Book Nerds Across America

Jacque's Review:

I am a HUGE fan of the Nightshade series, so I was ecstatic to hear that Andrea Cremer was going to release a prequel series.  Rift is set in the 1400's in Scotland, so clearly we have a whole new set of characters...with one exception.  I'm not giving away any spoilers since Andrea said in an interview that one character from the Nightshade series makes an appearance in this book.  For the life of me I couldn't figure out who it would be until the individual appeared.  In retrospect, I should have known.         

This book starts out with Ember, a sixteen year old girl from a noble family who wants nothing more than to leave her father's house to join the warriors at Tearmunn.  They are a religious order that protects their lands from other worldly dangers.  Her father does not want her to join the order, but he has no choice.  When Ember was born both mother and child almost died and the family called upon Conatus's healers to save them.  In return, the child was pledged to serve Conatus. 

Jacque's Review:

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.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her. (Goodreads Overview)

When we first meet Luce, she is on her way to Sword & Cross as a last resort.  She was present at the time of a fire that killed Trevor, a student from her previous school, but she cannot recall what caused the fire.  She also has a history of perceived mental illness because she sees unexplainable shadows.  The shadows, along with her inability to explain her lack of involvement in Trevor's death, lands her at this new school.

At Sword & Cross all of the students must wear black, some of the students wear tracking devices that can issue a shock if needed, and they are all under constant surveillance.  The students are allowed one 15 minute phone call per week and the classes are far from typical.  This is the last place Luce wants to be, until she meets Daniel.  There is a bit of a love triangle, but Daniel is the only one Luce is REALLY interested in.  She has an odd feeling that she knows him from somewhere, but she isn't sure why.

It takes Luce the better part of the book to figure everything out, which was a little too much buildup and not enough action for me at times.  I really enjoyed the last third of the book, but I don't think I will rush right into Torment.  While I completely understand the concepts behind Revenants, Demi-Gods, Vampires, Shadowhunters etc...I didn't fully grasp the "shadows", which left me liking this book...but not loving it.  The paranormal elements were interesting and I think there is a lot of potential for this series.  Perhaps with further explanation and understanding from Torment, I will have greater appreciation of the series. 

Jacque's Review:

When we left Sean King and Michelle Maxwell at the end of Split Second, the two ex-secret service agents had decided to open their own private investigation firm.  This book starts out with Harry, a local attorney, asking them to investigate his client's involvement in a burglary he doesn't believe he committed.  Junior is accused of stealing from a very wealthy family he was working for at the time.  There is SO much evidence pointing to Junior that Harry believes it has to be a set up. 

While King and Maxwell are investigating Junior's case, a serial killer strikes the small town of Wrightsburg, Virginia.  He has been toying with the authorities and copying famous serial killers from the past.  The killer is obviously not your run of the mill serial killer and the local police are baffled.  The chief decides to deputize King and Maxwell, which gives them full access to anything related to the investigation of the murders.  This is by far the smartest thing the chief could have done.  Without Sean, I have to believe they would still be looking for the killer.

As was the case in Split Second, Sean and Michelle manage to get themselves right into the middle of all of the action.  I was on the edge of my seat wondering how they would get themselves out of each potentially deadly situation.  There were clues throughout the book, which I missed almost every time, but Sean quickly picked up on and would investigate.  Clearly, this is why I am not an investigator.  I was not surprised by who the serial killer was, but why he did it was really the mystery.  There were two murders that were not the result of the serial killer. I was SHOCKED to find out who committed them and why.  Everything all comes together in the end thanks to Sean, but without Maxwell protecting him along the way...we never would have gotten to the bottom of this case.  Sean is one person that truly needs his own secret service agent watching his back. 

If you enjoy mysteries, I would highly recommend the King and Maxwell series.  I absolutely love these characters and can't wait to see what is in store for them in Simple Genius, the next installment in this series.

Jacque's Review:

Awaken is set about 50 years into the future.  From the way technology is moving at the speed of light and people are embracing it without thought or question, I do not feel that Katie's predictions are unrealistic.

I found this book to be very thought provoking.  How many times have you been out with friends or family and spent more time with your head in your phone than interacting with the people you are with?  Are your virtual friends more important than your actual friends?  What do you REALLY know about your thousands of friends on twitter, blogs, and other social networking sites.  Is technology making face to face contact awkward and uncomfortable?  Is it time that we take a step back and actually become "unplugged?"

