DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth

Title: DIVERGENT
Author: Veronica Roth (she's only 22!)
Publisher: HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: May 3, 2011
Number of Pages: 487
Source of Book: Won an ARC from the author's blog contest
Author's Website: veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com

Author's Book Summary:

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris, and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together, they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes-fascinating, sometimes-exasperating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret: one she’s kept hidden from everyone, because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly-perfect society, she also learns that her secret might be what helps her save those she loves . . . or it might be what destroys her.

*************************
A weird thing happened to me when I started reading DIVERGENT. I kept turning pages although I couldn't figure out why. I'm not sure if I went into this with a little bit of a skewed perception. I have already been hearing so much hype for this debut book, and I had just finished another dystopian that was haunting in an entirely different way. But, I just couldn't put this book down. I couldn't quite figure out what it was that was making me want to keep reading because it wasn't feeling mind-blowing to me, in fact, it was seeming a little bit predictable, but in the end, I LOVED it. I read it so fast that when I finished, I wanted to go back and reread the whole thing again to pick up on things I may have missed the first time around. So, I guess what I'm saying is, it took me a little while to feel fully engaged in the characters and this world, but at the same time I never wanted to put it down. DIVERGENT is an engrossing read. It's scary in showing how easy it was to get to this point with a world built of the five factions. It was really interesting to see how the world ended up divided by the five different strengths people valued. It is definitely a book that caused some deep thinking/analyzing (as any good dystopian should!) of our current societal beliefs.

DIVERGENT has a page-turning, action-packed, fast-paced, twisting plot from the very beginning to the very end full of heart-pounding thrills and wrenching shocks of sadness. This book definitely has a thriller feel to the plot as well. Smaller plot points would be important and keep me wanting to read and then the big overall conflict came together at the end in a way that was not totally expected earlier on in the book. I loved how it deals with fear and bravery in interesting, thought-provoking ways. It has lots of commentary on people and perceptions and control and fear and focuses on figuring out what true strength is. Some parts were horrifying in what this world has become (when it started with the best intentions) and shows the worst part of human nature. Other parts were inspiring in how people with the best intentions can use their strength to overcome odds and work for those they love.

DIVERGENT has likeable characters and I enjoyed spending time in Beatrice's head. I did feel that some secondary characters could have been developed a little bit more though. Ultimately it's about Tris' journey to figuring out how she can go against what she's always been conditioned to do/believe. Tris is a strong, kick-butt, take-no-crap character who always does what she thinks is right, but with a caring heart. She's so smart, but doesn't always realize it, but when she finally does, her bravery and intelligence shows through in unexpected ways. Tris struggles in this book between family obligation and what she thinks she wants. She's having to start dealing with the consequences of actions and discovering how she can affect her world. Seeing her insecurities and struggles through her eyes, but most especially seeing how she dealt with them with sass and wit, really made the book for me. Some parts seemed a little predictable - it was obvious who was going to be the love interest, but I still enjoyed seeing how that played out and how they grew closer. I felt that way about most things though - the way everything was tied together in the end made me feel better about the whole book because it all made sense. It was just an exciting book and a fast read - make sure you have time to get through it because you won't want to put it down.

4 1/2 STARS for DIVERGENT
This is the first book in a trilogy and I will definitely be in line to get my hands on the next book in this intriguing dystopian series (although it'll be a really long wait now since I got to read this one early)!

Book 6 of 12 for DAC2011

 

DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver

Title: DELIRIUM
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: February 1, 2011
Number of Pages: 441
Source of Book: Bought the Hardcover because I'd heard amazing buzz about this book and loved her first book, BEFORE I FALL
Author's Website: www.laurenoliverbooks.com

Goodreads Summary:
Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.
*************************
It's been a few days since I finished reading DELIRIUM, and I can't get Lena's story out of my head. It's a haunting story about love and trust and opening one's eyes to the world around you. Disclaimer: I love dystopian novels - there's just something about stepping into a world that is like ours, but has a different view on something that drastically changes how people live. In this case - love. Love is seen as a disease that can kill, so they've created a procedure (basically brain surgery) that eliminates the possibility of any form of love from those 18 and older. Everyone has the surgery because they're scared not to because they've seen how crazy love has driven others. They believe the world is a better place this way, and Lena believes what she's been told as she is ninety-five days away from her procedure when the book begins. What she doesn't completely see is how unengaged all of the Cureds are. DELIRIUM reminds me a bit of Matched meets Uglies with a little Hunger Games thrown in. And if it reminds me of three of my favorite dystopians, you know I loved this one, too.

I've been a fan of Oliver since reading BEFORE I FALL in which her writing and story arc made me grow to care about a character who was dislikable in the beginning - and that takes quite a bit of talent to make one feel so strongly one way and then be able to guide them toward another through the course of a book. She has a beautiful writing style with descriptions that grab you and heart-wrenching moments and a way that makes you live in this world and care about these people. She makes you want to jump right in and grab them sometimes and cry when they cry and fear when they fear and love when they love. Lauren Oliver's writing is a sophisticated writing style with a literary feel to it. It's writing that makes me really feel for the characters and what they're living through, while feeling fully engaged in the story and the world that she's created. This novel deals with the idea that if you can't feel pain, you can't really live and love - it's all a part of the same emotion.

DELIRIUM was a long book, but a page-turner. It's starts off more subtle, but leads to heart-pounding chance scenes. Following Lena and her discovery of living in a world of lies, a world ruled by fear, made me frustrated at times, brought tears to my eyes at others, and made me want to push her in the right directions as she started to make her own choices and live for herself as she discovered who she was for herself. I almost liked the secondary characters, Alex and Hana and Gracie (there better be more of her in the next book!), more than Lena for many parts of the book; although Lena was the most fully developed character. It became a race to the finish, a ticking clock to beat a deadline, and a hope that friendship and love would win out in a world that doesn't believe in the goodness of love. And the end, oh the end...while feeling resolute also left me really wanting to know what happens in the next few minutes after the book leaves the scene. It's really the end that I can't get out of my head, and the choices made by Lena and Alex, and how they fulfill their hopes and dreams, and how they feel about them that sticks with me the most.

