The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

Title: The Catastrophic History of You and Me
Author: Jess Rothenberg

Release Date: 21st February 2012

My Rating: 2/5

Blurb:

Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever.

BRIE'S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally.

But now that she's D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul . . . who just might hold the key to her forever after.

With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

In A Nutshell:
The plot was lacking but the characterisation was great.

My Review:

Before I start, in the interest of full disclosure, I read an ARC of this. Certain things may have been edited before publication, but most likely not everything I had an issue with.

My first impression was that the storyline really didn't grab me (hence why I waited almost a year before finally reading it) and that the first few paragraphs are just one long rant. I persevered because I had heard some wonderful things from other bloggers, and I admit that towards the end of the novel, my opinion of it rose a little when some issues were explored a little bit more. But for me, really, the whole story really was missing something.

What I didn't like: I thought it was a bit over dramatic. Brie's actions after her death, and even the fact she died of a broken heart, grief or no grief, were a bit too much for me to take seriously. I struggled with the whole vengeful ghost gets revenge-learns acceptance-seeks redemption-discovers reincarnation story arc. I got a bit confused towards the end with how everything was wrapped up and really, it was just a  bit too much for me on the supernatural/paranormal side of things.

What I really liked: The characters. I liked the them all; Brie, Patrick, everyone at Slice, Brie's friends and family, Jacob. Had they all been in a contemporary novel, I think it could have been fantastic. I love how Brie is obsessed with 80's music and stationary. I was excited by how much love was shown for Disney movies and one of my all-time favourite quotes has come from this book - "There's no such thing as too much Disney". I also totally love the use of song lyrics as chapter titles (and that the artist was included at the back of the book in case you couldn't figure out what they were!).

My parting thoughts? Everything in life has consequences, good and/or bad. Live your life (and in this case, your death) without malice and leave revenge up to karma because there are always two sides to every story.

Second Opinion
Reading Wishes

Between by Cyndi Tefft

Title: Between
Author: Cyndi Tefft

Release Date: 1st June 2011

My Rating: 4/5

Blurb:

It just figures that the love of Lindsey Water's life isn't alive at all, but the grim reaper, complete with a dimpled smile and Scottish accent.

After transporting souls to heaven for the last 300 years, Aiden MacRae has all but given up on finding the one whose love will redeem him and allow him entry through the pearly gates.

Torn between her growing attraction to Aiden and heaven's siren song, Lindsey must learn the hard way whether love really can transcend all boundaries

In A Nutshell:
Between is the perfect mix of love, loss and longing. With tear-jerking moments, delicious scenes of desire and a twist I never saw coming, Between went from a so-so book to a wow book.

My Review:
Between begins with Lindsey being involved in a car accident. When she wakes up, she finds herself in a meadow and accompanied by a gorgeous Scottish man who she feels an instant attraction to and who is to lead her to the pearly gates of heaven. I had two initial reactions in the first few chapters. One was, 'Oh no, please don't go all God preachy on me'. The second was 'Oh no, not another love at first sight, you are my one true love even though I have barely said ten words to you'. Haha not the best first impression but both were based on my own opinions of religion and love. The beginning is not bad, it's just not what I normally enjoy. This should have been enough to stop me reading, leave it in the unfinished pile and start something new. But I didn't. I kept reading, and oh my gosh, I am so glad I did because I quickly became completely absorbed in it and didn't do anything for the rest of the day.

Instead of going straight to heaven, Lindsey decides to stay with Aiden for a little while until she feels ready to move on. Being in this state of limbo, Aiden has the ability to cast the two of them anywhere they want, as long as he has been there in the past (before he died). Aiden takes Lindsey through a journey of his memories from his home at Eilean Donan Castle in the Scottish Highlands to his uncle's house in Versailles, they dance in a ballroom with Louis the 14th and wander the streets of Paris in the 1700's. Lindsey quickly discovers she also has this ability to cast and as their feelings for each other intensify, Lindsey shares her memories with Aiden. But as the gates of heaven call her, their time together is running out. Will their love be enough or will they lose each other forever?

And then just when I thought I knew how the story was likely to pan out...BAM! Tefft threw me a major curve-ball. In comes a contemporary twist that totally shocked me and took Between to a whole other level, something I was so not expecting!

Mixed with delicious smoking-hot scenes and total tear-jerking moments, family and personal relationships are examined, feelings voiced, insurmountable grief exposed and pain, loss, love and desire are all experienced. Between has it all.

