Spellcaster

Spellcaster
Cara Lynn Schultz
384 pages
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Source: the publisher via NetGalley
★★★☆☆

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

SPOILER ALERT: This review may have spoilers from Spellbound.

Spellcaster is the second novel in the Spellbound trilogy.  After finding her soulmate and his having battled to save her life in a dramatic scene, we find Emma in Spellcaster trying to harness is her powers as a witch and get back to regular life.  Of course, there are cliques at her high school who are disgusted to see her with Brendan, since he's the hottest guy in school.  Soon something bigger is going on, though - an evil force hell bent on testing Emma's new powers and the strength of her relationship with Brendan.

There were things I found awesome about this novel, but frankly there were also things that made me a little bored. Spellcaster seemed really similar to Spellbound to me.  Sure there was a new problem for Emma to face but the plot was pretty similar, I thought.  Honestly, I wasn't really drawn into the novel until the climax and ending.

But there were things I liked!  I thought it was pretty intense how Megan, the aforementioned evil force, started using Emma's closest friends and family to get to her.  Emma's innocent cousin, for example, get sucked into a coma when one of Megan's spells is misdirected.  Megan even uses Brendan agains Emma in a very interesting way.  I won't tell you specifically what happened since I thought it was a highpoint of the novel and you should read for yourself, but I will tell you I found it scary and suspenseful enough that I kept reading to the end of the novel instead of going to bed.

Spellcaster gets three stars from me.  If you like YA novels about modern witches or you like novels about snooty Upper-East-Siders, this is a series for you.  Spellcaster will be released March 27th so there is plenty of time to get a copy of Spellbound and get started on this series.

In My Mailbox (23)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted Kristi at the Story Siren.

FOR REVIEW:

Intangible by J. Meyers

PURCHASED:

Evernight by Claudia Gray (it's FREE for Nook and Kindle!!)

Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare (haven't read City of Bones yet, but this one was on sale)

The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Caletti

Peace, Love & Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

WON:

Jane Vows Vengeance by Michael Thomas Ford

FROM THE LIBRARY:

Seriously... I'm Kidding by Ellen Degeneres

Irises by Francisco X. Stork

BOOKSFREE.COM:

Lament by Maggie Steifvater 

Total TBR: 165

Dragonswood

Dragonswood
Janet Lee Carey
403 pages
Publisher: Dial
Source: library
★★★★☆

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

Tess grew up in a medieval place where men beat their women and dominated over them.  She hates that world and wants nothing more to escape.  She gets her chance when she's accused of witchcraft and is saved during her drowning test by a dragon.  Soon she is on the run with her two best friends, on the adventure of a lifetime.

If you know me, you know I don't generally enjoy fantasy novels but I had to give this one a try because the cover just drew me in.  I mean look at that, it's just gorgeous.  Thankfully, it wasn't just a gorgeous cover; it was a fantastic plot that drew me in from page one.  I read the Prologue the other night right before my husband and I were about to go out, I was actually whining that I wanted to keep reading - I knew it was going to be a fantastic novel.

The world building Carey does in this novel is fantastic.  Even though I generally wouldn't want to travel to the year 1192 (I love indoor plumbing much too much to ever leave it) I would love to visit the world Tess lives in.  To have a magical forest in practically my backyard and to be able to see fey and dragons there would be just amazing.

Speaking of dragons, I think they were my favorite part of the whole novel.  They were really personified dragons and I loved their human emotions and attributes.  I'm sure if this were real life instead of a novel, you would be able to see their emotions in their eyes.  They were so huge, but also very tender.  I can't recall ever reading a novel with dragons before, but if there are more out there with dragons like this I would gladly give it a go again.

Four stars!  I really loved this novel from page one, but by the last seventy or so pages I was ready to move on.  It's a great standalone novel and fantasy lovers of any age are sure to love it even more than I did.

Old Haunts

Old Haunts
E.J. Copperman
290 pages
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Source: purchased
★★★★★

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

Ahh... another fantastic installment of the Haunted Guesthouse Mystery series.  It's summer now at the Jersey Shore, and Alison has a new set of a guests and a new set of problems... her ex-husband, a.k.a. The Swine, has just showed up on her front steps claiming he wants to be reunited with her and their daughter, Melissa.  On top of that resident ghost Maxie just discovered her ex-husband has been found murdered and she wants Alison to do some sleuthing to find out who did it.  Resident ghost Paul also has a mission for Alison, find his "still-living almost- fiancée" and make sure she's doing okay without him.

