Review: New Girl

Title: New Girl
Author: Paige Harbison
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: January 31, 2012
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: ****

From Goodreads: Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.


Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.

My Thoughts: I read Paige Harbison's Here Lies Bridget last year and enjoyed it. When I saw New Girl on NetGalley, I recognized the author and decided to check it out. The summary intrigued me, and I decided to give it a try. It's supposed to be a re-telling of DuMaurier's Rebecca. I've never read Rebecca, so I can't really attest to the accuracy of that claim. What I can attest to is how much I enjoyed New Girl.

I really liked the character of the new girl. While the drama of Becca's disappearance affects her, the new girl still manages to make a few friends and do really well in her classes. I really enjoyed how she stayed true to herself throughout the story despite the opportunity to re-create herself with this new beginning.

There were times while I was reading that I had to remind myself that this is a YA book, and the characters were only in high school. Now, I'm definitely no prude, but there were some pretty steamy scenes. At the same time, these scenes were steamy without being raunchy and crude.

I couldn't wait to finish this book for a few reasons. 1) I was eager to find out how some of the romantic relationships would turn out. 2) I wanted to find out what had happened to Becca. I had my theories and was eager to find out if I was right or not. For the record, I was wrong.

New Girl was written well, and the story moved right along. I don't think there were any parts to the book that dragged for me. I really enjoyed reading New Girl and would definitely recommend it.

Review: Red Heart Tattoo

Title: Red Heart Tattoo
Author: Lurlene McDaniel
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: ****

From Goodreads: At 7:45 a.m. on the day before Thanksgiving break, a bomb goes off at Edison High. Nine people die instantly. Fifteen are critically injured. Twenty-two suffer less severe injuries. And one is blinded. Those who survive, struggle to cope with the loss and destruction. All must find new meaning for their lives as a result of something they may never understand.


My Thoughts: I really liked this book. In fact, I read it in about a day. It was one of those books that sucks you in. The story is told from the perspectives of different students, including victims and the bombers.

One thing I appreciate about the book was that the author didn't focus too much on the bombers or the actual bombing itself. Most of the story centered around the victims and their journey after the bombing. There was a bit of a love story within the story, but I was pleased to see that it was more realistic than many of the other books I've read lately.

In general, Red Heart Tattoo was different than most of the YA books I've read lately. It was a nice change in pace to not read something paranormal or mushy. This book tackled real things like death, loss, grief, fear, recovery, and hope. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Review: Without Tess

Title: Without Tess
Author: Marcella Pixley
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: 5/5

From Goodreads: Tess and Lizzie are sisters, sisters as close as can be, who share a secret world filled with selkies, flying horses, and a girl who can transform into a wolf in the middle of the night. But when Lizzie is ready to grow up, Tess clings to their fantasies. As Tess sinks deeper and deeper into her delusions, she decides that she can’t live in the real world any longer and leaves Lizzie and her family forever. Now, years later, Lizzie is in high school and struggling to understand what happened to her sister. With the help of a school psychologist and Tess’s battered journal, Lizzie searches for a way to finally let Tess go.

My Thoughts: Fantastic. Heartbreaking. Magical. Those are just a few words to describe Without Tess. The story started out a little slow for me, but the writing began to draw me in. Tess was one of those enchanting people who others found themselves drawn to. I could feel this happening to me as I read.


Tess talked a lot about magic, and it seemed to fit her personality. She was a magical person. At first, she seemed like a child with a powerful, creative imagination. This can be refreshing, especially considering how most children nowadays are more interested in video games and the internet and rarely use their imagination. Under the surface, though, was a dangerous mental illness. This was evident in how Tess never broke from her imaginary world. She truly believed in the magical world she had created.

Without Tess was beautifully written. I loved how the poetry intertwined with the story. The poems themselves were beautiful and lyrical. The story was also an interesting spin on mental illness in children. There was very little talk of therapy, medication, or treatment. The story wasn't focused on getting Tess better. It was focused on who Tess was, which I think was what Lizzie wanted to remember most.

Review: Crave

Title: Crave (The Clann #1)
Author: Melissa Darnell
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: October 18, 2011
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: 3/5

From Goodreads:  Savannah Colbert has been shunned all her life by the kids of the Clann. And when she undergoes some drastic changes after a strange illness, Savannah learns secrets about the group and about herself—dangerous secrets. For the Clann are powerful magic users, and Savannah herself is half Clann and half vampire—a forbidden, unheard of combination. Falling for Clann golden boy Tristan Coleman isn't just a bad idea—it could be deadly if anyone finds out. But her attraction to Tristan—and his to her—isn't something either of them can resist for long.