4 1/2 STARS for DELIRIUM
It's going to feel like a really long wait for book 2, PANDEMONIUM, in 2012 and book 3, REQUIEM, in 2013.

MY FAIR GODMOTHER by Janette Rallison

Title: MY FAIR GODMOTHER

Author: Janette Rallison
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers
Release Date: Hardcover-January 6, 2009 Paperback-December 22, 2009
Number of Pages: 320
How I Got It: Bought the paperback because I got an ARC of the sequel at the ALAN Workshop
Author's Website: www.janetterallison.com

Goodreads Summary:
After her boyfriend dumps her for her older sister, sophomore Savannah Delano wishes she could find a true prince to take her to the prom. Enter Chrissy (Chrysanthemum) Everstar: Savannah’s gum-chewing, cell phone–carrying, high heel-wearing Fair Godmother. Showing why she’s only Fair—because she’s not a very good fairy student—Chrissy mistakenly sends Savannah back in time to the Middle Ages, first as Cinderella, then as Snow White. Finally she sends Tristan, a boy in Savannah’s class, back instead to turn him into her prom-worthy prince. When Savannah returns to the Middle Ages to save Tristan, they must team up to defeat a troll, a dragon, and the mysterious and undeniably sexy Black Knight. Laughs abound in this clever fairy tale twist from a master of romantic comedy.
*************************
This book is just a fun read. Although Savannah at first seems to be the character that you love to hate, she actually ends up as a really sympathetic character who I was rooting for. I wanted her to get her happy, fairy tale ending, but I wouldn't have thought I'd get there from how I felt about her at the start of the story. I guess that just shows how good of a job Rallison did in writing these characters. I love a well-written sassy, sarcastic character, and this book had that in both Savannah and Chrissy. Their misinterpretations of each other and comical misunderstandings kept me giggling to myself throughout the whole book. Chrissy is hysterical from her flamboyant style to her attitude toward her job.

It was so fun to see a twisted fairy tale told in this way. Chrissy really is only Fair as a Godmother because she can't manage to do the job correctly. First Savannah goes back to the Cinderella story, which, in "real life' is not like the fairy tale version. The prince is not so great. This is due to Chrissy not really listening completely - although she says it's because Savannah is not being clear in her wishes. Then, she accidentally gets sent back to be Snow White. Finally, she has to go back herself to "rescue" the boy who could be her prince at home, but is sent back to become a real prince in fairy tale times.

This book is time travel; and wishes with fairy godmothers; and the world of fairy tales; and a girl coming into her own and finding herself and who she really wants to be. Savannah has a journey that is enjoyable to follow along with, and it gets so much better once she starts to take charge of her own destiny.

3 1/2 STARS for MY FAIR GODMOTHER

The sequel is MY UNFAIR GODMOTHER, releasing April 12, 2011. I'll definitely pick it up (especially since I have an ARC) the next time I want a light-hearted, fun read.

FIRELIGHT by Sophie Jordan

Title: FIRELIGHT
Author: Sophie Jordan
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: September 7, 2010
Number of Pages: 323
Source of Book: Bought the Hardcover on a recommendation
Author's Website: www.sophiejordan.net

Goodreads Summary:
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.
*************************
I really like this book. It's a fantasy with a contemporary setting and feel to it. Once I started it, I didn't want to put it down. The pacing of the story made it a page-turner for me. Every chapter ending had me frantic to keep going in the story instead of putting my bookmark in the page. I wanted to know what was going to happen to Jacinda next. Sophie's writing is beautifully descriptive and creates images that drew me further into the story and Jacinda's life. From Jacinda's first manifest (transformation), I was drawn in by her descriptions and enjoyment of her freedom.

But then things go all wrong and her mother has to keep her safe. Jacinda's struggle with her relationship with her mother and twin sister is a key part of the story. And, of course, there's a boy (it is a romance!). A boy who Jacinda can't be completely honest with and who she shouldn't even be around, but she's drawn to him in a way that won't let her walk away from him. Jacinda struggles with her obligations of duty to her family or her draki pride, and really just wants to be normal as herself as she wants to be. Because she's unique, being the first fire-breather in generations, both her family and her pride have their own plans for her, but she wants to make her own decisions. Will just might be the one who allows her to do that. I enjoyed the wittiness of the main characters interactions (and wanted more of the new best friend!) and the realness of them.

The one thing that bothered me was that I did feel like the ending was a little rushed. Everything building up to it seemed to take its time, but then in the end, it all happened so fast. I may have felt that way though because I enjoyed the story so much that I wanted more of it. The backstory that Sophie Jordan created with the world of the draki (descendants from dragons who can shift into human form) and the hunters was very unique, and I anticipate we'll get more about it in the next book, which I can't wait to read (and the covers are intriguing and gorgeous!).

4 STARS for FIRELIGHT

I'm super-excited for the sequel, VANISH, releasing September 6, 2011, to find out where Jacinda's story goes next.

GLIMMERGLASS by Jenna Black

Title: GLIMMERGLASS (Faeriewalker #1)

Author: Jenna Black
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: May 25, 2010
Number of Pages: 294
Source of Book: Borrowed the paperback from a student who recommended it
Author's Website: www.jennablack.com/books_ya.htm

Goodreads Summary:
Normal. It’s all she’s ever wanted to be, but it couldn’t be further from her grasp…

Dana Hathaway doesn’t know it yet, but she’s in big trouble.  When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, again, Dana decides she’s had enough and runs away to find her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the captivating, magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl—she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and the only person who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie.

Soon, Dana finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone seems to want something from her, from her newfound friends and family to Ethan, the hot Fae guy Dana figures she’ll never have a chance with… until she does.  Caught between two worlds, Dana isn’t sure where she’ll ever fit in and who can be trusted, not to mention if her world will ever be normal again…
*************************

This book was pretty good, but it took me awhile to really get into it. I just wasn't that invested in the characters to start with, but by the end of the book, I did really want to know what was going to happen. It's written well and in a style that kept me interested and turning the pages. Dana really just wants to be normal, but it seems that isn't ever going to happen. I liked the world that Dana was learning about as she went to live with her dad and entered into the world of the Fae. By the time I got to the point where there are boys, bodyguards, friends, and relatives all fighting to control Dana because of her faeriewalker status leading to Dana needing to take matters into her own hands, I started to really get interested. I liked Dana's take-charge and sarcastic personality. The characters around her were interesting, too, if a little bit surface-level.

