Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Genre: Young Adult
On Sale: September 7, 2010

Synopsis: With her rare ability to breathe fire, Jacinda is special even among the draki -- the descendants of dragons who can shift between human and dragon forms. But when Jacinda's rebelliousness leads her family to flee into the human world, she struggles to adapt, even as her draki spirit fades. The one thing that revives it is Will, whose family hunts her kind. Jacinda can't resist getting closer to him, even though she knows she's risking not only her life but the draki's most closely guarded secret.

Review:
Plot: 5 stars

I don't think I've ever read a book about dragons and drakis before -- not to mention humans turning into them. This was such a pleasant surprise, as I thought it was perfectly executed. It was intriguing and it kept me interested and curious the entire time. I wanted to learn more, and read more. It's just an addicting and a fresh new take on a topic not often explored.

Characters: 3.5 stars
Jacinda is believable as somebody struggling to choose between two difficult and different options. While I do have to admit, she's not exactly a favorite character of mine, I still liked her. I truly felt for her, and empathized with her throughout her entire journey in this book. On the other hand, it was Will, who I truly adored. It's nice to read about a multifaceted male protagonist who doesn't fall into the usual "bad boy" stereotype we've been seeing lately. He is character just seems genuinely realistic and believable -- and not a character that is at all cliche.

Cover: 5 stars
Have you seen the cover?? I mean, that alone will make me pick this book up even if I had no idea what it was about! It's gorgeous! A bit creepy, yes.. but definitely eye catching.

Overall: 4.5 stars!
I highly recommend this to those who read and love the YA/Paranormal genre. It is entertaining, new, unique, well-written, and just plain fun to read. I am very much looking forward to reading the sequel for this one. I can't wait to find out more and see what happens next!

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Genre: Young Adult
Source: Gift
Synopsis: Alex Fuentes is a gang member from the South on the outskirts of Chicago. Brittany Ellis is a privileged and popular girl from the north, who seems to have it all. They are total opposites who will never get along. When they are forced to be lab partners in their chemistry class, "the results are bound to be explosive." With stereotypes, impressions, and misconceptions about each other comes a lot of expectations -- hate, pranks, arguments, among many others. But what happens is one that they least expected; they fall in love. Can they break through the boundaries and the walls that separate them both?

Review: This is West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet combined in a Young Adult novel. Bad boy and Miss Popular starts off hating each other's guts, and ends up falling in love. Sounds stereotypical? Overdone? Not one bit. Simone Elkeles takes a seemingly "overdone" premise, and adds a new and modern twist to it.

I'm going to have to confess, I'm a bit of a sucker for love stories, and when they're well-told, it makes me love them even more. The story of Alex Fuentes and Brittany Ellis is just what I was looking for. Yes, I loved Perfect Chemistry! In fact, I loved it so much I was able to read this in just one sitting.
While this is mainly about their romance, it doesn't entirely dominate the story. There are other important themes covered as well. However, the truth is, the best parts about this book are the romance itself and the two main characters. I love them! They were very realistic and believable, and I was able to empathize with them as if they were my own friends. It's one thing to read about characters, but it's another when you are able to actually care about them.

Sure, there were a few cliche lines here and there -- including the epilogue, even though I still liked it haha. I also don't know if I would be able to call this book "amazing" (define amazing anyway!?) but honestly? I don't really care. It was still good. At the end of the day, I was entertained. I cared about the characters and their story. Sometimes that's all you really want in a book. So as not to make this review any longer, I'm just going to say that I fell in love with Alex and Brittany. Period. If you love YA, I highly recommend this one. 5 stars, most definitely!

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Genre: Young Adult (I've been on such a YA kick lately!)
Source: Library
Synopsis: Mia and her family has just been in a terrible and fatal car accident. In an instant, she finds herself -- her physical self, at least -- at the hospital, as doctors and nurses struggle to keep her alive. While in a coma, she reminisces about the key events and stories in her life, as she tries to figure out what to do with herself. Soon, she realizes that what she ultimately has to do, is to choose and make the biggest decision in her life: Should she stay or should she go?

