Waiting on Wednesday

My, oh my what a busy last couple of weeks. I am SOOO ready for school to start getting a little more routine, and work to cool off a bit. I don't even have time to breathe. Thank the blogger gods for short memes that only take me a couple minutes!! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine and this week I'm waiting for: 

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Goodreads Summary: Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human. 

And then every day in between . . .She's something else entirely.

Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.

When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive. . .and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.

Teaser Tuesday

Hello all! Once again, on behalf of Del and myself, I would like to say sorry for being so absent from our beloved book blog. It's terrible what a life focused on learning can do to one's free time. But slowly we are coming back now that things are finally beginning to settle. And with our return I would like to begin with a Teaser Tuesday (a wonderful meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading) for Oriana's Eyes by Celeste Simone! I usually read 5+ books at once but with my lack of free time I have strictly been focusing on Oriana's Eyes which, might I add, has been one exhilerating ride so far. So without further ado...

Oriana's Eyes by Celeste Simone



"I place my hand on his back to console him, and his shoulders sag under a heavy weight. Whatever Odon did to them must have been truly terrible for Dorian to feel so much anger." p. 122





-Nichole

Not Dead

We are alive... I promise. It's both Nic and my first week back at school. I work at the bookstore so I've been working non-stop and Nic has rehearsals and class. BUT I promised I'd get my Juliet Immortal review up soon... So I'll try and get that posted either tonight or tomorrow. Just wanted to pop in and let everyone know we are alive.... and NOT a fan of Required Reading... blah


Del

Review'd: Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors

Book Review:

Title: Saving Juliet

Author: Suzanne Selfors

Published: January 22nd 2008 by Walker Books for Young Readers

Rating: 3 Stars

Goodreads Summary:

Manhattan meets Verona in this time-bending twist on Shakespeare.

When Mimi is magically thrust into the middle of Shakespeare’s Verona, she must find a way to help Juliet fight for her future happiness. Will she be able to give this classic tragedy a happy ending?

DeLibhrarie (Nichole) Review:

This was such a light, fluffy read. I flew through it. But I was disappointed by the lack of depth I guess you could say. I thought that it was cute and fun and had a lot of potential, however I thought it was missing something that could have made it an epic book. But then again, when working with such a hugely romanticized and adored story such as that of Romeo and Juliet, you're going to have some high expectations. But the writing was great and it flowed well... The characters were well developed and interesting... It was definitely a new take/version on Romeo and Juliet. It just wasn't my favorite. But I know of some people who really enjoyed this book so pick it up but only if it's your type of book. Great summer read in my opinion!

In My Mailbox

This is our first In My Mailbox post... and we had SO MUCH FUN recording it. We did like a billion takes...  and some of them were goofy... but just wayyyyy off topic. :) Let us know what you think. :)

Impromptu Read-A-Ton

hehe get it Read -A- Ton instead of Read-A-Thon. :) Sorry bad joke, I originally just typed it wrong... and then ended up liking the typo better. :) Anyway, Amber over at Down the Rabbit Hole is hosting this fabulous Impromptu reading frenzy which me and Nic have decided to partake in. Because each of us has been reading almost all day today anyway, we figure we'll start with today's readings and see how far we get through tomorrow. Del's goals are:

Finish Touch of Frost By Jennifer Estep (Check)

Finish Juliet Immortal (Less than 100 pages left)

Get at least 100 pages into another book that I haven't decided on yet. 

Because I haven't been checking how many hours I've been reading... I don't think I want to know that... I will instead be posting how many pages I've read at the end of this little frenzy of reading. :)

Nic's goals are:

 

Finish Die for Me by Amy Plum (roughly 250 pages left)

Get as far into The Forest of Adventures by Katie M. John as possible

I (Nic) didn't start reading until later in the day so I'm aware of how many hours I've been reading and will keep track that way.

You should all join the fun, too! Now... let the reading commence!!