My Thoughts: Honestly, I wasn't very impressed with this book. While I thought the premise was unique, the story just fell flat for me. I love stories of forbidden loves, but this one just didn't satisfy me. The writing didn't successfully convey the desire and need between Savannah and Tristan. The author described the feelings well, but I want to feel those feelings. I've read other books with starcrossed lovers and found myself getting so wrapped up in what they're feeling that I have to take a time out to hug and kiss my husband. I also found the book to be somewhat slow and dragged out.


The storyline of a young girl who is half vampire and half witch was unique and refreshing. I really liked how the vampires in this book weren't just your typical blood-sucking monsters and had other ways to "feed." I didn't love this book, but I am curious to find out what will happen between Savannah and Tristan. I'm still on the fence about whether or not I'll read the next book in the series.

Review: Angel Burn

Title: Angel Burn (Angel Trilogy #1)
Author: L.A. Weatherly
Publisher: Usborne Publishing Ltd
Release Date: October 2010
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: 4/5

From Goodreads:  Angels are all around us: beautiful, awe-inspiring, irresistible.


Ordinary mortals yearn to catch a glimpse of one of these stunning beings and thousands flock to The Church of Angels to feel their healing touch.

But what if their potent magnetism isn't what it seems?

Willow knows she's different from other girls. And not just because she loves tinkering around with cars.

Willow has a gift. She can look into people's futures, know their dreams, their hopes and their regrets, just by touching them. But she has no idea where she gets this power from.

Until she meets Alex…

Alex is one of the few who know the truth about angels. He knows Willow's secret and is on a mission to stop her.

The dark forces within Willow make her dangerous – and irresistible.

In spite of himself, Alex finds he is falling in love with his sworn enemy.
 
My Thoughts:  Angel Burn was an exciting and quick read. At first, I was a bit hesitant to read it. It seemed like a lot of the other paranormal YA books that I've read recently. A girl with special powers meets a boy. He protects/saves her. They fall in love while fighting the bad guys. The end.


Despite feeling that way, I still gobbled up this book. I enjoyed the different twist on angels. The bad guys in this book weren't the typical monsters that people think of. I mean, who would think of angels as being harmful or dangerous? I certainly wouldn't. Some parts of the book were predictable, but there were still enough twists and turns to keep me wondering what was coming next.

I really liked Willow. She was a character that I could easily relate to. She wasn't your typical teenage girl, didn't care about the superficial stuff, and took her responsibility to her family very seriously. I kept forgetting that Alex and Willow were only teenagers. They seemed so much older, probably because of the lives they had lived. I thought the author did a great job at conveying this.

I found that the end of the book left me with equal parts satisfaction and curiosity. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book

Review: Spellbound

Title: Spellbound
Author: Cara Lynn Shultz
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: June 28, 2011
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: 5/5

From Goodreads:  Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.


But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

My Thoughts:  I loved this book! I couldn't put it down and couldn't wait to see what would happen with Brendan and Emma. I'm such a sucker for epic romances, and I was completely sucked into the relationship between Brendan and Emma.


At first I thought the premise was a bit too familiar. Boy and girl meet and have some strange connection. One of them usually has supernatural abilities, and they have to fight some dark force to stay together.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Spellbound was different. Yes, it's a boy-meets-girl kind of story. Yes, it's a story of doomed love, but I found the supernatural aspect to be minimal. It seemed that the forces this couple fought were of the crazy teenage variety. I enjoyed the past life twist and how it was used in the story.

I thought the writing was great, especially the way Shultz described the intense feelings and interactions between Emma and Brendan. I couldn't help but hug and kiss my husband after reading this book.

Review: Lost Voices

Title: Lost Voices
Author: Sarah Porter
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Release Date: July 4, 2011
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: 2/5

From Goodreads:  When fourteen-year-old Luce is assaulted on the cliffs near an Alaskan village, she expects to die when she tumbles into the icy water below. Instead, she transforms into a mermaid. Luce is thrilled with her new life—until she discovers the catch.

My Thoughts: I started out liking the premise of this story. The idea of dark, murderous mermaids intrigued me. Unfortunately, I found the book to be dull and boring. It didn't keep my attention very well. I found the girls in the story to be annoying and whiney. Their petty behaviors were true to their immaturity, but it wasn't something I enjoyed reading about.

