Interred (Chronicles of the Interred #1) by Marilyn Almodovar

Interred (Chronicles of the Interred #1) by Marilyn Almodovar
Publisher:  Iambe Books
Publish Date:  January 21, 2013
Pages: 250
ISBN# 978-1939453020

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.




First of all, I was glad to read a book with two actual involved parents in it.  I've been seeing a lot of single parent books and quite a few that just don't mention where the heck the other parent is.  Yes, it is a step-parent, but the main character likes him, so it's all good.

Baxter is a teenage girl, pretty normal, acts 'real'.  She finds out right before her 16th birthday that she needs to attend a ceremony to be Interred, because her mom's been hiding the fact that she'll receive magical powers at age 16.

I was completely irritated that Baxter's mom and her cousin Fred argued all the time.  I just didn't care about their arguments after the first two times Fred came around.

Declan is a boy from Victorian England that's been trapped in a time loop for 122 years. He's hoping that if he helps Baxter through being Interred, that she'll help him escape. He's snarky and mysterious, but also nice at times.  I went between liking him and being suspicious of him.

Jack is a relative of Declan's. He's also going through being Interred with Baxter. It's hard to say whether Baxter should be close to him or not. He's great, but is he using Baxter for her talents?

Bonus?  Doctor Who references!

The writing is the best part.  It flows nicely and things are described in a wonderful way.  It did take a bit to get to the action, the first bit got a little boring, but when the action started...BAM!!!!  Away we went!

Reaper's Legacy (Toxic City #2) by Tim Lebbon

Reaper's Legacy (Toxic City #2) by Tim Lebbon
Publisher: Pyr
Publish Date:  April 9, 2013
ISBN# 978-1616147679


I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.




In the second installment, things are moving quickly. 

Lucy-Anne has taken off with Rook (bird boy) to see if she can find her brother. Lucy-Anne's dreams are becoming more vivid and now she's trying to control them. We also get a look at Rook's story...it's a sad one.  Lucy-Anne and Nomad have a connection, but neither is sure of who is going to come out the winner on this one.

Meanwhile, on the other side of London...Jack, Sparky and Jenna debate on what to do next.  Jack believes that the answer lies in combining the forces of the general population and his father's group. Jack is sure that with the plethora of new talents he received from Nomad, that he can not only make it happen, but also save his mom and sister along the way.

But time is counting down and Miller has little to lose now...


I think that the second book is better than the first, a must-read!

Earth Girl (Earth Girl #1) by Janet Edwards

Earth Girl (Earth Girl #1) by Janet Edwards
Publisher: Pyr
Publish Date: March 12, 2013
Pages: 358
ISBN#978-0007443499


I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



 Jarra is a human girl born with an immune system that doesn't allow her to portal to other worlds, like 'normal' people.  People born like Jarra are called apes, neans and handicapped.  They're looked down on and pitied.

I have to say that I absolutely adore the cover.  It shows Jarra chained to Earth, which is what she is.  She can't leave like most people, even if she wants to.  She looks like she loves Earth, but is longing for something.  Great cover!

Parents that end up having ape children have two choices - move to Earth with them or dump them at an Earth hospital and have them become wards.  Jarra was dumped, as are most kids.

She's fascinated with history and has been going on digs on Earth since she was eleven years old.  Now she's 18 and wants to be accepted at a college on another world.  She can't leave Earth, but it's ok, she can do the pre-history major, which involves digs on Earth.  She plans on fooling the rest of the students, then telling them she's an ape and telling them off for being rude.  She has quite the plan. 

However, her plan doesn't quite go that way.  The characters show their youth and immaturity at times, but also show that they have some intelligence. They're all fleshed out and come off quite well.

Jarra has some incredible things happen to her and about halfway through something happens that made me flip back and forth wondering if I'd missed anything.  Great twist!! 

I love all the science about the portals and the digs, really interesting!

Books Out Week of April 29 - May 5, 2013

April 30th

Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike
Publisher:  HarperTeen

From Goodreads:  Moving to a new high school sucks. Especially a rich-kid private school. With uniforms. But nothing is worse than finding out the first girl you meet is dead. And a klepto.

