Wink Poppy Midnight--Reviewed by Sarah Roberts

 

 

“When you look into the darkness, the darkness looks into you."

We all fall in love with someone at some point in our lives. We obsess over that one person, even if they treat us like we are nothing. That's exactly the case for Midnight.

 Midnight has been in love with Poppy since the first night she climbed through his window. Her jasmine scent filling his mind, capturing his very heart. The thing is, Poppy only uses Midnight for a good time and then she goes back to treating him like dirt.

So when Midnight moves next to Wink, things begin to change. Midnight begins to think less of the girl with perfect hair, and more of the girl with wild curly orange hair. He feels at peace around the girl stuck in the stories of magic, and on edge around the girl in reality.

So when Wink's stories become reality, ending with the disappearance of Poppy, Midnight begins to discover things about Wink and Poppy he never new existed.

Will this story end in violence, or do the characters get their happily ever after?

I love this story! I like how each character has the chance to narrate their own points of view. I think each character was unique in their own special way and it created a wonderful dynamic. I love how the storyline didn't end up like a normal love story. There is adventure, revenge, love, and even some surprising outcomes in this story. All in all these characters were well written and I enjoyed each and every one of them. I would definitely recommend these to my friends and family!

 



The First Time She Drowned--Reviewed by Sarah Roberts

“I wonder if this is what other people seem to have that I do not—this courage to fall because they have the memory of standing."

Everyone has that one event in their lives that scars them forever. It may be the tragic loss of a parent or going through your first heart break. For Cassie O'Malley, it's being thrown in a mental institute by your family without so much as a goodbye.

Cassie O'Malley  has been fighting to stay above the water-literally and not just metaphorically- since her birth. Her mother threw Cassie into a mental institute just over two and a half years ago against her will. Finally 18, Cassie can get her life back and enter into the world the way she wants to.

Unfortunately, freedom isn't a good match for a teen whose undergone a lifetime of psychological damage. As Cassie swims through the confusing and new surroundings, she uncovers things about her family that make it impossible to cut the ties of the past. As the unhealthy relationship between Cassie and her mother threatens to pull her under once again, Cassie must make some decisions...

Which part of her history is the truth?

And...

Whose life must she save?

I really enjoyed reading this book! The characters made me feel very emotional at times. I especially loved how within the first chapters we were introduced to some of the patients that were with Cassie in the mental institute. These characters were well developed as well. I thought the plot line of this book was very interesting, and I love how the family unit in this story isn't a simple happy family. I like the issues that erupt throughout the story. This book is definitely something I would recommend reading!

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

Glass Sword-- Reviewed by Sarah Roberts

“If I am a sword, I am a sword made of glass, and I feel myself beginning to shatter.”  

Being different is always difficult for people. It brings new exciting people and worlds into our lives, but it also brings betrayal and danger. Mare Barrow knows this better than anyone.

Mare Barrows blood red-which stands as a symbol for commoners- but her Silver ability, the ability to control lightening, has turned Mare into a weapon that the royal court wants to control.

The crown declares Mare an impossibility, or a fake, but as Mare tries to escape the evil clutches of Maven, the prince-friend- who betrayed her, she discovers some concerning news. Mare isn't the only one of her kind.

Mare is pursued by Maven, now a twisted king, she sets out to find and recruit the other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the fight against Maven.

Mare soon finds herself on a deadly path, she's at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

Will Mare break under the weight of the many lives that are at cost of the rebellion? Or have betrayal and darkness harden her heart forever?

I thought this book was electrifying! (haha pun). Mare was still the strong independent woman she was in the beginning of the series. Though this is the second book, I especially loved that the way the author carried over the qualities of each character that made the first book so enjoyable. Maven was still the vindictive king that he became toward the end of the first book. All in all I loved the story line and thought that tis story was almost as good as the second.

First Book in series

Red Queen by: Victoria Aveyard

Review of this book is on this blog

Date it was reviewed: December 3, 2015

Firsts--Reviewed by Sarah Roberts

"People aren’t a chemistry experiment you can tinker with until the proportions are just right.

People are terrifying that way.”

Your first time is something that is not only a big step, but also utterly terrifying. Some people desperately wish that there was some way to get ready or even practice, without their girlfriend or boyfriend finding out. I mean they just want to give that one special person the perfect special time.

