Once A Witch, by Carolyn MacCullough

Tamsin Greene has grown up in a family of witches, magic is commonplace in her life. Need a love potion? Just ask her mother. Is someone making your life miserable? One of her crazy extended family members can just send a well-placed hex their way.
But Tamsin? She can't do a thing, she's an outsider. Talentless. The one who was supposed to be the most powerful in the family never manifested, she doesn't have a drop of magic to call her own.
So, when a mysterious stranger mistakes her for her talented older sister, asking for her help to track down an old family heirloom Tasmin can't help but play along and enjoy feeling special for once. But this stranger isn't who she thinks he is, and the heirloom she helps him find is one that will unlock her powers and cause destruction for everyone she loves.

Linger, by Maggie Stiefvater

It needs to be said again, I absolutely HATE spoilers. I once quadruple bagged the sequel of a book before giving it to my sister since I KNEW she hadn’t finished the first one. Did I mention that I also duct taped the bags, then bagged it again, followed by more duct tape? I really hate spoilers. So, if you haven’t already read SHIVER - Please do not read this until you do.

For those of you who have…. You’ll remember….The longing. The loss. The linger. Grace thought her world was perfect, wrapped up in a package and tied with a tidy little bow, now that Sam was back with her. As a human. But right as things start to seem simple, they aren’t. There are new wolves, new humans, new friendships, new enemies. And the rope that once tied Grace and Sam together is just a thread – fragile, pulled tight, and ready to snap. This book chronicles the end. And, the beginning. Making me wonder what the next book in this series holds for its remaining characters.  

Thirst, by Christopher Pike

Alisa is the ultimate vampire, completely in control of her urges, feeding but not killing, living her opulent life in secret – no friends, no enemies, no one who knows she exists. But, someone knows she is alive, and is hunting her. The ultimate question of this book is – does she find out who it is? And, can she kill them, before they kill her?

This book has a love triangle in it (which I love), which seems to be the popular layout of books recently, but Pike writes in a way that is believable and completely original. Alisa is like no character I’ve ever met. She is heartless, cold, unforgiving. I found myself shocked at her lack of mercy and compassion. Shocked. But I was pleased that she stayed true to form throughout the book, definitely a strong character, and a strong story line.

The Owl Keeper, by Christine Brodien-Jones

Maxwell Unger has heard stories from his Gran about his world before the Destruction. A world where freedom, happiness, and books abound. That was when there were still Silver Owls in the world. Now that his Gran has passed away, it’s the stories that he remembers, especially his favorite, the one about the Owl Keeper. And Gran had told him the time of the Owl Keeper was coming, and that the Owl Keeper would be the person to save everyone from the evil lurking in the forest- to make everything right again.
This was a lower level read. Still good, but it was a book I could put down to eat dinner or watch a show, not 100% riveting, but still something I would recommend for a good read.

Inside Out, by Maria V. Snyder

This book was insanity. It leaves you wondering until the last page. LITERALLY. I had no idea how it was going to end. So intense. This book is about a girl named Trella. She lives on the lower levels, and her job title is Scrub. Cleaning and keeping the ducts and air shafts clean. No one is allowed into the Uppers. But, Trella uses her ducts and shafts to travel to the Uppers, and what she finds out changes everything. Making her the leader of a rebellion more than a thousand people strong. Changing everyones lives forever.

13 Reasons Why, by Jay Asher

It all starts with a small package left on Clay's front porch before he gets home from school. In that box are tapes. 13 tapes, recorded by Hannah Baker - Clay's classmate and crush - who killed herself 2 weeks earlier. There are 13 reasons why Hannah committed suicide. And Clay is one of them.
Clay now has a choice. To listen to the 13 reasons, and pass along the tapes to the next person in line, or, never find out.
This was a gripping read, I was hooked to the very end. This was one of the most real books I have ever had the opportunity to read. Sad and amazing all at the same time. And it makes you realize just how much you can impact another person's life.

Captivate, by Carrie Jones

Please do not read this post until you have read THIS ONE first otherwise the first book will be spoiled!

In the first book, Need, it ends with Zara semi-solving her pixie problem. But the choice she makes is haunting her, what she made was a cage, a prison, which goes against the fundamental beliefs she fights for. Torn by her decision, Zara alters her plan, and makes a mistake. This mistake not only costs Zara, but her friends and family as well. Because, while Zara tries to right a wrong, someone else is plotting against her. In the end, there are friends lost, enemies gained, and Zara is changed forever.

Sidenote: if anyone knows when the trilogy will be released, let me know!

