Every Visible Thing by Lisa Carey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book has been sitting on myself for years. I've decided to read it based on a whim and I am glad I did. It is also scary the hell to me as a parent! Teenage years are the hardest thing to get through. Their thought processes are completely out of whack and you can really feel it throughout this book.

Losing a child must be completley horrifying for parents and how could you ever bounce back? It must be so hard to push and to stay strong for your children but this story shows that however you feel you must change for the better. Owen and Lena really went through some terrifying things and it is mainly because they felt alone and unloved. They needed their parents more so than ever and were neglected.

This was such a meaningful book and quite a learning expierence. It may not be a true story to the writer but it is a true story in itself.

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City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was a little lost at first since it has been years since I have read the first 2 books but I got into a groove rather quickly and was absorbed in it. This one was probably better than the others thus far. The whole Angel-Demon thing was great and I love how it was "us against them". I Don't want to do a spolier so that is the best I can give.

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Insurgent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Divergent was much better but I still enjoyed this one. This kinda seemed more all over the place. Divergent seems more focusesd and explainitory (as it should have been). Insrugent just seemed like it had so much to tell and tried to squeeze it into 500+ pages. But still I don't think Four will ever make me upset. So excited about the films but hate the wait!!!

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Waiting for June by Joyce Sweeney
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Can't say I was a fan. I really didn't believe the characters but I wanted to. Some of the story was OK the rest was simply eh...I am just glad it was short and I didn't have to force myself into reading more.

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Divergent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved it of course! Ordered the next 2 in the series. I don't know why I've waited so long to read this! I did the same with The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset but the good thing is that I don't have to wait for the next book to be released!

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Review

The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A quick and easy read. Storyline was good but not your typical Carlos Ruiz Zafon. He does mention in the beginning that this is one of his earliest works which I think kinda shows but either way it is hard to compare it to The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game.

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Review: Jay's Journal - Anonymous (Edited by Dr. Beatrice Sparks)

Genre: YA Literature
Pages: 229
ISBN: 9781442419933
Format: Paperback
Published: August 2010
Read: September 2012
Rating: 2/5 Stars

I feel kinda felt guilty giving this book such a low rating because of the situation but then I got over it because I will blame it on the editor, Dr. Beatrice Sparks. I guess I had high hopes for her since she edited Go Ask Alice, which was in fact good read considering....

the book is in the 70's so I really could relate and he was Mormon in which again I could not relate. BUT I did feel like I understood the pressures of society and family and so on. I did enjoy the fact that we was in part a genius and that gave me comfort because geniuses and artist totally see the world in a different way and it gave a little insight to that. It also says "stay away from drugs"! I really can't say much on the book except that I think it would have been better if the edits were left out and if I could read the real book and see the handwriting to give it more of a homely and personal feel.

Review: Fade - Lisa McMann

Genre: YA Fiction

Format: Trade Paperback

ISBN: 9781416974482

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Published: 2009

Read: February 2012

Series: Dream Catchers #2

This is such a quirky fun story. I gave the same rating to the first book Wake. I really enjoyed it. I like the dream sequences and I like how she is learning to use her "powers". The whole TiVo thing is pretty neat too. The things that really scared me in this book are the relationships with the teachers. I mean when I was younger we kinda hung out with some of the teachers but never was it uncomfortable or in a closed space. We would all hang out openly in a restaurant or what-have-you. It just scares me that I have 2 girls who may have to endure such thing when they get older.

Anyways, it is a good series and I am just hoping that I will like the last one, Gone, is just as good as the first to. I highly recommend for a light and interesting read.

Review: Wake - Lisa MnCann (Dream Catcher #1)

Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy

Format: Trade Paperback

Pages: 210

ISBN: 9781416974475

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Series: Dream Catcher #1

Read: December 2011

That was a quick and interesting read. I fell right into it. I had it on my shelf for some time and decided to read it now because I simply needed a small book so I can finish my goal of 40 for the year. Now I have just one more to go!

I liked this book because it was interesting. It moved very fast but I think I liked that with this book. Some books drag out and I tend to lose interest. Most certainly with many YA books but this one made me go out and buy the other 2 in the series!

The characters were believable and of course I loved Cable. I wish I would know more about him and I think I may just find out. I especially loved that everyone thought he was the "new guy" when he got himself all shiny and new. There may have been a few things that I wish were more elaborated on but I am hoping that these things come forth with the next 2! As son as I get them in the mail I will get to them since I know I can read them in less than a day. Maybe I can get through them both within the day!

Review: Bumped - Megan McCafferty

Genre: YA Fiction
ISBN: 9780061962745
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 323
Published: April 2011
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Why I read it: Recommended by a friend
Series: Bumped #1
Read: December 2011

Okay so I have no idea on how to rate this. I didn't really like it but I didn't want to smash it against the wall, well, at least not at the end. There was a lot of touch and go in the beginning. It wasn't until the, um, scandal (?) until I kinda started to get into it and to start to understand the jargon. Maybe it is the Mom in me but the language was murder! I know things like this will happen because it always does and I know I use new language everyday and make up my own at points but these things happen gradually and it was gruesome in the beginning but I guess I just answered my own question then huh?

