Black Hills- Nora Roberts

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!



A summer at his grandparents’ South Dakota ranch is not eleven-year-old Cooper Sullivan’s idea of a good time. But things are a bit more bearable now that he’s discovered the neighbor girl, Lil Chance, and her homemade batting cage. Each year, with Coop’s annual summer visit, their friendship deepens from innocent games to stolen kisses, but there is one shared experience that will forever haunt them: the terrifying discovery of a hiker’s body.
As the seasons change and the years roll by, Lil remains steadfast to her aspiration of becoming a wildlife biologist and protecting her family land, while Coop struggles with his father’s demand that he attend law school and join the family firm. Twelve years after they last walked together hand in hand, fate has brought them back to the Black Hills when the people and things they hold dear need them most.
When small pranks and acts of destruction escalate into the heartless killing of Lil’s beloved cougar, memories of an unsolved murder in these very hills have Coop springing to action to keep Lil safe.
Lil and Coop know the natural dangers that lurk in the wild landscape of the Black Hills. Now they must work together to unearth a killer of twisted and unnatural instincts who has singled them out as prey.
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Black-Hills/Nora-Roberts/e/9780399155819


I was captured from the very first line of this book. Nora nailed the feels of a child being forced to spend his summer at his boring grandparents house while his parents try to save their marriage. How this boy finds a way to pass time in this town where there are no baseball games, he begins to spend his time with a girl his age who lives down the road and has a baseball cage.

As I read further I fell in love for the first time as they began too. I had my heart broken when things didn't work out. Nora Roberts portrayed growing up to perfection! But even with the this I felt as if something wasn't there, it was dull at point and the only reason I continued to read was because I knew that there would be parts I would be glad I read, and there were parts like that, but it made for a dull read in parts.

For the reasons I have stated above I give this book from 1, I couldn't finish it to 10, unputdownable, I rank this book a 7.

City Of Bones - Cassandra Clare

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. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing--not even a smear of blood--to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jade, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and herm other? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...


Demons? Angels? People who don't know anything about either yet get thrust into the world? Hellz yes please. And that is what the Mortal Instruments series has. City of Bones is the first book in the MI series, if people have been following around the internet lately or your a bibliophile you'll know that Cassandra Clare has also just started another series related to MI, Clockwork Angel is the first book in the Infernal Devices series. But that aside, this is a good book if you want to sit down and read for a few hours, but be warned it is hard to put down once you really get into it.

I mean who doesn't love Clary and Jace's conversations? Jace's attitude, Simon's Simon-ness, Isabelle's kick-ass-ness. This is an amazing book but be warned if you get into it, you are hooked for the series.

Hunger Games - Susane Collins

Twenty-four are forced to enter. Only the winner survives. In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death - televised for all of Panem to see.

Survival is second nature for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering beyond the fences of District 12. When Katniss steps in to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, she knows it may be her death sentence. If she is to survive, she must weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

WINNING WILL MAKE YOU FAMOUS. LOSING MEANS CERTAIN DEATH.


Now doesn't that last line just intrigue you to no end? I know it did me. And if you've read the review on Mockingjay (which ultimately should have been done after this one and Catching Fire, but oh well) you'll already have an idea who madly in love with this series I am. Now I don't remember why I picked up the novel, no crazy story of making Chapters employees run around this time. I probably just saw it one day and picked it up during one of my book binges. It was probably actually after a Christmas, one year.


I absolutely adore the characters of Peeta and Katniss, I can not say enough how adorable I think they are, but then of course there is also Gale who is awesomeness in himself.


The Hunger Games is an intense book and an even more intense series, if you haven't read it yet, what are you doing?! Seriously people you need to read this series you will not regret it! It is amazing! And full of awesomeness. It is the right mixture between suspense, and danger, and bawling your eyes out goodness, and the whole oh my goddess that just happened? Oh My---! I could not put this book down. Definitely re-readable. It has my highest ranking ever!


Catching Fire review coming soon...

The Host - Stephenie Meyer

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.

When Melandie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans, is captuered, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challengers of living inside a human; thee overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Wanderer probes Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of the man Melanie loves--Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love.


Now I am not really a fan of science fiction so generally I don't read it. But during my Stephenie Meyer, Twilight Saga faze I picked up The Host, because well it was by Stephenie Meyer, and it sounded cool but I had no idea if I would actually like it or not. But in fact this book surprised me, it had that draw in factor that Twilight had, only this book was an Adult Science Fiction book, so the writing was...I don't want to say better but I can't find the right word for the writing difference.

I loved this book, it took some getting into, the first chapter was the hardest to read in my opinion, because there is a lot of talking and a lot of not knowing what was going on. But after that everything goes by really fast and you get really caught up in the world of the Souls and Melanie, and the humans who are on the run. I was really hoping on there being more books for the Host, because it has series potential to it, and I heard a bit about it right after the Host came out, but since then I haven't heard anyone on the word for sequels.

Either way I recommend this book, if you are not a Twilight fan, put that aside completely, and just pick up the book. It is nothing like Twilight, and it is an amazing book. Although please keep in mind this is not a young adult book, this is an adult sci-fi book.

Graceling- Kristin Cashore

His eyes. Katsa had never seen such eyes. One was silver, and the other, gold. They glowed in his sun-darkened face, uneven, and strange. She was surprised that they hadn't shone in the darkness of their first meeting. They didn't seem human...
Then he raised his eyebrows a hair, and his mouth shifted into the hint of a smirk. He nodded at her, just barely, and it released her from his spell.
Cocky, she though. Cocky and arrogant, this one, and that was all there was to make of him. Whatever game he was playing, if he expected her to join him he would be disappointed.

