The Savage Grace, (A Dark Divine Novel, Book Three) [ebook]

by Bree Despain

Dedication: "For Brick-- Because we both know that you practically deserve a byline in this book. Thank you for always inspiring me. Always, Bree"

First paragraph: "He knew me too well. Read the writing on my heart. He knew exactly what it would take--For me to embrace this savagery." 

Review:  As always, since this is the third book in the trilogy, I'd suggest reading The Dark Divine first, quickly followed by The Lost Saint before reading any more of this review. Spoilers for the first two books lie below.

Grace, Grace, Grace. She's had quite a year--much more than any high school student should have to deal with, really. She finally cured Daniel just to lose him to the White Wolf. She's desperate for a cure and she's constantly battling with her inner wolf to stay the kind, good-hearted person she's always been. This book takes you through that journey and what a journey it is.

Oh, Grace. She's come a long way. Even still, first-half-of-the-book-Grace was driving me crazy; although, I think that was sort of the point. Luckily, she became a bit more tolerable and things went up from there. There were a few times I cringed at her behavior but, all in all, I can't say I'd react any differently if I'd been in her shoes.

Hands down, the worst thing about this book was the editing. Maybe it was just the ebook version (not sure how/if it differs from the print version) but it was awful. I would understand a few misplaced commas or a periods, that's fine. But this was beyond that--to the point where it hindered my immersion in the story. Someone really needed to do a better job. I guess that's a good thing for Despain though--the worst part of the book wasn't her doing.

On the opposite spectrum, in my opinion, the best part of this book was probably the character growth. Like I said before, Grace was driving me crazy for half the book but she finally came around and was able to make some changes. She became a better person, and in turn, a much more likeable character. Her growth throughout the series is easily seen and she makes a great female protagonist.

As I'd stated in my review of The Dark Divine, the story did still had a few minor parallels to the Twilight Series but it's separated itself enough at this point that I can say Despain really did go her own way and make it her own and, unlike the final battle in Breaking Dawn, [SPOILER .. sort of] ...... there was actually a battle. A fairly big one.

Finally, I just wanted to talk about about my love for the importance that Grace places in religion and how it tethers her to her reality. It's important to her and she never wavers from that. It's nice to have someone firm in their beliefs despite the things that are thrown at her--and there is a lot that's thrown at her throughout the series.

If you've read books one and two, you definitely need to go pick up The Savage Grace. If you haven't read those, get on it. Now that the trilogy is complete there shouldn't be anything holding you back!

Click here for Bree Despain's OFFICIAL The Dark Divine Trilogy website.

Outlander

by Diana Gabaldon

Dedication: "To the Memory of My Mother, Who Taught Me to Read--- Jacqueline Sykes Gabaldon"

First paragraph: "It wasn't a very likely place for disappearances, at least at first glance. Mrs. Baird's was like a thousand other Highland bed-and-breakfast establishments in 1945; clean and quiet, with fading floral wallpaper, gleaming floors, and a coin-operated hot-water geyser in the lavatory. Mrs. Baird herself was squat and easygoing, and made no objection to Frank lining her tiny rose-sprigged parlor with the dozens of books and papers with which he always traveled."

Review: I thought about reviewing this book, I did. But it's not going to happen. I'm just happy to have finished it--not that it was a bad read, it just took forever since my life is a little more than crazy at the moment. And, even if I did review it, it wouldn't be a good review. I've been plucking my way through this book for seven months. I can barely remember last week, let alone details from a book I read seven months ago. Not Surprisingly, turns out having a baby is time consuming.

Anyway, I just wanted to post that I finished! And I'm still reading---even if it's at a lot slower pace these days.

The Death Cure (Maze Runner Trilogy, Book 3)

by James Dashner

Dedication: "This book is for my mom---the best human to ever live."

First paragraph: "It was the smell that began to drive Thomas slightly mad."

Review: After surviving The Maze Runner  and The Scorch Trials, the remaining Gladers find themselves in WICKED being told that the lies are over, the trials are through and the "subjects" can finally have their memories back. The only problem is, WICKED is still WICKED and some of the Gladers aren't so willing to let bygones be bygones. Is the cure really just days away? What will it take to end the spread of the Flare and how much further is WICKED willing to go to make it happen?

Make sure you've read The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials before starting this book because there is a lot that takes place in the first two books in this trilogy.

The Death Cure has action, suspense, death, plot twists and loss and finally a few answers to all those questions you probably have.

It's a complex plot that is carried out rather well. Unfortunately, the characters aren't as well developed in this book. I lost any emotional attachment I'd previously established with the characters so when one died I may have thought, "Oh. That's too bad" but it wasn't any more than that - even with more prominent characters. I wanted to feel what Thomas was feeling but it was impossible to feel the loss of his friends' because I just wasn't connected to them like I once was.

While the story wasn't everything I hoped it would be it was still quite the page turner. There were a few plot points that were never really explained but you have to choose your battles and Dashner did answer a lot of things that had been a mystery up until now.

I still have other things to say but all of these thoughts will spoil the plot so I'm just going to stop there and say that this is an enjoyable read and I'd definitely suggest this trilogy if you haven't read it yet.