Well, I like the futuristic feel even though it was not too much into the future but who is to say teenage pregnancy for profit can't happen? I'd rather that then trying to flush their pregnancies down the toilet. (That is a whole other blog). I liked the ending and I am sure I will read the next in the series just because I liked the ending....

Review: The Girl Who Chased the Moon - Sarah Addison Allen

Genre: YA Fiction
ISBN: 9780553385595
Pages: 265
Published: February 2011
Format: Trade Paperback
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Read: December 2011

I loved this book. It was so quirky and young and fresh. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy. It has so much youthfulness involved between all the characters regardless of age. It was real (except for one minor thing). I believed everyone and wanted to be there with them all. I read it in one day and haven't been this excited about a book since The Hunger Games.

I can't really pick out which character I liked best because they all were so lovable. I admired Julia for her constant fight and gift and I love how she justified all of her actions. It was sweet. I loved Emily in all her confusion. I loved Vance for being him and keeping his routines and of his awkwardness. I truly can go on. I just felt that even know there was one oddity in the book everything seemed so real and so believable and this book is exactly what I needed to get back into my reading habits!

Review: Family - Micol Ostow

Genre: Young Adult
Format: ARC Paperback
ISBN: 9781606841556
Rating: 2/5 Stars
Read: October 2011
Published: April 2011

Please don't ask me why I read this book. I saw it on Goodreads and it looked like it had some potential and upon opening the book I saw that it was written in episodic verse which I thought was pretty cool and I also thought that it would be a quick and easy read, in which it was, but all-in-all it is just a book. Simply a book. I am not sure if I hated it or if I liked it. I know that I did not love it. The whole repetitiveness was just mind boggling and quite annoying at times.

Family is set in 1969 during the Manson Murders and everyone pretty much in the entire book are hippies and lived on free love and mind control and drugs and blah and blah. I felt sorry for many of the young girls who got caught up in the all mighty Henry. That name was mentioned so much so that I can never look at a Henry again without thinking strange things....

Oh well, I really won't recommend the book but if you must then go on but don't blame me when you are done!

Review: I am Number Four (#1) - Pittacus Lore

Genre: YA SiFy Fantasy

ISBN: 9780061969553

Published: August 2010

Format: Hardcover

Series: Lorien Legacies #1

Pages: 440

Rating: 2/5stars

Read: September 2011

Did I miss something? I feel that everyone loved this book and even a movie was made from it! I must admit that I read the book and as soon as I closed it I put the movie on. They seemed similar but not like. So many things were turned around and cut out and blah blah. OK this is a book review not a film review nor a comparison but I don't know which one was better. Maybe the movie since I got a visual because I adore Jake Abel!

OK back to the book. I just felt that the characters were so one dimensional. I couldn't really see them and didn't quite understand them. They didn't have much feeling. I really enjoyed the plot and found it very interesting but it didn't make the grade in it's entirety. I am sure I will still read The Power of Six (#2) but this time I won't buy it. I wanted so much more from the book. I loved the whole training scene and really wish they would have put that into the film and I also loved the ending when...well, you know! I really enjoyed the whole idea of the aliens. Who you could only kill them in sequence and of how they knew who would be next due to the markings that they would get and I also love how they can only get stronger when they are all together. Well, we have yet to really see that but I can get the idea.

I can't leave this blog until I mention Pittacus Lore. First I hate how he used that name in the book as well. It is like "liking" your own status on Facebook. It is just something you don't do and I know that Lore is Jame Frey(author of A Million Little Pieces and is infamous for saying -to Oprah no less- that is was a true story but was later found that it was mostly BS). I don't blame him for making pseudonyms for his writings (there are more names) but just don't put your name on the cover and in the book -it's just weird.

Review: City of Ashes (Book #2) - Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 454

ISBN: 9781416972242

Series: The Mortal Instruments #2

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Read: August 2011

Well, this is the second installment of The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare and it has been so long since I have read the first one, City of Bones so it was kinda hard for me to retrace and remember what had happened. I remembered a few key points like who's who but I got tied at certain pages and just was hoping that it would all come together in the end, in which it did. I am going to have to read the next few 2 books more closely together so I don't lose track of the stories.

I liked the book because it kinda had this adulty-youthful innocence to it. Does that make sense? I mean, I know that these are teenagers who think they know the world (what teen doesn't think that?) but having to grow up quickly under the crazy circumstances. Even know these are teenagers they talk with such authority and reassurance. Whatever I mean it makes sense to me.

Of course I love Jace too and I am glad he is not my brother! He is still up for grabs huh? I mean, I am almost positive that they are going to find out that they are not really related. I mean, come on, what are the building up for? I can read between the lines. It is a destined love! I am just going to have to put the next 2 books up a little on my list to prove my sanity!