Review: If I Stay tells an original story through such a unique point-of-view. I don't think I've ever read a book like this before; plot-wise. And I have to say, this is one novel that deserves a 5-star rating. It is raw and honest, inspiring and sobering, heartbreaking and uplifting all at the same time.
First of all, I loved the main characters, and truly felt for them. I found that none of them fell into any of the character cliches that we all dislike so much. They were all believable and likable -- especially Mia herself, her best friend, Kim, and her boyfriend, Adam.
Aside from the characters, I also loved the overall flow of the story. I liked how it showed Mia's memories and her present life. I liked that the story took place in the course of just one night. It really gave emphasis on how heavy the events were as the hours went on.
I also kind of liked the fact that it was a very fast read, with just 196 pages. Like I already mentioned though, I think the flow helped a lot with the pace. I was never bored, and in fact, I literally could not put the book down. I know that's such a cliche thing to say, but it's definitely true for me.
Overall, I liked this book a lot. It is quite bittersweet, but I think that it just wouldn't have the same impact and feel to it, if it was done differently. That being said, this is one novel I'm glad I picked up, and one that I highly recommend.

Before I Fall

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Synopsis: Samantha Kingston is living the life. She is one of the most popular girls at her high school, has the hottest boyfriend, and the most amazing group of best friends. February 12 was supposed to be just another day. Instead, it became her last. She died the night of.
But then she wakes up the next day. She checks what date is, and there's no mistake; It is February 12. Again. At first she thought it was all a dream. But soon she realizes, she is given a second chance to relive her final day. In fact, she is given seven days to discover the truth behind her mysterious death -- and realize the true value of her life and everything in it.

Review: It is not often that books take the route of having a 'mean girl' as the protagonist, instead of the typical outsider from the outside looking in. For this YA debut novel from Lauren Oliver, I thought it worked perfectly.
Before I Fall is indeed a story about a girl who dies and gets a second chance. However, it truly is so much more than that.
Yes, the plot was original and the characters were real. The pace is fast and the flow of words are effortless, making this 500 page novel seem like 50 instead. Truth be told though, this book is not just about those anymore. For me, the main purpose of this book are the messages that it sends to its readers. They are simple really, but often times, the simplest things are the ones that are most important -- and ignored.
Before I Fall also proves that even the smallest of things -- good or bad -- can change everything and make the most difference. It can either be a small change in our everyday lifestyle or a simple act of kindness towards others.

The main character, Samantha Kingston, speaks for everyone of us, which I think makes her the perfect protagonist. She is perfectly flawed. After all, she is a mean girl. Snobbish, snotty, "bitchy," selfish, arrogant. What's there to like? But as we read on and get to know her more, we realize the harsh truth; sometimes, we act like her too. We can be mean, selfish, and arrogant, sometimes even without knowing it.
The best thing I got from this book though, is realizing that there is still time to change for the better, unlike Samantha, who simply ran out of it. What can we do? We can start with the simple things. Do or say something nice to someone today; a genuine compliment, a real apology -- anything. We have no idea how this might change someone's way of thinking, and how these little acts of kindness can truly heal.

This is why I give this book 5 stars. Like I said, the writing, pace, plot development, and character development are all perfect. But I think aside from those, the main reason why this novel is getting so much praise is because it has done something unique and special -- becomes more than just pages of writing. Before I Fall teaches us real life lessons, makes us ponder on what truly matters in life, and has the ability to possibly change something in us for the better. How could I not give it 5 stars??
I will not talk about the ending or anything specific that happens in the book, as I feel as if any information I say might spoil it, but I will say, this is one of those books I highly recommend.; original, haunting, inspiring, and thought-provoking. Hopefully, you'll not only be entertained by reading it, but find it meaningful long after you finish it -- because that's exactly what happened to me.

What I Saw And How I Lied

Synopsis: It is 1947, and fifteen-year-old Evie Spooner's life is slowly returning back to normal. Her stepfather, Joe, has just come back from the war. Joe decides that they all need a break; "a much-needed vacation." Just like that, Evie and her parents pack their bags and head on for the trip.

They travel down from New York to Florida, where almost instantly, they meet a young ex-GI named Peter Coleridge, who served with Joe in the war. It is not at all difficult to like this young man; charming, handsome, respectful, mysterious, and kind. Soon, Evie Spooner finds herself falling in love with him. But with this seemingly perfect situation, she also soon finds that things around her are just not what it seems.
What I Saw and How I Lied shows a coming-of-age story of a young girl, who suddenly finds herself stuck in a web of lies, betrayal, and deceit.