City of Bones, by Cassandra Clare

The first book in The Immortal Instruments trilogy begins with the story of Clary. An ordinary teenager living with her mother. Ordinary until she discovers she can see supernatural beings that no one else can. She meets a Shadowhunter named Jace who kills demons, monsters, and anything else that goes bump in the night. Suddenly Clary is pulled into this magical world and realizes life isn't as simple as she thought, she doesn't really know the person she has called 'mom', and that Jace is more dangerous than he appears. Thrilling good read.

House of Night Series, by PC + Kristin Cast

Enter the dark, magical world of The House of Night, a world very much like our own, except here vampyres have always existed. Sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird has just been Marked as a fledgling vampyre and joins the House of Night, a school where she will train to become an adult vampire. That is, if she makes it through the Change--and not all of those who are Marked do.

This isn't just a vampyre book. The Four Elements are incorporated in this book. Special vampyres are given an affinity with one of the elements: Earth, Wind, Fire, or Water. So amid the darkness of the vampyre story, there is magic, spell casting, and a variety of odd legend mixed in.

The one downside to this book/series was that it was a little graphic, there were mild scenes of sexuality- which weren't necessary. Other than that small part, this is an amazing series, book 7 comes out in April.

Fallen, by Lauren Kate

There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

This book is full of intrigue, friendships, and a little romance. Each character is incredible and believable. This is part of a series, can't wait for Torment, Fall 2010.

Splendor, by Anna Godbersen

Final book in The Luxe Series, I was on tenterhooks the entire time, waiting for the end, hoping for what it should be.

This was, hands-down, the most disappointing end to a series/book I have ever read. The book ends and it leaves you empty, wishing the author would have thought through her characters more, I don't feel like the ending was something (had they been real people) would have ever, ever in a million years, ever let happen.

I will be extremely hesitant to purchase another book from this author again.

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying until dawn.
Irresistible boys with mischievous smiles and dangerous intentions.
White lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups.
This is Manhattan, 1899.


Beautiful sisters Elizabeth and Diana Holland rule Manhattan's social scene. Or so it appears. When the girls discover their status among New York City's elite is far from secure, suddenly everyone — from the backstabbing socialite Penelope Hayes, to the debonair bachelor Henry Schoonmaker, to the spiteful maid Lina Broud — threatens Elizabeth's and Diana's golden future.

This is now a 4 part series, I am re-reading this series, I had stopped after book 2. The 3rd book wasn't out yet and the ending of the 2nd devastated me. It took me a little bit to get into the book, but, once you get hooked, you cannot put it down. The storyline is riveting, the characters pull you in, and when they are happy so are you, when their heart is broken so is yours. Godbersen delivers in this entire series.

Need

Here is the synopsis: Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme.
First of all, I love the phobias, she has a new phobia for each chapter (with plenty more in between), even though the synopsis doesn't mention it, this book is full of magic and fae.... my sister is reading it now and keeps calling me about it, first because it was really good, second, because she was "freaked out" for the character (I know, my sister's funny like that), and now finally because she has less than 30 pages in the book and is mad she's going to finish it soon. Yes people, it's that good.

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side

Okay, so while the cover of the book is not the best... I loved this book. It really could have been a sequel. It was witty and kept you reading until the very end. And while NO BOOK could ever top the vampire story in Twilight, this book can definitely hold it's own. There is no instant attraction and blooming of love between 2 teenagers. No, quite the opposite in fact, which is what makes this book all the more interesting. Here is an excerpt from the cover:

The undead can really screw up your senior year . . .
Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up and everything changes.

Although this might give away the first few chapters... I love her almost-hatred toward Lucius, that even though she does think he is attractive she still thinks he is impossible and overbearing, no sappy chapters in here....

Meridian

This is about a girl who is a Fenestra, half-angel, half-human. Since she was a young girl, animals, insects, everything dies around her. Comes to her in their death. She's been an outcast for the longest time, reviled by her peers, knowing that she is different, having no idea why.

This was a different book, it has a lot of intrigue and I felt nervous for her almost the entire time because you don't know who she should trust or if she's making a mistake that will hurt her in the future. Extremely interesting read.

Shiver

Awesome, in the real sense of the word. It gave me that wistful, elusive feeling of happiness. It was amazing and heartbreaking and everything, I can't say how excited I am for the sequel (Fall 2010).

BUT I just have to say, bn.com and Maggie Steifvater's site actually are spoilers and ruin the book, so you'll have to go to the store and read the cover unless you want to ruin it! This is the back cover...

"And then I opened my eyes and it was just Grace and me - nothing anywhere but Grace and me - she pressing her lips together as though she were keeping my kiss inside her, and me, holding this moment that was as fragile as a bird in my hands."