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Showing posts from June, 2014

The Cracks in the Kingdom

The Cracks in the Kingdom is a YA contemporary fantasy and the second novel in the Colors of Madeline books by Jaclyn Moriarty. These books are just too fantastic to muddle up by reading out of order! Definitely read A Corner of White first and only proceed with this review if you have already done so! Understood? At the conclusion of A Corner of White we found out that in the Kingdom of Cello dimwitted teenage Princess Ko might not actually be as dimwitted as she’s led everyone to believe – that instead she’s been pretending the rest of the royal family hadn’t disappeared without a trace a year ago and has been running the government all by herself, secretly, in the meantime. Outwardly running a Royal Youth Alliance as a cheerful publicity stunt, Princess Ko has roped Elliot into her scheme to find her family – and her strong belief that they were taken to the World. Though Elliot really just wants to look for his own missing father, he’s essentially forced to help Princ

Bad Luck Girl

Bad Luck Girl is the third novel in the YA historical fantasy American Fairy Trilogy by Sarah Zettel. To get the full impact of the story, and not spoil the fun, you’ll want to make sure and read the trilogy in order. The first book is Dust Girl and the second is Golden Girl – click on the titles to read my reviews. I trust only those who have read the first two books are continuing to read… Callie LeRoux, half human and half fairy, finally has her family together. Having rescued her mother and father, who she’s never met until now and who is a prince of the Unseelie court, from their enemies – things should be peaceful and happy now, right? Not at all. Now she, her family and her best friend Jack must run for their lives. The war between the Midnight Throne and the Sunlit Kingdoms is brewing and reaching an apex – and Callie, and the prophecy she embodies, is at the center of it. She is more pursued than ever – and all of those around her are in jeopardy. Despite t

All the Wrong Questions #2: When Did You See Her Last?

When Did You See Her Last? is the second middle-grade amusing mystery novel in Lemony Snicket’s All the Wrong Questions series. If you haven’t read Who Could That Be at This Hour? the second book may be confusing to you, as it does have follow-up and a continued storyline. So I’d recommend reading the books in order! Nearly thirteen years old and graduated from an enigmatic school, Lemony Snicket finds himself still in the nearly empty town of Stain’d-by-the-Sea and still apprenticed to the crazy-haired S. Theodora. When a request comes in to investigate the disappearance of a young, brilliant chemist named Cleo Knight who also happens to be the daughter of the wealthy family of Ink Inc. fortune, Lemony and S. Theodora are on the case. But sightings of Cleo taking off in a taxi and advising she was off to join the circus have come in, and S. Theodora calls it a closed case. Yet Lemony is most definitely not certain of that. After all, there is the issue of Cleo’s expensive

Secrets and Lies

Secrets and Lies is the second book in the YA thriller trilogy Truth or Dare by Jacqueline Green. As a page-turner trilogy, these books are full of twists – so you definitely need to read the first book, Truth or Dare , first. Please don’t spoil yourself by reading this review of the second book, Secrets and Lies , beforehand! Final warning… It’s been a month since the disastrous boat crash claimed two lives in an accidental drowning, adding to the list of teens who’ve died off the rocky coast of Echo Bay. Tenley, Sydney and Emerson know the truth, however. There was nothing accidental about those deaths. The twisted truth or dare game that had blackmailed the girls into doing unspeakable things seems to be over. It should be – since the perpetrator died with her murder victim. Yet it is starting again… Tenley, Sydney and Emerson are determined to not be caught up in the perverse game a second time but find that they can’t refuse. Their lives are in danger yet again

