The Culling

Oh. My. This book was brutal. Imagine the Hunger Games, but way more violent and disturbing. That being said, I couldn't put it down. This is the story of Lucky, who is living in a post apocalyptic world where you can be pulled off the streets and disappear forever. He lives with his four year old brother Cole. Lucky is trying to keep them both alive and when his old friend Cassius comes back to town as a Prefect, he thinks his problems may be solved. Unfortunately, Cassius has changed and as revenge for Lucky not helping him catch the resistance, Cassius puts Lucky in the running to become an Imposer. Of course, to become one you must win The Trials. As the five unlucky names are called, Lucky finds himself in competition with the dreamy Digory. The only problem is that only one person will survive the Trials- oh and if you come in last in any of the events, someone you love will be "culled" or killed in some horrible fashion. Since Cole is one of Lucky's Incentives, Lucky must sacrifice everything to keep him safe- even at the cost of Digory and the other contestants's loved ones. I haven't despised a character as much as Cassius in a long time. I look forward to him getting what is coming to him in future books. The Trials that the contestants must endure are horrifying and gory. The choices the contestants must make are devastating. This book is not for the faint of heart, but it definitely will keep you on the edge of your seats. Steven Dos Santos has created a world that disturbs me in so many ways and leaves me with more questions than answers. So, if you have a strong stomach and can find hope in little things, give this one a try! Happy Reading my friends!

The Testing

Cia is about to graduate from school. She is living in Five Lakes with her family. The world isn't as we know it. She is waiting on pins and needles to see if she is chosen for The Testing. Only a few are chosen, and no one from Five Lakes has been taken in years. The day after graduation she is informed that she and three others will be going to the Testing. Her father is less than thrilled and tells her of his experience with the Testing. He can't remember any of it, except what comes to him in dreams. And those dreams are nightmares. He is worried for his daughter's safety and warns her to "Trust No One". But he can't mean Tomas, the boy from her school, the one that every girl dreams about. Cia and Tomas team up to try and pass the Testing. To do any less could result in their deaths. As each test is given, the stakes get higher and higher and Cia must use all her wits to keep her and Tomas alive. She has to trust her instincts and if they are wrong, people could die. This book is fraught with tension as each test becomes a matter of life and death. Even at the end, you aren't sure who Cia should trust and what the consequences will be if she doesn't pass the Test. This definitely has a Hunger Games quality as no one is safe from violence, deceit and death. The participants aren't given the choice whether or not they want to attend, and more than one does not return to their colony. The sequel is coming out in the fall and this is a series to watch out for. Happy reading my friends!

Angelfall

Why are all the angels in angel books guys? Daniel, Patch, Jackson, even Castiel on Supernatural?? Not that I mind, there's something about a fictional boy with wings that is enjoyable. Add Raffe to the list. Penryn is trying to keep her family safe in the aftermath of an Angel Apocalypse. The humans must hide from the packs of roaming angels that are destroying cities. She comes upon an angel being beaten by a group of angels. She is horrified when they cut off his wings. As she finds herself helping him fight off the pack, her sister is taken by the angels. She saves his wings and brings him to safety to heal so that he can help her get her sister back. Raffe doesn't want to help her and is struggling to recover. But he reluctantly agrees to do so when she helps him out of a couple of tricky situations. She did save his wings after all... He leads her to the aerie in San Francisco where he hatches a plan to find her sister and get his wings sown back on. Nothing goes as planned and the events that follow are beyond disturbing. Raffe is much more than he appeared to be and Penryn's sister is not quite the same. Penryn is a tough girl with loyalty and determination in spades. The forbidden relationship between angel and Daughters of Men is taken very seriously in this book and will make for many problems in the future of the series I'm sure. I have yet to read an angel book I haven't liked- or a cute angel boy for that matter, so I look forward to reading more of this series and am quite disappointed that the sequel isn't out there yet!!! So add Raffe to the list and await his return on his wings of.... not giving that away! Happy reading my friends!