Click here for James Dashner's website and information on The Kill Order, the PREQUEL to The Maze Runner which will be released in 2012.

Crossed

by Ally Condie

Dedication: "For Ian, who looked up, and started to climb"

First paragraph: "I'm standing in a river. It's blue. Dark blue. Reflecting the color of the evening sky."

Review:  This is the second book in the Matched series. However, before you read any more of my review, I'd highly suggest going out and getting a copy of that book and reading it since I can't really review this book without spoiling at least part of the plot of Matched and this is definitely a series worth reading.

---

Crossed picks up right where Matched left off. There is no extensive reintroducing of characters or reminding you of what is going on. I think that's a good thing (unless you had to wait a year for the second book to come out) because I hate reading a series where each book spends the first 50 pages retelling what you really should have already read.

Cassia has been sent to a work camp to help squelch her rebellious attitude that developed after her Match Banquet, or at least that's what The Society believes. Little do they know, Cassia wanted to be sent away - to be given a chance to find where Ky was sent and bring him home. Cassia is cunning, smart and knows it won't be easy so she leaves behind the safety of Xander and her future and teams up with a girl named Indie to set out on the adventure of her life. It doesn't take long to realize she's searching for more than her stolen love - she searching for a rebellion.

 I have an intense love for Utopian society stories. Of course they are never as perfect as they seem and it's always fun to see what the author's imagination can create for the futuristic perfect society. Condie creates the perfect image of this for me. I feel like each detail is carefully thought out and The Society is definitely trying to do good but has lost sight of some of the most important characteristics of a successful leadership. They've decided to bind their citizens to them through lies and deception rather than inspire loyalty through commitment to do good and make the world a better place.

The characters - Cassia, Ky, Xander - are further developed. We get a chance to get to know more about Ky's history. Something I've been dying to discover since I first read Matched back in May. Cassia's development was lacking but I feel like we spent so much time learning about her in the first book that it didn't detract from this story. As for Xander - I still don't know what to think about him. I'm confused. He's a mystery that I think will be discovered in the final book. Even Condie's less prominent characters were developed as much or as little as they needed to be to make this story great.

Finally, I love the strong female role Cassia plays. She relies on others and trusts them as much as someone with her upbringing would trust. She makes her decisions based on this upbringing but she pushes herself harder than normal citizens would and she is determined to right the wrongs she has committed. She's determined to give others the life they deserve and not the one they were assigned.

The only flaw: the final book in the series isn't released until Fall 2012 and this book does not have a satisfying ending! It leaves you with questions that need answering now - not in 8 months from now!

Oh well. Until then you can click here for Ally Condie's official Matched series website.

The Book of Lost Things

By John Connolly

Dedication: "This book is dedicated to an adult, Jennifer Ridyard, and to Cameron and Alistair Ridyard, who will be adults all too soon.

"For in every adult dwells the child that was, and in every child lies the adult that will be."

First paragraph: "Once upon a time--for that is how all stories should begin--there was a boy who lost his mother."

Review: In the middle of WWII, David is struggling with the death of his mother and his father's remarriage. It isn't that Rose is unkind or that she's constantly forcing him to do things he'd rather not--it's just the dilemma many young children face when they feel their parent is being replaced by someone else. It doesn't help when Georgie, David's new half-brother, enters the picture.

Soon, David's precious books start whispering and before long he finds himself in a world where the fairytales he loves to read have come alive. Unfortunately, they all seem to have taken a dark twist from the "Happily Ever Afters" he's always known.

I love a twist on a fairy tale. I don't think there should be one way to tell them. Connolly definitely managed to re-write a few of the stories and I loved that aspect. However, before you go stick this book in front of your child, you should know that this was a dark book.

I started reading it thinking it might be for kids around 12-14+ but by the time I finished I'd upgraded the age to about 16 or 17. In fact, I might even say this is more of a "Adult Fiction with Teen Allure" than a YA Fiction book. My reasoning? This is a nightmare inducing story. It's disturbing and dark and cynical and it takes happily ever afters and says, "Happily ever after means getting eaten really fast". So, pretty much every story ends with someone being eaten. From the Louts (werewolves) to the 30 foot long slimy beast, this is not a childhood bedtime story. But it was a great story. Connolly managed to create a whole new world where every story was tied together into one land. And Rumple- I mean the "Crooked Man" has corrupted the land for his own pleasure and gain.

Excessively gory but well written. Connolly did what all authors should do; he created a world the reader could escape into. Unfortunately, this particular book has the side-effect where the stories may follow you back and become nightmares you'd rather not remember.

Click here for John Connolly's website for The Book of Lost Things.

The Book of Three

By Lloyd Alexander

Dedication: "For the Children who listened, The grown-ups who were patient, and especially for Ann Durell"

First paragraph: "Taran wanted to make a sword; but Coll, charged with the practical side of his education, decided on horseshoes. And so it had been horseshoes all morning long. Taran's arms ached, soot blackened his face. At last he dropped the hammer and turned to Coll, who was watching him critically."

