Letters To Elise by Amanda Hocking.

"In My Blood Approves, Peter Townsend fell in love with Alice Bonham, but she wasn't his first love. In a new novella told through his letters, his history is revealed."- Goodreads.

ebook, 101 pages

Published December 20th 2010

I absolutely LOVE Amanda Hocking's "My Blood Approves" series. One of my favorites. And my favorite character happens to be Peter. I love him. I can prove it. Just call Santa up and ask him what was on my Christmas list. Peter was. 

Well, I don't think Santa will be showing up with him and putting him under my tree, but this book was a pretty good alternative.

In the "My Blood Approves" series Peter is very quiet and distants himself from his family when Alice starts coming around. 

In this novella, it's all about Peter, and boy is he an emotional being. Talk about a tear jerker!

It's a pretty quick read. I got it done in about 2 hours. I liked how it was written in letter form. Very different and you really got to see his personality and how he became who he is really well.

Oh! And the last entry! Let me tell you, that was not fair. 

I don't just want the next MBA book, but NEED it because of that entry.

You should definitely read this though.

If you haven't read the "My Blood Approves" series you should read that too. I personally would suggest those first, then this one because some things would make more sense. But it would probably work reading this one first. Either way you do it. Read them!

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2)-Suzanne Collins

 "Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying."- Suzanne Collins Website.

Hardcover, 391 pages

Published September 1st 2009 by Scholastic Press

I was so nervous to read book 2 in The Hunger Games trilogy. I LOVED the first one and was scared this one wouldn't live up to how great the first was. I didn't even actually know what was going to go on in this book because I didn't read the description first.

It was amazing, to say the least. This was one of those books that I did not want to put down. I actually hid it under the corner of the table when my husband's aunt held poker night for us and some of his family. I wasn't playing but they wanted me to watch. But I read instead.

As I've stated before, I love dystopian stories. And this is by far one of my favorites. 

The world that Suzanne has created is actually scary to me. The control the Capital has. The sick pleasure the people of the Capitol get from watching kids slaughter each other in The Games...just everything makes me happy I don't live there.

Katniss is trying to keep everyone she loves safe by pleasing the Capitol, but also isn't sure she likes what she has gotten herself into with Peeta. I like what Haymitch tells her about Peeta though, that she could do a whole lot worse. Which is true. Peeta is great. So sweet too. 

I loved where this book when. I didn't see it coming and I cannot wait til I can get to the bookstore to buy Mockingjay. Cannot wait to see how the whole thing ends!

If you have not read this series, seriously, start it now. It's getting crazy. I've actually started having dreams about it!

5/5 for Catching Fire!

Matched by Ally Condie.

 "Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow." -Goodreads.

Hardcover, 366 pages

Published November 30th 2010 by Dutton Juvenile

"Do not go gentle into that good night."

This was a really fun read. I love dystopian stories so when I heard about this one I could not wait to get it. The cover is what caught my eye and then the description intrigued me even more.  But seriously, what an awesome cover. So simple, yet says so much about the story. I appreciated it even more after I read it. There would be parts that I would read then close the book and look at the cover and think how it just goes.

I really enjoyed Cassia. She has lived her whole life in this Society and has only heard a little bit about what life was like before and was told everything about our world and way of living was wrong. That they need to be told what to do and how to live in order to live correctly. Everything in her life is controlled. So when Cassia sees Ky's face on her Match screen she starts to wonder how a mistake like that could happen. 

Then her Grandfather gives her something that makes her start question everything even more. 

Love Ky. He is so sweet and willing to do whatever he can to be with Cassia, even if it is only for a short time.  So I'm pretty sure I am rooting for Ky.

I liked Xander, but I just didn't feel like I really got to know him so I really didn't care if he got Cassia.

There are some pretty good twists in the story too, so I cannot wait for the next one!

4/5 for Matched!

Delirium by Lauren Oliver.

"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." -Goodreads.

Hardcover, 440 pages

Expected publication: February 1st 2011 by HarperTeen

I received this book from Netgalley and HarperTeen to review.

"Love. It kills you both when you have it, and when you don't."

This was an AMAZING book. I cannot wait til I can buy a copy to add to my bookshelves.

I am very big on love. I believe everyone deserves it and I love giving it. So when I read the description of a book that is about a world that "cures" love, I HAD to read it. Let me tell you, I felt a whole slew of emotions during my reading time. I even ended up crying. 