Review: The Goddess Test

Title: The Goddess Test
Author: Aimee Carter
Publisher: Harlequin
Release Date: April 19, 2011
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: 4/5

From Goodreads:  It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.


Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

My Thoughts:  I really enjoyed the Greek mythology twist to this book. It was definitely something new for me. I haven't read any other books like it. The story kept me engaged and interested. I was eager to see how things would play out for Kate and Henry. There was definitely a little mystery added in, and I loved it. It kept me guessing throughout the book. I also liked how everything seemed to come together and make sense by the time the book ended. I'm eager to read the next book in the series and see where the story goes.

Review: Tris & Izzie

Title: Tris & Izzie
Author: Mette Ivie Harrison
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release Date: 10/11/11
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: 4/5

From Goodreads:  A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

My Thoughts:  Let me start by saying that this cover is gorgeous!  It caught my attention before I even read the book's synopsis.  Sometimes, judging a book by its cover isn't such a bad thing.  I devoured this book in a day.  Considering how little I've been reading lately, this was a great feeling.  It could just be pregnancy hormones, but I was completely wrapped up in the love story between Tris and Izzie.  I couldn't wait to see what would play out after they met in the story.  One thing that I really liked was that the author didn't draw out the main conflict in the story.  Some books just seem to go on and on, eventually losing steam.  This author kept a great pace in telling the story, which was good for me.  It kept me from becoming bored with the story.  I also liked that the story wrapped up in a way that I felt was complete.  I've read some books lately that either leave a lot unanswered or seem rushed at the end.  Harrison told a complete story that came together nicely.

Review: The Twisted Thread

Title: The Twisted Thread
Author: Charlotte Bacon
Publisher: Voice
Release Date: June 14, 2011
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: 3/5

From Goodreads:  When beautiful but aloof Claire Harkness is found dead in her dorm room one spring morning, prestigious Armitage Academy is shaken to its core. Everyone connected to school, and to Claire, finds their lives upended, from the local police detective who has a personal history with the academy, to the various faculty and staff whose lives are immersed in the daily rituals associated with it.


Everyone wants to know how Claire died, at whose hands, and more importantly, where the baby that she recently gave birth to is a baby that almost no one, except her small innermost circle, knew she was carrying.

At the center of the investigation is Madeline Christopher, an intern in the English department who is forced to examine the nature of the relationship between the school s students and the adults meant to guide them. As the case unravels, the dark intricacies of adolescent privilege at a powerful institution are exposed, and both teachers and students emerge as suspects as the novel rushes to its thrilling conclusion.

With The Twisted Thread, Charlotte Bacon has crafted a gripping and suspenseful story in the tradition of Donna Tartt s The Secret History, one that pulls back the curtain on the lives of the young and privileged.

My Thoughts:  I had been eager to read this book based on the Goodreads summary, but it took me quite awhile to get through this.  The story kept me interested, and the mystery kept me intrigued.  My biggest complaint about the book is that I felt there were too many characters.  I had trouble keeping up with them all.  At one point, I considered making a list of all of the characters to use for quick reference.  For me, that's just too much work to read a book.  At the end of the story, I could understand how all of the characters tied together, but I still felt like it was just too much.  On a more positive note, I found myself feeling like the characters in the story.  I wanted to know how Claire died, who had done it, and why.  I kept guessing who the killer was throughout the book and was pleased to find at the end that one of my first guesses was right.

Review: The Keening

Title: The Keening
Author: A. LaFaye
Release: April 1, 2010
Publisher: Milkweed Editions
Overall: 3/5
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads:  Born into a family with artistry in their fingers, Lyza laments that her only talent is carving letters into wood. That is until her life is turned upside down when her mother succumbs to the influenza pandemic of 1918, which is devastating their small coastal town in Maine. With her mother gone, Lyza must protect her eccentric father, who runs the risk of being committed, especially now that he claims he’s waiting for the return of his dead wife. Can Lyza save her father and find her own path in the process?

My Thoughts:  This was an interesting story.  It was a nice change from some of the other common YA themes that I've been reading and hearing about.  I thought the book was well-written and moved at a nice pace.  There weren't too many characters or subplots.  Without giving too much away, I enjoyed how all of the details fell into place by the end of the book as we learned more about Lyza's father's claims.

