Author: Sara Zarr
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
Released: Aug 18, 2011

Goodreads:
Jill MacSweeny just wishes everything could go back to normal. But ever since her dad died, she’s been isolating herself from her boyfriend, her best friends–everyone who wants to support her. And when her mom decides to adopt a baby, it feels like she’s somehow trying to replace a lost family member with a new one.

Mandy Kalinowski understands what it’s like to grow up unwanted–to be raised by a mother who never intended to have a child. So when Mandy becomes pregnant, one thing she’s sure of is that she wants a better life for her baby. It’s harder to be sure of herself. Will she ever find someone to care for her, too?

Sarah’s Take:
So every time I talk about this book, I hear The Fray’s “How to Save a Life” song in my mind…I don’t know if Sara Zarr is tired of hearing this or not, but her book title definitely inspires my head bobs.

Anyway, I just needed to say that, so now I will move on to the review. I wanted to tweet Sara immediately upon finishing her book to say BEST ONE YET!, but I didn’t, perhaps because I didn’t want to appear too fangirl, after I stopped to say hi to  her at ALAN, and she remembered me from her visit to St. Louis and my interview for vocabgal.com (see the interview here) and Girls in the Stacks (see that interview here).  Also, possibly because it’s taken me so long to read the book, since it was snowed under by so many others (haha, bad pun incorporating cover and theoretical cold winter weather).

“So why did you love it, Sarah?,”  I know you are all asking.  Here’s my list:

-I loved the alternating chapters between Jill and Mandy- the switch-up kept the story interesting and let me see how both girls interpreted the same events (fascinating)

-I loved how I learned about more lower-class mentality via Mandy-her mom kept telling her to look pretty and don’t nag to snag a man, while Jill and her mother clearly are more in my realm of feminist “your man should respect you for who you are.”  Seeing the mentality that Mandy grew up with (and her choices because of her upbringing), gave me some insights into the decisions made by some of my students and parents that I don’t always understand.  Plus, I really liked how Mandy learned to get out of her mother’s mentality and value herself more.

-I love how real, yet unique the story was.  There was more action in this story than in some of Sara’s other stories (which I’ve also loved) -but figuring out what was going to happen with Mandy, Jill, Jill’s mom, the baby, Mandy’s family who tries to swoop back in — there was more at stake, and I really liked how realistic yet positively the story ended (I do like a happy ending, but not too many rainbows to be unrealistic).

Overall, this is a great read, and Sara is just an awesome author so check out this and her other stories…but don’t let that song creep into your  brain…How…to…save..a life .

The Fault in Our Stars

from goodreads - Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumors tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

my take - It’s no secret, I am not a big contemporary reader. I prefer fantasy to the realism of life. However, after reading and seeing the buzz for John Green’s newest novel, The Fault in Our Stars, I felt the need to give this book a go. Plus, I wanted to see if it would make me cry.

The story was brilliant, yet so simple. Two teens fighting for their life, and one fearing oblivion. The story is gripping, heart-warming, jarring, heart wrenching, funny and smart.

Hazel and Augustus. Their voices rang with truth, and were replete with desires and fears and frustrations. They gave the readers something to hold on to, and to hope for. As well, they were entertaining. They had a great vocabulary, panache for poetry and an unwavering want to know what happened to the characters in An Imperial Affliction.

How does John Green create these complex characters with depth, soul and wisdom? I’m not sure, but I do believe this book is a modern day classic. Why? It is the epitome of literary classics – timelessness, universal appeal and has the simple, yet beautiful expression of life and truth.

Some of the great things from this book are: it’s quote-ability, The Price of Dawn and Staff Sergeant Max Mayhem (haha), the trophy stomping, Anne Franks house and the kiss, the illustrated use of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Isaac.

The is a must read.

Stacy – So, I bet you’re wondering…did I cry. Well, the truth is no. I think it was a combination of several factors, but suffice it to say I didn’t even tear up. Though, I’m sure I’m in the minority. 

from goodreads.com:  It’s 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They’ve been best friends almost as long – at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh’s family gets a free AOL CD in the mail, his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they’re automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn’t been invented yet. And they’re looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.
By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they’re forced to confront what they’re doing right – and wrong – in the present.

**SPOILERS ABOUND!**

my take:  The story premise is what made me pick this up – what would you do if you could see 15 years into your future?  Would you try to save the world, corner the stockmarket, or see if you married well and were deliriously happy?  And what would you do if your life seemed … unhappy?

Emma is upset that her future life seems to be miserable, and experiments with small changes that effect her future posts.  I suppose I did not like Emma very much – she seemed very self centered.  She let her gross boyfriend grope her even though she was planning on breaking up with him … ugh, why did she do that?  She kisses Josh just to mess with their future timeline, even though she knew Josh had a thing for her and she burned him big time 6 months previous when he’d revealed it … not very nice.  What she reads into her innocuous facebook posts is that she is married to a loser … so she decides not to go to the college where she meets him.  But the future guy she marries instead is even worse … so she changes something else … on and on it goes until it’s so mixed up I couldn’t keep it straight.

I really wanted a lot more emotional development from Emma, or maybe make her a little more considerate of Josh. She does look up her best friend Kellan on Facebook, and try to prevent her from making a major mistake; but she does it by slipping a condom in her jacket pocket instead of actually talking to her about her love life or preventing pregnancy.

I liked Josh.  He was an easygoing, laid back skater dude, and even though Emma spurned him he came over to help her when she discovered “Facebook” on her computer and thought it was a mean prank.  When he found out he would be happily married to the hottest girl in school, with a good job and (eventually) three kids, did he get a swelled head and lord it over Emma because she rejected him?  No, he did not.  Even his interactions with his “future wife” were sweet.  Yep, he was a nice guy.

My other big disconnect was the whole “opening up a future Facebook with an AOL CD-ROM” thing.  I must have gotten hundreds of those things in the mail, but I never got a wormhole to the future in mine, ha ha.  Actually, I just wanted a little more explanation on the hows and whys of that.  And alllll the ’90s references were there - Diskmans, dial-up noise, skateboarding, beepers, Alanis Morissette and Dave Matthews Band.  Got it.  Actually, the funniest bits were when Emma and Josh tried to make sense of all the modern day references – what is Glee, Netflix, and what horrible thing happened to planet Pluto?

