Review: The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

This was the second book I've read by Sarah Dessen, and I loved it. So much of what I've been reading lately has been paranormal or fantasy, so it was nice to get back to a good old fashioned book about humans! This is a young adult novel.

Summary from Barnes and Noble:
Sixteen-year-old Macy Queen is looking forward to a long, boring summer. Her boyfriend is going away. She’s stuck with a dull-asdishwater job at the library. And she’ll spend all of her free time studying for the SATs or grieving silently with her mother over her father’s recent unexpected death. But everything changes when Macy is corralled into helping out at one of her mother’s open house events, and she meets the chaotic Wish Catering crew. Before long, Macy joins the Wish team. She loves everything about the work and the people. But the best thing about Wish is Wes—artistic, insightful, and understanding Wes—who gets Macy to look at life in a whole new way, and really start living it….

I immediately felt connected to Macy. I loved her character. I think most people can find something in common with her, in some way. I really liked the relationship between her and Wes. Her insecurities, and the game that they always played. I admit to having a crush on him as well...he was so likeable! I did find myself with tears in my eyes several times while reading the book, but that's a good thing.

I think this would be a great read for any teenage girl trying to find some meaning in their life, whether they've gone through a tragedy or not.

**SPOILERS**
I am not always a 'happy ending' kind of girl, but I have to admit I was extremely happy with how this book ended. I would have been sad with any other conclusion!

Rated: 4.5/5

Review: The Named by Marianne Curley

The Named is the first book in the Guardians of Time young adult series by Marianne Curley.

I picked up this book on a whim, not really knowing what to expect. I was very pleasantly surprised, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.

Summary from Barnes and Noble:
Ethan lives a secret life as a Guardian of the Named. Under the guidance of Arkarian, his mentor, and with the help of Isabel, his unlikely but highly capable apprentice, Ethan has become a valued member of this other-worldly corps. As the only defense against the evil Order of Chaos, the Named travel through time to prevent the Order from altering history and thereby gaining power in the present and the future.
As the threat from the Order intensifies, secrets of the past are revealed and villains and heroes are exposed. This gripping fantasy is set in modern times, but is infused with intrigue from the past, super-natural characters and surprising plot twists.

I thought this story was really interesting. Time travel isn't something that I've read a lot about, but one of my very favorite books is The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. The whole concept is so intriguing, and this book didn't disappoint. The story is instense immediately, and keeps that pace the whole way through. There were definitely moments when I was a little scared...and wished I hadn't been reading right before trying to go to sleep!

The characters are complex, and things aren't always what they seem. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story unfolds in the next two books!

**SPOILERS**
I'm very interested to see if any sort of relationship happens between Arkanian and Isabel. Also wondering how Matt will do as Ethan's Apprentice, and what will happen with Rochelle. Lots of questions to be answered!

Rated: 4/5

Review: Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

Wondrous Strange is the first novel by Lesley Livingston.

Summary from Barnes and Noble:
For seventeen-year-old actress Kelley Winslow, faeries are just something from childhood stories. Then she meets Sonny Flannery, whose steel-gray eyes mask an equally steely determination to protect her.
Sonny guards the Samhain Gate, which connects the mortal realm with the Faerie's enchanted, dangerous Otherworld. Usually kept shut by order of icy King Auberon, the Gate stands open but once a year.
This year, as the time approaches when the Samhain Gate will swing wide and nightmarish Fae will fight their way into an unsuspecting human world, something different is happening . . . something wondrous and strange. And Kelley's eyes are opening not just to the Faerie that surround her but to the heritage that awaits her.
Now Kelley must navigate deadly Faerie treachery—and her growing feelings for Sonny—in this dazzling page-turner filled with luminous romance.
Wondrous Strange is a richly layered tale of love between faerie and mortal, betrayal between kings and queens, and magic . . . between author and reader.

When I started this one, I wondered if it was going to end up being too 'out there' for me. I'm new to the fantasy and paranormal world of books (although I'm loving them). But, I got sucked into this one pretty quickly. I am a big Shakespeare fan, and loved the weaving of his work into this story. I thought the relationship between Sonny and Kelley was really sweet. I liked that she was tough, but still vulnerable. And he was the same way.