Review: The Magnolia League

Title: The Magnolia League
Author: Katie Crouch
Publisher: Poppy
Release Date: May 3, 2011
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: 3/5

From Goodreads: After the death of her free-spirited mother, sixteen-year-old Alex Lee must leave her home in northern California to live with her wealthy grandmother in Savannah, Georgia. By birth, Alex is a rightful, if unwilling, member of the Magnolia League, Savannah's long-standing debutante society. She quickly discovers that the Magnolias have made a pact with a legendary hoodoo family, the Buzzards. The Magnolias enjoy youth, beauty and power. But at what price?


As in her popular adult novels, Crouch's poignant and humorous voice shines in this seductively atmospheric story about girls growing up in a magical Southern city.

My Thoughts:  I enjoyed this book.  It definitely held my interest, and I sometimes couldn't turn the page fast enough.  The premise of the story was interesting.  I did find Alex to be naive and annoying at times, but I had to remind myself that she was young and raised much differently than her new peers in Savannah.  When I began reading, I didn't realize The Magnolia League was the first book of a series.  I found myself at the end of the book with tons of unanswered questions.  Checking Goodreads reassured me that there would be another book, and I felt a little better about it.  I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the series.

Angelfire

Title: Angelfire
Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Release: February 15, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books
Age Group: YA
Pages: 453
Overall: 5/5
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads:  This debut, the first novel in a trilogy, is achingly romantic, terrifying, and filled with blistering action.


When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

My Thoughts:  I loved this book!  I had trouble putting it down and was thoroughly disappointed when it ended.  Ellie's character is great.  She's smart and tough.  There are quite a few books out with strong female leads who fight monsters, but Ellie seemed to be the toughest (in my opinion).  When reading the action scenes, I could actually picture the fighting in my head.  Will is one of those hot male characters that can leave you drooling and wishing you had a guy just like him in your life.  I'm so eager to read the next book in the trilogy.  There seems to be so much more to come.  I'm not sure which is causing me the most suspense: what will happen with the reapers or what will happn between Ellie and Will.

Lost in the River of Grass

Title: Lost in the River of Grass
Author: Ginny Rorby
Release: March 28, 2011
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 264
Overall: 2/5
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads:  A science-class field trip to the Everglades is supposed to be fun, but Sarah's new at Glades Academy, and her fellow freshmen aren't exactly making her feel welcome. When an opportunity for an unauthorized side trip on an airboat presents itself, it seems like a perfect escape—an afternoon without feeling like a sore thumb. But one simple oversight turns a joyride into a race for survival across the river of grass. Sarah will have to count on her instincts—and a guy she barely knows—if they have any hope of making it back alive.




Lost in the River of Grass takes on the classic survival genre using one of the country's most unique wild places as a backdrop. In this tense, character-driven thriller, Sarah must overcome prejudice and the unforgiving wilderness in a struggle to survive.
 
My Thoughts:  This isn't a book I would typically read, but I thought it sounded interesting and decided to take a chance on it.  I would have to say I liked the book but didn't love it.  The storyline was interesting, and I found the book teaching me things I hadn't known before.  Clearly, the author did her research about the Everglades.  I read somewhere that this book was based on her husband's experience of walking out of the Everglades.  This is probably why she did such a great job of describing the experiences of Sarah and Andy.  The pace of the story was a little slow for my taste, but I thought it was a good book overall.  Something that I really enjoyed about the book was that it wasn't a typical YA book.  Yes, Sarah struggled to fit in at school and had a crush on a boy.  Unlike many other YA's, this book focused on Sarah's feelings about herself, her doubts about herself, and her journey in overcoming those doubts.  I would definitely suggest this book to my future children.  It's a great example of how you can do anything if you set your mind to it.

The Raising

Title: The Raising
Author: Laura Kasischke
Release: March 15, 2011
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Age Group: Unsure
Pages: 496
Overall: 4/5
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads:  Last year Godwin Honors Hall was draped in black. The university was mourning the loss of one of its own: Nicole Werner, a blond, beautiful, straight-A sorority sister tragically killed in a car accident that left her boyfriend, who was driving, remarkably—some say suspiciously—unscathed.


Although a year has passed, as winter begins and the nights darken, obsession with Nicole and her death reignites: She was so pretty. So sweet-tempered. So innocent. Too young to die.

Unless she didn’t.

Because rumor has it that she’s back.