-DeLibrarie

Review'd: Anxious Hearts by Tucker Shaw

Book Review: 

Title: Anxious Hearts

Author: Tucker Shaw

Published: May 1st 2010 by Amulet Books

Rating: 2 Stars

Goodreads Summary:

“Evangeline,” he repeated, calling at a whisper. “Evangeline.” He was not calling that she may hear, he was calling that somehow her soul might know that he was devoted entirely to her, only to her. “Evangeline, I will find you.”

Eva and Gabe explore the golden forest of their seaside Maine town, unknowingly tracing the footsteps of two teens, Evangeline and Gabriel, who once lived in the idyllic wooded village of Acadia more than one hundred years ago. On the day that Evangeline and Gabriel were be wed, their village was attacked and the two were separated. And now in the present, Gabe has mysteriously disappeared from Eva.

A dreamlike, loose retelling of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous love poem “Evangeline,” Anxious Hearts tells an epic tale of unrequited love and the hope that true love can be reunited.

DeLibrarie (Nichole) Review:

Now, I'm going to be honest here. I was disappointed with this book. But let me tell you, I really wanted to love it. And that's not to say that it wasn't good, because it was good, especially if it's your type of book. However, I thought that the synopsis was very misleading and so it wasn't what I was expecting. It appeared to be a story of two pairs of lovers who somehow pass through time and get involved with the others' story or possibly a tale of reincarnation. But this wasn't the case. I was expecting to get to know the characters and then to fall in love with their love interest just as much as they did and to follow their stories as if they were my own. But the characters were already in love before I got to meet them. So for most of the book the reader is left wondering how things could possibly work out and everything is sad and then the end comes as a huge surprise, but then that's the end; very abrupt. Those were my problems with it and some of that is due to the fact that I was simply expecting something else. This book is a beautiful story if what you're looking for is just that, a story, and not your traditional YA fictional book. It was unpredictable which was greatly appreciated because I hate it when you know the end of a book before you're even half way done. And I must say, the prologue and epilogue were both beautifully well-written; possibly two of my most favorite passages ever. But it personally was not one of my favorite. I wish that I could have read it without having read the synopsis because then I may have been able to appreciate it a little more. Also, if you've read Longfellow's Evangeline then you'll recognize this book as being written in a way that is reminiscent of that poem. And I'd say that it does the poem justice. Shaw also has a great talent at describing the setting consistently and not in a boring or annoying way. He brings his worlds to life in an unforgettable way. So give it a read if it's your type of book, just don't expect it to be something it's not like I unfortunately did.

Review'd: Timeless by Alexandra Monir

Book Review:

Title: Timeless

Author: Alexandra Monir

Published: January 11th 2011 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Summary: 

When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.

Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives.

DeLibrarie (Nichole) Review:

This book had such a unique and interesting story line; it was fresh and new in my opinion. The idea of going back in time to meet your ancestors and to fall in love, especially after having just gone through such a huge loss (read and you'll find out what loss that is), is really beautiful and fantastical. You go on quite the journey with Michele and it leaves you begging for more with one of the biggest cliffhangers I have read in a while (apart from Wildefire by Karsten Knight). I almost wish this wasn't a series because I want to read the next one so badly! It was beautifully written, too. I felt everything just as much as Michele did and being the history-lover that I am, I loved going back in time to see how things were. The only thing I was disappointed in was the climax. I felt like the big discovery that Michele makes which leads to the race of her life (see Goodreads Summary above) was very anti-climactic. It didn't seem like a very big deal and I thought Michele was just being silly by choosing to do what she did. I just think that it could have been a bigger deal and that more could have happened between her and her love interest. It turned into more of Michele on a journey learning about her ancestors than it was about being in love and trying to be with him. It was sort of a coming of age story and I was left feeling unfulfilled, that is until the cliffhanger. The cliffhanger was the type of thing that I was waiting for throughout the entire second half of the book. So that's why I give it 4 stars instead of five; because I felt like it was missing that big something during the climax. However, the cliffhanger, and I'm sure the second book too, both make up for that. Can't wait for the sequel!!!