Review: This is the first book in the Chronicles of Prydain and we quickly learn of Taran and his dreams of heroes and adventuring instead of being just a simple Assistant Pig Keeper. What Taran forgets to realize is that heroics is more than slaying dragons and saving damsels in distress. His first realization that it may be less glamorous than expected starts with a bad nights sleep on the ground and quickly becomes a tale of follies and one misadventure after another. But he his nothing if not determined to finish his quest to the end to find Hen Wen, the pig left in his charge.

Along the way he picks up one interesting companion after another and soon the band of travelers prove invaluable to Taran and all the land of Prydain. (One of which pays a marking resemblance to a certain creepy crawly fellow from the Lord of the Rings series).


I was asked to read this book to determine if it was appropriate for a nine or ten year old. Some of the parts are intense, and there is one quick scene where there is mention of men being burned alive inside wicker baskets, but overall it's not too graphic and it avoids going into any great detail about the death that comes with battles. Even the wicker basket scene only got mentioned in half a paragraph or less. As such, this story was definitely written for a younger audience but it was still enjoyable for me. Every good book, according to my husband, starts off with a map. And this book started off with a map so it must be good.

It only took a few hours to read and it was full of action and adventure from start to finish. Taran may have frustrated me at times but I absolutely loved Eilonwy. She was a bit of comic relief and made Taran so much more bearable while, at the same time, absolutely refusing to be a damsel for Taran to rescue. I can't help but love her for that.

I did have a hard time getting past the fact that certain aspects felt like they were stolen right from Lord of the Rings then dumbed down a bit for younger kids. For example, a Gollum character, along with some other situations that I'll avoid mentioning in order to keep from spoiling any of the plot. But if you do decide to read the story I'm sure you'll catch them as well. 

The next book in the Chronicles of Prydain series is The Black Cauldron.

The Hunt of the Unicorn

by C.C. Humphreys

Dedication: "To Aletha, Tamer of Unicorns"

First paragraph: "Thunderstorms rumble nearer, the air charged with static, as sticky-hot as only a New Orleans night can be. Arcana knows that the werewolf is going to come. She prays that all the precautions she's taken are not in vain. Prays that he's brought the goal of her quest---

'Elayne?'"

Review: Elayne is struggling to come to terms with reality as she watches her father's health steadily decline due to the cancer that plagues his body. Trying to imagine life without him is impossible. So, when her father starts to tell her about their family history, she can't help but be skeptical. Unicorns and Manticores only existed in fairytales and her life was anything but a fairytale.

Or so she thinks.

This book was a fun read. The first part of the book was great; I couldn't put it down. Then something happened and it lost that edge and fell into a lull. Luckily, I kept reading because it definitely picks back up and I felt the story rewarded me for persevering until the end.

Some of the fantastic beasts Humphreys described were beyond my comprehension but it was still a fun story about a land beyond this one. And, in a weird way, it almost makes sense. No wonder we have stories about Unicorns and three-headed-dogs, they used to travel from our world to theirs before the doorways were sealed forever.

I did get a sense of an agenda at a few points in the book but I'm not against taking care of our planet so it didn't bother me too much.

My only real complaint is that Mormons don't have multiple wives and I hate it when authors (even jokingly) throw that into their stories. It's probably silly to be so bothered by it but lots of people, more than I could possibly imagine, actually believe it when they read seemingly innocent sentences like the one I found in the story.  I'm sure most people wouldn't even notice that sentence or think twice about it but ... it bothered me.

Other than that small and albeit pretty petty complaint this was a fun book to read and I would highly recommend it to the unicorn lovers or the fantasy readers out there.

Three stars to The Hunt of the Unicorn.

Click here for C.C. Humphreys' website for The Hunt of the Unicorn.

Exile (Aurelia Series, Book 2)

by Anne Osterlund

Dedication: "For Tease, who I promised, and Dance, who made certain I followed through."

First Paragraph: "Hoofbeats thundered from behind. Imminent. Aurelia flung herself farther forward, low against the neck of her mare. Go, Bianca! she urged. The muscles beneath her shifted into a smooth firing of movement, and the gray horse burst into a more rapid pace, soaring over the stones and sand. The spring air turned cold as it sheeted across the exposed section of Aurelia's face, and the thinning fir trees along the road blurred into solid walls of forest green as the sounds of Bianca's hooves blended to a single continuous roar."

Review: I recently read and reviewed the first book in this series, Aurelia. This book review may contain some spoilers for the first book, which I highly recommend reading.

Exile starts right where Aurelia left off. Aurelia is on her way to learn more about her kingdom and its people, even if her leaving is not completely by choice. She'd always dreamed of traveling, exploring her kingdom. And now, she's more determined than ever to see the land, live as a commoner, and, most importantly, survive. Unfortunately, she never thought the surviving part would be so difficult.

Where to start? Oh yeah. Read Aurelia. Once you've read that pick of Exile and get started!

I really did enjoy this book. Aurelia is a very likeable character and she's always doing the right thing even if that means risking her own life to make it happen. Getting to see the way the main characters struggle with their choices they made in the first book can be frustrating and rewarding at the same time. You know it's not their fault but it's nice to get a sense that they are real. That they struggle with things any normal person would struggle with.