The characters are great. Molded by the society they live in and what they think is right. The writing is wonderful and just pulls you right into the story.

Lauren Oliver makes the world feel small. That the place Lena lives is the only place to live. But then as Lena starts realizing how much world and life is beyond the fence you can really feel a shift in the feeling of the story. It's so great.

The whole book was pretty fast paced, but the last few chapters. Oh wow, heart-pounding and intense. I do not see how I am going to be able to wait until 2012 for the next book.

So awesome.

5/5 for Delirium!

Once in a Full Moon.

Once in a Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber
Release date- December 28th, 2010 
Published by Katherine Tegen Books


"Beware of a kiss under the full moon. It will change your life forever.

Celeste Parker is used to hearing scary stories about werewolves—Legend's Run is famous for them. She's used to everything in the small town until Brandon Maddox moves to Legend's Run and Celeste finds herself immediately drawn to the handsome new student. But when, after an unnerving visit with a psychic, she encounters a pack of wolves and gorgeous, enigmatic Brandon, she must discover whether his transformation is more than legend or just a trick of the shadows in the moonlight.

Her best friends may never forgive her if she gives up her perfect boyfriend, Nash, for Brandon, who's from the wrong side of town. But she can't deny her attraction or the strong pull he has on her. Brandon may be Celeste's hero, or he may be the most dangerous creature she could encounter in the woods of Legend's Run.

Psychic predictions, generations-old secrets, a town divided, and the possibility of falling in love with a hot and heroic werewolf are the perfect formula for what happens . . . once in a full moon."-Goodreads.

I got this book through Netgalley to review.
There were aspects that I liked, and aspects that I didn't like. It was a good premise, but the story just didn't seem to develop. Every chapter was Celeste wanting to be with Brandon, but stating all the reasons why she should stay with Nash. I really saw no competition there; Nash was a jerk. She said so, in every chapter. She also said the only few things he had going for him were that he was hot, popular, and her 2 best friends were dating his 2 best friends, so they all liked hanging out together. Those are not reasons to stay with someone. Her friends didn't help much either. Celeste said many times they were just looking out for her, but they were controlling.
I didn't feel like I got to see anyone's personality, other than Brandon's (and his still felt a bit limited).  I just never got to "know" any of the characters really well.

My favorite parts were Celeste and Brandon. He is such a nice character and made the love story part really sweet.
Ellen Schreiber 's website says it's part of a new series, and there is a bit of a surprise at the end that will lead nicely it into another book. So if you read this one, be expecting to want to read the next so you know what happens.
If you are looking for a quick and easy read, this would be it. Doesn't take too much time to get through. And there are some cute parts in it, so I'm sure if you love YA and fantasy you will probably eat this right up. I'm hoping the next books picks up a little bit more though.


I'd give it a 3 out of 5.

Glimmer (Zellie Wells #2).

"Zellie Wells' life is changing. Her relationship with Avery is growing stronger every day, but their parents are still giving them ultimatums and trying to keep them apart. Her newly discovered powers have all but disappeared. Benjamin, another young Retroact, is back and has brought with him a painful shared vision and a troubled past. While working together to figure out what the vision means, Zellie discovers that Benjamin is a worthy friend and mentor. If only he could keep his hands off of her-if only she wanted him to..."-Goodreads.


Stacey Benefiel did a very cool thing and emailed out codes to get her books from SmashWords for people to review. I had been wanting to read them so I was not going to pass up the opportunity. I really enjoyed Glimpse. It was different from everything that I had been reading so it was refreshing. Going into Glimmer, I had high hopes of it being as good as Glimpse.
Now, it was not bad, but parts of it just were not necessarily my cup of tea. One of the biggest parts of the story is Zellie and Avery trying to have sex together. Then you have Ben talking about all of his previous partners AND trying to hook up with Zellie. And then there is Christopher with his ghost boyfriend who "satisfies him" with his energy. The sexual themes in this book were just too much for me. It actually surprised me considering it's a YA book. It is definitely for the older end of the YA spectrum.
The rest of the story is pretty good though. You get to learn more about The Society and their involvement with the retroacts and this book sets up nicely for the next book "Glow" which will be published in 2011 sometime.
If you liked the first one and sexual themes do not bother you, then you will probably enjoy this one.
I'd rate it a 3 1/2.

The Lying Game.

"I had a life anyone would kill for.

Then someone did.