Review: First, let me already say that I liked this book. I thought the plot was very original, and the writing was very simple but beautiful. I didn't feel as if any of the characters or their situations were cliche and over-the-top. I liked that it was a fast read, and that in its entirety, was very mysterious.
Another strength that this young adult book has is its ambiguity. It's one of those, 'You think you know what's going on, but you have no idea' sort of thing, and I find that extremely intriguing. Add on to that the very innocent and charming character of Evie Spooner, who I liked and rooted for the entire time. Yes, she is indeed a very naive girl, but I think this added to her likability factor, as weird as this may sound. Maybe it's because we've all been naive before, in one way or another?

That being said, I have to say that overall, I enjoyed this book. It is not great, and is far from being a favorite of mine, but I liked it nonetheless. It is well-written, has a creative story, and has a main character that we can all somehow empathize with.
Do I recommend it? I do, actually -- but only to certain readers. If you don't usually read YA books, but would like to check some titles out, this might not be such a good pick for you. However, if you read YA books already to begin with, go ahead and try it out.

Go Ask Alice

Summary: Go Ask Alice is about a teenage girl, suffering from drug addiction. With her life spiraling down and out of control, she begins to write on her diary, where she tells her side of the story.

Review: First of all, this YA novel is entirely a work of pure fiction. It is however made to be believed as a true story, which to me, is sort of like false advertisement. I don't really mind, and this doesn't detract me from appreciating the story and its message, but I can see how maybe others would be bothered by this.
Second, I do believe this is one of those books that I think are important to discover while at a younger age. The message is simple; Drugs are bad. Do not use them.
However, I do not recommend this so much to anyone older. The literary merit is close to zero, and most of the information about drugs are based on stereotypes and generalizations. At times, also, the situations, events, and even the main character herself, seemed over the top and a bit contrived. Because of this, I found it a bit difficult to relate to the character, and the experiences she was going through. I believe that with character-driven stories like these, it's extremely important to have a powerful and memorable protagonist. Unfortunately, like I said, I did not feel that Alice was memorable enough.
Having said that, I would probably not be reading this again, or get a copy for myself. I hope though, that people will not get me wrong. I do not think this is a bad book at all. I do appreciate it for its raw and emotional story, and its motives to influence teens to stay away from bad habits, as I think this is crucial. But as I already mentioned, this is one that is meant more for younger readers and teens, than any other age group. I give it 3/5.

Catching Fire

Written with the same amount of intensity, excitement, and drive, this highly-anticipated sequel to The Hunger Games does not disappoint.

:Spoiler ONLY if you have NOT read the first book::

Synopsis: It picks right where it left off in the first book in this young adult trilogy. Katniss won the games, but so did Peeta. Now they are back in the city of Panem, and the government (fondly called the Capitol) is furious as to how both of them tricked them into letting two contestants win. This results in a plan of twisted vengeance that could change not only their lives, but the future of the whole city.

Review: This sequel has everything the first book has, so if you liked that one, you would like this too. Truthfully, a part of me actually thought this was better than its predecessor, which is a rarity when it comes to follow-ups.
In Catching Fire, we learn more about the main characters, as well as the Capitol, which I thought was really interesting and intriguing.

Overall, I think this was used mainly as a follow-up, adding in much needed information that the first book lacked, and as a perfect transition for its conclusion in the final book. A very good one at that. Fans will not be disappointed.

Note: Final book will be out on Aug2010.

The Hunger Games

Synopsis: The Hunger Games is a game. A televised reality show for everyone to watch and see. A game where the government picks randomized names of two children from each of the twelve districts in the city of Panem.
The rules of the game are simple: kill everyone else or be killed. Only one survives.

Review: Sometimes, the plot is only the beginning of a book. More often, it's the characters that hold up a story. With this young adult book, that's definitely the case.
Although done before, and the plot is not as original or unique, it's the main characters that truly kept me interested. They were very solid characters, likable, and believable. Because of that, it not only made me empathize and relate to them more, it also kept me hooked and interested.

