Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Darkside by Beth Fantaskey

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Darkside by Beth Fantaskey

Publisher: Harcourt (February 1, 2009)
Hardcover: 368 pages
Age Group: Young Adult

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Marrying a vampire definitely doesn't fit into Jessica's senior year "Get-A-Life" plan.
Enter a bizarre new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu who claims Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth and he's her long-lost fiance. He's arrogant, officious, embarrassingly protective, and, well, incredibly hot.
Armed with a copy of Growing up Undead: A Teen Vampire's Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica tries to imagine the transition from an average American teenager to a glam European vampire princess. But just when things start to heat up with Lucius, a devious cheerleader sets her sights on him.
Soon Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius's soul from eternal damnation. All of which leaves her to wonder: Wouldn't life be easier if she could just fall for a nice mortal boy?

First off: This wasn't what I was expecting when I first learned about the novel. At all. I mean, it sounded really, really good. But I thought it would be a little like all the other vampire books I'd read. I hate getting into a novel like that, because I love vampires and I love reading about them. So I was a bit worried when I first got this book.

But I was wrong! Oh, so wrong!

I never expected to love it as much as I did. This quickly made it to my number one favorite book before I was even done with it. (It shares a number one spot with Claudia Gray's Evernight.)

Fantaskey recreated the genre and made it her own. Which is extremely hard to do nowadays with the amount of Young Adult novels that are out in the book world. Plus the percentage of them that include vampires in them.

I can't remember how many times I cried while reading Jessica's Guide. And how many times I got completely ticked off with Lucius. At first I thought I was going to hate him throughout the book, but a little ways in I started to fall in love with him just as Jess was.

At first while I was reading, I thought things were moving a bit too fast. Too many things were happening and it was just the first chapter. But now that I'm done with it, I feel that if those things didn't happen as fast as they did, all the other events wouldn't have played out as great as they did.

I also loved how Fantaskey threw in some things from Lucius' perspective. It added to the story and really let you get to know him more, and how his mind worked.

I really liked Jess, too. She was an amazing protagonist. All her feelings were geniune and real and I felt I really got to know her throughout the novel. I feel as though she's one of my best friends. Which I love those feelings when reading a book.

I felt all the minor characters really added to the story too. They were all really interesting and I loved Jess' best friend, Mindy.

Fantaskey's style of writing was really great, as well. It all really flowed well and drew you in. I always felt as though I were right there, experiencing all the events that were happening throughout the novel.

Overall, it was a GREAT read. I will definitely be reading this again in the future. It's one of those novels where you have to reread them at least once or twice every year.
The end was very good, and it's great as a standalone novel. I was very pleased with the ending. But I'd still love to know more about the characters and the events that happen after the last page of the book.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile(April 12, 2009)
ARC: 196 pages

Age Group: Young Adult

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"Just Listen," Adam says with a voice that sounds like shrapnel. I open my eyes wide now. I sit up as much as I can. And I listen.
"Stay," he says.
Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?

Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters.

When I first saw If I Stay in the mail I was excited. The cover was simple, but beautiful. I had already read the synopsis on Amazon and on Gayle Forman's website, but I never really got what the story was completely about. I sat for a few minutes staring at the cover, wondering why the cover looked the way it did. Trying to see if it would tell anything about the story.

I admit, when I first tried to read If I Stay, I couldn't get into it. So, I moved onto another novel and came back to it at the beginning of April. I started reading and got farther into it, past where I had left off the second time, and I'm really glad I did.

This is one of those novels that really get you thinking about your own life as you progress through the story.

Though I didn't shed any tears at all, it did bring up a lot of emotions that made me stop reading it a couple of times. Especially when I was reading it on my break at work.

Mia was a wonderful character. The love she had for her family, best friend Kim, boyfriend Adam and music, especially her Cello, was extremely real. I could feel how much she loved them and I know it made her decision to stay or to go that much harder.

Usually I don't like when a book jumps from past to present, but in If I Stay it wouldn't have worked any other way and throw off as much emotion as it did.

Honestly, I don't even know what to really say about this novel. I'm having trouble with words and expressing my feelings about it. So please, forgive me.