As you can tell, Old Haunts was packed with juicy plot.  I was most looking forward to reading about The Swine's infamous return and I was not disappointed.  Of course, the murder mystery was the main focus of the book and that did not disappoint, either.  Big Bob, the murdered ex-husband, sounded like a good guy and I wanted his death solved right along with Maxie.  Like the two previous Haunted Guesthouse novels, though, I did not see that murderer coming... until s/he was about to strike again!  I couldn't believe it!

Let me tell you what I really love about this series, though, aside from the clever crimes.  There's practically a while new cast of characters in each book as a new rotation of guests comes to visit.  I love this!  Alison's interactions are always great to read about as she faces both gracious and difficult guests; this really helps keep the series fresh.  In Old Haunts, for example, we meet Francie, a spunky guest determined to get a personal paranormal experience she can brag to her friends back home about... and the books flying around by themselves are not convincing enough for her!

I'm telling you, The Haunted Guesthouse series is something you must pick up if you love cozies and/or paranormal books.  I think you'll be as delighted with them as I've been and I am, as always, looking forward to future books.

Beneath a Meth Moon

Beneath a Meth Moon 
Jacqueline Woodson
182 pages
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books (a division of Penguin)
Source: library
★★★★☆

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

Laurel lost her mother and grandmother to Hurricane Katrina.  When she, her father, and her brother move away to a new town, she joins the cheerleading squad, gets a new best friend, and a boyfriend.  Her boyfriend introduced her to meth and it's all downhill from there.

I really enjoyed this novel.  Ultimately about survival, Beneath a Meth Moon takes the reader into the life of a meth addict, and it's not pretty.  Meth affects Laurel is such a way that she no longer looks like herself and she doesn't feel like herself either.  All she can think about it getting her next high.  Beneath a Meth Moon was very eye opening to the word of meth addiction.

This was an extremely short novel, clocking in at under two hundred pages, and was a quick read as a result.  I wish it had been fleshed out more.  I would have liked more details about just about everything: Lauren's friendship with Kaylee, her school and family life; I even would have liked more details about the way meth was ruining her life.

Four stars - a great story, I just wish it was fleshed out more.

The Beginning of After

The Beginning of After
Jennifer Castle
425 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: library
★★★☆☆

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

This was one of those books I was drawn to because of the cover.  It's a gorgeous cover with the sunlight suggesting a new beginning, which really fits in with the story.  Laurel's world is turned upside down when her parents and brother die in a terrible car accident, suddenly leaving her alone.  Her Nana comes to live with her and Laurel suddenly has to navigate life in the "after."  She struggles with going back to school and living life.

I was really interested in reading this book because I wanted to see how Laurel would handle the situation. I've can't recall reading another book where the main character is suddenly orphaned, so the story was very unique to me.  Of course, you can't help thinking when you're reading a book like this, "What if this happened to me?"

And that's where I got a little confused by Laruel's emotions.  She was obviously upset with what happened, but her grief seemed a little weak to me.  Something this tragic has never happened to me, so I can't know for sure how I would react, but I think I would be experiencing a lot more tears than Laurel did.  I was happy to see that she had a great support system.  Her Nana who came to live with her after the accident was a very strong woman and a great nurturer to Laurel.  Nana was probably one of my favorite characters in the whole novel.

Of course, just because a tragedy happened in Laurel's life doesn't mean she stopped being a teenager.  She still had to go to school and apply to college.  There was also a bit of a love triangle in the book and I genuinely did not know who Laurel was going to end up with.  I didn't even have a strong opinion either way, both guys seemed good for her.  Of course, once the end came I knew the right choice had been made.

Three stars - it was a unique story with lots of emotion, but I had a hard time really connecting to it.

In My Mailbox (22)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

PURCHASED:

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Shimmer by Alyson Noel

Old Haunts by E.J.Copperman

What's that?  I'm quoted on the first page?  Look at that!!

FROM THE LIBRARY:

Beneath a Meth Moon by Jacqueline Woodson

Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein (I've heard a lot about it and I think I'm either going to love it or hate it.)