Another big plus for me was the writing and the pace. It never lagged, was simple, and straight-forward; nothing overly complicated or exaggerated. I liked that, because it showed that an author doesn't have to use big, fancy words all the time to create a point. Sometimes, even the simplest of words would suffice, if delivered the right way. I feel like this is one of those books that is the epitome of that idea.

Also, I was really into the book the entire time I was reading it, and literally couldn't put it down. I know, it's a cliche to say that, but that is truly the case with this one. Even when I finished the book, I couldn't wait to check out the sequel. Unfortunately, (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), this is a popular trilogy so the library did not have it. I was also far too impatient to reserve it, because the number of holds were crazy! So I gave in and bought a copy of it instead. And I really do think it's worth buying. So yes, I do recommend this book. It's a young adult, fantasy/sci-fi/horror-ish novel, and though I usually tend to stay away from that genre, this one made me actually want to read others in that category.

Again, like I said, I do recommend it. So read it, especially if you're in the mood for a really good, intriguing, interesting, well-written young adult book with a really disturbing storyline.

Lessons from a Dead Girl

If I had to make a list of books that I would highly recommend to anybody, regardless of the age, this would be one of those. And if I had to make another list of books that made an impact that stayed long after I read them, this would most definitely be part of that.

Synopsis: Leah and Laney were best friends since childhood. During the younger years of their friendship, Leah would sexually abuse Lainey to "practice." As they both get older, Lainey starts to wonder more about Leah's real intentions. Feeling betrayed and hurt by her actions in the past, Lainey pulls away from their relationship, which causes Leah to become self-destructive.
Now, Leah Greene is dead. Will Lainey ever find the will to find Leah's reasons and understand them? And along the way, will she ever find a way to forgive her and to forgive, ultimately, herself?

Review: This is a young adult book, but like I said, I highly recommend this to anyone, no matter how old you are.

This story really made me reflect a lot after almost every chapter that I finish. It's not that often that I do that. But this one really made that kind of impact. The theme of abuse comes up often in a lot of novels, but it's rare that the people involved are 1) in the same gender and 2) are even close friends. This was a different nature of friendship and children, showing the destructive side of it.
I can't dwell on it more and talk about how much I liked the book, I just think you should read it. It is not only a page-turner and a fast read, it also deals with a very important issue, often overlooked by many.
Written with clarity and compassion, this is a heart breaking story of betrayal, forgiveness, and growth between friends; neither of them protagonists nor antagonists. Because at the end of the day, we all are somewhat of both after all.

Getting the Girl

Summary: Getting the Girl centers around the life of Cameron Wolfe and his desire to get a girl. Not just any girl, but “the” girl.

Review: Reading that summary, it might seem like this novel is just a shallow story about a boy wanting a girl, for his sake. But that’s not at all what this book is. It is about getting the girl, but not at all in any malicious way. Narrated by Cameron Wolfe himself, he talks about his coming of age story, when he doesn’t only grow up to be the person he wants to be, but to be someone he never knew he could be.

I have to note that because Marcus Zusak is the author, it is somehow already expected that it will have good writing. And it does, the same way his other book, The Book Thief, has. This also has the same poetic style, with just the perfect balance of everything. At times it was funny and heartbreaking. But in the end, though unclear or ambiguous, was truly inspiring.

I recommend this, mostly to young adults. But really, anyone who appreciates a good, simple story with great writing should pick this one up and try it out.

Thirteen Reasons Why

Synopsis: Clay Jensen recieves a package on his front porch. But the odd thing was that there was no return address. Curious, he opens the box and found himself looking at a collection of casette tapes, each marked with different titles. Excited, he rushed to listen to the tapes. What he hears is the story of the girl named Hannah Baker–a girl he has had a crush on for as long as he can remember. Hannah Baker, the girl who committed suicide, telling her side of the story, of thirteen reasons why she did what she did.

Review: I don’t want to get ahead of myself here, but I’ll go straight to the point with this one. I loved this book, and I definitely recommend it. Though technically a young adult book, I have to say that I think any reader of any age would appreciate this story. It was honest, thought-provoking, and just simply engrossing.

I honestly don’t think that I can write a review and do it justice, as I will sound like a broken record, telling you to grab the book and read it as soon as you can.