The worst part of being dead is that there’s nothing left to live for. No more kisses. No more secrets. No more gossip. It’s enough to kill a girl all over again. But I’m about to get something no one else does—an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never even got to meet.

Now Emma’s desperate to know what happened to me. And the only way to figure it out is to be me—to slip into my old life and piece it all together. But can she laugh at inside jokes with my best friends? Convince my boyfriend she’s the girl he fell in love with? Pretend to be a happy, carefree daughter when she hugs my parents good night? And can she keep up the charade, even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every move?

From Sara Shepard, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of thePretty Little Liars books, comes a riveting new series about secrets, lies, and killer consequences.

Let the lying game begin."-Goodreads.

By Sara Shepard. 307 Pages. HarperTeen.

Provided by: NetGalley.

   I love Pretty Little Liars the TV show and had been wanting to read the series but not while I was watching the show too (I thought that might get a little confusing).  So when I found out Sara Shepard had another series and the first book was available for request on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to get it and read it. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint. One page you think you have figured out just what happened and just who did it, but then you turn the page and you start suspecting someone else entirely different.

   The story is told from Sutton's point of view, who was killed and now her spirit is watching her long-lost twin sister Emma try and be Sutton while she tries to solve her murder all while trying to not get killed herself.

   The twist and turns kept me on the edge of my seat, but were not overwhelming. I found myself starting to like a couple of the characters just to have that turned on me and those characters be made the murder suspects. That happened a couple of times so I finally decided it was probably better not to get attached to anyone, but that is going to be so hard because the characters are made to be so likeable. 

   The last couple of chapters had really good twists and then a cliffhanger that left me craving more. I cannot wait for the second book. Thank goodness it's not that long of a wait.

"Never Have I Ever (The Lying Game #2)" comes out April 8th 2011. 

Frostbite (Vampire Academy Book #2)-Banned Book.

"Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose…

It's winter break at St. Vladimir's, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians—including Rose's hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks….This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price…"-Goodreads.

   This one I enjoyed a lot, so much in fact that I finished it pretty quickly. The story kept moving the whole time, and unfortunately, Richelle Mead ended the chapters in such a way that made you want to keep going. Not fair...because I did keep going, really late into the night. My husband will probably be contacting Richelle here pretty soon asking her not to do that anymore so that he doesn't have to deal with a grumpy, sleep deprived wife. 

   There is a trifecta of guys and Rose has to figure out which one is right for her and worth her time (I think I'm still Team Dimitri...but now I have a bit of a crush on Adrian so I'll have to see where that goes in the next one).
   Her mom in her life again and is pretty stern about Rose changing how she acts about life and her guardianship and Rose has to learn how to deal with that without help from anyone really, because her best friend is to involved with her boyfriend to really hang out and talk with her much. The only person who is trying to help her cope with everything is Dimitri and that in itself is difficult because Rose wants to be with him and he has started showing interest in someone else.
  Dang, poor Rose. So much is on her plate in this story.

    I related to Rose more in this book. There were times when I just couldn't stop thinking "Whoa...that's what I would have done and/or said." I liked those parts because they usually ended up okay, which made me feel smart. And I knew how she felt with the whole "in love with one guy but he tells you you two cannot be together for certain reasons so you try dating someone else and it just doesn't seem to really work" thing. Yeah, been there, done that. But I am now married to that very same guy who told me we couldn't be together....so maybe there is still hope for Dimitri and Rose! This revelation has made my night.

   I'm not even going to lie to you...............I cried. Yeah, it's one of "those" books. But that just makes it feel all the more real.

   Now, onto the Banned Book part. This one, along with the entire series was banned in a school district in Texas for sexual content and nudity. Yes, there is a bit of fooling around, but before you read anything that happens between these two people a fade to black kind of thing happens. Would I suggest it to my 13 yr old cousin? No. But then again this is a young adult, and I don't consider her a young adult just yet. Seriously though, the scene would barely make a parent blink if they saw it in a pg-13 movie with their kid, but when it's in a book it's bad enough to be banned from the entire district? That is just a bit silly.

The Hunger Games. (challenged book)

"Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with every one out to make sure you don't live to see the morning? 

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. 

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning 
to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love."-Goodreads.

374 pages

Published October 1st 2008 by Scholastic, Inc..