How pretty is the cover?! Simple but effective. Also, after visiting Scotland (and Eilean Donan Castle) three years ago, I fell in love with the place so I love to find books that mention Scotland.

You can purchase Between as an ebook or paperback from Amazon or as an ebook from Smashwords

Visit Cyndi's blog here or find Between on Goodreads.

The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner

Title: The Dead I Know
Author: Scot Gardner

Release Date: 1st May 2011

My Rating: 4/5

Blurb:

Aaron Rowe walks in his sleep. He has dreams he can't explain, and memories he can't recover. Death doesn't scare him - his new job may even be his salvation. But if he doesn't discover the truth about his hidden past soon, he may fall asleep one night and never wake up.

In A Nutshell:
I loved The Dead I Know. It was suspenseful, heart-breaking, touching and hopeful. It can get a bit dark at times so I would recommend it for ages 15+.

My Review:
The Dead I Know begins with a lot of mystery surrounding our main character Aaron. He has shown up for his first day working at a funeral parlour looking worse for wear and with an antisocial attitude. We don't know a lot about him except that he's a bit of a loner, lives in a caravan park with Mam, who we assume to be his mother, and that she has some kind of mental illness. Because of Mam's apparent illness, Aaron has to play the role of the parent the majority of the time and since it is just him and Mam, there is a lot sitting on his young shoulders. On top of this, he's having trouble with his violent and drug-addicted neighbour and he has recently started sleepwalking and having disturbing nightmares. It is evident he is troubled but the question is, what traumatic memories are hidden away in his subconscious?

"If Mam were an alcoholic, her mental state would be easy to explain. If she'd taken drugs or had an accident, her luck-of-the-draw world would make more sense. Sometimes she was lucid and practical; other times she was a stormy two-year-old. There was no rhyme or flow, just what she was served. Yet, for all her shifting states, she never woke with a stranger's broken hairbrush in her hand."

Aaron needs mindless, repetitive tasks to stay focused and keep himself calm, meaning being an assistant at a funeral home is perfect for him. He doesn't have a problem with death. That doesn't however make him a morbid, angry teenager wanting to kill everyone.... he just understands it. I know that the fact the book is set in a funeral home might deter some people from picking it up, but please don't let it stop you. There are a couple of moments when you might get a tad squeamish but it's really not the focus of the book. It's about Aaron and whether or not he can put his past behind him and find peace of mind.

"The police protected the living, ambulance officers protected the injured and we protected the dead. All as it should be."

The Barton's, who own the funeral parlour, are such lovely people and I thought that John Barton was the perfect person to help Aaron during this particularly difficult time. John takes him under his wing, subtly providing him with a support network without Aaron really realising it. Throughout the story, Aaron's past slowly comes to light, expertly drawn from him by John's precocious 12-year-old daughter Skye (who I started off really disliking but quickly found the value of her personality). What we come to realise is that Aaron is a broken boy struggling with not only the horror of his past (which is so tragically sad!), but also the pain, pressure and denial that comes with having a loved one suffering from dementia (something I am all too familiar with).

I honestly really loved The Dead I Know. It was suspenseful, heart-breaking, touching and hopeful. I read the whole thing in one sitting, I was just so desperate to know what had happened to Aaron and that he would be ok. I really came to care for him as a character and was able to identify with him in reference to his struggles with Mam. Recommended for ages 15+

And if that's not enough, it comes recommended by John Marsden, "I have never read a book more gripping, nor more triumphantly alive"

Thankyou to Allen and Unwin for providing me with this review copy.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Title: Mockingjay
Series: The Hunger Games Book 3
Author: Suzanne Collins

Release Date: 25th August 2010

My Rating: 3/5

Blurb:

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.

My Review:

There isn't a whole lot I can say without completely spoiling the ending...but I will make a couple of points...

1. I love Gale
2. One of my favourite characters dies
3. Katniss does not go into another Hunger Games
4. I think some some parts of the story are drawn out too long and others were just glazed over where they should have had more attention
5. There is an epilogue that I wish wasn't there
6. One of my favourite quotes from the book is:

"If we burn, you burn with us"

While I did like Mockingjay and felt Suzanne Collins probably couldn't have finished the trilogy any other way, and obviously it is impossible to please everyone, I was disappointed in a quite a few spots, mostly relating to the ending, and overall I prefer the previous two books. Does anyone else agree? Almost every review I have read seems to be that they think it was amazing and that it ended perfectly. The shining light for me is a post I was told about by Nomes over at inkcrush. The post covers everything I think is wrong with the book (and I have since added my own comment at the bottom) so I am not feeling quite so alone. To view this post over at Forever Young Adult click here, but be aware it is full of spoilers so do not read it until you too have finished the book.