Enter Mercedes Ayres.

Seventeen year old Mercedes Ayres gives boyfriends that chance to get the awkward first time over with, and open the door to giving their girlfriends perfect first time. Only catch is the guy has to be a virgin and he can't ever speak of his adventure with Mercedes to anyone. Of course the boys are fine with the secrecy, except for Zach who seems to want more from Mercedes than she is willing to give.

Everything seems to be going quite well that is until Charlie, Mercedes's best friend Angela's boyfriend, wants a turn. Suddenly, Mercedes little "tutoring" becomes public. All Mercedes secretes come to light and she isn't ready for it.

Join Mercedes as she tries to find out who she really is, battles the hatred from her fellow girl classmates, and even love.

I gave this book five stars because I absolutely loved it! This book captured topics that seem to be felt through out high schoolers all over the world. There's self-esteem issues, sexuality issues, bullying, love, and becoming comfortable with our bodies. This book made me really think about things in my life that I have done, and the real thoughts behind them. It gives you an inside view of what people really feel about themselves and how they think their actions affect other people's lives.

Ms. Crawford, I think we should purchase this book because not only does it show you the affects of sexual activity on a teen, but also the affects on the partner of the sexually active teen. This book does not just cover sex, but it also covers the thought process of a teen and how they feel the need to be loved in order to love themselves. It shows us that sex is not supposed to be used for feeling pleasure or a false sense of happiness, but rather for the purpose of expressing your love for the one person you believe will be your first and only love. This book also lets us see the bad affects that sex has on a person, and what multiple sexually partners can really do to a person. I think this book will have a great affect on my fellow peers and believe that this book should be incorporated into our library. This needs to be experienced by our young adults in order to help them find their way through high school and the pressure of sex at our age. 

Truthwitch--Reviewed by Sarah Roberts

“I hate this. Both the storm and the plan. Why does it have to be ‘we’? Why not just me?"
“Because ‘just me’ isn’t who we are,” Iseult hollered back. “I’ll always follow you, Safi, and you’ll always follow me. Threadsisters to the end.”  

Friends are the people you can always count on. Possibly even risk your own life for. This is the type of bond that Safiya and Iseult and have. They would do anything for each other, be anything for each other, and even die for each other.

In the Witchlands there are many people that each use their own type of magic which may or may not lead them on the path of trouble. Two women know this all too well. Their names...Safiya and Iseult.

Safiya is a Truthwitch, meaning that she is able to know the difference between a truth and a lie. This magical ability is one that almost anyone would kill to have fighting on their side, especially the noble people that Safiya live with. Safiya must keep her abilities a secret, or else she is in danger of being used as pawn in a war between powerful empires.

Iseult is a Threadwitch, meaning that she has the ability to see the invisible ties that tie the entangled lives around her. However, Iseult cannot see the bonds that touch her very own heart. Iseult's friendship with Safiya has taken her from a outcasts to an amazing adventure.

Together these two friends work to free themselves from their own confinement in order to be able to finally live their own lives.

I thought this book was really good! It was exciting and the relationship between Safiya and Iseult was heart warming. You could really feel the strong bond between these two. I also really liked how the author wrote this book, I was really grabbed by every word. The adventure in this book is absolutely amazing and really gives you chills. Though it was a little in some places it still gave me chills.

This Is Where It Ends-- Reviewed by Sarah Roberts

“I didn't need to die for him to kill me.”

School shootings. They are terrible and scary, but they also affect the people inside the school building and people outside the school building. We see this through out this book This Is Where It Ends.

What started out as a normal day for the students and teachers of Opportunity High School, ends in chaos. The principal calls all students and teachers to the gym for the predictable beginning of the year assembly.

Everything is normal at 10:00am when the principal brings her big speech on how students need to excel and achieve their goals this year.

At 10:02, the students get up to leave the gym and resume their daily classes.

At 10:03, the students and teachers find themselves locked inside the gym.

At 10:05, somebody starts shooting.

Follow the point of views of four students who are not only inside the gym, but outside as well.

I thought this book was absolutely amazing! The suspense and storyline were just captivating. I really enjoyed how the story switched between points of views so that we got an inside look and an outside look at the situation going on through out the story. I also really liked how this story covered a topic that most author are  scared to write about. This book also really made me think about how actions of others could truly drive someone to the point of no return. I would definitely recommend this book to all my friends and family because this is an experience you don't want to miss out on.

Passenger-- Reviewed by Sarah Roberts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Everything you touch surely dies.” 

     One traumatic night changes everything for violin prodigy, Etta Spencer. She loses everything that she knows and loves in the world. Etta is thrown into a world that she never knew existed, by a dangerous stranger with a agenda. Etta knows one thing and that is that she hasn't just traveled miles from home, but years.


     Etta has inherited a legacy that has she never even knew about. She inherited this legacy from a family she never knew anything about. Enter Nicholas Carter.


     Nicholas Carter loves his life at sea, free from the Ironwood family- a family that is very powerful in the colonies- and the service of his own hands. But everything changes with the arrival of a mysterious passenger; Etta. Nicholas experiences the pull of a past that he much rather have forgotten about. He can't escape the family that won't let him go so easily. The Ironwoods won't stop until they get their hands on Etta. He must protect her and the secret object that Etta is supposed to give them


    Join Nicholas and Etta on a perilous journey across continents and centuries, as they piece together clues of a traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwood's grasp.


      I thought this book was wonderful! I loved Nicholas as a character because he really embodied the want for freedom. The book gave me chills in some parts, and the characters really came to life in my head, and hopefully other people's heads when they read this book. I gave this book four and half stars because although the characters were well composed, I thought the book lagged a little in a part or two. Otherwise, I thought this book was brilliant and I would recommend it all my friends and family.


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. 

The X-Factor--Reviewed by: Sarah Roberts

 

 

 

 

  Maja is your normal, everyday 17-year old. She dreams of becoming a an actress, and her role model is Marilyn Monroe. So when things take an interesting turn at a celebration party for her boyfriend, Maja doesn't quite know how to handle it. One minute she is an average teen, and then the next minute she is at a test modeling photo shoot because some guy thinks she could have 'The X-Factor'. 

                                   
                     But things don't go the way they should have.
 
            Maja becomes exhausted from the countless photo shoots, diets, and a always being in the public eye. So what does Maja do? Well she turns to some "friends" that get her into a lot of trouble. When it all explodes in her face, Maja is left with a drug addiction, no self-esteem,and no true friends. She now is left with one question: How far will she got to reach her dream and land among the stars?


         I really thought this book was well written and enjoyed it immensely. I enjoyed how this book touched on subject matter that others would have been afraid to write. That is why I gave this book a 4 and 1/2 star rating. The characters were well developed and I felt almost everything that Maja felt. The lack of self-esteem that Maja had felt like it would have been experienced by teens today. He book really gives you an inside view of what the modeling industry really is, the it isn't all the glamour and beauty it's made up to be. So all in all, this book was a great experience and I would definitely recommend it to my friends and family.

Red Queen--reviewed by: Sarah Roberts

"In school, we learned about the world before us, about the angels and gods that lived in the sky, ruling the earth with kind and loving hands. Some say those are just stories, but I don't believe that. The gods rule us still. They have come down from the stars. And they are no longer kind."

Picture high school. It's ruled by two kinds of groups. There's the popular, almighty people, and then you have the unpopular, lowly people. Well that is the type of society that Mare Barrow lives in.

There are two kinds of people in Mare Barrow's society, except the thing that defines your place is the color of your blood. First you have the Silvers,which are the elite people "whose supernatural abilities make them gods". Then you have the Reds, which are the lowly servants of the Silvers.

Mare Barrow is a Red, who just so happens to be the best pit-pocketer in all the village. Mare lives with her mother, her war-disabled father, and her sister Gisa. Mare also has brothers but they are in the military, which Mare will soon join them...or so she thought. One encounter with a stranger leads Mare landing a job in the royal palace, filled with people she loathes the most. Mare works through rooms filled with Silvers, just simply serving and refilling drinks. Girls appear trying to win the affection of the two young princes, but only one of them is familiar. It's the stranger who got Mare the job.

As the night goes on Mare does her serving duties, and can't wait for the night to end. Suddenly, she is attacked by a girl in the pageant and thrown of the balcony landing on this lightening force field. The only problem is, Mare does burn but controls the lightening. This sets off a chain of events that will change everything.

I loved this book! It really made my imagination come to life. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family. Not only does this book have suspense, it also has betrayal and a hint of love. I love Mare's independent spirit, but also how loyal she is to her friends and loved ones. The storyline is absolutely spectacular! It will give you goose bumps. You feel everything the characters feel, and even feel afraid for some of them at one point. Join Mare in this fantastic tale, and "rise red as the dawn."

Need--Reviewed by Sarah Roberts

" A want is a desire to possess or do something. A wish. A need is something required because it is essential. Something very important that you cannot live without."

"What do you need?"

                   Social media is the most important thing to teens these days. So when a social media cite called NEED starts offering to send teens in the small town of Nottawa whatever they need in exchange for small tasks to be carried out, what could be sweeter. At first the tasks are as simple as inviting people to join NEED, and then everything changes. A fellow classmate is the first to die after cookies were "mysteriously" delivered to her containing the one thing that could kill her...peanuts. The culprit is a fellow classmate, and NEED member, who was just following through on the task given to them. As more teens begin to die off, there's only on teen who wants to end NEED for good. Follow Kayla, as she tries to find out who is behind NEED, and hopefully put a stop to them before more classmates meet their untimely deaths.
 

            I became obsessed with this book after the first chapter! This is why I rated the book a five out of five stars. This book will have you begging for more. I thoroughly enjoyed how each chapter was from a different point of view of each character. Just like every person has their own opinions and point of views, so do the characters. You really get to experience what goes on in every character's head through the progression of each chapter. The ending of this book will leave you breathless. It was also make you think that this story could possibly happen in real life today.



Go Set A Watchman-- Reviewed by Hailey Hinrichs

                                                          

                                                          

“Every man’s island, Jean Louise, every man’s watchman, is his conscience.”

                In Harper Lee’s first novel Go Set A Watchman, Scout returns to her hometown of Maycomb, Alabama to visit her father. Upon arrival, she begins remembering things of the past of the small town she grew up in. She also begins to see many differences. Set during the era of civil rights movements and racial tension, Scout finds herself dumbfounded by the behavior of people in her town, including her father, Atticus. As she begins to learn secrets about her once close-knit family, she begins to doubt her beliefs and what she thinks she knows about her family and learns that what will guide her is her conscience.

                I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars. I did like it well enough but I feel like it dragged on sometimes. I did like that it did relate a lot to To Kill A Mockingbird. Since it was written before To Kill A Mockingbird, I was worried it wouldn’t relate enough to the other book. This book is technically the second book to To Kill A Mockingbird, even though this novel was written before it. Harper Lee made a lot of the stories the same except for one major detail that honestly could’ve changed a lot in To Kill A Mockingbird which did bother me a little. A lot of the characters were the same and I like that as well except for one character who did change. I would recommend it to others because it was a good enough read and it was interesting to read this novel 60 years after it was actually written. If you want to read this novel, you should read To Kill A Mockingbird first because knowing in depth about Scout’s childhood will help you understand her behavior towards certain situations in this novel. All in all, I liked this novel well enough.

Damage Done-- Reviewed by Sarah Roberts

               
              Have you ever had something happened to you, where you just want to change your name and switch cities or even planets? Well that's exactly what happens to Julia Vann.

        When Julia Vann's brother does something that makes Julia and her family the talk of the town, she and her family pack up, change their identities, and move to a new town. Now living as Lucy Black, Julia has a chance at having a normal high school year. That is until, Dr. Spence, Julia's brother's therapist, comes to town with a plan to find Julia. When a sequence of events makes it hard to hide the truth about her past Julia is forced to confide in her best friend Alane and her high school crush, Michael. Julia tells them everything about her past life...or so they think. What Julia holds inside could be the key to unlocking what really happened that fateful day, which changed her life forever. One thing is clear the damage done can never be erased. It's only just the beginning.

         I thought this book was absolutely amazing. I gave it a five-star rating because i could not put it down for even a second. This book is twisted and touches on subjects that others are afraid to even hint at. It creates a feeling of numbness at the end, because you just can't process it at first. It makes you think about how the mind works and what really makes people the way they are. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone because it is a story worth experiencing.

Daughter of Deep Silence -- Reviewed by Sarah Roberts

                              Imagine seeing your family killed before your very own eyes while on a family vacation. Frances Mace sees her parents shot before her very own eyes while vacationing on a boat known as the Persephone. This is the story about how Frances seeks revenge on the man who covered up the truth about what really happened to the Persephone and its passengers that fateful night. But when something happens that causes Frances to make a choice between love or revenge, which will she choose? Come and ride the waves with Frances on the journey to a successful revenge along with finding the truth behind the lies and deceit of Senator Wells.

                                I gave this book four and half stars out of five because although this book was well written and had a very well written plot line, I would have liked to have seen more of the other characters and their points of view. Especially Shepherd's and Grey's.  This book was definitely original and the storyline had great depth to it. You really got to know Frances and experience the inner battles within herself. I enjoyed how she tried to keep herself from showing emotions but you got to see what really was going on in the inside. I would definitely read this book again if given the choice. Frances was forced to grow up but you also saw that she was just a girl on the inside who felt hurt and out of control. Although Frances did not show it you could see the agony she was really in due to the traumatic experience the happened before her eyes. I would recommend this to my friends and family members because it unlike anything you have ever read before.

The Starters reviewed by Portia Rockers

 

 

The Starters is about a future USA where a war called the Spore Wars took place and killed everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. In this world The young people which are called Starters and the older people that survived are called Enders. The ones that survived were vaccinated so the Enders can live up to 200 years of age. Callie and her brother Tyler live as squatters which means there was no grandparents to take care of them so they live in poverty with other kids like them. In this futuristic world the Enders can rent the bodies of younger people using a microchip inserted in the body for three weeks at a time. When Callie's Younger brother starts to get sick Callie realizes that renting her body is the only way to get the money they need. But something Goes wrong with the chip she wakes up living her renters life and dating a rich governor's grandson. Its almost a dream come true until she realizes what the Renter had planned for her body.

 

Over all I enjoyed the book. The plot line was interesting but is lacked depth. Also there wasn't a lot of character development they just had set values, which some people like but I wasn't to fond of. I liked Callie's personality interesting, she's willing to do anything for her little brother. She even makes sacrifices to make sure he is okay and taken care of. I would recommend this book to people who like science fiction books. If you read and like this book you might want the read the second book called The Enders. Also a book called The Dead Boys. 



Thousand Words - Reviewed by Maggie Devero

Thousand Words by Jennifer Brown

Reviewed by Maggie Devero

Do you really believe it when people say that an electronically uploaded picture of yourself stays on the internet even after you think it's gone? That there's no privacy whatsoever? Ashleigh Maynard finds this out the hard way, after a pool party, a few drinks, and a bad decision. At the time, it had seemed a good idea...she missed her constantly preoccupied college boyfriend Kaleb, and it was a way to get his attention focused directly back on her. Unfortunately, this doesn't remain as intimate as Ashleigh had hoped and she is soon faced with sixty hours of community service for a crime she didn't realize she was technically committing. Through this scandal, both family and friends shy away from her and this unwanted connection to the whole problem. Only one person acts at all sympathetic to the scandal and even friendly to her, and this boy is doing community service for something she doesn't know. She struggles with accepting the outcome of the entire event, and learning to deal with it almost alone. During this time, Ashleigh truly learns that "a picture is worth a thousand words, but they don't tell the whole story."

When I first opened the book, and got an idea of the storyline, I honestly was expecting to lose all interest super quickly. A plot even slightly including high school love can be very unappealing when you hear about it day in and day out, both in real high school life and almost every other YA fiction book you pick up. As I pushed through though more chapters, it mostly moved past that topic, throwing in a few twists that at I personally didn't see coming. So I gave it three stars because it was overall a book that I'd enjoyed reading, but isn't anything that will stand out on its own in recent YA standards, nor something I would go back to read again. The author, Jennifer Brown, has also written a couple other books, called Hate List and Bitter End. The topics of those are more angsty than this one, which is the reason I preferred them over Thousand Words. Still, if you enjoy drama, and learning-to-cope-with-your-problems type books, then you will definitely like this one.