No one can see or hear Kimberlee except Jeff, so--in hopes of bringing an end to the snarkiest haunting in history--he agrees to help her complete her "unfinished business." But when the enmity between Kimberlee and Jeff's new crush, Sera, manages to continue posthumously, Jeff wonders if he's made the right choice.

 The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise
Publisher:  Balzer + Bray

From Goodreads:  In The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise, super-smart, somewhat geeky Audrey McCarthy can’t wait to get out of high school. Her father’s death and the transformation of her one-time BFF, Blake Dawkins, into her worst nightmare have her longing for the new start college will bring.

But college takes money. So Audrey decides she has to win the competition for the best app designed...

  The Loop by Shandy Lawson
Publisher:  Hyperion

From Goodreads:  Ben and Maggie have met, fallen in love, and died together countless times. Over the course of two pivotal days—both the best and worst of their lives—they struggle again and again to resist the pull of fate and the force of time itself. With each failure, they return to the beginning of their end, a wild road trip that brings them to the scene of their own murders and into the hands of the man destined to kill them.

As time circles back on itself, events become more deeply ingrained, more inescapable for the two kids trapped inside the loop. The closer they come to breaking out, the tighter fate’s clutches seem to grip them. They devise a desperate plan to break free and survive the days ahead, but what if Ben and Maggie’s only shot at not dying is surviving apart? 

 Absent by Katie Williams
Publisher:  Chronicle Books

From Goodreads:  Forever is a long time to be stuck in high school.

Seventeen-year-old Paige is dead, the victim of a freak fall from
the roof during Physics class. Now she’s a ghost, permanently
bound to the grounds of her high school. It isn’t all bad, she can
find out everyone’s secrets, which can be amusing—for a while.
But then Paige hears something that isn’t amusing at all: the
rumor spread by the most popular girl at school that her death
wasn’t an accident—that she supposedly jumped on purpose.  Paige is desperate to stop the gossip, but what can a ghost do?  Then Paige discovers something amazing. She can possess living people when they think of her, and she can make them do almost anything. Maybe, just maybe, she can get inside the girl who’s responsible for the stories. . . and have a little fun turning the tables while she’s at it. 

The Ward by Jordana Frankel
Publisher:  Katherine Tegel Books

From Goodreads:  Sixteen-year-old Ren is a daredevil mobile racer who will risk everything to survive in the Ward, what remains of a water-logged Manhattan. To save her sister, who is suffering from a deadly illness thought to be caused by years of pollution, Ren accepts a secret mission from the government: to search for a freshwater source in the Ward, with the hope of it leading to a cure.

However, she never expects that her search will lead to dangerous encounters with a passionate young scientist; a web of deceit and lies; and an earth-shattering mystery that’s lurking deep beneath the water’s rippling surface.

 Anthem for Jackson Dawes by Celia Bryce
Publisher:  Bloomsbury USA Childrens

From Goodreads:  Megan Bright and Jackson Dawes are two teenagers who first meet each other on the hospital ward where they are both being treated for cancer. Megan is scared and worried about her illness, but Jackson seems to be an old hand, having been on the ward for ages. And everybody loves Jackson! He is a whirlwind of life and energy, warmth and sparkle. Megan will need to borrow some of Jackson's extraordinary optimism to face her and Jackson's future.

The Program (The Program #1) by Suzanne Young
Publisher:   Simon Pulse

From Goodreads:  Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.

Rumor Central by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
Publisher:  Kensington

From Goodreads:   The teen reality show "Miami Divas" made media sensations out of Miami's richest in-crowd and Maya Morgan is one of them. Now Maya's been offered her very own show, and she'll do whatever it takes to step up the fame she's worked so hard for and that includes spilling some secrets her friends wish were left buried. But as Maya gives up the goods for the sake of ratings, someone will do anything to shut her up. Between

backstabbing lies and hard truths, this gossip girl has only one chance to make things right before it's too late.


May 1st

 Gorgeous by Paul Rudnick
Publisher:  Scholastic Press

From Goodreads:  hen eighteen-year-old Becky Randle’s mother dies, she’s summoned from her Missouri trailer park to meet Tom Kelly, the world’s top designer. He makes her an impossible offer: He’ll create three dresses to transform Becky from a nothing special girl into the most beautiful woman who ever lived.

