Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Ethan Wate has been counting down the months until he can escape small town Gatlin and the thinking that goes along with it. He hates that everyone knows everyone else’s business and that the only thing to look forward to each year is a Civil War reenactment. But everything changes when Lena Duchannes moves to town. From the start, Lena doesn’t fit in, and from the first time Ethan sees her, he knows that he shares a connection with this unusual girl. But the closer the two get, the closer Lena’s secret gets to being exposed. Though Ethan doesn’t understand at first, there’s a reason Lena is so different from all the other girls he’s met. Soon, Ethan becomes entangled in an ancient family curse and what could only be called magic. There’s only one thing he knows for sure now: there’s no turning back.

Beautiful Creatures is one monster of a novel, and I mean that in terms of length rather than content, although that wouldn’t be incorrect in describing certain characters in this story. I have many problems with this novel, and length is only just one of them. I don’t ordinarily mind long stories that exceed the 400 page mark—as long as they’re worth reading. Unfortunately, Beautiful Creatures was not original enough to keep this reader satisfied. I feel as if I’ve heard all of this before, and I’m sure even the most reluctant reader has too: the battle between light/good and dark/evil regarding the usage of magic and especially including a generally doomed romance. There weren’t even particularly interesting or vivid characters, surprising plot twists, or other unique elements to make up for the lackluster storyline. In addition, sometimes it became confusing what the real battle was about, good magic versus bad magic or the outsider against small town hate. This only helped draw the story out with the constant shuffling between the magic using world and the mortal world. Should I even be surprised that the ending leaves plenty of room for a sequel? I almost groaned upon seen that; I don’t know how I could stomach another drawn out 600 pages of something that wasn’t all that enthralling to begin with.

Beautiful Creatures may still be enjoyed by fans of Wicked: Witch & Curse by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié, Swoon by Nina Malkin, and The Hollow by Jessica Verday.

Rating: 2.75

Review copy from Amazon Vine

Winner winner chicken dinner

(For those of you who have seen the movie 21, you know where I'm coming from. Sorry, I've just always wanted to say that!)

Anyway, here are the winners from the last two contests here:

Vanesa, BoOkFaErY, and Bethie
each won a copy of My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent

Chelsea
is the winner of the signed copy of Wish by Alexandra Bullen

Congrats all!

The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard

For a year, Colt was with Julia, but no one knew but themselves. How could they tell anyone? Colt and Julia were from completely separate worlds. She lived in a mansion on Black Mountain Road, and his entire house on the flats could probably fit in her living room. Besides, Julia already had a boyfriend from the right neighborhood. Nobody would understand why the two continued to secretly meet up at night; sometimes, Cold wasn’t sure he did either. When Julia suddenly dies in a car accident, his secret life with her threatens to throw his life into complete chaos. Though he outwardly pretends everything is the same, he continues to agonize over thoughts of her, especially their last, less than cordial meeting. But what Cold struggles with the most is why he can’t even get over the girl who wasn’t his to begin with.

The Secret Year is a story of heartbreak and loss told from a male’s perspective. It’s very rare that I find a book whose protagonist doesn’t gross me out by being, well, too much the adolescent male. So while this novel’s character Colt does exhibit many of these tendencies (this story is after all pretty much about them), his maturity and thoughtfulness show him to be a more realistic and interesting character. I found reading from Colt’s point of view fascinating, especially regarding his grief and confusion over his secret relationship with Julia. I commend Hubbard for her ability to create such a vivid main character in Cold that so that many readers will be able to connect to him. Although there were probably a few points in the story that could’ve been better developed, the story itself is thoughtful and very satisfying. Overall, The Secret Year is a very solid debut novel.

The Secret Year will be enjoyed by those who liked Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott, The Day I Killed James by Catherine Ryan Hyde, and Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. I look forward to seeing what Hubbard writes next.