Please do not post any spoilers in my comments (obviously non-spoilery comments are always welcome). If anyone has anything to say about the ending, or wants to discuss it, send me an email at jwillis87@hotmail.com

Summer by Eden Maguire

Title: Summer
Series: Beautiful Dead Book 3
Author: Eden Maguire

Release Date: 8th July 2010

My Rating: 3/5

Blurb:
Six months have passed since the last mysterious teenage death, but Darina is still traumatised by the murders of Summer Madison and her own beloved Phoenix. She searches constantly for the Beautiful Dead, longing for their return.

Springtime sees Darina once more in Phoenix's arms. But spring is also a reminder of the hail of bullets that killed Summer in a random shopping mall shooting almost a year ago.

Can Darina and the Beautiful Dead catch Summer's crazed killer? Will Darina's love for Phoenix survive the task? One thing is clear - it's not finished yet, not by a long shot...

My Review:
I love the fact that this series is mostly focused on the mysteries surrounding the deaths of Jonas, Arizona, Summer and Phoenix. Yes it does have it's paranormal romance twist to it but I read it more because of these mysterious deaths that Darina has the task of trying to find the answers to.

I adored books 1 & 2 but, while I did enjoy this addition to the series, I did start to find Darina annoying some of the time with her whining about how often she gets to see Phoenix. I also feel like there should have been one more chapter to the book to sum up what Darina discovers and the impact it has for those around her, excluding the Beautiful Dead.

Overall, another good murder mystery, with more appearances (which I liked) from supporting characters than in the previous two books. I look forward to Darina's investigation into the gang fight that killed Phoenix in the final book.

Phoenix, book 4, will be released 1st November 2010.

Click here for my review of Jonas, the first book in the series.

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Title: The Sky is Everywhere
Author: Jandy Nelson

Release Date: 1st June 2010 (Australia)

My Rating: 5/5

"I do not think this is how normal people mourn..."

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to centre stage of her own life—and, despite her non-existent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.

I loved The Sky is Everywhere. After finishing it, all I wanted to do was pick it up and read it again right from the start. I don't think I have ever had the urge to reread a book straight away after finishing it. It is a fantastic story from first time author Jandy Nelson about life, love, loss and healing.

Despite it's morbid premise, this is a humorous novel about finding yourself, coping with grief, and allowing yourself to be happy again. It is about the tragedy of losing a sister and finding first love, and all the emotions that come with those experiences: the sadness, the confusion, the passion, and the feeling that your heart is going to burst into a million pieces.

Poor Lennie, she is so lost after the death of her 19-year-old sister Bailey. She copes by shutting out her friends and those around her as she doesn't think they can relate to her or understand what she is going through. What she forgets is that they also have lost Bailey. The supporting characters are crazy, eccentric and absolutely loveable; Grams and her roses and the Spotted Lennie Plant, Sarah and her animal vocabulary explosions, and Big and his dead bugs and Pyramids.

Lennie is a 'young' 17-year-old, always having hidden behind Bailey and has about zero experience with boys. When she falls for new boy Joe Fontaine, she immediately feels guilty for moving on and not spending every second of the day feeling depressed and mourning her sister. Her confusion over her feelings for Toby are also understandable. What we as the readers realise long before Lennie, is that she and Toby are drawn together over the enormous grief they share over Bailey's death, not by her having some strange attraction to her dead sisters' boyfriend.

The Sky is Everywhere is beautifully written. The words are so lyrical, they swallow you up and you get lost inside them.

We walk in silence then through the woods and it snaps me back into my senses. The stars and moon are mostly hidden over the thick tree cover, and I feel like I'm swimming through darkness, my body breaking the air as if it were water. I can hear the rush of the river getting louder with every step I take, and it reminds me of Bailey, day after day, year after year, the two of us on this path, lost in talk, the plunge into the pool, and then the endless splaying on the rocks in the sun-

"I'm left behind."