If you’re like me, you sometimes get attached to the characters and their stories if the story is really good, and I know I may sound like a total cliche when I say this, but I just did not want to put the book down. In truth, it was because I was just drawn to it, but it was also because I did not want it to end.

I won’t write a long review for this one, but I must emphasize that this is a MUST READ, no matter how old you are.

The Subtle Knife

The Subtle Knife is the second installment in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. While the first one, The Golden Compass, was set in a world parallel to ours, this sequel brings a new protagonist to the story set in our own world. A young boy, Will Perry, who is Lyra Belacqua’s age joins this incredible story. Somewhat similar to The Lord of the Rings solely because the entire series is a journey to uncovering the mysteries, secrets, and the truth, the sequel definitely does not disappoint.

Philip Pullman’s talent shines in this sequel, as he captivates me with his prose and pace. This book (including The Golden Compass) shows memorable characters, exciting plot developments, and unexpected twists and turns.

Conceptually brilliant, I think this will not only get praise from young adults but will captivate adults as well. I could not wait to read the last book in the trilogy, which I will write a review on too, for sure.

The Sweet Far Thing

::SPOILERS AHEAD!!::

I love the first two books and was eagerly awaiting to get my hands on this one and finish it. I finally did.

This is the last installment of the Gemma Doyle trilogy, and I have to say that despite the obvious writing talent the author has, this book disappointed me more than anything else.

I thought that this was such a bad ending! It frustrated me how anti-climactic and irrelevant everything was, not to mention dragging with its 800 pages.

First of all, the characters never seem to grow up. They’re still the same immature and greedy teenagers that they were in the first book. I expected at least some kind of growth or maturity there somewhere, but found nothing. Felicity and Ann all seem to hate Gemma, and simply use her as a gateway to the realms. Their friendship is not inspiring, nothing special, genuine, or important. Pippa, by far, in my opinion, is the most intriguing character.

Another main character I found interesting was Kartik. I also loved his scenes with Gemma. But of course, the author just had to kill him. I found that unnecessary. Speaking of unnecessary, include Felicity’s “shocking” lesbian storyline. It didn’t fit! Sorry Libba Bray, it did not work.

::END OF SPOILERS::

THE CONSENSUS: If you do not want to ruin the first two books in your mind, I suggest you skip this one and create your own version of an ending. It would have gone differently, but I’m sure it would be a much better one.

Bad ending to an otherwise entertaining, imaginative series. Disappointing!

A Great and Terrible Beauty

Everyone has been telling me about this book, that is supposedly the first of a trilogy. Obviously, I finally gave in and read it.

This YA book centers around 16-year-old Gemma Doyle; a British teenager living in India. Set in Victorian era, she tragically loses her mother, which forces her to move and live in London and attend a boarding school. There, she finds trouble assimilating with the new crowd, but eventually realizes that’s just the least of her worries. Gemma Doyle sees horrifying visions; visions she can’t even explain. At the same time, she finds a mysterious man following her, telling her to close her mind against the visions or she would suffer its consequences.

I find it hard to summarize this book simply because it is far too complicated to explain because the plot is very broad and the genre is quite flexible. This is a Young Adult book, but it’s one of those rare ones that anybody can read and enjoy no matter what the age. I have to say, I enjoyed this book very much. It was one of those books that you just have to keep reading because the pace is fast and exciting, and leave you hanging by the end of every chapter.

One important thing also that I thought worked incredibly well were the main characters. Everybody had a significant and important role. Everyone was complex! I found myself interested in them. And I think it’s very hard for an author to come up with a character and write about them in a way that the reader would actually like them and root for them. The author, Libba Bray, has an obvious talent with building up these characters as well as the plot.

One last thing that I have to say is that I especially loved the way she writes! She uses simple, easy to understand words and yet delivers them brilliantly in in a poetic form. It’s rare for me to find quotes and dialogues that I would actually read again, and take note of. With this book, I found myself writing down several page numbers so I could go back and read those lines again. Speaking of writing, I have actually just finished the book a couple of minutes ago. In other words, I could not wait until another day to write this review because of how much I enjoyed it.

It was funny, very mysterious, sad, funny, surprising, and sometimes, even creepy. Fun book. =) I’m going to start reading the second book from this trilogy.

*** They are currently making a film out of this and is said to be in theatres in 2010. The cast is yet to be known.