In a world where people born with an extreme skill-called a Grace--are feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of a skill even she despises; the Grace of killing. She lives under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing anyone who displeases him.

When she first meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace--or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away..a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.


OMG I can not express enough how amazing this book is. I mean even the paper the book is printed on, it is a beautiful book. And here's a little story, when I first say the book in Chapters, I didn't have money on me to buy the book but I read the inside cover (above) and the next time I came in, I was looking for it. Unfortunately I had forgotten the name of the book, and sent me and the Chapters staff all over in search of this book. And that was even before I had read any more than the cover.

I absolutely recommend this book to everyone! Okay so maybe only people who love fantasy and YA, Graceling is the first book in a trilogy, followed by Fire which is more of the events before Graceling, and Bitterblue which is still in the process of being written which takes place after Graceling.

The relationship between Po and Katsa is so believable, and Kristin's writing pulls you in so well. If you are looking for an escape into another world, the Seven Kingdoms is the place for you, right along side Katsa and Po. This was another book that I could not put down, it is definitely re readable.

Gone -Michael Grant

In the blink of an eye. Everyone disappears. GONE.

Everyone except for the young. Tenns. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not a single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Gone, too, are the phones, internet, and television. There is no way to get help.

Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents--unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers--that grow stronger by the day.

It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen and war is imminent.

The fist in a breathtaking saga about teens battling each other and their darkest selves, Gone is a page-turning thriller that weill make you look at the world in a whole new way.


That last paragraph is no exaggeration, Gone certainly does make you look at the world in a different way, makes you think about things a bit more. And it certainly is a page turner, I could not put this book down when I was reading it, I woke up in the middle of the night and read it. I read right through the night other times. This book is amazing, and the other books that follow Hunger, and Lies, do not disappoint and stay true to the Fayz.

One warning though, I would not recommend this book to anyone who has an issue with children dying in books. This book is very real, when all adults disappear, actually anyone over the age to 15 disappear only the kids are left. This books shows the true nature of people, how we can be selfish, careless, irresponsible, and deadly in the right situations. But also how we can be leaders, care givers, and form societies even if they are completely dysfunctional.

Early to Death, Early to Rise-Kim Harrison

Madison Avery's dreams of ever fitting in at her new school died when she did. Especially since she was able to maintain the illusion of a body, deal with a pesky guardian angel, and oh yeah, bring the reaper who killed her to his untimely end. Not exactly in-crowd material. It's amazing that her crush, Josh, doesn't think she's totally nuts.

Now Madison has learned that she's the dark timekeeper, in charge of angels who follow the murky guidelines of fate. Never one to abide by the rules, she decides it's time for a major change to the system. With the help of some unlikely allies, Madison forms a rogue group of reapers who definitely don't adhere to the rules of the heavens.

But as she grapples with the terrifying new skills that come with being a timekeeper, Madison realized she may not be prepared for what lies ahead--unless she gets some seriously divine intervention.


If you thought Madison's adventure ended in Once Dead, Twice Shy you are totally wrong my friend. Madison is back, with Nakita, Barnabas, and Josh, and she's in control. At least...she's a little bit in control trying to change people's minds before taking there life. But that proves to be something had to do with a dark reaper, and an ex light reaper, and a human at her side.And lets not forget, the search for her body still continues. And the reappearance of everyone's favorite guardian angel Grace!

Early to Death, Early to Rise does not disappoint at all. Another easy quick read, with a thrilling plot line and lots of Madison's comments you've grown to love from Once Dead, Twice Shy. Just as good as the first one which doesn't often happen, you should pick up both Once Dead, Twice Shy and Early to Death, Early to Rise at your local book store and give them a read.

Once Dead, Twice Shy - Kim Harrison

Madison's prom was killer--literally. For some reason she's been targeted by a dark reaper--yeah, that kind of reaper--intent on getting rid of her, body and soul. But before the reaper could finish the job, Madison was able to snag his strange, glowing amulet and get away.

Now she's stuck on Earth--dead but not gone. Somehow the amulet gives her the illusion of a body, allowing her to toe the line between life and death. She still doesn't know why the dark reaper is after her, but she's not about to just sit around and let fate take its course.

With a little ingenuity, some light-bending, and the help of a light reaper (one of the good guys! Maybe...), her cute crush, and oh yeah, her guardian angel, Madison's ready to take control of her own destiny once and for all, before it takes control of her.

Well, if she believed in that stuff


If your looking for a book that will suck you right in and make you laugh with remarks like "oh puppy presents on the rug!" then this is the book for you. If you think the whole Light and Dark reaper thing is going to be too dark, surrounded by too much death, think again my friend. This is an amazing book, it is a quick read, and sucks you right in to Madison's dead...um...sort of dead life.
Not only does she have to go to highschool, and hang out with friends, and oh there is this guy..., not to mention she has to keep up with her fashion trends silver nail polish and skull laces, there is Barnabas, and a dark reaper named Nakita to worry about, as well as trying to figure out how her amulet works.

This is a great book, easy to read, it can make you laugh, and a little bit of mystery to it. This is the first book in a trilogy I believe. And for a book that started from a short story in an anthology Madison will pull you in with her.