Absolutely Truly: A Pumpkin Falls Mystery by Heather Vogel Frederick

Back Cover
An unsent letter in a first edition copy of Charlotte’s Web leads to a hunt for treasure in this heartwarming middle grade mystery from the author of The Mother-Daughter Book Club.

Now that Truly Lovejoy’s father has been injured by an IED in Afghanistan and is having trouble finding work back home, the family moves from Texas to tiny Pumpkin Falls, New Hampshire, to take over Lovejoy’s Books, a struggling bookstore that’s been in the family for one hundred years.

With two older brothers and two younger sisters clamoring for attention, her mother back in school, and everyone up to their eyebrows trying to keep Lovejoy’s Books afloat, Truly feels more overlooked than usual. So she pours herself into uncovering the mystery of an undelivered letter she finds stuck in a valuable autographed first edition of Charlotte’s Web, which subsequently goes missing from the bookshop. What’s inside the envelope leads Truly and her new Pumpkin Falls friends on a madcap treasure hunt around town, chasing clues that could spell danger.

My Thoughts
I really liked this book a lot. The moment you read about the father and what he went through and what his family went through for military, it just sticks with you. You feel for the girl, Truly, and how she feels lost in her family. A new school. New house. New everything. Who can blame her for feeling this way? I would feel the same. Truly is hilarious and very smart for her 12 year old self. I was impressed with her and her friends smarts and how well they did with the clues for the mystery. I think an unsung character would be Aunt True. She livens things up and sort of brings the family back together, almost back to normal. She's the crazy they needed to become their crazy family again. I think Aunt True was one of my favorite characters after Truly. They both hold the story together.

4 out of 5 stars.

Finishing School Series by Gail Carriger

For this post I'm reviewing the 3 books in the Finishing School series by Gail Carriger.

Book 1
Etiquette & Espionage 

Back Cover:
It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners--and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine's, young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but the also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage--in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's education.


My Thoughts: 
 I really liked this book! I think the way Carriger portrays Sophronia (which I kinda love that name) is so unique and just heartwarming. I also love that the finishing academy is not what anyone thinks it is. I think if it was a real school, I would die to go there. I'm not one that likes steampunk style but this steampunk Victorian setting is by far the best and most intriguing to me.

Characters: 
Sophronia- A strong-minded young girl who is curious by nature and misunderstood by everyone but a few people. She is perfect for the life of espionage because she has the mind that works ahead of most people. When you're on step 2 she's already on step 6. She is truly a great character and a girl that girls nowadays need to read about. What makes her so wonderful also, is that she doesn't depend on her beauty, she depends on her smarts and common sense. 

Dimity- She's the opposite of Sophronia in all ways that matter. She's the one that helps Sophronia become better at being a lady; and Sophronia helps Dimity become better at espionage. They balance each other out which makes their friendship better.  

Pillover- Dimity's brother. I love him because he's so good at being moody and the younger brother. He brings a little humor to the story with his being a let down to his parents. Truly a good character to have.

Soap- It's obvious from the get go that something is going to happen between Soap ( a lowly sootie at the school) and Sophronia. There isn't a definite romance in the first book, but the set up is there. You also get to see even though he is a 'lowly sootie' from Africa and people look down on him for his color AND his job, he is a good person, hard worker , and true friend to Sophronia. Top 3 favorite characters (along with Sophronia and Dimity).

Plot: 
I really thought the plot was appropriate for the age of the characters and the setting they were in- an espionage school. It had a mix of adventure, humor, and suspense. All things you want in a book. 

4 out 5 stars!


Book 2
Curtsies & Conspiracies

Back Cover:

Does one need four fully grown foxgloves for decorating a dinner table for six guests? Or is it six foxgloves to kill four fully grown guests?

Sophronia's first year at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality has certainly been rousing! For one thing, finishing school is training her to be a spy--won't Mumsy be surprised? Furthermore, Sophronia got mixed up in an intrigue over a stolen device and had a cheese pie thrown at her in a most horrid display of poor manners.

Now, as she sneaks around the dirigible school, eavesdropping on the teachers' quarters and making clandestine climbs to the ship's boiler room, she learns that there may be more to a field trip to London than is apparent at first. A conspiracy is afoot--one with dire implications for both supernaturals and humans. Sophronia must rely on her training to discover who is behind the dangerous plot-and survive the London Season with a full dance card.

In this sequel to New York Times bestselling Etiquette & Espionage, class is back in session with more petticoats and poison, tea trays and treason. Gail's distinctive voice, signature humor, and lush steampunk setting are sure to be the height of fashion this season

My Thoughts:
I think this second book was thrilling! It had a good fast pace, lots of wit, and was engaging. Sophronia is delightful once again in this story. I think this book has more umph because the girls are sharing classes now with boys from the evil genius school for boys. Sophronia attracts the attention of Felix- a good looking, wealthy young man. She doesn't quite understand why he likes her so much though. This story gets better when Dimity and Pillover are kidnapped by Vampires. And guess who decides it's up to her to save them? That's right, Sophronia. She's always in the middle of things, that girl. It gets better when the girls start discussing boy parts and what they look like..it's so hysterically middle school that you can't help but laugh and be like, yep, that's exactly how girls are.
You can definitely see a love triangle, of sorts, developing between Soap, Sophronia, and Felix. The guys' distaste for each other is so obvious, and not for the obvious societal reasons. It's pretty hysterical even if Sophronia doesn't understand it.
I really like Sophronia's character more because she's growing up and becoming even better as a person, a lady, and as a spy. She uses her head and is learning to use her heart when it comes to friends and matters of the heart.  I think I admire her because of her boldness in taking on tasks that no normal 15 yr old would do...but then again, Sophronia isn't a typical 15 yr old. She knows her mind and she knows what she wants, and what she likes. And she sticks to it. She also is open to learning from others, such as Dimity who helps her with the finishing part of the school.