This is exactly what Justin and his friends are trying to do.  They are helping people who want to live the way things were in the early 2000s, which is considered to be a crime.  Life doesn't have to be ALL about speed and convenience.  We need to take the time to enjoy food, friends, family, and daily activities.  We need to take a step away from the digital world and actually LIVE our lives.  Yes...we can tour a location on a digital screen, but we are not engaging all of our senses and we are missing out on the true experience.  These are just a few of the lessons that I took away from this book and could really relate to while reading it.

The other main character in this book is Madeline.  Her father is the founder of Digital School, but she is a strong supporter of Justin's cause.  While Justin is helping others to live freely, he is all about work and has closed himself off on a personal level.  Madeline is the one person that confronted him about how he needs to take time for himself.  There needs to be a balance in life.  For the first time in his life, Justin spends more than a day in one place.  He begins to develop a relationship with Madeline, but he is still learning how to become unplugged emotionally.

Madeline and Justin's relationship is still evolving and there is a considerable amount of work that still needs to be done if the world is truly going to become unplugged.  Fortunately for us, Katie has a sequel to this book, Middle Ground, which is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2012.  I have already added it to my to be read list and will be anxiously awaiting its release.  I absolutely loved the characters and can't wait to see what is in store for them in the sequel.

Flo's Review:

I remember, a long time ago -- probably when this book first came out -- thinking, "Oh, this sounds interesting." So I was happy that the BookNerds selected it as our December Book of the Month. Jacque read it first and was really excited about it, then Teri started it next and couldn't finish it, so I was definitely curious as to what I would think.

Unfortunately, I ended up taking Teri's road with this one. I did not finish it.

I definitely think the concept of Awaken is an interesting one. Like a lot of dystopian fiction, Maddie's world does not seem that unrealistic. I could easily see this happening by 2060. But the most important part of a book for me is my connection with the characters. And I didn't feel that with this protagonist. Maddie reminds me of Vi in Possession, and I have the same criticism for her as I did for Vi -- I like to see the journey that the main character takes from being totally pro-Their Society to being totally con-Their Society. When we start the story, Maddie has already rebelled in the past. She's already questioning. But she has resolved to put it behind her, when she meets Justin. And seemingly like a light switch, Justin is leading her back down the rebellious path again. It's a very thin, very hard line for YA books to cross when the lead character is a young girl and the one who starts her thinking differently is the Hottie Boy. It has to come across that the girl is making the decision on her own, coming to terms with her changing view by herself, and not just blindly following the boy. To me, it read like Justin swooped in and suddenly, hey, maybe Mom's not too crazy! I don't know...maybe I need there to be some other outside factors besides just the Boy for me to buy such a big change of heart? Maybe it would have been easier for me if I felt the boy was that amazing (and for whatever reason, I didn't connect with Justin)?

All that being said, the truth is I didn't finish it. Maybe the pieces I saw of Maddie and of Justin, of the whole story, are just that -- pieces.  And I'd need to see more to fully understand. I did read a review (and Jacque just said it, above) that talked about Maddie unplugging physically and Justin unplugging emotionally and how they help each other and are, thus, a perfect fit. I like that :) And, I know I said this before, but I really do like the realness potential of this one. It makes you think -- could we really be headed that way? How would you be in that world?

Maybe we should start fighting to stay unplugged now.

~Flo~
Mary's Review

Ok.  I will be the first BookNerd to admit that I am technology addict.  I do not think I could live without my Facebook or Twitter!! Plus, all of us BookNerds met on Twitter!! However, when I read this book my mind was actually opened to "the old ways".  Well, I am not that old BUT I do remember days before the Internet took over.  Don't get me wrong, I love those days and I would never change my childhood; however I do not know what I would do with technology today.  Back to my point, when I finished this book (and before I tweeted it) I actually looked at my computer differently.  The stuff that Justin was telling Maddie really got me thinking because I am (sort-of) the same way.  I socialize on the Internet, I have gone to school on the computer, I keep up with the latest news/activities on the computer and I do almost all my shopping on the Internet.  Could I survive if something happen to the Internet?  Sure I could but, I think it would be hard. 

