Review: One Hundred Candles by Mara Purnhagen

Title: One Hundred Candles (Past Midnight #2)

Author: Mara Purnhagen

Rating: 4/5

Pages: 240

Publisher: Harlequin

Summary from Goodreads:

"It's taken a long time for me to feel like a normal teenager. But now that I'm settled in a new school, where people know me as more than Charlotte Silver of the infamous Silver family paranormal investigators, it feels like everything is falling into place. And what better way to be normal than to go on a date with a popular football star like Harris Abbott? After all, it's not as if Noah is anything more than a friend….

But my new life takes a disturbing turn when Harris brings me to a party and we play a game called One Hundred Candles. It seems like harmless, ghostly fun. Until spirits unleashed by the game start showing up at school. Now my friends and family are in very real danger, and the door that I've opened into another realm may yield deadly consequences."

One Hundred Candles is the second book in the Past Midnight series. Haven't read the first book, Past Midnight? Well then you can check out my review here.

One of my complaints about the first book in this series was that the action wasn't enough. However, One Hundred Candles totally stepped it up in the action department. The spirits are bigger, badder, and meaner! Everything is more intensified from the first novel from Charlotte's relationships and family dynamics to the psycho killer monster that's after her! The book may have started out a little slow and I wasn't sure where Purnhagen was taking it at first but once it got going it was great! There were twists that I just didn't see coming which is always an amazing thing to have in a book.

Charlotte, as a narrator, still didn't do much for me however. I felt compassionate for her and I really did want her to see her succeed but there wasn't any real connection for me just like there wasn't in the first book. All of the characters, while extremely likeable and easy to read about, are just hard to connect to. I just didn't get the feeling that they were real people (which they're not but I still like to think they are).

Overall, even though I didn't connect well with the characters I still found this book to be very enjoyable and entertaining. It seems these books get better as the go so I can't wait to read the next installment in the Past Midnight series.

Friday Follow and Blog Hop (12)

Here's something I haven't done in awhile! Friday Follow hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee and the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Crazy-For-Books. Both are blog hops to help bloggers get their blogs out there and connect with other bloggers with similar interests.

Friday Follow's question is which 3 authors would I like to sit down with for an hour to talk about their books and get writing advice.

I would probably have to go with the most obvious one first. J.K. Rowling. I mean she's pretty much a literary genius. I mean I don't even think I really have to explain this one any further. Next would be Julie Kagawa. I am a HUGE fan of the Iron Fey series and I would love to hear about what inspired her, her views on the characters and I'd of course hit her up for the inside information (a.k.a. what's coming next, personal details about the characters that authors know but don't necessarily tell the reader, etc.). Finally, Simone Elkeles. It's rare to come across contemporary books such as hers that are so moving. I think she's an amazing writer and I would love to pick her brain. Of course there are so many more I would want to talk to but those are just the first three off the top of my head.

The Book Blogger Hop asks what genre I wish I could get into but can't.

I'm pretty open when it comes to books and I've never ruled out a genre. I guess if I have to pick it would be historical fiction. I like his. fic. but I never seem to read much of it so I'd definitely like to give that more of a try.

Happy Hopping!

Third Sentence Thursday! (1)

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Sniffly Kitty's Mostly Books. Here's what you do, you take the book you're currently reading, post the third sentence of the book and do a mini review for JUST that sentence!

So, for my TST I'm going to be sharing the third sentence from the first book in The Mortal Instruments series, City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.

"You can't bring that thing in here."

Don't you just hate when you can't bring a "thing" in somewhere? What is this mysterious thing of which they speak? Well whatever it is, sounds like they're going to have to find another way to get it in!

Waiting On Wednesday! (5)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. WoW spotlights upcoming releases that we are well... waiting on!

So I'm going to be breaking the rules a little bit! Opps! I'm waiting on a book that already came out but I jus

t found out about!

Title: Coexist (Keegan's Chronicles)

Author: Julia Crane

Summary from Goodreads:

"Sixteen-year-old Keegan is struggling to keep her huge secret from her friends-she's an elf, descended from a long line of elves that live in secrecy alongside humans.