The ending was left so that there COULD be a follow up book - does anyone know if there will be?

**SPOILERS**
I think the only thing that bugged me a little bit about this one was how quickly Kelley seemed to believe the fact that she was who Sonny told her she was. I guess she had seen some things going on that made her suspicious, but I'm pretty sure if someone told me I was a Faerie Princess, it would take me quite awhile to get a grasp on it! Maybe that's just me!

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and would love to read more by this author. Plus, she's Canadian, which earns me points with my husband and his family (all Canadian). :)

Rated: 4/5

Review: Heat Stroke by Rachel Caine

Heat Stroke is the 2nd book in the Weather Wardens series by Rachel Caine. If you haven't read this one or the first book, don't read any further!

This one started off a little slow for me, but the action of the 2nd half made up for it! Joanne is now a Djinn, and David is trying to teach her the ropes. What she doesn't know is what he had to go through to create her. He is losing strength to keep her strong, and there is so much more that she isn't aware of...

Again, at times there was so much going on that I wondered if I was really comprehending it all. A little of it might have been over my head, but I did enjoy the story and I was surprised at how it ended...although I did wonder how long she'd be able to survive as a Djinn (I think there are 7 or 8 books in this series). It will be interesting to see how she handles being a human again, with David still as a Djinn. The ending definitely leaves you hanging!

Rated: 3.5/5

My Love Affair with the Library

Oh library, how I love thee!

I'm so sad I haven't been taking advantage of the library until now. Everything about it is great! It's so easy to reserve a book! I can easily check to see how many people are ahead of me for a certain book. I can have them hold a book for me that's available right now, so that I can just run in and pick it up instead of searching for it (always a good thing when you have a young child that doesn't like to sit still in the stroller unless it's moving!)

They even have a drive up book return!

The only thing I could find wrong with it was that I had to pay to park if I went before 5 on weekdays. But, today I found out that if you are parked in the ramps for less than an hour, it's free! Sweet!

Today I picked up eight (yes, eight!) books that were on hold for me. I was surprised so many of them became available so quickly! So, here's the list...guess I know what I'll be reading this month!

The Named (Book 1-Guardians of Time Trilogy) - Marianne Curley
The Dark (Book 2-Guardians of Time Trilogy) - Marianne Curley
The Key (Book 3-Guardians of Time Trilogy) - Marianne Curley
The September Sisters - Jillian Cantor
Graceling - Kristin Cashore
The Abstinence Teacher - Tom Perrotta
Wondrous Strange - Lesley Livingston
Blue is For Nightmares - Laurie Faria Stolarz

And I still have 2 others that I picked up last week:
Darkfever - Karen Marie Moning
The Truth About Forever - Sarah Dessen

I also still need to read the 8th Sookie Stackhouse book, and City of Glass. I ordered both of those, and should get them either tomorrow or Monday.

I'm going to be a busy girl...

Review: Ill Wind by Rachel Caine

Ill Wind is the first book in the Weather Wardens series by Rachel Caine. I decided to try this book out, because I'd read Caine's young adult Morganville Vampires series and enjoyed it.

Summary from Barnes and Noble:
Joanne Baldwin is a Weather Warden. Usually, all it takes is a wave of her hand to tame the most violent weather. But now, she's trying to outrun another kind of storm: accusations of corruption and murder. So, she's resorting to the very human tactic of running for her life... Her only hope is Lewis, the most powerful warden known. Unfortunately, he's stolen not one but three bottles of Djinn-making him the most wanted man on earth. Still, she's racing hard to find him-before the bad weather closes in fast...

This book was a lot different than the Morganville Vampires books, but I enjoyed it. At times, I think some of it was a little over my head. I'm relatively new to fantasy books, so I think that has something to do with it. There was a lot of information in this book, and I think there could have been a bit more character and relationship development, but that may come as I get further into the series. I'm definitely interested enough to keep reading, and I've seen a few reviews that said the books get better as the series goes on.

**SPOILERS**
I was really surprised by the ending of the book, and looking forward to finding out what happens to Joanne as a Djinn! Definitely glad David will still be around! (Well, I hope so anyway!)

