current read.
* Let the book fall open to a random page.
* Share with us 2 teaser sentences from somewhere on that page.
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
 
Of course, these were also the same kids who wore pre-stained jeans and unraveling sweaters from precious SoHo boutiques that charged in the five figures. It was all right to look poor, but actually being poor was completely inexcusable.

This cracked me up when I read it because it's so true. I see these girls buying new jeans that look like they've been in the garbage disposal for the price of a small home in my area. It's really funny to me and I laughed out loud at this line.

Tantalize - Cynthia Leitich Smith

Sunday, June 13, 2010
Quincie Morris has never felt more alone. Her parents are dead, and her hybrid-werewolf first love is threatening to embark on a rite of passage that will separate them forever. Then, as she and her uncle are about to unveil their hot vampire-themed restaurant, a brutal murder leaves them scrambling for a chef. Can Quincie transform their new hire into a culinary Dark Lord before opening night? Can he wow the crowd in his fake fangs, cheap cape, and red contact lenses — or is there more to this earnest face than meets the eye?
From the beginning, this novel had me. The writing was really good and smooth, and I loved Quincie's tomboyish attitude. She was very likeable and relateable. The relationship between herself and Keiran was frusterating and angsty, but I'm sure that's what the author was going for.

The characters were well developed and nicely written, and the plot was decent. The only 'beef' I have with this book is the ending. I didn't understand some of the things that Quincie did or didn't say, and the end definitely threw me for a loop and I'm still not sure if it was in a good or bad way!

****

The Summer I Turned Pretty - Jenny Han

Saturday, June 12, 2010
Some summers are just destined to be pretty
Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer -- they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one wonderful and terrible summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along. 

This novel changed me in so many ways. I started to read and was gripped so tight that I finished the book in three hours. I couldn't put it down and by the end I was thrilled and had a heart ache at the same time.

The characters were wonderful, I loved Belly and looking into her mind and feelings. She did sometimes annoy me as most female characters do, but I enjoyed seeing the growth in her and how independent and strong-willed she was. I thought she did a good job of holding her own with all those boys!

I was a little disappointed with the ending, only because I was hoping she didn't choose the one she did, but there is the next book which came out in April of this year, It's Not Summer Without You. I think it could have a double meaning, those of you who read it will understand what I mean.

Overall, it was a gorgeous novel and I ADORE the cover. Oh my gosh, lovely.

*****

Waiting on Wednesday (6/2/10)

Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The Vours: evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the Winter Solstice. It's been a year since Reggie first discovered the Vours, and the Winter Solstice is approaching once again. It will be another night of unspeakable horror for those unlucky enough to be taken by the Vours, because this time, she won't be able to stop them. The Vours have imprisoned Reggie in a psychiatric hospital, where she is subjected to a daily routine of unfathomably sadistic experiments. Her life is a living Hell, but she won't give up. They attacked her brother. They killed her friend. And Reggie will never stop fighting back.  
I absolutely adore the Devouring series by  Simon Holt. I've been anticipating this one since I finished Solstice. This one for a fact is one of my favorite series ever. It's so spooky and twisted and it keeps me wanting more. I can't wait to see what happens with Reggie and everyone else. Holt left me on SUCH a cliffhanger! It's going to be released on October 5th, 2010! Perfect Halloween read.

Teaser Tuesday (6-1-10)

Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should be Reading.

* Grab your current read.
* Let the book fall open to a random page.
* Share with us 2 teaser sentences from somewhere on that page.
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
 
The dark prince sat astride his black steed, his sable cape flowing behind him. A golden circlet bound his blond locks, his handsome face was cold with the rage of battle and...