In elfin society, mates are predetermined but not allowed to meet until they are eighteen. Against tradition, Keegan's brother Thaddeus told her Rourk's name because his visions warned him she'd need Rourk's protection, especially since Keegan will play a key role in the coming war between the dark and light elves.

Rourk finds himself drawn to Keegan's side every time she thinks his name. He wants to talk to her but remains in the shadows, silently guarding her every time she mentally beckons him. A twist of fate thrusts the two of them together when Rourk is forced to step up his protection and make his presence known.

An ancient prophesy deeply entwines Keegan's family and the future of their society. Somehow they must find a way to thwart fate and win the battle...without losing Keegan. With war brewing, and dark forces aligning, will Keegan and Rourk ever have the life together that they both desire?"

From the reviews I've read and the trailer it looks amazing! I love elves of any type (probably one of my favorite paranormal creatures) and so a book about them sounds just awesome! Only downfall is that it's an e-book! :( So unfortunately until I decide to take the leap and get an e-reader I'll just have to suffer. You can check out Julia Crane's website for more info on this book!

Review: Past Midnight

Title: Past Midnight (Past Midnight #1)

Author: Mara Purnhagen

Rating: 3.5/5

Pages: 216

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

(Received via Harlequin Teen Panel)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Let me set the record straight. My name is Charlotte Silver and I'm not one of those paranormal-obsessed freaks you see on TV…no, those would be my parents, who have their own ghost-hunting reality show. And while I'm usually roped into the behind-the-scenes work, it turns out that I haven't gone unnoticed. Something happened on my parents' research trip in Charleston—and now I'm being stalked by some truly frightening other beings. Trying to fit into a new school and keeping my parents' creepy occupation a secret from my friends—and potential boyfriends—is hard enough without having angry spirits whispering in my ear.

All I ever wanted was to be normal, but with ghosts of my past and present colliding, now I just want to make it out of high school alive…."

Upon first reading the back of the book I really did not think I was going to like it. I just assumed that, like most books I've read that are about or contain ghosts, I wouldn't like it. I was very pleasantly surprised though.

The Silver family are your usual paranormal investigators. Instead of trying to contact ghosts they try to debunk them. I really liked this take on ghosts because it allowed for alternate opinions and scenarios to be presented to the reader. Everything wasn't so cut and dry.

The main character Charlotte, while not my favorite narrator, was pretty okay. She was someone who spent her life investigating the paranormal and for once just wanted to be normal. (Quite the opposite of what most books are about now a days!) She quickly made friends with popular Avery and while they're friendship seemed too quick to start and more superficial than Charlotte made it out to be, they were otherwise realistic and quite enjoyable. There really weren't any characters I disliked in this book but none that really jumped out at me either.

One thing I do have to say is, the action wasn't very... well actiony. (Not a word. I am aware of this.) I'm not saying there should have been some kind of epic battle but I never felt that there was any dire need for the characters to do anything until pretty much the end of the book.

Having said all that Past Midnight was an enjoyable, quick read that offers a new look on paranormal.

Review: Clockwork Angel

Title: Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1)

Author: Cassandra Clare

Pages: 476

Publisher: McElderry Books

Rating: 5/5

Summary from Goodreads:

"Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all."

I was hesitant at first to read Clockwork Angel because I had read the first book in Clare's Mortal Instruments series, City of Bones, and I had not cared for it as much as it seemed everyone else had. The hype surrounding Clare and her books was very off putting to me. However, once I decided to pick up this book I couldn't put it down.

What I really enjoyed was the fact that there was such a twist in the plot. Clare did such a good job keeping everything hidden that I honestly did not know who the real villain was until the end! She set up a whole elaborate plot for the characters to follow when in all actuality they were just chasing a story. You never saw the real bad guys for who they were until the end. Most books you read it is very easy to pick out who the villain is or it is just told you up front. No surprises. But Clare kept the reader thinking and engaged in the story. There was never a dull moment.