Beautiful Chaos

Beautiful Chaos is the third novel in the Caster Chronicles / Beautiful Creatures YA supernatural contemporary series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. You know that if you haven’t read the first two books, Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness , that this review will inevitably cause some spoilers for you – so DON’T READ THIS REVIEW . If, however, you HAVE read the first two books – proceed. Final warning… Now that Ethan, Lena, Ridley and Link are all returned to Gatlin and out of the Tunnels, things are different. Of course there’s the very big change of Link now being a quarter Incubus – and much more appealing to the ladies – if not the only one he truly wants. But there are a lot of other changes… Such as swarms of black locusts, extreme heat, terrible, localized storms and a sense of unease. A feeling that things just aren’t right. Many of the small population of Gatlin, with their mix of religion and superstition, are ready to call this time the End of D

Manor of Secrets

Manor of Secrets is a YA historical upstairs/downstairs drama by Katherine Longshore. Lady Charlotte Edmonds follows her cold mother’s directives, even though it’s getting harder and harder to do. Now that she is of marriageable age, Lady Charlotte’s mother is determined to get Lord Andrew, heir to an earldom, attached to her. Secretly, Lady Charlotte is far more interested in adventure, writing and the world she has yet to see – and has no interest in marrying a boring son of an earl. She’s far more interested in the very handsome footman Lawrence… Janie Seward spent her early years away from her mother with very little to eat. That’s why, when she and her mother were reunited at The Manor, the estate of the Edmonds, as chef and kitchen maid, she has found she has embraced The Manor as her home. She is constantly reminded, however, that The Manor is not her home – that she is only a servant, and a replaceable one at that. The thought of change frightens her… When Charlo

All the Wrong Questions #1: Who Could That Be at This Hour?

Who Could That Be at This Hour? is the first book in Lemony Snicket’s All the Wrong Questions series, a middle grade mystery humor story. Are you a fan of A Series of Unfortunate Events ? If your answer was no – what’s wrong with you?! Ah, just kidding! Though, seriously, I don’t understand that – but we’re all different. Anywho, I personally love A Series of Unfortunate Events and look forward to reading those ridiculous, ingenious books again and again when I have all the time in the world. If that ever happens. So, when I found out that “Lemony Snicket” was writing a new series about his mysterious younger years – well how could I not be ecstatic? Here we find newly graduated from an enigmatic, clearly out-of-the-ordinary type of school, thirteen-year-old Lemony becoming an apprentice to an agent involved in an organization that is also enigmatic. Hopeful that by picking the lowest-ranking agent on the list he’ll be able to pursue his own secretive designs in the

Alliance

Alliance is the second book in the Paladin Prophecy , a YA contemporary fantasy series, by Mark Frost. Just like always, if you haven’t read The Paladin Prophecy first this review will contain inadvertent spoilers. Be kind to yourself – read my review of the first book here! After a whirlwind devastation of fleeing his home, being pursued by mysterious men, losing his parents and escaping to an exclusive prep school called the Center, Will West’s adventures didn’t end there. Now that he and his roommates uncovered a dangerous secret society within the school called the Knights of Charlemagne they are now also more aware than ever that they are… different. Experimenting and testing their growing mental and physical powers, time has passed since the day they rescued Brooke and came face to face with fantasy made reality. Will thinks that needs to change. When a lead on the Center’s past, the Knights of Charlemagne’s influence on the past and possibly the future, he and his

Beautiful Darkness

Beautiful Darkness is the second book in the YA Southern supernatural Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. As I said when I reviewed Beautiful Creatures , I know I’m a bit late to the party on these books – but I’m sure I’m not the only one! Therefore, if you haven’t read the first book in the series, avoid this review of Beautiful Darkness like the plague!!! Spoilers are NOT your friend!!! I trust only those who have read Beautiful Creatures are still reading… Ethan Wate’s life in small Southern town Gatlin, South Carolina has always been quiet, never changing. With the arrival of beautiful, mysterious Lena Duchannes that was all turned upside down. He now knows there is a whole secret world that has been hidden in plain sight all this time. A world of magic, of Casters, of secrets. Gatlin is not nearly as boring as he thought. Right now, though, Ethan and Lena are still reeling from the tragedies of her birthday – the loss that is now haunt