Major Crush

Author: Jennifer Echols
Genre:YA, romantic comedy
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: August 2006
ISBN: 9781416918301
Pages: 287










Summery:
   

 Tired of the beauty-pageant circuit, Virginia Sauter tosses her tiara, pierces her nose, and auditions for the most unlikely of roles -- drum major of the high school marching band. Virginia wins, but is forced to share the title with Drew, whose family has held the position for generations. Sure, Drew is hot, but because of his superior attitude, he and Virginia are constantly arguing. That is, until they share more than just their half-time salute... But as the drum major's heated competition turns to sizzling romance, explosive rumors threaten everything -- including the band's success. Love seemed to be a sure hit, but Virginia and Drew may be marching straight into disaster.

Review:

  I had started out with and adult romance. The characters were so stupid that half way though, I quit. Why waste my time with crap, when there is so much good stuff out there? I picked up this light, funny, teen romance and finished the book a happy girl. It was well done. I liked Virginia and seeing her and Drew struggle to work together was enjoyable.

Cover:
   Ive said before, I don't like the cartoon covers. This publisher does!!! Not a winner.

Rating:
               B
      

Karma Girl

Author: Jennifer Estep
Publisher: Penguin
Release Date: May 2007
ISBN: 0425215113
Pages: 368
Genre: Paranormal Romance










Summery:
    Bigtime, New York, is not big enough for both Carmen Cole and the superheroes and ubervillains who stalk its streets. An intrepid reporter, Carmen's dedicated her life to unmasking the spandex wearers, all because her fiance turned out to be a superhero, and a cheating one at that-sleeping with none other than his nubile nemesis. Exposing the true identities of the nation's caped crusaders and their archenemies has catapulted Carmen from her sleepy southern hometown to the front pages of the country's biggest newspaper. Hobnobbing with millionaires and famished fashionistas is all in a day's work for a woman on the trail of the Fearless Five and Terrible Triad. But when Carmen gets the scoop of her career, her life comes crashing down around her. And even Bigtime's sexiest superhero, Striker, may not be able to save her.

Review:
   This book was light and funny and just what I needed after coming off a Hunger Games marathon. At first, I didn't think I could take a city full of super heroes sseriously enough to get through this book but I went with it and it was fun! Carmen was smart and tuff and flirted with danger and masked men. The secondary characters had some spice of their own.  Although predictable at times, it was unique and enjoyable.

Cover:
  While I'm not a fan of the animated covers, this one isn't bad.

Rating:
            C+    

Mockingjay

Author: Suzanne Collins
Release Date: August 24, 2010
ISBN: 0439023513
Pages: 400
Genre: YA, Dystopia
Series: The Hunger Games #3










Summery:





  Against all odds, Katniss has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss Everdeen. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. Third in the Hunger Games Trilogy.

Review:
    The final instalment of The Hunger Games was as satisfying as the first two books in the series. In this book, Peeta has been captured by the capital, Katniss has to choose if she is willing to be a pawn for the rebellion and Gale is trying to keep his place in her life while moving into a new role of his own. The world building was consistent perfection. I loved all of the characters even the villains. Following Katniss on this emotional marathon was so intense that I just let the tears fall about halfway through. I loved her breakdowns and the times when she just withdrawals. Its those moments that make her real to me. Again in this book, as in the previous two, my only disappointment is with Katniss's resistance to love and be loved. I try to understand her fears and why she hardens herself but as a romantic, I wanted just a little more from her. Especially at the end. The final paragraph was just to short of a wrap up for me. I liked the ending but even with the epilogue, I would have like the final paragraph to be its own chapter. That said, this book is going on the keeper shelf with the other two.

Cover:
       I love it. Consistent with the others in the series and I love the Mockingjay spreading its wings and breaking the symbol behind it.

Rating:
       A

Catching Fire

Author: Suzanne Collins
Series: The Hunger games #2
Release Date: 2009-09-01
ISBN: 0439023491
Pages: 391
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Scholastic Press








Summery:
  

 Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy; after all, they have just won a life of safety for themselves and their families . But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Review:
  I devoured this book. It takes up right where The Hunger Games leaves off and hits the ground running. Katniss spends the first part of this book adjusting to life as the victor of the games. Just as she's learning to deal with her post tramatic stress from the games and the duality of her public and private selves, she's once again fighting for her life. Once again the writing grabbed me and pulled me in from page one. The only thing that leaves me feeling dissapointed is her feelings or lack there of toward Peeta. I love Peeta and always want more from her in their relationship. Needless to say I will be finishing this trilogy asap!