Also, Clare did an amazing job mixing the aspects of fantasy such as the clockwork creatures and the supernatural beings with the reality of London in the 1800's. You would have thought Clare had been alive during that time herself she did such a magnificent job weaving the two worlds together.

All in all I found Clockwork Angel to be a surprisingly good read. It was compelling, witty, and action filled. The characters are endearing and the plot takes you for a wild ride that you don't ever want to end.

A New Identity!

First off, you're all probably thinking WHO THE HECK IS THIS AND WHY AM I FOLLOWING THEM?! Well, calm down I didn't weasel my way onto your blog rolls! This blog was formerly known as "The Ramblings of a Book Addict". I found this name to be too long and it just didn't suit me anymore. I wanted something shorter, sweet, and to the point. So from now on the blog is Monica Must Read. I've also changed my twitter name but if you were already following me then don't worry you still are!

Next, as you all may (or may not) have noticed I've been MIA from blogging for quite some bit of time! I feel horrible about neglecting my lovely followers but with school I just wasn't able to blog. But, now it's summer and I'm planning to make a comeback of sorts! So in the next few days I'm going to be writing up a number of reviews from the books I've read in my down time and I'll be up and running in no time!

Show Me The... (What I Want to See More of in YA)

There have been some undeniable trends as of late in YA novels. There's the vampires, werewolves, angels, fallen angels, and even zombies have put the living back into living dead. But, what about, well... EVERYTHING ELSE?! Here are some err, things, that I would like to see some more of in the future.

• Elves - One of my favorite parts of The Lord of the Rings and the Eragon books were the elves. They're immortal, extremely intelligent, and strong. AND THEY'RE MAGICAL!!! They're pretty much the best of the best. There are so many possibilities and I feel elves haven't really been explored yet.

• Dwarves - So what if they're tiny? They're pretty awesome! Where are the dwarves in the YA books? Huh? Yet another species that has been ignored despite their sheer AWESOMENESS!

• Giants/Trolls/Cyclops - Don't be hatin' on the tall people either. Giants, trolls, and cyclops are generally portrayed as the bad guys but if vampires, who drink human blood, can be good why can't these guys be?

• Satyr/Minotaur - I think the only place I've seen these guys were in Narnia and I miss them. :( The minotaur especially. Sure half of their body isn't human but that doesn't mean they don't deserve love too!

• And last but certainly not least (in fact this is probably the most important). WHY IN THE WORLD CAN WE NOT CREATE OUR OWN CREATURES?! I know for a fact that there are so many talented writers out there who could probably come up with some extremely epic paranormal/supernatural creatures. I would love to see something new pop up in the YA genre or even just writing in general.

So that's what I want to see some more of! What about you guys? Agree or disagree? Any new ideas? And if anyone could point me in the direction of a good book that's about one of these awesome creatures or anything else out of the norm I'd love it!

150+ Follower Giveaway WINNERS!!!

First, I want to thank you all for entering my giveaway! Also, thanks for following me! You're all wonderful! :)

Now, the moment you've all been waiting for...

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!

Not that kind of drum roll... :L

The 2 winners from the U.S. are:

Ashley Holt

and

Lisa Loves to Read

And the international winner is:

Bridget-Nicole

Congrats to the winners! I will be emailing them shortly!

Friday Follow and Blog Hop (11)

It's that time again! Time to participating in the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Crazy-for-Books and Friday Follow hosted by Parakjunkee!

This week's question for the Book Blogger Hop is: What book are you looking forward to seeing published in 2011? Why?

Honestly I have NO IDEA. Like at all. I don't really know what's coming out for all of 2011 just a few that I'm not too super excited about. The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa is coming out this year right? Cause I really want that! Sorry for such a lame answer... :L

This week's question for Follow Friday is: What is/was your favorite subject in school?