Gayle Forman's writing was unique and a bit lyrical. It was easy to read, but at times confusing. It didn't take away from the overall story, though.

Overall it was a beautiful read and I will definitely remember it. A part of it will always stay with me, it really got me thinking about what I would do in Mia's situation and really makes me appreciate what I have. Even though my parents drive me completely insane sometimes, I know they love me and I'm not sure what I would do without them when it comes right down to it.

Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (March 5, 2009)
Paperback: 264 pages
Age Group: Young Adult

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Annika Truman will go to the ends of the earth to help her little brother— Or at least as fast as Hollywood.

Stalking a famous (and hunky) actor and convincing him to come home with you shouldn't be too difficult—should it? Annika is desperate to get her brother Jeremy's favorite television star to come visit him in person. That's the only thing that will convince Jeremy that wishes really do come true. And Annika's deepest wish is for Jeremy to believe that his upcoming surgery will go well. Annika will stop at nothing to give her brother the power of positive thinking.

Just One Wish wasn't what I expected at all. I mean, I had never read anything by Janette Rallison before, so I wasn't completely sure on her writing. When I first tried to read this, I couldn't get into it, at all. So I put it back in my pile and started reading another book. The release date was growing closer, so I decided to start reading it again, and finally got into it, and boy, am I glad!

It was a really cute read and actually made me cry at a few parts. I felt so bad for Annika and her brother.

The plot was unique, but not very realistic. Which is why they call it fiction, but it did kind of bother me a bit at some parts. But didn't take away from the story too much.

I liked the characters a lot. Annika was a great protagonist and I admired her determination to make her brother's wish come true and her devotion to help him develop positive thinking. It was a bit predictable at times, but she threw in some twists that I didn't expect at all. Especially at the end.

Annika and Steve's relationship was cute and it added to the story, but when you think about how fast paced their relationship was, it isn't very believable. Which is a bit annoying. Sure, every girl (Including myself sometimes.) secretly wishes that a star will fall completely and madly in love with her, but when does that ever happen?

Overall it really was a great read. I would definitely recommend it to any book lover out there! Rallison is a talented writer and I can't wait to read more from her. She knows how to hook you after a while and give you a cute, short read that you won't forget.

The cover was pretty cute as well. I wouldn't normally go for covers like this, but it's cute.

Going too Far by Jennifer Echols

Going too Far by Jennifer Echols

Publisher: MTV Books (March 17, 2009)
Paperback: 256 pages
Age Group: Young Adult

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HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO?

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over....

Going too Far is easy to read and utterly amazing. I couldn't put it down, which is why I stayed up until seven in the morning reading it, with a headache. I would definitely recommend this; it is now one of my top favorite stand-alone novels.

The characters were amazing and real. I really loved Meg and John. They were both funny and just overall lovable characters, both with an interesting backgrounds that shocked me as I was reading.

The plot was unique and loveable, though it did end up different than what I expected. Which isn't bad, I just kind of thought the story would go a different way.

The originality was unique and the writing was really well done and pulled me in it from the first page.

The pages of this books is filled with teen rebellion, discovery, love, and coming of age. Both Meg and John discovered a lot about themselves, each other and the world.

I cried many, many times in this book. Not going to tell where, though, because it will give some parts away. I think everyone should read this book, at least once. I know I will be reading it many more times in the future. I am definitely going to be awaiting to read more of her novels soon.

Also, you gotta love that cover. It is brilliant! Sadly, though, my ARC is just green, purple, and white. I have to say that I will definitely be getting another copy of this with the actual cover, soon. For this reason.



*Note: I did not take the picture, ~DeAtHBuTtErFly-stock created this picture, the only credit I take is for editing it.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (April 29, 2008)
Hardback: 272 Pages
Age Group: Young Adult

"Who is Jenna Fox?
Seventeen-year old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a year-long coma, and she's still recovering from the terrible accident that caused it. Her parents show her home movies of her life, her memories, but she has no recollection. Is she really the same girl she sees on the screen?
Little by little, Jenna begins to remember. Along with the memories come questions—questions no one wants to answer for her. What really happened after the accident?"

