Circle the Soul Softly by Davida Wills Hurwin

This morning was supposed to mark the official birth of my new identity. New house, New father- well, sort of- new school, new girl. This one is funny and knows what to say. I swear she's in here. I just don't know how to get her out.

An elite school. Glamorous students who have fancy cars and mansions for homes (and all the haughty attitude to go with it). This is Katie O'Connor's fabulous new life since her family's recent move to Brentwood - a perfect opportunity for a fresh start, at least in theory.
The only time she can overlook the hostility of her classmates is when they share the stage for plays. Onstage, directed by her awesome drama teacher, Tess, she has the confidence and talent that she cannot seem to muster in her everyday life. And it doesn't hurt that one of Katie's fellow actors is smart and cute and interested in her. But beneath the glossy surface, there are secrets buried deep, even in Katie's own past.
Nightmares and dark memories continue to plague Katie's consciousness, and in order to deal with the present, she needs to come to terms with the past. If only she could remember it.
10/10
Great book. I could not figure out what was wrong with Katie until basically the end of the book. She was sexually abused by her father when she was 8 years old. But through the years she has sealed the memories away, still, it continues to haunt her. She's become a stranger to herself.
In her new life, she meets David and falls for him, but she begins to push him away. The memories of the "monster" turns her into stone, terrified to the point where she doesn't feel any emotions. She has to face the truth and work through her problems.

Claws by Will Weaver

For sixteen- year- old Jed Berg, life couldn't be sweeter. He;s gotten his driver's license, landed a major girlfriend, and made number- one singles in varsity tennis. His dad has even begun to let him drive his 1969 Chevy Camaro - he;s the envy of every guy at school. Then Ted meets his nemesis, a strange punk chick who seems to know everything about Jed- and about his family. She has a secret to share, a secret so unsettling it triggers a chain of dreadful events.
4/10
Overall good writing, but the ending flops. I mean, why build this character from the beginning and kill them off like that. It spoiled the whole book for me.

Chasing Windmills by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Both Sebastian and Maria live in a world ruled by fear. Sebastian, a lonely seventeen- year-old, is suffocating under his dominant father's control. In the ten years since his mother passed away, his father has kept him "safe" by barely

allowing him out of their apartment. Sebastian's secret late- night subway rides are rare acts of rebellion. Another is a concealed friendship with his neighbor Delilah, who encourages him to question his father's version of reality. Soon it becomes unclear whether even his mother's death was a lie.
Maria, a young mother of two, is trying to keep peace at home despite her boyfriend's abuse. When she loses her job, she avoids telling him by riding the subways during her usual late-night shift. She knows her sister Stella is right: She needs to "live in the truth" and let the chips fall where they may. But she still hasn't been able to bring herself to do it. And soon he will expect her paycheck to arrive.
When Sebastian and Maria wind up on the same train, their eyes meet across the subway car, and these two strangers find a connection that neither can explain or ignore. Together they dream of a new future, agreeing to run away and find Sebastian's grandmother in the Mojave Desert. But Maria doesn't know Sebastian is only seventeen. And Sebastian doesn't know Maria has children until the moment they leave. Ultimately, Maria brings one child her daughter. Can she really leave her little boy behind? And if no, what will it cost her to face her furious jilted abuser?
10/10
Another great masterpiece by Catherine Hyde, the author of Pay it forward. I was blown away by this book. I'm just speechless. I mean, there is nothing to review about. It's just perfect. Definitely recommend it. And coincidentally a day after I read this book, my family decided to go on a trip to Palms Springs. And on the way I saw the windmills. They were beautiful.

Gossip of the Starlings by Nina de Gramont

When Catherine Morrow is admitted to the Esther Percy School for Girls, it;s on the condition that she reforms her ways. But that's before the beautiful and charismatic Skye Butterfield, chooses Catherine for her best friend. Skye is in love with danger and the thrill of taking risks, breaking rules, and crossing boundaries, no matter the stakes. The problem is, the stakes keep getting higher, and Catherine can neither resist Skye nor stop her from taking down everyone around her.
9/10
The beginning of this book was boring. I honestly thought of putting it down and starting on a different book. But then it got interesting and I wanted to understand and learn more about these complicated multi- layered characters. Now I'm not a very big fan of "preppy" books with boarding schools and he said/ she said drama. But there are always a few exceptions that blow me away. I liked this book...

