Fallen

Fallen is without a doubt the best fantasy love story I've read in years. On her first day at Sword & Cross reform school, Luce finds herself instantly attracted to two boys. Cam is polite and very charming. But then there is Daniel... Luce is drawn to Daniel and senses a familiarity she can't explain, but he keeps pushing her away. As she eventually grows closer to Daniel, Luce becomes more certain that he is hiding an impossible secret and that there is more to her past that even she could guess. Lauren Kate's writing is not the best, and the characters are not fully developed, but I think I enjoyed the story because I want to believe in the kind of love that is passionate, unavoidable, and consuming.

Shiver

Shiver is about a girl named Grace who has spent her life fascinated by the wolves who live in the woods behind her house. She has a special bond with one wolf in particular, and when she meets Sam in his human form Grace is drawn into the world of werewolves. The two were destined for each other, but their bliss is short-lived. Sam can only stay human as long s the weather is warm, so the pair race to find a cure as winter is fast approaching. Maggie Stiefvater's writing is a little too poetic for my taste, and Grace's character lacks much depth and compassion. Overall I enjoyed reading Shiver, however, the plot and love story give off too much of a Twilight-vibe.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Demigod Files

The Demigod Files is a supplement to Rick Riordan's series, Percy Jackson & the Olympians. The books starts with a foreword by the author, introducing it as a survival guide for young demigods. Included are interviews with current residents of Camp Half-Blood, as well as three short stories about Percy's quests that would have taken place before The Last Olympian. The Demigod Files are not a crucial part of Riordan's legacy, but I enjoyed reading more about the heroes of Camp Half-Blood.

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Last Olympian

The Last Olympian is the final book in one of the best series of the decade. Percy Jackson and his demigod friends from Camp Half-Blood have spent the year training for the ultimate battle. The Olympians are kept busy battling the ancient, powerful monster, Typhon, which has never been defeated. Percy and the heroes must stop the Titan Lord Kronos from destroying the unprotected Mt. Olympus, and with it the essence of the gods. Percy goes to extreme and dangerous measures to prepare himself for the final stand and is joined by old and new friends in the battle of good vs evil, proving that love conquers all, and sometimes the only way to defeat evil is with the ultimate sacrifice. I am sad to see the Percy Jackson series end, but it was a beautiful and heartwarming ride. I look forward to Rick Riordan's new series, The Heroes of Olympus.

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth

Percy and Annabeth have stumbled upon an entrance to Daedalus's Labyrinth in the heart of Camp Half-Blood, and they realize Luke's plan to invade camp with Kronos's army. Annabeth leads a quest into the Labyrinth to find Daedalus, hoping he will prevent Luke from finding the entrance to camp. Along the way they make new allies, including Briares, the Hundred-Handed One and Mrs. O'Leary, the hellhound, new enemies such as another son of Poseidon and the telekhines. They also encounter Nico, son of Hades, who refuses to name a side, and the long lost God of the Wild, Pan. Percy's adventures are more frightening and dangerous than ever, and it all leads to the great Battle of the Labyrinth.

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Titan's Curse

With Lord Kronos's army growing, Percy and his friends set off on a mission to recruit new half-bloods. When Annabeth is kidnapped and the goddess Artemis disappears, Percy follows a quest he has been excluded from, accompanying Grover, Zeus's daughter Thalia, and Artemis's Hunters, Zoe and Bianca. Followed by skeleton bounty hunters, the group travels across the country battling old, powerful monsters that have begun to rise, finally arriving in San Francisco at Mt. Tamalpais to stand against their former friend Luke and Kronos's minions. The Titan's Curse is another phenomenal addition to the series, and the tension is mounting with each twist and turn.

Pretty Little Liars: Wanted

In the final installment of the Pretty Little Liars series, all the secrets are finally revealed. The appearance of Alison's twin sister Courtney shocks everyone, but the puzzle pieces finally fit together. One by one the girls let down their guard and befriend their old friend's sister. But the true murderer is still on the loose. And Courtney has one more secret.

