Madapple by Christina Meldrum

Gnaphalium, Soloman's Seal, Angel's Trumpet, Bittersweet, Adder's Eyes, and Jimsonweed - these are some of the wild herbs and plants Aslaug and her mother forage for on the last day of her mother's life.  The next day Aslaug is accused of poisoning her mother with those very same weeds.  Raised mostly isolated from the rest of the world with only her mother's superstitions and religious beliefs as reference, Aslaug tries to make sense of the new events in her life.  Is she really the murderer everyone else believes her to be or is she a victim of  other people's close mindedness?  Who can she turned to for advice and guidance?  What will become of her?

posted 2/28/2010 2:58 PM | comment

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

This is the beginning of yet another series, but I am very excited about the sequel.  Linger is due out July of 2010.  This is also another Twilight-themed book and a must read for those who like the paranormal romance genre.

Sam is the werewolf that saved Grace as a child from being killed by the rest of his pack.  From that point on Grace has been comforted by a wolf that returns to the woods behind her house year after year.  Soon her wolf and the rest of the pack is threatened when the town's people want to kill them off after a student is attacked and killed. 

Of course, she finds out what he really is.  Of course, she wants to do everything in her power to protect him.  Of course, a romance begins.  While the story is predictable, it is really well written and quite sweet.  What adds to it's charm it that the story is told in alternating points of view.  The reader gets to know what each character is thinking, feeling and hoping.  I left anxiously waiting for the next installment.

posted 2/17/2010 3:00 PM | comment

Numbers by Rachel Ward

Lucky me - first book in a new series!  I am beginning to think I am a magnet for these types of books. 

The moment her mum dies, Jem receives a horrible "gift."  Numbers pop into her head when she looks into someone's eyes.  They're dates.  Dates predicting each person's death. 

Soon she closes herself off from all relationships and finds herself and outcast.  She refused to look anyone in the eye.  She doesn't want to know.  This changes when she meet Spider, another outcast who has issues of his own.  Jem finds herself unable to distance herself from him and opens herself to the first real relationship she has ever had with anyone else.  But she knows it is short lived because she has seen Spider's date. 

Will I read the sequel???  I don't know.  While I did enjoy parts of the book and really was hoping there would be more to the terrorist plot that forces the characters to run, I just not sure.  Something was lacking.  Maybe I expected more action or excitement.  I just turned out to be two troubled kids falling in love.  Little hook at the end that was supposed to entice the reader into the next book, but I almost think the author should leave it alone.
 
Would like to find out what other readers think about this one.

posted 2/17/2010 2:59 PM | comment

Deadly Little Lies (A Touch Novel) by Laurie Stolarz

This is the second in the Touch Novel series.  It picks up a few months after the first book.  Camelia has fallen for mysteriously gifted Ben who has taken off after the events of last year.  Ben's powers of psychometry - knowing the future by touching someone - allowed him to save Camelia from her demented exboyfriend.  Now, Camelia wonders if he will ever return and starts having mysterious happenings of her own.  Somehow she is able to "see" the future through her art.  Is she going crazy or does she also possess a few gifts of her own?  Read the book to find out.  Very quick read. 

posted 1/1/2010 5:26 PM | comment

The Everafter by Amy Huntley

I thought for sure this book would be very sad.  I almost didn't want to start it.  Maddy is dead.  You know book just don't end well when the main character is already dead before you start reading!  I am glad, however, that I did.  While spending time with all the lost objects of her life, Maddy revisits/relives events from her life.  It is in this way that the reader finds out who Maddy is and what happened to her.  Well, almost everything that happened to her.  She doesn't know how or why she died.  She only knows that she is dead and she can't quite move on until she find out the answer to that question.  What keeps you reading is wanting to know how she died, too.  A bit of a ghost story, love story and a story of true friendship.  What a great book! 

posted 1/1/2010 4:41 PM | comment

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Is Valerie a hero, victim, or killer?  That's what everyone really wants to know - including the reader!  Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, comes to school one day with a list of the people and things he and Valerie hate most.  He brings a gun. Some students and a teacher die and others are left wounded, including Valerie.  But didn't Nick do it because of Valerie?

This is a book about hate.  Who we hate, why we hate, and how people cope with hate.  How simple looks, gestures and words can lead to unthinkable actions.  How many angst filled teen cope with the reality of high school tensions.  How a disastrous event can lead to more hate instead of healing and understanding.