Chasing Tail Lights by Patrick Jones

Christy loves to stand in the highway overpass, watching the tail lights of traveling cars and imagining where they could take her. Her father used to tell her that whenever he got lost, he'd chase the lights of the car in front of him and they'd always lead him home. But since her father died, home is the last place Christy wants to be. Instead of providing a haven from a troubled city, her family suffers from its own form of urban decay, blighted by alcoholism, violence, and despair.
Christy's always searching for someone- a guy, a friend, a stranger- to lead her anywhere, as long as its out of Flint, Michigan. But until she realizes she's looking for that beacon of light in all the wrong places, she's going to say stuck on the bad side of tracks in this dead-end town.
6/10
This book was a lot like Speak. I don't have much else to say about it. Honestly, this book was a little depressing. The theme and message was played out a little too much.

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate- a life and role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she really is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister- and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves.
My sister's keeper examines what it means to be a good parent, a good sister, a good person. Is it morally correct to do whatever it takes to save a child's life, even if it means infringing upon the rights of another?
Is it worth trying to discover who you really are, if that quest makes you like yourself less? Should you follow your own heart, or let others lead you?
10/10
I guess because of the cover I thought the book was going to be about ballet and dancing or something. Anyways, this book was amazing. It touches on many controversial topics and makes you really see what it means to be a family. This was my first Jodi Picoult book, and I must say, it blew me away. The plot is great, the characters developed greatly and it keeps you at the edge of your seat. The ending was great. It was sad but it really polished and completed the novel. After I finished the book I ran into the restroom and had a good cry. I recommend this book. And I definitely will be reading more of Jodi Picoult.

The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti

I suddenly see where I'm standing, and that's at the edge of change- really, really big change.
Eighteen-year-old Indigo Skye feels like she has it all- a waitress job she loves, an adorable refrigerator- delivery-guy boyfriend, and a home life that's slightly crazed but rich in love. Until a mysterious man at the restaurant leaves her a 2.5- million- dollar tip, and her life as she knew is is transformed.
At first it's amazing: a hot new car, enormous flat- screen TV, and presents for everyone she cares about. She laughs off the warnings that money changes people, that they come to rely on what they have instead of who they are. Because it won't happen ...not to her. Or will it? What do you do when you can buy anything your heart desires- but what your heart desires can't be bought?
This is the story of a girl who gets rich, gets lost, and ultimately finds her way back- if not where she started, then to where she can start again.
10/10
Absolutely amazing!! I inhaled this book day and night. It had a unique, interesting plot, the characters were real and it definitely makes you laugh and also think deeply about yourself. I'm loving Deb Caletti's work.

Carpe Diem by Autumn Cornwell

"I've got my entire life planned out for the next ten years- including my PhD and Pulitzer Prize," claims 16 year-old overachiever Vassar Spore, the daughter of overachiever parents, who, in true overachiever fashion, named her after an elite women's college. Vassar expects her sophomore summer to include both AP and AAP (Advanced Advanced Placement) classes. Surprise! Enter a world- traveling relative who sends her plans into a tailspin when she blackmails Vassar's parents into forcing their only child to backpack with her through Southeast Asia.
On a journey from Malaysia to Cambodia ti the remote jungles of Laos, Vassar is faced with things she isn't prepared for- adventure, danger, a Malaysian cowboy-slash-bodyguard her own age- and in learning to "live in the moment" uncovers a family secret that turns her world upside down.
Vassar Spore can plan on one thing: She'll never be the same again.
7/10
Overall the plot and "moral" of the book was understandable. But some things were so unbelievable and unrealistic. Ther were some laugh out loud moments like a miracle bra that saved a life but other than that it was hard to get through.

