Jelaousy

Jealousy

Lili St. Crow

Penguin Group

$9.99

Release Date: July 29th

Synopsis by Barnes and Noble:

It's a good thing Dru Anderson is fast. Because the sucker chasing her isn't slowing down-- and he won't rest until he has tasted her blood and silenced her heart. . .

Dru's best friend, Graves, and her strange and handsome savior, Christophe, are ready to help her take on the ultimate evil. But will their battle for Dru's heart get in the way of her survival?

Sneak Peek:

Last Tuesday I went to a book signing for Lili St. Crow, she provided me with a few sneak peeks into Jealousy. First the handsome boy on the cover is Christophe so no need to worry that a new character is being introduced. Ash will also be a much more important character in this book. Lili said that the book begins with Ash, Christophe, Dru, and Graves all in a motel room....

I cannot wait for the third installment of the Strange Angels series to come out!

The Reckoning

I took a few days off to catch up on school, but I am back and here is a review just for you!

The Reckoning

Kelley Armstrong

HarperCollins

$17.99 U.S. (Hardcover)

FTC: I purchased this book.

Synopsis by Barnes and Noble:

My name is Chloe Saunders. I'm fifteen, and I would love to be normal.

But normal is one thing I'm not.

For one thing, I'm having these feelings for a certain antisocial werewolf and his sweet-tempered brother—who just happens to be a sorcerer—but, between you and me, I'm leaning toward the werewolf.

Not normal.

My friends and I are also on the run from an evil corporation that wants to get rid of us—permanently.

Definitely not normal.

And finally, I'm a genetically altered necro-mancer who can raise the dead, rotting corpses and all, without even trying.

As far away from normal as it gets.

My Thoughts:

Thise was a good ending to the series. I love reading final books in series because you know that you are going to be done. Kellley Armstrong did a good job of wrapping up her Darkest Powers Series. The Reckoning offered much more drama than the previous books. There was never a dull moment for Chloe and her friends. There was something waiting to get them around every corner. I was instantly drawn into the book, I had a hard time keeping up with the plot twists. My only problem with the book was the ambiguous ending. Kelley left the ending open to the reader's interpretation. I wanted her to completely end the story, but the ending she did give was sufficient.

Recommendations:

Anyone who is loving the series.

Age: 14 and up

Grade: A-

Fallen

Fallen

Lauren Kate

Random House

$17.99 U.S. (Hardcover)

Synopsis by Barnes and Noble:

Seventeen-Year-Old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce’s boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, WHERE every student seems to have an unpleasant—even evil—history.

It’s only when she sees Daniel, a gorgeous fellow student, that Luce feels there’s a reason to be here—though she doesn’t know what it is. And Daniel’s frosty cold demeanor toward her? It’s really a protective device that he’s used again . . . and again. For Daniel is a fallen angel, doomed to fall in love with the same girl every 17 years . . . and watch her die. And Luce is a fellow immortal, cursed to be reincarnated again and again as a mortal girl who has no idea of who she really is.

Why?

The book looks interesting, and I am immediately draw in by the cover

Psych Major Syndrome

Psych Major Syndrome

Alicia Thompson

Hyperion

$16.99 U.S. (Hardcover)

FTC: I borrowed this book from the library.

Synopsis by Barnes and Noble:

Using the skills you've learned so far in Introduction to Psychology, please write a brief self-assessment describing how things are going in your freshman year.

Presenting Concerns:

The Patient, Leigh Nolan (that would be me), has just started her first year at Stiles College. She has decided to major in psychology (even though her parents would rather she study Tarot cards, not Rorschach blots).

Patient has always been very good at helping her friends with their problems, but when it comes to solving her own...not so much.

Patient has a tendency to overanalyze things, particularly when the opposite sex is involved. Like why doesn't Andrew, her boyfriend of over a year, ever invite her to spend the night? Or why can't she commit to taking the next step in their relationship? And why does his roommate Nathan dislike her so much? More importantly, why did Nathan have a starring role in a much-more-than-friendly dream?

Aggravating factors include hyper-competitive fellow psych majors, a professor who's badly in need of her own psychoanalysis, and mentoring a middle-school-aged girl who thinks Patient is, in a word, naive.

Diagnosis:

Psych Major Syndrome

My Thoughts:

This book was really interesting. I am actually minoring in psychology so it was fun to read this book and understand the concepts addressed. Leigh was kind of neurotic, but very relateable. I liked actually reading a book about a character closer to my age. Alicia Thompson did an amazing job of creating a vulnerable and relateable title character. I think my favorite part of the book was the psychology terms at the beginning of the chapters. They added some depth and prepared the reader for what was going to happen in the chapter. The book addressed some very touchy subjects, in a manner that worked. I loved the way it turned out, and really enjoyed reading the book.