This series is definitely suitable for middle/high schoolers.

4 out of 5 stars!


 Book 3
Waistcoats & Weaponry

Back cover: Sophronia continues second year finishing school in style -- with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown. She, best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and charming Lord Felix Mersey stow away on train to return classmate Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland. No one suspects what or who would be aboard the suspiciously empty train.

My Thoughts: 
 I find that this book was really more engaging and even more fast paced than the others. It was riveting! I loved it from beginning to end. You definitely start to see how Sophronia's brain works and how she is always ahead of not only her peers but her teachers as well. She's very intelligent and knows how to think on her feet.

Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer

Back Cover
In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.


 My Thoughts

Overall 
I really liked Cress a lot! I still prefer Scarlet best just because of the romance between her and Wolf but Cress is a great addition. I really love this series because in all the books the main character is about a brilliant, strong young woman. Cress is pure genius. She can hack computers as easily as she breathes or blinks. She's amazing! I really liked the character development that happened with Thorne in this book- Cress definitely brought out something good and worth-while in him. Cinder finally didn't get on my nerves as much as the last two books. I like her, I do. But she really needed to accept who she is and just kick some Lunar ass. 

Characters
So my main complaint about the characters this books is about Wolf. I was so in love with him in Scarlet. Cress just made him seem all forlorn and forgotten and rage lust. I get he's a wolf hybrid from the moon but come on! He's a force! He has to get himself out of this Saddy Sadsack place and go and kick some Lunar ass and get his woman back! I really hated how he was portrayed like the only way for him to go on is if Scarlet is with him. And yes, Scarlet is a great character and a strong young woman but no character needs to be so dependent on another that they are mindless. 
Cress- LOVE HER! I love her back story and how gentle she is. I also love how she sees the good in Thorne and never gives up on him.
Thorne finally becomes a character to me. His character development is tremendous and I actually like the dude. So yay! I really think he needed someone like Cress for him to mature and grow.
Cinder- finally accepts herself and takes matters into her own hands! Only took 3 books!


I highly recommend this entire series to anyone looking for something amazing to read. It's very fantastical but also has steampunk-esque elements. 

4 out of 5 stars!

Diary of a Teenage Fairy Godmother by Kathleen Baldwin

 Back Cover Summary:
A Fairy Godmother is not some pixie in a pink tutu. She’s a guardian and a warrior. Lilliana Skye is sent undercover to a Texas high school to save one of Cinderella’s troubled descendants, but everything goes wrong.

Jessica Harrison hates Lilliana. She doesn’t believe in fairytale magic or happily-ever-afters. Jess is tough, angry, and so intelligent it’s scary. If she ever did see a mythical fairy she would probably stomp it into oblivion with her army boots. Matters go from bad to worse when Jess’s older brother meets Lilliana and falls hard for the new girl. And Lilliana can’t keep her wayward heart in check. Jake is, well, just plain dangerous.

Falling in love with a human is forbidden, not to mention… deadly.

 My Thoughts:
Overall
I had been wanting to read this for a few months but decided to wait and see if I would get it for Christmas..and I did! I am happy I waited. It was an easy, quick read. I enjoyed it a lot but even for the $3, I'm glad it was a gift and I didn't purchase it. If the library had had a copy, I would've just borrowed it. That being said, it's a book that I could reread again. It's very appropriate for the YA group it's written for. It's a great modern take on a classic fairy tale.

The Characters:
I really didn't care for Jess, the descendant of Cinderella, one bit. I get that she had a lot of issues and was hurting from the loss of her older brother but she took the whole "I'm grieving" to a new level all on her own. She was a Bitch. I would have given up on her if I was her FG.
I thought Lilliana was brilliant. I thought she was funny but strong and clearly, beautiful. She's one of those girls that loves everyone because she doesn't know any better- talk about a bad case being sheltered. I did appreciate that she was obedient but then discovered that her guardian is bat shit crazy and she shouldn't be so obedient to her. I really felt her pain about not being with the one she love. 
Jake is a good guy- wears his emotions on his sleeve. I'm really glad that even thought he's hurting from the death of his brother he is able to let love into his life. I'm also glad that he stands up and tells Jess how it is. Geez, that girl...

Plot
I think the whole concept of the story is very unique. Taking a beloved fairy tale, like Cinderella, and weaving it into the modern day world is so awesome. I loved the fact that Lilliana had to help Jess become more open to love or she would become evil and destroy the world. I think the whole plot is very well thought out and believable in ways. I like to think that in some parts of the world, and for some people, magic truly does exist and help them. It's a nice and very cool thought!

I would recommend this to anyone but 6th grade and up or a higher reading 5th grader and up. I think adults can easily enjoy this fantastical tale just as much as young readers. Boy or girl. 

4 out of 5 stars!

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

Sometimes I go onto the OverDrive app that my local library has and I browse all the books. And on some occasions, I find books that I like because of their cover picture...this is one of those cases.


Summary: (back cover) I don't usually take the back cover summary, but I liked it for this book.

Golden boy Ezra Faulkner believes everyone has a tragedy waiting for them—a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. His particular tragedy waited until he was primed to lose it all: in one spectacular night, a reckless driver shatters Ezra’s knee, his athletic career, and his social life.

No longer a front-runner for Homecoming King, Ezra finds himself at the table of misfits, where he encounters new girl Cassidy Thorpe. Cassidy is unlike anyone Ezra’s ever met, achingly effortless, fiercely intelligent, and determined to bring Ezra along on her endless adventures.