I almost regret taking so long to read this book (I say almost because since I waited all the books are out and I won't have to wait for anymore to be released). I saw it in the bookstore right around the time that it was released but decided to wait on it and kind of forgot that I wanted to read it until recently with all the hype of Mockingjay being released. I bought it last week at Border's and when I started it I could not stop reading. Since I haven't read the entire trilogy I cannot yet say they are all my favorite, but I can say that The Hunger Games is now one of my favorite books. 

Dystopian is one of my favorite type of stories and this definitely hit the spot. It's a very intense story. Great characters, riveting plot, the writing is amazing...it's just an all around fantastic read.

And for right now, I am Team Peeta. LOVED him! I hope he stays sweet and amazing in the next two books.

If you haven't read this book, read it soon! I don't want you missing out any longer than you have to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Banned Books Year Read: (even though it is only a challenged book, that fits in my qualifications for my banned book year)

Now on to the challenged book part. Sometimes I hate the internet. When I searched for this one being a banned book I just got a bunch of links to other people asking if it was banned...BUT I did find one story that stood out to me.

A mother from New Hampshire challenged the book and wanted it removed from her 11 yr old daughter's entire school district after she started having nightmares because of the book, and she also thought that it would desensitize other kids to violence. You can read the entire article HERE.

Now this article states that the mother had not read the series, but other ones that I read said she had...but more often than not they do not read them so I'll go with she didn't.

I can understand an 11 yr old getting scared. As I said before, it is an intense story, and it is violent. If I had a child and found out she had to read it for school I would have read it with her because there are some things to be learned from the story. And I do not believe it will desensitize kids to violence. Most of the characters playing in the games do not feel right about having to kill and it shows them standing up against something they feel is wrong.

One comment that someone made on another version of the article that I liked was something to the effect of that school history classes teach about gladiators going into rings and fighting until the death so if that scares one kid are they going to stop teaching about roman gladiator history? No. So why should this be pulled?

I suggest reading the article. But if you haven't read the book yet, do not read the comments as people have posted spoilers in them.

The Dead and Gone.

"Susan Beth Pfeffer’s Life as We Knew It enthralled and devastated readers with its brutal but hopeful look at an apocalyptic event--an asteroid hitting the moon, setting off a tailspin of horrific climate changes. Now this harrowing companion novel examines the same events as they unfold in New York City, revealed through the eyes of seventeen-year-old Puerto Rican Alex Morales. When Alex's parents disappear in the aftermath of tidal waves, he must care for his two younger sisters, even as Manhattan becomes a deadly wasteland, and food and aid dwindle.
     With haunting themes of family, faith, personal change, and courage, this powerful new novel explores how a young man takes on unimaginable responsibilities."-GoodReads.

  I'm definitely thinking this is one of my more favorite series. I read "Life As We Knew It" earlier this summer which was right after I had lived through my first real winter. Being a native-Texan who has never really had "winter", the Tennessee cold was a bit of a shock. So pretty much during my time reading the first Last Survivors book I just kept thinking about how cold I had been and how I would have dealt with that kind of cold weather outside AND inside for months and months. This book made that even more intense.

In the first one the mother was a take action kind of person. She knew they were going to need supplies and did what she had to to get what they were going to need. She remembered tons of stuff that helped them survive. 

In book #2, Alex is only 17 and didn't keep up with the news reports on the moon so he didn't know how serious it was. Him and his younger sisters stay in their crappy apartment building that his dad works in waiting for their parents return (father went to Puerto Rico for a funeral and mother got called in to the hospital she worked in) which he thinks will happen really soon and that what they have will last them long enough. Pretty soon though days turn into weeks and weeks into months and he still hasn't made preparations for the early winter, so he ends up having to do some pretty crazy stuff to keep a little food in their bellies.

The first Last Survivors was written in diary form from the girls point-of-view and that worked well for that story. This one is written similarly, with the dates being written in to keep track of the days, but it is not Alex telling the story. This works though since he did not seem like the kind of kid that would keep a journal or would have time to keep up with it, so I liked it this way. 

What I found to be a little strange about the story was that Alex kept saying he wanted to be the first Puerto Rican president but he did not know very much about the current events. If he didn't have the nuns, priests, and one friend telling him what was happening in the world he would have never known. I would have thought that someone that wanted to be president would be more up to-date on stuff like that.

All in all though this was a good story. It showed a different side of the world wide tragedy and very different people. Can't wait to read "This World We Live In" to see how the two stories are entwined!

4/5

Glimpse.