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Sea of Monsters

The Sea of Monsters is another fantastic book in the Percy Jackson series. Percy has been looking forward to returning to Camp Half-Blood for the summer but learns that the camp is in danger. He sets off on a forbidden quest with Annabeth and his new Cyclops friend Tyson to save Grover and find the one thing that can save the camp and his friends. They face unimaginable dangers in the Sea of Monsters and stumble upon an evil plot to bring the Titan lord Kronos back to power. I love the way Rick Riordan incorporates his own ideas into the legends of Greek mythology, and I look forward to the rest of the series.

Pretty Little Liars: Heartless

The Pretty Little Liars' world is being turned upside down and there's nothing they can do to stop it. They all believe they saw Ali, alive, but nobody will believe anything they have to say anymore. Hanna has been dubbed "Psycho" and shunned from popularity again. Emily is in denial that the body belongs to Ali. Spencer was scammed out of her college fund and learns shocking secrets about her family. Aria is convinced that Ali's ghost is trying to contact her. A has each of them suspecting somebody new is Ali's killer as they uncover new revelations and mysteries, until the girls become the main suspects themselves. The four friends soon learn that in a town as perfect as Rosewood, nothing is as it seems.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

The Lightning Thief is one of the best books I've read in a very long time. It is a great story and well written. Percy Jackson is a lot like Harry Potter, but more believable, injected with Greek mythology rather than magic. Percy is a 12-year-old troublemaker who suddenly finds himself faced with monthers and mythical creatures. He arrives at Camp Half-Blood, where he learns that he is the son of a god, but his father is still a mystery. As more of his ancestry is revealed, it becomes clear that Percy is being framed for a serious theft and is in danger. Along with his friends, Annabeth, daughter of Athena, and Grover, a satyr assigned to protect Percy, he sets off on a quest to find Zeus's master bolt, return it before the Summer Solstice deadline to avoid war among the gods, and rescue his mother from Hades. Along the way, Percy discovers he can't always trust who he wants to, accepts his demigod abilities, and learns that there may be something lurking that is far worse than the fury of the Olympians.

Maximum Ride: Fang

Max and her crew are on another save-the-world mission in Africa when the mysterious and wealthy Dr. Gunther-Hagen enters their lives... along with Dylan, a brand new bird kid who was designed to be Max's "perfect other half". The Doctor wants max to work with him to help humans evolve, but of course she declines. In the sixth book of the series the flock is forced to adapt to new circumstances - a new member, losing other members, and a new leader. Not to mention Angel's premonition that Fang would die soon. For me, Fang was the most fulfilling and the most frustrating of the Maximum Ride books, with an unexpected and devastating ending.

Pretty Little Liars: Killer

In Rosewood, Pennsylvania four pretty little liars are falling deeper into their web of secrets and lies. The new "A" is manipulating their every move and sabotaging their relationships with their families, boys, and each other. It seems the girls aren't the only ones with something to hide though. As they begin to uncover shocking truths about those they thought they could trust, the four friends don't know who or what to believe, including their own eyes.

Pretty Little Liars: Wicked

The fifth book in the Pretty Little Liars series starts off with Alison's killer behind bars. Mona, who sent Aria, Spencer, Hanna and Emily threatening messages as "A", is dead. The girls can finally move on and start living their lives again. But of course the truth is never so simple. In Wicked, suddenly the four friends have new secrets, receive messages from a new A, and are forced to acknowledge that there may be a new killer.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal

We all know the stories about Jesus, the Son of God. but Levi, or Biff, is here to tell us what happened during the majority of Christ's life that was left out of the New Testament. Christopher Moore's amusing speculation describes the childhood and young adulthood of Jesus. Biff provides comic relief as he accompanies Jesus through his trials and travels. Christopher Moore portrays the Messiah as a regular guy who also happens to be our savior, and who travels the world dutifully studying Hinduism, Buddhism, and martial arts. Biff is hilarious and the complete opposite of his best friend, but loyal to a fault, and I love that he takes credit for things like sarcasm, lattes, and pencils. The crucifixion is a given, but it was especially devastating to see it from the perspective of someone who loved Jesus so dearly. I have been a Catholic my entire life and I know Lamb is purely fiction, but I found it extremely entertaining and it helped me identify a little more with Christ.