But as Ezra dives into his new studies, new friendships, and new love, he learns that some people, like books, are easy to misread. And now he must consider: if one’s singular tragedy has already hit and everything after it has mattered quite a bit, what happens when more misfortune strikes?

Robyn Schneider’s The Beginning of Everything is a lyrical, witty, and heart-wrenching novel about how difficult it is to play the part that people expect, and how new beginnings can stem from abrupt and tragic endings.

My Feelings:
I was a bit hesitant when I first started reading this book. I mean, I've read a lot of teen fiction and a lot of it deals with high schoolers dealing with high school drama. This book is the same but with an added twist. It has a sorta who-dun-it aspect to it which I loved.  
Ezra is a smart, popular high school kid who has everything he could ask for. After finding his girlfriend in a less than attractive position with another guy, Ezra leaves the party of the week only to find himself in the hospital days later. What happened? Ezra was hit by a black SUV going way too fast. His knee is shattered and Dr's tell him he will never play sports again. Ever. So goes the tale of how Ezra went from popular stud to debate club nerd. He reconnects with his once best friend, Toby. Who is probably the best character in the book with his book smarts and quick wit. Cassidy, Ezra's love interest is something else. She's mysterious but I'm not sure it's a good way. It's rather annoying. And then, poof!, she doesn't want anything to do with Ezra. It's crazy. Charlotte, Ezra's ex-girlfriend, is the epitome of high school slut. She will open her legs for any guy. I didn't like her- it was like reading about Mean Girls. 
The whole story revolved around how Ezra is pitiful now because of his injury and because he can't play sports. Almost like, if you can't be a jock you can't be anything. Which may be true in some schools. Ezra joins the Debate club because of class schedule rules and is good, no great, but good. He can hold his own when needed. Cassidy, you find out, was a debate champion, who quit all of a sudden last year for no apparent reason. She starts training Ezra to be her protege so she doesn't have to participate anymore. Ezra and Cassidy become a couple all of sudden, no words discussed, just it happens. You find out that Cassidy had a brother- he's the reason that Ezra is injured. It's very sad really.
This book did remind me of Eleanor & Park because of the relationship between Ezra and Cassidy. I give props to Schneider though for her humor and having smart high schoolers portrayed. It was great. I loved how she had geeks in the forefront as the winners and the ones you wanted to be friends with for a lifetime. 
It's a good read. Great humor and reads fast.

4 out of 5 stars.

Forget Me by K.A. Harrington

Recommendation from Tumblr.

Summary:
Three months after her boyfriend's death, Morgan uploads a picture of him to a social media site for 'closure'. In doing this, she finds out that her may be alive as the site prompted to tag someone- who looks exactly like him. Realizing she doesn't know a lot about her boyfriend of 2 months, Morgan sets out to find out who this 'twin' is and why her boyfriend was so secretive. Morgan goes into detective mode and finds out a lot of answers to questions she has. This fast paced novel really delves into the lies and mysteries in a small town and found in your own family. Is Morgan's boyfriend really alive? No. Does he have a twin? No. But the person she does find is even better than him. Does she bring down an evil man who was thought to be dead? Yes. Does she give the town peace? Yes.

Read it to find out how! It's a super quick read. I read it in 2 hours.

My Thoughts:
LOVED IT! The conversations are quick and well written. Morgan is a quick-thinking teen who is motivated to find the truth. Her best friend is a great side-kick but can definitely hold her own. Evan is adorable (come on, dimples, *swoon*). I think he's the one she's been looking for anyways. Their relationship is real from the start, a little weird under the circumstances but real. What I really liked about this book is the active presence of parents. It's so great to finally have parents who care! Who actively parent in a book. It's so life-like. So hooray for that, Harrington. It's a face paced read and you will enjoy it. It's maybe a little easy to figure out but it's such a great read that you won't care. Read it.

5 out of 5 stars! I love quick reads that are also quick-thinking and have strong characters.

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

This book has a very pretty cover, which is why I really wanted it. It's also a great read so it wasn't chosen in vain.

Summary
Incarnate introduces Ana a nosoul, someone who is new to the world and hasn't been reborn like everyone else. Everyone else is 5,000 years old or more, but not Ana. She is the first nosoul to ever be born. She has no friends, no one that loves her. Even her mother hates her. Then on her 18th birthday, she sets out for the city in hopes to find some answers. Along the way she runs into some trouble and is saved by Sam. Sam is the only person who has ever talked to her nicely or at all. He's the only person who hasn't shunned her and told her she was a nosoul. He calls her a new soul. Along the way, Ana and Sam's relationship blooms, forming into this love that Ana has never known. Ana also finds out Sam is the man from the past thousands of years whose music has inspired her to keep going and kept her sane all these years. Their passion for music and the arts fuels their love making their relationship deeper and more real.
Once Ana is allowed to enter the city, everything goes from bad to worse. She is put on curfew, made to check in, and get a proper education (something her mother slacked on). If it wasn't for Sam, Ana wouldn't be allowed to look into her father and also why she was born. There is always something that gets in her way. Will she find out why she was born? Why she replaced Ciana? Yes. She does. And man, it's not what you expect! Her father is the reason (Spoiler). He created a way to stop souls from being reborn.

My Thoughts:
I really liked this book. It took me a few days to read it because it does start out slow and Ana's pity party does get on your nerves which makes you want to get away from her for a bit. But if you can get passed her pity party of 'why me' then it's really a great story. The idea of people being reborn for thousands of years over and over again, it's interesting. The author really does a great job weaving this tale of being reborn and remembering your past lives. It's truly awesome! Ana is a good character, she's stronger than you realize at first and does eventually become the person Sam believes in. Sam is the person you would want to meet along any journey. He's passionate, artistic, and (in my head) handsome. He's what Ana needs in the book- someone to believe in her. Because he also needs someone to believe in him. Their relationship is very romantic and fast and just what you think of when you think of teenagers. Even though Sam is thousands of years of old, in this life, he's Ana's age.
Like I said, it's a great story and the details of this world are extraordinary. It's a great read and makes you think.