SWAPPED FOR:

The Pregnancy Project by Gaby Rodriquez with Jenna Glatzer

Total TBR: 159

The Word Gang + GIVEAWAY

The Word Gang
Mark McKenna
255 pages
Publisher: Precipitation Press
Source: the author
★★★☆☆

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

Kalisha skipped the whole school year last year and didn't tell a soul.  So this year she's been placed in a new program called Project Restart, taught by Jack Ralston.  Ralston's teaching method is strict and there are penalties for anything he considers disruptive - including the use of good vocabulary!  Kalisha soon makes friends with two boys and armed with a copy of the Compact Oxford Dictionary, she and her friends start using big words to confuse Ralston.  But when the media catches wind of The Word Gang, things quickly spin even more out of control.

What a unique plot!  This is definitely something I could see happening in real life, right down to the national media buzz.  I can see both sides of the debate, though.  A teacher shouldn't punish students for learning, but at the same time Kalisha and her friends were being disruptive on purpose.  Once they learned it would frustrate Ralston, they used that against him.

Jack Ralston really was a character to abhor.  For some reason, he seemed to be in teaching just for fame.  The only reason he wanted Project Restart to be successful was so he could become famous and supposedly rich off of it.  Why you would ever punish a student for using a word you don't know is beyond me, but Ralston had no qualms about it.  His attitude in general was just terrible, it made me wonder what had happened to him as a kid that made him such a screwed up adult.

On the other hand, I loved the character of Mr. Spinoza.  I would have liked to have read a whole book just about his life since it seemed to be so interesting.  I was glad the old man found friends in his neighbors and that his life became less lonely.

Three stars!  I enjoyed the book and it's unique plot, but I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters.  I did enjoy learning some new words though, none of which are otiose.

Enter to win a copy below!  (US only, please, ages 13+)



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Some Like It Hot-Buttered

Some Like It Hot-Buttered
Jeffrey Cohen
295 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Source: booksfree.com
★★★★☆

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

Some Like It Hot-Buttered is the first book in the Double Feature mystery series by Jeffrey Cohen.  Elliot Freed owns a one screen movie theatre where he shows double features: an old comedy followed by a new release.  Suddenly one night, a man turns up dead in his theatre, murdered by a tragic popcorn poisoning.  The police are on it, but Elliot can't help but get involved and try to solve the mystery himself.

This book had me laughing the whole way through.  Elliot had a ton of wit and a clever comeback for everything that was said to him.  I was literally laughing out loud at this one, mostly at Elliot.  I also really enjoyed the character of Sophie - I appreciated her trying to put on a "tough" exterior, but really liked how innocent she was underneath it all.  Sophie was actually one of my favorite aspects of this cozy.

There aren't too many cozies out there with a male lead, so that was fun to experience, as was the movie theatre setting.  Four stars!  A must-read cozy and I'm looking forward for reading on through the rest of the series.

Red Heart Tattoo

Red Heart Tattoo
Lurlene McDaniel
224 pages
Publisher: Delacorte
Source: NetGalley
★★★★☆

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

When I was growing up I devoured Lurlene McDaniel's books, whether I begged my parents to buy them for me or I got them from the library.  I must have read Don't Die, My Love at least ten times.  So obviously when I found this book on NetGalley I was very excited.  I devoured Red Heart Tattoo just like the rest of 'em.

The morning before Thanksgiving break begins, a bomb goes off at Edison high school.  Red Heart Tattoo follows the lives of those affected both before and after the bomb goes off; several are wounded, some die, and one is blinded.

It's a simple plot, but such a powerful novel.  Getting to know the characters before the bomb goes off helps you get to know them, but reading about them after the bomb lets you get to know who they really are.  People aren't always what they seem - and that's why my favorite character was Roth.  He was what some would consider a troubled student, but I really enjoyed getting to know the real him by the end of the novel.

We all know school shooters/bombers have mental problems and most of the time want the attention, so I was glad not too much time was spent on the two bombers.  Instead, we saw just enough of them to understand why there was a bomb in the atrium and the rest of the book was focused on the people the bomb affected, both before and after the explosion.  Sometimes it's important to focus less on the "why" and more on the "how" it affects other people.

Overall, this was a fantastic little novel about a very serious topic - written in the gripping way Lurlene McDaniel does best.  This is surely to be a hit along with her other books like Don't Die, My Love.  Red Heart Tattoo will be out July 24.

In My Mailbox (21)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren.