My Thoughts:  I really enjoyed this book.  It sucked me in quickly, and I couldn't seem to read it fast enough.  The author kept me on my toes, and I found myself guessing over and over what would happen next.  I liked how the author pieced together the story from the perspectives of different characters.  Nicole, the deeply missed sorority girl, had many sides to her, and it was interesting to see all of these come to light.  I also enjoyed how the author told the story of the accident a little at a time.  This book definitely had the spookiness of a ghost story and the intrigue of a mystery.

The Betrayal of Maggie Blair

Title: The Betrayal of Maggie Blair
Author: Elizabeth Laird
Release: April 18, 2011
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Age Group: YA
Pages: 435
Overall: 2/5
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads:  In seventeenth-century Scotland, saying the wrong thing can lead to banishment—or worse. Accused of being a witch, sixteen-year-old Maggie Blair is sentenced to be hanged. She escapes, but instead of finding shelter with her principled, patriotic uncle, she brings disaster to his door.


Betrayed by one of her own accusers, Maggie must try to save her uncle and his family from the king’s men, even if she has to risk her own life in the process.

My Thoughts:  I’ll be honest.  I had some trouble getting through this book.  Maybe I interpreted the summary wrong, but I expected the book to focus more on Maggie being accused of witchcraft.  I didn’t expect it to make up a short portion in the beginning.  I found the story to be slow.  Once I realized the book wasn’t what I had expected, I contemplated not finishing it.  It just wasn’t keeping my attention.  I wouldn’t say this is a bad book.  I have seen very good reviews by others.  It just wasn’t my kind of book.

The Vespertine

I read The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell back in December.  Since today is the release date for it, I thought I'd post my review again. 

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

Release Date: March 1, 2011

Source: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt through NetGalley

In the summer of 1889, Amelia van den Broeke was sent to Baltimore to stay with relatives. Her brother facilitated this stay in hopes that Amelia would find a husband. Amelia makes friends, thanks to her welcoming cousin, and finds herself head over heels crazy for a Fourteenth, Nathaniel Witherspoon. Unfortunately, he is below her, making a marriage impossible.

While searching for a husband, Amelia discovers she has a gift. When the sun sets, she sees the future in the vespers. Initially hesitant about revealing this gift, Amelia soon finds herself doing readings for callers.

The summer had been enjoyable, that is until one of Amelia's more tragic predictions came true. Amelia then found herself being blamed and facing a much different end to ther summer than expected.

My Thoughts: I found this book to be a refreshing twist to the paranormal YA books I've read. It's not your typical vampire or werewolf story like many paranormal stories are nowadays. Don't get me wrong! I love vampire and werewolf stories, but I also like to mix it up a bit. I've never heard of anyone seeing the future in the vespers at sunset. In fact, I don't think I've ever heard the words "vespertine" or "vesper." (Clearly, I need to expand my vocabulary.)

One of my favorite things about the story was how Amelia's gift was handled. I'm so used to reading books about paranormal gifts that must be kept secret. If the public knew, that person would be shunned, experimented on, or maybe even worse. Amelia, though, was embraced in a way. The people in Baltimore were eager to meet with her and find out what the vespers held for them. It wasn't until something bad happened that everyone had a much different outlook on Amelia's gift.

Aside from the paranormal aspect of the story, I found it to be a great coming of age story. That summer was a turning point. It was the transition between childhood and womanhood, and Amelia was faced with the huge task of finding a husband. She fell in love, and of course it was a difficult love.

I really liked The Vespertine. I felt it blended historical fiction and paranormal gifts quite nicely.

Overall: 4/5

Everything I Was

Title: Everything I Was
Author: Corinne Demas
Release: April 2011
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 264 (Hardcover)
Overall: 3/5
Source: Publisher (NetGalley)
                         Challenge: 111 in '11, WBC2011

From Goodreads:  "My walls were stripped, and all that was left in the room was a pile of boxes and my mattress propped against the wall."


So begins Irene's journey from an Upper West Side penthouse to—well, she's not entirely sure where. Irene's investment banker father is "downsized" when his company merges with another. When he can't find work, her family's lifestyle—and her socialite mother's spending—quickly catches up with them. Eventually, they're forced to move in with Irene's grandfather in the big family farmhouse upstate. But what begins as the most disastrous summer of her life takes a surprising turn when she meets a most remarkable family.