I also loved Lennie's random scattering of poems throughout the book that she leaves all over town. They helped give more insight into how she is feeling and also her relationship with Bailey.

WHEN I'M WITH HIM,
THERE IS SOMEONE WITH ME
IN MY HOUSE OF GRIEF,
SOMEONE WHO KNOWS
ITS ARCHITECTURE AS I DO,
WHO CAN WALK WITH ME,
FROM ROOM TO SORROWFUL ROOM,
MAKING THE WHOLE RAMBLING STRUCTURE
OF WIND AND EMPTINESS
NOT QUITE AS SCARY, AS LONELY
AS IT WAS BEFORE.

A must read for ages 14+.

Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James

Title: Beautiful Malice
Author: Rebecca James

Release Date: 1st May 2010

My Rating: 3/5

'Truth or dare?' she asks.
I hesitate. 'Truth,' I say finally. 'I can imagine one of your dares, and I don't fancy running down Oxford Street naked tonight.'
'Truth,' Alice says slowly, drawing out the vowel sound as if she's savouring the word. 'Are you sure? Are you sure you can be completely honest?'
'I think so. Try me.'
'Okay.' And then she looks at me curiously. 'So. Were you glad, deep down? Were you glad to be rid of her? Your perfect sister? Were you secretly glad when she was killed?'

Katherine has moved away from her shattered family to start afresh in Sydney. There she keeps her head down until she is befriended by the charismatic, party-loving Alice, who brings her out of her shell. But there is a dark side to Alice, something seductive yet threatening. And as Katherine learns the truth about Alice, their tangled destinies spiral to an explosive and devastating finale.

I had read quite a few reviews of this before picking it up. Some were good, some were bad so I decided to give it a go, and I am so glad I did. While I wouldn't say it is one of my favourite reads, it is something that stayed with me well after finishing, going over the storyline and the characters in my head. This is Australian author Rebecca James' debut novel and I can see why it caused such a frenzied bidding war. Beautiful Malice is a rather disturbing psychological thriller written for young adults, although I would place it as a 15+ novel. It is so well written and is so suspenseful that you just keep sitting there reading, even when you know you should be going to bed for fear of sleeping through your alarm the next morning!

The story is told from three different stages in Katherine's life. Each chapter is told from one of these time periods, weaving between the three until we have a complete picture of Katherine's life and the shocking and horrifying conclusion. Interestingly enough, the part of the story that I think of as the 'present day' actually isn't. Stage one describes the night Katherine's sister Rachel is killed. Stage two is set two years later when Katherine has moved to Sydney to try and have a fresh start and to complete her HSC. This is the stage where most of the story takes place and where Katherine meets the diabolical character of Alice. Stage three is set four years after stage two, and this shows us how Katherine is dealing after the events occurring in stage two. This may sound confusing, but don't worry, it's not, the story flows extremely well.

Rebecca James has created such a fantastic cast of characters. They are unique, well described, free of clichés, and with the exception of one or two, the kind of people you would want to be friends with. I must say that to me, and probably most other readers, the most disturbing part of the book isn't Rachels' death, although it is truly horrible, but the character of Alice. When Katherine finally realises just how toxic Alice is in her life, it's far too late. Alice is someone who has no conscience, or if she does, she pays no heed to it. Just when you think Alice can't get any worse, she does something else that just pushes those around her to their limits. I found that I was getting so angry with Alice and the way she was treating the characters that I love, that I just wanted to protect them, I felt as if they had become my friends. To me, this is an amazing ability of an author to evoke such strong feelings in a reader.

This is a fantastic psychological thriller about love, death, pain, friendship, betrayal, loss and strength.

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

Title: Spirit Bound
Series: Vampire Academy Book 5
Author: Richelle Mead

Release Date: 18th May 2010

My Rating: 5/5

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Siberia, Dimitri's birthplace, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's - and to her best friend Lissa Dragomir. It's graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives outside of the academy's cold iron gates to finally begin. But even with the intrigue and excitement of court life looming, Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri. He's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance, and now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and she knows in her heart that he is hunting her. And if Rose won't join him, he won't rest until he has silenced her...forever.

But Rose can't forget what she learned on her journey - whispers of a magic too impossible and terrifying to comprehend. A magic inextricably tied to Lissa that could hold the answer to all of Rose's prayer's, but not without devastating consequences. Now Rose will have to decide what - and who - matters most to her. And in the end, is true love really worth the price?

