If I Stay by Gayle Forman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A wonderful story of love, tenderness, passion, youth and letting go. The power of thought and the power of love are two major themes found in this novel. The author creates characters who are real in every sense of the word. You can feel Mia's love for her family and her friends, sensing their pain and anguish as they await her decision - a decision that she didn't even know she was able to make.





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Blue Moon by Alyson Noel

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Loved EVERMORE - Liked BLUE MOON. Yet this is what usually happens for me when I am reading a series. It is hard to maintain the enthusiasm throughout a series when the characters become predictable and the story takes a turn from the fascinating to the mundane.

The story of the love between Ever and Damon is thwarted in BLUE MOON by another immortal, turned rouge, Roman. What lost me, in this 2nd book in The Immortal series, were the actions on Ever. They seemed juvenile and self-centered, taking away from the character traits laid out for her in the first book.

Haven't yet decided if I will continue to read the series.



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Evermore by Alyson Noel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Teenage romance novels! My least favorite genre... or is it? As much as I hate to admit it, I was drawn into this novel and could not put it down. I finished it in one day and then had to buy book #2 on my Kindle so I could begin reading that one.

This is one teen romance novel where it doesn't always work out perfectly. The couple doesn't have to have sex right away (actually Damon has been waiting like 400 years... ).

An enjoyable novel. Looking forward to reading more in the series.



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Matched by Ally Condie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A YA novel that provokes thought provoking characters and events. The main character of the novel is being "matched" with her perfect life partner in a Society where everything is controlled. Individuality is discouraged as well as thinking for oneself and questioning the decisions of the Society.

What happens when one does begin to question? To wonder about the what ifs....

Cassie begins to ask questions when there is a glitch in her microchip and she sees not just Xanders' face as her Match but also, for a brief second, Ky's face.

An intriguing story- the first in a trilogy.



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Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


The story of a young girl who must relive the day of her death over and over. Each day, however, she makes changes to her routine - changes to her behavior... wondering what she must "get right" in ordr to finally stop February 12th from recurring again.

She realizes and finally learns profound lessons that she wishes she had learned before... lessons that would have changed the course of her life.



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Adoration of Jenna Fox

Adoration of Jenna Fox

Watch an animoto.com video made to encourage students (and adults) to read THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX. Very cool to be able to share animotos on blog.

White Cat by Holly Black

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


It took me about 80+ pages to really begin to enjoy this book. The premise of the book is that 1% of Americans are "workers" meaning they can perform some kind of magic when they touch you with their hands. They can make you sleepwalk, forget things, fall in love. The most dangerous workers can kill you with a touch or transform you into another being or object.

The plot revolves around a family of workers with Cassel being the youngest of three brothers. The father is dead and the mother is in jail. The family works for a crime family, as most "workers" do so that their skills can be used for criminal activities. Cassel however is the only member of his family without the gift and he, to make up for it, runs a bookie business from his dorm room at his private school.

As the story progresses the intricate pattern of relationships evolves and the reader realizes that the manipulation of circumstances runs deep and maybe being loyal to family is not all of the characters main concern.



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Wildthorn by Jane Eagland

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I have always been interested in Victorian literature and the Victorian era. This novel, set during that time is the story of a young girl whose dream it is to be a doctor. But, the times in which she lives dictates that "proper" lifestyle for a female - a doting mother, a loving wife - not an educated woman with a mind of her own.

So, what happens to the main character is that her outspoken nature has aroused the anger of her uncle and her cousin's future husband who arrange for her to be moved into an asylum without the knowledge of her mother. Part of the novel is her recounting her life with her family and then her time in the mental institution.

What was disturbing was the practices within the institution that are referenced in the novel were accepted forms of dealing with the mentally impaired. Shocking!

A story of freedom, free will, and alternative lifestyles during a time of constricted social mobility for women.



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