When I read Maddie I saw a lot of her in me.  I could see her being sucked into the world of technology and not being able to come out.  That is one reason why I look at my computer differently.  Then there was Justin (sigh)! He was there to "guide" Maddie to seeing the world without being "plugged into it".  Maddie's mother had planted some ideas in her head already.  The journal was my favorite thing because Maddie looked at it as an artifact, but it was something that became so important to Maddie.  I loved that Justin protected Maddie so much.  My most favorite part of the whole book was when they were on the beach watching the sunset. Something so simple as a sunset was a life changing experience for Maddie!  It was hard for me to see Maddie go against her father so much because I saw how much it hurt her.  Though, in the end, Maddie really sees the world as it should be "unplugged". 

I loved this book and I cannot wait to see what the next book bring with Justin and Maddie!!

I could not finish this book. And not because it was so bad. I could not finish it because it was so good.

"The Surgeon" is the nickname given to a serial killer who brutally murders women and takes out their ovaries. This is the first book in the Rizzoli & Isles series, which eventually led to a TV show. Isles does not appear in this book (I believe). Rizzoli is part of a team trying to track down the Surgeon.

Gerritsen either has some medical schooling in her past or she did an amazing job with her research. One of the main character, Dr. Catherine Cordell, is a surgeon, and there are numerous very descriptive trauma scenes in the book. This is the first positive for the book and negative for Flo. The only medical drama I watched regularly was ER. Any intense operating room scene makes me squeamish, even if I know it's fake. This book was very descriptive. Gerritsen talked over and over about the large amounts of blood oozing out of patients and victims. In fact, the cover of the book I have shows a woman colored red. I don't think this is a coincidence.

The killings are also very graphic. I won't make you all queasy with all the details, but let's just say that the Surgeon is aptly nicknamed. Worst of all, he leaves his victims alive for most of his "operation."

Add all that to the victim pool -- young professional women like myself -- and it was just too much to take. Gerritsen hits too close to home.

If you like medical dramas and mysteries, I would recommend this book to you. But if you're not really into both of those...maybe pass -- and save your stomach.

~Flo~

This is when you know you're a BookNerd. Whenever I fly (which is quite a bit) I always take my Nook or Kindle of with me -- duh. In addition, I take an extra book for those 20 minutes at the beginning and end of the flight where your electronic devices must be powered off. Yep. It's that deep. So, I was flying back from New York City on New Year's Day, and I had packed Dash & Lily's Book of Dares as my extra book because it takes place in NYC during the holidays and that is essentially what I was doing. This book had been on my TBR for awhile.

"Mackenzie Wellesley has spent her life avoiding the spotlight. At Smith High, she's the awkward junior people only notice when they need help with homework. Until she sends a burly football player flying with her massive backpack and makes a disastrous - not to mention unwelcome - attempt at CPR. Before the day is out, the whole fiasco explodes on YouTube. And then the strangest thing happens. Suddenly, Mackenzie is an Internet sensation, with four million hits and counting. Sucked into a whirlwind of rock stars, paparazzi, and free designer clothes, she even catches the eye of the most popular guy at school. And that's when life gets really interesting... "(from Goodreads)

I was lucky enough to win this ARC from the publisher on Twitter. It arrived at my apartment during the holiday break and I set it on my coffee table. One day, in the height of my laziness (hey, what is break for?!), I was lying on my couch and grabbed it to read simply because I didn't want to get off the couch to find my Kindle. I loved it! Now you tell me laziness doesn't pay off?!? ;-p (Kidding, y'all.)

Awkward was just very refreshing. I flew through it in the span of about one day. Marni Bates has great chapter transitions, always along the lines of, "And then it got worse." And you're thinking, "How does it get WORSE?!?!" And you keep on reading. I loved Mackenzie's best friends Jane and Corey, who stood by their friend no matter what. I loved her little brother who is in middle school, yet is still not as socially awkward as Mackenzie. I enjoyed ReadySet and the twist with the lead singer and HIS crush. (I soo support that couple!) And I loved loved loved Logan, the cool kid who could have the most popular girl in school as his girlfriend, but is instead crushing on his very unaware history tutor. He may make my list of fictional boyfriends.

Awkward was a cute, fun and easy read. Any book that can hold my complete and absolute attention and make me not want to put it down until it's some crazy time in the A.M. and I've actually finished it rates high on my list.

Jane, Mackenzie's friend, pretty much faded out of the story in the middle. I am interested to learn more about her in Invisible, which will be her story and comes out next year.