Shelf Candy

I was blog searching today, and happened to run across Five Alarm Book Reviews, a very nice blog by the way, and they happen to host a meme every Saturday called Shelf Candy, basically a way for me to gush about all my favorite covers, old or new. If you've read ANYTHING in this blog by me yet... you know I love gushing... and the caps lock. :) Any who, I decided that it was something that I wanted to do, or at least try out for a couple of weeks and see if it was something I would continue to do. :) So for DeLibrarie's first Shelf Candy, I chose.... 

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Honestly how could I not... I love this cover. I love how it captures the emotion and darkness of the story line, I love the dark colors, and I'm a sucker for covers with girls in pretty dresses... I want that dress. :) Also I just love the feel of this book in my hands, it has that nice soft texture that just makes me happy. :) BUT... I think my favorite thing about this book cover is the beautifully creepy forest in the background... it's just perfect. This is one of my favorite books, and one of my favorite covers. I think it is a perfect fit for my first Shelf Candy post. :) What do you think??

Review'd: Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Book Review:

Title: Touch of Frost

Author: Jennifer Estep

Published July 26th 2011 by Kensington Publishing Corporation

Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads Summary: My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy — a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest.

But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why—especially since I should have been the one who died. . .

DeLibrarie (Del) Review: I don't think I'll ever get sick of reading books based on mythology. They might be my favorite. :)  This book started out a little bit slow, I got a little annoyed at the constant "Debbie Downer Syndrome" that seemed to have consumed our main character, Gwen, however, I do have to cut her some slack... she did have a pretty tragic event recently happen. Anyway, once the story started to pick up a little bit... I was more than hooked. Jennifer Estep is an amazing writer, and I literally could not put it down! It has everything, it has suspense, magic, mythology, mean girls, supernatural boarding school and just the right amount of romance. The amazing part is that it managed to have everything that makes a great story, without being all cliche and totally predictable. It was a really great story told beautifully... and Vic... totally my favorite character! Seriously can't wait for the next one!

Waiting on Wednesday

Happy Wednesday! For those of you who are Team Kilt, IT IS THE DAY! :) I haven't read Shade yet, but after all this hype, I'm going to have to... Lots of my favorite blogs are Team Kilt, and I have serious beef with those Jace fans for sweeping the Down the Rabbit Hole Competition... So VOTE at the YA Sisterhood tourney... Go Zach!!! Also check out Fictiously Delicious's blog, they have a nice TeamKiltHub set up so you can see all the action going on today. Exciting!


Anyway it's Wednesday, which means it's Waiting on Wednesday time... which i'm sure you gathered from the appropriately named title. :) If you don't know, Jill from Breaking the spine hosts this fabulous meme. Ok so, this past spring I started reading the Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins... and OMG you guys, you have no idea how much I love this series. It's sooooo good!!! So... this weeks WOW is the third book in that trilogy entitled...

Spellbound by Rachel Hawkins

Expected publication: March 13th 2012 by Hyperion Book CH

Goodreads Summary: 

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.
Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.
Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?


SOOOOO excited!!!!! This is like the only series where both of the guys in the love triangle are AMAZING! and I seriously CAN'T choose between them. EEPP! If ANYONE gets their hands on an ARC of this book... I'm SOOOO jealous... and then I would like to borrow it. :) In the meantime... Here I am... sad... waiting...impatiently...Oh the life of a reader...

Teaser Tuesday

Alright so I just finished Timeless by Alexandra Monir (a book about time travel) and you'd think I would pick up something completely different like Die for Me by Amy Plum or The Forest of Adventures by Katie M. John (both books I intend on reading once I am done with this one, thanks to Del I might add!). But no, Anxious Hearts by Tucker Shaw (also sort of a time travel-ish book.. at least from what I understand of it so far... I'm only 40 pages in as of now) was calling to me. It's a somewhat shorter read with a beautiful cover and it has the most tantalizing prologue ever.. So I decided to pick it up with the hopes that I won't get tired of time books. Wish me luck. Now with no further ado, I would like to thank MizB of Should Be Reading for hosting this meme and now here is Anxious Hearts!