Oh My God! The wait is finally over and I expected Spirit Bound to be good, but I didn't expect it too blow me away! I have only ever once before given a book a 5/5 rating and this has just become my second. Fans of the series will not be disappointed! Every book in the Vampire Academy series gets more exciting, thrilling and addictive than the last and Richelle Mead is a force to be reckoned with.

I don't want to ruin the ending for others (although if you would like to chat about spoilers please feel free to contact me) but I will say it that at the end of page 489, you will be desperate for the 6th, and final, book Last Sacrifice (released 14th December 2010). If you haven't already started this series, do yourself a favour and go get the first book, Vampire Academy, and clear the rest of your day as you will not be able to put it down. This is the best YA vampire series around (yes better than Twilight and Evernight, etc).

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Title: Halo
Series: Halo Book 1
Author: Alexandra Adornetto

Release Date: 1st August 2010 (Australia)

My Rating: 3/5

Nothing much happens in the sleepy town of Venus Cove. But everything changes when three angels, Ivy, Bethany and Gabriel, are sent from heaven to protect the town against the gathering forces of darkness. They work hard to conceal their true identity and, most of all, their wings.

But the mission is threatened when the youngest angel, Bethany, is sent to high school and falls for the handsome school captain, Xavier Woods. Will she defy the laws of heaven by loving him?

Things come to a head when the angels realise they are not the only supernatural power in Venus Cove. There's a new kid in town and he's charming, seductive, and deadly. Worst of all, he's after Beth. The angels and Xavier must work together to overcome the dark forces, but will Beth survive the battle?

Halo is the first book in what promises to be a rather exciting trilogy. I was initially a bit skeptical as it does fall into the supernatural love category we have seen so much of in the last couple of years. But, I did really enjoy reading it and once I was a couple of chapters in I read the rest in one sitting.

Halo is very well written and the descriptions throughout are very detailed, although not excessively. I loved the references to the different angels and their abilities but also the underworld, our resident bad guy is described perfectly. Bethany is very naive, having never lived on earth and of course because she is an angel, and this led to a lot of funny scenes, questions and explanations as she needed some of the simplest things explained to her.
I don't usually like it when a reviewer describes something as being to similar to Twilight or that you will love it if you loved Twilight, but I am going to make an exception for this book. I found there were quite a few parallels to Twilight, and not just in the highly intense relationship and instant devotion between Bethany and Xavier, but other areas as well. While I won't go into detail, I will be interested to know if others agree with me on this matter.

There were a lot of references to God and how He feels and how He will 'enlighten us in due course' and while it was coming from the perspective of an angel, I did feel a little like I was being preached to, something I am personally not entirely comfortable with. Having said this though, I was able to look beyond it as it gave more integrity to the angels.

Please take note that I did read an advanced readers copy yet to go through it's final editing stages and certain things may change. One thing I hope will be rectified will be which country the town of Venus Cove is set in. I'm still unclear as whether or not it is set in America or Australia. I read most of it assuming it was set in the US after the references to prom and college but then I picked up on the fact that both rugby and soccer (two sports Xavier plays) are usually how we refer to these sports in Australia whereas in the US it is usually football. Also, authors generally set their novels in their own country as it is what they are familiar with (yes I am generalising here). Maybe I am being petty, but it is something that bugs me. Maybe we are not supposed to know where it is set? Maybe that is the beauty of it, that it could happen anywhere...

Might I also add, is that not one of the most stunning covers you have ever seen?!

Beautiful Monster by Kate McCaffrey

Title: Beautiful Monster
Author: Kate McCaffrey

Release Date: 1st May 2010

My Rating: 4/5

It only takes a few blood-stained seconds for Tessa's life to change forever. She wants her old life back. She wants her mum and dad the way they were. She wants her brother.

If it wasn't for Ned, she'd be all alone. He's her greatest support and staunchest ally. He's privy to her deepest secrets, comforts her at night when she cries, holds her and makes her feel loved - when it feels like everyone else has gone. And he knows how to make things okay again. If Tessa can only be perfect, things will get better. The perfect daughter, the perfect marks, the perfect body. But there is a fine line between being in control and being controlled.

Wow where do I start?

Always tackling the important topics for young adults such as cyber-bullying (Destroying Avalon) and drugs use (In Ecstasy), Kate McCaffrey has done it again with Beautiful Monster, focusing on a young girl struggling through her teenage years who has developed an eating disorder following the devastating death of her younger brother.

Beautiful Monster not only deals with the primary issue of body image and eating disorders but also the grief of losing a loved one. As her parents suffer with their own pain, Tessa manages to slip through the cracks, hiding her own pain as she strives to reach her goal weight.

Told in three parts, two years separating each, we accompany Tess as she loses her brother, endeavours to be perfect and keep control over all aspects of her life, copes with her parents, hides her illness, suffers denial and isolates herself from her friends. Then, as her her secret is discovered, we see the aftermath of her treatment and the possibility of a relapse as old foes once again come to light.

Just like her previous books, Beautiful Monster is something every teenage girl should read.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Title: Before I Fall
Author: Lauren Oliver

Release Date: 1st April 2010 (Australia)

My Rating: 5/5

'They say that when you die, your whole life flashes before your eyes, but that's not how it happened for me'

Sam Kingston is dead. Except she isn't.

On a rainy February night, eighteen-year-old Sam is killed in a horrific car crash. But then the impossible happens: she wakes up in her own bed, on the morning of the day that she died. Forced to live over and over the last day of her life - the drive to school, skipping classes, the fateful party - she desperately struggles to alter the outcome, but every morning she wakes up on the day of the crash.

This is a story of a girl who dies young, but in the process learns how to live. And who falls in love...a little too late.

I truly loved ‘Before I Fall’ and read it in one sitting. For a debut novel it is amazing! I laughed, I cried, it completely blew me away.

Each day, Samantha learns something new about the type of person she is/has been, as well as discovering new things about those around her. She has seven days to try and fix her own fate and those of the people around her and as she learns along the way that maybe the purpose of her do-overs are not to save her own life, but the lives of her peers.

I have seen in some other reviews that some people feel the book is too long, especially as Sam repeats her days, but I disagree. I find that each day gets told differently as Sam discovers new things and decides to play the day differently, especially day four.

This is a great YA book as it deals with issues that teens are constantly surrounded by; friends, bullies, awkwardness, high school, the highs and the lows, relationships, drinking, sex, drunk driving, drama, pain, love and hate, secrets and lies. It may also help readers dealing with their own insecurities, pain, or identity. It is a story that reminds us what really matters in life and that everyone has their own problems, even if they are not visible on the surface.

Sometimes the smallest action against someone can truly affect them and change their life forever.

**Major Spoiler Alert**
I would have loved a final chapter or epilogue to find out how the characters Sam helped along the way deal with her death. This is probably because when you find a story and/or characters that you really enjoy reading, you never want it to end, but I also recognise the fact that the aftermath is not what the story is about. Still, I would love a follow up book that comes from the perspective of Juliet, starting as she heads to the party (on Sam’s seventh day).

Wish by Alexandra Bullen

Title: Wish
Author: Alexandra Bullen

Release Date: 1st April 2010

My Rating: 3/5

For Olivia Larsen, nothing can change the fact that her twin sister, Violet, is gone... until a mysterious, beautiful gown arrives on her doorstep. The dress doesn't just look magical,it is magical. It has the power to grant her one wish, and the only thing Olivia wants is her sister back.

With Violet again by her side, both girls get a second chance at life. And as the sisters soon discover, they have two more dresses-and two more wishes left. But magic can't solve everything, and Olivia is forced to confront her ghosts to learn how to laugh, love, and live again.

At first I thought this would be a silly kind of fairytale book with magical dresses and wishes, but it actually turned out to be quite the opposite, as it has a good message and story line that I feel teenage girls can relate to. Olivia has to deal with moving to a new town, making new friends, and normal teenage girl problems with guys and a new school. She has to do all this while trying to move on with her life after the death of her twin sister, her best and closest friend. She is dealing with the effect Violet's death has had on her relationship with her parents as well as their relationship and the family dynamics.

Despite the sad synopsis of a tragic young death, the author has managed to probe the situation in a lighter way but still get a message of independence, pain, heartache, loss, love and family through to the reader without making the book depressing. This is an easy read, but not flippant and makes you as the reader question 'If you could wish for anything, what would you truly want?'

Ages 13+

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

Title: The Piper's Son
Author: Melina Marchetta

Release Date: 1st March 2010

My Rating: 4/5

In The Piper's Son, Melina Marchetta focuses on Thomas Mackee, one of the characters from Saving Francesca. Thomas's life sucks. His once happy and close family has been torn to shreds after his Uncle Joe was killed in the London bombings in 2005. Tom's dad is an alcoholic who has gone AWOL, his mother and sister have disappeared to Brisbane and his Aunt Georgie is pregnant but won't publicly acknowledge it. And Tom, well he's lost his job, his roommates have kicked him out, and he's beating himself up over losing one of his best friends after a one-and-a-half night stand 2 years ago.

As Tom pushes everyone away and spirals into a pit of depression we discover the strength, hope and love that family and friends are capable of as they attempt to get Tom's life slowly back on track. I also like that the story is told in third person, following both Tom and Georgie.

By the end you are left with a feeling of hope, and that family and true friends are always there for you, no matter how tough things get and how much you try to push them away.

Having not read Saving Francesca I was worried that The Piper's Son wouldn't make sense and that I wouldn't be able to follow the story, but that wasn't the case. While it does refer a lot to what happens in Saving Francesca, it in no way gave me any trouble. I would really like to read Saving Francesca now and while I don't feel the need to hear the story of Justine or Tara, I would really like to find out what has happened to Jimmy (the 5th member of their group), which Marchetta has given small clues to in The Piper's Son and I think has paved the way for another book focusing on him.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Title: The Hunger Games
Series: The Hunger Games Book 1
Author: Suzanne Collins

Release Date: 1st March 2009

My Rating: 5/5

16-year-old Katniss lives with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Katniss steps forward to take her sister's place in the games, she see's it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.

This series was such a wonderful surprise for me. I put off reading it for months and when I finally picked it up I couldn't put it down! This is a very well written and engrossing story set in a future world full of challenges as the remaining population tries to survive against an emotionally empty and corrupt government. Fast-paced, suspenseful, gripping and heart-wrenching. This is a must read, you will not be disappointed!

Look out for the sequel 'Catching Fire' which is just as fabulous as the first book. The title of the 3rd Hunger Games book has just been announced! 'Mockingjay' will be released 24th August 2010!

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Title: Fallen
Series: Fallen Book 1
Author: Lauren Kate

Published: 7th December 2009 (Australia)

My Rating: 2/5

Seventeen-Year-Old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce’s boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, where every student seems to have an unpleasant, even evil, history.

It’s only when she sees Daniel, a gorgeous fellow student, that Luce feels there’s a reason to be here, though she doesn’t know what it is, nor does she understand Daniel’s frosty demeanor towards her. For Daniel is a fallen angel, doomed to fall in love with the same girl every 17 years . . . and watch her die. And Luce is a fellow immortal, cursed to be reincarnated again and again as a mortal girl who has no idea of who she really is.

I have mixed opinions of this book. I feel the first half just took too long and I just wanted something major to happen or for something to be explained. It took too long for the revelations to start. That said, the last 150 pages had me speed reading to see what would happen next.

I feel the sequel will be a lot more interesting and engaging now that the ground work has been laid, almost like this was a prequel. Keep an eye out for it in September 2010.

Essentially, not enough was explained, leaving me with many unanswered questions, and what was explained, took too long.

I really liked all of the characters except for Daniel as I just wanted him to help Luce understand what was happening. I found it frustrating!

Also, I think the cover is absolutely stunning, one of the best I have seen in a long time, and I think it will get people to pick it up in the first place, it's what made me.

Jonas: Beautiful Dead by Eden Maguire

Title: Jonas
Series: Beautiful Dead Book 1
Author: Eden Maguire

Release Date: 11th July 2009

My Rating: 4/5

Something strange is happening at Ellerton High. Jonas, Arizona, Summer and Phoenix. All dead within a year. Jonas Jonson is the first to die, in a motorcycle accident. But there are many unanswered questions, and the three deaths that follow are equally mysterious. Grief-stricken Darina can't escape her heartache or the visions of her dead boyfriend, Phoenix, and the others who died. All the while, the sound of beating wings echo inside her head... Are the visions real? Or do the Beautiful Dead only exist in Darina's traumatized imagination?

This is one of my favourite new series! Paranormal occurrences, death, loss and love, with mystery and intrigue. I have also read Arizona: Book 2 and it is just as good as the first. I really do love this series and look forward to Summer: Book 3 being released in July 2010. A bonus is that, while I do love alot of vampire books, this series is vamp free and it is a nice change to read a supernatural series at the moment that isn't about vampires.