Maximum Ride: Max

The fifth book in the Maximum Ride series left me itching for more. Max's mother has been kidnapped and it's up to Max and the flock, with the help of the US Navy, to rescue her. The series gets a little more far-fetched when the bird kids develop gills and discover a new mutant species in the depths of the ocean. But Max finally gets over herself and expresses her true feelings for Fang, giving me the love story I'm such a sucker for.

Maximum Ride: The Final Warning

In The Final Warning, Max and the flock are recruited to help study the effects of global warming in Antarctica and be spokespersons for a worldwide mission to save the planet. The group finally has a safe place to stay, plenty of food, and nothing to worry about. Then they are abducted and delivered to a horrifying captor they know nothing about. The inevitable escape is pretty much accidental and has nothing to do with the group's survival skills, and the book quickly comes to a close. For me, the fourth book in the series was anticlimactic and disappointing compared to the first three books, but it was educational and stressed the importance of saving our planet now, not later.

Sweet Little Lies

If I ever think about picking up Lauren Conrad's third book, remind me to not. The former reality television star seems to be using her writing to express her feelings about former friends and lovers from The Hills in L.A. Candy and Sweet Little Lies. The incidents and characters are weakly masked. The wardrobe descriptions on every page take away from what little plot the story actually has. The main character is weak and insecure, and uninteresting to read about. My urge to find out how the series ends is not strong enough to endure more tedious descriptions of the same outfits over and over. To sum up, it's very sad that just about anyone can get published if they're famous enough, and L.C.'s efforts would be better applied somewhere else.

Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

It's been days since Max and her friends have been ambushed by Erasers, and the tentative sense of security is making them uneasy. Until Max's Voice informs them that all the Erasers and other genetic projects have been exterminated and the bird kids are the last ones remaining. Then the flock is captured by what has replaced the Erasers - flying robots with Eraser skin that are harder to get rid of. Plus, one of their own may be a traitor. The flock discovers that Intex, the company in control of the School and the Institute, and pretty much the world, has started phase 1 of the By-Half Plan to reduce the world's population by half. After escaping, Max and Fang divide the group in two, each having their own ideas of how the world should be saved. The girls head to Germany to take down the Itex World Headquarters, while the boys use Fang's blog to enlist activist children all over the world. In Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports, Max's questions about her family are answered and she faces the tragic death of a key player in her life.

Maximum Ride: School's Out - Forever

The second book in the Maximum Ride series is even more exciting than the first. Max and her flock of human-bird hybrid children narrowly escape countless run-ins with Jeb, the scientist who helped them escape, but later abandoned them to return to the School. They are still on the run from the relentless Erasers, led by Ari, who is Jeb's son and holds a major grudge against Max for, um, killing him. The group is still trying to track down their missing parents, with mixed results. To top it of, Max has a shiny new voice in her head (that isn't her own), insisting that she was created to save the world. Whatever that means. School's Out - Forever is an emotional ride that has me officially hooked on these bird kids.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

James Patterson's Maximum Ride series is about a group of genetically-altered hybrid children with human and bird dna, resulting in wings and other bird characteristics. Maximum, or Max, is the oldest, and takes it upon herself to lead the "flock", which consists of Fang, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman, and little Angel. The group escaped from the lab called the "School" where they were created and have been hiding out ever since. When Angel is abducted by the vicious Erasers, a human-wolf hybrid also created in the School, Max vows to rescue her, no matter the cost. The bird kids face the unfamiliar outside world to free Angel and infiltrate the mysterious Institute, while trying to keep a low profile and outrun the relentless Erasers that seem to materialize around every corner. The Angel Experiment is a suspenseful, action packed thriller that lives up to its promise to take the reader on the maximum ride.