A: Hmm... well I'm not really a fan of school but if I had to pick out of the core subjects I'd say English. I'm good at English. Definitely HATE math. I'm in trig/pre-calc now and it's pretty much the worst thing ever. In general I like the art courses. I just finished taking Design and Creation of Jewelry and it was so much fun! I made so much cool stuff and some of it is even in the display cases in the hallways so that's fun! I also took Intro to Photography and that was cool because I learned how to develop my own film and we did a couple cool projects. I also loved Graphic Design (had this work in the display cases too! I'm proud of myself :P) which I took last year and I'm taking Graphic Design II this year which I'm excited about along with Web Page Design and a video production class (I'm kinda skeptical about how the video class will go though).

What classes did/do you like or dislike?

Don't forget to check out my 150+ follower giveaway! I'm giving away three copies of Losing Faith by Denise Jaden!!! (2 US winners, 1 International winner)

Happy Hopping and Happy Reading everyone!

Review: I Am Number Four

Title: I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies #1)

Author: Pittacus Lore

Pages: 440

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: August 3rd, 2010

Rating: 4.5/5

Summary From Goodreads:

"In the beginning they were a group of nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorian. Nine aliens who scattered on Earth. Nine aliens who look like ordinary teenagers living ordinary lives, but who have extraordinary, paranormal skills. Nine aliens who might be sitting next to you now.

The Nine had to separate and go into hiding. The Mogadorian caught Number One in Malaysia, Number Two in England, and Number Three in Kenya. All of them were killed. John Smith, of Paradise, Ohio, is Number Four. He knows that he is next.

I AM NUMBER FOUR is the thrilling launch of a series about an exceptional group of teens as they struggle to outrun their past, discover their future—and live a normal life on Earth.

I AM NUMBER FOUR.

I AM NEXT."

I was really looking forward to reading I Am Number Four. I had heard many good things about this book and I knew it was being made into a movie so I figured, "Hey how bad could it be?" And, it wasn't bad at all.

There are hardly any alien books so it was cool to read something different. I really enjoyed the story line. John Smith (Number Four) and his guardian Henri, after finding out about the death of Number Three, move to a small town in Ohio called Paradise (I wonder if the author is a fan of Simone Elkeles?). Even though John knows he shouldn't he starts to make a life for himself. He makes friends, meets a girl, and just acts normal. Until his legacies (powers) start showing up. Since he is the next number the Mogadorians (bad guys) are coming to kill him and so he is thrown into the war for both his life and the life of Earth. There were many surprises along the way with his dog and some unexpected allies. Overall, it was very interesting and I'd say it wasn't the usual YA read.

The characters were pretty cool too. My favorite was probably Henri. He was such a nice guy even though his planet and his wife were killed. He always tried to protect John through everything. He devoted his life to saving John and the future of their race. The other characters were also great, they all really complemented each other but none of them stood out to me like Henri. (Except maybe his "dog" Bernie Kosar! :D )

Even though I loved the characters, the plot, and the writing style, there was still something missing. I'm not sure what, but the wow factor just wasn't there for me. It was the kind of book that even though I'm really into while I'm reading it once I put it down I could easily not pick it up for a day or two and not think twice about it.

Overall, it was a fun read that was very enjoyable but not doesn't completely consume you. I really do suggest this book though as I really liked did like it.

Quirky Character Habits That Bug Me

I don't know if I'm the only one who noticed (doubt it), but the characters in YA books tend to do similar things. I sometimes find it a bit bothersome... here's what I've noticed:

• Finger nail biting/chewing - I'm sure a lot of people really do bite their nails but not EVERYONE does and not EVERY book character should either. I see this a lot when a character is nervous. Instead of biting their nails they could fidget or ring their hands (like I do). LEAVE YOUR NAILS ALONE!
• Biting their lip until they taste blood - Yeah, this one is just plain weird. I don't get it. I've never done it. Never seen it done. Don't know where authors come up with this one. "Oh yes! My character should bite themself!" Um... yeah not so much. I see this all the time and every time I stop and think if I've ever done that or ever might do that. No, I haven't and I won't. It's strange. Just biting your lip regularly is fine, but if you're drawing blood, you've got a problem.
• Eyebrow raise - This one is just cruel to all of us imperfect beings who can not raise one eyebrow. I try and try and just for the life of me can not do it but it seems like every book I read there is someone who does it multiple times through out the novel. >:L
• And last but not least, The crooked smile - DAMN YOU TWILIGHT! I feel like ever since Twilight came out every attractive male lead has a crooked smile. What's wrong with a normal straight smile? I do not know, I think they're very nice. But apparently every male character has had a stroke and can only move one side of their mouth to form a crooked smile. Just sayin'.

