Wandering Star-- Reviewed by Sarah Roberts

When tragic things happen to us, we wish to be left alone. To be allowed to live quietly where we finally achieve peace. This is all that Rho Grace desperately wants.

Orphaned, disgraced, and stripped of her guardian title, Rho Grace just simply wants to live a quiet life. She wants to live as a worker in the Cancrian refugee camp on House Capricorn.

This, however, does not happen.

News about the group Marad has spread. Marad is a group of unstable Risers that plan to overturn the harmony in the Galaxy. Marad could strike any of the Houses at any given moment.

Then, an unwelcomed nightmare appears to Rho in the shape of Ochus. He bears a cryptic message the leave Rho with no choice but to stand up and fight.

Rho must now embark on a journey filled with high-stakes. She must travel through an all-new set of different Houses, where she discovers that there is much more to not only the Galaxy, but herself than she could ever imagine.

Just when Rho has come to terms with the tragic loss of Mathias, the stars deliver their most shocking surprise yet.

I really thought this book was out of this world! I enjoyed how the characters developed from the last book. I also enjoyed the same but new plot line. The author really made me feel every characters feelings/emotions. I also thought the shocking point (read this to find out the secret) was expected, but at the same point thrilling. Though a little slow in the beginning, this book had me begging for more. I would definitely recommend this story to my friends. A great read that I believe everyone would definitely enjoy!

First Book in series

Zodiac by: Romina Russell

Review for this book is on this blog

Date book was reviewed: February 22, 2016

Zodiac-- Reviewed by Sarah Roberts

"Inside the arenasphere, hundreds of holograms drift overhead, a circus of pixilating colors."

We see Zodiac signs as a cool way to represent our birth months. Romina Russell, author of Zodiac, sees them as  names for different houses of Academy.

Rhoma Grace is a 16-year old Academy student from the House Cancer. She has an unusual way of reading the stars. Rather than take steps that will help create accurate predictions, Rhoma seeks out stories in the sky.

When a devastating blast strikes one of Cancer's moons, sending the ocean planet turning and killing thousands of innocent citizens, including the beloved Guardian, Rhoma is shell shocked to find herself chosen as the new leader of House Cancer.

Rhoma is willing to protect her House with her life. The tragic events don't stop there however, House after House begin to fall victim to the bizarre weather occurrences. This causes Rhoma to suspect Ochus, the exiled 13th Guardian of the Zodiac. Rhoma believe Ochus has returned to take his revenge across the Galaxy.

Rhoma must now travelto warn the the other Guardians with the help of Hysan Dax, a young envoy from House Libra, and Mathias, a major in the Cancrian guard.

I absolutely loved this book! The plot line was amazing and I thought all the characters were well developed. I loved how Rhoma was an independent girl character, and did not seem to rely on the male characters so much. I also enjoyed how this book was set in space. I don't think this book would have been as good if it was place in some other setting. I would definitely recommend this book to all my friends and family. All in all it was a great read. 

A Thousand Pieces of You and the sequel Ten Thousand Skies Above You-- Reviewed by Sarah Roberts

“Every form of art is another way of seeing the world. Another perspective, another window. And science –that’s the most spectacular window of all. You can see the entire universe from there.”

 - A Thousand Pieces of You  

    The lose of a parent is never easy, but when you find out that they were murdered it becomes almost unbearable. Especially if the "suspected" murderer is a close family friend.

That's the unfortunate event that erupts in Marguerite Caine's world. Marguerite's world was perfect. She lived with her parents that just so happened to be renowned scientist, her sister, had a guy in her life named Theo who was not only her friend but secret crush, and there's Paul who seems to create a lot of mixed emotions inside Marguerite. This all comes to an end when Marguerite's father is murdered in a dreadful automobile accident. This happens days after the creation of a dimension traveling machine known as "The Firebird".

The villain behind Marguerite's father's "death"...Paul. To make matters worse, Paul has run off with the Firebird and is jumping around dimensions. It's up to Marguerite and Theo to catch up to Paul, and get to the bottom of things. As Marguerite travels to each dimension she enters the lives of her other selves, and even meets different Pauls.

Follow Marguerite in her journey through dimensions, and help find the secrets behind her father's murder as well as....love.

“That kind of sorrow never gets any lighter, but you grow accustomed to the weight as you carry it on.”

- Ten Thousand Skies Above You.

In this sequel to "A Thousand Pieces of You" Marguerite is, yet again, on another adventure. Only this time she's out to save Paul. After a moment of happiness everything in Marguerite's life is turned upside down once again, and another loved one is snatched from her life.

Only this time Marguerites not fighting to save only herself, but everything she holds dear.Join Marguerite as she battles her parents ex-scientific discovery sponsors and...Theo?

Will love conquer all, or will all be lost in a different dimension?

I loved these books!! They grabbed my attention with the very first word. That is why I'm giving these books 5 star ratings. I loved how each character had their own personality as well as the baggage each character carried around. The suspense was also very thrilling in these books, and made you feel like you were actually part of the story. If I could change one thing in these books it would probably be that we hear from Paul's point of view. I would like to know what was going through Paul's mind throughout both of these story lines. I would definitely recommend both these books to my friends and family, because they are both well written. 

Under The Never Sky Reviewed by Paige Espinosa

     Reverie is a secure, well-guarded bubble, protecting its inhabitants from the outside world, known as the Death Shop, because of all the different ways to die. Aria is just living her normal life until she finds herself kicked out of Reverie and living outside in the Death Shop, trying to survive with an outsider who is just as unhappy about being stuck with her as she is about being stuck with him. 

