Once A Witch

Once a Witch

Carolyn MacCullough

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

$16.00 U.S. (Hardback)

FTC: I borrowed this book from the library.

Synopsis by Barnes and Noble:

Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches, and she was supposed to be one of the most Talented among them. But Tamsin's magic never showed up. Now seventeen, Tamsin attends boarding school in Manhattan, far from her family. But when a handsome young professor mistakes her for her very Talented sister, Tamsin agrees to find a lost family heirloom for him. The search—and the stranger—will prove to be more sinister than they first appeared, ultimately sending Tamsin on a treasure hunt through time that will unlock the secret of her true identity, unearth the sins of her family, and unleash a power so vengeful that it could destroy them all. This is a spellbinding display of storytelling that will exhilarate, enthrall, and thoroughly enchant.

My Thoughts:

I am not really sure how I feel about this book. I enjoyed reading it, and I had a hard time putting it down but somethings didn't click with me. I generally liked Tamsin, but there were times when she was just to stupid for her own good. Her sister, Rowena, was cold and heartless and it was hard for me to have any sympathy for her throughout the book. The plot was intriguing, and I was surprised by the outcome in the end. I was engrossed in what was happening but not so much who was doing it. Another big let down came at the end of the book when i found out it was a series not a single book. This made me a little upset because I was ready for the story to end.

Recommendations: Anyone who has ever been in their siblings shadow.

Age: 14 and up

Grade: B+

Wanted

Wanted

Sara Shepard

HarperCollins

$16.99 U.S. Hardback

Release Date: June 8, 2010

There is no synopsis on Barnes and Noble for the book yet.

Why:
It is the final book, all the clues are going to have to come together and all the problems have to be solved!!! This is also the day that the new show is tentatively airing!!

My Soul To Save

My Soul To Save

Rachel Vincent

Harlequin Teen

$9.99 U.S.

FTC: I purchased this book.

Synopsis by Barnes and Noble:

When Kaylee Cavanaugh screams, someone dies.

So when teen pop star Eden croaks onstage and Kaylee doesn't wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can't cry for someone who has no soul.

The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad's ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend's loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls: a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld—a consequence they can't possibly understand.

Kaylee can't let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk….

My Thoughts:

Love!!!!Kaylee and Nash are by far one of my favorite book couples ever! I love the chemistry that is present throughout the book. I think Vincent did a good job of following up My Soul to Take. The series is interesting and you just have to keep reading to find out what is going to happen next. I liked the edition of Tod to this book. I think that he added an extra spice to the book, and some extra turns in the plot. I absolutely loved this book, and cannot wait for the rest of the series to come out.

Recommendation: Nash and Kaylee lovers!

Grade: A

Age: 15 and up

Quote: "What if I was the sexual equivalent of popcorn? Suitable for light snacking only?" ~ Kaylee

I nearly died of laughter when I read that passage!

If I Stay

If I Stay

Gayle Forman

Penguin Young Readers

$8.99 U.S.

Synopsis by Barnes and Noble:

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen year- old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck... A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

Why:
It sounds like a really good story, and I love the new cover!

The Lightning Thief

The Lightninhg Thief

Rick Riordan

Hyperion

$7.99 U.S.

FTC: I purchased this book.

Synopsis by Barnes and Noble:

Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school . . . again. No matter how hard he tries, he can't seem to stay out of trouble. But can he really be expected to stand by and watch while a bully picks on his scrawny best friend? Or not defend himself against his pre-algebra teacher when she turns into a monster and tries to kill him? Of course, no one believes Percy about the monster incident; he's not even sure he believes himself.

Until the Minotaur chases him to summer camp.

Suddenly, mythical creatures seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. The gods of Mount Olympus, he's coming to realize, are very much alive in the twenty-first century. And worse, he's angered a few of them: Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy has just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property, and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. On a daring road trip from their summer camp in New York to the gates of the Underworld in Los Angeles, Percy and his friends–one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena–will face a host of enemies determined to stop them. To succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of failure and betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

My thoughts:

I will not lie, the reason I read this book was so I could see the movie. I am very glad I read the book, because it was amazing. Rick Riordan did an amazing job in this book. The characters were very well developed and very unique. It was very fun being able to see the Greek Gods pictured in a children's book, in a way that children could understand them. I loved the adventure in the story, and the theme of ffriendship throughout. This was a fun book to sit down and read, and I found myself having a hard time putting it down. Obviously the main characters were much younger than I am, but I was still able to find things in each of them to relate to. I Loved the book!

Recommendations: Younger readers looking for a good book

Age: 11 and up

Grade: A

Betrayals

Betrayals

Lili St. Crow

RazorBill

$9.99 U.S.

FTC: I purchased this book.

Synopsis by Barnes and Noble:

She's no angel . . .

Poor Dru Anderson. Her parents are long gone, her best friend is a werewolf, and she's just learned that the blood flowing through her veins isn't entirely human. (So what else is new?)

Now Dru is stuck at a secret New England Schola for other teens like her, and there's a big problem— she's the only girl in the place. A school full of cute boys wouldn't be so bad, but Dru's killer instinct says that one of them wants her dead. And with all eyes on her, discovering a traitor within the Order could mean a lot more than social suicide. . .

Can Dru survive long enough to find out who has betrayed her trust—and maybe even her heart?

