DARK HEART OF MAGIC

Something Wicked This Way Comes...

As a thief, I stick to the shadows as much as possible. But when the head of the Sinclair Family picks me to compete in the Tournament of Blades, there's no escaping the spotlight—or the danger.

Even though he's my competition, Devon Sinclair thinks I have the best shot at winning what's supposed to be a friendly contest. But when the competitors start having mysterious "accidents," it looks like someone will do anything to win—no matter who they hurt.

As if I didn't have enough to worry about, mobster Victor Draconi is plotting against Devon and the rest of my friends, and someone's going around Cloudburst Falls murdering monsters. One thing's for sure. Sometimes, humans can be more monstrous than anything else...

Release Date: October 27, 2015

Black Blade #2

Kensington

Review copy provided by publisher

Liza’s Review:

I’m a huge fan of Jennifer Estep. I countdown until each of her books are released and devour them as soon as they hit my kindle. I love her Elemental Assassin series for adults and have completely fallen in love with her YA Black Blade series.

Dark Heart of Magic picks up a couple of weeks after Cold Burn of Magic ends, with Lila now working as Devon Sinclair’s bodyguard and a member of the Sinclair family. I love that Lila is really still more comfortable in the shadows than the spotlight, even though as a Sinclair, she really can no longer hide. Lila is such a strong character and I felt like she only grew stronger as the story progressed.

The focus of Dark Heart of Magic was the Tournament of Blades. The annual tournament pits each of the families against one another in a winner take all competition. I enjoyed the Tournament of Blades portion of the story. It was fun to see the battles between the different family members occur in a controlled environment. Not that there weren’t issues with the tournament, as on the first day one of the ropes “accidentally” unwound with a number of the contestants still on the rope. Add in the various monsters being murdered around town, and Lila’s Spidey senses were going off. The tournament was very exciting and I loved reading about each of the battle scenes.

We also learn more about the Draconi family, especially Deah and her mother Seleste. I honestly felt so sorry for Deah since she never seems to be good enough for her father Victor. However, since Victor and her brother Blake are really just big bullies, I wanted Deah to start seeing them for who they really are, no matter how hard it is for her to accept.

The various romances that started in Cold Burn of Magic were really more back burner story lines. I loved that Deah got mad at Felix when she found out about him dating Katia Volkov the previous summer and not telling Katia up front he was dating someone else now. The simmering romance between Devon and Lila is also in the background through much of the story and I really love the realistic depiction of young love and all the drama it includes.

I have to say Ms. Estep gave her readers another great who-done-it with Dark Heart of Magic. I had my suspicions as to who was behind the murders of the town monsters and the humans, but I was completely wrong with my guess for the reason of the murders.

Lila learned key information that will help her and the Sinclair family battle and win against Victor Draconi. I can’t wait to see how she uses the information to win against Victor. Bright Blaze of Magic, which is scheduled to come out in May 2016, is the 3^rd book in the Black Blade series and should feature an epic battle between the Sinclairs and the Draconis.

COLD BURN OF MAGIC

It's not as great as you'd think, living in a tourist town that's known as "the most magical place in America." Same boring high school, just twice as many monsters under the bridges and rival Families killing each other for power. 

I try to keep out of it. I've got my mom's bloodiron sword and my slightly illegal home in the basement of the municipal library. And a couple of Talents I try to keep quiet, including very light fingers and a way with a lock pick. 

But then some nasty characters bring their Family feud into my friend's pawn shop, and I have to make a call--get involved, or watch a cute guy die because I didn't. I guess I made the wrong choice, because now I'm stuck putting everything on the line for Devon Sinclair. My mom was murdered because of the Families, and it looks like I'm going to end up just like her. . .

Release Date April 28, 2015

Black Blade #1

Kensington

I am a huge fan of Jennifer Estep. I've never read any of her Young Adult books in the past, but when I saw the back cover copy for Cold Burn of Magic, I knew I had to read it. I was lucky enough to be given an ARC from the author with the promise of an honest review.