Rating: 4.0

Review copy from publisher Penguin

Win Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten

CONTEST CLOSED

Nina was beautiful, wild, and adored by her younger sister, Ellie. But, one day, Nina disappeared. Two years later, everyone has given up home that Nina will return, but Ellie knows her sister is out there. If only Ellie had a clue where to look. Then she gets one, in the form of a mysterious drawing. Determined to find Nina, Ellie takes off on a crazy, sexy, cross-country road trip with the only person who believes she's got a chance-her hot, adventurous new crush. Along the way, Ellie finds a few things she wasn't planning on. Like love. Lies. And the most shocking thing of all: the truth.

(3) lucky winners will receive Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten
courtesy of Big Honcho Media

Other details:

• US mailing addresses only.
• Contest ends 3/15/10, at 9 p.m. PST.

Remember, you must complete the form to be entered. If you have any questions about this contest, see my contest policy, or contact me and ask away.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins is Munch-Worthy

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

As you have so intelligently noticed, there is no summary for the third and final (at least it should be final, considering it is called a trilogy, but then again, there has been a precedent in breaking that rule) novel in the Hunger Games trilogy. Why? Because if there had been a summary, that would be way too revealing. So except for a select few special people, like the author herself and her editor David Levithan, nobody knows anything about this highly anticipated novel.

So why do I want to read Mockingjay? First of all, it's the last book in a trilogy that is exciting, well written, and relevant. That's like a major duh. Secondly, it's the last book in the Hunger Games trilogy. That's pretty much all that anyone needs to justify wanting to read this book (except for those select few that don't like the trilogy, of course).

I have to say that I'm not too enamored with the cover art. I guess after the contrast and brightness from the covers of The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, respectively, this palish blue seems a little limp. The color is not as strong and fierce, or eye catching, as black or red. In my humble opinion, gold or goldenrod yellow would've been better. But who am I? Not the cover designer.

Oh yeah, and for those of you who didn't know, if you order Mockingjay now on Amazon, you'll save over 50%. I on the other hand might get lucky and receive an ARC. But then again, that might just be wishful thinking. EDIT: So no ARC, but I WILL GET MY HANDS ON A COPY. Believe it.

Releases August 24, 2010 from Scholastic Press.

Mister Monday by Garth Nix

Arthur Penhaligon is the kind of boy who doesn’t ordinarily stand out except for his medical condition. That’s precisely why he’s picked. So on the day he suffers from what’s supposed to be a fatal asthma attack, he receives a strange visitation and an even stranger gift—a key shaped like the minute hand of a clock. It’s because of the key that Arthur doesn’t die, but not all is well in the world anymore. Arthur is being pursued by strange and otherworldy creatures that cause a puzzling malady everywhere they do, creatures at the beck and call of a certain Mister Monday who will do anything to get his key back. Desperate to escape the deadly clutches of his adversaries and determined to put the world back into order, Arthur stumbles upon another realm in which a power struggle has endured for the better part of all time, a struggle Arthur is only beginning to understand his own part in.

As a huge fan of Nix’s The Abhorsen Chronicles, I was willing to give this unusual novel a chance. The result is what I can only describe as nonsense that somehow makes sense. The book opens with a scene that clearly belongs to another realm, so the jump from that to Arthur’s tale, set initially in a reasonably earth-like place, is a little disconcerting. From then on, the story is a mishmash of odd encounters, peculiar places, and curious characters. In all, it’s a bit bizarre, sometimes so far out there, it seems only an overimaginative child could have thought it up, and I mean this in the best possible way, children having some of the best imaginations out there. I quite enjoyed Arthur’s unusual adventures; they were completely engrossing even when they challenged my ability to suspend my disbelief. There are only two points that were somewhat bothersome to me. Firstly, Arthur seems to be remarkably mature for a seventh grader, which I haven’t decided fits with the theme or is just unrealistic. Lastly, it’s clear that Arthur and the reader have only begun to delve into the new realms present in The Keys to the Kingdom series, and although much information about this new world was presented in this book, I still didn’t feel like it was enough.