 

"He is staring at me. It's the first time I've seen his eyes straight on since that day under the docks, and even though they seem darker now, they are still full of determination, and they pierce into mine and I know he remembers, too." page 22

-Nichole

The Time Will Come

I love this meme ... mostly because it makes me excited to read books that have been sitting on my shelves untouched for far too long. So thank you Books for Company for giving me more chances to sit and stare at my bookshelf in a daunting awe. :) I got this book a couple of months ago, so it hasn't really been on my shelf THAT  long... but it look SOOOO good... so a couple months is too long.

Dark Heart Forever 
by Lee Monroe


Goodreads Summary:
Jane Jonas is nearing her 16th birthday and troubled by unsettling recurring dreams where the same mysterious boy her age comes to her, telling Jane that they are each other's destiny. Her mother is increasingly anxious about Jane's disruptive sleepwalking episodes, but for Jane her dream world and reality are about to collide ...When she develops a friendship with an enigmatic stranger in town, the blond, uber-cool Evan, it's exciting, it's new, and Jane wants him more than she's ever wanted anybody - until her mystery dream boy gets in the way. Now Jane is caught between two worlds: one familiar, but tinged with romance and excitement; the other dark and dangerous, where angels, werewolves, and an irresistible stranger are trying to seduce her ...


Doesn't that sounds good?!?!?! I'm excited... maybe I'll pick it up soon... 

Hunger Games!

In My Mailbox

Hello! So this is my first In My Mailbox post (a meme hosted by The Story Siren) and I'm really excited for it. For weeks now I have heard of and seen in the bookstores Divergent by Veronica Roth and have really wanted to read it. So finally, while looking at books on Barnes and Noble online, I decided to splurge and get it. Technically it hasn't arrived yet but it is in the mail and on its way and should arrive any day now. I cannot WAIT to get it and read it. After reading The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins and Delirium by Lauren Oliver and after buying Matched by Ally Condie, I have become infatuated with the dystopic futuristic society based novels that seem to be appearing everywhere nowadays. But Divergent looks absolutely amazing so while I wait for my mail to arrive, I wanted to rant a little bit about my excitement and to share with you the awesomeness that is Divergent. Enjoy : )

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Published May 3rd 2011 by HarperCollins Children's Books

Goodreads Summary:
Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.

-Nichole

Review'd: Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn

Book Review:
Title: Reincarnation
Author: Suzanne Weyn
Published: January 1st 2008 by Scholastic Press
Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Summary:
From prehistory to the present, theirs was a love for the ages. It starts with a fight in a cave over an elusive green jewel . . . and then travels over time and lives to include Egyptian slaves, Greek temples, Massachusetts witch trials, Civil War battlefields, Paris on the eve of World War II, America in the 1960s . . . and a pair of modern-day teenagers. For readers who believe that love is stronger than time or death, this is an unforgettable novel from a wonderful storyteller.

DeLibrarie (Nichole) Review:
This is such a unique book, or at least it was when I first read it. The idea of reincarnation really seems to have grown and been picked up by several authors such as in Passion by Lauren Kate or My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares. But awhile back it was a really new idea at least to me and I really enjoyed it. It opens your eyes to what reincarnation could really entail. And if you love history and a good love story, then you'll love this book. It starts in the pre-historic era and goes all the way up until the present day.It's heart-wrenching and beautiful and frustrating because you just want them to be happily together (read it and you'll understand exactly what I mean by that). It makes you wonder if there's someone waiting out there for you who you've already known for years and years and who you're destined to be with. It's short and sweet but gives you a lot to think about. The ending left the story wanting, but it works and leaves you with a lot to consider. It's a great book so give it a read some afternoon!

Review'd: Die For Me by Amy Plum

Book Review: 
Title: Die For Me
Author: Amy Plum
Published May 10th 2011 by HarperTeen
Rating: 5 stars


Goodreads Summary: In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

In this incandescent debut, newcomer Amy Plum has created a powerful paranormal mythology with immortal revenants. The Paris setting comes enchantingly alive as a relentless struggle between good and evil takes place in its streets. Rich with romance, atmosphere, and thrills, Die for Me will leave readers breathlessly awaiting its sequel.