Lila Merriweather is such an awesome character. I'll be honest, her sarcastic side reminds me a bit of Gin Blanco from Estep's Elemental Assassin series. In fact, I imagine Gin was a little bit like Lila as a teen. Lila is very much a loner as Cold Burn of Magic begins. She does contract jobs for Mo, who owns a pawn shop, and Lila's magic talent helps her pull off her jobs. She lives in secret in the basement of the local library. Lila pretty much only wanted to keep her head down an avoid anything to do with any of the local Families. The Families in Cloudburst Falls control all who live in their town. Lila has managed to stay under the radar since her mother was murdered, but her fighting skills put her front and center when she steps in to save Devon Sinclair, of the Sinclair Family.

I really felt like Lila's character grew after becoming Devon's bodyguard. She had so much anger towards him because of her mother's murder and his inadvertent part of said murder, but she seemed to finally see both sides of the situation the more time she worked as a bodyguard. I totally got her love/hate feelings for Devon, though I did feel her attraction to him happened a little fast. I have to say Devon really did appear totally spoiled at the beginning of Cold Burn of Magic, but I ended up having respect for all he had gone through as a character. I had my suspensions as to who was behind all of Devon's trouble and while I did guess the right person, I had no idea how the character was able to pull off some of the attacks.

Estep gives her YA readers an awesome new series filled with magic, mystery, darkness and humor. I'm really excited to read the next book in the series and especially glad to have a series I can share with my niece, who is just starting to read YA books.

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million / iBooks / IndieBound / Google Play / Kobo

Death and the Girl Next Door

Death and the Girl Next Door is the first Young Adult novel from NYT bestselling author Darynda Jones. The publisher is St. Martin’s Press. From the back cover.~

Ten years ago, Lorelei's parents disappeared without a trace.  Raised by her grandparents and leaning on the support of her best friends, Lorelei is finally beginning to accept the fact that her parents are never coming home.  For Lorelei, life goes on.

High school is not quite as painful as she thinks it will be, and things are as normal as they can be.  Until the day the school's designated loner, Cameron Lusk, begins to stalk her, turning up where she least expects it,  standing outside her house in the dark, night after night.  Things get even more complicated when a new guy—terrifying, tough, sexy Jared Kovach—comes to school.  Cameron and Jared instantly despise each other and Lorelei seems to be the reason for their animosity.  What does Jared know about her parents?  Why does Cameron tell Jared he can't have Lorelei?  And what will any of them do when Death comes knocking for real?  Thrilling, sassy, sexy, and inventive, Darynda Jones's first foray into the world of teens will leave readers eager for the next installment.

I am a really big fan of Darynda Jones, and count her Charley Davidson series as one of my favorite series ever. I was really excited to see Death and the Girl Next Door was available from NetGalley. I also really enjoy reading YA books, and really wanted to see how Jones would do with that genre.

While I liked the idea behind this story, it really didn’t work well for me. I liked the main character Lorelei and her two best friends, Brooklyn and Glitch, but the story seemed to me a little all over the place. I was able to figure out some of what was going on before it was revealed, but still felt lost while reading much of the story. It was set up as the first book in the series, and necessary information for the series was explained, but not until late in the book.

While this book didn’t really work for me, I think there are others who will really enjoy it. The official release date for both print and digital is set for October 2, 2012 and can be purchased from your favorite online retailer or local bookstore.

Uncommon Criminals

Uncommon Criminals is the second book in Ally Carter’s wonderful Heist Society series. From the inside cover.~

Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life: Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners.

There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long-and in Kat’s world, history always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous, and that is…the emerald is cursed.

Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all, she has her best friend-the gorgeous Hale-and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses and realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.

Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.

I’m a huge fan of Ally Carter’s YA books. I love both her Gallagher Girl series and her Heist Society series. Her readers are given another winner with Uncommon Criminals. I was lucky enough to have a friend pick me up a copy of Uncommon Criminals at BEA at the end of May, so I got to read it a couple of weeks early (thanks katibabs).

I loved Uncommon Criminals. We get to spend time with some of my favorite characters (Kat, Hale, Gabrielle, Simon, and of course Uncle Eddie). As Uncommon Criminals starts out, Kat has distanced herself from her crew. They all get back together once she is asked to steal the Cleopatra emerald. Everything is very fast paced from the moment the Cleopatra emerald enters the picture. Kat and her crew must pull out all the stops to right the latest wrong. We get to see Kat at both her best and her worst while the team works to figure out their next move. Only with Kat’s entire team working together, can they pull off the greatest heist in history. We also get some pretty awesome flirting between Kat and Hale (yes I feel a bit like a cougar for the crush I have on Hale…don’t judge me, he is super cute), and Kat even makes a pretty big move.