     I gave this book three out of five stars because it took forever to get into but by the end it was alright. The characters weren't super intriguing and the big "plot twist" at the end wasn't as shocking as the author probably thought it would be. I wish the author had been clearer about her description of the world in this book because even now, I have absolutely no idea what the Aether is even though it was a big deal in the book. Sometimes I would be sure that this world was a future version of our own world but then things like the Aether would confuse me and make me wonder if maybe this world wasn't actually like Earth but something completely made up. There are more books in this series but I'm not planning on reading them. Some girls might really like this book, every single chapter is half awkward romantic/sexual tension and half macho-wilderness-survival. Honestly, I'm just getting tired of these types of books and wondering about their dental hygiene the whole time they're making out... 

Bunker 10-- Reviewed by Alexandra Lopez

Author: J.A. Henderson
Review: Alexandra Lopez

At eight o'clock in the evening, 24 December 2007, Pinewood Military Installation exploded. The blast ripped apart acres of forest and devastated the remote highland valley where the base was located. No official cause was given for the incident. Inside Pinewood were 185 male and female personnel a mixture of scientists and soldiers. There were also seven teenagers. This is the story of their last day . . .

I enjoyed it, but felt it was a cliche, to predictable. I didn't get to know the main charcter, Jimmy Hecks on a personal level/ the book was very plot driven. I'm not one for full blown science, but I would appreciate a bit of actual science to occur, some of the science mentioned seemed made up. However I didn't look it up, so either it was pointless or I just don't care in general. Overall enjoyed the story, but did not really think it was one of my best reads.

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You.
by: Ally Carter

For Cameron Morgan becoming a spy was without a doubt going to be her life. She really had no choice in the matter anyway. With her mother as headmistress of the top all girl spy academy, Gallagher Girl, and her father having died while working for the top agency, she really did not want to have a different live. Cameron, known as Cammie or The Chameleon, was very good at being a spy. Cammie was very skilled at not being seen, hints the nickname Chameleon, until one day when she meets Josh. Josh makes her happy and makes her think about what life would be like if she was not a spy. Cameron knows that she should not be talking to him, but some how he always seems to see her when the girls are in town. She cannot just go back to being invisible to him, or can she? Will Cammie the Chameleon go back to hiding and spying or will she choose a life with Josh?  

To me this book, I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You, is very intriguing. It kept me guessing until the very end and I was even still wondering after the book was over about what was going to happen next. I was glad when I found out that the second book, Cross My Heart And Hope to Spy, came out because I liked the first one so much. There are four books to this series now and I have read them all, if that tells you anything about how much I was intrigued by this book. I have recommended this to some of my friends and I would recommend it to every girl I come in contact with because i believe that this book, even though it is about spies, shows what many girls go through with boys, friends, and parents.

I Am Number 4--- a review by Amy Lyon

I Am Number 4
by Pittacus Lore
****

Nine Loriens--aliens from the planet Lorien--have come to Earth after their natural resources were destroyed by the Mondagorians. The Mondagorians destroyed their own planet--Mondagore--and hoped to restore it with Lorien resources, but that failed and now they've come to Earth. The Mondagorians are no longer concerned with the welfare of Mondagore, they plan to take over Earth, and in the process kill the nine Loriens taking refuge on Earth. They've succeeded in killing three and now they're after number 4. This is his story.

I am Number 4 was an interesting twist on the paranormal love scene(normal girl falls for paranormal guy). Number 4, currently going by John, is confused about his identity. He is Lorien, but he's only really known Earth. He and his Cepan, Henri, move and change names a lot to stay ahead of the Mondagorians. This novel is more about John's self discovery than the war between aliens, the war the Earth may soon be a part of. The characters were a bit predictable, but overall the book was good and the plot kept me reading. I can't wait for the next in this series. I would definitely recommend this book.

Hawksong- Review by Alex Stockard

Hawksong

By: Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

***** stars

Danica is a young woman who loves and cares for her people. She has not been crowned Tuuli Thea, but she strives to prove to the people and her mother that she will be a great leader. She wants to prove that she can lead her people to peace with their greatest enemy, the Serpiente. For Danica has only known death because of this hatred and warfare and is tired of keeping emotions trapped in by her avian reserve.

Danica and the people she leads are known as the Avians. The Avians shape shift in to different bird forms, such as Danica who shape shifts into a Hawk. The Serpiente, who shape shift to snakes, are lead by Zane Cobriana who is also tired of this war. The reasons of war have been forgotten, but each side still fights on. Tell one day Zane sends his last remaining sibling, Irene, to make negotiations of peace. The offering of peace from the Serpiente was not fully accepted by many of the Avians, but the offering was not totally ignored. Danica and her mother traveled to the Mistari lands, which was a land owned by shape shifers whose animal forms were tigers. They were known for their knowledge, so the Avians and Serpiente sought their leaders advice.

The Advice given to them was completely rejected by each side, except by the two future leaders Zane and Danica. The advice given to them was to tie the two Royal Families together. The Avians later leave the Mistari lands, totally ignoring the idea of letting the allister of the Tuuli Thea be a serpent. The rest of the steps of the story will go into many directions that will be unexpected: death, love, rejection, fate, ceremony, and betrayal.

Hawksong was honestly one of the best books I have ever read. The emotions throughout the book are completely unexpected, which enticed me to keep reading. Even though it is a fantasy and science-fiction novel, it is very romantic with a loving core. This book is not alike others that I know of, but it does have a sort of vibe you would receive from the Harry Potter series.