DeLibrarie (Del) Review: I was SOOO excited to read this book! I almost picked it up 6 or 7 times, I hesitated only because I knew that I was going to love it... and it's a book 1 of a series. I always struggle with picking those up. BUT I finally picked it up and it sooooo didn't disappoint. I love the idea of Revenants. They are pretty epic, and it was a really fresh idea. They are basically like immortal superheros.  I want one. :) I LOVE Jules!!!!! I mean Vincent is all knight in shining armor and all... but Jules has some substance. :) I really liked this book... I don't think I'll ever get sick of paranormal romance. :)

Book Birthday!

Happy Book Birthday to Victoria Schwab! I have yet to read The Near Witch but Nic read it and loved it. Here is her review if you haven't read it yet The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab  . But congrats to Ms. Schwab! I can't wait to read your book!

Teaser Tuesday

It's Tuesday... and I don't know what the weather is like where you are right now... but in Minneapolis... It's Raining. Don't get me wrong... I LOVE THE RAIN (especially after it has been over 100 degrees for the past 2 weeks, but I'm NOT a fan of rain in the morning. (ok maybe it's nice right when you wake up and you can hear the raindrops against your window but right after I wake up... I glare at the rain) It makes me want to stay in bed and read all day... and on days that I have to work... staying and bed and reading all day, is unfortunetly not an option. (insert really really sad face here) One rather nice thing about Tuesdays however, is that I get to talk about my current read... which I love to do... and Nic never lets me talk about them with her if she hasn't read them yet, which totally makes sense... but leaves me wanting to run around screaming "AWWW", or "NO WAY?!," or "YES!!!!" and then people just look at me funny. So thank you to MizB of Should Be Reading, for hosting this amazing meme. This weeks Teaser Tuesday is:

 Die For Me by Amy Plum

"There was a pregnant silence, which I imagined was taken up by lots of boy-to-boy stare-down action, and then the door opened and Vincent walked in looking apologetic."

Side note: I can't stop looking at this pretty cover. "So pretttttyyy!" (strokes cover)

Review'd: The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Book Review:

Title: The Luxe

Author: Anna Godbersen

Published: November 20th 2007 by HarperCollins
Rating: 5 Stars

Goodreads Summary:
In the self-contained world of young Gilded Age Manhattan socialites, Elizabeth and Diana Holland reign supreme. Or so it seems. Scratch the surface, though, and you can detect festering jealousies that threaten to topple them. Elizabeth suffers a more literal fall when her carriage overturns and she is carried away by the swift East River current. That's only the beginning of the action and suspense in The Luxe, the launch volume in a teen series by Anna Godbersen.

DeLibrarie (Nichole) Review:
I fell in love with this book and could not put it down. The historical details made the story seem so much more real and the characters were all so unique and mesmerizing. This story brings you back to a time when beautiful dresses, handsome men, and elegant balls were the focus of a teenage girl's life. The situations the characters get into are heartwrenching and unforgettable. I love how you follow a different character in each chapter so that you know how everyone feels and so that you know everyone's secrets. The writing is simply perfect and it makes you wish you were back in 1899 to see everything happen in all of its beautiful glory. In this book you fall in love, cry your heart out, and yell at manipulating characters. You'll love all (or at least most) of the characters and you'll never forget their story. So if you love historical fiction, love triangles, and drama, you should really read The Luxe.