Recommendation:

Anyone who needs to do a little psychoanalysis on themselves....

AgeL 15 and up

Grade: A

Early to Death, Early to Rise

Early to Death, Early to Rise

Kim Harrison

HarperCollins

$16.99 U.S. (Hardcover)

Release Date: Tomorrow 5/25

No synopsis for this book on Barnes...

Why?

I absolutely loved the debut book in this series Once Dead, Twice Shy! Kim Harrison is a phenomenal author and she brings great stories to life. Madison is an amazing character and I can relate to her sometime stubborn attitude. I cannot wait to get this book tomorrow. If you haven't read Once Dead, Twice Shy there is still time for you to go pick it up today!!!!

Heartless

Heartless

Sara Shepard

HarperCollins

$16.99 U.S. (Hardcover)

FTC: I borrowed this book from a friend.

Synopsis by Barnes and Noble:

In picturesque Roaewood, Pennsylvania, neighbors gossip over picket fences, and gleaming SUVs sit in every crushed-granite driveway. But recently, friendly smiles have been replaced with suspicious glares and accusatory whispers—and it's all because Hanna, Aria, Emily, and Spencer just can't keep their mouths shut. . . .

First they claimed they found a dead body in the woods behind Spencer's house, only to have it vanish without a trace. Then when the same woods went up in flames, they swore they saw someone who's supposed to be dead rise from the ashes. And even after all that, the pretty little liars are still playing with fire.

Hanna's trading in her Dior trench for a straitjacket. Aria's trying to contact the dead. Emily's dumped her boyfriend and is skipping town . . . again. And Spencer thinks someone in her family has gotten away with murder.

The friends insist they're telling the truth about what they saw, but all of Rosewood thinks they're simply out for attention—and nobody likes a girl who cries wolf. So when the big bad killer comes after the girls, will anyone believe them . . . or will they be the next to disappear?

My Thoughts:

What can I say about this book, that I haven't already said about the other 6 before it. Of course I loved this book, the series is phenomenal and I don't know how but in each installment Sara Shepard brings something new. I thought I had this book figured out, and then it hit me in the end, and I was completely wrong. I still have my suspicions, and I cannot wait to finish the series next month. Heartless brought new disasters for each of the girls. I liked the controversy in the book, and how the town as started portraying the girls. I think this provided an extra edge to the book. I absolutely love the suspense in the book, I could barely put it down, and if I did it was not for long. Sara Shepard threw in some curveballs that I could not believe. This book was so fun to read because I never knew what was going to happen.

Recommendations:

Now that this is going to be a show I think everyone should read the series.

Grade: A

Age: 15 and up

Kiss and Blog

Kiss and Blog

Alyson Noel

St. Martin's Press

$9.99 U.S.

Synopsis by Barnes and Noble:

What's the best revenge when your best friend you for the popular crowd? Alyson Noel reveals all in her hot new young adult novel.

Why?

The cover is bright and fun, and everyone knows something about betrayal so this book is relateable for everyone.

Wish

Wish

Alexandra Bullen

Scholastic Inc.

$17.99 U.S. (Hardback)

FTC: I received this book from the publisher with the understanding that I would provide an honest review for no compensation.

Synopsis by Barnes and Noble:

For broken-hearted Olivia Larsen, nothing can change the fact that her twin sister, Violet, is gone... until a mysterious, beautiful gown arrives on her doorstep. The dress doesn't just look magical; it is magical. It has the power to grant her one wish, and the only thing Olivia wants is her sister back.

With Violet again by her side, both girls get a second chance at life. And as the sisters soon discover, they have two more dresses-and two more wishes left. But magic can't solve everything, and Olivia is forced to confront her ghosts to learn how to laugh, love, and live again.

In a breathtaking debut from Alexandra Bullen, WISH asks the question: If you could have anything, what would you wish for?

My Thoughts:

Wish was absolutely adorable! It took me a few chapters to really get into the story, but then I was hooked. Alexandra Bullen did an amazing job with her debut novel. Olivia is one of the most relateable characters I have ever read about. I felt like I knew the emotions she went through at school, and how sometimes it is so hard just to fit in. Violet on teh other hand took some getting used to. When she first came into the story, I was not a fan because she was bossy, but her character grew on me. I liked the idea of wishes being given but no just to a Cinderella character. I think Wish took an idea we have all heard before and transformed it into something different completely. The character development was amazing in the book. Each character fit well with the others and they played well off of eachother. This was a fun book to read.

Recommendations:

Anyone looking for a cute read.

Grade: A

Age: 14 and up

Envy

Envy

Robin Wasserman

Simon and Schuster

$9.99 U.S.

FTC: I borrowed this book from the library

Synopsis from Barnes and Noble:

Kane and Harper know what they want:

Beth and Adam.