^^^Crooked - Straight^^^

Straight is just as nice!

What other quirky habits have you all noticed in books?

150+ Follower Giveaway!!!

To celebrate reaching 150 AMAZING followers I'm giving away THREE copies of Losing Faith by Denise Jaden!

^^^In case you needed a visual! :P

Summary of Losing Faith from Goodreads:

"A terrible secret. A terrible fate.

When Brie's sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don’t know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but.

As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith’s final night...a secret that puts her own life in danger."

Now you're interested right? All you have to do is fill out the form!

The giveaway will run through January 31st and there will be THREE winners! TWO of the winners will be from the US and ONE of the winners will be an INTERNATIONAL winner!!! So this IS an international giveaway! Here's the giveaway button:

<a target="blank" href="http://theramblingsofabookaddict.blogspot.com/2011/01/150-follower-giveaway_19.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="The Ramblings of a Book Addict 150+ Giveaway" src="http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/3168/150followergiveaway.png" /></a>

I wanna thank everyone all of you for following me even through my disappearances! You guys are awesome!

And now without further ado, here is the form!

***This giveaway is now over! Thanks to all who entered. You can find the winners here.

The Power of Six - OH NO!

So I just saw Carly over at Writing From the Tub post about The Power of Six cover and I must say I am more than a little distressed. Not only is it awful but the book isn't even about Number Four anymore? WHAT? The Power of six is about Seven which is just not cool. I just finished I Am Number Four and I'm still pretty attached to Four and his friends (although I'm sure we'll see them again but still). They could have at least made it about Number Six who was introduced in the first book or Number Five to go in order. Maybe I'm just over reacting. What are your thoughts?

Summary from Goodreads:

"They caught Number One in Malaysia.

Number Two in England.

And Number Three in Kenya.

They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio and failed.

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.

And I'm ready to fight."

*Edit: As I look at it more and more it's actually been growing on me but the orange just doesn't fit and I feel the title is awkwardly placed. :L

Friday Follow and Blog Hop (10)

I haven't done one of these in awhile but they're so much fun I decided to start them up again! I'm participating in the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Crazy-for-Books and Friday Follow hosted by Parakjunkee!

This week's question for the Book Blogger Hop is: "Why do you read the genre that you do? What draws you to it?"

I personally like to read YA because it's my age group. I can relate to the characters more easily and understand what they're going through and how they feel. With adult books I don't always get what their going through because I haven't been there yet and with Middle Grade they're just too young to appeal to me.

Happy Hopping and Happy Reading everyone!

Guest Review: What a Girl Wants

To celebrate the fact that my wonderful sister, Mary, finished a book I'm letting her do a guest review! She dictated while my mom typed it up for her. Make sure to show her some love and let her know what you think by leaving her a comment!

Title: What a Girl Wants

Author: Kristin Billerbeck

Pages: 352

Publisher: Westbow Press

Published: April 11th, 2006

Rating: 2.5/5

Summary From Goodreads:

"Ever felt like the last item left on the clearance rack?

As a successful patent attorney, Ashley Stockingdale has all the makings of a perfect catch--the looks, the brains, even a convertible. But at 31, she's beginning to wonder if she's been passed over for good.

Deciding to adopt a new attitude, Ashley suddenly becomes the romantic interest of three men within a matter of days. While her heart enjoys turning the tables on the dating game, the rest of her previously predictable world is being turned upside down. Is it more than Ashley can handle? Or is it exactly what she wants?