The official release date for Uncommon Criminals is June 21, 2011. I love that I was able to read Uncommon Criminals early. Of course, that means I have a longer wait for my next Ally Carter book. Luckily, the next book in her Gallagher Girl series will be released on March 20, 2012, so I have less than a year to wait for my next fix.

Only the Good Spy Young

Only the Good Spy Young is the 4^th book in the Gallagher Girl series by Ally Carter. From the inside cover flap.~

When Cammie Morgan enrolled at the Gallagher Academy, she knew she was preparing for the dangerous life of a spy. What she didn’t know was that the serious, real-life danger would start as soon as her junior year. But that’s exactly what happened two months ago when she faced off against an ancient terrorist organization dead set on kidnapping her.

Now the danger follows her everywhere, and even Cammie “The Chameleon” can’t hide. When a terrifying encounter in London reveals that one of her most trusted allies is actually a rouge double agent, Cammie no longer knows if she can trust her classmates, her teachers-or even her own heart.

In this fourth installment of the New York Times best-selling series, the Gallagher Girls must hack, spy, steal, and lie their way to the truth as they go searching for answers, recognizing that the key to Cammie’s future may lie deep in the past.

I’m a huge fan of the Gallagher Girl series and loved Only the Good Spy Young. Cammie and her friends, Bex, Macey, and Liz must figure out a way to keep Cammie safe. Since she isn’t allowed to leave campus, it should be pretty easy to keep her out of harm’s way. Of course, Cammie and her friends are really not much for sitting around and waiting for others to tell them what is really going on. So as they continue to look into Cammie’s kidnapping attempts, they discover it is tied into Cammie’s past.

With much action and lots of adventure, Only the Good Spy Young gives Carter’s fans another edge of your seat ride. I know I’m not saying much about the book, but I really don’t want to post any spoilers about this wonderful series. I devoured this book and can’t wait for the next book in this series, which I hope will be sometime next year. Luckily, Ally Carter has a second amazing series out and hopefully Heist Society 2 (title to be determined) will be out soon.

Giving Up the "V"

Giving Up the “V” is a Young Adult novel by Serena Robar. From the back cover.~

What’s so wrong with waiting?

Spencer Davis just turned sixteen. But unlike most hormonal teenagers who seem obsessed with sex-like her entire crew of friends-Spencer just doesn’t get it. She’d rather wait for the right guy and the right moment. But that moment may be arriving sooner than she’d thought.

Enter Benjamin Hopkins, a new transfer student who seems to have his eyes on our V-card-carrying heroine. He’s gorgeous, funny, suave, athletic, and capable of making Spencer’s knees wobble with a single glance. Spencer has never felt this way about anyone before, but is Ben truly V-worthy?

I had read a bit about Giving Up the “V” online and was excited when it finally became available at the library. I liked Giving Up the “V” and it really made me remember some of my own friends in high school. Spencer has a group of friends called “the crew” and she is always the go-to person for advice. On her sixteenth birthday, rather than a big sweet 16 party, her mom takes for her first GYN appointment to get put on the pill. Spencer is pretty much the only one of her friends not obsessed with thoughts of having sex, so she really isn’t too excited about her birthday gift from her mom. That is until Ben Hopkins shows up at school. Spencer has never been so attracted to anyone, and even thinks maybe Ben is V-worthy. Of course, her best friend Alyssa also thinks Ben is totally V-worthy and decides she wants to lose her V-card to Ben at the Winter Formal. Spencer finally admits to Alyssa that she really likes Ben and like any teenage girls, there is anger at first, but then they make up. When Alyssa, who had a list of guys who where V-worthy, picks their friend Zack for her date to formal, Spencer starts to wonder if Ben is really V-worthy. When Zack and Ben get into a fight at the formal, Spencer finally sees Ben for who he really is and sees Zack in a whole new light.