The idea that every decision you make influences your future was really interesting.  I could see the potential for this story being so much more than it was, but it fell a little short for me.  I liked it OK, but wish I had liked it better, because there were so many great reviews out there they made me want to give it a try.

See you in the STACKS,
Nancy

Jane Eyre, simply put, is a tale of love and redemption.

description from penguin classics… Having grown up an orphan in the home of her cruel aunt and at a harsh charity school, Jane Eyre becomes an independent and spirited survivor—qualities that serve her well as governess at Thornfield Hall. But when she finds love with her sardonic employer, Rochester, the discovery of his terrible secret forces her to make a choice. Should she stay with him whatever the consequences or follow her convictions, even if it means leaving her beloved?

Here are my thoughts:

My thoughts are many and varied and they are inadvertenly scrambled. Ahhhh!!!

Okay, meltdown over…moving on.

*Jane’s abusive childhood and utter loneliness brought tears to my eyes. I felt every harsh word and look of disapproval. The only saving grace was Bessie, which consequently is whom I think she learned to love from. However, the exposition was long. When I say long, I mean long. There were ten chapters, yes TEN whole chapters on Jane’s childhood, maybe even more. I was beginning to think I picked up an MG book.

*Jane is constantly thrown into grueling situations. Like the good trooper she is she endures all, from the hard hand of Mr. Brocklehurst at Lowood, to her desperate times on the street to suffering judgments from others unfairly. She remains constant;  she learns, yes, but she does not degrade herself long with her situation.

*I can’t stop thinking about Jane’s relatives. Her aunt, Mrs. Reed and her cousin John were just appalling. They were mean, uncaring and crass towards her. She not only suffered physical abuse, but emotional as well. I’m surprised at how well she turned out with such a beginning.

*The “gothic” elements of this book might have been on the edge of scary back in the day, but I found them dull and boring.

*There were lots and lots of references to the Bible and God. If I were a good scholar I would pick out all the points and scrutinize them. Alas, I have no time for that but I do have a theory or several little theories. That is, don’t judge people by who they are/what they are (there was a lot of that going on), because things aren’t always as they seem, nor are people. Money nor station does not secure your spot in heaven, that only love, forgiveness and redemption can do that.

*I thought it was interesting how much alike St. John and Jane were in their respects to temptation and their chosen path. They seemed to reflect each other.

*Jane has tenacity. Love that the most about her, she never gives up or loses her faith.

*The “third floor mystery” fell flat for me. It could be because I saw it coming, remembered it from a movie or just from casual conversation with friends. Though, I will admit if I had seen that woman in my room ripping apart my veil I would have screamed like a little girl.

*Edward. I liked him. He did piss me off a bit with his hot and cold attitude and his underhanded way he handled the whole Miss Ingram affair.

*I loved, LOVED the way Edward and Jane communicated their love. It wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine, it was real and it was heartfelt. Albeit, the elf talk could have been left out.

*Jane is true to herself, her beliefs and she uses that to guide her and does not fall to temptation.

I could go on and on but in the interest of your time (and mine) I end my review here.

If you’re a lover of classic literature than this is a must read, however if old English and French phrases that are never interpreted isn’t your style than I would suggest watching one of the many movies based on the books or read a modern re-telling and call it a day.

See you in the STACKS,
Stacy, who’s kindle did more defining than there are hours in the week while reading this book.

From Goodreads.com:  Zoey is finally home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side, and preparing to face off against Neferet – which would be a whole lot easier if the High Counsel saw the ex-High Priestess for what she really is. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx’s gift of a human form, Rephaim and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together – if he can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father’s shadow…

 But there are new forces at work at the House of Night. An influx of humans, including Lenobia’s handsome horse whisperer, threatens their precarious stability. And then there’s the mysterious Aurox, a jaw-droppingly gorgeous teen boy who is actually more – or possibly less – than human. Only Neferet knows he was created to be her greatest weapon. But Zoey can sense the part of his soul that remains human, the compassion that wars with his Dark calling. And there’s something strangely familiar about him…

 Will Neferet’s true nature be revealed before she succeeds in silencing them all? And will Zoey be able to touch Aurox’s humanity in time to protect him – and everyone – from his own fate? Find out what’s destined in the next thrilling chapter of the House of Night series.

My take:  If you have not read any of the books in this series, go get Marked and start there, because jumping in here would be a mistake.  This is book nine in the House of Night Series, and it feels like it.  P.C. Cast said that they have a twelve book deal with the publisher, which means there are three more books after this one in which to wrap up this series.  Honestly, they should have stopped at six, or seriously edited and combined the last few.

Don’t get me wrong – this series is a guilty pleasure of mine, and the first few books in the series were fabulous vampire teen soap opera fun.  But honestly, we have come to book nine – NINE – and still main baddie Neferet is in power and messing with Zoe, and no one outside Zoe’s group even knows she’s bad!  Even the Kalona storyline is getting old – he is relegated to the sidelines here with some vague plan for revenge that is only hinted at.

I’d just like something to happen to move the overall story arc along, and give us more drama.  There was no major character growth (unless you call the BFF twins breaking up “growth”).  This book felt like it was marking time, the middle of a story that began in the last book and will end with the next one.  In other words, when are you going to give Neferet her comeuppance???

I am enjoying the story line of Rephraim, the Raven Mocker and son of Kalona, who turned to the Goddess and was forgiven.  His romance with Stevie Rae, and his punishment of being a bird by day, boy by night, is one of the things that redeemed this book for me.  Kalona is trying to tempt him to spy on the House of Night for him, and he still loves his daddy, so who knows what may slip?  The Aurox story line is also beginning to interest me, but they didn’t go far enough with it – at the end, I still wasn’t sure; is he Heath or not?

Another thing that is beginning to grate on my nerves is the childish language and dialogue.  It’s a “gihugic” turnoff.  I know they are teens, but it’s just too much, always with the joking and bickering and slang.  With all the crap they’ve been through in the last eight books, I’d be kinda depressed and not so jolly all the time, ya know?

Anyways, I now see the light at the end of the tunnel, since there are only (presumably) three books left.  Story lines will be moving along and wrapping up, and we will get resolution.  Yes!  I’m hoping the Casts get their groove back and come up with a fantastic ending for those of us who have been with this series from the beginning.  I can’t wait to find out how it all ends.