This is not a good book in the sense that it make you feel good.  This book is good because it makes you really think.  Hate List is good because make the reader feel - on a deep emotional level.  Have your hankies ready!

Some other books dealing with intense teen hate themes are Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes, Give a Boy a Gun by Todd Strasser and What Happened to Cass McBride by Gail Giles.  All of these I would highly recommend!!

posted 10/16/2009 9:33 PM | comment

Creature of the Night by Kate Thompson
Bobby is forced to move away from Dublin with his mother and half brother.  The only thing that makes it a little palatable is the bribe of an Xbox. Little does Bobby know, that while he plots about ways to steal a car and go back to his friends and reckless life in Dublin, his younger brother is being wooed by a small creature that creeps into the house at night.  The mystery deepens as the reader learns of the death of a small child in the house years before and the strange disappearance of the prior occupant. Bobby's quest to escape soon changes to protecting his brother.  Quick read.

posted 8/5/2009 4:57 PM | comment

The Morgue and Me by John C. Ford
I recently went to Barnes and Noble to pick up the new Fullmetal Alchemist and Sarah Dessen book.  While I was there a new book grabbed my attention.  The Morgue and Me is a great title and the cover art is fantastic.  I had to pick it up.  Once I found out it was a modern version of the old whodunit classics - I was hooked.  Christopher finds himself caught up in the true mystery that is fast paced and with lots of twists and turns.  There are so many shady characters that fit the profile of the killer that the reader might need a score card to keep up with it all.  Really, it's not that difficult - just fun!  I read it in just one day.  I had to know who did it!  A great read.  You won't be disappointed.  Other suggestions for fantastic mystery series include Christopher Golden's Body of Evidence series and Alane Ferfuson's Cameryn Mahoney series. 

posted 7/6/2009 4:47 PM | comment

The House of Night series by PC Cast
I just finished reading the first 5 books of the House of Night series. Yes, it's another popular vampire set!!! Thanks to Megan for introducing the series to me!  I wanted to make sure I have the entire set available before I began.  While I know there are still more coming, I just didn't want to wait to get started after hearing so much about the books.  Yes, I know - another series.  Oh well....
I am so glad I started!  I read the entire series to date in 5 days.  Yep! 5 books in 5 days!  Thankfully, I am a fast reader and was still able to spend time with my family.  It help that the authors (a mother and daughter team) wrote a very engaging, fast paced, and truly fascinating story.  I can't wait for the next installment to come out the end of October!

posted 7/3/2009 4:46 PM | comment

Reality Check by Peter Abrahams
Okay, here is one for the guys.  Although, girls like a good mystery as well!  Reality Check is about a high school star athlete in a small town whose girlfriend goes missing shortly after been sent away to a private high school out of state.  Cody sets out to find out what happened and uncovers a town full of secrets.  Stephen King is quoted as saying that Peter Abrahams is his favorite American suspense novelist!  High praise from a suspense icon.  Abrahams is the author of the very popular Echo Falls series.  All his books are available for checkout at Bella Vista.

posted 7/3/2009 4:46 PM | comment

Willow by Julia Hoban
This is a good one for those of you who like teenager in crisis novels.  Willow survived a terrible car crash that killed her parents.  She was the driver and has a huge guilt complex.  What she does to cope with the guilt and pain is the theme of the story.  Love is the cure.  Will she find it????   The author does a nice job cover a very sensitive subject.  Other books along this line are Cut by Patricia McCormick and Thicker Than Water by Carla Joblanski.  I loved the cover art.

posted 6/13/2009 4:45 PM | comment

The Forest of Hand and Feet by Carrie Ryan
A zombie novel!  Mary learns about life, love and what lives beyond her walled village.  I wasn't expecting a zombie novel when I first picked this book.  It grabbed hold of me quickly and pulled me right in.  Mary is one tough chick and I like that in a main character.  Rumor has it that this has been picked up for a possible movie deal.  The next installment will be coming out next summer.  Can't wait!!!!  I gotta know what happens next!

If you want another zombie novel try Generation Dead by Dan Walters.  It is the first in a 7 to 8 book series.  Number two Hunger  is already out.  I have it, but haven't read it yet.  So many books - so little time!

posted 6/13/2009 4:44 PM | comment