~Flo~

Jacque's Review:

I selected this as our book to movie because I wanted to see what Daniel Radcliffe would be starring in for his first film after Harry Potter.  I knew nothing about the book besides the fact that it was a ghost story.  When I went to see Breaking Dawn, The Woman in Black was one of the previews.  It looked REALLY scary and I was beginning to wonder what I had gotten myself into.

The book starts out with a family getting ready to celebrate Christmas.  As part of their tradition, all of the children gather around the fire and tell ghost stories on Christmas Eve.  The children try to convince their father to tell a story, but he is overcome by the situation and steps out of the house for a while to regain his composure.  While outside he resolves to put down in writing what he cannot put into words, the real life ghost story he experienced while in his early 20s and working as an attorney.  At this point I was excited about where this could be leading, but ultimately it did not live up to my expectations.

The first 100 pages were very slow for me.  First we learn that Mrs. Drablow has passed away and that Arthur will have to go to Eel Marsh House to settle her estate.  Whenever he mentions the owner or the house to people around town, nobody will discuss it with him.  Arthur becomes increasingly agitated by the apparent lack of respect for the deceased.  When he attends the funeral, he is one of only 3 people in attendance.  When he refers to The Woman in Black that he saw at the grave site to others, they become very distressed.  There was a lot of setup such as this before the ghost story truly began.  The last 40 pages were a bit more exciting as we experience the hauntings of Eel Marsh House, but I never once had the feelings the movie trailer conjured up.  Clearly Hollywood is taking some liberties with this one, and for Radcliffe's sake I sure hope they do.

Here is a copy of the movie trailer. 

It's no secret among my friends that I am the big Travel Girl. I have been to several states and several countries and have no intention of stopping anytime soon. In fact, I even have a travel blog -- On Wanderlust. I have been really bad with updating it, but I bring it up for this reason. I have always loved the word wanderlust. I feel it describes me so well, and it has this dark, mysterious sound to it as it's coming off of your tongue: wanderlust.

So, along comes Kirsten Hubbard and IMPROVES upon one of my favorite words. Believe it or not, I did not even make the connection to wanderlust and Wanderlove when I first saw the book. I just wanted to read it because I read that Kirsten Hubbard is a young adult author and a travel writer. This basically makes her my hero.

Wanderlove is the story of Bria, a recent high school graduate who has just broken up with her longtime boyfriend Toby. She plans to take an overseas with her two girlfriends, but they tell her they don't think she's ready and back out. But Bria decides to go anyway. She heads to Central America with a travel group, but ends up abandoning them in favor of traveling with two backpackers, Starling and Rowan.

As any good travel writing piece, Wanderlove makes you want to drop your life and run off to Central America. Hubbard is so great with the details of the destinations. She does not just tell you about them -- all five senses are awakened as you see, smell, touch, taste and hear them. Bria (and Kirsten) are artists, so there are some great sketches throughout the book.

Rowan and Bria are both broken characters. They both start traveling to run away from the pain in their pasts and both discover that they learn about themselves through the people and experiences they meet along the way. At points this book felt like it was trying too hard to be deep and meaningful. The insights and life lessons were sometimes too much: too long-winded and too over-stated. But I did like seeing the changes that Bria and Rowan brought about in each other.

Finally, I have not forgotten Wanderlove! Here is how it's described, courtesy of Starling:

"Wanderlust is like itchy feet. It's when you can't settle down. But Wanderlove is much deeper than that. It's a compulsion. It's the difference between lust and love."

So, am I in wanderlust or Wanderlove?! Personally, I think I have been in both before and will be in both again. In the meantime, I hope there are books like Wanderlove to keep my spirit traveling between trips.

~Flo~

Wanderlove will be released March 13, 2012. Thank you to Netgalley for provided me with an Advanced Readers Copy.

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness. Elisa is the chosen one. But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will. Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess. And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake. Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young. Most of the chosen do. (from Goodreads)

I had heard a lot of hype about this book before it came out. I meant to read it then and never got around to it -- so I was sure to request it from the library as soon as it became available. Rae Carson did not let me down. This story was rich with detail and surprises.

Elisa was the shining jewel of this book for me. I loved her character. She was real, unapologetic, brave, questioning, and loyal. She was certainly not your typical princess -- both physically and in character -- and that really made her character strong.