See you in the STACKS,
Nancy

Tempest by Julie Cross
Release Date: January 17, 2012
Publisher: St. Martins Griffin
Julie Cross online: Website / Twitter
Find Tempest: Amazon / Goodreads

From Goodreads: The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just  harmless fun. That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future. Desperate  to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities. But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this  powerful young time-traveler.  Recruit… or kill him. Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

FANTASY CASTING: 

Who would you choose to play the part of Miss Stewart?  Julie Cross and I have made our decisions.  Comment below on who you would want to be in the movie version of Tempest.  If you are fans of Glee or The Vampire Diaries, you will surly be fans of our picks!!

Julie Cross has picked Naya Rivera (left), and while I think she is gorgeous; I like Kat Graham (right). Kat is super talented and seems to have the essence of Miss Stewart.

Teaser Quote: October 12, 2007 (2:30 p.m.)

My hands were on her face, her mouth moving with mine, fingers curling around the back of my neck, the stream from the shower running over us like a waterfall. It was just like the first time…a couple of years in the future.

GIVEAWAY!!!!

Click  this FORM  to try to win 1 of 5 signed copies of Tempest by Julie Cross. Readers can enter on each blog, for a total of 15 entries and must leave a comment to enter. This is the last night of the giveaway.  It ends at midnight tonight so enter away. Check out the Tempest Blog Tour Page for a list of everyone on the blog.

Charmfall by Chloe Neill
Release date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: New American Library (Penguin)
Book Links:  author, goodreads

from goodreads.com:  High school can be a battlefield, but for Lily Parker, surviving at St. Sophia’s School for Girls is a matter of life and death…

Protecting Chicago from the dark side can be an exhausting job, especially when you’re a junior. So when the girls of St. Sophia’s start gearing up for Sneak, their fall formal, Lily decides to join in on some good, old-fashioned party prep—even if it means not giving demons, vampires and the twisted magic users known as Reapers her undivided attention.

But when a Reaper infiltrates the school, Lily doesn’t forget what she’s sworn to protect. She reaches deep into herself to draw out her magic—and finds that it’s gone. And it turns out she’s not alone. A magical blackout has slammed through paranormal Chicago, and no one knows what—or who—caused it. But Lily knows getting back her magic is worth the risk of going behind enemy lines…

my take: Charmfall is the third book in the Dark Elite series, and I don’t know if it’s in the same world as the author’s Chicagoland Vampires series (which I have not read) but that seems likely, considering vampires are mentioned.  Having not read the first two books in this series, I can’t tell you if they were any better or worse than this story, but I hope they were better.

Lily Parker is a pretty strong heroine, but she seems stuck between a rock and a hard place here in terms of the two factions of magical users, the Adepts and the Reapers.  Sebastian, the guy who accidentally initiated Lily into the world of magic, is on the “bad” team, Reapers; Lily is on the “good” team, the Adepts.  But while the factions see in terms of black and white, she sees shades of grey between the good and bad, and Sebastian doesn’t seem to be all bad.  In fact, he helps her out in this book quite a lot, and not having read the first two books, he seems like a pretty decent guy.

Of course, this does not sit well with Lily’s werewolf boyfriend, who begins to doubt Lily’s loyalties because of her connection to Sebastian.  Lily moons over him; he pretty much dumps her for talking to Sebastian.  Not cool, dude.

This book was short and fast to read, so not a whole lot of character development – I’m sure if I’d read the first two books that the backstory would have come in handy.  The main story about the magical factions losing their power lacked suspense for me – the stakes didn’t seem high enough.  So what if everyone, Adepts and Reapers alike, lost their magic – meh.  The one interesting side story was the vampire Nicu who seemingly has a thing for Lily’s high school nemisis Veronica, a human who had her memory wiped because of some supernatural activity she witnessed.  Hmm, maybe I’ll read the first two books and see what his thing is for her.

See you in the STACKS,
Nancy

The Lovers Dictionary

This book was so unexpected and different that I had a hard time putting it down. David’s created a humanistic vocabulary approach to a lover’s plight which is full of exposed emotion and has managed to capture the general lover’s doubts (that’s you and me) and focus them in a story that we can all relate too. I’ll be frank though and admit this is NOT for the etymology faint of heart. If it weren’t for my kindle and the easy word look-up feature I would still be plugging through this with a worn copy of Webster’s by my side. Even though I felt like I just stepped out of an intensive SAT vocabulary prep class, I was walking tall and proud and started saying things like, “The esoteric propensities of the average dodo bird confound naturalist as do the vestige of their life.”

While we never know names and specifics, we get to know the heart of the narrator (or is it narrators?) and see his (because I think it is a male) fears, his anxiety over his lover. We see him in moments of elation and moments of doubt and self-worth. It’s the perfect mix of the good times and the bad.

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

An utterly delightful read!!

This genius book was penned by both Cohn and Levithan and you should defiantly check out their writing process for this book here. Basically, the story was passed back in forth with Cohn writing Lily’s part and Levithan writing that of Dash. While I am not familiar with Cohn’s writing I can say without a doubt that Dash was pure Levithan, it’s filled with his trademark vocabulary (go vocab!).

Dash and Lily are the perfect opposites, where one grumbles the other smiles. They balanced each other perfectly. Dash was like a cantankerous old man and Lily the over obsessed Christmas freak, it was hilarious watching them come together.

Two of the great things about this story is the quintessential Christmas time New York and the red Moleskine notebook. This lone little notebook sets two random people on mad (as in good) adventures across Manhattan in search of themselves (unbeknownst to them) and each other.

Every You, Every Me

This book has an interesting origin, David sees a picture at a friend’s house and begins to craft story around said picture. He then had his friend send him random pictures and continued story around all the pictures (see pics here).  I think this is genius, creative and sounds like a totally fun and random way to write a story. As fun as the idea was behind the story, the story itself is not “fun” and lighthearted. It’s morose and sad and a little bit psychological thriller.

The story is told from Evans point of view, and it’s trulyemotional and raw. David perfectly honed in on Evan and his plight and was able to convince readers we we’re in his head. Not only are we in his head, we witness him on the edge of breaking, through his eyes, while wondering is he crazy, maybe suffering a little from PTSD? It’s intense, to say the least.

I can’t say too much without giving away major plot points, but let’s just say there are several questions from the beginning.

Crush: 26 Real-Life Tales of First Love ed. by Andrea N. Richesin

Leviathan’s short “Creative Writing,”  is one of the best and most poignant stories from this collection.  David’s talent as a writer is evident and his ability to express his feelings and thoughts in a meaningful way are truly beautiful. I would love to see this story expanded into novel form, fictionalized or real.