And they know how to get it:

Break up the shiny happy couple once and for all.

Miranda thinks she knows how to hit on Kane (Mr. Unattainable). But she could take a few pointers from the all-knowing Kaia, who's seducing Mr. Powell, teacher en franÇais. And Reed? Well, he just knows how to have a good time....

Know the feeling?

My Thoughts:

These books are just plain fun. They involve the things that all decent people try to avoid: deceit, affairs, sneaking around, and most of all envy. I was so excited to read this book after I read Lust. It was fun and I liked being able to see the outcome, however I think this will be the final one in the series I read. I enjoy these books, but they lack the intense type of content that keeps me engrossed in other books. Envy was definetley a fun read, but not one that required much thought. The characters were very real, and I applaud Robin Wasserman on that. She had 6 different main characters and all were distinguishable.

My Recommendation: Anyone looking for a little smut

Grade: A-

Age: 15 and up

Extra: This is going to be a two part lifetime movie, I plan on watching this and am very excited to see the characters on screen instead of in my head.

Wondrous Strange

Wondrous Strange

Lesley Livingston

HarperCollins

$8.99 U.S.

Synopsis from Barnes and Noble:

Since the dawn of time, the Faerie have taken...

Seventeen-year-old actress Kelley Winslow always thought Faeries were just something from childhood stories. Then she meets Sonny Flannery. He's a changeling -- a mortal taken as an infant and raised among Faerie --and within short order he's turned Kelley's heart inside out and her life upside down.

For Kelley's beloved Central Park isn't just a park -- it's a gateway between her ordinary city and the Faerie's dangerous, bewitching Otherworld. Now Kelley's eyes are opening not just to the Faerie's around her, but to the heritage that awaits her . . . a destiny both wondrous and strange.

Why?

I keep seeing this book everywhere and I always pick it up and put it back down... I think next time I pick it up I will not put it back down.

The Juliet Club

The Juliet Club

Suzanne Harper

HarperCollins

$8.99 U.S.

Synopsis from Borders:

Star-crossed love awaits three lucky American teens who travel to Verona, Italy, to volunteer for the Juliet Club, a real-life organization that's also the basis for the upcoming film, "Letters to Juliet".

Why?

The movie looks adorable, and so does the book! How can you turn down a Romeo and Juliet story?

Planet Pregnancy

Planet Pregnancy

Linda Oatman High

Boyds Mills Press

$11.95 U.S.

FTC: I borrowed this book from the library

Synopsis:

Barnes and Noble did not have a synopsis for this book.

My Thoughts:

I thought this was a cute book. It was written in verse so it was a quick read. The main character was likeable you just had to root for her. I think the book addressed teen pregnancy well, and covered a lot of the issues that a pregnant young girl might go through.

Recommendations: All teen girls

Age: 15 and up

Grade: A

The Last Song

The Last Song

Nicholas Sparks

Grand Central Publishing

$7.99 U.S.

FTC: I purchased this book

Synopsis by Barnes and Noble:

In the tradition of A Walk to Remember, this is a story of a teenage girl and her first encounter with heartbreak ?? and love.

Seventeen year old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upside?down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alientated from her parents, especially her father...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church.

The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story of love on many levels??first love, love between parents and children ?? that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that love can break our hearts...and heal them.

My Thoughts:

Nicholas Sparks is very hit and miss with me, but I actually really enjoyed reading the last song. I think the story of Ronnie and Will is heart warming as well as heart breaking at times. I think the characters are relateable and you find yourself wanting to keep reading so you can see what happens next. I loved the setting of this book. I could see the beach when Sparks described it. The main disappointment I had was that in true Sparks fashion someone had to die in the end. I never really understand why all love stories must include death, and this frustrated me a it in the end. I really did enjoy this book, and I would recommend reading it prior to the movie.

Recommendations: Anyone looking for a story about young romance.

Age: 14 and up

Geade: A- (could have done without the death.)

Party

Party

Tom Leveen

Random House

$16.99 U.S. (Hardcover)

Synopsis:

It's Saturday night in Santa Barbara and school is done for the year. Everyone is headed to the same party. Or at least it seems that way. The place is packed. The beer is flowing. Simple, right? But for 11 different people the motives are way more complicated. As each character takes a turn and tells his or her story, the eleven individuals intersect. and reconnect, coillide, and comine in waysthat none of them ever saw coming.

Why?

It looks fun, and I love stories where you see it from a bunch of different points of view.

Spells

Spells

Aprilynne Pike

HarperCollins

$16.99 U.S. (Hardback)

Synopsis:

Surprisingly Barnes and Noble did not have one.

Why?

This book came out yesterday and I cannot wait to read it. It has been about a year since I read the first one and that just seems like so long ago. I cannot wait to see where Aprilynne takes the reader in her sequel to the phenomenal Wings.