I’ll admit I did laugh a few times in this book. This was my first book by Serena Robar and I liked Giving Up the “V” and look forward to reading more books by Robar in the future.

Heist Society

Heist Society is the first book in a new YA series by Ally Carter. From the inside cover flap.~

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own-scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.

Soon, Kat’s friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster’s priceless art collection has been stolen and he wants it returned. Only a master thief could have pulled off this job, and Kat’s father isn’t just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it’s a spectacularly impossible job? She’s got two weeks, a teenage crew, and, hopefully, just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family’s (very crooked) history-and with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

I’ve loved Ally Carter’s books since I read the first book in her Gallagher Girl series. That being said, I really think I loved Heist Society just as much if not more. Kat, who found a way to leave the family “business” suddenly, is thrust back into it to save her dad. She must get a team together to return the stolen paintings to Arturo Taccone or he will make her father pay. The fact that her father didn’t steal the paintings matter as far as Taccone is concerned. Kat puts together a teen team of art thieves to retrieve the stolen artwork, which includes her cousin Gabrielle, her computer genius friend Simon; the Bagshaw bothers Hamish and Angus, the super cute Hale, and Kat’s new friend Nick.

I would love to see the friendship between Hale and Kat turn into more of a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship in the next Heist book. They have the very best chemistry and just seem to be perfect for each other. Seems like they always have each other's back no matter what is going on, or how mad they make each other.

Ally Carter is an auto-buy author for me. I’ve read pretty much everything she has ever written and can’t wait for her next book to be released.

The Lightning Thief

The Lightning Thief is book one in the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series by Rick Riordan. From the back cover.~

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school…again. And that’s the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy’s Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he’s angered a few of them. Zeus’s master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus’s stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him to betrayal for a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

So I had seen the Percy Jackson books everywhere, but really didn’t think it would be a series I would want to read. Then I actually picked up the first book and realized it was full of Greek Mythology and I knew I had to give this series a shot. I’m so glad I did! I really enjoyed the first book in the series and am so glad that I picked up the next 3 in the series when I was out book shopping one day. I hate to start a series and not have the next book waiting (might explain my TBR bookshelf). I would say for the most part the Percy Jackson series is perfect for any age reader who loves a great story, although I really think it is meant for children or YA. I plan on seeing the movie next week, so I had to finish the book first (not a hard rule for me, but I prefer to read the book before seeing the movie). I really like Percy and his friends Annabeth and Grover and especially love that the Half-Bloods are sent on quest to prove themselves.

Rick Riordan gives the reader a really great story and I look forward to reading more in this series. The Sea of Monsters is the next book in the series and I plan on reading it soon. My reading had taken a serious hit in the past week, but I’m really hoping to get my reading mojo back this week.

Bite Me!

Bite Me! is the debut book by Melissa Francis. From the back cover.~

AJ Ashe isn’t your typical seventeen-year-old vampire-as if there is such a thing! She’s stuck in the middle of a huge fight between her two BFFs. Her ex-boyfriend-whom she’s still totally in love with, by the way-is now her stepbrother. A former classmate-who, um, she may or may not have turned into a vampire-is stalking her. And now, apparently, the fate of humankind lies in her little undead hands. What ever happened to the good old days, when all a vampire girl had to worry about was the occasional zit and hiding her taste for blood?

I loved Bite Me!. It is a fun paranormal YA novel. You totally feel sorry for both AJ and Ryan, who have to break up when their parents decide to get married. AJ not only has to deal with her ex-boyfriend being her new step-brother, but she must also deal with the fact that her former classmate, Noah, was found dead after they had been making out at a party. While Ryan is dating Lindsay, a girl that AJ really has never like. She also, suddenly seems to be having the worst luck of anyone on the face of the planet. Plus, she isn’t really sure what is going on with her two best friends, who have her stuck in the middle of some huge fight.

I think AJ is a total kick-butt heroine and loved that she is such a strong character. She has more thrown at her than any normal seventeen-year-old girl should have to deal with, mortal or vampire. Melissa Francis gives the reader a real treat with Bite Me!, and I can’t wait to read more of her books in the future. Love Sucks! Is the next book in this series, which will be release in Spring of 2010.

