Magic and Southern Gothic= Charming and Mysterious

Beautiful Creatures 

by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

I loved being immersed in the Southern setting, black swamps, Spanish moss, and "haint blue." I like the main character, Ethan's, taste in literature. The set-up of this book reminds me of Twilight in reverse--the boy is the Mortal and the girl is the Other.  That was refreshing. Ethan’s more interesting than the blah-Bella.  The plot can be slow, but the quirky characters and accurate dialogue/dialect make up for it.
 Overall, the book manages to be just enthralling enough to keep me reading and running to the library for the sequel, Beautiful Darkness. 
 
Author/book website: http://beautifulcreaturesthebook.com/


Songs to Read by: Anything by Kings of Leon from their album "Only by Night." The spooky "Closer" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XatzX6WQ2ec or 

my personal favorite, "Revelry:" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1pzRfrcNGw

Noooooooooooo! Mockingjay Made Me Cry!

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Review: I was waiting for the revolution. I was excited to see Katniss as the Mockingjay, because I loved the image of her wedding dress burning away to the black and white Mockingjay feathers. I started reading, hoping she'd end up with Gale, although poor Peeta is losing his mind.

Nothing happened like I thought it would. The book fulfills the promise of action to finish the trilogy. The ending  resonated with me...I cried and cried. The characters became real people to me.

 Remember...revolution isn't always glorious and we should be wary of glorifying any type of war or violence.

Song to Read By:  "Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYIAfiVGluk

Going, Going...Gone

Going, Going

by Naomi Shihab Nye

For her 16^th birthday wish, Florrie challenges her family and classmates to skip franchises for 16 weeks in order to make a statement by shopping at local, independent stores in downtown San Antonio, Texas. In this way, Florrie and her friends discover new and delicious restaurants, cool indie record stores, and friendly people who give the town character, history, and a personal touch.

Florrie is a vibrant character, as is the city of San Antonio in this novel. Readers will relate to Florrie’s developing sense of identity and her swinging from utter confidence and purpose to doubts about herself.

Song to Read By: Gypsy Caravan by Putumayo cd: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbYBky_73jw&list=PLE3001407127573E7 

Katniss Everdeen Movie First Look!

Have you seen the cover of Entertainment Weekly? This makes me believe that Jennifer can play Katniss!

So jealous of her MAD bow and arrow skills!

What if you Lived Your Last Day...Again...and Again...and Again...

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Review: At first, watching Sam was painful—she’s spoiled, bratty, and mean to her classmates. Everything you wanted to forget about being a teenager—cliques, shallowness, the insular world, senseless cruelty, the obsession with popularity--it is all there and too accurate to want to revisit, for me. The dialogue and characters’ thoughts are dead-on.

I kept reading because I wanted to see Sam redeem herself soooo bad. What really attracts us, draws us in to this book… we all hope we’ll have one second chance after another in life, especially when we need it the most.

Song to Read By: “Got You Where I Want You” by The Flys: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM_OWaItNJM

Note: Before I Fall is a book for older teens, because it had a lot of older teen concerns and content, including drinking/debauchery, sex, and language.

A Simple Story about Two Paths that Criss Cross

Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins

Criss Cross is more of a middle grades read in my opinion. But I like the simplicity of the story. Each character has one memorable quality that is developed. The story is quiet yet engaging. Debbie wishes something exciting will happen to her and Hector embarks on a career of songwriting as he learns to play the guitar in this small-town story about two fourteen-year olds, who are waiting for their lives to truly begin. This book is the sequel to All Alone in the Universe and can be read alone or with the first book.

Song to Read By: "Half of My Heart" acoustic version by John Mayer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrjDVqdQUhI

To Love or Not to Love? That is the Question!

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Review: This book ensnares you and won’t let go. The premise is intriguing (what if love were considered a disease and you must be ‘Cured’), but the book has a great balance of action and deliberation. There were plenty of beautiful descriptions of Portland and the ocean, sky, homes, and the Wild. The setting was realistic enough, which contributed to the believability of the plot. The plot twists just kept coming. I didn’t predict what would happen. I truly cared about the main character and wanted to hear more about Alex’s past and the Lena’s mother.

Favorite quote: “Poetry isn’t like any writing I’ve ever heard before. I don’t understand all of it, just bits and images, sentences that appear half-finished, all fluttering together like brightly colored ribbons in the wind” (p.295).

Update: I just found out Delirium is the beginning of a trilogy—the next book is called Pandemonium.

Song to Read by: "Fireflies" by Owl City: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psuRGfAaju4