Review'd: Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Book Review:

Title: Stardust

Author: Neil Gaiman

Published: July 1st 2001 by Harper Perennial
Rating: 3 Stars

Goodreads Summary:
Stardust is an utterly charming fairy tale in the tradition of The Princess Bride and The Neverending Story. Neil Gaiman, creator of the darkly elegant Sandman comics and author of The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, tells the story of young Tristran Thorn and his adventures in the land of Faerie. One fateful night, Tristran promises his beloved that he will retrieve a fallen star for her from beyond the Wall that stands between their rural English town (called, appropriately, Wall) and the Faerie realm. No one ever ventures beyond the Wall except to attend an enchanted flea market that is held every nine years (and during which, unbeknownst to him, Tristran was conceived). But Tristran bravely sets out to fetch the fallen star and thus win the hand of his love. His adventures in the magical land will keep you turning pages as fast as you can--he and the star escape evil old witches, deadly clutching trees, goblin press-gangs, and the scheming sons of the dead Lord of Stormhold. The story is by turns thrillingly scary and very funny. You'll love goofy, earnest Tristran and the talking animals, gnomes, magic trees, and other irresistible denizens of Faerie that he encounters in his travels. Stardust is a perfect read-aloud book, a brand-new fairy tale you'll want to share with a kid, or maybe hoard for yourself. (If you read it to kids, watch out for a couple of spicy sex bits and one epithet.) --Therese Littleton

DeLibrarie (Nichole) Review:
This book is like a fairy tale for our own time. The magic, action, and love stories within this book are brilliant and fresh and non-stop. The bad guys are really evil, the wit is humorous, and the setting is vivid. The writing style is the same as a traditional fairy tale would be. You get the traditional fairy tale charm but with modern wit and plot stories. The only downer to this story is that you have to be ready to read a full length novel written in this traditional fairy tale style. There is also a lot to this story that you have to follow so get ready to pay attention, too. Each part of this book adds a new element and makes this story as amazing as it is. If you want a good, charming, complex, fairy tale book then this is the one for you.

Review'd: In the Forests of the Night by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Book Review:

Title: In the Forests of the Night

Author: Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Published: May 9th 2000 by Laurel Leaf

Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Summary:

By day, Risika sleeps in shaded room in Concord, Massachusetts. By night, she hunts the streets of New York City. She is used to being alone.
But someone is following Risika. He has left her a black rose, the same sort of rose that sealed her fate three hundred years ago. Three hundred years ago Risika had a family- a brother and a father who loved her. Three hundred years ago she was human.
Now she was a vampire, a powerful one. And her past has come back to torment her

DeLibrarie (Nichole) Review:
If you're a fan of vampires, then you should really give this book a read. I read this when I was younger and I loved it. It's really well written and gives you a good look into what it might be like to become a vampire. You get to know Risika and by following her you see the torment and difficulties that come with being a vampire. Her character is so strong and powerful that it's fun to follow her and to see how she overcomes things. It's also interesting to see things from a female vampire's point of view rather than the usual male vampire's point of view or female human with a vampire boyfriend's point of view. It's a fast read and the writing is easy and smooth yet intelligent. This dark book will leave you thinking about vampires in a completely different way.

Review'd: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Book Review;

Title: Ender's Game

Author: Orson Scott Card

Published: July 15th 1994 by Tor Science Fiction

Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Summary:

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut--young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives

DeLibrarie (Nichole) Review:

I realize that this book is science fiction so it's probably not everyone's cup of tea, but I really think that everyone should at least give this book a shot simply because of the ending; it makes it worth it. The middle is kinda slow, I'll admit, but if you push through to the end...well... just read it and you'll find out! The writing is intelligent and flows well. This story brings you to a new, different world full of challenges to overcome. It's a non-stop adventure that pulls you in and makes you wish to be as strong and brilliant as Ender is. You grow attached to him and his world and you can't stop reading until you find out what happens to Ender and to Earth.

Review'd: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Book Review:

Title: Twilight
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Pubished: July 18th 2007 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Summary:

Stephenie Meyer's thrilling debut novel is a love story with a bite. In this suspenseful and sensual tale, 17-year-old Isabella moves to a small town in Washington State and gets more excitement than she bargained for when she falls for an enigmatic classmate -- who happens to be a vampire. Filled with fantastic mystery and romance, it's a heart-stopping novel that captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires.