Pretty Little Liars, Books 1-4

The first four books in Sara Shepards young adult series are Pretty Little Liars, Flawless, Perfect, and Unbelievable. The books are about five best friends who think they rule their small town; Alison, Aria, Spencer, Emily, and Hannah. When Alison disappears one night, the remaining friends quickly grow apart. Three years later, Alison is still missing and the other girls have moved on with their lives. Until they all receive ominous messages from someone who calls themself "A". A knows secrets that only Alison knew, so they all assume she is back and playing a prank on them. Then her body is found. The lives of the four remaining friends spiral out of control as they struggle to discover the identity of A, prevent A from spilling their darkest secrets, find out who killed Alison, and uncover Alison's own shocking secrets. The four girls fight for survival as they solve all the mysteries in Unbelievable. But with four books left in the series, one can only imagine what is in store for these pretty little liars. For a young adult series about rich high-schoolers, these books have a lot of depth. The twists are well thought out and the reader is lead to suspect everyone else before the actual killer and stalker. Sara Shepard has created a thrilling suspense series that I love, and I look forward to the next four books.

The Carrie Diaries

The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell is about Sex & The City's Carrie Bradshaw and her senior year in high school. I had an extremely difficult time picturing young Carrie growing up to become the fashion savvy woman we all love, and her quirky, feminist personality made it even more unbelievable. When I took a step back and looked at The Carrie Diaries as its own story and not a prequel, I was finally able to enjoy it. I liked that Carrie wasn't the most popular girl in school, and that she snagged the desirable new boy, but her tendency to be pushed around and put up with being cheated on was infuriating. My favorite part was the end, when Carrie travels to New York for the summer and circumstances lead her to meet Samantha Jones.

Stardust

Stardust is Neil Gaiman's beautiful tale of Tristran, a naive boy from the small, sheltered town of Wall, who journeys into the magical land of Faerie to find a fallen star for the girl he wishes to marry. Tristran eventually finds the star, which turns out to be not a rock, but a beautiful young woman called Yvaine. Along the way, Tristran and his star meet dangerous people and helpful strangers, and endure adventures they could not have dreamt. Their story parallels those of the ancient witch queens Lilim, an enslaved Faerie woman, and the seven heirs of Stormhold, until each of their paths intersect and become hopelessly entangled. Through all of his trials, Tristran finally discovers his true home, and realizes that what he was searching for was right in front of him all along. I am a sucker for happy endings, and I love books that challenge me. Even after I thought I had solved the puzzle, I was surprised by the ending.

L.A. Candy

L.A. Candy is written by Lauren Conrad, the former star of MTV's reality show, The Hills. Her fictional book is about a 19-year-old girl, Jane, who has just moved to Los Angeles with her best friend Scarlett. At a club, Jane and Scarlett are approached by a television producer who wants them to star in his new reality show, L.A. Candy. the book mirrors Lauren's experience as a star of The Hills. Some of the other cast members appear in the book with name changes and minor changes in details. The writing is very juvenile and lacks depth, but I did find humor in the similarities between L.A. Candy and The Hills. Also, I think there was too much emphasis put on name brands and detailing the characters' ensembles. does everyone need to wear skinny jeans or a dress "accentuated by a bow"?

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

This Eclipse novella supports the Twilight Saga the way the unpublished Midnight Sun does. For me, hearing another character's thoughts and feelings helps the story feel complete. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is the story of one of the newborn vampires in the "army" created to destroy Bella. Bree is only three months old when her existence intersects Bella's and her short life is ended by the Volturi. Before that, Bree describes the insatiable thirst, finding and losing true love, living in the dark about vampire rules and realities, and being guided into an impossible battle by a misinformed leader. When Bree is found by the Cullens she has no desire to fight, so they offer to accept her as their own and teach her everything that has been kept from her. Sadly, we already know how this story ends. Learning about how the newborns were deceived makes me sympathize with them just a little. My favorite part of the book was how Jasper's talent affected Bree, who was extremely confused by her rapidly changing emotions.