***Disclaimer*** I bought this book myself.

Frostbite

Frostbite is the second book in the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. From the back cover.~

When Love And Jealousy Collide On The Slopes, Winter Break Turns Deadly…

Rose Hathaway’s got serious guy trouble. Her gorgeous tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason has a huge crush on her, and she keeps getting stuck in her best friend Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian.

Then a massive Strigoi attack puts St. Vladmir’s on high alert, and the Academy crawls with Guardians-including the legendary Janine Hathaway…Rose’s formidable, long-absent mother. The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks. This year, St. Vlad’s holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only provide the illusion of safety. When three students run away to strike back against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. Only this time, Rose-and her heart-are in more danger than she ever could have imagined…

I’m so glad that I stumbled upon The Vampire Academy series. It is one of the best YA series that I’ve found so far. Rose is such a strong, kick-ass character, yet she also has all the same problems as any other teenage girl. She has the added bonus of being a Guardian in training set to protect her very best friend, Lissa. We also meet Rose’s mother in Frostbite. To say they have a dysfunctional relationship is like saying the Titanic ran into a little bit of ice. Rose is angry at her mother for not really being there for her while she was growing up. Janine wants Rose to focus more on her training and stay away from all the guys in her life.

Rose must once again step up to protect her friends, but this time she must team up with Christian. Only after Rose battles the Strigoi to try and save her friends can she really appreciate all her mother has done in her life.

I really enjoyed Frostbite, and am so excited that I have the next two Vampire Academy books in my to be read pile/mountain. The third book in the series is Shadow Kiss, and the fourth book is Blood Promise, which was released on August 25.

Hunted

Hunted by PC Cast and Kristin Cast is the 5^th book in the House of Night series. From the inside cover.~

At the start of this heart-pounding new installment in the bestselling House of Night series, Zoey’s friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren’t Neferet’s secret any longer. But an unexpected danger has emerged. Neferet guards her powerful new consort, Kalona, and on one at the House of Night seems to understand the threat he poses. Kalona is gorgeous, and he has the House of Night under his spell. A past life holds the key to breaking his rapidly spreading influence, but what if this past life unearths secrets Zoey doesn’t want to see and truths she can’t face?

On the run and holed up in Tulsa’s Prohibition-era tunnels, Zoey and her gang must discover a way to deal with something that might bring them all down. Meanwhile, Zoey has a few other little problems. The red fledglings have cleaned up well-they’ve even managed to make the dark, creepy tunnels feel more like home-but are they really as friendly as they seem? On the boyfriend front, Zoey has a chance to make things right with super-hot ex, Eric, but she can’t stop thinking about Stark, the archer who died in her arms after one unforgettable night, and she is driven to try to save him from Neferet’s sinister influence at all costs. Will anyone believe the power evil has to hide among us?

I’ve loved the House of Night series since I read the first book, Marked. Hunted is another winner for mother-daughter team PC Cast & Kristin Cast. Zoey, as usual has more than anyone her age should have to handle. Not only has Neferet turned from the Goddess Nyx, but Zoey also has to keep the red fledglings in line, protect her friends, and deal with three different guys. Luckily, Zoey has all of her friends around her again. Zoey must use all of her strengths to fight Neferet and Kalona. While trying to save all of her friends and her school, Zoey is like any other teenage girl, and must decide which of the three guys she really wants. Between her human ex-boyfriend Heath, who has been in her life the longest, ex-boyfriend Erik, who still hasn’t forgiven her for cheating on him, and Stark, who died in her arms and is now a red fledgling, Zoey has her hands full trying to make everyone happy.

With more action and drama in Hunted, the reader is given a non-stop, edge of their seat ride with Zoey and her friends. The next book in the series Tempted comes out on October 27, 2009, and I will be at the bookstore that day to get my next fix from the House of Night series.

Lord of Misrule

Lord of Misrule is the 5^th book in The Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine. From the back cover.~

Morganville, Texas. Just South of Normal.

In the college town of Morganville, vampires and humans have coexisted in (relatively) bloodless harmony…until the arrival of Bishop, a master vampire who threatens to put the evil back in evil undead and smash the fragile peace. But Bishop isn’t the only threat…

Violent black clouds promise a storm of devastating proportions. As student Claire Danvers and her friends prepare to defend Morganville against the elements – both natural and unnatural – the unexpected happens: Morganville’s vampires begin to vanish one by one. Discovering why leads Claire to one last choice: Swear allegiance to Bishop…or die.