4 out of 5 stars!

Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

This is another book that I picked up based on reviews by friends and Tumblr posts. I AM SO GLAD I DID!


Synopsis:
Harper Price has it all. Money, look, the perfect boyfriend. She's involved in almost every extracurricular activity at school except the newspaper. Her nemesis, David Stark, is on the newspaper and she likes to stay as far away from him as possible. That all changes the night of Homecoming when the 'janitor' gives her this creepy kiss- and she become super strong. She is now a Paladin. A protector of someone or something even if it costs her her life. Who is this person or thing she must protect? She soon finds out, it's David Stark. The one person she could care less about and now she's sworn to protect him. Protect him from what? This part of the story involves so much more detail. It's set  in Alabama so the southern humor and charm is all throughout this book.


My thoughts:
I loved this book! Being from the South I found this book so funny. The thought of Cotillion and all the proper manners for you elders and what not, I totally understood. Even if you don't understand the Southern ways, this book is so charming and funny that you'll enjoy it anyways. Harper is a fierce and smart girl who has a good head on her shoulders and embraces the Paladin powers. David seems like your average high school guy who also has a bad case of no fashion sense. The story is set at a good pace and is very action packed for something that you would think wouldn't really be. It's interesting also in that it tells this detailed outline of what Paladins are and relates it to history. It's a good book and an easy read. It'll make you laugh and you'll totally be all OMG! a couple places.

5 our of 5 stars! Read it.

Fable (Unfortunate Fairy Tales book 3) by Chanda Hahn

I've read the first 2 books in this series and forgot that I had bought this one on my Kindle a while ago. I finally went through my books and was excited to see it.

What's Happened:
In the first two book Mina finds out she is a descendant of the Grimm brothers. She has powers that enable her to live the fairy tales that the Grimm's wrote all those years ago. She is put into situations that put her life at risk and she is forced to use her Grimoire to save her life and/or the other's life. The Grimoire is a book that changes into what Mina needs at the moment- a sword, a bow and arrow, etc. The one thing that makes this tool even more interesting is that there's a cute boy attached to it- her guardian. Jared. He's her protector and helper. He is there to help her figure out what she's supposed to do and help her successfully complete the tales. There's also the bad guy, Teague- Jared's twin. Jared and Teague are both fae so they have some magic going on.
Mina is in high school so of course there are all those teenager-y things going on as well. She has a best friend and a crush. Who get entangled into one of the tales and Mina must save them.
This is a very vague description- just go read them.

Book 3- Where We Are:
We find Mina trying hard not to give in to any fairy tale quests. She has been ignoring Jared for the whole Summer and he has been doing the same. The book opens up with Mina's apartment bursting into flames and her brother, Charlie, dying (or so you think). After his funeral, Mina goes back to school and she has Jared back. He's a mess that he wasn't there for her and she's a lump of sadness for losing her brother. She blames herself since she was the one home with him and supposed to protect him.
Then appears Temple, a descendant of Rumplestilkstin. He has a bargain for Mina, steal the book from the Prince and give it to him and she can have her brother back! Boom! Charlie's alive. She has to do it, right? To save her brother. Jared tries to tell her not to and that he can't go back to the Fae world but she goes alone. She goes over to the Fae world alone with nothing and no one to protect her. She has a run in with a sea witch or two. She keeps a level head though and she eventually does win her brother back from Temple. Then Teague tells her to help him and she does (for some dumb reason) but before she realizes what's happening, she has joined the Prince with his twin, Jared, making them one again. She finds out that Jared was the good half of Teague that was separated from him for his own good and then they were bound to the books. What has Mina done?

My Feelings
I really like this series! Mina can be a tad whiny at times, but she's in high school and cursed. I would be like that too. She's a fierce girl though. She always ends up on top and helps those in need. Even before herself. She has a good heart and when she needs to she can kick some ass.
I like her and Jared together. I was so disappointed when we was joined back with Teague. I really hoped Mina and Jared would end up together (I love me some romance). Teague is pure evil- which is good since that's his main role in the books.
I'm not a fan of Mina's best friend Nan and the crush Brody. They are so forced- both their relationship in the book and as characters. I could do without them.
I love the background of the story though. Mina being a relative of the Grimm brothers and being cursed. The curse is the reason why she must play out the different fairy tales. It's a very interesting and creative take on the Grimm brothers. I really enjoy it and it's very interesting how Hahn depicts the fairy tales in a modern way for Mina.

I'm ready for the 4th book!
4.5 out of 5 stars!
 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I finally decided to read The Fault in Our Stars after buying it 3 months ago on my Kindle. I wasn't really into reading, maybe because of the hype of it or because I know I cry like a baby when it's a sad sad story. Either way, I sat down a read it. I'm very glad I did.

I'm sure most of you know the story by now but this is my book blog so I'll tell you the story anyways...