Another great thing about this book was that it was realistic. Here I go with a Hunger Games comparison again, but I know that Mockingjay, the final book in that trilogy, sometimes gets some flack because major characters die. Mockingjay was my favorite book in the trilogy because it portrayed war so honestly, and I feel the exact same way about this book. This was also a story about a war, and like Katniss, Elisa was focused on the war and not on her potential suitors. In fact, this story was so realistic, that when some of the major characters died off, I kept waiting for the "Just kidding!" reveal. Like they weren't really dead. But you know what? They were. War is horrific like that. It takes people away and doesn't look back. You just have to keep moving foward, and Elisa did.

All that being said, this book did have lovely romantic elements. I really enjoyed Humberto. He knew his place -- but he also knew his heart. As for Alejandro...I'm on the fence about that guy. But I think that's testament to Rae's great character building. I don't think he is the kind of guy someone can fully love or fully hate.

The sequel, Crown of Embers, doesn't come out until next October! Hopefully, it will be on Netgalley again, so I don't have wait so long for it!

~Flo~

Jacque's Review:

Sean King was a secret service agent protecting a presidential candidate on the the campaign trail.  He had a lapse in concentration that resulted in the death of his protectee.  It is now eight years later and he has reestablished himself as an attorney in a small town in Virginia.  He is living a very quiet and comfortable life when he hears that another presidential candidate was kidnapped while under the watch of the secret service.  Michelle Maxwell was the lead agent assigned to the candidate, John Bruno, at the time of the kidnapping.

Shortly after the kidnapping, Sean discovers one of his employees murdered inside his law office.  The story makes the headline news and Michelle immediately recognizes Sean as the disgraced agent she learned about during her secret service training.  She feels a connection to him due to their similar circumstances and begins looking into the events surrounding the death of Clyde Ritter, the candidate Sean was protecting on that fateful day. 

She eventually contacts Sean and they begin investigating the events pertaining to his murdered employee, Clyde Ritter, and John Bruno.  The closer they get to uncovering the truth the worse the personal ramifications become.  Before long I was constantly worried that something terrible was going to happen to both Sean and Michelle.  The only thing that gave me any sense of reassurance is the fact that I know there are four other books in the series.  They must make it out of this alive if there are additional books, right?

The details of the mystery were constantly evolving and were very convoluted.  I felt that Baldacci did a remarkable job of weaving all of the clues together throughout the story, which kept me constantly wanting to see what would happen next.  The ending was like nothing I had ever read.  I will compare it to the grand finale of a fireworks show.  I don't want to give it away, so I will just leave it at that.

I really enjoyed the characters King and Maxwell.  They are both brilliant detectives and complemented each other perfectly.  I can't wait to see how things unfold in the rest of the series.  Hopefully they can keep themselves a little further from the action in the future.  I also hope their relationship evolves more throughout the series.  Baldacci planted the seed that they are attracted to each other, but the circumstances in this book did not leave any room for a personal relationship.  There is over a decade between their ages and they have very different personalities...King is a neat freak and Maxwell is a slob.  How will this play out as they work together in the future and perhaps on a more personal level?  I can't wait to find out.

Jacque's Review:

Hereafter is a story about an 18 year old girl named Amelia, who has been wondering the earth for an undetermined amount of time as an unclaimed spirit...ghost.  She doesn't remember anything about life prior to her death, but she has recurring nightmares about drowning and eventually wakes up each time in a graveyard.

All of this changes the night she meets Joshua.  Due to his family history and a life changing event he is able to see and interact with Amelia.  Together they are able to unravel the mystery behind the numerous events that have taken place on High Bridge over the years.  (This is the site of Amelia's nightmares).  He is also able to help her recall who she was in real life. 

The love story between Joshua and Amelia is very touching, but there always has to be some element of conflict to keep the pages turning.  That is where Eli comes in.  He is another ghost who attempts to convince Amelia to join him in the after world.  He was a very creepy character, but there were some sincere moments when he shared some of his history and helped Amelia discover her abilities as a ghost. 

I found this to be a very fast and enjoyable read.  I was so excited about the story that I convinced Teri to read it because I wanted someone to discuss it with.  I was baffled by the fact that she wasn't as enthralled with it as I was.  Perhaps I am just a sucker for a good love story.  If you are as well, you will not be disappointed.  I have read about numerous paranormal relationships, but I can't recall any of them involving an intangible being.  This added a unique element that I would have thought was insurmountable, but Tara makes the relationship very believable. 