Overall, there's a definite feeling of this book being a setup for the rest of the series. So, although things were happening to Dana throughout that built suspense, the entirety of the book felt like it was setting up the world of Avalon and the human vs. faerie existence and the Seelie vs. Unseelie fae battles, to prepare for where the story is going next. By the last page, I was very interested to see where the story will go and was more of a fan of Dana and the other characters around her, and I'm expecting to get deeper with all of them in the next book.

3 STARS for GLIMMERGLASS
Book 2, Shadowspell, was released on January 4th. Book 3, Sirensong, is coming July 5, 2011.

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis

Title: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE

Author: Beth Revis

Publisher: Razorbill (Penguin)

Release Date: 1/11/11

Number of Pages: 398

How I Got It: Won a signed hardcover copy from publisher's facebook contest

Author's Website: www.bethrevis.com

Goodreads Summary:

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder. 

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules. 

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next. 

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

************************* 
 

I'm struggling with what to say about this book, but in a really good way! ACROSS THE UNIVERSE is one of those books that just stays with you even after you've finished reading it.  It's deep and haunting and shocking and intriguing and scary and hopeful. I finished it late last night and it's been haunting the back of my mind all day. It's a book that starts off kind of subtle, but the more you get to know and the more you learn as you go through it, the more intrigued you are to find out what's really going on. It becomes one of those books that you just don't want to put down because you want to know what's going to happen next.

There are themes in this book that slap you across the face as you read them, and things that come as a complete surprise when you come to them (some even a little heartbreaking). This book feels claustrophobic being stuck on this ship with Elder and Amy in outer space with no way out. It's terrifying in the way of causing you to think about what people are capable of doing in the name of something they feel is right. It's thought-provoking in it's subtle ways of examining and commenting on power and leadership and hope and survival. There is a definite theme running through on why people do the things they do and what they will do to keep things the way they want them.

There is discovery to be found as the reader journeys with Amy and Elder to discover the lies and secrets on this ship, and what that means for the world they're now living in. There is a mystery to follow along with, but the story is much more than that. The world Revis has created is engaging and scientifically advanced with it's gravity tubes and embedded wireless communication devices. The descriptions are vivid and make you feel as if you're there on the spaceship with the characters, seeing what they're seeing and feeling what they're feeling. The book ends with hope - and as the book tells us - we need hope to survive and have a reason for being. I know I'll be anxiously waiting for the next book in this planned trilogy to spend more time with Amy and Elder and see what they do next now that their whole world has been turned around!

*I do need to warn you that there are a couple of mature scenes in this novel during the "Season" that caught me a little off guard from what I was expecting.


4 1/2 STARS for ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
Don't forget to look at the other side of the dual-sided cover for a map of the ship.

Book 3 of 12 for DAC 2011

PERSONAL DEMONS by Lisa Desrochers

Title: PERSONAL DEMONS

Author: Lisa Desrochers
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: September 14, 2010
Number of Pages: 365
How I Got It: Bought the paperback after seeing it on so many top 2010 book lists

Goodreads Summary:
Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance—-even her closest friends—-and it seems as if her senior year is going to be more of the same . . . until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can’t seem to stay away from him. 

What she doesn’t know is that Luc is on a mission. He’s been sent from Hell itself to claim Frannie’s soul. It should be easy—-all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance. But he has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can’t be far behind. And sure enough, it’s not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for. It isn’t long before they find themselves fighting for more than just Frannie’s soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay . . . for all of them.
*************************
PERSONAL DEMONS is a fun, humorous, exciting, interesting, romantic, hard-to-put-down book. I hated putting it down and couldn't wait to pick it up again to find out where the story was heading. Lisa has created a fascinating backstory of the battle for souls between Heaven and Hell and the angels and demons that are in charge of tagging and protecting those souls. Even the idea of why each side wants Frannie so badly draws the reader into the story even more by feeling the importance of the task. Sarcasm and wittiness abound and make for a more engaging and distinct voice. Because of this, the story provokes some inner-thinking about religious beliefs and what one thinks and feels about both - while also giving a human face to each side. Ultimately, it's a story about love, forgiveness, pure intentions, and redemption and how those can lead to being a "good" person. It looks at the trueness of the soul and what that means for what happens to that soul.

Frannie is a senior in high school, and has her own inner turmoils to deal with, but now she's stuck between Luc (the demon) and Gabe (the angel) as they battle for her soul and she battles to figure out her attraction to each and what's real. The one problem I had with the book was that it's another young adult with a love triangle where the girl seems to instantly fall into crush with the boys involved, but I was okay with it because Frannie is a strong girl who can stand up for herself and fight for what she wants, so I was willing to buy into the attraction - especially because it's hard not to when reading the scenes of the story when she is with Luc. Interestingly enough, I felt the story was really more about Luc's journey than Frannie's. She has her own journey to make to acceptance herself, but it was demon Luc's transformation that I was most intrigued by that made me want to keep reading. That's probably partially due to it being written with alternating perspectives with Luc and Frannie's first person storytelling. I appreciated the way the main characters were written where I was able to discover more about each one as the book went on, and became more invested in what would happen to all of them in this overwhelming holy battle. This is definitely a more mature book in the overall mood of the romance, but is a really good and entertaining read.

4 1/2 STARS for PERSONAL DEMONS
I will definitely be getting my hands on the sequel, ORIGINAL SIN, as soon as I can when it is released in July, 2011. The 3rd book, title to be determined, will be released in May, 2012.

*Interestingly, Lisa's writing critique partner is Andrea Cremer, author of NIGHTSHADE, one of my all-time favorite books. I would say there is a similar vibe to these two authors in a really good way - so if you like one, you'll probably like the other.