 Zellie has a really big crush on Avery, her mom's highschool sweetheart's son. She doesn't even think he knows she exists, but at her 16th birthday party she finds out the crush is very very mutual. But instead of being able to savor her first dance with the boy she is in love with, she is consumed by the vision of his death. What freaks her out almost as much as having a vision, is that in the vision they are both covered in blood, grown up, and she is pregnant. 

She keeps it a secret from everyone not wanting to be labeled a freak, but such secrets cannot stay buried for long. And once Zellie's secret is out everyone's secrets start coming out, and they aren't all that good. Like how her mom had a similar vision when she was Zellie's age involving Avery's dad dying, and that's why they didn't stay together. They also have refused letting Zellie and Avery see each other anymore to prevent them from having the same heartache. With the help of her best friend Claire and her sister Melody, Zellie is hoping she can get her life put back together and get these visions figured out before her whole life and everyone in it that she loves is ripped from her. 

   This is a very refreshing story. It is a paranormal romance, but it doesn't have all the creatures that everyone is writing about right now. This is about Seers, which is what Zellie is, though she doesn't know is. Just as the title states, Zellie can "glimpse" the future, but doesn't know how to control it so she is having a hard time dealing with the visions she's been having. The characters were very likable and are easily related with. Claire is my favorite character, though sometimes she gave to much information without knowing if it is okay to say anything. But she is a cool best friend. 

[I'll play parental advisor and warn that there is language and sexual situations in this story.]

Misguided Angel.

  "In New York, Mimi has been elected Regent of a crumbling coven. Struggling with her heartache over the loss of Kingsley and with her overwhelming desire to destroy Jack, she must focus all of her energy on a perilous new threat. Vampires are being abducted and their captors are planning to burn them alive online…for all the world to see. Help arrives in the form of Deming Chen, a Venator from Shanghai, who must untangle the web of deceptions before the killers strike again."- Goodreads. 

   Misguided Angel is the 5th book in the Blue Blood series (so, of course, there are spoilers of the first 4 books in this review). I started reading the series last year, so I was a little late to the party but that doesn't mean that I appreciate them any less. I absolutely loved the first 4 and was anxiously awaiting Misguided Angel. It's not a bad book if you read it for what it is--a filler.
  I went into this book thinking it would be a continuation of Schuyler and Jack and her figuring out her legacy, but Schuyler and Jack were barely in this book. Definitely less than half. Misguided Angel focuses more on Mimi. The above description is only a bout 1/3 of the actual description, but seriously, that is really all the book is. They made it sound like there is so much of the Van Alen Legacy and Silver Bloods and Schuyler's mom, but it stretches the truth a bit
  I did really like seeing this different side of Mimi. She has had to mature and grow up very fast, especially when a teenage Blue Blood gets kidnapped and is threatened with Hellfire which will burn the vampire's soul forever. And even though she is doing all she can to take charge and run things, she is starting to realize that at her age she cannot do everything and not everyone is going to take her seriously, which makes her more determined to hold onto the control and save the kidnapped.
Oliver is still in the story, as well, since he is working at the Repository and his story intertwines with Mimi's.

   What I didn't like was that these books have been leading up to this huge decision that Schuyler and Jack make to go against everything and everyone to be together and then it FINALLY happens...and then we barely see them. And when you do, it doesn't seem that....magical. Where did their spark and chemistry go?
  And I did not like the new Venator Mimi brought in. She kept saying how good she was and that she always got the job done, but she never seemed to do anything right. She kept making things worse. I hope she is not in the next one. But I do hope the next one actually goes somewhere. And I hope Melissa De La Cruz goes back to switching points of view every chapter instead of breaking the book up into parts. That made it seem even shorter and it was short enough already.

  If you are only wanting to read this book for Schuyler and Jack, don't expect much of them, but if you have wanted to see more of Mimi, this is the book for you.
I give it 3.5/5

City of Ashes.