The Elite

She loves him, she loves him not, she loves him, she loves him not. Aspen-Maxon, Maxon-Aspen. And so it goes. In this sequel to The Selection by Kiera Cass, America is torn. Does she want to be a princess and marry Maxon, or is it her boy-next-door former boyfriend Aspen she wants to spend her life with? Her indecision is driving the two boys crazy and to be honest, me too! This is such a fun concept, kinda like the Bachelor for teens. Even though I refuse to watch those shows, this novel is a fun read. America is feisty and sure of what she believes. She isn't afraid to speak her mind, even when it goes against what Maxon is trying to do. She is unhappy with the caste system which guides her society and when she finds out how it was started, she is determined to try and fix it. Unfortunately, she doesn't know how to do that and she is less than graceful in the way she goes about it. Maxon loves her, but can't deal with her outspokenness as it interferes with the quiet way he is trying to change things in his father's kingdom. Aspen doesn't think she can handle being a princess, but he is the one who let her go to pursue this chance. Also, the rebels keep attacking the palace and what exactly are they looking for? All the decisions seem to rely on America and she is torn between who she is and who she has the potential to become. I can't wait to see how it ends, someone's heart is bound to be broken and  the fate of a country may lie in the hands of a couple of teenagers. Scary thought- eh? The first book was a popular one in my classroom this year and I know the girls will be eager to get their hands on this one! Happy reading my friends. I'm off to the beach. (bag of books in hand!)

Darkness Before Dawn

Dawn is the newest and youngest delegate that Denver has ever had. She is taking the place of her parents in their job of serving Lord Valentine. She is the go between as she supports the VampHu treaty. You see, after a long war between vampires and humans, they have come to an uneasy peace. The humans agree to supply blood to the vampires and the vampires, well, they agree not to eat all the humans. When Dawn goes to a party with her best friend Tegan, they are attacked by four vampires. Victor arrives just in time to save them and makes sure they get home safely. They assume he is a member of the Night Watchmen, the trained men who guard the city. How wrong they are. Dawn discovers he is the son of Lord Valentine, her mortal enemy. As Victor keeps turning up to help Dawn, she begins to realize that he is different. He wants to help the humans and the vampires coexist. But danger is afoot. His evil brother makes an appearance to undo all the good Victor wants to do. ANd who is the guy in the hoodie who keeps stalking Dawn? Dawn has many decisions to make on who she will trust and who she will save and at what cost will she do both? This was a fun vampire story with some twists and turns. Victor is the typical dreamy vamp who falls for the human girl. But I'm not so sure that Dawn is what she seems. I'll have to read the sequel to see if I'm right. Happy reading my friends!

Unremembered

When Sera wakes up as the only survivor of a plane crash she has NO memories. Of anything. Not even her name. The only thing she knows is that everyone is interested in the beautiful girl with the violet eyes. When a boy shows up at the hospital asking if she remembers him, her mind says yes, always yes, but she can't trust him. He seems to turn up everywhere she goes, warning her that others will come looking for her. Run away with me, he asks. Sera is stubborn and isn't ready to trust anyone. She enlists the help of her foster brother Cody to help her figure out who she is and where she comes from. She discovers she has super strength and an ability to run really fast. She can understand and speak many languages and she is drawn to Zen, the mystery boy, for reasons she can't explain. When he offers her her memories back, she slowly realizes who he is and why she had to run. Only problem is, she didn't run far enough and the company that is responsible for her has found where she is. And they want her back. Sera and Zen must figure out a way to outwit the company and make there way to a place where they will be safe, but can they do it in time? This is a really fast paced adventure with a neat twist at the end. Sera is not what she seems and Zen is willing to follow her to the ends of the earth to protect and love her. How do you remember someone when your memories are gone? Would you still recognize your soul mate? Would you trust a complete stranger if he knew how to pull on your heart strings? I totally recommend this book and would love to know how Sera and Zen are doing and if they reached their destination. Happy reading my friends!

The Friday Society

The Silver Heart, Lady Sparkle and Hyde. What a group of swell heroines! In this steampunk novel, the three girls join forces to foil evil, back each other up and find a little romance along the way. Cora, who works for Lord White is the inventor. Nellie, who works for the Great Raheem, is a magician's assistant with skills to get out of tricky situations. And Michiko, who works for Callum as his Samurai assistant, who is really the one with all the skills. When the ladies meet by accident at the scene of a murder, they keep finding themselves in death defying predicaments. They are clever, resourceful and brave, all while keeping outstanding senses of humor. Most of the men in their lives underestimate them, but that doesn't stop them from foiling several diabolical plots, solving a couple of murders and keeping their independence at a time when women didn't seem to have much. This was such an enjoyable book, written with great style and humor. These three are no damsels in distress! I will be looking forward to more capers with the Friday Society in the future. It most definitely has a sass and personality many readers will enjoy. Summer vacation has officially begun- so let the reading commence. Happy reading my friends!