House Rules

This is the fourth book I've read by Jodi Picoult and she is one of my favorite writers. She puts so much detail into every part of her story, and shows each character's point of view, which makes it so realistic. House Rules is about a teenage boy with Asperger's Syndrome, Jacob, who is accused of murdering his tutor whom he had a crush on. All the evidence points to Jacob's involvement, not to mention his obsession with forensics and the fact that he constantly fidgets and avoids eye contact. Just when the prosecution thinks they have hard evidence and a cut-and-dry case, the truth starts to unravel, shocking everyone, even Jacob. The court scenes were very long and repetitive, but I was intrigued and saddened to learn more about Asperger's, especially hearing the difficulties and frustrations from Jacob's point of view.

The Princess Bride

This is, without a doubt, one of my all-time favorite books. It is written by William Golding, but is presented as if Golding abridged the story by a fictitious S. Morgenstern, including the "good parts" and his own thoughts throughout. The story begins with Buttercup falling in love with Westley, a farm boy. Westley travels to America to make a fortune for his future with Buttercup, but his ship is taken over by the Dread Pirate Roberts. When she hears about Westley's death, Buttercup agrees to marry Prince Humperdinck, but warns him that she will never love again. Before the wedding, Buttercup is kidnapped by a hunchback, a giant, and a master swordsman. She is rescued by a mysterious man in black who calls himself the Dread Pirate Roberts, and is later revealed to be Westley. The Prince captures them and Buttercup agrees to marry him if he'll let Westley go free, but secretly he tortures him to death. Fezzik, the giant, and Inigo, the swordsman steal Westley's body and take it to a miracle man, who is able to gradually revive him. The three then rush to the castle to stop Buttercup's wedding, and they all live more or less happily ever after. With its hilarious scenarios and one-liners, The Princess Bride truly is a "classic tale of true love and high adventure".

Uninvited

Uninvited is about Jordan, a high school senior who is being stalked by her dead ex-boyfriend. The plot is far from complex, the writing is juvenile, and the characters are weak. But I just can't resist a new vampire story. Jordan and Michael spent two months together before they broke up and Michael slept with half the girls in school. Jordan thought it was true love and tried to get over it by binge-drinking, doing drugs, and hooking up with strangers. Then Michael killed himself. Or so everyone thought. But a few days later Michael shows up outside Jordan's window begging her to let him in so they can be together forever. Jordan spends months with a self-imposed sunset curfew drinking alone in her room having midnight conversations with someone who likely wants to kill her, and she considers opening the window. Finally, with the help of two friends, she successfully destroys Michael and lives happily ever after. She decides to get clean, finds out who her true friends are, and finds a nice, chaste relationship with another boy. The story is far from great and the characters' actions are unlikely and at times inconsistent, but it only took a day to read. On to the next.

The Bartimaeus Trilogy: The Amulet of Samarkand

The first book in the series gave me a sort of Harry Potter feel and is set in modern-day London as ruled by magicians. Unlike Harry Potter, commoners are aware of the magic surrounding them but are completely unable to control it, so the government is composed solely of powerful magicians who summon demons to do their bidding. The Bartimaeus Trilogy is told alternately from the view of Nathaniel, a 12-year-old magician's apprentice, and Bartimaeus, a middle-level djinni summoned by Nathaniel to steal the Amulet of Samarkand from one of society's most revered magicians. Ambitious Nathaniel is more powerful than even his master knows and is fueled by his desire for vengeance. Bartimaeus just wants to be left alone, but is bound to Nathaniel until his mission is complete. The two must rely only on each other as they become entangled in a dangerous web of theft, murder, and conspiracy, and ultimately face powers neither can imagine. I enjoyed the originality of the book and Bartimaeus's sarcastic humor, and I look forward to continuing the series.

