Book Review- The Enchanted Quest

Yesterday I finished reading The Enchanted Quest (The Faerie Path #5) by Frewin Jones for a review for TeensReadToo.

From Goodreads:

A terrible illness is sweeping through the Faerie Realm. Now, with a strange spirit guiding her, Tania must search outside the borders of Faerie—the dark and magical worlds beyond—for the only one who can help her renew the Faerie Covenant of Immortality.

True love is tested, bonds are betrayed, and the Dark Arts lurk behind every bend in this exciting new book in the series. Teen fairy books are more popular than ever, and the Faerie Path series is perfect for readers who are looking for action, romance, and adventure.

Wow!  What a journey!  There were so many obstacles for Tania and her traveling mates to overcome.  There are several surprises in this one.  Some of the challenges that need to be overcome are unexpected.  And one member of the group is not completely honest.  But I won't give away who!

And once again, there are so many things that I don't want to ruin, that it's hard to review this book.  I'll just say that I really enjoyed it.  I flew through it and easily got caught up in the world of Faerie.

And the ending--I definitely did not see that coming at all!  I really want to read the next book in the series, The Charmed Return, but I guess I'll have to wait until it comes out.

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2010 100+ Reading Challenge: 147
2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 112

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free by Jen from TeensReadToo for an honest review.

Book Review- Pastworld

Early this morning I finished reading Pastworld by Ian Beck for a review for TeensReadToo.

From Goodreads:

Pastworld is the greatest theme park ever devised. It's London - the real London - transformed into a living, breathing recreation of the Victorian era.

To Eve, a lifelong resident of Pastworld, horse-drawn carriages and gas lamps are modern technology. Eve doesn't even know she's living in a simulation - until she is forced to flee the only home she's ever known, and to confront the truth about her city and herself.

To Caleb, a tourist visiting Pastworld, the theme park is the perfect antidote to the stifling conformity and regulation of 2048. The gritty wildness of the past is thrilling - until he finds himself at the scene of a murder, holding the knife, and suddenly becomes a fugitive from an antiquated justice system.

And in the midst of it all, in the thick London fog, a dark and deadly figure prowls, claiming victim after victim. He's the Fantom, a creature both of the past and of the future, in whose dark purpose Caleb and Eve will find their destinies combined.
 
This book was definitely...interesting.  Working for Disney, I saw that this was about a "theme park" and was excited.  But I wouldn't exactly call Pastworld a theme park...it's just a city set in the past. 
 
  You could definitely tell this book was written by a guy.  The book was really gory.  I wasn't expecting that, but it didn't turn me off.  And I didn't really care about the characters.  While I wanted to care about Eve, I didn't feel like there was enough about her for me to feel sympathetic about.
 
That being said, it was a good mystery book.  I spent a lot of the book trying to figure out what was going on and I would say that about two-thirds of the way through, I figured it out.  And it was a good twist!  I feel that the ending wrapped up too quickly though.  I would have liked to have read more about what happened at the end scene with the Fantom and Eve.
 
I gave this book a rating of 3/5.
 
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2010 100+ Reading Challenge: 144
2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 110
ARC Reading Challenge 2010: 101
 
*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free by Jen from TeensReadToo for an honest review.

Book Review- Violet Wings

Last night I finished reading Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley for a review for TeensReadToo.

From Goodreads:

Orphaned fairy Zaria Tourmaline has always been told that her parents were killed by humans after taking an ordinary portal to Earth. Three years after their disappearance, Zaria finally turns twelve, and her inborn magic rises into being. But no sooner does she catch her first glimpse of the human world through a fey scope than she is Earth-struck! She wants nothing more than to go to Earth herself, despite the dangers. Zaria and her friend Leona sneak through a portal, and right away things begin to go wrong. First, they allow themselves to be seen by humans, which is a crime. They are caught and punished, but this doesn’t stop them from visiting Earth again. Leona’s wand is stolen by a human, and in helping to get it back, Zaria forms an acquaintance with a boy whose father is missing. Back in Feyland, she discovers she is one of the most powerful fairies alive—and others want her magic. She even begins to suspect that the mentor assigned to her—the beautiful and manipulative Lily Morganite—is behind her family’s disappearance. Lily uses enchantments to turn Zaria’s friends against her, and Zaria must seek help from a double-crossing genie, only to find herself bound by unbreakable troll magic. Betrayed and alone, how can Zaria free herself, save her friends, and find out what really happened to her lost family?

This was a cute fairy story.  I think the younger YA audience will enjoy it.  And it's a different take on the Fey world.   Here, fairies are human-sized, have certain levels of magic (but they only have a certain amount they can use), and they have wands. 