UNEARTHLY by Cynthia Hand

Title: UNEARTHLY
Author: Cynthia Hand
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: January 4, 2011
Number of Pages: 435
How I Got It: Bought the Hardcover

Goodreads Summary:  
     In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . . 
     Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
     Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
     As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
     Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.
************************* 

This is a really interesting paranormal because it reads more like a contemporary. It was hard to put down and moved forward with an urgency to Clara's angel purpose and figuring out the good angels vs. Black Wings showdown that I could tell was coming, and had a take on the angel back story that was really interesting. I also really liked that Clara knew from the start that she was an angel-blood and was figuring out how to deal with it while trying to remain a normal high school girl. Along with this, this story had a true sense of a contemporary with a high school girl stuck between following her purpose to what she's told should do or following her heart to what she wants to do. Of course, those paths tie directly in with the two boys that she is dealing with - Christan (the boy from her purpose vision) and Tucker (her best friend's twin brother). I did definitely have a preference for one through the whole story, even before I knew he could be a real possibility for her, and when something finally developed, I enjoyed those parts of the story - in fact I think they were my favorites.

The story also deals a lot with family dynamics between Clara and her mother as another piece of the typical coming-of-age decision-making process Clara is going through - following the path her mother wants, or striking out on her own. Of course, with the angel background, it also portrays beliefs and fate and faith as thought-provoking conversations. This book, ultimately, is about decisions and choices and why we choose what we do and the impact that can have on others and ourselves. Early in the story, Clara's English teacher is talking about how people really get to know each other and wonders if it based on the actions we take - that nicely sets up the strong undercurrent of choices for the entire book. It also deals with the typical adolescent views on finding one's place in the world and having that change based on situations one encounters.

Another piece of this book that I really liked was the setting. The move to Jackson Hole, Wyoming is a big one for Clara and her family, and the descriptions of the setting and the way the author makes good use of the scenery available by the story taking place there adds greatly to the overall feelings of the story for the reader. I had a good time getting to know Clara and Tucker, but I was left feeling like there were things I was missing from other characters in Clara's life. I wanted to know a little more about some of the characters and what was going on with them - I have some lingering doubts about the intentions of some of them. I was left with a little bit of a sense of a let down by some of the pieces that I felt like I should have known more about, but didn't get in this book. Overall, I liked the book, and read it quickly, but as much as it wraps things up, it still ends with a lot of loose or unsure ends in my mind, and now there will be a long wait until the next book to find out where things go.

4 STARS for UNEARTHLY
The second book in the series will be coming out next year & I'll definitely be looking for it.

Book 2 of 12 for DAC 2011

I AM NUMBER FOUR by Pittacus Lore

Title: I AM NUMBER FOUR (Lorien Legacies #1)

Author: Pittacus Lore
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: August 3, 2010
Number of Pages: 440
How I Got It: Bought it at the local indie at another author event
Movie Releasing: February 18, 2011

Goodreads Summary:
In the beginning they were a group of nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorians. Nine aliens who scattered on Earth. Nine aliens who look like ordinary teenagers living ordinary lives, but who have extraordinary, paranormal skills. Nine aliens who might be sitting next to you now.

The Nine had to separate and go into hiding. The Mogadorians caught Number One in Malaysia, Number Two in England, and Number Three in Kenya. All of them were killed. John Smith, of Paradise, Ohio, is Number Four. He knows that he is next.

I AM NUMBER FOUR is the thrilling launch of a series about an exceptional group of teens as they struggle to outrun their past, discover their future—and live a normal life on Earth.

I AM NUMBER FOUR.
I AM NEXT.
**********************
I loved this book - it made me hope, it made me think, it made me cheer, it made me worry, it made me love, it made me cry(!), it made me want to analyze my own life and be a better person, it made me want to keep reading and not stop. The writing is constructed in an interesting way because it really highlights the tension and builds the urgency of the plot with short and to-the-point sentences in the beginning. The book sets up the background premise clearly and engagingly, and then allows the reader to get settled in with John as he makes friends, all the while building the suspense in knowing that something bad will have to happen, he will have to be found, but he's not yet trained and ready. Yet, the background is revealed little bits at a time so the reader discovers it as John does, allowing us to grow along with him as we learn what happened between the Loric and the Morgadorians back on Lorien. This book is packed with action, and if you've read my reviews you know I don't like creepy or scary, and although this deals with aliens and this battle for taking over Earth, I didn't think it crossed the line into too scary or creepy for me at all. It keeps the story moving forward with the tension that is brought from not knowing what is going to happen.

The characters were well-written, although at first a few seemed stereotypical high school roles, as they developed through the story and the events they were pulled in to, I learned about them and liked them all. I cared about them and what was going to happen to them, and loved how the relationships developed and deepened through the events in the story. They seem like honest, real teenager feelings and interactions with the primary and secondary characters. Ultimately, the end is exciting, tense, heart-breaking, and hopeful all in one, and sets up the story nicely for the sequel to come. One of my favorite things about the book was some of the deep thoughts about life; and hope; and love; and will; and goodness; and courage; and trust; and being and standing up for oneself that came clear throughout. It's a smart book and a good book and an exciting book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading (it gains a few bonus points for setting a pivotal part of the story in Athens, Ohio where I went to college at Ohio University and even referencing Court Street, so there was a bit of a nostalgia quotient for me during that part of the story). I can't wait to revisit these characters in the sequel and see how they progress in their battle.
 
4 1/2 STARS for I AM NUMBER FOUR
Sequel is THE POWER OF SIX releasing in August, 2011, and I'll definitely be reading it!

If you like Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson books, I think you'll like the Lorien Legacies as well.

THE EMERALD ATLAS by John Stephens

Title: THE EMERALD ATLAS (BOOKS OF BEGINNING #1)

Author: John Stephens
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Number of Pages: 432
How I Got It: Free ARC offer from Random House

Things I loved about THE EMERALD ATLAS:

1. The classic fantasy structure to the story and a plot that sets up the beginning of the series nicely. The story is centered around kids who have never known or felt wanted, and can't remember what happened to their parents, but still hold out hope that they will find them again someday. It starts with a shadowy night time extraction of these children to protect them from a terrible power, and then leads into time-traveling secrets, an entertaining villain, a savior, and a hidden treasure (the lost book of time) that needs to be found, all leading to an ancient prophesy that will determine the fate of the world and these children. Along the way they discover more of their history and the history of the magical world.


