A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

LOVE THIS BOOK! I started reading it yesterday and finished it within twenty four hours. Not very often do I find a book that hooks me within five pages of the beginning. I had a hard time putting this book down.

Skye, on her seventeenth birthday, starts to notice some strange things happening to her. Her eyes turn silver and there are many weird occurences. Enter Devin (the "good" guy) and Asher (the dark, mysterious, and often arrogant "bad" guy). Each has his own agenda. Skye is just trying to figure out what is going on.

First off, love the book because of the angel element. I'm a little obsessed with it. I enjoyed how the author keeps stringing you along, never really telling you what's going on until past the middle of the book. It's a lot of guesswork to try and figure out who these guys are and what Skye's role in everything is. Once the truth is revealed, you can really feel Skye's torture over not being able to figure out what her powers are, use them and figure out what's going on between herself and Asher and then Devin.

Skye seems to be a real character. She's not overly fake, annoying, girly or whiny. She's simply trying to deal with the fact her life is changing and her support system is not as stable as it used to be. Skye learns some awful truths about her life that change her views. And the ending........oh, total cliffhanger (which I hate and love at the same time). My only regret is that I will have to wait until 2012 (?) for the next book. I'm hoping it's early in the year. I can't wait to see what happens to Skye.

Vanish by Sophie Jordan

Cassian finally convinces Jacinda and her family to come back to the pride. They aren't sure what awaits them. But Jacinda's sister, Tamra, finally manifests and is a shader. Jacinda is now struggling with her feelings for Will and her duties in the pride and the bond that she knows must happen with Cassian.

I enjoyed the second book. I liked the turn the book took. Tamra finally manifests but finds out she is not really cared for by Cassian, who she really loves. He only has eyes for Jacinda, who can't forget Will. Together the four of them end up going on a mission to try and save Miriam, Cassian's sister, from the enkros.

Bewitched by Lori Foster

Two short stories written by Lori Foster. The first story about Harry and Charlotte I didn't really love. I read it but it just didn't capture my attention. I enjoyed the second story about RJ and Dana. That had a little more romance but overall the book was so so.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This was another one of those books from my book club. Not necessairly one I would have chosen on my own. While I like books that are somewhat unusual, this was a little too out there for me. Many people I've spoken to have raved about this book. How they couldn't put it down, how great it was. For me it was so so. Even though there was a lot of action, I had a hard time really staying with it. Maybe it was the gore factor or the fact that children are sent into this game to kill each other and come out with a winner. Not sure what it was that really didn't hook me. I'm sort of interested in what happens to Katniss once she goes home but not sure if I care enough to read the next book. But I am excited about the movie.

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

I was super excited to pick this up at the store. I loved the first book and liked the second. Had no expectations for the third so I didn't really have any preconceived ideas as to what would happen. The book starts out with Nora being held captive by Hank (who I truly dislike...but then again, I guess I'm supposed to) and Patch is trying to get her back but ends up having to make a deal with Hank. I was shocked that Patch gave up his wings (I was super sad when they were pulling them out). But I guess you sacrifice for the one you love.....This story definitely took Patch and Nora's relationship to a new level. Nora had "feelings" about things in her life but didn't really know since Hank wiped her memory. She slowly struggles to find out what happened to her during her three month kidnapping, all the while dealing with Hank and her mom's relationship. One thing I loved about the first two books is the sarcasm. Patch was always sarcastic and he lost that in this book. This was a real turning point for him as he moved towards actually showing how he really feels about Nora. I sort of loved the ending. I love that now Patch and Nora are more on even footing, with them both being immortal..............So is there going to be a book four??? Seems like it could happen. The ending was open to one or it could just leave us hanging. And as usual, gorgeous cover!!!

Die For Me by Amy Plum

Love, love, love this book! First, gorgeous cover. I'm so in love with it. I love everything about it!

Amy Plum takes us into the world of revenants (a french term, since the setting of the book is Paris). There are basically good guys (who die in place of another and are rewarded by coming back to life) and bad guys (who kill humans and never die). So this was  a new concept to me which totally hooked me. Then of course you have the guy meets girl, guy falls for girl, girl finds out major secret and breaks it off, only to get back together and have a swoon worthy romance.

Kate is recovering from her parents death. She's having a hard time just living until she meets Vincent. She knows he's dangerous but can't stay away from him. She's scared of falling for him and having to watch him die for others, over and over again. He makes the ultimate sacrifice for his kind (to not die). Vincent is sweet and passionate and a little old fashioned. Kate is sad and innocent but very relatable.

Other characters worth a mention: Charlotte. Love how she befriends Kate and actually comes away with a friend herself. Jules. Keeps flirting with Kate and it's super funny!

End of Days, Fallen #3 by Thomas E. Sniegoski

Aaron and the other Nephilim are up against their biggest foe yet. The Angel of Destruction. Verchiel has been defeated but has a back up plan. One that will destroy the world.

I love how the series takes this turn into the Angel of Destruction. It's something that is bigger than the Nephilim. A safeguard in case the world takes a turn for the worst. Aaron desperately tries to save the world and keep the last of the Nephilim safe. They battle monsters, the second wave of the powers, and his own self in order to save the world.

Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson

In her first book of this "series", The Adoration of Jenna Fox, we are introduced to Jenna who isn't quite legal. She was in a horrific car accident that killed her and her two friends. She had ten percent of her brain function which lead scientists (namely her dad) to believe they could upload her essesence and essentially build a new body.

In Fox Inheritance, it is 260 years later. Locke and Kara have new bodies but are being kept prisioner, which they don't realize at first. Kara has hatred for Jenna. She feels that Jenna never tried to save them or help them. Locke just wants to believe what he has is real.

This was a good sequel and had some interesting perspectives. The characters spent 260 inside a black box, with just their memories. They were forgotten on a shelf until someone created new bodies for them. It's an interesting concept, uploading people to save them and recreate them at a later date. Makes you wonder if science will ever be this advanced.

Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson

At first I thought this was just another story. Then it took a turn for the weird. A girl thinks she killed her classmate by "disintegrating" her. Which is impossible at best, but hey for a science fiction story I'm willing to go with it. I'm not a hundred percent convinced this is a science fiction, but definitely YA. So as the story goes on, girl "kills" girl, girl goes to crazy house because she's trouble and can't remember anything. In comes a "researcher" who actually is from another planet and traveled to a portal to Earth but got stuck. Big huge plot on his home planet. Girl who was supposedly killed just traveled by portal to another planet. I was following the story for a while and then the whole portal thing just ruined it for me. Thumbs down!

Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2) by Andrea Cremer

I loved this book as much as the first installment. In this second book, Calla has run away from her union with Ren when she thinks she will have to kill Shay as a sacrifice. She's then captured by the Searchers who end up being different than what she thinks. Her pack is suffering for her running away. Major changes happen and loyalities are divided and tested. Calla along with the Searchers attempt to save her pack and fight back against the Keepers (and her old pack) who want them to stay slaves and not really know their true history.

The characters are gut wrenching at times. Especially trying to feel Ansel's pain about being stripped of his wolf. Calla is brave and tries to right the wrongs she made by running away. She's conflicted about Ren, worried about what happened to him, and grief stricken when she realizes the choice he made, which wasn't her. Shay is there to support her and become her alpha and lead the new pack if only she chooses him.