DeLibrarie (Nichole) Review:
I originally fell in love with this book the first time I read it for probably the same reason that everyone else fell in love with it: because Bella is such an outcast she's easily relateable, Edward is described as the most perfect guy ever so he's easily loveable, and the attention and care that Bella receives throughout is easily desireable. So while it's sort of a dream come true story for most readers and the plot is a great idea, the writing style really could have improved. It was almost unbelievable and word choice could have been better. But I'll always enjoy reading this for the story and I hope that you do, too! Just don't go see the movie first... it did not do the book justice in any way.

Review'd: Deception by Lee Nichols

Book Review:

Title: Deception

Author: Lee Nichols

Published: June 8th 2010 by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Rating: 3 Stars

Goodreads Summary:
When Emma Vaile's parents leave on mysterious business trip, it gives her the perfect excuse to be a rebellious teen. Throw some parties, get a tattoo (or maybe just a piercing), and enjoy the first few weeks of her junior year. Then her best friend stops talking to her, the cops crash her party, and Emma finds herself in the hands of a new guardian--her college-age "knight in J.Crew armor," Bennett Stern--and on a plane to his museum-like mansion in New England.
After enrolling at Thatcher Academy, Emma settles in by making friends with the popular legacy crowd. But she can't shake the strange visions that are haunting her. She has memories of Thatcher she can't explain, as if she's returning home to a place she's never been. Emma doesn't trust anyone anymore--except maybe Bennett. But he's about to reveal a ghostly secret to Emma. One that will explain the visions . . . and make Emma fear for her life.

Delibrarie (Nichole) Review:
I felt like this book had so much potential and the basic story line was really interesting, but I felt like it fell short of that potential. The main character was fun and believable, but her situation was what I found unbelievable. I felt like the author needed a reason for her to be taken across the country and so she forced it to happen, but I had some trouble believing that a teenager would go weeks without hearing from their parents and not freak out or call the police. And I wanted just a little bit more from the ghost story part. Although I loved meeting the ghosts and hearing their stories and the fight scene at the end was great. If you love some teenage drama and a good story about ghosts then I recommend this to you because even though it wasn't my favorite, it could very well be yours! Just be warned, it's a series so there is more to come!

Review'd: Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

*A slight hint of a SPOILER in the Delibrarie Review*

Book Review:

Title: Wildwood Dancing

Author: Juliet Marillier

Published: January 23rd 2007 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Rating: 5 Stars

Goodreads Summary:

High in the Transylvanian woods, at the castle Piscul Draculi, live five daughters and their doting father. It's an idyllic life for Jena, the second eldest, who spends her time exploring the mysterious forest with her constant companion, a most unusual frog. But best by far is the castle's hidden portal, known only to the sisters. Every Full Moon, they alone can pass through it into the enchanted world of the Other Kingdom. There they dance through the night with the fey creatures of this magical realm.

But their peace is shattered when Father falls ill and must go to the southern parts to recover, for that is when cousin Cezar arrives. Though he's there to help the girls survive the brutal winter, Jena suspects he has darker motives in store. Meanwhile, Jena's sister has fallen in love with a dangerous creature of the Other Kingdom--an impossible union it's up to Jena to stop.

When Cezar's grip of power begins to tighten, at stake is everything Jena loves: her home, her family, and the Other Kingdom she has come to cherish. To save her world, Jena will be tested in ways she can't imagine--tests of trust, strength, and true love.

Delibrarie (Nichole) Review:

I'm a fan of fairy tales and this is one of the few books I really enjoyed that sort of redid a fairy tale (the tale of the twelve dancing sisters). You start out falling in love with the setting and the characters. You get so pulled into the story that by the end you're wondering how it could possibly work out. But it's the ending that makes it so good. I for one didn't see it coming and I'll never forget it. It feels real and almost historical with all of the Romanian details put into it. It was a beautiful, fun, unforgettable story that you won't put down. I highly suggest reading this if you loved fairy tales as a child but also if you love a good adventure, mystery, love story. And be sure to check out the sequel, Cybele's Secret!