2. The characters! I loved meeting orphans Kate, Michael, and Emma and discovering more about their sibling relationships. They were so true-to-life as siblings who loved and hated each other based on what was happening at the moment, but when it came down to it would do anything they could to find and help each other out of any jam and save each other. Each had their own distinct personalities and quirks, but they fit together so nicely and ended up really supporting each other through their ordeal. I also loved their (for lack of a better word) sidekick who at first seemed scary, but ultimately was able to help them through his people's ancient ways and beliefs. And who could forget the dwarfs?! I think they may have been my favorite aspect of the book.


3. The heart-warming story. The basis for the story in this first book is about saving a town that has been ruined by a magic sorceress who was using the townspeople to dig for the book she is determined to find. In the process, the children of the town were drowned. As our main characters go back in time to before this happened, they not only try to find the book, but also are trying to save the children of this town.


4. The humor integrated into the interactions between the siblings, the others, the fantasy characters, and even the villian. There were definitely chuckle to yourself parts and lines in this story.


5. The audience appropriateness and appeal! I'm thrilled that this is a middle grades book as I think that it is easily accessible for those readers who are not quite at the level of reading the Lord of the Rings series or have loved The Chronicles of Narnia, and still want to enjoy a great fantasy read. It also will strongly appeal to boys and will be perfect for my eighth graders (and I think all ages)! 

6. And finally, the background of the author, John Stephens. He was a producer and writer for some of my favorite TV shows (The O.C. and Gilmore Girls) and was an executive producer for Gossip Girl as well. This is his first book.


The only thing that bothered me was that the beginning of the story felt a little slow, but once they really got into it and things started moving, I was hooked and couldn't put the book down. I highly recommend this great fantasy read (and have now had an eighth grade boy back me up on this).

4 STARS for THE EMERALD ATLAS 
I will definitely read the rest of the books in the series when they come out!

Book 1 of 12 for DAC2011

CLOCKWORK ANGEL by Cassandra Clare

Title: CLOCKWORK ANGEL (The Infernal Devices Book One)

Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (A division of Simon & Schuster)
Release Date: August 31, 2010
Number of Pages: 479
How I Got It: Bought one and got one free in my box of books at the ALAN Workshop

As I finally read The Mortal Instruments series over the summer, and loved it, I was soooo happy to be invited back into the world of the Shadowhunters who are dedicated to ridding the world of demons that Cassandra Clare has created! Although, this one was a little bit different, taking place 100 years earlier in London, it was so fun to see some of the same names popping up in The Infernal Devices that I had read in the present-day series (especially my favorite warlock, Magnus!).  Cassandra has created a magical world, full of good and evil magic, a world with demons and avengers, and of course a love interest, oh-and add in some steampunk this time. Her writing continues to be engaging and just sets a scene so clearly with wonderful similes and a sense of urgency and danger that runs through the plot lines creating a story world that is hard to put down and not keep reading.

The book starts off with a journey across the ocean for a lone teenage girl in search of her brother, leading to a kidnapping and imprisonment by Downworlders, then a dazzling rescue and discovery of a magical power never known before - and of course that means everyone wants to get to and use Tessa. She's on her own, but is taken in by the Shadowhunters at the London Institute, all of whom are intriguing characters in their own right. Tessa is a strong girl, and she only gets stronger as she learns more about herself and faces more dangers. I really enjoyed reading the book with her as a main character. And of course, what's a Cassandra Clare book without a love entanglement, and this one pits quiet Jem against dashing and mysterious Will; although, honestly, in my mind, I could totally see the attraction for one and the other one didn't strike me as more than a friendship...but that's just me because I know there are plenty of fans out there that feel differently. There is, of course, a shocking ending that leads to a strong desire to read the next book. The only trouble I had with this book is that I'm not the biggest fan of the automaton, clockwork, and steampunk elements, but it was an intriguing, realistic plot point, so I could still enjoy it.  Overall, I didn't like this one as much as The Mortal Instruments, but I did love the new (old?!?) characters I got to enjoy.

4 STARS for CLOCKWORK ANGEL
I'll definitely read the rest of THE INFERNAL DEVICES series! Clockwork Prince will be released in September 2011 and Clockwork Princess will be out for Christmas 2012.

PARANORMACLY by Kiersten White

Title: PARANORMALCY

Author: Kiersten White
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: August 31, 2010
Number of Pages: 335
How I Got It: Bought the Hardcover


I had heard this debut title many times in the past few months, and then I saw it on a lot of Best I've Read lists for 2010, so I finally picked it up to read because I was in the mood for a girly, light-hearted book. PARANORMALCY totally fit what I was looking for. It is a really cute, flirty book about a sassy girl who thinks her life is one way, and finds out it's not exactly what she thought, all while falling for the new boy in the picture and dealing with paranormal creatures. Although the cover is somewhat dark, the book itself deals with the paranormal in a humorous way with lots of jokes about them, along with the serious plot of what's happening to Evie.


Evie just wants to be a normal teenager going to school and prom, unfortunately, she isn't. She works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency because she is special - she is the only human who can see through the "glamours" of paranormal creatures (it has faeries, vampires, werewolves, hags, banshees, trolls, mermaids...any paranormal you can think of) so she is put to work tracking them down. She finds them when they're causing trouble, verifies that they are paranormal, and then tags them and tells them they have to report to the closest IPCA office. She's good at her job, although, she doesn't have a family and she lives in the IPCA headquarters. She has her own area and all-access to the facilities, but her best friend is a mermaid and she never gets to leave without special permission and someone accompanying her. Then the weird dreams start, and the cute boy who is almost invisible breaks in, and her ex-boyfriend faerie won't leave her alone - and everything changes for Evie and the IPCA.


