A Great and Terrible Beauty - Libba Bray

A Victorian boarding school story, a Gothic mansion mystery, a gossipy romp about a clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy--jumble them all together and you have this complicated and unusual first novel.

I absolutely could not put this book down. I finished it in about twoish days and I am so happy I got the other two books in the series or I'd be going out to Barnes and Noble in my nightgown to get them! It's about a sixteen year old girl named Gemma and it's set in the late 1800's-1900's and something terrible happens to her family. She then moves to London where she goes to an all girl boarding school and discovers things about her mother and some other magical properties. It was really interesting and I found myself reading really late into the night so I could know what happens next. I can't wait to start the second one! This book and series is easily one of my favorites ever, not to mention the gorgeous cover! Love.

*****

The Vampire Diaries (1 & 2) - LJ Smith

 Elena: the golden girl, the leader, the one who can have any boy she wants.
Stefan: brooding and mysterious, he seems to be the only one who can resist Elena, even as he struggles to protect her from the horrors that haunt his past.
Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Determined to have Elena, he'd kill to possess her.
Collected here in one volume for the first time, volumes one and two of The Vampire Diaries, the tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.

Having read the Night World books by the author and wasn't a fan, I wasn't sure how I would feel about this series. At first I was a little distrusting, but once Damien came into the picture, I enjoyed it very much. I'm really interested to see where LJ takes it, I have the third and fourth so luckily I don't have to wait long. :)

****

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian

Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.

I thought this book had everything I was looking for: humor, substance, and heart! I'd heard through the grapevine that all Jacob lovers needed to read this novel and they were absolutely right. Your heart absolutely goes out to Junior and all of his endeavors. You can tell his heart is in the right place but nothing works out for his benefit.

Junior is also a cartoonist so there were drawings in the book and I thought it was a great addition and it broke up the novel wonderfully. I found myself turning the pages not only to keep reading, but to see what illustrations were going to be on the page. Some of the accounts actually happened to the author as well, so that was neat that he put so much of himself into the book and Junior's character.

I felt that by the end of this novel I could have considered Junior a friend, and I laughed with him, cried with him, and felt everything he felt as if I were going through it too. I fell in love with this character so much and I believed in him so much. I adored this novel and I can safely say it's one of my absolute favorties to read so please get yourselves a dozen copies!

*****

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things - Carolyn Mackler

Fifteen-year-old Virginia Shreves has a larger-than-average body and a plus-size inferiority complex, especially when she compares herself to her slim, brilliant, picture-perfect family. But that’s before a shocking phone call — and a horrifying allegation — about her rugby-star brother changes everything.

I read this book when I was in high school and recently decided to reread it because I love the book and the message in it so much. Virginia is one of my favorite characters in a book and I wanted to be her best friend so badly. This book was so funny and heart-warming, it really brings the sense of family back in play. I loved reading Virginia's lists and hearing about Frog Boy.

Overall this is a must-read if you're a teenager or a tween, it's such a good coming of age novel and even though Virginia is overweight, she's just like any other teen girl I know and that makes her all the more wonderfil and endearing!

*****

Leaving Paradise - Simone Elkeles

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares — has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

I thought this book was really raw and gripping. I felt horrible for both Maggie and Caleb, and I also felt angry at the other for being so stubborn. I adore Simone Elkeles and how she's always able to pull out such emotion in me and makes me both LOVE and LOATHE certain characters.

This love story is wonderful, I love pairing the most unconventional characters and seeing how they might fall in love or be friends. I don't think there could be a more unconventional couple than this. Would you really fall in love with a person who was ruining your life? This novel is very thought provoking and well done!

*****