Lord of Misrule was another winner in The Morganville Vampire series. Claire and her friends are under the protection of Amelie, but since her father Bishop has returned, no one in Morganville, Texas is safe. Bishop wants the vampires to feed from the humans directly, whereas Amelie has always had the humans donate blood to the blood bank to feed the vampires. Claire must work with Myrnin to try and perfect the cure for the disease that is starting to affect some of the older vampires. Her friends must work in various capacities with the different vampires to keep everyone safe. However, Claire’s boyfriend, Shane has the most dangerous job of all. He must protect “The Book” from falling into Bishop’s hands.  There is lots of action between Bishop’s followers and Amelie’s followers, as well as a horrible storm that is heading directly for Morganville. Between the tornado and vampires, no one is safe in Morganville right now.

I liked Lord of Misrule, and felt that it really set up the story well for the next book in the series, Carpe Corpus, which came out earlier this month. The Morganville Vampires series is a really wonderful YA read. 

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover

Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover is the third book in the Gallagher Girl series by Ally Carter. From the back cover.~

When Cammie “The Chameleon” Morgan visits her roommate Macey in Boston, she thinks she’s in for an exciting end to her summer break. After all, she’s there to watch Macey’s father accept the nomination for vice president of the United States. But when you go to the world’s best school (for spies), “exciting” and “deadly” are never far apart. Cammie and Macey soon find themselves trapped in a kidnappers’ plot, with only their espionage skills to save them.

As her junior year begins, Cammie can’t shake the memory of what happened in Boston, and even the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women doesn’t feel like the safe haven it once did. Shocking secrets and old flames seem to lurk around every one of the mansion’s corners as Cammie and her friends struggle to answer the questions Who is after Macey? And how can the Gallagher Girls keep her safe?

Soon Cammie is joining Bex and Liz as Macey’s private security team on the campaign trail. The girls must use their spy training at every turn as the stakes are raised, and Cammie gets closer and closer to the shocking truth…

Ally Carter writes another winner with Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover. Cammie and her friends are just like any other girls their age, with one little difference; they are all training to be spies. Once Cammie and Macey are almost kidnapped, the Gallagher Girls have one of their biggest cases to solve. The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women is suddenly thrust into the spotlight once Macey returns to school. The girls must find a way to keep Macey safe while figuring out who would want to kidnap Macey. With lots of action a bit of mystery, Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover is a fun, fast-paced book that sets up the next book in the series perfectly. The 4^th Gallagher Girl book will not be out for at least another year. However, Ally has a new series that comes out in February and I can't wait to read the first book.

Vampire Academy

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead is the first book in her Vampire Academy series. From the back cover.~

Only a true best friend can protect you from your immortal enemies...

Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess:a mortal vampire with an unbreakable bond to the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Stigoi; the fiercest and most dangerous vampires-the ones who never die.

The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a Dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Stigoi, who are hell-bent on making her one of them.

After two years of illicit freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. Rose will continue her Dhampir education. Lissa will go back to being Queen of the elite Moroi social scene. And both girls will resume breaking Academy hearts.

Fear made Lissa and Rose run away from St. Vladimir's - inside the Academy's iron gates, their world is even more fraught with danger. Here, the cutthroat ranks of the Moroi perform unspeakable rituals, and their secretive nature and love of the night creates and enigmatic world full of social complexities. Rose and Lissa must navigate through this dangerous world, confront the temptation of forbidden romance, and never once let their guard down, lest the Strigoi make Lissa one of them forever...

Vampire Academy is a wonderful paranormal young adult novel. Richelle Mead gives the reader a wonderfully complex story set in the world of vampires.  I loved the true-to-life friendship between Rose and Lissa. Both girls will do just about anything for each other. Even though they are vampires, they still have the same concerns as any other teenage girl, the right clothes, fitting in, and guys. There was also a bit of mystery thrown into the story to keep the reader on their toes. I liked that about this book and figured out much of the mystery before the end of the story, although I didn't figure out everything.