Becky thinks Tom is a lunatic, or that he’s producing a hidden camera show called World’s Most Gullible Poor People. But she accepts, and she’s remade as Rebecca. When Becky looks in the mirror, she sees herself – an awkward mess of split ends and cankles. But when anyone else looks at Becky, they see pure five-alarm hotness.

Soon Rebecca is on the cover of Vogue, the new Hollywood darling, and dating celebrities. Then Becky meets Prince Gregory, heir to the British throne, and everything starts to crumble. Because Rebecca aside, Becky loves him. But to love her back, Gregory would have to look past the blinding Rebecca to see the real girl inside. And Becky knows there’s not enough magic in the world.

The Last Academy by Anne Applegate
Publisher:  Point

From Goodreads:  Camden Fisher arrives at boarding school haunted by a falling-out with her best friend back home. But the manicured grounds of Lethe Academy are like nothing Cam has ever known. There are gorgeous, preppy boys wielding tennis rackets, and circles of girls with secrets to spare. Only . . . something is not quite right. One of Cam's new friends mysteriously disappears, but the teachers don't seem too concerned. Cam wakes up to strangers in her room, who then melt into the night. She is suddenly plagued by odd memories, and senses there might be something dark and terrible brewing. But what?

Defriended by Ruth Baron
Publisher:  Scholastic

From Goodreads:  A friend request from beyond the grave . . .

Jason has met the perfect girl. OK, so maybe he hasn't actually MET Lacey yet, but they talk online all the time. Yet despite spending most nights chatting, Lacey refuses to meet up in person. Suspicious, Jason starts googling, and his cyberstalking leads to a shocking discovery: According to multiple newspapers, Lacey died a year earlier.

Soon, Jason finds himself enmeshed in a disturbing mystery. Has he found a way to iChat with the dead? Or is someone playing a dangerous trick? Either way, Jason has to discover the truth before it's too late. You can't put up away messages from beyond the grave. . . .

Identity Theft by Anna Dawes
Publisher:  Point

From Goodreads:  Hayley is going to have the best year ever. After years of careful planning, she's ready to serve as student council president AND editor-in-chief of the newspaper. Ivy League, here she comes!

However, just before student council elections, someone creates a fake facebook profile for Hayley and starts posting inappropriate photos and incriminating updates. It must be the work of a highly skilled Photoshopper, but the attention to detail is scary. The embarrassing photos of "Hayley" in her bathing suit reveal a birthmark on her back--a birth mark Hayley has never shown in public. . . .

The situation escalates until Hayley's mother reveals some shocking information. Hayley isn't an only child: She has a twin sister who was adopted by a different family. And that's not all. Soon, Hayley discovers that her long-lost sister isn't just playing a prank--she's plotting to take over Hayley's life . . . by any means necessary.

  How I Lost You by Janet Gurtler
Publisher:  Sourcebooks Fire

From Goodreads:  There are a few things Grace Anderson knows for sure. One is that nothing will ever come between her and her best friend, Kya Kessler. They have a pact. Buds Before Studs. Sisters Before Misters. But in the summer before senior year, life throws out challenges they never expected. And suddenly the person who's always been there starts to need the favor returned. Grace and Kya are forced to question how much a best friend can forgive. And the answer is not what they expected.

 if he had been with me by Laura Nowlin
Publisher:  Sourcebooks Fire

Goodreads:  Throughout their whole childhood, Finn and Autumn were inseparable—they finished each other's sentences, they knew just what to say when the other person was hurting. But one incident in middle school puts them in separate social worlds come high school, and Autumn has been happily dating James for the last 2 years. But she's always wondered what if...

The night she's about to get the answer is also one of terrible tragedy. 


May 2nd

 Our Song by Jordanna Fraiberg
Publisher:  Razorbill

From Goodreads:  Olive Bell has spent her entire life in the beautiful suburb of Vista Valley, with a picture-perfect home, a loving family, and a seemingly perfect boyfriend. But after a near-fatal car accident, she’s haunted by a broken heart and a melody that she cannot place.