Mister Monday will be enjoyed by fans of Poison by Chris Wooding, Mirrorscape by Mike Wilks, and Darkside by Tom Becker, although I’m not quite sure it those who enjoyed The Abhorsen Chronicles, also by Nix, will be as quick to snatch this one up, as this type of fantasy is quite a bit more frivolous. Nonetheless, I look forward to catching the rest of the installments in this sure to be entertaining series.

Rating: 4.0

Review copy from publisher Scholastic

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr

As the daughter of a pastor, Samara Taylor was raised to believe in faith, in a God who protects, and in miracles. But lately, everything going on in Sam’s life has caused her beliefs to waver. Though no one knows or acknowledges it, Sam’s family is starting to fall apart. Her mother is in rehab due to a DUI, the culmination of a history of alcoholism. Her father is rarely around anymore either, preferring to devote his attention to his congregation rather than the daughter he’s supposed to be taking care of. When a young girl from town is kidnapped, Sam’s own problems and worries begin to middle with this new tragedy. As the search for the missing girl persists and Sam struggles to hold her life together, she is forced to confront her changing faith and beliefs and what they mean for her new life.

The one thing I can say decisively about Zarr’s writing after having read only one of her previous novels is that she knows how to create a vivid character. Sam is the perfect example of this in Once Was Lost; her doubts and fears regarding her personal problems, the local tragedy, and her faith prove her to be an extremely realistic character many readers will be able to relate to. And once Sam’s character has been established, everything else falls into place. This is mainly because Once Was Lost is largely a character driven novel. The story is centered on Sam’s evolving thoughts and beliefs within the greater realm of happenings Sam cannot control. Because of this, the plot certainly cannot be described as action filled or even all that exciting. Nonetheless, it is still fascinating to follow Sam’s unique coming of age tale. Once Was Lost is a delicate and thoughtful tale that will appeal to more pensive readers or anyone who’s ever doubted.

Fans of Zarr’s writing in Sweethearts will enjoy Once Was Lost, as will those who liked Everything Is Fine by Ann Dee Ellis and any novel by Sarah Dessen or Deb Caletti.

Rating: 4.25

Review copy from Amazon Vine

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

Penny Lane, so named because of her parents’ Beatles obsession, is sick of every boy except the four responsible for her namesake. So while she’ll still listen to Beatles music, she’s sworn off boys. That means no more dating and instead dedicating her time to herself. And so Penny becomes the first member of The Lonely Hearts Club (named because of the only boys allowed), but soon, everyone wants to know about it. It turns out, Penny’s not the only girl fed up with letting boys be boys, and before long, girls are flocking to her growing club. It’s about empowerment and not letting the other sex get in the way of real life. But despite all the good things the club has been doing for its members, Penny can’t help but wonder if her original assumption, that all males are spawns of the devil, is really true and if not dating is really the way to go. Because despite how many times Penny tells herself that boys will only break her heart, there’s still one boy Penny can’t help but like.

The Lonely Hearts Club doubles as a sweet romantic comedy and a self empowerment book for all girls. Eulberg gets down to business quickly by listing nearly all the transgressions guys have made against girls. It’s practically a universally known fact that a girl will sometimes do anything to get a guy, usually to her own detriment, as shown through Tracy’s and Diane’s characters. Penny’s character offers an interesting solution to this: swear off boys and everything will be better. Of course, things rarely turn out as planned, and this heartwarming story is the result. I just love how Eulberg encourages girls to become independent from boys and take back their lives while also entertaining them with a cute and amusing tale. I wouldn’t say anything else in particular really stands out about this novel; the Beatles tributes and even the storyline have been tried before. Nonetheless, The Lonely Hearts Club is sure to bring a smile and a little hope into every girl’s life.

The Lonely Hearts Club appeals to teen girls who enjoy young adult romance stories including Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway and The ABC’s of Kissing Boys by Tina Ferraro.

Rating: 4.0

Review copies from publisher Scholastic and Big Honcho Media

Green Gift Giveaway

You guys may remember that back in November of last year, I posted a review as part of the Green Books Campaign, sponsered by Eco-Libris. Now, throughout the year of 2010, Eco-Libris is running a new campaign with incentives promoting green reading.