*I cannot review this book without there being spoilers about the first. If you have not read City of Bones and don't want to know some major stuff that happened, don't continue with this review until after you have read the first.*

  "Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go -- especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil -- and also her father." - Goodreads

  I was planning on reading another book after I read City of Bones, but when I finished CoB I couldn't wait. So I went right into the second Mortal Instruments book. And now I have to wait til I can get to the store to buy City of Glass. Urgh. I hate waiting...especially to get books that are in series.
  The tension between everyone in this book is great.  Jace and Clary can't seem to let their feelings go, even though they were told they are supposedly "brother&sister." After Simon kisses Clary he starts referring to himself as her boyfriend, which comes off as very selfish what with everything she is trying to deal with. Especially with the huge change that Simon goes through that will complicate things between them even more if he keeps pursuing her.
  Alec is dealing with his own relationship troubles.
  Valentine is up to some tricks again. He has stolen the Soul-Sword and is planning on using it in some way to over-throw the Clave.
 Clary's mother is in a coma and nothing her or Luke do seems to help.
 After Jace has a run in with Valentine the Inquisitor is called in to test whether he is lying or not about being a spy for Valentine. But she needs the Soul-Sword to do that and she finds it very suspicious that Valentine steals it right when it is needed. She seems to really hate Jace, like she has a personal vendetta against him. Isabelle and Alec's mom doesn't believe that Jace isn't helping Valentine either. So much drama.
  I loved Jace in this book. Well, I loved him the first one, but his character development in CoA was great. Every single thing he thought he knew about himself turns out to be a lie and he's not sure how to deal with it. Even though he puts on the tough guy facade there are some scenes where he is just broken.

  I have many many doubts that Jace and Clary are actually brother and sister. Too many hints were dropped by multiple characters. Hopefully in City of Glass Clary's mom wakes up and straightens it all out for them.

  My favorite scene is when Jace is in the Silent City. The fear is intense and it's just so emotion-filled it really stays with you.
Definitely 4/5 for this book. This is a good read for the YA Fantasy lover.

City of Bones.

One of my best friends told me to read this series probably a little over a year ago and she lent me City Of Ashes to read when I was done with the first. Well, I FINALLY decided to read it and I am SO glad that I did.

Vampires, Werewolves, Demons, Warlocks, Shadowhunters, and a bunch of other creatures all wrapped up in a pretty package called City of Bones.
Clary thinks that her father died before she was born, that her mother is a painter, and that her mother's best friend and the only father figure she's really ever know, Luke, is a book store owner (can he be my mom's best friend too?). But one fateful night changes everything she ever thought she knew. When she goes out with her best friend, Simon,  to the club Pandemonium she sees a girl and two boys corner another boy in a storage room, tie him up, and try to stake him, but she intervenes before it happens. While she freaks out not knowing why they are about to do that, Isabelle, Alec, and Jace (the aforementioned teens that are also Shadowhunters that cornered the other kid who turns out to actually be a demon) wonder how it is that Clary can see them. She is only a mundane (human), and mundanes don't have the Sight to see them and past glamors. But Clary does.
After this night, Clary's life is turned upside down when her mother gets kidnapped by another powerful and dark Shadowhunter, Valentine. Her life is also intertwined with Jace's in more ways then she could imagine.
She is racing to find a way to save her mom all while finding out the truth behind all the lies her mother has fed her all her life.

Now, by all means, this is not an original story. There is a pretty wicked twist towards the end that my best friend told me about when she first told me to read it...but it still took me by surprise. But other than that, nothing groundbreaking or genre defining original. I did end up totally loving Jace though. He is a really good character. And he made me laugh. A lot. He's overly confident and some of the stuff he says is just classic.
Some of the writing style was a little strange. I didn't understand why Clare chose to use some words because they just didn't seem to fit and she kind of over-used "so and so looked just as *insert some kind of emotion here* as Clary did". I swear I counted at least 5 times or more. I was always wondering why Clary never really looked the emotion she felt. She wasn't the kind of person to hide or push aside what she was feeling.

City of Bones was a fun read though and I am curious as to what happens in City of Ashes and City of Glass so I will definitely be continuing with this series.

Vampire Academy.-Banned Book-

"St. Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school–it's a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St. Vladimir's–the very place where they're most in danger. Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy's ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi–the world's fiercest and most dangerous vampires–make Lissa one of them forever."-Vampire Academy Website.


I was a little nervous to read this book because it is the first book I decided to read for my "Banned Books Year." So I didn't really know what I was in store for.  This seems to be one of the more controversial series that has been banned simply for the fact that books in the series were banned before even being available to the public. Which technically means it was banned in the future...before it was ever read or reviewed. That seems very extreme. Vampire Academy was banned for "sexual content and nudity" by a school district in Stephenville, TX. It was kept PG-13 and it is a YA book, which in my mind is rating it at least PG-13. I'm more surprised that the language was not brought up in the banning reasons. I think if they want to ban books like this because these parents don't want their kids to read it then they should ban movies with this kind of content from theatres or movie stores. They can get the books from somewhere, just like they can sneak into movies. And instead of trying to hide what is in these books, the parents should step up and actually talk about it. Tell your kids why you don't want them reading it, open up the communication, and pay attention to what they are reading in watching if you have that big of a problem with it.