Award-wining author Kristin Billerbeck combines comedy with spunk to create a memorable story in What a Girl Wants--an all-too-realistic picture of a single girl's search for being content with who she is...with or without a man."

This is a Christian chick-lit love triangle story about a 30 year old, successful woman trying to find romance. However, the "best" man did not win. One thing I like to do when I read these types of books is put myself in their shoes. That way I become emotionally involved with the characters. Ashley, the main character, has to choose between Seth, a long term friend who she crushed on for years and Kevin, who dated a friend of hers and that she later bumped into and they went out on a date.

I found her love interest, Seth, to be rude, mean and boring. I mean how many times can someone watch "The Matrix"? Even the way the author described Seth made him seem unattractive. Seriously, I'm reading to escape reality here . . . make the guy attractive! Then there was Ashley's other possible love interest, Kevin, who, she herself described as "the perfect gentlemen". He was charming, sweet, attentive, fun, etc. He even went so far as to bail her out of jail (He should be nominated for the "Whatta Guy Award.") I mean all in all Seth was there for her too but in an awkward sort of way . . . In the scenes where Seth is trying to be romantic, he fell waaaay short. I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or his attempt at romance was lame.

In the end Ashley and Seth are at her brother's wedding where he tells her he would like to have a relationship. In front of her family they start hooking up. Tacky... especially for a Christian. Now this is what really gets me. The reason she doesn't pick Kevin is because Kevin is not a practicing Christian. Give a guy a chance . . . Kevin did begin to embrace the faith and started to practice.

On the plus side, this book was a quick, easy read with just enough description to visualize what was happening with out being over bearing. I could easily sit down for a longer period of time with this book. It was a good airport read, which is where I got most of it done.

I hope in the next book of this series Ashley comes to her senses and Kevin gets resurrected.

Review: Matched

Title: Matched (Matched #1)

Author: Ally Condie

Pages: 366

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Published: November 30th, 2010

Rating: 5/5

Summary From Goodreads:

"Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow."

I absolutely loved this book! Condie created a fascinating world controlled by rules and threats. I'm definitely a sucker for utopian/dystopian novels and this one was no exception.

The plot of this novel was great. It started out being the perfect place to live. Safe, happy, healthy. But as the novel progressed Cassia and the reader together learned that behind that polished exterior was a twisted (some might say sick) center. Piece by piece Cassia learns how the officials manipulate every aspect of their lives from birth to death. Cassia's relationships were manipulated in every way by the officials. As she finds out, even when she thought her decisions were her own, really they were the officials carefully calculated decisions coming into action. Cassia learns to hold on to the few secrets she has and at least attempt to show resistance.

The characters were all wonderful. Cassia was stronger that even she knew. Her parents fought for what they loved, their family, in the only ways they knew how. Xander also tried his best to protect the one he loved (Cassia) even when he knew he lost her to Ky. Ky was an interesting character with many secrets of his own. His and Cassia's relationship was built on trust and a need to share their secrets with someone safe. Something her and Xander (no matter how well matched they were) could never have. My favorite character was her grandfather though. All the way up to his pre-planned death he fought for his freedom and right to make his own choices in whatever way he could. He was a strong, smart character who inspired Cassia to be a better person and not allow her freedom to be taken away.

Matched was a beautifully written novel. The characters were enjoyable, the plot was enthralling, and the world Condie created was superb! One of the best books I've read in awhile and I just can not wait to get my hands on the next installment in this series!

Review: Firelight

Title: Firelight (Firelight #1)

Author: Sophie Jordan

Pages: 323

Publisher: HarperTeen

Published: September 7th, 2010

Rating: 3.5/5

Summary From Goodreads:

"Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide."

Firelight was an enjoyable, easy read, with a fun concept. The writing, while simple, was superb! The idea of a draki is fascinating and is a great spin on dragons which aren't often seen. I absolutely LOVE the draki world that Jordan created. It was so unique! I wish that more of the story had taken place in Jacinda's home town (village?).

