Rules are different outside the Society.Chasing down an uncertain future, Cassia makes her way to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky -- taken by the Society to his sure death -- only to find that he has escaped into the majestic, but treacherous, canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life and the enthralling promise of rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices everything to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again.
The Nutshell: Though I didn’t enjoy Crossed as much as Matched, I’ll still be finishing the series when the next one comes out. The duel narratives add a new dimension to the series and I found it quite enjoyable. Also, Team Xander. Just sayn’.
To Kill a Mockingbird and Night were our 10th grade requirements. TKaM was probably my favorite out of all my required readings, but I guess you could say I'm not really a classics gal. I've heard plenty of amazing things about Night, but I wasn't exactly a fan. I think that's simply a case of it not being my style of book though.
Fifteen-year-old Will Besting is sent by his doctor to Fort Eden, an institution meant to help patients suffering from crippling phobias. Once there, Will and six other teenagers take turns in mysterious fear chambers and confront their worst nightmares -- with the help of the group facilitator, Rainsford, an enigmatic guide. When the patients emerge from the chamber, they feel emboldened by the previous night's experiences. But each person soon discovers strange, unexplained aches and pains...What is really happening to the seven teens trapped in this dark Eden?
The Nutshell: Despite my complaints, Dark Eden is a solid read overall. The setting is perfectly creepy and there’s a good chance you can identify with one of the fears. Chances are you enjoy a good scary book that gets your heart racing every once in a while if you’re even considering reading Dark Eden and it most definitely achieves that. Though the writing felt a bit awkward at times, this is certainly worth the read (taking into account that last statement) and I really look forward to the rest of the series.
Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "the Duff," she throws her Coke in his face.
But things aren't so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.
Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.
The Nutshell: This really isn’t a very eloquent review, but in a way, I think that fits with The DUFF. Now, don’t take that the wrong way. This book isn’t bad, it’s simply…raw. Keplinger looks at a relationship and a person that most people would never write about. Honestly, Bianca’s not very likable, but that’s one of the reasons I ended up loving this book. If you’re up for a contemp that’s not so mushy-gushy, then this should definitely be your next read.
Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship -- or an early grave.
Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word...especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to her fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.
If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood -- not even from each other.
The Nutshell: I absolutely loved Born Wicked. If you’re afraid of historical fic, please don’t write this one off. The alternate history provides enough world-building that you won’t be bored (as I usually am). I’m really not sure what more I can say besides this is definitely worth the read. And Finn. You should definitely read it for Finn.
Yes, there was death and sadness in the other two, but this one takes the cake And I'm still not sure how I feel about the ending and who she ended up with.
Love can never die.Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid's arrow priece the hearts of the living and the dead -- or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?
The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria -- a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country's political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible -- until she's nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.
But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she's suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting "The Laz," a fatal virus that raises the dead -- and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble...and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there's no turning back.
Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.
The Nutshell: I’ve already gushed all over the place, so let’s try to keep it short. Dearly, Departed is a fantastic story which will likely surprise you. If you’re afraid of steampunk, dystopian, historical fiction, or zombies, I suggest giving this one a go anyway. It blends all these different genres together so well, you won’t even realize your reading something you’d normally turn your nose up at. (I’m not completely sure that sentence makes sense, but I think you still catch my drift.) In short, go read this book.
We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be forgotten.Charlotte's best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she's cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what's really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth who feels the Need -- a powerful, uncontrollable draw to someone, usually a stranger.
But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.
Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny -- no matter how dark the consequences?
The Nutshell: Suffice it to say you need to read this book. Like, yesterday. If you haven’t read it yet, now is actually the perfect time with the next one on its way. A Need So Beautiful has it all: hot, sweet boyfriend, sassy friend, strong yet realistic lead girl, and just a touch of paranormal that’s such a new concept it doesn’t even feel like paranormal. Don’t turn this one away if you think you only read this or that genre. This is an emotional and spectacular read worthy of your time (especially since it’s only 267 pages).
Using the skills you've learned so far in Introduction to Psychology, please write a brief self-assessment describing how things are going in your freshman year.Presenting Concerns:The Patient, Leigh Nolan (that would be me), has just started her first year at Stiles College. She has decided to major in psychology (even though her parents would rather she study Tarot cards, not Rorshach blots).
Patient has always been very good at helping her friends with their problems, but when it comes to solving her own...not so much.
Patient has a tendency to overanalyze things, particularly when the opposite sex is involved. Like why doesn't Andrew, her boyfriend of over a year, ever invite her to spend the night? Or why can't she commit to taking the next step in their relationship. And why does his roommate Nathan dislike her so much? More importantly, why did Nathan have a starring role in a much-more-than-friendly dream?
Aggravating factors include hyper-competitive fellow psych majors, a professor who's badly in need of her own psychoanalysis, and mentoring a middle-school-aged girl who things Patient is, in a word, naive.
Diagnosis:Psych Major Syndrome
The Nutshell: Overall, Psych Major Syndrome was an okay read. Leigh was much too blind to everything around her for me really connect. It might have been one thing had she been 14 rather than 18 and in college, but alas, this was not the case. The overall story wasn’t too bad, but Leigh was impossible for me to get past.
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| My bouquet was made out of suckers and filled with cotton candy. |
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| This was my flower girl and it's the only pic she not giving one of those crazy kid smiles. |
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| The dessert table with two chocolate fountains and plenty of dunking things. |
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| Husband and I in the library. |
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| Husband and I walking in the (freezing) December air. |
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| My bridesmaids and I. They all had different colored Converse. |
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| My cutie of a ring bearer. |
With no way into the house's magical paintings, and its three guard cats reluctant to help, Olive's friend Morton is still trapped inside Elsewhere. So when Rutherford, the new oddball kid next door, mentions a grimoire -- a spellbook -- Olive feels a breathless tug of excitement. If she can find the McMartins' spellbook, maybe she can help Morton escape Elsewhere for good. Unless, that is, the book finds Olive first.
The house isn't the only one keeping secrets anymore. Mystery, magic, corruption, and betrayal abound (plus just enough laughs to take the edge off).