Then Olive meets Nick. He’s dark, handsome, mysterious . . . and Olive feels connected to him in a way she can’t explain. Is there such a thing as fate? The two embark on a whirlwind romance—until Nick makes a troubling confession.

Heartbroken, Olive pieces together what really happened the night of her accident and arrives at a startling revelation. Only by facing the truth can she uncover the mystery behind the song and the power of what it means to love someone. 

          

Unbroken (Ruined #2) by Paula Morris

Unbroken (Ruined #2) by Paula Morris
Publisher: Scholasstic Inc.
Publish Date:  February 1, 2013
Pages: 304
ISBN# 978-0545416412


I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.



Rebecca Brown and her friend Ling travel from NYC to New Orleans for spring break.  Rebecca's dad is going there for business and thought the girls would like to tag along.  Rebecca lived in New Orleans for awhile and is walking back into prejudice and trouble. But she's trying to help a ghost (Frank) with a locket problem.

Unfortunately, other ghosts have been keeping Frank from taking care of business and are happy to keep Rebecca from it too.

Ling is fun and practical, she's excellent with Rebecca and makes you feel like she's ready for action.  Anton doesn't come off very well in this book.  I kept wishing Rebecca would ditch him quickly, he's a jerk.

The story does get a little boring with all the cleaning up.  I know that New Orleans is still a mess, but less description of cleaning up and more action would have helped a lot.  The last one-third to one-half made the story worth reading though, so don't despair!

Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters by Suzanne Weyn

Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters by Suzanne Weyn
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publish Date:  January 1, 2013
Pages: 250
ISBN#978-0545425339


I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.



Victor Frankenstein had twin daughters and he abandoned them at birth to keep the monster from finding and killing them.  Their mother died delivering them.  They've been raised in Germany by their grandfather.  Upon their father's death, they are notified and leave Germany, against their grandfather's wishes, to travel with their uncle to Orkney Isle to take their titles as Barness and to live in their castle.

Ingrid is really interested in what their father was doing, she's all about the science.  She becomes friends with a recluse on the isle and tries to help him using her father's diaries.

Giselle is more girly and is set on renovating the castle and taking her place in society as a Baroness.

The story is told through the girls diairies and their father's diaries.  The story is definitely slow, but it's worth reading, it gets better as it goes along.  Although I wasn't thrilled with the ending, I understand why it went that way.

The Nightmare Affair (Arkwell Academy #1) by Mindee Arnett

The Nightmare Affair (Arkwell Academy #1) by Mindee Arnett
Publisher: TorTeen
Publish Date:  March 5, 2013
Pages: 367
ISBN# 978-0765333339

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.




Dusty is 16 years old and is regularly breaking into houses. She is stealing, but not because she's a criminal.  She's a Nightmare.  Nightmares are magical creatures and they feed on the stuff of dreams - fictus.

Dusty attends Arkwell Academy, a school for magickind.  She's a half-breed, her dad is human. So she's not really good at magic, but everyone thinks she should be.  See, her mom is amazing.  She's a Nightmare and was a true nightmare for the school.  She could do things that she shouldn't be able to do.  She's been in and out of Dusty's life, so Dusty isn't too excited when her mom shows up at her school...as a teacher!

When a murder is committed at Arkwell, Dusty is paired with a human, Eli, to see if they can solve the crime, using dreams.  Eli is a hot guy from her old school and neither one seems happy about having to work together.  Eli much less, as he was yanked from his human school to attend here where he doesn't fit in. 

Dusty is young, it's easy to see that in her character.  It's refreshing to see that she's easily led at times, makes her seem more real. But she's also feisty and fun.

Eli is trying to make the best of a bad situation. He thinks like a cop (his career choice) and dates a siren, who hates Dusty.

Paul is a half-breed, seems to have a bad family situation and is attentive to Dusty.

Selene is Dusty's bff, she's a siren who wants people to see Sirens as more than sexy.  I'd really like to see more of Selene.

The story started off really well, lots of intrigue.  By the second half, it seemed like we were in a huge hurry to get to the ending.  Other than that, the story was great!