While the idea of draki was unique, the plot really wasn't. First off, there was the whole hunter/hunted relationship. Second, Jacinda was special even among the draki and they wanted her to be queen or whatever. It was just very typical and predictable from the second that Will saved Jacinda's life even though he's a draki hunter because he thought she was too pretty to kill.

For the most part, the characters were enjoyable. With the exception of the main character that is. Jacinda was very whinny and weak. She never really went after what she wanted, all she did was sit around and whine about everything. She let her mother make all the decisions even when she completely disagreed. She never even tried to really talk to her mother about what was happening, which was just frustrating. I did like the struggle for Jacinda to save her draki abilities while her life would probably be easier to let it go. I respect her for that, for continuing that fight. I pretty much liked Will, I don't have much to say about him one way or the other. I thought it was neat that how what they were not only brought them together but is what was sort of keeping them apart. I would have liked to see more of the other draki characters just because they seemed as if they would be interesting.

Over all, Firelight was a light, enjoyable read. Not the best book ever but definitely not bad either. If you're looking for a fun, fast read this book is definitely for you!

What's Wrong With The Best Friend?

Whenever there is an option between the loyal, lovable, attractive, charming, smart, always-gonna-be-there-for-you best friend and the mysterious new guy WHY DO THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO CHOOSE THE NEW GUY?! What's wrong with the best friend? I personally always find myself liking the best friends in books better than the guys that the main character ends up choosing and it's very disappointing. Even when I know what's coming.

The new guy is always moody and "mysterious" a.k.a. he's an a**hole while the best friend would do anything for the girl. Why don't the main characters ever see they already have a great guy who's usually a lot better than the new guy.

Take the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa for instance. Meghan has been friends with Robbie for as long as she can remember. He's always been there for her, defended her, and is completely in love with her. But, once Meghan meets Ash poor Robbie doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell even though Ash is an emotional wreck (he's not even over his dead ex and it's been like 100 years or whatever!). I'm pretty sure Katy Perry wrote Hot N Cold to describe Ash. Where as Puck is funny, lovable, and reliable. But alas, Meghan could never love him because he's THE BEST FRIEND.

See what I mean? The best friends never get the girl. Sad but true. Where is justice?

Jacob understands where I'm coming from.

Love Triangles - Love Em' or Leave Em'?

Love triangles have taken the YA world by storm! It seems you can hardly pick up a book these days with out finding your self caught up in story with an intense love triangle. Even the blogging world has recently been debating the pro's and con's of this situation. So the question is Love 'Em or Leave 'Em?

Personally, I say LEAVE THEM! Can you say cliche, over done, and predictable? Cause I can. I know, I know. You're all thinking "This girl is CRAZY!" as your hitting the stop following button. But, someone needs to say the truth. And the truth is, there are much more interesting shapes than a triangle.

Love triangles usually revolve around one completely average girl with two guys that she isn't worthy of, competing for her. (*clears throat* TWILIGHT!) Not only is this completely unrealistic because the girl usually isn't all that lovable but it's almost always predictable. (The exception to this is The Hunger Games, first unpredictable triangle ever. And I'm sure it will be the last.) From the beginning the main character will lean toward's one of the two options and they're pretty much just using the second person because they're too weak to set things straight. This ends up breaking the second guys heart and in turn pissing off the reader because we've come to like the second guy just as much as the first. I get that the girl can only end up with one guy in the end but does the girl always have to be so needy as that she keeps the guys guessing when it's obvious who she really likes? What's wrong with the girl (or guy) just going after the one they really want. Why mess with another guys heart in the process?

I'm realizing as I'm writing this that for the reasons I just stated I actually really love love triangles and would miss them dearly if they dissolved away. But seriously YA authors, could we maybe cool it a little? And, when we are doing love triangles could we give the dejected friend (because we all know they NEVER pick the friend) a little bit of love too? Or spice it up a bit! Ever thought how a love pentagon would go?! :O Oh yes, I went there.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that love triangles, let's Leave 'Em for a bit. Cause really, it's getting to be too much. I Love 'Em, but we gotta cool it. Switch it up.

***Most true thing ever!