The only thing I did not like, just like in Aurelia, was the end. So far another book has not been announced but I can't imagine this series just ends the way Osterlund has it ending in Exile. At least with Aurelia there was some sort of closure. We figured out what was going on and who was responsible. At the end of Exile all we found out was that there has been a lot going on we weren't aware of and that Aurelia has a long fight ahead of her.

I'm just hoping this final book (assuming there will be a final book) is released sooner rather than later so I can read about it and hopefully remember what was going on.

Click here for Anne Osterlund's website.

Devil's Kiss

by Sarwat Chadda

Dedication: "To my wife and daughters"

First paragraph: "Killing him should be easy; he's only six. Then why the bilious, twisting feeling deep in her guts? Why the cold clammy dampness down her back?"

Review: Billi (Bilqis) SanGrael is a part of the Knight Templars. She's a part of them but not by choice. Her father is in charge. What he says goes. And he said she'd be one of them at the age of 10. She's sacrificed her social life, normality, sanity and now it looks like her father will require the greatest sacrifice of all. ... But you'll have to read the book to figure out what that is.

This was not the best story I've ever read but it was also far from the worst. The writing was decent although, I did notice quite a few typo's.

The story itself was almost entirely predictable; however, it was a gripping book. It keeps you turning the pages just to confirm what you already suspect in the back of your mind. It was an interesting use of vampires, werewolves, ghosts and all-powerful beings, done in a way I hadn't read before - which doesn't necessarily mean it hasn't been done.

I enjoyed that there was a tiny bit of religious education taking place while reading. Not enough for me to consider this a religious book but it is about a fallen angel trying to redeem himself by bringing people back to God through various insane means.

I will have probably forgotten all about this book in five months from now but I'm still glad I picked it up. I definitely didn't feel like the time I put into reading it was a waste at all. I just wish Billi herself was a bit less whiny. I did think that for someone who grew up in this environment she would be better accustomed to it all and have less to complain about. But that would have ruined a big part of the story, I guess.

There is another book follow Billi and her adventures called Dark Goddess.

Click here for Sarwat Chadda's website and more information about Devil's Kiss.

The Iron King

by Julie Kagawa

Dedication: "To Nick, Brandon, and Villis. May we continue to beat those dead horses into the ground."

First paragraph: "The Ghost Computer

Ten years ago, on my sixth birthday, my father disappeared."

Review: Meghan Chase's father disappeared - vanished without a trace. After that her mother picked them up and moved them to a remote town where her mother married a pig farmer and tried to forget the past - only the past couldn't forget her. Suddenly Meghan is seeing strange things and soon her half-brother, Ethan goes missing and a strange doppelganger has taken his place. Meghan has to risk everything to get him back.

Oh and there's some love story in there somewhere too.

The first 150 pages did not really pull me in. They were okay - not great, but not bad. Just okay. I'm still not quite sure why I was so indifferent about this part of the book. My only explanation is that the premise of the story spoke more to younger readers but the story itself was much too dark for someone of that age group to be reading it. Or maybe 150 pages is how long it took Kagawa to get going with her writing?

Either way. The last two-thirds of the book was great. I couldn't put it down until I was finished. There was a lot of creativity put in to describing the Nevernever, faery world, and the characters within it. Speaking of characters, Puck. While I do feel sort of bad for Puck at times, he annoyed me. Maybe I just dislike people who have to crack a joke whenever tension is running high. I still like him but I like Ash better, I think.

That being said, there are three books in this series - The Iron King, The Iron Daughter, and The Iron Queen.

They've all been released and are ready for reading today!

Click here for Julie Kagawa's website and the books in The Iron Fey series.

The Scorch Trials

by James Dashner

Dedication: "For Wesley, Bryson, Kayla and Dallin. Best kids ever."

First paragraph: "She spoke to him before the world fell apart."

Review: Wow.

First, this review is probably going to have spoilers for the first book in the series, The Maze Runner, so go read that book then come back.

Thomas went to bed feeling safe for the first time since he woke up in the Maze. He had food, shelter, people who said they were there to protect them. He had the voice of his best friend in his head as he slowly dozed off to sleep. And then, in a moment, everything went wrong.

Now, I don't really remember the exact details of The Maze Runner off the top of my head but I do remember thoroughly enjoying it. I can't say for certain whether it surprised me quite as much as this book did, but ... wow.

Dashner knows how to write a story. The twists that he comes up with are so completely out there that I don't think anyone could see them coming. It's just one bad thing after another and these poor "Gladers" that you've come to love and cheer for are on constant attack and you never know when it will be their last scene.

He also manages to make you more paranoid then the characters themselves. I thought every person these guys encountered was a bad guy just waiting to attack. And usually the "bad guys" weren't bad at all and then as soon as I thought they'd be safe, all hell breaks loose again.

This is one of those books you don't want to casually start reading just before you go to bed. You won't be able to put it down. There is never a really good stopping point. Each chapter holds a key to figuring out what is going on and each chapter does an amazing job of leaving you even more confused about who and what WICKED really is.

The only other thing I can say is, go read this book. It's not for the weak-stomached. It was definitely a bit dark but I thought it may have been less-so than the first book. Maybe. I don't know. Decide for yourself.

And, for your information, Book Three, The Death Cure, goes on sale October 11, 2011.

Click here for The Maze Runner Series' official website.

The Lost Saint (A Dark Divine Novel, Book Two)

by Bree Despain

Dedication: "In loving memory of Mildred Coy Rane. I don't know how much you cared for my fantastical stories of werewolves and demon hunters, but you were always supportive and proud. I miss you daily. You're granddaughter, Bree"

First paragraph: "'Do what he wants, and you might survive,' a harsh voice said into the boy's ear before he felt a sharp blow to the kidneys. He fell forward onto the concrete, his arms spayed out in front of him."

Review: If you haven't read The Dark Divine yet, spoilers lie ahead. Tread carefully if you dare.

Grace made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel. She became infected with the werewolf and lost her brother in the process. Now, her family is falling apart and the only thing she has to hold on to is Daniel and their love for each other. Unfortunately, Grace is desperate for the normalcy her life used to hold and she longs to see her brother again. As hopelessness starts to set in she meets and befriends Talbot. Clinging to Talbot's promises of the Hounds of Heaven and becoming who she was meant to be, the two grow closer; however, as her relationship with Talbot grows, her relationship with Daniel starts to crumble. Before she knows it she's losing herself and all she's been fighting for.

I was a bit harsh with the first book in the series. It seemed like a re-make of Twilight except with Werewolves as the main bad guys instead of vampires. I did enjoy the over all story but there were a few things that I couldn't quite forget about. Grace Divine's name being one of them. I still think that Despain pushed the irony/symbolism a bit too far with that one.

Anyway, as far as Book Two, The Lost Saint, is concerned - I loved it. It became it's own book. It stepped away from the Twilight parallels and branched out into something that could stand on it's own.

Talbot is a great character - you get to be with him from moment one of his friendship with Grace. It makes her relationship with him easier to comprehend, as opposed to the relationship she has with Daniel that was forged years before these books take place. Seeing the feelings and relationships develop right in front of your eyes makes them so much more real.

I was, however, able to better appreciate the Grace/Daniel relationship in this book. They're in love. We already know that when the book starts, so we just accept it. The events that transpire throughout the rest of the story are things that build or destroy a relationship and the reactions to those events were realistic. I approve of the direction Despain took it in. Especially considering the age of the main characters.

Finally, let's talk about the plot. It took me awhile to read the book but that was my own fault. Everytime I picked up the book I had a hard time putting it down, getting it open that was the hard part. Had I not been busy with other life stuff, I'm sure I would have had it read in 2 days. There are a lot of twists to the plot but you'd probably be able to guess what they are about fifty to seventy-five percent of the time. Despite that, I still found it very gripping and entertaining.

Until I read the last page.

Yeah, this book is one of "those" books. You know, the ones that end without actually ending. Pet Peeve of the century!

Book 3 comes out in December of 2011 and I've already added it to my list of books I'm anxiously awaiting. Thefore, I think it's safe to assume I would definitely suggest reading this series but I might suggest waiting until Book 3 has been released so you don't have to go, "WHAT!" as you read the last paragraph.

Click Here for more information on The Dark Divine novels.

The Magical Misadventures of Prunella Bogthistle

by Deva Fagan

Dedication: "To my parents, Paul and Cynthia, for their love, inspiration, and steadfast support"

First paragraph: "All I wanted was to charm a single stinking wart onto my face. Yes, onto, not off. A good bog-witch should have at least one. Grandmother had eleven, and a hooked nose to boot. Of course, there were rare witches who could pull off a certain dark and terrible beauty. My mother was one, according to Grandmother. Maybe that's how I got stuck the way I was."

Review: Prunella dreams of being a proper bog-witch but her curses always end up being a complete disaster. Take the time she chased off a mob of angry Uplanders with Alligator spoor and ended up giving them the best crops in years, for example. Things only get worse for Prunella when a thief, Barnaby, winds up in her Grandmother's garden and she can't turn him into a toad. Seeing this as Prunella's last chance, her grandmother kicks her out of the bog until she can prove she belongs. As Barnaby and Prunella set out across the Uplands to prove themselves to different people they're thrown into disaster, curses, and the like. But what they set out to accomplish changes as they learn the truth about the history of the Uplands and the story of Prunella's ancestor, Esmeralda.

This was a book written more for older children than young adults but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. The writing was simple but not to the point of boredom. The story was entertaining and it was easy to get attached to the characters as you read more about them.

I especially loved the underlying message of the story, just because something or someone is different doesn't mean it's bad. Several times it was mentioned that what you see is not always what is underneath. I like stories with wholesome uplifting messages like this one, but it's not so obvious that it distracts from the story itself.

This story was full of fantasy and magic and predictable yet surprising turns. It was gripping and once I got into the meat of the story I couldn't put it down for long. The best part was, once I finally got back in the reading groove I was thoroughly entertained despite the age group it was intended for. I think that alone says a lot about the book.

I would definitely suggest this book. And to think, it was found by my friend's 13 month old daughter at the library! Luckily the cover was cute enough that my friend ended up taking it home instead of just putting it back on the shelf.

For a better book Synopsis and more information about the book, click here.