Here's how it basically works: once you balance out certain amounts of books by planting trees (all conveniently done through the Eco-Libris website), you'll receive certain rewards.

For balancing 25 books, you'll get a $10 gift card for possibly the best used book store in existence, The Strand. Yes, the actual store is located in NYC, but you can also use it online.

For balancing 50 books, you'll get a free "green" book, meaning it has been printed on recycled or FSC-certified paper. The list of available books is available here.

For balancing 100 books, you'll get a $25 gift certificate to BookSwim, which is the Netflix for books.

Also, the first 10 people to balance 100 books, will get a free copy of Jennifer Kaplan's Greening Your Small Business: How to Improve Your Bottom Line, Grow Your Brand, Satisfy Your Customers - and Save the Planet.

For more information on the Green Gift Giveaway, please see its page on the Eco-Libris website, or if you just want to learn about how to make your reading greener, visit the main Eco-Libris site.

Crashed by Robin Wasserman

Lia Kahn has given up on her old life. She’s accepted what she is, a mech and not a human. She’s left her family and their home to live with others like her. They live a crazy life without rules or boundaries, searching for ways to defy their programming so that they can feel and dream. But though Lia tells herself that she’s gotten used to it all, that she doesn’t care about her past anymore, she’s lying because there are people from her background she’s not willing to give up on. When Lia’s past turns against her, her new life starts to spin out of control. In a world increasingly hostile to the inhuman, hate mail isn’t all the mechs have to face, and when war between the orgs and mechs becomes a possibility, everything is at stake. But only one side of anything can win, and Lia must make a choice to determine what—and who—she’s fighting for.

This second installment in the Skinned trilogy is just as original and thrilling as the first. Things are even more dangerous and uncertain for the mechs, especially due to a radical religious group intent on stopping what they view as the unnatural creation of humanlike forms, or mechs. This, or course, lends itself to many new twists and turns in the story, all of them unexpected. Wasserman is a master at manipulating plot, and I’m glad to say there’s not one section of this book that isn’t interesting or exciting. Crashed was less about personal identity than its prequel Skinned was; it focused more on control of one’s life, choices, and the different sides to every conflict. Lia’s experiences and struggles continue to force the reader to consider many aspects of life we often take for granted, like the ability to feel emotion and basic human rights. Crashed is an enthralling continuation of a story about what it means to be alive.

The Skinned trilogy will be enjoyed by fans of Unwind by Neal Shuterman, the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld, and The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson.

Rating: 4.5

Review copy from Amazon Vine

The Lab by Jack Heath

Meet Agent Six of Hearts. He’s the strongest, fastest, most clever, and most effective member of a special group of field agents working in the Deck, a vigilante organization intent on establishing justice in a dangerous and corrupt world. Six is the best of the Deck’s agents—and he’s only sixteen. What the people at the Deck don’t know, and can’t find out, is that Six is the product of a genetic experiment by the Lab to create superhumans, the very kind of thing the Deck fights to prevent. When Six is assigned to investigate the Lab, he risks exposure. If the Deck learns of his identity, he’ll likely be treated as a traitor and subsequently punished. And if the Lab discovers that Six is out and about, he knows he’ll be pursued until capture. Either way, this is going to be Six’s most dangerous mission yet.

The Lab starts with a dramatic action scene and continues to be action packed until the very last page. There are seriously very few pages in this novel that don’t include a fight scene, chase scene, or danger. All this makes for an undoubtedly exciting and edge-of-your-seat suspense filled story that is quite difficult to put down. As with many purely action novels, the book starts to break down with characterization. Protagonist Six is superhuman, and unfortunately, a cold and distant personality results from it. Six’s inability to relate to the normal humans around him makes him almost inhuman and inaccessible to the reader. Heath does attempt to develop Six’s character, but it’s a little sloppy, especially at first. Six’s questioning of this identity, origins, and their significance is awkward and out of place amidst the nearly constant danger Six is usually immersed in. Since this novel is primarily action based, this isn’t a big deal since the plot is more than enough to keep the reader interested and satisfied.