The Adoration of Jenna Fox isn't like any book that I have ever read before. The way it was written is new to me. When I first started reading it, it took me a while to get into. Twice, I think, I tried to give up reading it for the time being, telling myself I'd just buy it and try to read it another time. But I couldn't stay away. The story intrigued me and I just couldn't stay away from it. I had to find out what happened to Jenna and if she regained her memory.

I think that whenever I get the time to read this again, I'll like it more. I think that everyone should at least read this book once. It's a really interesting story. Has interesting characters and they are believable. Mostly. It's obviously set in a much more advanced time than what we currently live in. Farther into the future.

Honestly, I'm not really sure of what to say about this book. I guess it's just a hard book to try and explain.



If you'd like to purchase The Adoration of Jenna Fox, here are a few places to do it!
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*Note: I did not make this video, so I don't take any credit for it.

Privilege by Kate Brian

Privilege by Kate Brian

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (December 30, 2008)
Paperback: 304 Pages.
Age Group: Young Adult

"Most Girls Would die for a life of Privilege.... Some would even kill for it.

Ariana Osgood ruled exclusive Easton Academy—until she was arrested for murdering Thomas Pearson. She's spent the past two years at Brenda T. Trumbell Correctional Facility for Women plotting her escape and is determinded to get second chance at the glamorous life she left behind. And Ariana will do anything to get her way...."

Alrigtht, I admit, when I first got this book from Pulse It, I was dreading having to read this. I wasn't sure if I would like it. I'm not normally into these type of books. I thought it would be another Gossip Girl type thing, which don't get me wrong, I love watching Gossip Girl. Haven't read any of the books yet, though. I thought that this would be filled with snobby, stuck up girls who love spending their daddy's money.

But Goddess was I wrong!

Privilege was actually very good and I would highly recommend it. But, one suggestion would be to read the Private series first. I haven't read them yet and I was a bit lost in this book in some areas. But not completely lost, so that was good.

The writing itself was really good. I think I found one error, though. It said something about Kaitlynn, when I think she meant Brianna Leigh. It had me reading over the sentence for about five minutes, trying to figure out if Ariana was thinking of Kaitlynn or seeing Brianna Leigh as Kaitlynn, or if it was just an error.

I really liked Ariana, despite the fact she's killed a lot of people. She was a really good character though and I feel as if she's one of my friends. She came from a wealthy family, but she didn't let that take over how she saw things, mostly. She really started appreciating what she had and I was happy for that.

I can't wait to read the sequel to this and I'm really thinking of reading the Private series. I've added them to my list. I may wait until the sequel to make a final decision.



If you'd like to purchase Privilege, here are a few places to do it!
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*Note: I did not make this wallpaper, so I don't take any credit for it. You can find it here!

Cracked up to Be by Courtney Summers

Cracked up to Be by Courtney Summers

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1 edition (December 23, 2008)
Paperback: 224 pages
Age Group: Young Adult

"What's the worst thing you've ever done?
When "Perfect" Parker Fadley starts drinking at school and failing her classes, all of St. Peter's High goes on alert. How has the cheerleading captain, girlfriend of the most popular guy in school, consummate teacher's pet, and future valedictorian fallen so far from grace?
Parker doesn't want to talk about it. She'd just like to be left alone, to disappear, to be ignored. But her parents have places her on suicide watch and her counselors are demanding the truth. Worse, there's a nice guy falling in love with her and he's making her feel things again when she'd really rather not be feeling anything at all.
Nobody would have guesses she'd turn out like this. But nobody knows the truth.
Something horrible has happened, and it just might be her fault."

Cracked up to Be really proved itself to me throughout the book. I got it because of a suggestion I got from a friend. Lots of people were telling me how great it was, so I got it. When I first saw it in my box of books I received, I was excited to read it, but also pretty "meh" about it.

At the beginning it took me a while to get into. But after that I got so hooked on it that all I could think about was reading more.

All of the characters in the book completely make it a book that I will never forget. They are amazing and living through the eyes of Parker was really amazing. At first I was a bit weird with her name, giving it lots of great points, though, for being unique. I love unique names. But after a while it grew on me and I believed it really suited her. Don't ask me why because I wouldn't know the answer.