See you in the STACKS, Stacy - who is now an automatic buyer of books with the name David Levithan on them.

from goodreads:  In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

from me:  How do I love thee, Clockwork Prince?  Let me count the ways…

Clockwork Prince may be the biggest and most anticipated YA release of this year, with the blogosphere considerately writing spoiler-free reviews before the release (all saying “loved it!” “her best yet” and “can’t wait for Clockwork Princess”).  So folks, I am about to join the enormous gush-fest over Clockwork Prince.  But I am giving you fair warning here – I may let slip a few spoilers, so beware.  After all, it came out Tuesday and I gave you three whole days to read it!!

**** THERE BE SPOILERS HERE ****

Clare begins each chapter with a quote from various poets, authors and playwrights – Shakespeare, Tennyson, Poe, Bronte, Coleridge.  Therefore, in the spirit of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, let me count the ways I love this book (apologies to Browning for butchering her lovely poem!).

How do I love thee, broken characters.  Ahh, I love Tessa.  And Will.  And Jem.  Each character in this series is interesting, unique, and broken somehow, someway.  What I love about this book is that we get to delve deeper into the stories of our three main characters, and discover more about what makes them tick.

Tessa’s foundering a bit because she doesn’t know who (or what) she really is, or where she belongs in the world.  We get to find out a few clues to her parentage, and a couple of dramatic scenes with Nate that answers some questions but raises others.  We get to find out why Will pushes everyone away and is so horrible to everyone, and it breaks your heart.  And OH the irony at the end – the curse, the epiphany, too late!  Jem’s physical decline does not dim his gentle spirit and inherent kindness, thank goodness, but we get to see flashes of backbone in the guy.  The scene at the opium den – Jem, I never knew you had it in you!  Jessamine, Charlotte, Henry and Sophie also are given interesting plot lines and we grow to understand them better.  And Magnus – oh, dear me, I love this character even more now that I know what happened between him and Camille, and how he is helping Will.

I love thee with a passion for thy passion.  So let’s get to the real reason we love this series so much – the romance.  I love the way Clare writes romance that makes your stomach flutter and your toes curl, and much of this book is devoted to the relationships Tessa has with Jem and Will.  Not only does Jem get his big love scene with Tessa, Will does too.  Yep, this girl is confused, but with good reason.  Just take a look at the trailer teaser and you’ll see why – whew, they’re kissing.  Hot kissing.  You know you have a winner when you name it the “DSBS (Dirty Sexy Balcony Scene)” (like the DSAS from City of Fallen Angels (review here) – and if you haven’t seen it, Google it my friend).    There is also unexpected developments on the romance front for some of the other characters in this book – and it’s very sweet and touching.

I love thee for thy story with depth and breadth and height, most quiet read, by sun and candle-light.  Yes, Clare knows how to spin an engrossing story.  Twists and turns and setbacks abound, so that you never know what is going to happen next.  Friends become villains, villains become friends.  The action is balanced well with the personal scenes, and the mystery is exciting.

Clare has a knack with dialogue, and for a book set in prim and proper Victorian England, it’s tough to get the flavor of the era without needing a slang dictionary to figure out what they’re saying.  Clare makes it seem natural and real.  She gives Will some great zingers and funny bits, and Tessa and Jem get in a few laughs in too.  We even get another six-fingered Nigel reference!

I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life!  Okay, this last line is a little dramatic, but if you are looking for complex characters, thrilling mysteries,  electrifying action and butterflies-in-the-stomach romance, this is the book for you!  You will have to deal with the cliffhanger at the end since this is the middle book in a trilogy, but like for all good things we will just have to wait for Clockwork Princess.

See you in the STACKS,
Nancy – who thinks Ed Westwick is the perfect voice for the audio book … and the book trailer!  Yum!

Crush: 26 Real-Life Tales of First Love

from goodreads – Readers will fall head over heels for this nostalgic and irreverent collection.

Twenty-six bestselling authors return to the teenage bedrooms, school hallways and college dorms of their youth to share passionate essays of love lost and found and lessons learned along the way. Whether heartbreaking or hilarious, their soul-baring honesty reminds us to keep reaching for true love wherever we can find it and for as long as it takes. Their intimate reflections will fascinate and move any reader who remembers her first love.

My take - Ah, first love. It’s a sweet, magical time when our feelings are a mixed up mess and we gaze longingly at the one we adore. Well, until your crushed by your new love and you becoming a blabbering idiot. Oh wait, that was me…

First loves (and crushes) are a mighty thing, and in this anthology we get a glimpse into the pivotal and highly personal lives of some of our favorite authors. From the sweet and fun first love of Lauren Oliver, to Heather Swain and her borderline stalking of “Uncle” Greg to Christopher Coake’s  love of a comic book superhero – they’re all the same, love is a crazy, fun and scary thing.

Once of the most intense stories comes from Rebecca Walker, “When it was All Brand-New.”  Rebecca bares all, she pulls no punches, and the reader is given seven pages of ugly and utterly painful truths. The courage for her to write this astounds me and I applaud her.

The most poignant story (and favorite) comes from David Levithan, “Creative Writing.” David’s talent as a writer is evident, his ability to express his feelings and thoughts in a meaningful way are truly beautiful. I would love to see this story expanded into novel form, fictionalized or real.

Bottom line - While some of the stories are more entertaining than others they’re all heart-felt and capture that moment in their lives that change them forever.

Stacy

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

My take:
I’ve been in love with author Jennifer Donnelly ever since I read A Northern Light. I wrote a chapter in a book comparing her novel to Avi’s True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, and I’ve never really gotten over my obsession with her amazing prose, incredibly strong yet flawed female characters, and fabulous vocabulary.

So when I had the chance to listen to Revolution, I jumped at the chance (thanks Listening Library/BOT!). The novel is fascinating as it alternates in time and manages to bring all the aspects of the two characters and their passions together in a unique, yet plausible, way.

Furthermore, both readers -Emily Janice Card (who must be related to Orson Scott Card as she’s read several of his books) and Emma Beringare -really are able to convey the range of emotions each character endures-well done ladies!

While the pacing on occasion seemed a little slow-especially at the beginning-once the story got going, it rocketed onward to a firecracker ending (literally!).