The story centers around Hazel Grace, a 16 yr old girl who has thyroid cancer but also water in her lungs. She's not in remission but her cancer hasn't spread since being put on a new medication. She's terminal. She attends a Cancer Support group once a week and this is where she meets, Augustus (Gus).
In my eyes, they immediately hit it off. Even though Hazel is very calm about a boy staring at her and acts cool she is anything but. Hazel has this uncanny ability to talk- when she talks it's pretty epic what she says. For a 16 yr old, some of the stuff she says..it's just like wow! Gus had cancer, which caused him to have his leg amputated. He's in remission. Hazel Grace and Gus start to hang out right away. I mean the very night they meet, knowing each other for only an hour, they go to his house (his parents are there) to watch a movie. I guess it's not too weird but I was like 'hmm, wow.' After that, they are pretty much inseparable. They spend a lot of time together and help their friend, Isaac, through his eye cancer. The 3 of them hang out a lot together supporting each other.
Hazel Grace and Gus bond even more over Hazel's favorite book. Gus suggests they use his Wish to meet him..Hazel is shocked- why would he want to waste his Wish on her? They go. and are disappointed.
Spoiler alert...Gus dies. He freakin dies. I cried so hard. I knew. but omg. He's there..and then he's not. Heart. break.

I'm mostly being vague so if you choose to read you're surprised a little bit at least. The book was pretty much told to me but I read it so I can say I read it.

Go read it...and bring a box of tissues.. 4 out of 5 stars..that emotional roller coaster made my eyes hurt from all the tears.

Unravel Me Book (Shatter Me series #2) by Tahereh Mafi

I'm a little disappointed that I just found out that there are 1/2 books between the regular series books. Which I hate when authors do that, why do you need book 1, book 1 1/2, book 2 and so on...I never see the point. But anyways, since I didn't know there were 1/2 books between the others I went right ahead and read book 2..

In book 2, the story picks up where Juliette and Adam have escaped to Omega Point, where they are safe from the crazy, power driven Winston.This is when Juliette starts to realize her power. And her love, her crazy obsessive love, for Adam. Adam feels the same. We also learn that Adam has a power. He can 'deactivate' others' powers by touching them- which is why he can touch Juliette. It's not until Juliette stops acting like a self-centered brat (thanks to Kenji) that she really starts to focus on using her gift and seeing what she is capable of. She becomes someone they can depend on. Except when she loses her shit- that girl is like the She Hulk. I swear. Holy balls. Do not make her angry!
We do see Winston again after a meeting between his father and Juliette where Juliette loses her shit (again) and shoots him in both legs (spoiler?) and is about to kill him (which would have been amazing cause he's a bigger shit than Winston). But Kenji (oh Kenji *swoons*) stops Juliette. And they take Winston hostage- which if you pay attention to the relationship between Winston and his dad, not too brilliant of a plan, as his dad could give less than two shits about him.
Omega Point has Winston and they keep him in a nice room and have Juliette talk to him. Which, I was all 'why? he loves her and she's attracted to him..' so it didn't make sense to me. But in the end, it does work. He tells them his father's plans. We also learn, (major spoiler) that Adam's dad and his little brother's dad (who they thought were dead) is in fact the man that Winston calls Dad. That's right...Adam and Winston are half brothers. My mind was blown. Plot twist!
What I really liked is the steamy scene between Winston and Juliette. I mean they are about to have sex when she's all like 'Adam' and Winston is like "WTF". Breaks his heart. And that is the only time I feel sorry for him. We also find out his first name is Aaron.
It's a good story. I didn't ruin too much of it for you...So read it.

4 out of 5 stars.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

I saw this book on Tumblr a few times and decided to get it from the library to read. I started and finished it in 1 day (my husband is always so shocked I do this but really, if it's a great book- it's not hard).

Shatter Me is about a girl, Juliette, who is trapped. Well, she's held in an asylum..cause she's dangerous, not crazy- very, very, dangerous. She's been held in the asylum for years. Her parents wanted her to be locked up. Her parents were scared of her. They hate her. She hasn't been outside in years. She hasn't seen another person or talked to anyone in years. Then, out of the blue she gets a cellmate- a man. Someone she remembers from her life growing up. But does he remember her? She could never forget those eyes. Those blue eyes. At first, she doesn't talk to him. She ignores him. But then, she slowly opens up. She tells him her name. She talks. He talks. They bond.
Then you find out it was all a trap. A crazy setup led by an even crazier guy- Winston. He wants her to help him rule the world...oh wait..why is she dangerous? you're wondering..She can kill people with her bare hands, she can suck your life out of you by simply touching you with her bare hands. And she's SUPER strong. She's a tiny wisp of a thing- who can lift grown men off their feet, blast through walls and lose herself to the power she possesses. She's a force to be reckoned with. Someone you need and want on your side. Winston is no dummy. He's power hungry. He wants her to help him rule the world. But then something happens..Winston, the bad guy, falls in LOVE with her. But even more than that, the 'cellmate' Adam is in love with Juliette also. Adam is really a soldier in Winston's army. Adam isn't supposed to feel anything. But Adam and Juliette love each other. They run away together.
Then you meet Kenji. Honestly, I love Kenji. He's the one I would date in the book. He's the jokester but kickass soldier who can do what no one else can- blend in with backgrounds..that's right- he can make himself invisible. How effin cool is that?!
So, Juliette learns, after she and Adam break out of Winston's crazy house, that there is a safe place for them, for everyone who isn't fooled by the new government. There's a rebellion forming. There's also people like her, who have special gifts too. She's not alone. She's not crazy.
The relationship between Adam and Juliette is sweet. Their relationship oozes off the pages of the book. You can feel the passion they have for each other. It's a great relationship. The author created a relationship most people in real life look for their whole lives. And these teens in this book, get it. They have this overly emotional LOVE for each other like no one else has had. It's a good relationship. But you get the feeling it just can't happen. Why can Adam touch Juliette without dying? No one else can...and that my friends, is why I read the 2nd book right after this one...