Everything is great in this book and I highly recommend it.

And yes, I cried, okay? I mean, how can you not? Part of it was extremely sad. I find it hilarious how I hate crying in front of people when there is a real problem. But with a book I can sit there and cry and just completely tell whoever is bugging me about it to go to hell.

Also, by the way, I warn those who are sensitive to cursing. There is a lot of it in this book. But don't let that stop you from reading it. It's VERY good!



If you'd like to purchase Cracked up to Be, here are a few places to do it!
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*Note: I did not make this video, so I don't take any credit for it.

Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee

Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books (February 2009)
Paperback ARC: 288 pages
Age Group: Young Adult

"Meet Maybelline "Maybe" Chestnut. She may be named for her mother's favorite brand of mascara, but she has a mind—and a hair color—all her own.

Meet her mother, Chessy—that is, Chessamay Chestnut Abajian Wing Marshall Wing Sinclair Alvarez and soong-to-be Himmler. The one man she didn't marry? Maybe's father.

Meet Ted and Hollywood , a.k.a Maybe's best friends. When Chessy chooses her latest scuzzball fiancé over her daughter, the trio sets out to find Maybe's dad in California.

Where they meet Los Angeles: city of swimming pools, movie stars, and a whole lot of surprises, including an aging screen goddess, a famous photographer, thee makeovers, a Rolls-Royce, and a taco truck. Hollywood makes a film; Ted makes his fortune. But the biggest surprise may be Maybe herself, as a charm-school dropout becomes a drop-dead charmer in Lisa Yee's terrific new novel."

Absolutely Maybe was a really great book. I really connected with the main character, Maybe, which made her seem more real to me. At the end of the book, I was happy I was done with the book because it was a great story, but I was also very sad for the same reason.

Absolutely Maybe contains amazing characters. They make you wish that you had friends like them. They were absolutely hilarious and their names were really unique. Absolutely Maybe is a great book for anyone, especially those who feel like they are outsiders. I think everyone has a little bit of Maybe in them somewhere, even if they don't let it surface.

Also, don't forget about the awesome cover! I love the models hair on the cover. Makes me want orange hair!




If you'd like to pre-order Absolutely Maybe, here are a few places to do it!
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*Note: I did not take this picture, so I don't take any credit for it. All I did was edit it a bit. :)

Evernight by Claudia Gray

Evernight by Claudia Gray


Publisher: HarperTeen (May 27, 2008)
Hardcover: 336 pages
Age Group: Young Adult

"Bianca wants to escape. She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.

Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" eitehr, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.
"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would."
But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart... and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed."

Evernight is amazing and is definitely my favorite book at the moment, well... at the top. It's really hard to pick an exact favorite book. But I guess if I had to pick one favorite, it would be Evernight. I couldn't put it down at all. Every time I did it kept calling to me to pick it back up. It seriously became a drug.

Evernight is so filled with emotion and reality, even though it has fantasy throughout the whole book. The characters are so real. Bianca and Lucas's love for each other is so moving and heartbreaking. I can't tell you how many times I cried throughout this book.

Something in Evernight, which I'm not going to tell what because it's a major spoiler, completely made me drop my book. Seriously. It caught me off guard and I just dropped the book. It took me a few seconds to pick it back up and continue on.

Evernight is filled with so many things; unconditional love, suspense, great characters, original and intriguing storyline. It's just... wow. I recommend it to everyone. Don't wait any longer to read this! Just go and read it, no matter what. Read!

I hate myself for taking so long to read this. I had it on my shelf for a while!

Claudia Gray...you rock! I can't wait for Stargazer!



If you'd like to purchase Evernight, here are a few places to do it!
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*Note: I did not make this video, so I don't take any credit for it.