Cover:
      Good, sharp. Consistant with the first. I like it.

Rating:
              A

 

           

The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins
Release Date: 2010-07-03
ISBN: 0439023521
Pages: 384
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Scholastic










Summery:
    

   The  Hunger Games introduces sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in a post-apocalyptic world where an overpowerful government called the Capitol has risen up after some devastating disasters. Each year, just to prove they can and they hold the power,each district randomly selects the names of one boy and one girl, who are then forced into an arena to fight against each other in a televised game of life and death and forced to kill each other until only one remains. But all is not over for her yet.

Review:

      After hearing so many rave reviews, I expected alot of this book and it did not disappoint. It was an awesome read! The main character is Katniss, who is brave, wise, loyal and tough and still just a teen. I loved her reflections of her childhood and her father. The games and the capital are calculated and cruel and I felt the injustice of the people in Panem. I enjoyed all the secondary characters, even the ones I didn't like. I found myself routing for certain characters over others and hanging on everyword. This story was told so well that after just a few pages, I went to the store for book two!

Cover:
              Well done. Its sharp and I like the use of the mocking jay pin.

Rating:
             A

The Macgregors:Serena & Caine

Title: the Macgregors:Serena&Caine
Author: Nora Roberts
Series: The Macgregors
Publisher: Silhouette Books
Release Date: 1998
Contains: Playing the odds
                 Tempting Fate
Genre: Romance
ISBN: 0373483880
Pages: 384







Summery:

When fiery heiress Serena MacGregor ups the ante on cool Comanche gambler Justin Blade, steamy doesn't begin to describe the results. Attorney Caine MacGregor has rarely met a case--or a woman--he couldn't win. But can he overrule ice princess Diana Blade's adamant objections to love?

Review:
        I want to start by saying that Ive read many, many books by Nora Roberts that I have loved. This series however was just not for me. This book contains two stories, the first, Playing the odds, had a male hero that didn't understand the word "NO" and a lead female who just went along with it. I was waiting for him to just hit her with his club and drag her by her hair. I just didn't like it and didn't finish it.
      I still decided to give the second story, Tempting fate, a try. It had a decent start but I just don't think that the lead characters were fleshed out enough. I didn't understand Diana and I was annoyed by Caine because he seemed to understand her in such an over dramatic way , I was left rolling my eyes at the page. I decided to spend my time reading something decent. Sorry Nora, I didn't finish this one either.

Cover:
          Pretty, serene. I like it.

Rating:
              F


   

Nevermore

Author: Kelly Creagh
Published: 2010-08-31
ISBN: 1442402008
Pages: 543
Genre: Young Adult, paranormal

Summery:

 Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with piercing eyes another look.
Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.
As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.
His life depends on it.

Review:
     At  543 pages, this was a long one and worth every word. I enjoyed this book so much that its even made me want to read some Poe. I loved every move Isobel made, I found her and her family believable. The way she spoke up & stood up for the right thing made me say "Yes", And I liked how, I wasn't sure,really, what she would do. I enjoyed the mystery and seeing all the sides of Varen, especially the reveal of what the nocs were at the end. I enjoyed the writing so much that I even went slowly over the Poe stuff to make sure that I didn't miss any details. The only part of the story that I didn't like was how it ended...until  I discovered that its the first book in a trilogy!

Cover:
    This is a great cover. I do picture Varen slightly different  than this model(no lip ring?)but I like the contrast between the him & Isobel. I like that she's wearing the pink dress and that the title is in Varen's signature font.

Rating:
             A

Devoured by Darkness

Author: Alexandra Ivy
  ISBN: 1420111353
Number of pages: 352
Publisher: Zebra
Release: 12/01/2010
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Guardians of Eternity,#7

Summery

 

 Tane is a Charon, sworn to hunt and kill rogue vampires. His new assignment seems like a waste of his talents…until he catches up with the Jinn he's been sent to capture. Half human, half demon, Layla has a vulnerable streak that strikes right through to Tane's cold heart. He should be furious when she uses her powers to bind them together, preventing him from dragging her before the Commission. Instead he welcomes any reason to stay close enough to touch, to taste, to seduce…
Layla doesn't know why she was chosen to protect a child who may be the catalyst in a war between good and evil. But the mysteries of her past pale compared to the dangers approaching. Tane is devastatingly strong, breathtakingly sensual. And Layla will have to trust in every ounce of that strength, because her enemies are drawing near, eager to destroy them both.