I also really loved this book because I learned about music and the French Revolution in great detail, but never felt that the history was forced-Donnelly’s well-researched historical facts fit seamlessly into a story driven by its characters.

I can’t wait to meet Jennifer Donnelly while I’m at NCTE this weekend; I must try not to gush too much.

Liar’s Moon

from goodreads - As a pickpocket, Digger expects to spend a night in jail every now and then. But she doesn’t expect to find Lord Durrel Decath there as well–or to hear he’s soon to be executed for killing his wife.

Durrel once saved Digger’s life, and when she goes free, she decides to use her skills as a thief, forger, and spy to return the favor. But each new clue only opens up new mysteries. Durrel’s late wife had an illegal business on the wrong side of the civil war raging just outside the city gates. Digger keeps finding forbidden magic in places it has no reason to be.

And for a thief in a town full of liars, sometimes it doesn’t pay to know the truth.

my thoughts – Bunce doesn’t disappoint , this is a fantastic follow-up to Starcrossed (read my review here)!! The story starts rolling from the beginning and the pace continues till the end, and in between we are given ample adventure, sleuthing and yes, romance.

As with most fantasies, this one is filled with odd, unpronounceable names and that little bit of must have magic.  However, this is no Tolkien read.  It’s taut and straight forward, no long descriptions to bog the reader down. It also boasts a useful map and helpful lexicon.

Digger (or as some know her, Celyn)!!!!  She is one of those characters who has a shady and seedy past, yet manages to wiggle her way into your heart. I know it’s hard to believe that a thief and a forger can be admirable, but it’s true. She  uses her “talent” to help those in need. Not only that, but she is a true friend in every sense of the word. She is also smart and extremely courageous.

I feel I need to mention that the romance is not an overwhelming part of the story. It’s a fantasy first, that has elements of romance. However, the romance is a natural progression and is a real, believable aspect of the story.

While the mystery is solved by the end of the book, the story does end on a “oh, know you didn’t,” with fingersnaps. I won’t tell you what happens, but it does make me want to scream, “I KNEW IT!!!”

Oh, Elizabeth (may I call you that?) you have piqued me, yet thrilled me and have made me a hot mess while waiting for book three.

*side-note: While I get the title of this book, I’m at a loss as to the title of the first, StarCrossed – star crossed lovers? While I don’t think that is right (the first book is almost romance less) I am intrigued at to what the third book will be called. My first guess is “Marau’s Balls,” followed by “Oh, Pox” and rounded out by “Triangle Makes Three.”

See you in the STACKS,
Stacy

Lani Taylor is the pink hair genius that we can’t say enough good things about. If you haven’t read Daughter of Smoke and Bone, you’re the one missing out. Listen in and see if you agree.

*SPOILERS abound and as always you can find us on itunes*

A Beautiful Dark

from the jacket:   On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.

In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

A Beautiful Dark is the first book in a captivating trilogy by debut author Jocelyn Davies.

my take:  First off, let me dish some cover love.  Even though the dress is kind of weird in the sleeves (maybe they are supposed to mimic angel wings?) I love the flung back head and arms and hair.  She looks like she is getting ready to fly, which totally fits the angel theme of the book.

Skye is a pretty normal girl, no funny quirks - except maybe her blossoming powers.  She has a funny & quirky group of friends, though: best friend Cassie, and male friends Dan and Ian.  Ian would like to be more than friends, but Skye is uncomfortable with that and ignores his hints.   She’s also an orphan, and lives with her guardian Jo.  Jo is away a lot, leading overnight hiking trips, so there’s no adult supervision to interfere with Skye’s adventures.

When Skye meets and starts hanging out with Devon and Asher, of course she’s attracted to both of them.  And in the insta-love world of YA, both boys are attracted to her as well.  Poor Ian didn’t stand a chance against hot angel boys!

Except for the very beginning and the very end, the book felt slow.  Maybe since this is the first in a trilogy, the chunk of story it covered was “girl finding out who she really is and learning to use her super-powers”.  But I think we could have used a bit more conflict throughout, and not just the mean angel Raven.  Devon and Asher aren’t supposed to tell her anything, so it’s like pulling teeth to get to the next plot point.  The ending was a smash-bang action packed doozy though, and a big cliffhanger to keep you waiting for the next installment!

See you in the STACKS!
Nancy

Dark Mirror (Dark Mirror #1) by M.J. Putney
release date: March 1st 2011

What I thought was going to be a straight forward historical romance, turned out to be much more. This magical novel starts with an excellent and tight prologue that perfectly sets the reader on course for the story and continues well into the first chapter.

Lady Victoria Mansfield, or Tory for short, is a likeable character. She is sweet and nice; however she seems a tad boring, flat. She’s a sensible character without any major flaws, which makes it hard to connect with her and makes it difficult to discern character growth. I also found the instant energized connection between Tory and Allarde a bit trite, as well it felt forced and rushed.

I liked the magical aspect of the story, it was interesting and unique. I like the idea of a group of renegade mages. However, I am not a fan of time travel. I can buy into vampires, werewolves, zombies and a post-apocalyptic world where teens battle to death, but I cannot visualize and find time travel plausible.

However, I think the real story lies in Cynthia and Jack, the two polar opposites who both have a burning passionate side. Where one is bitter (mean) and broken, the other is jovial and light-hearted. Pairings of that kind are always fun to read.

Dark Passage (Dark Mirror #2) by M.J. Putney
release date: September 13, 2011

As with Dark Mirror, Dark Passage begins with a strong prologue. This time it’s full of action and sets the tone for the rest of the novel.

The gang finds themselves traveling to the future again, yet this time there is more action and various characters find themselves in perilous situations. The most heart-wrenching moment involves Jack and to a lesser extent, Cynthia. This one scene alone will have you flipping the pages and reading at top speed.

Talking about Cynthia and Jack – I loved this novel more than the first! Dark Mirror was solely focused on Tory, her story, experiences and her relationship with Allarde. This novel however is divided almost evenly, half devoted to Tory and the other half to Cynthia. Getting to the bottom of Cynthia’s bitterness was sad, yet watching Cynthia open up and trust someone brought warmth and a sense of redemption to the story.

The ending left no loose ends and does a great job setting the scene for book three, Dark Destiny – which will be available summer 2012. YAY!

