Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Sorry I've been MIA guys! I was really sick with pneumonia and couldn't even think much less read ;)

I was so stoked to read this book - I'd been waiting since Hush Hush flew into my heart. This novel however, wasn't what I was expecting. It started off okay, and then things got bad when  Nora and Patch decided to split. How in the world did Nora turn into this hypocritical, manic depressive, stalker?! I understand the pain she was feeling but she brought it onto herself.

I felt like Nora was deserting all her friends and goes into her own little cove of depression and jealousy. She was a lousy friend and I felt Vee and Patch didn't deserve her. I loved Nora in Hush Hush, but in this book she seemed more desperate and contradictory. She wanted Patch to go away and not be her guardian angel, but then she does dangerous things to test him? Eh?!

I thought the writing was good, I think my biggest problem was with Nora and the ending. I (above most, even) appreciate a good cliffhanger. I think this author went a little overboard. The cliffhanger was so abrupt that I thought too many loose ends weren't tied and she wanted to finish just to meet a dead line. I'm still looking forward to Tempest, and hope Nora is better.

3/5

Entice by Carrie Jones

Hey everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Holiday season and can't wait to see you in the new year. Hopefully it'll be amazing for all of you!

*Summary not added to save from spoiling others!*

First off, the cover is absolutely stunning on this book and I love how the set look on the shelf! With that said, I have to admit that I wasn't too impressed with this book. I adored (truly) the first two books in this series, but Entice fell flat for me on many levels.

I felt like the author glazed over some important conversations I would've liked to know about and the writing felt a bit rushed to me. As I was reading, I felt as if she was rushing everything else to get to the ending which turned out being pretty bland and mediocre in my opinion.

I am still 1100% team Astley. I don't know why I'm such a sucker for the martyrs, but I am! It made me so sad when he risked so much to help Zara and she doesn't give him a bone or anything. As many other series I've read, the so-called 'love triangle' is pretty one sided and weak.

Overall I wasn't too impressed with this book in the series, but I'm still looking forward to the next book coming in 2011 and this book didn't pause my enjoyment of the series.

3/5 :(

Lock and Key - Sarah Dessen

"Ruby, where is your mother?" Ruby knows that the game is up. For the past few months, she's been on her own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return. That's how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she hasn't seen in ten years, and Cora's husband Jamie, whose down-to-earth demeanor makes it hard for Ruby to believe he founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house, fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future—it's a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby is just learning to give?

I have always been a huge Sarah Dessen fan, since middle school and beyond. She knows how to touch on very teen prevalent issues and make them easier to approach. There are so many of her novels that I love and adore, but this wasn't one of them.

I felt like there were too many loose ends that weren't tied up with this novel, and I felt like the ending was a bit rushed. I thought Ruby was an okay character, though her personality seemed to be a bit overdone in this genre. Jaded, cynical, self sufficient, and completely turned off of love. It is a little redundant, but I was willing to give it a go regardless.

The novel never did really catch my interest, and I feel like it wasn't a huge problem for me to put it down. I'm sorry to say that because I love Sarah's work, but this book didn't do anything for me. I much prefer some of her older titles, Just Listen, This Lullaby, The Truth about Forever, and Dreamland come to mind!

3/5!

My Soul to Save - Rachel Vincent

The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad’s ironclad curfew and putting her boyfriend’s loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls for a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld — a consequence they can’t possibly understand. Kaylee can’t let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk...

I really loved the first book, I was really excited to read this one. I have to say that the second book in this series left some to be desired. I thought the characters were just okay, they didn't make me love or hate them any more or any less. I still feel Nash is a bit blah, and I'm still a hundred percent team Tod.

Overall, the story and plot was good, but for some reason I just couldn't get into it. Kaylee was kind of obnoxious and I feel like she's a bit too sacrificial to others. It was okay, but I'm not dying to get the third book in the series, My Soul to Keep.

***

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

In Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past…and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabel, who already lost her brother to the wolves…and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

What is up with me and the no werewolf love? I don't know what it is about this series, but I just don't love it like I thought. I wanted to give Linger the ole one two try, but I couldn't get into it. Sam is still creepily obsessed with Grace and it's bothersome to me. The fact that Sam roams the house when Grace is gone is scary, not sweet in my opinion.

The two biggest problems I had with this one was the ending and the parents. Why did they suddenly not want Sam and Grace together? In Shiver, their relationship in the parent's eyes was all sunshine and rainbows! I think that wasn't a contribution to Grace's character and merely an angsty plot device. It didn't make any sense at all. I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone so I'll sum it up - 'lame' and 'WTF?!'

3/5

Willow by Julia Hoban

Seven months ago, on a rainy March night, sixteen year- old Willow’s parents died in a horrible car accident. Willow was driving. Now her older brother barely speaks to her, her new classmates know her as the killer orphan girl, and Willow is blocking the pain by secretly cutting herself. But when one boy—one sensitive, soulful boy—discovers Willow’s secret, it sparks an intense relationship that turns the “safe” world Willow has created for herself upside down. 

I'm not sure why I even had this book on my shelf, seeing as I'm not a fan of self-mutilation and don't like depressing books. Some of you on my YouTube channel suggested it though, so I read it. Regretfully, I wasn't all that impressed just as I thought I would. Basically another story in which the girl is sad and in comes the too perfect 'Guy' (literally in this one) who should make all readers swoon and rescues her for the pits of her own self-loathing hell.