I enjoyed reading about Zaria.  She was a cute character who had some pretty good morals.  But she had a backbone too.  Her friends were pretty much the same way.

This was a light quick read.  I feel like a lot was left unanswered at the end though.  I want to know more about what happened to Zaria's family, and where Lily went.  I'm not sure if there is going to be a sequel or not, but I hope there is.

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

This book fulfilled an item in the following challenges:
2010 100+ Reading Challenge: 111
2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 80
ARC Reading Challenge 2010: 77

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free by Jen from TeensReadToo for an honest review.

Book Review- I Can't Keep My Own Secrets: Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous and Obscure

I just finished reading Book Review- I Can't Keep My Own Secrets: Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous and Obscure edited by Rachel Fershleiser and Larry Smith of Smith Magazine for a review for TeensReadToo.

From Goodreads:

True tales of love, loss, good friends, and bad hair days filled Not Quite What I Was Planning, the New York Times bestselling first book in the Six-Word Memoir series—an international phenomenon. Some of the very best were by teens, so the editors decided to create a book written entirely by those bold, brash truth-tellers. From cancer to creativity, prom dates to promiscuity, and breaking hearts to breaking laws, the memoirs in this collection reveal that often the youngest writers have the most fascinating stories to tell.

This was an incredibly easy book to fly through.  And totally engaging.  There were so many great things that the teens said.  And a lot of them were shocking.  There were memoirs about falling in love, being heartbroken, being gay, having parents who were neglectful, having diseases, missing family members who passed away and so much more!  I think my favorite one was actually the very last one in the Advanced Readers Copy that I have: "My life story: to be continued.~by Cassie H."  And it made me think.  Just what would I say if I had to write about my life in 6 words?  How about

Huge Florida Gator fan and bookworm.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fulfilled an item in the following challenges:
2010 100+ Reading Challenge: 110
2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 79
ARC Reading Challenge 2010: 76

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free by Jen from TeensReadToo for an honest review.

Book Review- Ruined

On the plane flight to Denver, I finished reading Ruined by Paula Morris for TeensReadToo.

From Goodreads:

Rebecca couldn't feel more out of place in New Orleans, where she comes to spend the year while her dad is traveling. She's staying in a creepy old house with her aunt. And at the snooty prep school, the filthy-rich girls treat Rebecca like she's invisible. Only gorgeous, unavailable Anton Grey seems to give Rebecca the time of day, but she wonders if he's got a hidden agenda. Then one night, in Lafayette Cemetery, Rebecca makes a friend. Sweet, mysterious Lisette is eager to talk to Rebecca, and to show her the nooks and crannies of the city. There's just one catch: Lisette is a ghost.

A ghost with a deep, dark secret, and a serious score to settle.

As Rebecca learns more from her ghost friend -- and as she slowly learns to trust Anton Grey -- she also uncovers startling truths about her own history. Will Rebecca be able to right the wrongs of the past, or has everything been ruined beyond repair?

I think my favorite part of the story was reading all about New Orleans.  I loved reading some of the history of the city and of Mardi Gras.  I went there last spring so it was neat to read about things I have learned. 

This was a fun ghost story.  There were several big twists at the end.  Two of them were complete surprises and one I saw coming.  I really liked the characters of Rebecca and Aurelia.  I found them both believable and Aurelia seemed so cute. 

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2010 100+ Reading Challenge: 42
2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 31
ARC Reading Challenge 2010: 29

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free by Jen from TeensReadToo for an honest review.

Book Review- Second Skin

I just finished reading Second Skin by Jessica Wollman for TeensReadToo.

 Samantha Klein will do anything it takes to be popular and to be part of the A-list crowd.  And when she discovers the secret to just how the current queen of the A-list got her popularity, Sam makes the secret her own.  But once she gets her wish, she might just discover that its not all that it's cracked up to be.

I thought that this was a cute book.  I liked the idea of a second skin--I thought it was a new concept, or at least one that I hadn't read before.  And while there was nothing too deep in the book, the message about popularity and being yourself did come across in an intruiging way.  I read this book in one sitting so its an easy-to-read, story with a great theme.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free by Jen from TeensReadToo for an honest review.

Book Review- The Splendor Falls

I just finished reading The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore.

Sylvie's world came crashing down the day she broke her leg on stage. She was the youngest-ever principal ballerina for the American Ballet and her dream career ended at the age of seventeen.  But her world is also changed by her mother's remarriage and since she has no reason to stay in New York, she's shipped off to Alabama to stay with her late father's cousin, Paula.  Paula is restoring a family home that has been passed down through the generations of the Davis family.  And with this home comes a history that is ghostly.  Sylvie must figure out the mystery of why she can suddenly see ghosts and why there seems to be magic in the air.  Add two guys who are both interested in her, and she gets one summer that she will never forget.