5 out of 5 stars! Must read!!
I would also like to mention that this story reminds me of the t.v. show Heroes.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

The Sinclair family is a wealthy, sophisticated, and cocky family. They vacation on a private island during the Summer and live the life you dream of the rest of the year. The patriarch of the family has all the money, which is little shit adult daughters are fighting each other for and have their children say dumb shit to him about how great it is to be a Sinclair. The thing is, the parents, suck. Divorced, uptight, and fake- the only one I actually sorta liked was the aunt who brought Gat with her, and even then I only sort of liked her.

But I'm getting ahead of myself, this book is one I started on discs but then had to stop because the 2nd disc and on were all screwed to shit so I couldn't listen anymore. SO I had to wait, for 3 weeks to get it. Finally, I got and it and then started where I left off from the disc version.

Now I'll continue..
Cadence is the narrator. A whiny teenager who has money and gets whatever she wants. You get the feeling in the beginning ( or at least I did) that she will complain about everything..and she does. The story gets interesting about halfway through, once she hits her head on the rocks. That's when, I gasped. Yes, I literally gasped. I was all, OH NO!. (You know it's a good book when you gasp or do anything like that- a book that provokes emotion, is a great book). Once Cady hits her head, it's all about her trying to remember what happened, why she was in the water, why she was alone, and what made her go swimming alone almost drowning. Gat, Mirren, and Johnny and Cadence are the liars, they have always been together, since they were young. Gat and Cady are more than friends. Gat is the nephew of the man one of the aunt's is dating. He's been coming since year 8. They are all close while on Cape Cod but once they go back to their lives they don't really communicate.
After Cady's accident- she can't remember anything. Her parents won't let her go back to the island and so they force her to go to England (you would think she'd be excited like anyone else would be but nope, this spoiled little shit isn't excited at all).  I get it, she has post traumatic stress from her accident, she's sick- migraines, throwing up, blacking out but the fact that she wants to die- well, that's just crazy. Her mom babies her even more. All in all, Cadence annoys the piss out of me. I only kept reading because I needed to know what happened to The Liars. As I kept reading, I got the feeling that she was going crazy. Seeing things. Never once do the adults mention the other kids once Cady is allowed to go back for the Summer. But she sees them. She does remember eventually what happened. And let me tell you, I gasped (again) and was like OMG. I wasn't expecting the Liars to have perished the summer Cady got injured. But they did. Shocking twist. WHICH I LOVE PLOT TWISTS!!!
Spoiler:Gat, Merren and Johnny die in a fire the 4 liars created themselves. Cadence was the only survivor. The 4 of them set their grandfathers house on fire (the one on the island) to rebel against the adults and their stupidity and fighting. While Cadence is setting her section on fire she lights it too quickly trapping the others in the house. She tries to save them burning half her body but can't get to them. Which is how she ends up in the water, trying to put out the flames on her, she hits her head. The adults (aunt's, mom and granddad) find her.

4 out of 5 stars! I just really couldn't get passed Cadence being such a whiny little bitch.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

This is my second book by Rainbow Rowell that I've read, the first being, Eleanor & Park, which I loved. I, not only, think R.R.'s (sorry, I'm too lazy to type it out again) name is cool but her books are ammmazing! Her characters really pull you in and her plot is just great. The little worlds she creates on paper are splendid and I love getting lost in them. I read this book in a little over 12 hours because I have a toddler and a life. It was great though and if you have a good amount time, just sit and read it!

Fangirl is about Cather (Cath) and her twin sister Wren- Cather + Wren = Catherine..Genius. This was one of my, OMG, That's brilliant!, moments. The book revolves around Cath and her fanfiction writing about Simon Snow. They have been obsessed about Simon since they were kids and with the last book coming out soon Cath dives into her world writing as fast as possible to finish the fanfiction story she's been working on for 2 years. Wren has pulled away from the fandom world and also Cath, which hurts Cath deeply. Wren starts to spiral out of control and eventually gets a wake up call that changes her life. Cath is left to finish her telling of Simon alone, without her sister's help. She's left to figure the college life and friends out, alone.
I really enjoyed how Rowell intertwined a fantasy world (Simon Snow) in with a 'real' world story. The snippets that you get to read from Simon's world are interesting. But I'll be honest, Cather's world for Simon, is awesome and entertaining. At first, Cath seemed to me a lot pathetic and I questioned why she wasn't some hermit at home with her Dad and why she decided to even go to this big university in the first place. Wren is so vibrant and alive and in your face that it made sense for her to shrug off the twin mask and live her own life. But Cath? Nope. Cath doesn't know who she is without her fanfiction. Cath is a bit crazy. A lot asocial. She's not meant for this world. At times, I got the feeling like Cath just went through the motions of life just so she could get back to Simon Snow fanfiction writing. In fact, it's kind of spelled out that way. It's not until her professor for Fiction Writing that you get a sense that maybe Cath will move out of that fantasy world and become a real writer. Cath is hardheaded. She doesn't see that she can be a successful fiction writer and even gives up on the the class. Granted, that ass Nick has some to do with that. I was so glad he got fired and she said NO to him at the end. Gah.
I think my favorite character though was, Reagan. She was this no nonsense, kickass, do what she wants woman- Cath's roommate. She was funny and her sense of humor and personality just made me laugh and want more of her. Honestly, Cath was my second favorite character. I did think she was a bit of a dramatic and weird and clingy but once she grew up, I liked her. I really liked her and her writing and I was rooting for her. Levi was great. He was sweet, kind, charming and what Cath needed (imagine that). He was a great character and one that really helped Cath grow up and learn about herself. I think without Levi, this story would've ended with Cath failing out of college, living with her crazy Dad, and becoming a cat lady.
This is by far one of the greatest books I've read in a long time. A lot of what was written was just great. And it made you think about your life and how you acted in college. I know that I wasn't all crazy weird like Cath but I get her. I get her anxiety with college. I'm very glad that college is over for me.
This is definitely a book I could read over and over again. Even if the ending did aggravate me. I wanted more- I want to know what else happens in their lives. It ended so abruptly.