Review:
 Let me start by saying that I loved the first four books in this series. Book five was okay for me, book six I pretty much skimmed but....I had hope. Nope, book seven didn't redeem Ms. Ivy's skill for me. I liked the two main characters but the dialogue kept pulling me out of the story. There were so many modern references and even the figures of speach that they use distracted me. I just kept thinking that beings who are this long lived  and powerful have more wisdom and don't sound like they're in their 20s. The plot was interesting, the world building consistent but by the 2nd half of the story I found myself skipping to the dialogue just to finish it. I think I'm done with this series.

Cover:
     The art was not bad. I like the purple and it was consistent with the series but the model looks nothing like Tane is described in the book.

Rating:
       D

  
 

Almost Perfect

Title :Almost Perfect

Author:Susan Mallery

Publisher: Harlequin
Publication Date: 06/29/2010
ISBN: 9780373774906
Genre:  Contemporary Romance  Summery:   Back in high school, Liz Sutton was the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Then she'd stolen the heart of the most popular boy in town, and their secret romance helped her through the worst of times. Until Ethan Hendrix betrayed her and everything they'd ever meant to each other. Devastated and pregnant, Liz left Fool's Gold, California--forever, she thought....Now Liz must return to town and face the man who doesn't know of their son's existence. And this time she won't have the option of ...making a quick getaway. Ethan and Liz can't deny their passionate attraction, even after all these years. But will their desire be enough to spark a second chance at love? Review:  This  book was so hard to finish. The male hero in the book was an absolute jerk. His mother was a jerk and well, most everyone in the town were jerks. Liz tends to forgive and forget the worst of things. Even when she catches someones stealing from her, she apoligizes to them and asks if they need more. I was angry through most of it and in the end, I can't say that I even consider it a romance. It was as far from perfect as I've seen a romance get. Cover:        Nice Grade:            F

The Body Finder

                                            

Title: The Body Finder
Author: Kimberly Derting
Publication Date: March 16, 2010
ISBN: 9780061779817
Page Count: 327
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Summary:

    

  Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.
Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.
Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself

Review:
 This story was totally engrossing. I think I set a speedy reader record with this one. Violet's gift was interesting and unique.The love story was wonderful, the mystery was full of suspense. The plot and pacing were perfect. It made me glad I was snowed in so I could keep reading!

Cover:
  Decent cover art.

Grade:
       A

Grave Sight

                                                                                                                                     

                             

Title :Grave Sight

Author: Charlaine Harris

release:10/04/2005

Genre: Paranormal suspense

The first book in Charlaine Harris's mystery series introduces readers to Harper Connelly, a strange young woman who -- after being struck by lightning as a child -- is able to locate dead people and determine exactly how they died.

Accompanied by her stepbrother, Tolliver (who works as her manager), Harper heads to small-town Arkansas for their next job. Her client is a socialite named Sybil Teague, who wants Harper to find a teenage girl who disappeared on the day her son was found shot dead in the woods. The girl, Monteen "Teenie" Hopkins, has a reputation for being "wild as a razorback," and scandalous rumors abound about the two. But once Harper locates Teenie's corpse a short distance from the spot where Sybil's son died and reveals that she was shot in the back while trying to escape, the real trouble starts. As more town residents begin to turn up dead -- and with her brother in jail on bogus charges -- Harper must find the real killer before she becomes his next victim.
Review:
             After reading the True blood series three times, I was quite dissapointed with Grave sight. While I liked Harper and Tolliver, I found their relationship strange through most of the book. I hated the town and diliked all the secondary characters.
            Harper's gift  was very interesting but the fact that no one in the town seemed interested in so many murders happening in one small town was hard to believe. All anyone seemed to care about was how much they disliked Harper. It was a bit hard  to keep track of how the whole town was related so I just let it go. The motive was kind of thin and lastly, I found I was totally taken out of the story but a confession of murder that was so easy it was really unbelievable. All that said I will give the Harper series on more chance with Grave Suprise.
Cover:
  Im not a fan of the cartoonish covers. This one however isn't bad.
Rating: C+

Before I Fall

title:Before I fall

Author: Laren Oliver

Genre: YA paranormal

 Release:3/02/2010

ISBN: 978-0061726804
Publisher: HarperCollins

What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?
Samantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last. Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

Review:

    This book was amazing. I laughed and yes, I cried, I stayed up way too late. I liked Sam and was emotionally invested from the first page until the last.While the plot was familiar, the writing was engrossing. The secondary characters were well developed and I looked forward to seeing what each new day would bring and how her relationships would change. Ms. Oliver has gone on my auto buy list!

Rating: A+