Waiting on Wednesday (11)

Digger thrives as a spy and sneak-thief among the feuding religious factions of Gerse, dodging the Greenmen who have banned all magic. But when a routine job goes horribly wrong and her partner and lover Tegen is killed, she has to get out of the city, fast, and hides herself in a merry group of nobles to do so. Accepted as a lady's maid to shy young Merista Nemair, Digger finds new peace and friendship at the Nemair stronghold--as well as plenty of jewels for the taking. But after the devious Lord Daul catches her in the act of thievery, he blackmails her into becoming his personal spy in the castle, and Digger soon realizes that her noble hosts aren't as apolitical as she thought... that indeed, she may be at the heart of a magical rebellion.

This book sounds amazing. It looks like it would be really unique. Plus I love the cover.

Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert

Ballads are the kind of songs that Kara McNaughton likes best. Not the cliched ones where a diva hits her highest note or a rock band tones it down a couple of notches for the ladies, but the true ballads: the punk rocker or the country crooner telling the story of their life in three minutes, the chorus reminding their listeners of the numerous ways to screw things up. In high school, Kara helped maintain the "Stories of Suburbia" notebook, which contained newspaper articles about bizarre and often tragic events from suburbs all over and personal vignettes that Kara dubbed "ballads" written by her friends in Oak Park, a suburb of Chicago. Those "ballads" were heartbreakingly honest tales of the moments when life changes and a kid is forced to grow up too soon. But Kara never wrote her own ballad. Before she could figure out what her song was about, she was leaving town after a series of disastrous events at the end of her junior year. Four years later, Kara returns to face the music, and tells the tale of her first three years of high school with her friends' "ballads" interspersed throughout.
Stephanie Kuehnert makes a raw, heart wrenching, but most of all a brilliant book. Kara is like that girl that you hear rumors about, but never get to know. I have never been across a story as honest as Ballads of Suburbia. You will fall in love with the characters and the story. The ballads were one of my favorite parts of the book, because they let you look into the essence of the characters. The book was also so engaging. I kept on wanting to put it down, but it was almost impossible, because the story is so unique and genuine. I can't wait to read more from her in the future.

Waiting on Wednesday (10)

While other teenage girls daydream about boys, Calla Tor imagines ripping out her enemies’ throats. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. Calla was born a warrior and on her eighteenth-birthday she’ll become the alpha female of the next generation of Guardian wolves. But Calla’s predestined path veers off course the moment she saves the life of a wayward hiker, a boy her own age. This human boy’s secret will turn the young pack's world upside down and forever alter the outcome of the centuries-old Witches' War that surrounds them all.
I love the cover and the plot sounds amazing.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined.
Before I Fall was stunning. Sam starts as a mean person, but from a series of the same days, she begins to realize that she can be a better person. I really didn't like her friends. They were horrible people. I also didn't like Rob, he was a huge jerk. Kent was also very sweet and kind. Sam grows into a great character, through the choices that she makes over the past seven days. I still felt that it dragged in a few places, but it was an interesting and amazing book. Lauren Oliver is a great author, who has an amazing feature in writing.

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Anna is going on a trip with her best friend, Frankie to Zanzibar Bay. Frankie thinks that it will be the perfect time and place for a summer romance, a quick and harmless fling. During swimsuit shopping, Anna and Frankie come up with a plan for the Absolute Best Summer Ever. The plan is to see who can get the most guys in twenty days. The problem is that Anna, isn't over Frankie's Brother, Matt, who died suddenly in a car crash. So, Anna is holding on to that time with Matt and hiding the secret from Frankie.

I could understand what Anna was going through. I have experienced grief and I understood it. I also think that Ockler has written it so well. I felt like I was in that moment again. Anna is a strong character for keeping silent about her relationship with Matt a secret. Her voice was also so strong through out the book. Frankie annoyed me at the beginning, but she seemed to grow up and realize that she wasn't alone. The flashbacks were done so well, that I felt the emotion that was in the moment and that Anna had. The plot of Twenty Boy Summer was stellar. I was engaged in the story, through the strong characters and emotions. It shows how hard it is to be left behind and what it does to you. Ockler made an amazing debut that leaves you wanting more. It is not a book to miss.