This book is really long--five hundred and thirteen pages long.  And it was too long, I think.  I think that there was too much filler in the story and that it could definitely be shortened.  There were times that I became confused.  How the past was relevant to the future, and the relationships between the characters had me flipping back through the book at some points.

I did like some of the main characters.  I liked Sylvie--a ballerina as a main character (although the ballet aspect is talked about too much) is new to me.  And she had a great, fiesty personality.  I liked a lot of her retorts to the guys and to her cousin.  I also really liked Rhys.  He had an air of mystery surrounding him that was appealing and intriguing.  I also liked Clara, the business partner of Paula.  She had such a caring air about her.    And I want a puppy like Gigi!
I didn't particularly like Shawn or Addie, although I don't think I was supposed to.  There was something eerie about Shawn and his ability to charm everyone.  And Addie was just plain mean. 

I did like the ending--it seemed to wrap everything up nicely and all of the many details throughout the book came together.   As long as you aren't looking for a speedy, easy read, I would reccommend this book.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fullfilled an item in the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge: Ghosts

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free by Melyssa from Book Divas and Jen from TeensReadToo for an honest review.

Book Review-Viola in Reel Life

I just finished reading Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani for a review for TeensReadToo.

Viola Chesterson has been "dumped" in the Prefect Academy for Young Women in South Bend Indiana--a long way from home in Brooklyn, New York. Her freshman year of high school seems like it's going to be a terrible one. But luckily, with the help of her 3 roommates and the video camera that she always carries around with her, she not only survives the year (and her first boyfriend), but learns that sometimes family can be more than just the people you're related too.

I enjoyed reading this book. It was fun to read about what boarding school life would be like for a normal kid, not just a rich one. I liked all of the roommates--when I first started the book, I expected them to not get along and to dislike the roommates. But the author took a different route and made all of the girls nice and get along. I also liked the whole film aspect of the story. I thought the short film Viola makes at the end was a great idea. The only thing I didn't like was sometimes Viola seemed a little immature. I know that she was only fourteen years old, but some of the things she thought and said just seemed a little young for her age. Overall, this was a fun, young adult read!

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book was provided by TeensReadToo for a book review.

Book Review- Awakening

I finished reading Awakening by K. Lippi for a review for TeensReadToo today.

Emilia Miani, otherwise known as Mia, to those who love her, is a fifteen year old girl from San Diego whose life had been relatively normal up until now. Relatively, meaning living with her grandmothers because her mother who died when she was six and her father was in the military and stationed around the world. But when she was fifteen, her world started to change. She meets Shin Kurosaki, a Japanese demon who is assigned to be her guardian angel. But that is just the beginning of the family secrets that she learns. She learns that her grandfather was a death angel and that her blood is divine and kills anything that it comes into contact with. And on her prom night during the spring when she is sixteen, her life will change forever.

Let me start off by saying that this book was somewhat difficult to read. There were so many grammatical and spelling errors that I often had to re-read sentences to get them to make sense. The words also didn't flow very well. It was sometimes like the book had been written in another language and then translated into English but I couldn't find anywhere that said that this was the case, so I'm assuming it was just a bad edit job.

That being said, the premise of the story was good. There was a lot going on and sometimes I forgot what happened and what meant what, but I think the idea was good. I liked the relationship between Shin and Emilia. Even though I thought Shin was too overprotective at times, I did like how they played off of each other.

Awakening ended on a cliff hanger and there will be a sequel because it says "To be continued" at the end.

I gave this book a rating of 2.5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge: Demons

Book Review- Selina Penaluna

I finished reading Selina Penaluna by Jan Page for TeensReadToo last night.

Selina Penaluna is a story told from two different people, but in three different ways.

Selina Penaluna grew up thinking that she was a merrymaid. She knew all about the story that her mother told her--one day her mother dropped her into a deep pool but swears a different child came up. She tells her version of the story in the viewpoint of a child/young adult.

Ellen and Jack are twins. Due to the war, they had to evacuate and live with a new family. Ellen loved the new life, but Jack never adjusted. The story is told from Ellen's point of view as a child/young adult, an as a senior citizen.

Jack and Selina fall in love but Ellen is jealous. When tragedy happens to Jack, Ellen blames Selina and sees her ghost everywhere.

This was an interesting story. It took me a while to get into it. The language told from Selina's viewpoint was a little hard to read and to get into at first. I felt sorry for Ellen--she just wanted to be loved, both by the family that took the twins in, and by her twin. But I didn't like Jack or Selina at all. I felt that Jack's character was just rude and obnoxious and I just couldn't get into Selena. I really liked the twist at the end. I didn't see it coming at all! And just as a side note--I absolutely LOVE this cover--it's beautiful!!!!