I really loved how fun this book was. Although it was dealing with a main conflict that was serious, the overall mood of the book was fun. The plot moved the book forward quickly, in fact I read this book in just two days. It was hard to put down because I always wanted to know what was going to happen next. It had a bit of a mystery aspect to it in trying to figure out what Evie's dreams meant and wondering who was really the good faerie trying to help her or the bad faerie out to get her - if a faerie even can really be good. Now about character: Evie is just a normal teenager with wanting to have her first kiss, go to prom, be at a normal high school, and rebelling in her subtle ways along with all of it; but she also has this crazy paranormal world she's dealing with and all of the politics that play a part in it - along with struggling with basically being the center of that world because of what she can do. So, there's a lot of pressure for her, but she handles it all in a kick-butt girl fashion with her sassy humor and flirty ways. However, the way she is written, it's so easy to relate to her and what she wants and what she's struggling with. There is a fun romantic plot to this story as well, with a bit of a twist as Evie isn't sure what her powers might be, if any, and Lend has powers that may be difficult for any girl to deal with. All of the characters are written in a fun, relateable way, and overall, it's a really cute book that I highly recommend. I'm glad it's going to be a series as I would love to go back and live in this world and see what happens to Evie next.


4 STARS for PARANORMALCY
I'm glad this is going to be a trilogy series. I'm really looking forward to reading book two, Supernaturally, in September 2011, and untitled book three sometime in 2012 as well!

MATCHED by Ally Condie

MATCHED (out today) by Ally Condie is a book about a dystopian society that thinks it is utopian. In the same vein as The Giver and The Hunger Games, there is a main character who has bought into the way society has been made better, but through the course of events in the story, begins to learn that her society isn't all it's cracked up to be. I loved the characters, the plot, the society/world created, the conflict, the writing - I LOVED this book! This has definitely become one of my favorite books I've read this year, and the trilogy will be on my must-read list for my students!


In Cassia's society, everything is highly controlled by the government: where people live, what they can do, when they can marry and have children, where they can go, information available to them, and who they can be with. On their 17th birthday, the people go to a Matching Banquet where they receive the person that the computer system and technology have found to be their perfect match for their future. At that point, they get to start dating and when they are older, they can choose to marry that person or be single. This is a society in which the government doesn't make mistakes because they have systems that they have found to be better than information that was available in the past.  However, on Cassia's matching day, her disc reveals her best friend as her match, but also shows the face of another boy that Cassia wasn't meant to see. What she chooses to do with this information, how the two boys involved react to it, her family's secret knowledge revelations, her interactions with the officials at the matching department, and the way her world is shown to her once the haze of perfection has worn off become the push for moving this intriguing story forward.


The plot of this book was fast-moving with many events happening that made me want to know what would happen next. It also had great thoughtful and thought-provoking moments. One of the most interesting aspects of this book was the idea of this society that felt that the world had gotten too complicated and busy which affected people in a bad way, so they took the 100 best of everything: poetry, books, songs, etc. and that is all the information/learning people had access to anymore. Ally Condie created a world in this book that I want to keep reading about. The way that Cassia's journey of discovery happens throughout the story made me want to root for her to rebel against what the society has told them. I wanted to root for her to find her own path and to find ways to work against the society as she discovered more about Ky and Xander and what role they both play in her overall view of her society. I also felt they were both represented true feelings and choices for Cassia.


This book is the first in a planned trilogy, and I for one, am anxious to find out where this story will go. Just as anxious as I was to find out what would happen to Katniss, Peeta, and Gale in Catching Fire, I can't wait to see where Ally Condie takes Cassia, Ky, and Xander in the next book in the series. One of the best things about this book though, is that there is a clear resolution at the end for the first part of the story for these characters, and as much as I'm looking forward to what will happen next, I still felt fulfilled by what I was given. It's not a cliffhanger of an ending and it's very satisfying.


5 STARS for MATCHED
I'll definitely be first in line to buy the next one in the series!


Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book from a giveaway on whatchyareading.net which they received from the publisher. I was not compensated or persuaded in any way for this review.

NIGHTSHADE by Andrea Cremer

I have to start off by saying that I loved, loved, loved this book. NIGHTSHADE is absolutely making my list of favorite books for this school year.  The cover design is gorgeous, the concept is unique and intriguing, the fantasy world created is fascinating, the plot is fast-paced, the main character is a strong female, the boys she’s involved make are both feasible options, the secondary characters are entertaining, the side story about acceptance of gay friends is handled realistically and well, the (Wisconsin!) author’s knowledge of historical lore is apparent, the secrets make you want to know more, and the writing is engaging.  It was just released last week and I had heard so many positives about it, but when I went to the store to pick a book and saw the cover, I had to pick it up. So I decided to read the first chapter right there to see if I wanted to buy it, and I was instantly pulled into Calla’s world and left the store with the book – finishing it in three days. The book is well over 400 pages, but flies by, especially since the plot pacing is such that I couldn’t stop reading because I wanted to find out what would happen next.

Calla is a Guardian in the Nightshade pack. They are a pack of werewolves who work for the Keepers protecting something hidden. Calla is the daughter of the alpha wolf and she is a month away from a union with Ren, the son of the alpha wolf of the Bane pack. Once Calla and Ren unite, they will be the alphas of a new pack of this younger generation. Unfortunately, since the two packs are rivals, she’s never spent much time with Ren, except to see him dating lots of different girls at their school. This is interesting because as we get to know Ren more, we see why Calla is drawn to him - he's more than just his reputation - and we start to really like him as well for his sense of duty, protectiveness, and heart. Ren and Calla have to start spending time together to prepare for their union and combining their two packs into one. What no one knows is that Calla has already broken a major pack rule, when she saved a human boy from a bear attack in the woods – something forbidden for the Guardians to do.  When their first order as a combined pack is to protect Shay, the new boy, Calla knows she’s in trouble because he’s the boy from the woods. As she spends more time with him she realizes how much she wants to spend more time with him - and so do we - he is caring, honest, and wants to see the best in people. Calla learns a lot about the research Shay has been doing, which is related to the history of her people Calla has been forbidden to read because it is very different from the stories she has always been told.