See you in the STACKS, Stacy

From Goodreads:
Discover how Lauren Kate transformed the feeling of that one mean girl getting under her skin into her first novel, how Lauren Oliver learned to celebrate ambiguity in her classmates and in herself, and how R.L. Stine turned being the “funny guy” into the best defense against the bullies in his class.

Today’s top authors for teens come together to share their stories about bullying—as silent observers on the sidelines of high school, as victims, and as perpetrators—in a collection at turns moving and self-effacing, but always deeply personal.

My Take:
If Shannan wants to start a parent/kid book club with Want to Go Private?, I have the next book on the list-Dear Bully!

I was truly astounded by the stories I read in this book (and as a high school English teacher, I know kids get upset by bullying). Heather Brewer’s story-UNBELIEVABLE, Lauren Oliver’s story-well we see how she could write Before I Fall, and Carolyn Mackler’s letter at the very end to a reader who said how much The Earth, the Butt and Other Big Round Things meant to her because she had been bullied – tear-inducing!

The whole book really is for the kids who are bullied to let them know their pain is hideous but shared by authors they love and respect, to the bullies AND bystanders (there are some interesting stories about those who stood by) to say-STOP IT -be nice, kind and proactive, and to all kids to say that no matter what you endure, you can go on to lead a really amazing life (Mo Willem’s cartoon about having to go to Paris rather than go to his high school reunion is priceless!).

Sooo this book is on my shelf, waiting to be read with my kids when they get to upper elementary school to ensure that they don’t start bullying or can recognize when they are bullied and we can be proactive. What truly amazed me was that ALL the stories were completely autobiographical and none were about abject racism kinds of bullying-but simply average kids torturing each other because of circumstance, family issues and spite. Definitely an eye opener and one that has kept me thinking (just like you Shannan) long after I read it!

-Stackgirl Sarah who read, rather than listened to, this one!

 Publisher: Scholastic
Author Website: Sarah Darer Littman
Available: Barnes & Noble   and Amazon

From Goodreads: Abby and Luke chat online. They’ve never met. But they are going to. Soon.

Abby is starting high school—it should be exciting, so why doesn’t she care? Everyone tells her to “make an effort,” but why can’t she just be herself? Abby quickly feels like she’s losing a grip on her once-happy life. The only thing she cares about anymore is talking to Luke, a guy she met online, who understands. It feels dangerous and yet good to chat with Luke—he is her secret, and she’s his. Then Luke asks her to meet him, and she does. But Luke isn’t who he says he is. When Abby goes missing, everyone is left to put together the pieces. If they don’t, they’ll never see Abby again.

Immediately after reading this book, I had to talk to my husband about it.  I also dreamed about it and talked about it on my morning walk with friends.  To say this book affected me is an understatement.  I just think about it all the time!!  So, that’s good right?  It made me feel the way it is supposed to make me feel – which is why parents need to shove this book into their teens hands pronto!  That is AFTER the parents have read it so that they can talk to their kids about it after they are done reading.  This is serious and can happen.  Thankfully Littman put it into a fast paced, engrossing book so that it actually appeals to teens and shouldn’t have them rolling their eyes saying “Mom….  I already know about this crap.  I’m not stupid!”.

It does discuss sex and is real, so the subject matter isn’t sugar coated.  Keep this in mind but continue to read it.  I am so serious about this book being read by teens and parents.  I just can’t get it out of my head.   There are people that are sickos out there and I want parents and teens to be prepared  so that this doesn’t happen to them or one of their friends.  It’s just so very scary.

Love, STACKGirl Shannan who wants to keep teens safe and parents educated!

From Goodreads:
Princess Wisdom, known as Dizzy, longs for a life of adventure far beyond the staid old kingdom of Montagne.
Tips, a soldier, longs to keep his true life secret from his family.
Fortitude, an orphaned maid, longs only for Tips.

These three passionate souls might just attain their dreams while preserving Montagne from certain destruction, if only they can tolerate each other long enough to come up with a plan. Tough to save the world when you can’t even be in the same room together.

My take:
Wisdom’s Kiss is another awesome story from Dairy Queen author Catherine Gilbert Murdock. You may also know Murdock’s first attempt to dabble into the magical realm with Princess Ben, and I think Wisdom’s Kiss is even better! Interestingly, Princess Ben does guest-star as “Grandmother Ben,” but has changed quite a lot since her own tale and the story itself is quite different. Told through 11 different narrators-yes 11!-including diary entries, play scenes and encyclopedia entries-this is such a unique and fun adventure. I love how Gilbert uses the format to reveal the personas of characters-for example, the pompous Felis el Gato discusses in his “Memoirs of a Master Swordsman” how enthralled the Queen Mother was in his tour, then the next entry is a letter from the Queen Mother reporting how dreadfully dull the man giving her tour was-haha.

I really think this book was enhanced by the audio reading because Felis el Gato was hilariously over-inflated by reader Michael Page (who does a great job with the other male voices too), while each female character definitely had her own accent and emotional range –well played by reader Anne Flosnik. Plus, the audiobook features Murdock discussing her characters, plot structure, etc. at the end-quite interesting.

What I also really like is that the tale centers around Trudy (real name, Fortitude. FYI: the use of vocabulary in this book makes my alter-ego Vocabgal very happy), who loses the guy she thought she loved to someone else…and doesn’t find another guy, but ends up a great strong woman. Yeah for women not needing a guy to be awesome!

Regardless of whether you listen to or physically read this story, definitely check out this tale by Murdock (and her equally awesome trilogy Dairy Queen-realistic teen fiction about a girl living on her family’s dairy farm who coaches the rival high school team’s quarterback). I really love Murdock’s portrayal of strong, defiant, yet realistic girls, whether they be set in real or somewhat-magic realms.

-Audio Bibliophile Sarah

From Barnes & Noble.com:  Fifteen-year-old Will Besting is sent by his doctor to Fort Eden, an institution meant to help patients suffering from crippling phobias. Once there, Will and six other teenagers take turns in mysterious fear chambers and confront their worst nightmares—with the help of the group facilitator, Rainsford, an enigmatic guide. When the patients emerge from the chamber, they feel emboldened by the previous night’s experiences. But each person soon discovers strange, unexplained aches and pains. . . . What is really happening to the seven teens trapped in this dark Eden?

Patrick Carman’s Dark Eden is a provocative exploration of fear, betrayal, memory, and— ultimately—immortality.