FOR REVIEW:
Scholastic sent Titanic: Voices from the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson

Abrams sent via NetGalley Welcome Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell

Tate sent While I'm Still Myself by Jeremy Mark Lane

FROM THE LIBRARY:

Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey

The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

Death by Darjeeling: A Tea Shop Mystery by Laura Childs

SWAPPED FOR:

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

Beastly by Alex Flinn

BORROWED (I'm trying out a free trial of booksfree.com, it's like Netflix for books!):

Changeless by Gail Carriger

Some Like it Hot-Buttered by Jeffrey Cohen

PURCHASED:
Seeds of Wither by Lauren DeStefano

WON:

Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony, Rodrigo Corral (illustrator)

Total TBR: 157

While I'm Still Myself

While I'm Still Myself
Jeremy Mark Lane
127 pages
Publisher: Tate
Source: the author
★★★☆☆

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

You know when it comes to short stories, the shorter they are the more I love them, so to me this was a great collection.  The stories themselves didn't overlap each other at all and had different themes, although most of them dealt with chance encounters and how those can really affect your life.

My favorite story was "The Reflection, Only Hers," which deals with Annabel Shay who runs away from home after her mother is seriously affected my a mental disorder.  Knowing that she herself will probably get the same disease someday, Annabel runs away to see some of the world while she can.  This story was really great and grabbed my attention.

If you're a fan of short stories, I'd definitely recommend this little book.  It's not YA per say, but there are no adult themes.

Populazzi

Populazzi
Elise Allen
390 pages
Publisher: Harcourt
Source: library
★★★★☆

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

This was one of those spontaneous pick-ups at the library.  I have a system you know; I go in and collect my holds, wander over the YA section and see what's on "display" and quickly skim the shelves, then it's over to new adult fiction to see what's up over there.  Well, this was just sitting out in the YA section and I scooped it up because I'd seen it on a couple blogs.  That's really all it takes for me to pick up a book!  Honestly, I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did.

When Cara's family moves she has the opportunity to start over at a school where no one knows that she peed herself in Kindergarten.  Together with her best friend since that incident, Claudia, a plan is developed to get Cara to be popular once and for all.  The Ladder.  Find a guy to date, and by using his connection to other eligible guys higher up the ladder, keep finding new boyfriends until Cara's dating the most popular guy in school and thus becomes the most popular girl.

When I first read Cara and Claudia's plan I have to admit, I thought it was kind of genius.  If I'd read this book in high school, no doubt I would have tried it out, though I knew in the back of my mind that it wasn't going to work out for Cara.  Otherwise the plot would be super boring, right?  Well, the plot was fantastic because Cara really did hit a few pitfalls along the way, such as actually falling for the first guy she literally comes across, Archer.

Archer is one dreamy guy.  You really can put him in along with the likes of Edward (or Jacob, whichever your pleasure is) and Etienne from Anna and the French Kiss.  Archer was his own person, not at all concerned about his social standing at school.  He had honest-to-goodness friends and a great outlook on just about everything.  So I was, of course, dying for Cara and Archer to hook up all the way through the book even though something mysterious seemed to be holding Archer back (and that was a brilliant plot thread, I might add.)

The one thing I didn't care for was Cara's parents.  Her birth father was a bum, but her step-father was horrible.  As long as Cara was perfect he loved her, but as soon as she started messing up, he decided to disown and ignore her!  And her mother went along with it!  It was really kind of appalling and I don't think he was redeemed by the end of the novel.  I can only hope that Cara's college plans worked out and she could get away from both of them.

So over all, I really liked the book even though I didn't think I would!  This is one of those cases where you can't judge a book based on it's cover and description alone.  You really have to read it to discover the deeper meaning.  Highly recommend this to all you contemporary YA lovers out there.

Chopsticks

Chopsticks
Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral (illustrator)
272 pages
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: Goodreads win!
★★★★★

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

After her mother dies, young piano prodigy Glory is left to be raised by her father who wants her to use her talents to play all around the world.  When a new boy, Frank, moves in next door, she spends more time with him using him as an escape from her father and piano.  But the more she falls in love with him, the more she can only play Chopsticks on the piano...

I won an ARC of Chopsticks through the Goodreads First Reads program (this did not affect my review) and I wasn't entirely sure what to expect.  When the package showed up today and I flipped through it, I was very surprised to see... no text.  This is not a traditional novel at all.  The story is told through photographs, art, as well as snippets of IM conversations between Glory and Frank.  I was afraid the lack of text would lead to a lack of understanding the plot, but I was so, so wrong.