5 out of 5 stars! You go R.R., you go!

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Let me tell you why I chose this book- my research paper for grad school is about challenged books, specifically dealing with controversial content. Duh, you say. That's why all books are challenged- because something in them is controversial. Well, yes. I say, Duh, back to you. I know. My research entails 11 years of complaints dealing with the top 10 books (ALA compiles this each year) and the reasons given for the challenges. While doing this research I decided that perhaps it would be interesting to read the books that were on the list or I cam across in my research to see if I agreed with the reasons. One of the newspaper articles I found and that I used in my paper refers to Picoult's book, Nineteen Minutes, and it's inappropriate material for 14 year old students. So, I borrowed a copy from the library....

Nineteen Minutes is about how long it takes for something to happen..."In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn, color your hair, watch a third of a hockey game.." That's how Picoult starts off this book. Catchy, isn't it? I've never thought about how long it takes to do something..not really. It took Peter Houghton only 19 minutes to seriously change his life, and the lives of so many others. It's a subject that no one wants to think about and no parent wants to even imagine. A school shooting. Caused by the acts of bullying, adults not caring and overlooking, and a kid who'd had enough. But, is it their fault or his? I know, I know. He pulled the trigger..repeatedly. But, is it ALL his fault? Can't some of the blame be put on those who bullied him his whole life, his parents who didn't 'see' him and compared him to his now dead brother. The book is very interesting from the beginning. It captures your attention with a suicide note. You think, Oh, man. Then Picoult pieces the characters together. From the very beginning of the how the mom's met, to how the best friends Peter and Josie became strangers. It makes you think of what would you do in this situation. How would you react if your child was the murderer; what if your child was the victim; what if your child was the victim and the murderer? It's one of those books you don't forget. As a parent to a toddler it definitely made me think- She's not going to school, ever. But that's not reasonable or practical.
Picoult likes to throw in some plot twists. Like, Josie. The character Josie- I hated. I wished she had died. She's that- bitchy. I hate ruining books for people so I'll just say, She gets what she deserves. The characters I liked the best were- the detective, Patrick. He seemed to be, real. He was portrayed as a good detective and a great man. And he had a bit of a Law & Order detective vibe too. I also liked Peter's lawyer, Jordan. He was good. He had the hardest job of the whole book. Drawing you in to Peter's story. And he does it. He does it so well that you think he's going to win. He doesn't. I'll tell you that. Peter doesn't get off from the charges legally but, in another way, a more morbid way..he does.
I recommend this book. It was great from beginning to end. I think it's a good learning tool for high school students. It would give them an opening for talking about bullying, school shootings, sex, abuse, and so many more topics.

5 out of 5 stars!

All The Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry

After complaining about not finding anything to read, I decided to look at my local library and found All The Truth That's In Me. I'm so glad I didn't give up about finding something good to read! This book is such a great read!

All The Truth That's In Me is a fabulous book. Probably one of the best I've read this year so far. Judith is a mute 18 yr old who holds the truth to what happened to her young friend a few years earlier. An outcast because of being mute, Judith is forbidden to try to talk and learn by her mother, a harsh woman who lost her love for Judith upon her return home. You find out through flashbacks what happened to her. Stolen in the night by the father of the man she loves, she is held captive for 2 years doing the bidding of this man. The man lets her go on the condition she doesn't talk, he says it's to protect her but she believes it's to protect himself. He cuts part of her tongue out and lets her go back home.
You get the sense that Judith's mom did love her immensely before she left and became mute. While she was gone though, her father dies, so the Mom blames Judith for that since he died of a broken heart. How can you blame that on a child? I think that's what I disliked most about the Mom, is that she placed blame on Judith. Like she wanted to be kidnapped and her Dad to die. The whole basis for the book is that she loves Lucas, and has all her life. But she doesn't think he can love her because she can't talk and people think her an idiot. At times in the book, it gets a little creepy, like her sneaking into his house a lot. The back story of her being kidnapped and the other young girl being murdered is what the town is centered on. It turns out that the murderer has been living in their town all along ( I won't ruin it for you, but I was a little shocked, great twist). Even though Judith and Lucas are accused and even jailed for it all, in the end Judith tells them the whole story, who killed her friend, how she was spared and why she was taken, her tongue cut out, and released. It's not until she tells the tale, that she finally understands Lucas' dad was protecting her.
There is a horrible teacher in the story who is beyond skin-crawling. Who if you could punch characters in books, he'd be the first to be punched from this story followed by Lucas' dad who is uber creepy.

Overall, GREAT story, it's well developed and it pulls you into the story. It makes you go on a roller coaster of emotions but all great books do.

5 out of 5 stars!!! Take time to read it. I read it in one day because it's THAT good!

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

First, Rainbow is an awesome name!

