Book #138 Read in 2015
Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver
This was a good young adult book. Nicole (Nick) and Dara are sisters that are less than a year apart in age but light years apart in personality. Nick is the good sister and Dara is the one who is always in trouble. The sisters begin to grow apart when Dara begins dating Parker, the neighborhood boy who has been Nick's best friend since childhood. On their way home from a party one night, there is a car accident and Nick tries to make it up to her sister....will she be able to? This was a good read though I guessed "the twist" pretty early on in the book....but it was well written and was an engaging read.
Book #137 Read in 2015
The Heroine's Bookshelf by Erin Blakemore
This book is a book for book lovers. The author chronicles major female characters (Jo March, Scout Finch, Jane Eyre) and details what these characters have taught her and brought to her life. She ends each character section with recommendations of when to read these books and what other books readers may enjoy. It was a nice, quick literary read.
Book #136 Read in 2015
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
This is the first book in The Infernal Devices series, a prequel to The Mortal Instruments series. In this book, Tessa arrives in London to reunite with her brother. She is instead kidnapped by two sisters, the Dark Sisters, who torture her to "train" her to control her supernatural power--Tessa can shapeshift. Tessa did not know any of this growing up and has no idea what is happening to her. She is rescued from the sisters by Will, a Shadowhunter in training. Shadowhunters are people who have angelic power and keep the peace against the bad supernatural beings. Will brings Tessa to the Institute, where she meets more shadowhunters and she enlists their help to find her brother. Will she find him in time to save him from evil vampires? This book is a great read and this series is just as good as the Mortal Instruments series. I cannot wait to check out the TV show starting in January based on these series.
Book #135 Read in 2015
I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron
This is a cute read about the joys and trials of being a woman. Ephron tackles things like beauty, menopause, weight gain etc. The short stories are humorous and honest. I recommend this light read.
Book #134 Read in 2015
The Rosemary Spell by Virginia Zimmerman
This was a good read, especially for kids who love to read. Rosemary is friends with Adam and Shelby who are brother and sister. Shelby is starting to have more mature interests (boys etc) but the three are pretty close. Rosemary finds an old journal in her new room and she believes it belongs to Constance, a local poet who once lived in the house where Rosemary lives now. But this journal seems to have magical powers...especially when the kids say a poem/spell and Shelby disappears...from their presence and their memories. Will they be able to get her back?
This was a good mystery, especially for middle school readers. The main characters were intelligent and interesting. Overall, I enjoyed this book. I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine in exchange for a honest review.
Book #132 Read in 2015
The Bunker Diary by Kevin Brooks
Be prepared to throw this book across the room when you finish it. Linus, a teenage runaway, is kidnapped and brought to a underground bunker. He is soon joined by other victims. The man who brought them there controls everything--lights, heat, food etc. Why has he done this? This book takes on a sort of Lord of the Flies mentality at times and the lack of reasoning as to why this is happening frustrated me. That being said, I could see high school boys liking this book.
Book #132 Read in 2015
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
I have loved each of this author's books; I think her writing just gets better with each new book. In this one, told by multiple characters, an odd group of people are trying to remain safe in the war between Nazi Germany and Russia. Each character has quite the story and together, they are a sort of unique family. This is a quick read and will immediately engross readers. This book also covers the greatest maritime disaster in history....one that I knew nothing about. High schoolers and adults would love this book. I highly recommend it. I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine in exchange for a honest review.
Book #131 Read in 2015
These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly
This was a great mystery/historical fiction read. Jo is an intelligent young woman of a well-to-do family. She dreams of having the freedom to choose her path in life--whether it is to become a journalist, to marry who her family wants her to marry or to not marry at all. Then her world is rocked when her father dies, of an apparent suicide...or was it? Jo begins an investigation into what really happened to her father, with the help of dashing newspaperman Eddie. Of course, she falls for him even though they are not a socially acceptable match. Close to 500 pages, this book flew and will keep readers engaged from the first page to the last. The characters, most of whom are flawed, are intriguing and well written. I highly recommend this book.
Book #130 Read in 2015
The Masked Truth by Kelly Armstrong
I enjoy this author's Otherworld series and wanted to check out her new YA book and I was not disappointed. From start to finish, this book was one that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Riley was at a babysitting job when the couple she was babysitting for was murdered. Riley hid under a bed with the little girl and both were unharmed. But Riley felt like she should have done something to help Mr. and Mrs. Porter and she feels guilty about not doing anything. Therefore, she is in therapy. She heads to an overnight group therapy session and that turns into chaos when the group is invaded by men with guns, looking to ransom one of the others in therapy who has a very rich father. Will Riley escape unharmed again? This book had violence in it but overall, I think a high schooler could handle it. I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine in exchange for a honest review.
October Reads:
1. The Way I Used to Be (YA) 4/5
2. We'll Never Be Apart (YA) 4/5
3. A Skeleton in the Family (4/5) 1st in series
4. The Marvels (YA) 4/5 library book
5. A Window Opens (4/5) library book
6. Everything Everything (YA) 5/5 library book
7. A Step Toward Falling (YA) 5/5
128 books read in 2015
Book #129 Read in 2015
Diary of a Haunting by M. Verano
This was a good, creepy read for Halloween weekend. A family moves into a creepy old house in Idaho and feel that the house is haunted and full of bad energy. Creepy things keep happening to them. Will they be able to cleanse the house of its bad energy before it's too late? Told in a series of journal entries, this book was a quick read. It dragged a bit for me....I was like ok how is this going to end? But overall, it was a decent horror read. I borrowed this book from the public library.
