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Showing posts from January 1, 2012

YA book review: Radiance By Alyson Noël

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Reading level:  Ages 9 and up Paperback:  192 pages Publisher:  Square Fish; First Edition edition (August 31, 2010) Summary: Riley has crossed the bridge into the afterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. She has picked up life where she left off when she was alive, living with her parents and dog in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. When she’s summoned before The Council, she learns that the afterlife isn’t just an eternity of leisure. She’s been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a possibly cute, seemingly nerdy boy who’s definitely hiding something. They return to earth together for Riley’s first assignment, a Radiant Boy who’s been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But all of that was before he met Riley . . . My Review: While there may be Love at first sight I also believe that there’s such thing as Love at first read , which happened to me after r

YA Book review: Last Dance By Lurlene McDaniel

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Reading level: Ages 11 and up Paperback: 128 pages Publisher: Darby Creek Publishing (February 2006) Summary: Rachel Deering has her eyes on her toes, in becoming a world-class ballerina. As a 14-year-old, she is already one of the best dancers in the country. Just as she prepares for an audition for an opening with a prestigious dance troupe, Rachel starts having some very disturbing symptoms. After collapsing at school, she has many tests and her doctor tells her the news: She has diabetes. Now her world consists of blood tests, insulin shots, a controlled diet, and constant fear that she will have a reaction and end up unable to dance, or worse. My Review:   Last Dance by Lurlene McDaniel is a short, sweet and to the point kind of story. It tells the tale of Rachel, a 14 year old ballerina and her learning to live with diabetes while still achieving her dream of becoming a professional dancer. I found many aspects of this story to be true which made it more enjoyable to read.

YA Book review: Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles

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Reading level: Ages 14 and up Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Walker Childrens (August 16, 2011) Summary:   Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks—whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill.  Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules—boys lie to get their way, don’t trust a boy who says “I love you,” and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules. Getting Nikki to take a chance on a southsider is Luis’s biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret abou

YA book review: Ink by S.J. Davis

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Format: Kindle Edition File Size: 90 KB Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited Publisher: Vamptasy (September 1, 2011) Summary: “It’s a good day to die.” My mother holds my arm fiercely. “But as you grieve for me, listen for the voices. Then, you must get the ink.” Sparrow stumbles between two worlds, light and dark, love and hate, what is real and what is in her mind. When her mother dies on the Reservation, Sparrow’s world is shadowed with anger and narrowed by pain. The voices arrive, but are they real? And how can a tattoo make her stronger? My review: I have noticed an increase in novellas on the market ever since ebook sales began increasing these last two to three years. And one question keeps cropping in my mind: why do authors choose this type of story, especially when the work they have created could be longer? This was a prevalent thought as I raced through Ink . S.J. Davis' writing was often poetic, lovely and moving. Sparrow hears voices, sees people in her dr

Book review: Midnight Rising (Midnight Breed, #4) by Lara Adrian

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Summary: In a world of shadows and dark, cosuming hungers, desire is the deadliest weapon... For journalist Dylan Alexander, it began with the discovery of a hidden tomb, thrusting her into the center of a gathering storm of violence and secrets. But nothing is as dangerous as the scarred, lethally seductive man who rises from the shadows to draw her into his world of dark desire and endless night. Fueled by pain and rage over a shattering betrayal, the warrior Rio has pledged his life to the war against the Rogues. He will let nothing stand in his way—least of all a mortal woman with the power to expose the entire vampire race. For an ancient evil has been awakened, and a stunning darkness is on the rise. Suddenly Dylan is powerless to resist Rio’s touch, even as she uncovers a shocking link to her own past. And now she must choose: Leave Rio’s midnight realm, or risk it all for the man who has shown her true passion and the infinite pleasures of the heart. . . . My review: Whew!

Happy New Year!

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We wish our readers a very Happy New Year! We thank you for letting us share our love of reading along with you, as well as bringing authors and their books to you. This year we will continue to showcase writers and their interesting novels, along with other book-worthy news. We forgot to mention our 2nd Blogoversary last month too. Wow, two years and we're still loving all of it. Happy New Year!