Do you like creepy scary books?  Ones with a big twist at the end?  Well, here’s your chance to sleep with the lights on since this book will give you the heebie-jeebies big time.

Will has been a patient of Dr. Cynthia Stevens for two years.  Somewhere along the line, out of curiosity and boredom, he broke into her computer when she stepped out of the office and copied the audio files of his sessions.  Will’s lifeline is his ears – he likes listening to things, and built a homemade recorder/mp3 player and listens to audio files, music, and whatever he records.  Then he begins to listen to the audio files of other patients; he found a file labeled “the 7″ that contained his files and the files of 6 others like him.  These are the patients who end up at Fort Eden.

Will’s phobia is revealed slowly, even though you can kind of guess it since he won’t talk to anyone except a few terse words to Marisa, the girl he develops a crush on.  Will hides from the rest of the group in a deserted bomb shelter off the pantry and proceeds to watch them, voyeuristically, on monitors installed in the shelter.  Since he knows what each of their fears are from listening to their audio sessions, he has a curious insight to what he sees.

The suspense builds pretty quickly – what is this cure, how does it work, and is it safe?  What really happens during the “cure”, and who is Rainsford?  How long can Will stay hidden in the bomb shelter, and will he be discovered?  As the group is cured one by one, the tension builds.  The ending for Will was exactly right for his character – especially since he was a listener.  However, I thought one of the twists was a little out of synch with the rest of the story because it seemed to be a realistic story, with hints of sci-fi, up to nearly the end.  I wasn’t ready for the paranormal bits.  But paranormal or sci-fi, it was creepy and scary for sure.

Check out our post when we were a stop on Patrick’s blog tour here.  Seriously, I think I wet my pants when I took the fear test.

See you in the STACKS,
Nancy  

How to Build a House

from goodreads - Harper’s dad is getting a divorce from her beloved stepmother, Jane. Even worse, Harper has lost her stepsister, Tess. The divorce divides them just when her best friend, Gabriel, betrays her. Harper decides to get away for the summer and joins a volunteer program to build a house for a family in Tennesee who lost their home.

my take: Dana Reinhardt, how I love your writing style, let me count the ways.  The realistic teens, the ordinary, yet complicated families, the metaphorical and honest prose…I could go on and on.

Earlier this spring I listened to The Things a Brother Knows about a younger brother dealing with his older brother’s return from fighting in Iraq.  It’s an awesome book and maybe I’ll write a review of it too-just go get it, is my suggestion, even though I haven’t told you much-cross country journey, a little romance and friendship too-it doesn’t fit into a genre other than awesome YA lit so just give it a listen!

Because I loved Reinhart’s latest so much, I went looking for other books of hers and discovered How to Build a House.  This novel reminded me of Sarah Dessen’s novels in many ways-poignant, realistic and often metaphorical elements.  I am also impressed that Reinhardt can write equally well from both female and male perspectives.

I love how Reinhardt divides the book into sections-one for each part of the house as it goes up-the foundation, the walls, the roof, etc. Each stage of house building is also a metaphor for Harper learning what she needs to do to rebuild her own relationships.  Reinhardt is never too heavy-handed or awkward with these ideas, and the events that take place in the novel definitely feel like true fun adventures that a girl could have on a summer volunteer program.  I kept wondering is Reinhardt had gone to a camp for a few weeks for training to help her write the book!  One caveat-teens have sex in this book, and while this is realistic (as much as my high school English teacher self would like to deny it), I warn anyone now who may take issue with that fact or might know of others who would if it was suggested to them to read.

The reader, Caitlin Greer, was great because she wasn’t overly emotional, nor was she lifeless.  A voice I thought blended well with the story being told-she was jjuuussstt right!

Overall, a completely satisfying listen.

Audiobibliophile Sarah

From Amazon.com:  Alek and Deryn are on the last leg of their round-the-world quest to end World War I, reclaim Alek’s throne as prince of Austria, and finally fall in love. The first two objectives are complicated by the fact that their ship, the Leviathan, continues to detour farther away from the heart of the war (and crown). And the love thing would be a lot easier if Alek knew Deryn was a girl. (She has to pose as a boy in order to serve in the British Air Service.) And if they weren’t technically enemies.

The tension thickens as the Leviathan steams toward New York City with a homicidal lunatic on board: secrets suddenly unravel, characters reappear, and nothing is at it seems in this thunderous conclusion to Scott  Westerfeld’s brilliant trilogy.

my take:  Don’t you just love it when you discover a series of books and can read them from start to finish?  That’s what happened here – I kept meaning to get around to reading Behemoth when it came out, and I really, really wanted to, but life got in the way.  So when I knew Goliath was about to come out,  I grabbed Leviathan and Behemoth and started reading.

Westerfeld made this novel steampunk with a twist:  what if Darwin unraveled the secrets of DNA and began splicing genes to make odd creatures?  What if the backlash was for the industrial revolution to go hog wild and create marvelous mechanical inventions?  And what if, in the midst of all this, World War I were about to begin?

Dylan/Deryn is a girl who wants nothing more than to serve aboard an airship – so she poses as a boy to join the army.  Fate strands her aboard the Leviathan, and as confident and smart she is, she quickly makes herself indispensable.  Serving aboard the Leviathan is her dream, but when she meets Prince Alek things get sticky.  She and Alek become friends, and then … she falls for him.

Alek is smart, but circumstances and politics conspire against him.  He running for his life with a few faithful men who wish to see him put upon the throne someday.  He admires Dylan, and quickly becomes friends with her.  (Spoilery bits here) Not until the third book does Alek find out that his best friend Dylan is actually Deryn, a girl.  You have to wait a long time for that payoff.  And I’m not telling you how it ends – you can read for yourself.

These books read like the swashbuckling adventures of old – lots of action and fighting, suspense, political intrique, and a few sly, manipulative grownups who scheme.  Nothing gory or gross – just action packed and a great read for boys.  I would be comfortable letting my 9 year old read this (with a dictionary, of course – even I had to look up a couple words.  Perspicacious loris indeed!).  And almost nothing in the romance arena except some sweet kisses in the third book – yep, and of course, that’s my favorite part.  Ahhh, twue wuv!

Another thing I love about these books is that they are beautifully illustrated by Keith Thompson.  I applaud Scott for bringing back illustrations to young adult novels!  He said at the Austin Teen Book Festival that sometimes he would springboard a scene off an illustration because the place or machine was so cool!  He also said that a companion book containing blueprints, plans and other unpublished illustrations from the Leviathan world will be coming out.