I'd like to begin by saying I was very sorry about her parents dying and couldn't imagine going through something like that. With that said, I thought she was a complete wench to everyone that was trying to help her. She didn't think of anyone hurting but herself. I didn't find her relate-able and wanted to skip parts.

The ending kind of annoyed me, because I wanted something to happen that didn't, and it only irritated me about Willow more. The writing was excellent but I just didn't care for the plot or the characters.

3/5

The Forest of Hands and Teeth - Carrie Ryan

The Sisterhood always knows best.
The Guardians will protect and serve.
The Unconsecrated will never relent.
And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

But, slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future-between the one she loves and the one who loves her.

And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

I had read this book back in December and didn't like it at all. When I saw it at the library this week I thought to give it a shot because so many people liked it and I thought maybe I misunderstood it. I have to say that I still don't really love this book. I found the ending to be horrible and the idea of zombies don't really scare me.

I think the author tried to combine too many elements and it didn't work. For example - Mary is in love with Travis and she needs him - why? The author never really explains Mary's deep attraction to Travis and I thought the relationship between her and Harry was a little more strong because it had a bit of a back-story. Besides a few brief kissing encounters with Travis, she doesn't really talk to him.

The one part I did enjoy was the Sisterhood. I found them to be very intriguing and I loved when Mary was in the Cathedral and sneaking around to find answers. I think when they escaped was when it fell flat for me. I'm definitely going to read The Dead Tossed Waves, but I'm not going to put this one on my favorite series list!

***

Project 17 - Laurie Faria Stolarz

High atop Hathorne Hill, near Boston, sits Danvers State Hospital. Built in 1878 and closed in 1992, this abandoned mental institution is rumored to be the birthplace of the lobotomy. On the eve of the hospital's demolition, six teens break in to spend the night and film a movie about their experiences. For Derik, it's an opportunity to win a film making contest and save himself from a future of flipping burgers at his parents' diner. For the others, it's a chance to be on TV, or a night with no parents. But what starts as a dare quickly escalates into a nightmare. Behind the crumbling walls, down every dark passageway, and in each deserted room, they will unravel the mysteries of those who once lived there and the spirits who still might.

I'm not sure what I was expecting when I began this novel, but I have to say, it didn't impress me that much. Maybe it's because I'm a huge horror/psychological thriller person to begin with, but I just didn't find this book to be scary. Every time it was starting to get interesting, it turned out that it was one of the teens just pulling a prank or being stupid.

I think the idea of the novel was really good, and I think the novel would've been better through the patient's eyes, like what they had to go through. Almost like flashbacks? Another thing I didn't like much was the change of POV in almost every chapter. I found it to be confusing and a bit annoying. I think the novel would've been better just in Derrick's POV, since he's the one that had the idea in the first place. It was hard remembering all of their back stories.

Overall, it was an okay novel but definitely not what I thought it'd be considering all the good reviews. I didn't find any of the characters very memorable...they were pretty typical and a bit bland. I almost felt like the author had the idea of the Breakfast Club and tossed them into a haunted hospital. The writing was good, but I much prefer the Touch series over this.

***

Teach Me - RA Nelson

Teach Me invites readers inside an experience that fascinates everyone—an affair between a teacher and student—and gives an up-close-and-personal answer to the question: How does this happen?

 I was so excited to see this book in the library! As some of you know, I love books about 'naughty' or forbidden fruit types of books so when I heard about this one, my eyes lit up. What I didn't realize is that it wasn't what I thought it would be.

I found myself skipping around and wanting it to be over. I think Nine's behavior wasn't desirable at all, I don't like desperate people like that. I understand where it can come from, but I'm just not a fan. She became so obsessed that it was borderline obnoxious.

I had really high hopes for this one, because I just loved Breathe My Name, but Teach me didn't hold the standards I was expecting.

3/5

Night World no. 2 - LJ Smith

In Dark Angel, Gillian is saved from drowning by her guardian angel. Only visible to Gillian, Angel will fulfill her heart's every desire. But when Angel starts making strange and sinister requests, Gillian must question who he truly is and where he came from.

Armed with a wooden stake, martial arts, and the will to resist a vampire's mind control, Rashel struggles to avenge her mother's death in The Chosen. Then she meets Quinn, her soulmate, who is part of the world she has vowed to destroy.

Hannah receives notes warning her of incredible danger in Soulmate. But if death is her destiny, is the Lord of the Night World's love strong enough to save her?

I liked the first book better, the stories weren't as compelling as I'd hoped. The Chosen started off promising, but ended really cheesy. I should stop comparing everything to Twilight! ;) I liked Dark Angel, but I thought the end was really silly. I wish it could've ended a little more dark than it had.

***

Mercy - Jodi Piccoult

 Police chief of a small Massachusetts town, Cameron McDonald makes the toughest arrest of his life when his own cousin Jamie comes to him and confesses outright that he has killed his terminally ill wife out of mercy.

Now, a heated murder trial plunges the town into upheaval, and drives a wedge into a contented marriage: Cameron, aiding the prosecution in their case against Jamie, is suddenly at odds with his devoted wife, Allie -- seduced by the idea of a man so in love with his wife that he'd grant all her wishes, even her wish to end her life. And when an inexplicable attraction leads to a shocking betrayal, Allie faces the hardest questions of the heart: when does love cross the line of moral obligation? And what does it mean to truly love another?

I thought this book was excellent. Cameron MacDonald is a chief in his small town when they discover the body of a dead woman in the truck with her husband. The man loved his wife so much that he was willing to grant her every wish, even if that was to end her life. It really challenges morality and how far someone would truly be willing to go for love.

***