Beatrice and Virgil

I felt very uplifted after reading Yann Martel's first novel, Life of Pi, but I felt entirely opposite about Beatrice and Virgil. I think the author likes to confuse his readers by disguising the true theme of his stories. This book is about Henry, a successful author who is solicited to help a strange, elderly taxidermist finish writing a play. The play is about Beatrice, a donkey, and Virgil, a howler monkey. The play is very simple and vaguely simbolic of the Holocaust. As Henry throws himself completely into the world of starving talking animals, he gradually unravels the full truth of the horror he has agreed to involve himself in. I have a hard time with genocide, and the end of the book was difficult for me to get through. Let's hope for something lighter next time.

Her Fearful Symmetry

After The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger's second novel was quite a disappointment. I loved her first book, so I faithfully trudged through the dry non-events of what could have been a beautiful ghost story, certain the final unraveling of the mystery would be my reward. But, the twist turned out to be exactly what I'd (jokingly) thought it would be by page 6. In fairness, the end did unveil a second surprise, but by that time I had already formed my opinion. The novel is full of inaccuracies and improbabilities, and after enduring endless chapters of twins Julia and Valentina doing nothing more than exist in London, the stories of all the characters end abruptly with little conclusion. I love to read, but this was just painful. In my opinion, the best thing about the book is the pretty blue metallic dust jacket.

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On a more positive note, last week I submitted several of my own children's book manuscripts to carefully selected publishers. I won't hear anything for awhile, but keep your fingers crossed for me!

Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies is a disturbing, but not entirely surprising, account of human nature at its worst. William Golding gives us the tale of Ralph, Piggy, Jack, and Simon, who are among a group of young British schoolboys stranded on a desert island. At first the island appears to be a delightful, unsupervised game, but soon becomes the setting for mutiny, terror, and murder. After weeks, or even months away from civilization, the children are discovered, interrupting a savage killing game. When he learns that they are at last rescued, Ralph sheds his first tears for "the end of innocence, and the darkness of man's heart". (I'm hoping I choose something more cheerful next time.)

Little Bee

Chris Cleave tells the story of Little Bee, a refugee from Nigeria seeking asylum in England. I can't give any more away because the story grabs you and drags you along as it unfolds. It is inspirational and heartbreaking at the same time, and it terrifies me that so many women have actually lived Little Bee's tale. The book is creatively written, and it is not a story I will soon forget. Personally, it intensified my desire to never visit Africa.

Witch & Wizard

James Patterson's Witch & Wizard is a Young Adult book about teenage siblings, Whit and Wisty, who are arrested for being a wizard and witch, to their own surprise. The New Order has claimed control of the government and banned anything pertaining to the arts, and all magical people are being executed. As they begin to learn about their powers, Whit and Wisty are on a mission to save other young witches and wizards and find their missing parents. The book is a very quick read, and I enjoyed the magic and spells, but I didn't ponder the cliffhanger for long after I finished. However, fantasy is a guilty pleasure of mine and as the series unfolds I will continue reading.

Dear John

I recommend Dear John for anyone who enjoys a good love story. I was swept away from the first page, and felt like I was right there with John and Savannah as they fell in love. I felt their pain as the distance slowly tore them apart. I was moved when John finally accepted his father's Asperger's syndrome and their relationship reached a new level. And I was devastated when their love just wasn't enough to keep them together. John was lovable because he wasn't a white knight who swept in to rescue Savannah. He was a soldier, rough around the edges, and a former trouble maker. The tragedy of 9/11 provided more heartbreak for the characters, and made their long-distance relationship even more difficult to endure. Dear John is a solid, modern love story. I just love to live in the world Nicholas Sparks creates.