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

Book Review- Thirteenth Child

Last night I finished reading Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede.

Eff was born the thirteenth child. She grew up hearing stories about how the "Thirteenth Child" is supposed to have great talent but bring great danger and despair to everyone around her. Her twin, Lan, is the seventh son of a seventh son, or a double-seven and is supposed to have great magical talent, in a good way, and luck and everyone is in awe of him. This story tells of their growing up, from Eff's point of view, and the challenges they face.

This story started off really well. I loved reading about Eff, Lan, and their magic. I liked reading about how they grew up and how much magic was involved in their lives. But then towards the end it started talking about these bugs that sucked magic and that was the whole plot of the story at the end. It kind of turned me off to the story. But it was well written and something different in the YA paranormal world.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fullfills items in the following challenges:

Paranormal 999 Challenge: Magicians

This book was reviewed for TeensReadToo.

Book Review- Jennifer's Body

I just finished reading Jennifer's Body by Audrey Nixon.


From the back cover:


The sign says WELCOME TO DEVIL'S KETTLE, POP. 7,036. COME SEE WHAT'S COOKIN'! No, seriously...that's what it says.


Some people find it hard to believe that a babe like Jennifer Check would associate with a dork like me, Needy Lesnicki. But we had history. We'd been the Wonder Twins since we were preverbal, and sandbox love never dies. Or at least that's what I thought.


But after that night in the woods, Jennifer was different. She looked different. And then the killings began...

A lot of people ask me if I'm sorry I did it. I'm only sorry I didn't do it sooner.


Ok, I hate doing negative reviews but I just plain didn't like this book. The wording in it was so--fake, for a lack of better words. The words that the main character spoke are not words that real teenagers use. For example, Needy was wearing low-rise pants and her boyfriend told her But, like I can see your womb." And they call hot guys "salty." It just didn't work for me. The plot seemed rush--it just seemed like it was trying to be a cool slasher book and it didn't work.


I gave this book a rating of 1/5.


This book fullfills items in the following challenges:
Paranormal 999 Challenge: Demons

Book Review- Peace, Love & Baby Ducks

I just finished reading Peace, Love & Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle.

Carly and Anna are two sisters who are very close in age, but very far apart in personality. Carly is a sophomore in high school who is very skinny after spending six weeks of the summer working outdoors in Tennessee. She wants to be different than the "Barbies" (as she calls them) at her preppy Catholic School. Anna is a freshman in high school who suddenly grew a large chest over the summer, has all the right curves and is beautiful. All of the boys want her, but she is seen as a sex object. The story deals with their relationship and the trials of high school life.

I read this book in one sitting. I really could identify with parts of both Carly and Anna. I could totally understand how Carly wanted to be different and wanted to be accepted for that. But I could totally see how Anna didn't want to be different and wanted Carly to accept HER for that. This was a great sisterly story (it made me wish I had a sister). I found myself laughing out loud at a bunch of what the sisters said. There was also a great love story with Carly. Who should she choose-the cool, guitar playing Cole or the always there for her, Dutch Roger? And I loved all the ducky references. Overall, a really cute teeny-bopper story!

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fullfilled items in the following Challenge:

What An Animal II Challenge: 1

I reviewed this book for TeensReadToo.

Book Review- Flirting With Boys

I just finished reading Flirting With Boys By Hailey Abbott for TeensReadToo.

Celeste isn't looking forward to spending the summer apart from her boyfriend of almost a year, Travis. But after Travis pulls a senior prank at graduation, and gets caught, he has to work off his debt at Celeste's family's resort, Pinyon Ranch, where Celeste has to work every summer. Celeste realizes it could be the perfect summer...

Until she remembers that Nick Saunders will be there. Nick's family is one of the wealthiest customers at the resort and Celeste's parents want her to do whatever it takes to make them happy. And Nick is intent on flirting with Celeste, even after she warns him that she has a boyfriend.

Celeste spends the summer trying to make sure that the boys stay away from each othe so no fights erupt, but Travis isn't happy that she has to spend so much time with Nick planning a party for the film festival.

Something happens at the end of the summer and Celeste has to choose between the two boys..will it be Travis, her almost-a-year boyfriend, or Nick, the rich hottie?

This was a cute teen romance story. It was a quick read. While there wasn't a lot of depth to them, I liked the characters. As I was reading the story, I found myself thinking "I'm so glad Celeste's with Travis" and other times I thought "Celeste should so be with Nick!" This would be a great beach read for an older young adult!

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.