This book is about Calla finding her way past the order and rules she’s always followed into being her own independent, free-thinking person.  Yes, the Ren-Calla-Shay love triangle is the main conflict in the story, but the reason it’s so important is because it represents two very legitimate choices for Calla: stick with being a Guardian, under the rule of the Keepers, with Ren and be a Guardian and live with her pack as she’s been preparing for all her life - or go with Shay, who thinks she is being treated like a slave, and run for her life to get away from this life that may not be what she always thought it was. The reason both are legitimate choices is because of all of the other family and pack characters in the book – and the fact that there is a feeling that Calla truly cares for both Ren and Shay, but in different ways.  Her ultimate decision is made based on the information she has at the time, and her desire to protect those she loves.  Calla thinks it’s about survival, but Ren counters, “This is only about love.”  And it is because you will end up loving this book!

5 STARS for NIGHTSHADE

I can’t believe I have to wait until next summer to read book two: WOLFSBANE (you can preview chapter 1 on the series website at www.nightshadebook.com)! This is a planned trilogy.

THE LOST HERO: THE HEROES OF OLYMPUS Book One by Rick Riordan

Oh, how happy I am that Rick Riordan is back with some more Greek mythology stories. I've missed percy Jackson since he finished his quests, saved the gods on Mt. Olympus, and completed his prophecy. Although he is not in THE LOST HERO, other than just his name being mentioned, he still plays an integral role. I loved being taken back to Camp Half Blood, and some familiar characters, as we met three new demigods who we learn are incredibly important to the world as the gods have set it up now.  THE LOST HERO has it all: adventure, battles, comedy, friendship, family drama, mythology references, saving the world urgency, excitement, mystery, and a little teen romance thrown in for good measure all in a quick read book.


In THE LOST HERO we meet Jason who doesn't remember who he is or where he's from - he just pops up one day on a school field trip. He's sitting next to Piper, who has her own issues because she keeps stealing things to get her famous father's attention and also thinks Jason is her boyfriend. Sitting near them is Leo who brings most of the comic relief to the story. When the monsters attack, we come to find out that Jason can speak Latin and refers to the gods by their Roman names. When the three are rescued and taken to Camp Half Blood, we meet up with lots of familiar characters and hear a new prophecy, and find out the parentage of the three new characters and what their quest will be. Along the way we meet new minor gods and goddesses, lots of mythological animals and people, and go along on their journey to building the friendship of Jason, Piper, and Leo and saving a major goddess.


The thing I really love about Rick Riordan's writing is that it's pretty straight forward and written at a great middle grades level.  That means it will be easily accessible/readable to all of my eighth grade students; however, as Percy's fans have grown, so has the size of the new series of books - this one tops out at 553 pages. The beauty is that because of the excitement and pacing of the story, I never wanted to stop reading it or put it down.  Another change that was made for this series, that I really enjoyed, is that it is actually told from three different character's points-of-view.  The book is written in third person, but when we first meet the main characters, we're reading from Jason's perspective, then after two chapters we move to Piper's, and then after another two chapters we get Leo's.  I liked that the timing of the change was consistent throughout the book allowing me to know what was coming, but also each chapter was titled the character's name from whose perspective it was written. 


This book nicely sets up the larger premise for this new series by Rick Riordan - but I won't give that away here because I don't want to spoil the story!  Luckily, we'll be getting new Rick Riordan books every six months alternating between The Kane Chronicles series and The Heroes of Olympus series - with the next heroes book, THE SON OF NEPTUNE coming out in a year.


THE LOST HERO is a must-read book for everyone who loved the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series: The Lightning Thief, Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse, Battle of the Labryinth, and The Last Olympian.  You won't be disappointed and will be so happy to be back in this world again. And if you haven't read the others yet, you need to!


5 STARS for THE LOST HERO

INCARCERON by Catherine Fisher

INCARCERON is one of those books that I think boys will really like because it deals with prisons, fights, escapes, mysteries, secret plans, backstabbing, assassination plots, and science-fiction stuff that has action scenes and is intriguing. That being said, I struggled with it because I was really confused for most of the first hundred pages or so, and it wasn't until page 200 that I had that jaw-dropping moment where I started to figure things out and wanted to know what would happen next. At that point I started to care more about what would happen to Finn and his crew that were trying to find a way out of the prison, while I was eager to see if Claudia, the Warden's daughter on the Outside, would figure out what was really going on and be able to rescue Finn from Incarceron. 


They live in a society that has halted progress. The world's technology got so advanced that they created a prison that was a closed system. They would take all of the criminals and put them in there, lock the doors, and never allow anyone else in or out. Then on the outside, they follow Protocol to live as if it is two hundred years ago without the technology that they are so scared of. One thing I really liked was how the story was told - we get to see part of the story from Finn's perspective and the other part from Claudia's perspective. I'm finding I really like the books that give multiple points-of-view to tell the same story; it's especially necessary in this book where the story actually happens simultaneously in two different places. The book deals with a lot of issues of progress in society, the benefit or detriment of technology advances, and if solutions are really good or just another way of putting someone in a prison.


My feelings about INCARCERON reminded me of when I read The Maze Runner by James Dashner. I struggled through not knowing what was going on in the beginning, got further in and started to care and want to know what would happen to the characters, got close to the end when it through me for a loop with a really weird sci-fi/supernatural element, felt like I had finally started to get to the part where I was figuring things out, and then it ended - but left a huge cliff-hanging ending making me reluctantly eager to read the next book.  I know that's not a glowing endorsement, but again, I think it's just not right up my alley as far as genre goes.  I'm not sure if I'll read the next one, as this one's 443 pages took me quite a while to read, mostly because I wasn't dying to read the next pages enough to put aside other things. I will definitely recommend it to my boy students to give it a try.


3.5 STARS for INCARCERON
The sequel, SAPPHIQUE, comes out December 28th.

FOREVER by Maggie Stiefvater Cover Reveal - Pre-order to get a SIGNED copy!

Maggie Stiefvater has released the book jacket image for FOREVER, the final book in The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy (begun with SHIVER and LINGER). Not only are these some of my favorite books ever, but also have the most beautiful covers I've seen for young adult books (designed by Christopher Stengel - see Maggie's interview with him about the covers here: Shiver Cover Interview). The cover is what drew me to the original book, the lyrical writing is what kept me reading, the plot and multiple point-of-view storytelling is what made me love them. I've heard Maggie speak in person and she is fascinating to listen to, and has a great web presence sharing her writing brilliance with all.