The story itself is a sad one.  Glory loses her mother and her father pressures her to spend her time being a piano prodigy.  When she must leave Frank for a European tour she's heartbroken.  As the book continues, it becomes apparent that Glory knows somethings wrong with herself.  It's a very sad book overall, but also very beautiful in the way the story is conveyed.  When I closed the book, I knew I loved it.

The description of the book also says, "...it's up to the reader to decide what is real, what is imagined, and what has been madness all along..." and that really rings true to this book.  By the end of it, my head was spinning.  I know what I think happens, but I know there will be several interpretations as more and more people read it.

Chopsticks is out now!  It's beautiful, unique, and amazing.  You seriously must find yourself a copy of this book and read it, examining every picture cover to cover.  I know I'll be looking for the finished copy myself!  This is a book you'll want to talk to someone about when you're finished, so let your friends borrow it, too.

Titanic

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster
Deborah Hopkinson
275 pages
Publisher: Scholastic
Source: review request
★★★★☆

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

I don't normally review non-fiction for my blog, but when I was contacted about this book I practically jumped at the chance.  I'm sure I'm the not the most obsessed-with-the-Titanic person you've ever met, but the event really does capture my attention.  When the book arrived via UPS today, I read it immediately.

Books about the Titanic, whether fiction or non-fiction, invariably follow the same course, that is chronological, from describing the grandeur of the ship, through to what it was like to stay on it, down the it's last minutes.  And inevitably, the same thing always happens to me when I read such books; I get sucked up into how fantastic the ship was that I almost forget what happens in the end.  The same ending always comes and I'm left heartbroken.

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster, is a middle-grade non-fiction book that accurately depicts the ships lifespan, from conception to sinking.  What was unique about this book, however, were the additional things included with the narrative.  There are several first person accounts, which really enhance the book.  Even more exciting, I thought, were the plethora of photographs that accompany the book.  There were photos of people, the gym, the Parisian cafe, and lifeboats.  There were also artist renditions of the ship and its sinking.

This book may be geared towards the middle-grades, but I still learned a few things myself and I think the first person accounts and photographs will really help draw in adult readers as well as children.  The end of the book includes a few fact sheets as well as an extensive bibliography so the reader can research more on their own.  I highly recommend it, even if you're just buying it for your child and glancing at the photos yourself.

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster will be released March 1, just in time for the centennial of the ship's sinking.

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side
Beth Fantaskey
315 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Source: purchased ebook
★★★☆☆

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

Jessica is just your average high schooler, doing her own thing, when one day she notices a mysterious young man at the bus stop with her.  When she sees him again in school she starts to wonder.  As it turns out, she was adopted as a young girl from Romania, but before she left the country she was betrothed to this young man, Lucius, who has now come to claim her as his vampire wife!

This novel was not quite what I was expecting, particularly in that Jessica and Lucius never really... date.  They have a sexual tension though, that cuts through the pages and made me keep reading.  Either she was not liking him, or he was not liking her, but deep down they were both loving each other.  They just couldn't get it together!

The plot itself had me going from page one, when Jessica is waiting for the bus on the way to school and sees a mysterious young man watching her... dressed in a cape!  The whole thing really intrigued me and I plowed through the first portion of the novel.  Unfortunately, by the end I was getting a little frustrated with the character's flip-flopping opinions of each other that I was over it.

I enjoyed the short chapters and the pace of the novel overall.  I also thought Lucius' letters were a great addition to the book; they really helped show some of the plot from his point of view.

Three stars!  I hate to say it, but hardcore lovers of Twilight are going to love this book too, which I thought was a bit of a cross between the whole Twilight series and The Princess Diaries.

Valentine's Giveaway!!

Happy soon-to-be Valentine's Day!  Since I have an extra ARC of Bewitching by Alex Flinn, I thought I would do a little giveaway for my followers!  Enter below!

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The Woman in Black

The Woman in Black
Susan Hill
164 pages
Publisher: Vintage
Source: Paperbackswap.com
★★★★☆

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

Arthur Kipps is a young lawyer who is sent by his firm to Crythin Giffrod, a faraway town where he must attend the funeral of Alice Drablow and then attend to her paperwork at her home, Eel Marsh House.  Having not been from the area, Arthur has no idea the horror that await him in the town, something the residents know but are hesitant to share.