Waiting on Wednesday (9)

Poor Dru Anderson. Her parents are long gone, her best friend is a werewolf, and she's just learned that the blood flowing through her veins isn't entirely human. (So what else is new?) Now Dru is stuck at a secret New England Schola for other teens like her, and there's a big problem - she's the only girl in the place. A school full of cute boys wouldn't be so bad, but Dru's killer instinct says that one of them wants her dead. And with all eyes on her, discovering a traitor within the Order could mean a lot more than social suicide. . . Can Dru survive long enough to find out who has betrayed her trust - and maybe even her heart?
I really enjoyed the first book. I can't wait to read this book. It sounds amazing

Need by Carrie Jones

Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you"d have to fear.

Zara's obession with fear seemed a bit odd, but she was still fearless and brave. Nick was sweet and hot. I really liked the romance that they had between one another. Devyn and Issie were great supporting characters. I also loved Zara's grandma, she was crazy and amazing. The plot of Need was fast paced and you don't want to put it down. It was full of romance and action. Jones made an amazing setting for Need. My boyfriend is from Maine and I can see the story perfectly. The pixes were also scary unlike Tinkerbell. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

How It Ends by Laura Weiss

Laura Wiess, the acclaimed author who once brought us "a girl to walk alongside Harper Lee's Scout and J. D. Salinger's Phoebe" (Luanne Rice), brings us another memorable young woman, this one at the center of an extraordinary novel of how love ends, how it begins, and what it's worth to protect it...

All Hanna's wanted since sophomore year is Seth. She's gone out with other guys, even gained a rep for being a flirt, all the while hoping cool, guitar-playing Seth will choose her. Then she gets him -- but their relationship is hurtful, stormy and critical, not at all what Hanna thinks a perfect love should be. Bewildered by Seth's treatment of her and in need of understanding, Hanna decides to fulfill her school's community service requirement by spending time with Helen, her terminally ill neighbor, who she's turned to for comfort and wisdom throughout her life. But illness has changed Helen into someone Hanna hardly knows, and her home is not the refuge it once was. Feeling more alone than ever, Hanna gets drawn into an audiobook the older woman is listening to, a fierce, unsettling love story of passion, sacrifice, and devotion. Hanna's fascinated by the idea that such all-encompassing love can truly exist, and without her even realizing it, the story begins to change her.

Until the day when the story becomes all too real...and Hanna's world is spun off its axis by its shattering, irrevocable conclusion.

How It Ends is unlike any book that I have ever written. Hanna is a normal teenage girl that is slowly drawing away from her family, including her nieghbour Helen. Hanna is a very likable character. I didn't understand her fasination with Seth, and I wish Jesse was in the book more. He was so great to Hanna. Helen's story is heartbreaking and unlike anything that I know. I loved how it was presented on an audiobook. The plot of How It Ends is slow, but you will tear through the last hundred pages. The characters will break into your heart and steal it. This is unlike any other book that I read, it is niether cliche or expected. Laura Wiess creates a book that is unforgetable and sweet.

Waiting on Wednesday (8)

It's a question as old as time itself: which is better, the zombie or the unicorn? In this anthology, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier (unicorn and zombie, respectively), strong arguments are made for both sides in the form of short stories. Half of the stories portray the strengths--for good and evil--of unicorns and half show the good (and really, really bad-ass) side of zombies. Contributors include many bestselling teen authors, including Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan. This anthology will have everyone asking: Team Zombie or Team Unicorn?
I really have enjoyed Justine Larbalestier's books and I have only heard good things about Holly Black's books. My daughter is also obsessed with Unicorns, so that adds to my interest in this book.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Just before their sixteenth birthdays, when they will will be transformed into beauties whose only job is to have a great time, Tally's best friend runs away and Tally must find her and turn her in, or never become pretty at all.
Tally is a strong character. She is fearless and brave with what she does. Like going into the woods to search for The Smoke. David is also very sweet and I loved how he was. The plot of this book is full of so much action and I enjoyed all of the twist and turns that this book did. I also liked the message that the outside is not the most important thing in the world. I could see this dsytopian novel as a possible future for America. I would also love to see this as a movie. Scott Westerfeld is a talent author that continues to grow and create new and magical worlds.