So...are you anxiously awaiting the July 2011 release of FOREVER (like I am!) to find out what happens to Grace, Sam, Cole, and Isabel in the final book of The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy? Use this link to pre-order a signed copy of FOREVER from Maggie's local, independent book store to be sent to you next summer:  http://www.fountainbookstore.com/autograph-maggie

WHITE CAT: THE CURSE WORKERS Book One by Holly Black

WHITE CAT is one of those books that I had heard so many good things about from so many authors that I like, that I was expecting to really like it, but it wasn't quite what I expected.  I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it, I was left feeling a little confused by it in the end. Ultimately, I would probably read the next one in the series because I started to care about the main characters and I'm curious what will happen to them next. 


I think there are a few reasons for my confusion in the beginning.
     First, I'm not sure if I really liked the flow of the writing - there is quite a bit of jumping back and forth and skipping to the next scene that is done with just a break in the text, which was throwing me off a little bit as I read and would have to look back and see where I was at in the story. 
     Second, I felt kind of lost for most of the first half of the book. I couldn't quite get a handle on this world of the curse workers and what it really was or how it really worked. I guess I felt like I really needed a more explicit or longer explanation of what was going on earlier in the book.  
     Third, I sort of liked Cassel, the main character, but I'm not sure if I felt the urgency to find out what was going to happen in the story.  I liked that he was a male main character who was intelligent and had a wry sense of humor, but I wasn't totally engaged with wanting to know what was going to happen to him in the beginning.
     Fourth, honestly, it was a little slow for me. It took until at least 100 pages in until I felt like something was happening that I understood and then another 40 pages before I figured out the real conflict, then 40 pages later it really started to get interesting.


So, that's how I felt for the first half of the book. Then I started to get more into the story as Cassel figured out more of what was going on, found out what he'd done in the past, figured out what the big con was, and then worked his own counter-con. Now this was what I was looking for in this book and the kind of book I like. The secondary characters started to get more interesting as they got tangled up in Cassel's big con, which made me want to read more also. 


The thing is, it's not a bad book by any means, it just took awhile for me to get into it.  However, since Cassel himself is in the dark for most of the book and confused about what's going on, it is very possible I was supposed to feel a little foggy about what was happening to make me feel like I was in his shoes. If you like realistic-fantasy books, this is a good one and I really liked that it had a male main character who was likeable and interesting. I'd probably read the next one in the series just to see what comes next for these characters because by the end of the book, once I figured out what was going on, I really liked them. 


3 1/2 STARS for WHITE CAT: The Curse Workers Book One

RETURN TO PARADISE by Simone Elkeles

I need to start this review of RETURN TO PARADISE, the sequel to Leaving Paradise by talking about the author - Simone Elkeles - because she is the reason I read the first book in this series. Ever since I read Perfect Chemistry (my first Simone Elkeles book) I have loved her as an author - she writes emotional, edgy, real, romance books with deep characters. They are realistic fiction stories about girls and boys in high school, but go beyond just the typical cliched looks at high school that some young adult books in this genre stick to.  They also go beyond just the girl's story and drama - we get to hear from both the boy and the girl who are the main characters in the story. By switching points of view for each chapter, we get characters who are more fully developed and go beyond shallow feelings, to understanding why the conflict happens in these relationships. While they are romance stories, they go beyond that with deeply-flawed characters who have to find their way through their own issues before they can be part of a couple, and discover more about themselves and the how to get by in the world around them by their journeys through these stories.  Simone writes in a direct style with a voice that seems true to life for teenagers. Her books are not overly complicated, they are to-the-point delving into the emotions, hardships, struggles, inner-battles, and love of the characters she writes. There are a few more mature situations in her books, but nothing too graphic, and always handled well with the thoughts and emotions that the characters go through in relation to those situations.

Now that you know how much I love Simone Elkeles as an author, I need to tell you about the first book in the series. I first read Leaving Paradise when one of my students gave me her copy to borrow after I read Perfect Chemistry and talked about how much I loved it.  I devoured Leaving Paradise in one day. It is the story of Maggie, whose leg was severely injured when hit by a drunk driver and a year later is still struggling with getting her life and spirit back to being able to live her life. Caleb is the boy who went to jail for hitting her - and also her neighbor and twin brother of Maggie's best friend. The story starts when Caleb comes home from juvie and Maggie is heading back to school.  In all of their emotional struggles that ensue with their life changes, Maggie and Caleb realize that the one person they're most afraid of - each other - might be the only person who can help them get through to the other side.  I loved the first book, but felt a little let down by the ending, mostly because I felt it left Maggie and Caleb's story a bit unfinished.  


Flash forward to a year and a half later when I heard Simone had written a sequel - RETURN TO PARADISE - to complete Maggie and Caleb's story and let us know what happened after Leaving Paradise.  Simone was running a facebook contest and I commented about her books and she thanked me for being a teacher who reads what her students read and then offered to send me a free copy of the book. I was really excited to read this book, and was not disappointed. The thing that I really loved about this book is that it wasn't just an easy path for either of them when after eight months, Caleb shows back up in Maggie's life. They are on a summer trip to tell other teens about the dangers of reckless driving with four other teens who have also been affected in some way. Both of them have their reasons for having their guard up and fighting against the feelings they have for each other, while each of them has to travel their own path to self-acceptance and realizing that the other one is the best person for them.  


Without giving away too much of the story, I will say that when the realization is made that accidents affect far more than just the perpetrator and the victim, but the entire families around them, it is a moment of healing, acceptance, and moving forward that was much needed for their stories. The other thing I really like is that neither one of them has to give up who they are or what is important to them to be better with each other. Simone has left this book with a satisfying ending for Maggie, Caleb, their families, friends, and the reader. Now, with both books combined, this feels like a complete story and journey of discovery, acceptance, and healing for these characters who I was began to care about.


5 STARS for RETURN TO PARADISE
Simone Elkeles' Books:
Perfect Chemistry - Rules of Attraction - Chain Reaction (early 2011)
Leaving Paradise - Return to Paradise
How to Ruin a Summer Vacation - How to Ruin My Teenage Life - How to Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation