Book Review | Firelight | Sophie Jordan

Dec 15
Book Review | Firelight | Sophie JordanFirelight by Sophie Jordan
Series: Firelight #1
Published by Harper Teeen on September 7, 2010
Genres: Dragons, Families, Fantasy YA, Paranormal YA, Young Adult
Pages: 323
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
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four-stars

A hidden truth. 

Mortal enemies. 

Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will’s dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She’ll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

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Filed Under: Reviews, Young Adult

Book Review | Catching Jordan | Miranda Kenneally

Dec 9

I received this book for free from a fellow blogger (thanks for sharing!) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Book Review | Catching Jordan | Miranda KenneallyCatching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Series: Hundred Oaks #1
Published by Sourcebooks Fire on December 1, 2011
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary YA, Relationships, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 283
Format: ARC
Also in this series: Jesse's Girl
Also by this author: Jesse's Girl
Source: a fellow blogger (thanks for sharing!)
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
four-stars

What girl doesn’t want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn’t just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that’s just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But everything she’s ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he’s also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan’s feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart’s on the line?

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Reviews, Young Adult

Book Review | All These Things I’ve Done | Gabrielle Zevin

Dec 8
Book Review | All These Things I’ve Done | Gabrielle ZevinAll These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
Series: Birthright #1
Published by Farrar Straus & Giroux on September 6, 2011
Genres: Dystopian YA, Families, Young Adult
Pages: 354
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
four-stars

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.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Reviews, Young Adult Tagged With: , , ,

Five-Star Friday | The Sky Is Everywhere | Jandy Nelson

Dec 2

Five-Star Friday is a periodically regular (say what?!) feature that I’m planning on running on Fridays (but not every Friday) in which I talk about (or verbally drool over) a book that I’ve read and ADORED (sometimes they’ll be recent releases and other times they might be older…my piles are tall and the bottoms are old). Yay! I always feel so happy and light and wonderful when I am beside myself with delight over a book, and I want to share the love with you all in the hopes that we can all get together and have an embarrassing, squeal-filled love-fest full of lots of high-pitched “Ohmygod, I KNOW!s” and chest-clutching sighs of contentedness. Huzzah!*

This week, Jandy Nelson’s THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Five-Star Friday, Reviews, Young Adult Tagged With: , , , , ,

Book Review | Legend | Marie Lu

Dec 1

I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Book Review | Legend | Marie LuLegend by Marie Lu
Series: Legend #1
Published by Putnam Juvenile on November 29, 2011
Genres: Dystopian YA, Families, Relationships, Young Adult
Pages: 305
Format: ARC
Also by this author: The Young Elites
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
four-half-stars

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths – until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Reviews, Young Adult

Book Review | Wildwood Dancing | Juliet Marillier

Nov 28
Book Review | Wildwood Dancing | Juliet MarillierWildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
Series: Wildwood #1
Published by Knopf on January 23, 2007
Genres: Aussie YA, Fairy tales, Fantasy YA, Retelling, Sisters, Young Adult
Pages: 407
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
four-stars

High in the Transylvanian woods, at the castle Piscul Draculi, live five daughters and their doting father. It’s an idyllic life for Jena, the second eldest, who spends her time exploring the mysterious forest with her constant companion, a most unusual frog. But best by far is the castle’s hidden portal, known only to the sisters. Every Full Moon, they alone can pass through it into the enchanted world of the Other Kingdom. There they dance through the night with the fey creatures of this magical realm.

But their peace is shattered when Father falls ill and must go to the southern parts to recover, for that is when cousin Cezar arrives. Though he’s there to help the girls survive the brutal winter, Jena suspects he has darker motives in store. Meanwhile, Jena’s sister has fallen in love with a dangerous creature of the Other Kingdom–an impossible union it’s up to Jena to stop.

When Cezar’s grip of power begins to tighten, at stake is everything Jena loves: her home, her family, and the Other Kingdom she has come to cherish. To save her world, Jena will be tested in ways she can’t imagine–tests of trust, strength, and true love.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Reviews, Young Adult

Book Review | Saving June | Hannah Harrington

Nov 21

I received this book for free from BookExpo in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Book Review | Saving June | Hannah HarringtonSaving June by Hannah Harrington
Published by Harlequin Teen on November 22, 2011
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary YA, Relationships, Romance, Sisters, Young Adult
Pages: 322
Format: ARC
Source: BookExpo
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
four-stars

‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’

Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going, California.

Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.

Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Reviews, Young Adult

Book Review | The Future of Us | Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

Nov 18

I received this book for free from BookExpo in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Book Review | The Future of Us | Jay Asher and Carolyn MacklerThe Future of Us by Carolyn Mackler, Jay Asher
Published by Razorbill on November 21, 2011
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Relationships, Young Adult
Pages: 356
Format: ARC
Source: BookExpo
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
three-stars

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.

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Filed Under: Reviews, Young Adult

Book Review | East | Edith Pattou

Nov 16
Book Review | East | Edith PattouEast by Edith Pattou
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on September 1, 2003
Genres: Fairy tales, Fantasy YA, Retelling, Young Adult
Pages: 498
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought it
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
five-stars

Rose has always felt out of place in her family, a wanderer in a bunch of homebodies. So when an enormous white bear mysteriously shows up and asks her to come away with him—in exchange for health and prosperity for her ailing family—she readily agrees. The bear takes Rose to a distant castle, where each night she is confronted with a mystery. In solving that mystery, she loses her heart, discovers her purpose, and realizes her travels have only just begun.

As familiar and moving as “Beauty and the Beast” and yet as fresh and original as only the best fantasy can be, East is a novel retelling of the classic tale “East of the Sun, West of the Moon,” a sweeping romantic epic in the tradition of Robin McKinley and Gail Carson Levine.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Reviews, Young Adult

Five-Star Friday | The Scorpio Races | Maggie Stiefvater

Nov 11

Five-Star Friday is a periodically regular (say what?!) feature that I’m planning on running on Fridays (but not every Friday) in which I talk about (or verbally drool over) a book that I’ve read and ADORED (sometimes they’ll be recent releases and other times they might be older…my piles are tall and the bottoms are old). Yay! I always feel so happy and light and wonderful when I am beside myself with delight over a book, and I want to share the love with you all in the hopes that we can all get together and have an embarrassing, squeal-filled love-fest full of lots of high-pitched “Ohmygod, I KNOW!s” and chest-clutching sighs of contentedness. Huzzah!*

First up, Maggie Stiefvater’s THE SCORPIO RACES

Book cover for The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater [Read more…]

Filed Under: Five-Star Friday, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
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