The Body Finder

by Kimberly Derting

Dedication: "To Amanda, Connor, and Abigail, for letting me love you"

First paragraph: "Violet Ambrose wandered away from the safety of her father as she listened to the harmony of sounds weaving delicately around her. The rustling of the leaves mingled gently with the restless calls of birds and the far-off rushing waters of the icy river that lay beyond the trees."

Review: Violet is a gifted girl who seems to have inherited some of her grandmother's special talents for seeking out the dead. When I say, "dead" I'm not talking about ghosts. She has a sense for when things or people's lives have ended unexpectedly, brutally. This is something Violet is having a hard time coming to terms with. It's almost too much to handle and that's before factoring in her normal, complicated teenage life. One such normal life issue is the butterflies that appear in her stomach each time her long time best friend, Jay Heaton, comes around.

Have you ever seen the show Medium? This book is like that show but a lot different. I guess the similarities lie in the dealing with dead people and tracking down bad guys. Unfortunately for Violet, her gift is specifically with finding the dead. If someone is still alive it's a hopeless cause. This could have given the book a more morbid feel but I think that there was enough of Violet's teenage angsting going on to keep it lighter.

I enjoy this sort of thing. Catching bad guys. Correcting the wrongs for lives that ended too soon. There were definitely some unexpected twists. And the romance angle was sweet, enticing. I did, however, have a hard time connecting with Violet's friends, other than Jay, but they were background characters so I don't think you were meant to know a whole lot about them.

I think the worst part, and maybe the best, was knowing what was coming and having no idea how to tell Violet what she was about to walk into. If I hadn't been worried about people judging my mental sanity, I would have been yelling at the pages trying to warn her, regardless of whether or not she could actually hear a word I was saying.

My only other complaint was in regard to the romance aspect. But it wasn't a huge complaint and I can't say anything without posting spoilers so. I guess you should let me know what you thought about it all once you read it!

So, read this book. My "Warnding" is that it is on the darker side but Derting was able to keep it from being too sinkingly morbid with silly light teenage humor, something I really appreciated.

The Body Finder was a nice mix of excitement, intensity, suspense, and romance. Something you should definitely consider reading if paranormal or sci-fi are a genre of choice.

For more information about The Body Finder, click here!

Post note: Reading this book will make you either an overprotective parent that never lets their girls go anywhere without a body guard or a super paranoid woman. Read the book if you want to know what I'm talking about.

The Dead-Tossed Waves

by Carrie Ryan

Dedication: "To Roberta Hatch the light on the horizon that means home. To Douglas Keith Kidd for loving her, and all of us, so much. And to love at first sigh (and Chiquita bananas)"

First paragraph: "The story goes that even after the Return they tried to keep the roller coasters going. They said it reminded them of the before time. When they didn't have to worry about people rising from the dead, when they didn't have to build fences and walls and barriers to protect themselves from the masses of Mudo constantly seeking human flesh. When the living weren't forever hunted."

Review: A short while ago I read and reviewed The Forest of Hands and Teeth. You may recall me mentioning how much I loathe zombies and yet, for some strange reason, I really enjoyed that book. This book, The Dead-Tossed Waves, is the companion book to that one. The main character from the previous book is the mom to the main character of this one. There are a few slight references to the book and it sort of made me sad/excited when I caught on to them.

While the previous book focused on Mary finding out answers and dreaming of finding the ocean, this book focuses on Gabrielle's life. All she's ever known has been a lighthouse and her mother's love. She's felt safe and secure and has never had any desire to look beyond the barrier. She leaves the bravery and heroics to others, to her friends. Until one night when her whole world comes crashing down around her and she's forced to discover who she really is and all she is capable of becoming.

This book was great. The zombies, aka Mudo, aka Unconsecrated, were freaky as always but I think I'm building up a tolerance to them. I was able to read it late at night without getting freaked out. Gabrielle, or Gabry for short, is not a strong, fearless character. She's really weak and pitiful at times, but she always real. She's whiny and selfish and can't figure out what she wants but Ryan figures out a way to make this a good thing. She makes Gabry very relate-able. If there were "Mudo" lurking around nowadays, I'd definitely be a Gabry. Especially the girl at the beginning of the story who didn't care about what was past the barrier as long as I got to go to bed warm and fed and safe each night.

Without giving too much away, there was one detail, one thing I couldn't wrap my mind around. I couldn't see her doing. I still can't quite understand why it was in the book. I think Ryan could have carried on the story and left it out but I guess she felt that that moment was critical for Gabry. Although, I don't feel like she wrote enough about Gabry's emotions to justify the act.

Other than that the story was well done. There is a lot of stuff that happens that is really unexpected. I was constantly taken by surprise with the twists that Ryan threw in. Also, unfortunately, I discovered that Ryan really likes to leave her stories hanging. She gives you closure, but not really. I can't really explain it except to say, I really hope things work out for my favorite characters. The fact that I care enough to write that sentence says enough to me. It's an emotionally engaging story and it is well worth the read. ... Assuming you can get passed the fact that there are ZOMBIES. Mwahahaha.

Alright. I'm done. But seriously. Read it. It's a chick-flick with lots of action.

Click here for Carrie Ryan's Website on The Dead-Tossed Waves.

If you click that link, watch the book trailer. I love book trailers. They're always so ... cheesy/dramatic and the acting is so awful but they're definitely good for a laugh.