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith


Publisher: Walker Books Ltd (October 6, 2008)
Paperback: 332 Pages.
Age Group: Young Adult

"Quincie Morris has never felt more alone. Her hybrid-werewolf first love is threatening to leave her forever. And just as she and her uncle are about to unveil Austin's first vampire-themed restaurant, their chef's brutal murder leaves Quincie scrambling to transform fresh-faced Henry Johnson into a culinary Dark Lord in time for opening night. But there's more than meets the eye to this new hire, and Quincie is about to learn a whole lot about love... and blood. "

Tantalize was just wow... I couldn't stop reading it. I put aside schoolwork, saying I'd stop reading in another hour. But I kept reading and reading. Just like it's name, I was definitely tantalized with every chapter, craving for more. I regret not reading this sooner!

The characters are so real and you really become Quincie and see everything that's happening. Her love for Kieren is so deep and heart wrenching. I love a good love story and add in a mystery and I'm a goner. I really wish there were sequel to this. I really wanna continue Quincie and Kieren's story.

Tantalize has a really unique storyline, different from all the other vampire novels. Very awesomely written and draws you in from the start. Cynthia did an amazing job! Can't wait to read more of her work.


If you would like to purchase Tantalize, here are a few places to do it!
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*Note: I did not make this video, so I don't take any credit for it.

Airhead by Meg Cabot

Airhead by Meg Cabot

Publisher: Point (May 13, 2008)
Hardcover: 352 pages
Age Group: Young Adult

"Emerson Watts didn't even want to go to the new SoHo Stark Megastore grand opening. But someone needed to look out for her sister, Frida, who crush, British heartthrob Gabriel Luna, would be sining and signing autographs there—along with the newly appointed Face of Stark, teen super model sensation Nikki Howard.
How was Em to know that disaster would strike, changing her—and life as she'd known it—forever? One bizarre accident later, and Em Watts, always the tomboy, never the party princess, is no longer herself. Literally.
Now getting her best friend, Christopher, to notice that she's actually a girl is the least of Em's problems.
But what Em's pretty sure she'll never be able to accept might just turn out to be the one thing that's going to make her dream come true...."

Airhead was a little weird starting out, but even through it's weirdness it made me want to keep reading. I kept telling myself I'd go to bed on the next chapter, but every time the chapter was over, I did NOT want to stop reading it. The emotions with the characters, especially Emerson's reactions to everything that was happening to her. They are so real and they made me completely freak out. What happened was the farthest to what I thought would happen. I cried when she cried and freaked out when she did.

I've read a few of Meg Cabot's books, and so far this is the most unique one I've read. Before I was completely through the book it had already worked it's way up to my favorites list. Great job, Mrs. Cabot! I recommend Airhead to anyone who wants a good read, especially someone who hasn't read any of Mrs. Cabot's work.

Also, don't forget the sequel to this lovely novel, Being Nikki, which I have yet to read and review! I can't wait to get my hands on it.


If you would like to purchase Airhead, here is a few places to do it!
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Sequel to this novel: Being Nikki

Here is a Airhead goodie for you!



*Note: I did not make this video, so I don't take any credit for it.

Untamed: A House of Night Novel by P.C and Kristin Cast

Untamed: A House of Night Novel by P.C and Kristin Cast


Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (September 23, 2008)
Paperback: 338 pages
Age group: Young Adult

-"Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird – she’s become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel."-

Untamed completely blew me away. After finishing Chosen, I was a bit worried what would come in the next book. I bought Untamed a few days after it was released and put it up on my shelf. I wasn't able to read it right away due to some other books I was currently reading. But as soon as I got my hands on it and was able to read it I got sucked into it from the first page, just like the first three books in the series.

Untamed begins just a few days after Chosen ended. It is a bit more dark and sinister than the first three books in the series and the characters are more stronger. Zoey is a less bit whiny and shows that she is ready to be what Nyx has chosen her to become. A few of her relationships grow stronger and some of them move farther away. She meets a new companion, but soon loses him just a few hours after meeting him. Or does she? You'll have to read to find out!

The House of Night Series are a top favorite series of mine and Untamed didn't disappoint me at all. P.C and Kristin Cast have done a marvelous job on them and I can't wait for Hunted to come out in March. March 10th, 2009 to be more specefic, just two and a half more months to wait!



If you would like to purchase Untamed, here are a few places to do it!

Amazon
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Books-a-Million

Other titles in the House of Night Series: Marked, Betrayed, and Chosen.

Here are some House of Night goodies for you!