Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen

Here's the official:

As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the Great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

I know many of you have already seen the movie with Reese Witherspoon and Rob Pattinson (swoon). I've yet to see the movie, but the book was incredible. Never have I read a more believable character. Jacob Jankowski captured my heart as a young man alone in the world, unsure of his future. And he captured my heart even more as partial narrator of the story at ninety years old.

He's believable, and lovable, and so utterly sad.

I was angry for him, I hurt for him, and I literally laughed out loud at his triumphs.

I recommend this book to anyone (over the age of 15...) and know you'll love it as much as I do.

Stay tuned for more book reviews soon!

Drowning Ruth, by Christina Schwarz

Chapter 1:

Ruth remembered drowning.

"That's impossible," Aunt Amanda said. "It must have been a dream."

But Ruth maintained that she had drowned, insisted on it for years, even after she should have known better.....

********************

Amanda comes home after years of caring for wounded soldiers. She lives with her sister Mathilda and her neice Ruth. When Mathilda suddenly dies, Amanda is left to care for Ruth, Mathilda's husband --barely home from war--, and to hide the secret about Mathilda's death.

The story is weaved through the years and characters, just keeping the truth out of sight in this captivating and chilling tale of the things love can drive a person to do for their family.

Nightshade, by Andrea Cremer

This book was hard summarize in my own words. I've never had that happen before. So, here's the official:

"Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known."

First of all, let me say that I LOVED this book, it was complex, and the storyline was incredibly riveting. I WILL be reading the sequel and recommending this book to others.

BUT, there were a lot of similarities to other popular works. The Wraiths in her story have a lot in common with Dementors, she also uses giant arachnids.... also Harry Potter. The main character saves a boy from being killed by a grizzly bear....very Twilight-esque... I know these are probably coincidences, I just wish there had been no glaring paralells to other extremely popular stories.

That said, her writing style is incredibly descriptive. You will find very few "she said's" in this story, everything was a movement, a feeling, or an action. This author writes in a way that keeps you turning the pages, even if you don't like what's happening. If I had a star system, this would get a 4.

I LOVED the portrayal of romance in this book.

And, finally, let me just say.... this book is deceptive. You'll know what I mean once you read it.

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett

It's Jackson, Mississippi and the year is 1962. This is right before Martin Luther King leads the March on Washington. Jackson is a tense place. Especially if you're black.

But in the midst of it all, three women decide to do something extraordinary, they decide to tell the truth - the truth of what it's like to be a black maid, serving white folk. Some of it's pretty, about how they get extra money come Christmastime, how they love the children they look after, and how they are grateful to have a job in hard times.

The rest of it? It isn't so pretty, the condecension, abuse, humiliation, the segregation -- from the grocery stores they shop in to the bathroom they are allowed to use in their homes, and... how those little ones they looked after and loved? Those little ones grow up, and turn out just like their parents - full of hatred and bigotry.

This story isn't like others though, this story is written from 3 different point of views, with feeling, hatred and love, it's personal, and gives a refreshingly new view on what many of the people living in the south felt at that time. It's about The Help.

Beauty, A Retelling of the story of Beauty & The Beast, by Robin McKinley

I read this story for the first time in second grade. But, trust me, it's a book that is amazing no matter what age you read it. This is a retelling like you've never read before.
This is the story of Beauty, a girl who grows up by the sea, lives with her wealthy family, and has two beautiful and kind older sisters. But, Beauty is anything but beatiful, she is awkward, sallow faced, with big hands and feet.
Her fathers shipping business goes bankrupt and their family is forced to travel to the forest to live.
The story takes a twist when her father returns home from a trip with tales of a wild beast, living in a castle in the forest beyond their home, and, in order for the fathers' life to be spared, one of his daughters must go, willingly to live with the beast. Forever.
But nothing is as it seems...

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.  

Eragon, by Christopher Paolini

I am so suprised I haven't already written about this book. I have been a major fan for years. I am DYING while I wait for the final book to come out. If anyone knows the date -- fill me in!

So. This book. Is amazing.

It is about a boy, named Eragon, who finds a beautiful, polished, blue stone in the forest near his home. He takes it with him, hoping it will fetch his family food or supplies for the cold winter months ahead. What Eragon didn’t know is that this is no ordinary stone. This stone… is an egg. With a dragon hatchling inside.

This dragon brings danger, death, and all manner of destruction on Eragon’s town, family, and life. But, it also brings a destiny filled with magic, and power that will change his life forever.

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.

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!

The Dragon Heir, by Cinda Williams Chima

** Spoiler Alert!*** Do not read this post until you've read the first two books, listed below. You've been warned!

Jason Haley, friend of Seph McCauley, wizard.

Jason helped Seph before his escape from The Havens. A rebel with no family or friends, he sets out to find the Dragon. Leader of the renegade wizards trying to overthrow the Red and White Roses. As Jason travels to Cumbria to seek his revenge his stumbles, quite literally, into an ancient cavern. One that holds the Dragon Heart, a stone, more powerful than any wizard could have possibly imagined.

As he fights to learn his true calling in life, he struggles with the need to feel wanted and important. As he slowly slips away from the only friends he knows, the Dragon Heart still calls to him.

Madison Moss can also feel the call of the stone. But she's no wizard. Torn between love and the siren's call of the Dragon Heart, it's anyone's guess what will happen.

The ending of this book shocked me, pleased me, and broke my heart just a little. An unexpected ending to an incredible series.

The Wizard Heir, by Cinda Williams Chima

Seph McCauley is 16, a trouble-maker, and can have any girl twisted tight with his little finger. A heartbreaker with serious issues.

Seph (LOVE his name!) has been kicked out of every exclusive school he has attended. When a fire breaks out at a party, Seph is sent to a boarding school on the east coast called The Havens.

With his magical powers spinning wildly out of control Havens seems like the perfect solution. A headmaster to teach him how to control himself, friends with the same powers. It seems too good to be true.... and that's because it is. With hidden agendas, evil sacrifices, and cameras that watch his every move, Seph must escape this prison called The Havens.

Armed with new knowledge Seph is on his way to becoming one of the most powerful wizards of all time. An excellent sequel that leaves you wanting more.

The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold

This is the story of Susie Salmon, like the fish - as Susie would say. She was murdered at the age of 14, by a neighbor. Susie tells this story, following her family and her killer from her own kind of heaven. Susie tells us about her family, their grief, and how everything falls apart in the days, weeks, and years after her death.

The title "The Lovely Bones" actually means something, and it's meaning is what Susie discovers in the years after her death.

The Maze Runner, James Dashner

Kudos to Mr. Dashner for writing the start of a compelling series.

He arrives in The Glade, his only memory of himself and his past is that his name is Thomas. And he isn't the only one, the other boys in the Glade arrived the same way he did, in a metal lift, with their memories wiped clean.

The Glade is the center of a massive maze, 2 years have passed since the arrival of the first Glader, and no one has been able to find an exit, boys are being killed by monsters in the maze, and it seems hopeless to figure out the maze and get back to what they hope is their happily ever after.

Thomas is about to change all that...

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.

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."