This is the first book of a trilogy.  The second book, Arise, is scheduled to be released in July of 2012.  I am anxious to see how things will unfold for Amelia and Joshua now that they understand the past and can focus on living in the present.

Teri's Review:
I am kind of in the middle on this book. I didn't dislike it but I didn't love it either. So let me tell you my "bad "points first. Get them over with and move on to the good. I think I was expecting more of a mystery ( this coming from the one booknerd who doesn't read mysteries) I felt the book centered more on the love story between Amelia and Joshua, and maybe it was suppose to and I missed the point. I'm in the gray area there!. I did indeed find out the details surrounding Amelia's death, but it wasn't until late in the books and as I read I would forget I was suppose to be wanting to solve this mystery. There were also times as I read that I would totally forget that Amelia was a ghost and I felt I was just reading a regular love story between the two. OK with that being said lets move on to the good...... 

I liked the characters in this book. Amelia was not whiny and that says a lot to me. She was determined not to be a bad ghost and fought hard for Joshua. Joshua was sweet and I felt his love for Amelia throughout the book ( tho I still have a problem with how easily the character accepted that she was a ghost.."Oh your a ghost? No biggie..) I even had a few laughs as I imagined how he must look to passerby's as he carried on with Amelia considering no one else could see her. BUT Tara Hudson did a good job of making him do actions to advert this, such as opening the car door for her and acting like he was digging for something in the floorboard as she slipped out. Eli...OK...I will admit it I liked Eli. Oh, not in the swoony like way of Joshua, but lets face it he added some creepiness to this book and I kinda felt sorry for him. I know his job was to bring souls over, but bless him I think he was truly lonely and wanted Amelia as company. OK yes..I did like the book more than I disliked it..I just wish all the action hadn't waited until the last 100 pages of the book!

Mary's Review

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. (from Goodreads)

Flo's Review: Stephanie Perkins strength lies in writing imperfections. She writes these teenage boys who are...teenage boys. They make mistakes. They are quirky. They can be immature. But these faults make them real -- so real. And the quirkiness makes them loveable. You all know that Etienne St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss is my second fictional crush, behind only Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games. He is beautiful and flawed.

Lola and the Boy Next Door introduces us to Cricket Graham Bell -- yes, a direct descendant of Alexander Graham Bell. Cricket wears multicolored bracelets and tight dress pants short enough so you can see his socks. He writes different things on his hand everyday. He has flyaway hair. He has messed up. He is a good brother. He is a good guy. And, here's a Flo Fact, he is AMAZING!!! (Why yes, he has found his way on my fictional crushes list. How'd you guess?!)

Lola herself is a great character to experience the story through. She has this crazy way of dressing and talking to the moon and other things that seem wacky, but are perfectly rational and explainable to Lola. 

My second favorite part of this book (behind Cricket -- have I gushed enough about him yet?!) are Anna and St. Clair. I knew that Lola was a companion book to Anna, and so they would be making an appearance. But I still may have squeed out loud the first time I recognized them in the book. And I didn't realize just how big a role they would have in Lola's story. LOVE!!

The only reason Lola got 4 stars from me and Anna got 5 is because I loved Paris. Lola's San Francisco is bright and fun, but it can't hold a candle to falling in love in the City of Love.


Teri's Review
I will make a confession...Stephanie Perkins has done the impossible...she has me falling in love with a contempory boy..not once but twice now, she is really ruining my reputation as a lover of bad boys! Yes, I am talking about Cricket Graham Bell..he is the most dreamy of boys with his overly tall self, his messy dark hair, his skinny pants, his arm full of braclets and  *sighs* that special star he keeps drawn on the back of his hand!

I started reading Lola and the Boy Next Door because I loved Anna and the French Kiss..I mean..I LOVED that book. Lola and the Boy Next Door started out a bit slow for me. Maybe its the time of the year, being in retail Im super busy right now, but I got the surprise of my life when I turned one page and there was St.Clair ( I knew this was a companion book, but I never really thought about him and Anna being in the book). From that moment on I was hooked! The characters in Lola are all fantastic..Lola herself was fun with her wacky way of dress ( I wouldn't dress like that but I admire that she does so) Her parents, I loved the fact that Stephanie Perkins gave her two dads and made them both loving and protective of her. Hey, I even liked Max ( Sexy bad boy with guitar thing, you know ) up until a certain point when he was standing in a door talking to Lola, then I just wanted to hit him in the face! ( little Teri fact: My very favorite song ever and ever is Lola by the Kinks, it was hard not to love Max when he belted out a line to this ) 

As you can probably tell, I loved this book. I didn't mind that it didn't take place in a romantic place such as  Paris, it could have taken place in my boring nondescript Midwestern neighborhood and I would have still loved it. Like Flo, I gave it a 4 star rating..mostly because for me..it took too many pages for Anna and St Clair to show up!