Now, onto the review. First off, I want to state that I don't like the cover. It looks like Angelina Jolie and I don't like her...so I was almost turned off from this read because of that. 
I was a little bit 'meh' for the first 5-ish chapters. Richelle Mead kept soooo much stuff secret and it didn't really feel like anything in the story was unfolding. Then finally around chapter 7 or 8 it slowly started to open a little and you were let in more of what was supposed to be going on.
Rose always talks about how the biggest thing in her life is protecting Lissa...but I always got the feeling she liked doing her own thing more. She is a HUGE flirt and likes to mess around with random guys at their school. It's not until her mentor, Dimitri, points out she is being selfish in the way she acts. Then of course she gets a Dimitri crush. But the hopeless romantic in me can't wait to see what happens to Rose and Dimitri and if they ever get together or not. It is a pretty good start to the series though, so I'm looking forward to the next one to see where the story gets taken and to see what made that one get banned.

A Great and Terrible Beauty.

  Gemma Doyle, who lives in India with her mother and father, wants to live in London with her grandmother and brother. But her mother is hiding a secret from her and that secret is what is keeping her from being allowed to go to London to attend school like "a proper young lady should."
  On her 16th birthday Gemma and her mother get into an argument about this, yet again, on the way to tea at a friends house. After Gemma runs off during this argument she gets sucked into a terrible vision of her mother dying. She tries to get back to her mother as quickly as possible, only to be just in time to see her mother killed.

  She then gets her wish to go to London, and under the strict order of her grandmother, she is enrolled at Spence School for Girls, where everything is not as it seems. While there she becomes friends with her enemies, finds out about the Order, learns about her mothers past and her own future. Gemma soon finds out that along with the visions she's been having she can also open up a door to another realm that is controlled by The Order, which creates a whole new set of problems. Now with trying to keep her secret and control the magic of the realms, she find outs that Kartik, a boy from India who is part of a secret society that wants to keep members of The Order out of the realms, has followed her and is trying to help his society gain control over her. Will she and her friends make it out on top with full control of the realms? Or will the Rakashana get to her first? And will she be able to defeat what killed her mother?
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 This is the second time I have read this book, and I loved it even more the second time around. I love the time period that it is set in. The Victorian Era is one of my favorites. Libba Bray's writing is really beautiful. It is first person narrative so you get a great insight of Gemma's mind. All the descriptions, from how haunting the school is, to how perfect the realms are, to how terrifying the Winterlands and its creatures are, are awesome.
Gemma and her friends Felicity, Pippa, and Ann all come off as selfish, self-centered, greedy, and conceited at times. But if you really pay attention to their characters and their lives, it really does make sense they would act like that. They are all just trying to beat what their culture has "pre-destined" them to become. They are doing everything they can with the cards they are dealt. This story holds romance, mystery, magic, tragedy, hope and friendship. Definitely a great opener to the trilogy.


"What frightens you? What makes the hair on your arms rise, your palms sweat,the breath catch in your chest like a wild caged thing? Is it the dark? A fleeting memory of a bedtime story, ghosts & goblins and witches hiding in the shadows? Is it the way the wind picks up just before a storm, the hint of wet in the air that makes you want to scurry home to the safety of the fire? Or is it something deeper, something much more frightening, a monster deep inside that you've glimpsed only in pieces, the vast unknown of your own soul where secrets gather a terrible power, the dark inside?
If you will listen, I will tell you a story-one whose ghosts cannot be banished by the comfort of a roaring fire. I will tell you the story of how we found ourselves in a realm where dreams are formed, destiny is chosen, and magic is as real as your handprint in the snow. I will tell you how we unlocked the Pandora's box of ourselves, tasted freedom, stained our souls with blood an choice, and unleashed a horror on the world that destroyed our dearest Order. These pages are a confession of all that has led to this cold, grey dawn. What will be, I cannot say.
Is you heart beating faster?
Do the clouds seem to be gathering on the horizon?
Does the skin on your neck feel stretched tight, waiting for a kiss you both fear and need?
Will you be scared?
Will you know the truth?-pg. 86-87.


You really wanna read it now, huh??