The Lab will be enjoyed by fans of other futuristic action packed novels such as Skinned by Robin Wasserman, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Unwind by Neal Shusterman. I can’t wait to check out the sure to be exciting sequel, Remote Control.

Rating: 4.0

Review copy from publisher Scholastic

Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson

Scarlett Martin’s life is just as crazy as ever. Working for the eccentric agent Mrs. Amberson, formerly a resident of Scarlett’s family’s hotel, is a little like working in a circus. Tending to an insecure dog, a prissy Broadway star her own age, and all of her boss’s whims has Scarlett feeling like a professional juggler. And unfortunately, her work isn’t the only thing that’s all over the place. Between everything that’s going on with family and boys, it seems there’s hardly any room left in Scarlett’s life for herself. But maybe, this time around, Scarlett will finally be able to figure out everyone’s role in her life—and her own—in time to save the day.

This charming sequel to Suite Scarlett is a hilarious and wickedly entertaining read. It’s never quite apparent from the first few chapters what the point of the story is, which makes reading a little slow at first, but Johnson’s quick wit keeps the reader satisfied until the good stuff. I have to say I enjoyed Scarlett Fever more than its prequel, and I definitely attribute that to this novel’s characters. Scarlett, the unassuming heroine of this tale is completely lovable and easy to relate to. I particularly admire her ability to manage her busy life without going insane and her skill as a problem solver. Scarlett’s character experiences dramatic growth in this book, from not knowing what she wanted to do with her life to growing into and applying her creating problem solving skills. I don’t think Scarlett quite realizes where her life could do even at the end of the story, but that’s part of what makes me so excited for the next installment of Scarlett’s adventures.

This endearing story appeals to fans of its prequel, Suite Scarlett, as well as Slept Away by Julie Kraut and Dream Girl by Lauren Mechling. I eagerly look forward to the continuation of this series.

Rating: 4.25

Review copy from publisher Scholastic

The Lonely Hearts Club winners club

This is just a shout out to the winners of The Lonely Heart's Club:

Kapri, Michelle M, and Christine Womack

Congrats, guys, and enjoy the book!

Everwild by Neal Shusterman

Things are getting complicated in Everlost. Mary Hightower is no longer the only popular figure. Her strict rules and regulations are now being challenged by Nick, defamed as the “Chocolate Ogre” by Mary, and Allie the Outcast, also slandered by Mary for her ability to skinjack or possess the living. But even as Nick tries to help the Afterlights get where they’re going, Mary redoubles her efforts to convert them to her way of thinking because she see thinks keeping these lost children with her will save them. Conflict and possibly an all out war are brewing in Everlost. As new friends and foes reveal themselves, as the truth comes to light, as morals begin to get twisted beyond recognition, Mary, Nick, Allie, and all the souls in Everlost will have to decide which side is worth fighting for—and how far they will go to achieve their own ends.

Shusterman’s Skinjacker trilogy just keeps getting better and better. This sequel to Everlost is just full of danger, excitement, and suspense unique to this trilogy’s setting. It’s not just the action packed plot that makes this story fantastic though; that mostly can be credited to the characters. The three main characters, Mary, Nick, and Allie, are very realistic both because of their personalities and the internal struggles they face. There’s no doubt that some characters, like Mary, are a bit more evil than the others, but there’s logic behind it, albeit somewhat twisted, that makes these characters human. There are a lot of different subplots and switching points of view to take into account when reading, but somehow all these separate threads weave together perfectly. I’m thrilled Shusterman was able to make Everwild just as, if not more, original than its prequel Everlost, and I most definitely cannot wait for the conclusion to this addicting trilogy.

The Skinjacker trilogy will be enjoyed by fans of Jo-Jo and the Fiendish Lot by Andrew Auseon and Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin.

Rating: 4.5

Review copy from publisher Simon & Schuster UK