In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed. Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime. (From Goodreads)

This has been on my TBR list ever since I knew it existed. The summary made it sound like a unique, engaging story, and I was not disappointed. As I simply stated in my Goodreads review, this book is Dystopian Done Right. You all know that I am a sucker for some swoon-worthy guys, and Max definitely fits the bill! (Not at first....but once you learn more about him and his story, he grows on you.) 

Derting created some great characters. Charlie's two best friends Aron and Brooklynn ended up playing roles in the story that will surprised me. Angelina, Charlie's silent little sister, stole my heart. The relationship between Charlie and Angelina reminded me of the relationship between Katniss and Prim in The Hunger Games. And Charlie herself is strong and faithful to what's right. 

I pretty much flew through this book -- Ludania is an interesting world to learn about, and the action kept me engaged and wanting to see exactly how it would all play out in the end. I didn't like the little cliffhanger at the end, but it makes sense to the story and is an interesting set up for the next book in the series. I will admit that I haven't read The Body Finder or Desires of the Dead, but after reading The Pledge, I am adding them to my TBR list.

~Flo~

Flo's Review: Let's take everything that makes logical sense and completely destroy it, ok?? A place called the Goodgrounds is actually an oppressive society that Vi, our protagonist, hates. The place called the Badlands is actually a place where people get to think for themselves -- is that bad? Well, it's not Freedom, the city where people are controlled and learn how to control others. See what I mean?! I love that Elana Johnson took it to the very, very basic concepts of Good and Bad, and completely demolished them. But something about this book was just a little off for me. Part of the reason, I think, is because when we start the story, Vi already hates her dystopian society and is rebelling. We don't get to journey with her as she goes from the process of going along with it because it's how she's raised and all she's known, starts to discover the kinks in the system and starts to question it, and then eventually starts to fight it. We do learn why, but it is after the fact. We don't uncover the glamour of the Good with her. I really would have liked to do that, and I think that would have given me more of an acclimation to the society as opposed to jumping right into it. On a final note, I love the concept of Chokers. From here on out, I am no longer looking for my soulmate or my Romeo or my Match -- I'm looking for my Choker!

Jacque's Review:

The Brass Verdict is the second installment in the The Lincoln Lawyer series.  When we left Mickey Haller at the end of The Lincoln Lawyer he was recovering form a gun shot wound to the abdomen.  We learn at the beginning of this book that Haller took over a year off work to recover from his injuries and a resulting addiction to pain killers.  He spent some time in rehab and has gotten his life back in order.  He is planning a slow return to work when he is called into the office of the Chief Judge.  Judge Holder tells him that his friend and colleague Jerry Vincent was murdered and that he was named in his will as the beneficiary of all of his cases.  So much for his plans for a slow comeback.  He now has over 30 active cases, one of which is a high profile murder case that is being billed as the case of the decade.

The detective that is investigating the murder of Mr. Vincent is none other than Harry Bosch, the lead character in another series written by Michael Connelly.  Bosch and Haller work together to help solve Vincent's murder and eventually come to the realization that there is another link between them in addition to this case.

Haller tells us multiple times that everyone lies.  "The cops lie, lawyers lie, witnesses lie, and the victims lie.  A trial is a contest of lies and everybody knows this."  He believes his high profile client Walter Elliot isn't telling him the whole story.  Once Haller thinks he has it all figured out something else develops that completely changes his opinion of his client and the case.  I never would have guessed how the ending played out. 

I really enjoy Connelly's style of writing and the characters he has developed.  I am constantly amazed by Mickey's brilliant and cunning legal skills and I can't wait to see what is in store for him both personally and professionally in The Reversal, which is the next book in the series.  I think we will also have to include a Harry Bosch book in one of our future Sunday Mystery Corners to further explore his character. (Hint Hint.)