My Thoughts:

I was able to get into Betrayals a lot quicker than Strange Angels. I was enticed by the ever present danger that kept appearing in this book. There was never a dull moment and Dru always had to stay on her toes. Dru is by far one of the strongest female characters out there. She runs with the boys and can sometimes even fight with them. I absolutely love her character for this, she makes for a good female lead. Sometimes, she comes off as a little vulgar with her mouth of her sailor and her necessity to throw up whenever dange is afoot. Sometimes this detracted from the story, but once it was over and the plot began again I was able to get right back into the action. Betrayals left no time for thinking, it went from one event to the next within minutes. I am anxious to see where the next book will take Dru and the boys.

Recommendations: Anyone who wants action in their reading.

Age: 15 and up

Grade: A-

Quote:"I drowned in blackness again. Something inside me felt different, but I couldn't figure out what." ~Dru

Pride

Pride

Robin Wasserman

Simon and Schuster

$8.99 U.S.

Synopsis by Barnes and Noble:

Everyone's got something to brag about:

Kaia's getting it on with Bachelor #1, though scruffball Reed's gotten to be quite an interesting distraction

Kane and Harper got exactly what they planned:

Namely, Beth and Adam. (Though to keep gettin' it, their secrets -- and pasts -- best stay forgotten.)

Miranda got her heart broken, butnow she's all decked out with a new look and strategy.

Somteimes, though, you only think you've got everything.

Why:

I have already read and loved the first two deadly sin books why stop now when the plot is getting better and better.....

Radiant Darkness

Radiant Darkness

Emily Whitman

GreenWillow Books (HarperCollins)

$16.99 U.S. (Hardcover)

FTC: I purchased this book.

Synopsis by Barnes and Noble:

He smiles. "Hello."

It's a deep voice. I can feel it reverberate in my chest and echo all the way down to my toes.

I know I should leave, but I don't want to. I want to keep my senses like this forever. I'm all eye, all ear, all skin.

Persephone lives in the most gorgeous place in the world. But her mother's a goddess, as overprotective as she is powerful. Paradise has become a trap. Just when Persephone feels there's no chance of escaping the life that's been planned for her, a mysterious stranger arrives. A stranger who promises something more—something dangerous and exciting—something that spurs Persephone to make a daring choice. A choice that could destroy all she's come to love, even the earth itself.

In a land where a singing river can make you forget your very name, Persephone is forced to discover who—and what—she really is.

My Thoughts:

I absolutely adored this book!!! I was captivated from the bgeiining until the end. Emily Whitman does a phenomenal job in writing her first novel. I was able to feel a connection to Persephone within pages. She was likeable, and someone you would just want to be friends with.Whitman does an amazing job of taking a olfd Greek story and adding a modern twist while still keeping to the basic principles. This book was completely different than anything else I have been reading. I love how the book is set up into three separate sections. The sections flow well together but each one provides a different problem for Persephone to overcome. The use of vivid detail is ever present in the book, and I was easily able to see all that went on. I could not have asked for a better book to read.

Recommendation: Anyone and everyone!

Age: 14 and up

Grade: A+

Quote: "They don'tknow where I am. I never told them." ~Persephone

L.A. Candy

L.A. Candy

Lauren Conrad

HarperTeen

$17.99 U.S. (Hardcover)

FTC: I purchased this book.

Synopsis by Barnes and Noble:

Los Angeles is all about the sweet life: hot clubs, cute guys, designer . . . everything. Nineteen-year-old Jane Roberts can't wait to start living it up. She may be in L.A. for an internship, but Jane plans to play as hard as she works, and has enlisted her BFF Scarlett to join in the fun.

When Jane and Scarlett are approached by a producer who wants them to be on his new series, a "reality version of Sex and the City," they can hardly believe their luck. Their own show? Yes, please!

Soon Jane is TV's hottest star. Fame brings more than she ever imagined possible for a girl from Santa Barbara—free designer clothes, the choicest tables at the most exclusive clubs, invites to Hollywood premieres—and she's lapping up the VIP treatment with her eclectic entourage of new pals. But those same friends who are always up for a wild night are also out for a piece of Jane's spotlight.

In a city filled with people chasing after their dreams, it's not long before Jane wakes up to the reality that everyone wants something from her, and nothing is what it seems to be.

My Thoughts:

I was surprised when I read this book. I picked it up to read, because I knew everyone else would be reading it, I did not expect much from it. I think Lauren Conrad did a good job of creating characetrs that were likeable. Jane was my favorite. She started out as just a normal girl, who by good luck and chance was able to make it big. I will not lie the plot was pretty predictable, and it did take me a bit to get into the book, but a few chapters in I was hooked. The last few chapters sold me, and I cannot wait to read the next book. I was amazed at how much I enjoyed this book.

Recommendations:

Anyone looking for a fun read.

Grade: A-

Age: 15 and up

How To Date A Vampire

How To Date A Vampire

Sophie Collins

Publisher: Spruce

$12.50 U.S. (Hardcover)

FTC: I am not receivng compensation for promoting this book.

Barnes and Noble did not have a synopsis for this book, but I think the title is self explainatory....

Why:

With all the eligible vampires in books these days I thought this book may be necessary to read. It looks adorable, and I think it would be a fun quick read.