Rated: 3.5/5

March in Review

March was a busy month for me as far as reading. I read 18 books! I'm actually surprised and wondering how I managed to get anything else accomplished! But the reality is...I probably didn't get much else done! The weather has been gloomy, and I'm tired of winter...so I didn't have the energy to do much else besides read once my daughter went to bed.

I read several new authors this month (five) and started quite a few new series of books. I'm looking forward to finishing the ones that I've started, or at least continuing on with them! I also rediscovered the library this month, and I've been busy searching for books and making a reserve list there!

My favorites for the month were definitely Fade by Lisa McMann, and City of Bones/City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare.

I definitely won't get as much reading done in April - it's a very busy month for me. But hopefully I'll manage to sneak a few books in!

The Library!

I finally went to the library today! I have lived here for way too long to have never gotten a library card! I finally decided we needed to go in there and get a card. I like to buy books, but there are a lot that I want to read that I just don't want to spend the money on. I used to practically LIVE in the the library in my hometown!

It felt great to be in a library again! I just love seeing all of those books! And they have tons of audio books, cds, and DVDs too. I had jotted down a couple books to look into, so I got my card and then started looking through the shelves! I ended up with four books to start with.

And man...things have changed. I did 'self checkout' with my books and got a printed receipt with my due date. I was in awe. I must be making myself sound old! Or maybe just showing that I really haven't been to the library for a long time!

It was nice to see that you get 28 days when you check out a book, too. At the library I went to growing up, you only got 14. Getting almost a month is definitely nice -- I can get quite a few at a time, and not have to worry about getting downtown to return them too often!

So yes...I was a little giddy about going to the library! And I'm excited to dig into the books I got!

Review: City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

City of Ashes is the 2nd book in the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. This is a young adult series. Spoilers to follow, especially if you haven't read the first book!

Here's the synopsis from Barnes and Noble:
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.
To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings -- and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

As with the first book, I had a hard time putting this down. The tension between Jace and Clary was intense in this book. I kept waiting for them to somehow find out that they aren't brother and sister. Sigh. Lots of twists in this one, and a lot of action. I was afraid there might be several 'main' characters dead after the battle on Valentine's ship! (Luckily they are safe for now!) Of course, Valentine is still out there somewhere. I haven't read any info about the third book yet, but I'm hoping to get it in the next week or two (it's a lot less expensive online, so I have to wait for it to ship!). I'm anxious to find out what happens, and to see how things are wrapped up (it's a trilogy, right?). Now I just have to avoid reading everyone's reviews of the third book - I really hate spoilers!! :)

Rated: 4.5/5

Review: City of Bones - Cassandra Clare

City of Bones is the first book in the Mortal Instruments young adult series by Cassandra Clare.

Summary from Barnes and Noble:
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Clary knows she should call the police, but it's hard to explain a murder when the body disappears into thin air and the murderers are invisible to everyone but Clary.
Equally startled by her ability to see them, the murderers explain themselves as Shadowhunters: a secret tribe of warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. Within twenty-four hours, Clary's mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a grotesque demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....

This book had been on my shelf for awhile, but I just finally picked it up. And, wow. I should have read it a long time ago! This is something that I never would have read a year ago. I mean...demons? But I couldn't put it down! The plot is interesting, and the characters were very real. Well, as real as a demon hunter can be, I guess. The main characters, Clary and Jace are strong, yet vulnerable and flawed. I really liked how the book started, and I liked all of the history of the Shadowhunters. I never knew what to expect next, and have to say I was certainly surprised with how things turned out...

Random question - is Jace pronounced like JC? In my mind I was saying it to rhyme with "chase" the whole time...

I've already started the next book in the series - City of Ashes. I'll have to pick up book 3 which just came out this week...

**SPOILERS**
Ok...seriously? He's her brother? Even though I suspected something at the beginning, I figured I must be wrong when they kissed, so I put it out of my mind. So yes...I was surprised! I wonder what will happen to Clary's mom...and what Valentine will do now that he has the cup...

Rated: 4.5/5