Mockingjay

by Suzanne Collins

Dedication: "For Cap, Charlie, and Isabel"

First paragraph: "I stare down at my shoes, watching as a fine layer of ash settles on the worn leather. This is where the bed I shared with my sister, Prim, stood. Over there was the kitchen table. The bricks of the chimney, which collapsed in a charred heap, provide a point of reference for the rest of the house. How else could I orient myself in this sea of gray?"

Review: POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST TWO BOOKS so read them before you read this. Click the titles for my previous Hunger Games or Catching Fire book reviews.

Where to start? This is the third book in The Hunger Games series. What to say? Guess we'll find out. Did I love the book? Yes. Am I absolutely torn up inside about some of the events that took place? Definitely. What about the end? Argh. It had a good ending. Just not the ending I was hoping for. Although, I think that reading all three books back to back might make me appreciate the final ending more.

I guess that doesn't leave much else to say so let's get started.

Once again, Katniss Everdeen is the face of opposition against The Capitol. So much is required of this seventeen year old girl. In this book you start to see her wall breaking down. She spends almost as much trying to heal either emotional or physical wounds as she does trying to lead the rebellion. You start to see Katniss more as a mortal, doing every day things. There are no games for her to compete in. There is no constant surge of adrenaline. Just her, her friends, her enemies, trying to shape what their world will look like and how it will function in the years to come.

The book picks up just after Catching Fire ends. Just after you're made aware that District 12 has been completely annihilated and no longer exists - it's nothing more than a heap of smoking ruble.

Almost all of the star players in the past two books make another appearance. That is, unless they're dead. I actually felt my heart-aching when some of the names were listed off.

One person in particular. I guess I want people to be able to read my review with out ruining the book so I'll just leave it at that. But to actually feel heartache when a person dies in a book, someone who isn't the main character, or even that close to the main character, shows some good writing. All I could think when this took place is, "Who will take care of [insert important people to this person]. They were so young. I can't believe Collins killed them!".

Each character has a story, a life. Collins did an amazing job of creating a real world with her characters. One where life matters. They aren't just characters in a story anymore, they're people who matter to the reader.

Collins didn't focus on the boring strategy of war; however, she didn't pretend there was no war either. Somehow I think she portrayed just enough of each key element to leave you satiated while still making the reader cling to the possibilities of what may lie in wait on the next page.

Just like the other two books you really never know what will happen. You never know what tricks the rebels and The Capitol had up their sleeves. Never knew who to trust. Unable to really see how it would all end. I guess that is why I do not write books. I'm pretty certain that if I tried, everyone would know the ending three or four chapters in. But Collins ... she has suspense and intrigue down to an art form.

I just finished reading and I'm still so emotional from the whole thing. Maybe I should have waited a few hours to let the rush wear off but I figured I should get it out now before my opinion changes for one reason or another. I think this is probably my least favorite book in the trilogy, but not because I didn't enjoy it. It's just that the other two were more my style - intense, and completely action packed. I'm guessing this one could have tied for second until the end. I just can't wrap my head around that right now. Maybe if I read and review the book again sometime I'll change my mind.

Until then, this trilogy needs to be added to everyone's "To Be Read" list. The first book is probably the darkest. But each book after it becomes a bit more hopeful. I promise that even if you don't love it and add it as your "favorite books ever read" like me, you'll still find it entertaining and enjoyable.

Click here for the Mockingjay website.

The Maze Runner

by James Dashner

Dedication: "For Lynette. This book was a three-year journey, and you never doubted."

First paragraph: "He began his new life standing up, surrounded by cold darkness and stale, dusty air."

Review: Thomas wakes up with a knowledge of the world but no memory of ever living in it. All he can remember is his name. Before long he is thrown headfirst into a bizarre world where everything is centered around solving the maze that surrounds him and 50 other teenage boys. He doesn't know why but things about this new home seem familiar to him, like he's been here before, and he has the strangest desire to become a runner - the most dangerous job he could possess in this new place. The day after his arrival things start to really change. Everything that the other boys know about this place comes crashing down and they find themselves needing to solve the puzzle before time runs out.

This book was really good. Dashner tells a captivating story and uses creative elements to make it bizarre and "other-worldly" while still taking place on Earth. I don't think an actual time frame was ever given in the book but it's definitely a point in the far future.

One of my favorite things about this book is that you want the boys to escape but along the way things happen that make you almost think the world outside of their little maze is worse. But you never know for certain which is the best choice, not until it's already been made - or not.

A great story coupled with interesting characters made for an intriguing read. Even the characters you hated you still felt sorry for at times and the ones you liked you got annoyed by. I wouldn't say they were the strongest characters ever written into life but they were great, nonetheless.

One of my favorite reads in quite awhile. I would definitely suggest this book if you are looking for a great read you won't be able to put down until you get to the end. And then you'll just wish it was October 2010 so that Dashner's next book in this series, The Scorching Trials, was released.

Click here for The Maze Runner's official website.