Eleanor & Park is a good novel. I almost gave up on it in the beginning because it was a tad slow getting to the goods. Eleanor is a red headed 16 year old who wears men clothes and lives with her Mom, brothers and sisters, and her step-dad. Park is a 16 year old boy who reads comic books, likes rock music, and has had his seat on the bus to himself all year. Until Eleanor arrives. At first, you think it's a typical 'bully the new girl because she's overweight' type novel but then it gets good instead of awkward or boring. Eleanor is a sarcastic, mean teen who is smart and brave and has more confidence than she realizes. Park is a semi-popular kid who doesn't know what he wants until he meets Eleanor.
Their romance is like a Romeo and Juliet tale. Which isn't all that a stretch since Rowell mentions this story a few times in the book. You get it. They are definitely star-crossed lovers. Eleanor's family is...different. Her step-dad is an ass, alcoholic and abusive to her mom. Her siblings are too young to understand. Her Dad is a moron and blind. The only good people in her life are Park and his parents. They care. They see her. They accept her, eventually.
Basically, Eleanor arrives on the school bus and has no choice but to sit with Park on the bus. He's resentful and ignores her. Until he realizes that she's reading his comic books over his shoulder. Then he starts to let her read with him on the bus and then he lets her borrow them and his walkman. It's really quite sweet. The school bus romance is crazy and funny but sweet. Park falls in love instantly and you get the sense that Eleanor is but she can't 'risk' it. She's afraid of her step dad and has no one to talk to. Her step dad is a piece of work. In the end you find out that he's been watching her...yes, like that. She ends up in a good place, with her Aunt and Uncle who save her and her family. But she doesn't end up with Park. She doesn't go back for him and he doesn't visit her. It's until a year later, after all the drama of getting her out of the state, that she finally FINALLY says those three little words.

It's a good book. It's definitely a teen book but young adults may like it as well.

3.5 out of 5 stars. Slow going, typical

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Normally, I wouldn't even give this book a second look- especially since I usually buy free kindle books or books that are in the series I'm reading. But, this book was one I saw mentioned on Tumblr on Problemsofabookerd page. A follower mentioned it to her, and I was curious. And, I'm glad I was.

Stolen is about a girl, Gemma, who is 'stolen' from the airport by a beautiful man. She is enfatuated with him at the airport which only proves to be her downfall. He steals her into the night and takes her away from her life in London. The think I liked about this book is that it wasn't focused on abuse, rape or any of the other horrific things that may happen when a young girl of 16 is kidnapped. It focuses on how the guy, Ty, just wants her to be with him (as crazy as it seems) and how he tries to get her to the beauty of the desert they are in. The vast Australian desert that is their new 'home'. Gemma tries repeadtly to escape but she's in the middle of nowhere and she soon realizes it's futile. Eventually, she succumbs and tries to get along. You can feel the attraction between the two as you read, even from the very beginning. She fights it. With all her power.
One of the things that is really awesome about this book is the way it is written. The story is told from Gemma's point of view, as a letter she is writing to Ty as he awaits trial. She's writing it because the shrinks around her think she has Stockholm Syndrome- which reading it you get the sense that she might have a touch of it due to her feelings before everything goes wrong.
I will say, that Ty is not bad per say. Obviously, he's a tad crazy and he kidnapped her but you get this feeling there's a genuine love he has for Gemma. He really cares for her and thinks that her being there with him is 'saving' her from her life that she hated. Her parents, from what she writes aren't all that great but once she is returned you get the sense they aren't as bad as they appear- I mean it is a 16 yr old girl talking about her parents.
In the end, Gemma is returned (I won't tell you the reason outright, you need to read this book- Lucy Christopher is a great writer). And Ty turns himself in- to save her.
Please read it- borrow it from your library, buy the Kindle book for $3...whatever you want...just give it a try. Don't let the whole 'a young girl is kidnapped' keep you from enjoying a very well written book.

5 out of 5 stars.
I read this book in about 4.5-5 hours (that was with a toddler interrupting too).

Far Far Away by Tom McNeal

I was so excited about this book! It is Grimm brother-esque in its origins and telling. Why do I say that? Probably because this tale is told from the perspective of the ghost of Jacob Grimm. The story is about a young boy, Jeremy, his ghost Jacob and a girl, Ginger. It did start a little slow for me but it picked up quick and I read it in a day.
Jacob tells the story of Jeremy and his friendship with Ginger, a pretty and popular girl in his class. It revolves around a bakery where every now and then green smoke comes out of the chimney signaling to the town that Prince cakes are ready. Delectable little pastries that have green icing on them and that sell in a matter of minutes. (Let me stop and mention that Jeremy can hear the ghost, Jacob and often talks to him). The story really picks up when Ginger and her girlfriends come to Jeremy's window and gets him to accompany them on a mission. The mission is sneaking into the baker's house and putting pop rocks into his cereal, which he eats every night. It's all going well until the milk is poured and the baker goes crazy. He calls the Sheriff and they end up pinning everything on Jeremy. However, the Baker sees that Jeremy is remorseful and drops the charges.
This act leads puts all the other things in the book into motion. Jeremy and Ginger working for the Baker, them becoming great friends, and then going out in the middle of no where with the Baker. I don't want to give away the ending but it all turns out 'happily ever after' and they do go to a place the Baker calls Far Far Away.
Kidnapping, drugging, poisoning, being held captive...all pull this tale together. It is definitely a tale that I think would have been written by the Grimm's. It has everything they usually put into a tale and then some..like the ghost of Jacob who is looking for the 'light'.

If you like Grimm this a great tale and very well written book.

5 out of 5 stars!

I also want to mention that I 'borrowed' this book thru my Kindle Fire via PG County Library System.

Guardians Book 1: The Girl by Lola StVil

This story revolves around Emerson or Emmy as people call her. She gets sucked into the world of angels and demons. I know what you're thinking...Angels and Demons? Snooze fest! Well, yea kinda but there are some interesting things about this book.
For instance,
Emmy is the key to the world not ending.
Emmy is the one thing that can ruin the mission because the 1st Guardian, Marcus, will fall in love for her.
Emmy gets dangled over the Golden Gate bridge by the 2ns Guardian, Marcus' girlfriend, Ameana.
All angels are beautiful- apparently.
A very interesting way that God and the Devil and his counterparts were created is described.


I think people who enjoy reading about good versus evil will enjoy this book...I'm currently reading the second in the series...it's going slowly.

There's not much to say about this book except Emerson for a girls name is different.


3 out of 5 stars.