Flo's Review:

Michael Connelly wants to kill me, y'all. Granted, I don't read a lot of legal thrillers (or any kind of thrillers for that matter), but I truly think Connelly is a Master of Suspense. I think the majority of my Goodreads status updates were, "I'm so scared for Mickey!!" Michael Haller (Mickey) is a character I came to love in The Lincoln Lawyer and that love grew in The Brass Verdict. Haller is clever, knowledgeable and compassionate. Lorna, Mickey's case manager, is always one step ahead and compliments Mickey's working style perfectly. Walter Elliott is the defendant in the big case that Mickey acquires, and he is an interesting character as well. The relationship and dynamics of his relationship with Mickey are ever-evolving as two men who both like to be in charge and have to figure out how to work with each other. I love putting the pieces of the mystery together with Mickey, who again, is brilliant. Finally, I guess I should comment on Bosch...I didn't really like him. He came off to me as too demanding the whole time without giving anything up on his end. Mickey does that too, yes, but he always explains why and is not short and snippy about it. Perhaps I will grow to like him more in The Reversal, the next book in The Lincoln Lawyer series? At any rate, The Brass Verdict is a wonderful second book in the Mickey Haller saga, and I look forward to more.

Jacque's Review:

I have to admit, I selected this as our October book to movie for one reason...Rob Pattinson.  I began reading with the expectation that this was going to be like one of the numerous books I was forced to read in high school, but I was pleasantly surprised.  It was a very easy ready and I enjoyed it thoroughly. 

Georges Duroy moved to Paris upon completion of his military service in order to "improve his position in life".  He is working at a railroad office making not nearly enough money to survive.  He is starving and living in poverty when he runs into an old friend on the street, Mr. Forestier.  Mr. Forestier is the editor of the La Vie Francaise newspaper.  He invites Georges to his home for dinner and gives him money to buy a nice suit for the occasion.  Mr. Forestier also invited the newspaper's owner and several writers, with hopes that they will give Georges a position on their staff.  Georges makes an excellent impression on everyone in attendance...especially the ladies.  This is where the "history of a scoundrel" truly begins.

Mr. Forestier's wife Madeleine assists Georges in writing his first article, which secures him an entry level position.  While his salary increases, his financial position does not.  He uses his additional income to bribe police officers and other insiders for information to use in his articles.  His standing as a writer improves greatly, but he decides that he will need to use other methods to advance socially.  He realizes that he has a way with the ladies and begins using his looks and charm to his advantage.  He seeks out a series of wealthy married women and establishes relationships with them based upon their ability to help him achieve his goals.  Even after amounting his own financial wealth, he is never satisfied with his position.  He is always jealous of those with more and is continuously strategizing his next move. 

I do not want to give away EVERYTHING, but this gives you a pretty good idea of the events that unfold in this book.  I am anxiously awaiting the release of this movie and can't believe that we still do not have an official release date.  I can't think of a better person than Rob to play Bel Ami...which is translated as "Beautiful Friend" in the book. 

Here is a link to the movie trailer.

"In The Lost Hero, three demigods named Jason, Piper, and Leo made their first visit to Camp Half-Blood, where they inherited a blood-chilling quest:

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death



I love Percy Jackson. Can I marry him? I know he is only 16 years old and also a fictional son of an Olympian god, but that kind of stuff has never stopped me from having crushes before.

I loved The Lost Hero, the first book in Rick Riordan's new series about demigods -- children with one mortal parent and one Olympian godly parent. I anxiously awaited the second book in The Heros of Olympus series, and it did not disappoint! While one of the great things about The Lost Hero was seeing Camp Half Blood through other eyes besides Percy's, one of the strengths of The Son of Neptune was seeing a whole different camp.

We are introduced to two more demigods who are part of the Prophecy of Seven -- Hazel and Frank. Just like Piper, Leo and Jason in the first book, I learned to love these new two characters for their strengths as well as their vulnerabilities. With them, we have the seven half-bloods of the prophecy: Hazel, Frank, Jason, Leo, Piper, Annabeth, and Percy Jackson.

Riordan does an amazing job of crafting his story. The action left me rushing through the pages and I continue to be in awe of how well all the littlest details end up connecting. I breezed through this book in a few short days and now have to wait in agony for the third book, The Mark of Athena, which will be released in Fall 2012.

If you haven't read the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series yet, do so -- because they are incredible. If you have, and you miss Percy and his adventures, then pick up this series because Rick Riordan continues to bring the goodness.

~Flo~