The Lost Symbol

by Dan Brown

Dedication: "For Blythe"

First paragraph: "The secret is how to die. Since the beginning of time, the secret had always been how to die. The thirty-four-year-old initiate gazed down a the human skull cradled in his palms. The skull was hollow, like a bowl, filled with bloodred wine. Drink it, he told himself. You have nothing to fear."

Review: Robert Langdon is summoned to Washington, D.C. at the last minute in order to help out an old friend. He arrives just in time to be sucked in to a night of chaos, secrets, mystery, and action. This book is another in the series featuring Robert Langdon and it takes place some time after Angles and Demons, and The Da Vinci Code.

I had a hard time getting into the story. It may have been because the story wasn't awesome, or it may have been because I wasn't feeling to awesome and I felt like sleeping more than reading. Either way, the beginning of the book wasn't the greatest. But once it really gets the ball rolling the story is filled with action, intensity, and lots of mystery.

Brown throws in his usual curve ball which leaves everyone thinking, "Hmm ... didn't see that coming." Only this time, I think it was easier to see it coming. There was a lot of intense moments and there were twists that you really didn't see coming but it seemed like the book ended up righting itself back on the exact course you predicted.

As far as the characters, it was hard to really get into their stories because every time you are starting to get attached it switches to another character's situation. I think this writing style is used to keep you reading until you get back to whatever Langdon was doing but at the same time, it kept me from ever REALLY getting into the story.

So, final opinion = middle of the book is great. Beginning of the book is kind of boring and the last 50 pages of the book was completely dragged out. I couldn't wait for it to end. (That's a bad sign). Anyway, the book was entertaining for the most part and if you read it, you won't feel like it was a waste of time but it is a little less action and a little more talk than any of Dan Brown's other books I've read.

Click Here for Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol Website.

Fire

by Kristin Cashore

Dedication: "For my little sister Catherine, the (Corinthian) pillar of my heart"

First paragraph: "Larch often thought that if it had not been for his newborn son, he never would have survived his wife Mikra's death. It was half that the infant boy needed a breathing, functioning father who got out of bed in the mornings and slogged through the day; and it was half the child himself. Such a good-natured baby, so calm. His gurgles and coos so musical, and his eyes deep brown like the eyes of his dead mother.

Review: Fire, a human monster living in the Dells, has spent her whole life avoiding her powers for fear of becoming like her power hungry father. She only uses it for self-defense until the rumors of war are too strong to avoid. The King and Prince of the Dells recruit her to see into the minds of their prisoners in order to find out what plans their neighboring enemies have in regards to conquering their kingdom. She battles with herself and those around her in order to avoid using something she's feared for so long.

Fire is the prequel to Graceling. There isn't much in common between the two books except a graceling boy who appears in the prologue of the book.

Fire was an adventurous story with another strong female protagonist fighting for what she loves. This story wasn't as good as Graceling but it was still better than a lot of books. There were a few characters who irritated me but I guess it wasn't all their fault seeing that Fire can do things to people's minds and cause them to become irrational creatures. I just wished they wouldn't have been so clingly.

There was one character I thoroughly enjoyed - the Lord Prince's character and his gradual change from bitter enemy to strongest ally really made this story for me.

There were times when I wanted to kick Fire and tell her to quit acting like a teenager, but let's be honest, she is a teenager and she handles her responsibility quite gracefully for a 17 year old.

All in all it was a page turner that I finished in about a day's time. It had a decent plot, a decent spread of characters, a decent amount of heartache and joy, it even had some unseen plot turns that I never would have expected. Glad I picked it up.

Click here for Kristin Cashore's website on her books Graceling, Fire, and soon to come out Bitterblue

Crashed

by Robin Wasserman

Dedication: "For David Mayer, Ruth Wasserman, and Philip Wasserman, whom I never knew, but suspect I would have liked."

First paragraph: "When I was alive, I dreamed of flying. Or maybe I should say: When I was alive, I dreamed. Sometimes it was flying; more often it was falling. Or burning - trying to scream, trying to run, but frozen and silent and consumed by flames. I dreamed of being alone. Of my face melting or my teeth falling out."

Review: This is the sequel to the book Skinned. Lia Kahn was in a car crash and her body died but she woke up - in a different body that wasn't even human. BioMax has found a way to take the brain, copy it, and then transplant it into a computer inside a machine that is then controlled by the new "brain". There is a lot of controversy over this procedure. People who don't believe these machines should exist and are trying to do anything to get rid them. Lia has to figure out what is going on and how to stop it before it's too late.

I enjoyed this book but it was hard to get in to. There was a lot of whining and recapping at the beginning. Even though it's been awhile since I read the first book it hadn't been long enough for me to need all the intro that it gave. Once she quit whining about how life sucks and she wishes she could feel like she used to it got a lot more interesting.

Wasserman created a futuristic setting with great moral questions. This book gets you thinking. Makes you wonder what you would do if you had the same options. If you could keep your child "alive" even a little longer, would you? If you had to choose between food, shelter, and no freedom, or complete freedom and struggling for food, and a safe place to live, what would your option be?

Although the book was slow at times it kept me interested enough to keep reading, which is good enough. Also, I don't know if there will be another sequel to this book but it ended in a way that there could be but you aren't left hanging, if there is. An overall good read!

Click Here for Robin Wasserman's Skinned/Crashed Web site.