This was my first book by Richelle Mead, but I really enjoyed the story and plan to read many more books by her in the future.  There are currently 2 more books in her Vampire Academy series. I also recently found out about her Georgina Kincaid series that I can't wait to read.

So Yesterday

So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld is a young adult novel. From the back cover.~

Ever wonder who was the first kid to keep a wallet on a big chunky chain, or wear way-too-big pants on purpose? What about the mythical first guy who wore his baseball cap backwards? These are the Innovators, the people at the peak of the cool pyramid.

Seventeen-year-old Hunter Braque is a Trendsetter, on the second level of the pyramid. His job: find the newest, coolest thing for the retail market. His MO: observe, don't get involved.

But he has to get involved when he and his crush, Jen, discover his boss's cell phone in an abandoned building-and his boss missing. Hunter and Jen are soon snared in a web of brand-name intrigue: a missing cargo of the coolest shoes they've ever seen, ads for products that don't exist, and a shadowy group dedicated to the downfall of consumerism as we know it.

So Yesterday was the first book by Scott Westerfeld I've read. I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more books by Westerfeld. So Yesterday is a fast-paced story about trends and how they come to be popular. There was really no products mentioned by name, but many were described well enough to know who made the products.

Hunter and Jen meet when he snaps a picture of her shoelaces to send to his boss. Hunter even gets Jen an invite to a focus group with a group of other Trendsetters. The adventure for Hunter and Jen begins when they are asked to meet his boss, Mandy, and only find her cell phone. While looking for Mandy, they find the coolest shoes ever made, go to a magazine launch party, are chased repeatedly by an unknown group, and seek the advise of other Trendsetter friends of Hunter.

I love the humor and the action in So Yesterday, and look forward to giving more books by Westerfeld a try.

Untamed

Untamed by PC Cast and Kristin Cast is the 4th book in their House of Night series. Zoey Redbird is having to deal with the fact that she seriously messed up and all of her friends are angry with her. Zoey has decided her whole life sucks right now. She has gone from having 3 boyfriends to none, and having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her to being an outcast. Of the friends Zoey has left, one is undead and one is now unMarked. To make things worse, Neferet has declared war on the humans, which Zoey knows is wrong.


As a new celebrity fledgling comes to the school and the High Priestess of all vampires, Shekinah arrives to lets Neferet know the council has voted against a war with the humans, Zoey and her friends must step up once again. Zoey, with the help of the Twins(Shaunee & Erin), Damien, Jack, Aphrodite, and Stevie Rae, must come up with a way to stop the evil that is on the horizon of the House of Night. Zoey and her friends learn to trust each other more and work through their differences to keep as many fledglings and humans safe as possible.

Untamed is another winner for PC & Kristin Cast. I look forward to Hunted, which will come out in March 2009.

Chosen

Chosen by PC Cast & Kristin Cast is the third in A House of Night series. In Chosen, Zoey faces even more challenges than she did in the first two books, which say a lot as she has already faced more than any other fledgling. Zoey is juggling three boyfriends and keeping her friends in the dark about what is really going on with Stevie Rae. Zoey has also formed a bit of a friendship with Aphrodite, which none of her good friends understand.

Zoey makes many a mistake in Chosen, but they all seem to be because she is concerned for her friends or upset about something happening to a friend. Chosen leaves the readers wanting more and luckily, Untamed comes out later this month, so we don't have long to wait.

Betrayed

Betrayed by PC Cast and Kristin Cast is the second in a House of Night series. Betrayed picks up right where Marked left off. Zoey Redbird is now the leader of the Dark Daughters society and must find a way to make sure the society becomes more. Zoey is also drawn not only to Erik and her ex-boyfriend Heath, but also to Loren who is a teacher at House of Night.

In Betrayed someone starts kidnapping and killing humans, which Zoey knows from her old life. Zoey even makes an unlikely friend of sorts with Aphrodite. Aphrodite is still having visions, but no one believes her because they were told by Neferet, the High Priestess, that Aphrodite no longer was seeing accurately. Zoey seems to be the only person at the school that believes anything that Aphrodite says.

There is mystery, romance, and even the death of a good friend that only makes the reader want to know what happens next in the series that much more. Chosen is the third in a House of Night series and I can't wait to start reading it!