Now I know a lot of horror fanatics who have and will say that this book is not scary.  And, having read it, I can say that it's not scary like a horror movie that startles you out of your seat with gore.  It's a little more cerebral than that.  The author, Susan Hill, has the great ability to build suspense with her words.  I felt the stress of impending doom in my heart the further I read on in this book.  That's a talent!

Susan Hill created two horrors with this novel.  First, there is your obvious horror - that of some tortured paranormal being haunting creepy places.  But second, there is a more subtle horror - the kind of personal horror that happens every day in real life, the kind of horror that will change your life for the worst.  It's that kind of horror that had me saying at the end of the novel, "That's horrible," and I don't mean the novel was horrible.  It's just a horrible tragedy.

Four stars.  A must read, before you see the movie, but even if you are not.

Anna Dressed in Blood

Anna Dressed in Blood
Kendare Blake
316 pages
Publisher: Tor Teen
Source: library
★★★★★

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

Cas Lowood moves around a lot with his mother, on account of the fact that he took over the family business when his father was murdered.  That is, he kills ghosts.  Now he's on his way north for the ghost the locals call "Anna Dressed in Blood."  Not too much is known about how she died, except that it was brutal and now she's killing anything and anyone that comes into her abandoned home.

I loved Anna's story.  When we first meet Anna she gives off such a vicious vibe that I was afraid we wouldn't really get to know her, but what's great was that we got to know her and her true story, which is so much worse than what the reader assumes at the beginning of the novel.  I love that the author was able to make me feel sympathy for a cold-blooded killer.

This book was scary.  It was just like a horror movie in book form.   There was your typical cabinets opening and slamming by themselves and  some blood dripping from the walls kind of stuff, but there was also much more... gore.  The kind of thing that's scary in a good way to read in a novel, but maybe you don't want to see that disembowelment on the big screen, you know?  It was fantastic!

The characters themselves were great.  They were all fleshed out and had flaws, which I mean in a good way.  Even our main man, Cas, while being a fantastic ghost killer (not ghost buster!) had personal problems.   He was out to avenge his father's murder almost to a fault.  The hint of a romance in this book left me intrigued and wondering if that's going to flesh out in future novels.

The writing in this novel was beautiful while being horrifying.  Kendare Blake is obviously great at crafting the written word.  Even the descriptions of how terrifying Anna looked sounded beautiful.  Like if it were real life, you would want to look away because it was ugly, but underneath was a kind of beauty that you couldn't look away from.

If you don't like horror movies, please do not let that stop you from reading this book.  I won't come within a mile of a horror movie in theaters or on television.  The Woman in Black commercials have me hiding under the blanket (and yet I'm about to read that, too).  But this book is so good, you must give it a try.  I'm really looking forward to the sequel, though I should note that you could totally read Anna Dressed in Blood as a standalone if you wish.  I highly, highly recommend it!

First Date

First Date
Krista McGee
336 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Source: NetGalley
★★★★☆

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

I just have to say this - this book was stinkin' cute.  If it had cheeks, I'd be pinching them.

When Addy Davidson is selected to go on the reality television show, The Book of Love, to get a chance to go to prom with the President's son, she's not thrilled.  Her principal convinces her it's the right thing to do so she goes, albeit begrudgingly.  She wanted to spend her last couple years in high school focusing on studies, not boys!  Once at the competition though, America falls in love with Addy and she finds herself falling in love with the First Son...

Okay, totally cheesy plot summary, right?  But it worked!  It was a great little novel.  I thought Addy was a great lead character with a good head on her shoulders.  She wasn't just some teenage girl who cheerleads and dates the captain of the football team and assumes she can just win a date with the First Son with her charms.  Instead of trying to act like an attractive girl, like the others were doing in the competition, she was just herself - which was perfect.

I really liked how Jonathan's character was portrayed.  He easily could have been self-centered and egotistical, but instead he was sweet and shy.  It was very endearing and his morals were in the right place. While other girls were vying for his attention by crossing their legs and thrusting their chests out, he knew that the girl he wanted was not just pretty, but also smart and had goals for herself.  I kept waiting for Jonathan to just kiss Addy!

Four stars!  Loved the book and the Christian aspect did not get in the way of a great plot.  First Date loses a star, though, because I think the ending with Hank, the host of the TV show, was a little too easy.