My Thoughts:  Honestly, this book wasn't what I was expecting.  When reading the synopsis from Goodreads, I expected to be reading about a spoiled rich girl turned average teen.  This wasn't the case at all.  I expected Irene to be upset about not being able to shop and have the best of everything.  Nope.  She was upset about losing her things from her room (which were put into storage), but that seemed to be more because they belonged to her and felt like home.  When it was suggested that she return to her expensive private school on scholarship, she refused.  It wasn't because she thought poorly of those on charity, but because she knew how others would think of her. 

This was a quick read for me.  The writing was simple and easy to understand.  I found the voice fit what I would expect from a 13 year old.  I liked that the author included other teenage struggles in the story, like making friends, crushes, and feeling disconnected from the parents.  Irene was easy to like, and it was hard to not root for her.  Even though the family in this story is wealthy, I could see this story being easy to relate to for any young person whose parent(s) have lost their job.  Making Irene easy to relate to instead of being a spoiled rich kid made this possible.

Savannah Grey

Title: Savannah Grey
Author: Cliff McNish
Release Date: 4/28/11
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 272 (Hardcover)
Overall: 2/5
Source: Publisher (NetGalley)
                         Challenge: 111 in '11, WBC 2011

Synopsis:  At 15, Savannah feels as if she doesn't belong.  After becoming an orphan at a young age, Savannah bounced around between foster homes.  The main reason?  She feels restless and must keep moving.  Savannah keeps her distance from people, except her best friend, Nina.  It's a surprise, then, when Savannah meets Reece and feels an attraction.  Around the same time she meets Reece, she begins noticing strange things about her throat.  It's been sore and making strange noises.  Reece seems to share a lot of qualities with Savannah, including some strange things when it comes to his throat.  Soon, it becomes clear that there's a purpose to these strange throat conditions.  There's a monster lurking around, and Savannah may be the only one who can stop it.

My Thoughts:  Initially, I was really intrigued by the idea of supernatural throat powers.  I was excited to read the book, but my excitement started to falter not too far in.  In general, I felt like the book was rushed.  It seemed as though everything happened too fast, and there wasn't enough time for development.  I felt like the characters could have been developed more deeply. 

The best development was done in the pieces pertaining to the monster.  The author did a great job telling the story of the monster, it's motives, and the steps it had taken to reach its confrontation with Savannah.

I'm the kind of person who always asks, "Why?"  I want to know why people think what they think and do what they do.  Even though Savannah didn't know what made her throat special, she seemed to magically come up with the answers as she went along.  I wish there would have been more of a backstory explaining what Savannah was and how she had become that way.

Overall, I thought this book was okay.  I felt there was a lot lacking, almost as if the author just gave up on developing certain parts of the story.  I still think the concept is great, and while I didn't care for it much, I would still urge others to read it. My own personal preferences shouldn't judge whether or not people should read a book.  Read it for yourself and see what you think.  :-) 

Here Lies Bridget

Title: Here Lies Bridget
Author: Paige Harbison
Release Date: 2/1/2011
Publisher: Harlequin
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 208
Overall: 3/5
Source: Publisher (NetGalley)
Challenge: 111 in '11, 2011 DAC, WBC2011

Synopsis:  Bridget Duke is your typical mean girl.  She's the most popular girl in school, but is it because her fellow students lover her or fear her?  Bridget doesn't think twice about anyone else's feelings or well-being.  She will do anything to get herself out of trouble and keep it that way.  When a car accident leaves Bridget in a place between life and death, she finds that her fate rests in the hands of the people she's hurt the most.

My Thoughts:  When I first read the synopsis for Here Lies Bridget, I thought the concept was interesting.  When you have someone who is as cold and cruel as Bridget Duke, is there any chance that they will change for the better?  What, if anything, could make them snap out of it?

I liked this book, but I wasn't crazy about it.  While I did like the story, I found it to be rather predictable.  By the time I finished, I thought to myself, "I totally saw that coming."  It was a fast read.  The writing flows nicely.  Later in the book, when Bridget begins "reliving" some experiences, I thought it might get confusing.  Harbison wrote it well enough, though, that that wasn't a problem.  The present and past alternated easily.

I found myself with some interesting feelings towards Bridget.  For most of the book, I wanted to smack her for being so downright mean.  I was so annoyed by her selfish, immature behaviors.  As the book progresses, Bridget learns new things about herself and acknowledges feelings she had been trying hard to ignore.  I felt sorry for her at times and sad for what she was going through.  She had to come to some really tough realizations.

Here Lies Bridget is a good book.  I'd definitely recommend it to readers.  I think it would be interesting to have real life mean girls read this book and see how it influences their choices.