Review: After the Moment - Garret Freymann-Weyr

Genre: YA Fiction

Format: Small Hardcover

ISBN: 9780618605729

Pages: 328

Published: May 2009

Rating: 2/5 Stars

It seems like very few people are giving this book a 2 star rating but I just couldn't get through it. I was bored and felt somewhat disconnected. I just felt like it was too drawn out in the beginning and just took forever to get to the point of it all. The very beginning (titled: A Few Pages) was so inviting that that is what kept me motivating to finish and yet I still couldn't. Maybe it is just my adult mind wanting and expecting more but I just thought that it fell flat and took me a long and hard time to finish something that seemed so simple.

I was bored.

Review: Catching Fire #2 - Suzanne Collins

Genre: Young Adult SiFi fantasy

ISBN: 9780439023498

Pages: 391

Series: The Hunger Games #2

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Published: September 2009

Talk about a cliffhanger! Jeez!! It is going to be a sad day when I finish out this series. This was by far my fave thus far. I hear reviews about Mockingjay stating that it is really good but not as good as the first 2. I left it home so it is going to be a horrible commute home. But I will be happy when I crack open that spine to the final book in the series.

There are many reasons why I liked this one a tad better than the first: I love how the really bring in more people and give more personalities to the one we already have grown to love. There is a better understanding of the Capitol. The most important, is the rise of the people.

I hear people saying the are "Team Peeta" and "Team Gale" but I am like Katniss, and I just can't choose. I love Peeta for his poise and vulnerability and I love Gale for being strong and forgiving. In a perfect world, can't she have both???

I will start Mockingjay tonight in hopes that I can deal with the devastation of an ending the my most beloved series!

Review: Where She Went (#2) - Gayle Forman

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Pages: 264

ISBN: 9780525422945

Series: If I Stay #2

Rating: 4/5 Stars

It took me some time to read this but for personal reasons only. I think I would have read this is a day if I had the opportunity. It was a very good read. It was interesting to really understand the minds of the young couple, Adam & Mia. There were time when I just couldn't believe the decisions that they made being as young as they are but I guess it can happen. I really liked the book just the way it was. In the beginning I was a little angry because I thought it was going to end entirely different but it ended perfect and I couldn't ask for anything more.

The first book in the series, If I Stay was more about Mia and her thoughts and this book, being the second in the series, was more about Adam. It was nice to think that in such height and weight of the story it still turned out to be very touching.

Review: The House on Mango Street - Sandra Cisneros

Genre: YA Literature

ISBN: 9780679734772

Pages: 128

Format: Trade Paperback

First Published:1984

Rating: 4/5 Stars

I give this a higher rating then I normally would because I am rating in it on my young adult mind. I would have really, truly loved this book when I was younger and although I enjoyed it now I would have appreciated it more so back when. My adult side says 3 but YA me says 4. I like the style writing. It is a bunch of short stories rolled into one and I can totally relate to the author. Esperanza, was different from the beginning and you can hear it and feel it with her words. Artist such as poets, are not in the same mindset as those who are not artists. They see the world differently, even at such a young age you can see Esperanza being of a different world where she was things as beautiful and ugly and just couldn't grasp why things were the way they were. It was a beautiful story but it had it's flaws. I would have liked there to be more to the stories rather than little snippets but I guess that is just the way it is supposed to be and you can please the world!

Review: The Island of the Blue Dolphin - Scott O'Dell

Genre: YA Fiction
ISBN: 0440439884
Pages: 181
Format: Trade Paperback
Rating: 3/5 Stars

I know I may have rated it different if I were reading this and was a fourth grader. I just couldn't really fully enjoy myself. I like the writing and I like the way O'Dell captured Karana and this beautiful island. I could see what he was talking about but most of the time I also felt like I was reading a "how-to" guide. I know now what I would do if I were stuck on an island but I don't even think I would survive as long as she did but I am a city girl and that's where she grew up. Another reason why I didn't love this book was because the story was about her really and I felt no connection to her just the island in itself. Maybe that is what O'Dell had in mind? Or maybe not. I dunno I just rating it as I saw fit.

Review: If I Stay - Gayle Forman

Genre: YA Fiction

Pages: 234

ISBN: 9780142415436

Format: Trade Paperback

Rating 4.5/5 stars

Why didn't I give this 5 stars? I am still not sure myself but something unforeseen was holding me back. I really did enjoy the story and it took me seconds to read. I loved it and I would like to think that I would be just like Mia's parents when my girl's grow up except for the whole car crash thing!

This is about a story of a young girl of 17 to has a wonderful life and family and it all ends in an instant when her parents and her younger brother all perish in a car crash. She is lying in ICU and walking between the space of life and death. She sees and hears everything around her but it's up to her if she should live or die. All through her decision making she goes over her life and tells us bits and pieces of her story and it is so compelling and heartwarming and of course sad but it is such a good quick story and I am very happy that it is becoming a series and the next installment Where She Went will be out this April.

I do recommend this book to young adults and adults alike. It is truly a great story and I must admit I was a sucker for it.