I enjoyed this series and hope that Westerfeld decides to continue the adventures of Deryn and Alek.  He left the door open at the end, and he told me at the Austin Teen Book Festival that he might consider continuing the series in a graphic novel format.  See interview here.

See you in the STACKS,
Nancy

From Goodreads: Nineteen-year-old Kat Jones has been a competitive runner since she was a young girl, but after her mother’s death, the path her life was supposed to take begins to crumble around her — until one day, she finds herself on the run in a literal sense, this time in a race for her very life!

Kat’s journey takes her to the Pacific Northwest town of Lithia, the place of her last good memories, of the days when her mother was still alive. But soon after her arrival, strange things begin to happen in Lithia — and when one of her new friends disappears under mysterious circumstances, Kat begins to realize that Lithia’s inhabitants are not all of this world. Worst of all, she is falling in love with one of these otherworldly locals, and the friend who hopes to save her has secrets of his own.

As Kat tries to rebuild her life, she is also training for a race that will turn out to be her biggest challenge yet, as she must outrun not only the demons of her past but the demons of the here and now, who threaten her very existence and that of the entire town.

My Take: Out of Breath can be read in one day and is an eco-friendly, vampire ridden mystery with a love triangle.  I must say that it really wouldn’t be a choice as to who I would pick though. I just adore Alex.  I wish there was more of a pull to each boy.  I never really saw why each of the boys really were attracted to her especially to the point of protecting her like they do.

Kat is a vegan and I really enjoyed the environmental part of the story.  The lush landscapes written in detail, the healthy sport of running, and the way it plays a roll with the vampires.  I enjoyed how the whole town gets together for the race that takes place in the town each year.

My favorite characters in the story are Alex and David.  I can’t wait to read more about them.  I’m also hoping to get to know Kat more in the next two books as this is a trilogy. I’m sure we will find out more about her history as it was starting to unfold at the end of Out of Breath.  I want to know the mystery of her mother’s death and what exactly is going on with all the vampires in town.

All in all, Out of Breath is quick read with love of the environment, vampires, and a little mystery.

Love, STACKGirl Shannan

All These Things I’ve Done

from goodreads - In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city’s most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.’s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she’s to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight–at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

what I think – The beginning of the book was a bit slow for me, and I had a hard time visualizing coffee and chocolate as contraband. My thoughts were like, “a mafia crime family dealing in Hershey bars and coffee beans? Really?” However, it eventually picked up and Zevin did a pretty good job convincing us of this reality. I mean, 2083 is not that far into the future (some of us may live to see it) and her concepts of water, electricity and telephoning rationing seems believable.

Anya is an imperfect character. Her flaws are many, which is a good thing.  However, I had a hard time relating to her, she almost seemed devoid of emotion. Yet, with that said, I do see a good reason for her lack of attachment and self-isolation. I think it is self-preservation. She lets very few into her inner-circle. The few she does let in she still holds them at a distance and isn’t always honest. Her treatment of Gable is understandable, though at times a bit harsh and unforgiving and her treatment of Leo is patronizing. However, Anya is fiercely protective of her family and with that always puts them first, even if at her own expense.  Her selflessness is admirable. She also has a sharp mind, which is needed to keep up with her extended crime family.

I found the pearls of wisdom from Anya’s daddy where a great addition to the book. I loved seeing Anya quote them and put them in to context.  Her daddy, even though his hands were dirty, seemed like a great guy.

My favorite part of the story is Scarlet, Anya’s best friend. She is the antithesis to Anya. She brings the drama, compassion, warmth and forgiveness to the story.  Her heart and kookiness is contagious.

I eagerly look forward to reading book two, All the Kingdoms of the World. This, by the way, is a great title and very fitting and telling of what is to come.

See you in the STACKS,
Stacy

Virtuosity

goodreads: Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen’s whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn’t just hot…what if Jeremy is better…

my thoughts: Usually, when I read stories about prodigies I end up with feelings of inadequacies (unless you count my mad ability to clean as prodigy-ish). Happily, this one left me just wishing I had actually practiced my clarinet.

This is a beautifully real story with characters that have depth and soul. The book description does not even come close to describe the heart of this story. It’s more than just a mere girl meets boy love story. The relationship between Carmen and Jeremy is the key catalyst that pushes Carmen into self-discovery, self-awareness and self-accountability.

Being an extremely talented child prodigy has caused Carmen to have a tremendously focused life. Violin all the time. No real friends, no real connections. Consequently, Carmen is naïve and self-destructive (at times). It’s the glimpse inside her life at a pivotal time, along with her anxiety and self-doubt that cause an instant liking to her character. Which makes her growth over the course of the book genuine and sincere.

Jeremy offers Carmen a choice. Their relationship teeters on mistrust. The outcome is unexpected, real and heartfelt.

See you in the STACKS,
Stacy

from goodreads: Welcome to York, England.
Mist lingers in the streets.
Narrow buildings cast long shadows.
This is the most haunted city in the world. . . .

Miranda Tennant arrives in York with a terrible, tragic secret. She is eager to lose herself amid the quaint cobblestones, hoping she won’t run into the countless ghosts who supposedly roam the city. Then she meets Nick, an intense, dark-eyed boy who knows all of York’s hidden places and histories. Miranda wonders if Nick is falling for her, but she is distracted by another boy — one even more handsome and mysterious than Nick. He lives in the house across from Miranda and seems desperate to send her some sort of message. Could this boy be one of York’s haunted souls?
Soon, Miranda realizes that something dangerous — and deadly — is being planned. And she may have to face the darkest part of herself in order to unravel the mystery — and find redemption.

my take: Morris has written a great novel for teens!  There is historical references that made me want to learn more about York, a little romance, and a mystery that keeps you on your toes.  It is a book that a parent, librarian, or teacher could hand any student and not have to worry about language or sexual references while keeping the teen truly engaged in the ghost story that has you interested from the first chapter.

I really enjoyed the banter between Miranda and Rob.  I liked how they acted like real siblings.  Also, I enjoyed how the parents were involved in their kids lives as most young adult books have distant or non-existent parents.  It made the story more relatable and believable for me.

All in all, the imagry, the ghost stories, and the memory of their friend kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning.

Love, STACKGirl Shannan who would love to visit York!!