Wild Roses by Deb Caletti

You would have never recognized the Dino I lived with in the books that had been written about him before the "incident." No one had a clue. No one seemed to see what was coming.

Seventeen-year-old Cassie Morgan has a secret: She's living with a time bomb (a.k.a. her stepfather, Dino Cavalli). To the public, Dino is a world-renowned violinist and composer. To Cassie, he's an erratic, self-centered bully.

Dino has always been difficult, but as he prepares for his comeback concert, something in him begins to shift. He seems more high-strung than ever, set off by any little thing. He stops sleeping, starts chain-smoking. And he grows increasingly paranoid, saying things that Cassie is desperate to make sense of, but can't. So she does what she thinks she must: She tries to hide his behavior from the outside world. Before, she was angry. Now, she is afraid.

Enter Ian Waters: a brilliant young violinist, and Dino's first-ever student. The minute Cassie lays eyes on Ian she knows she's doomed. She tries everything to keep away from him, but is drawn to him in a way she's never felt before. It should be easy. It should be beautiful. It is not. Cassie thought she understood that love could bring pain. But this union will have consequences she could not have imagined.

As the novel crashes through two irreparable events and speeds toward its powerful end, one thing becomes clear: In the world of insanity, nothing is sacred.
10/10
Sorry no review since the book was just perfect. I was speechless.

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Kristina Georgia Snow is the perfect daughter: gifted high school junior, quiet, never any trouble. But on a trip to visit her absentee father, she meets a boywho introduces her to crank. At first she finds it freeing, but soon Kristina’s personality disappears inside the drug. What began as a wild, ecstatic ride turns into a struggle through hell for her mind, her soul, and her life.

6/10
I guess this book was okay. I could not really relate to the book because I have no experience with drugs. But I guess for other people it would be okay. I have little to say. Sorry

Burned by Ellen Hopkins

Raised in a stern, abusive Mormon household, a teenage girl starts to question her religion and struggles to find her destiny.

Her father is abusive, her mother is submissive, and her church looks the other way. Confused and angry, Pattyn Von Stratten acts out and is sent to live with an aunt on a Nevada ranch. She finds the love and acceptance she craves, with disturbing consequences.
10/10
WOW. This book was amazing. I loved it because the main character seemed so real and palpable. I know that Ellen Hopkins touches on very disturbing, real and controversial topics. But I really think she outdid herself with Burned. I recommend this book. I must admit I cried at the end of the book.

Out for a while

Finals are crazy right now, so i have to study. Be back when school is over.

Bliss by Lauren Myracle

Bones, says a voice in my head, tombs. I stop dead in my tracks, because it's not my voice that whispered these thoughts. And whoever's voice it is, it's not a nice voice.
With it's stately, ivy-colored buildings, Crestview Academy seems impossibly grand to newcomer Bliss, but full of promise too. It's here she hopes to make the sort of friends she never could growing up as the love kid on a commune. With her crisp new uniform and manners gleaned from the wholesome TV shows her grandmother permits her to watch, Bliss feels ready for her new life at Crestview. Until she hears the voice.
Crestview holds secrets in it's stones, ghostly hints of long ago death. Sensitive Bliss hears a voice that speaks of terrible things...and blood. Always blood. Her fellow students, with their sunny smiles and talk of make up and dances, seem untouched by this darkness. Yet, as Bliss will learn, they too have secrets. When the simmering tensions of the present mingle with the dark secrets of the past, it is kindly Bliss who becomes the focus of a deadly struggle for power.
9/10
This book was surprisingly good, from beginning to end it just pulled me right in. The only things was how the main character, Bliss was too sensitive.

who sent it?

I recently got a copy of Jessica's Guide to Dating On the Dark Side.I do not know who sent it. And if you are out there I would like to thank you.

The Heartbreakers by Pamela Wells

Three breakups.
Sydney's longtime steady ,Drew, unexpectedly bails.
Raven can't decide between Caleb and Horace. They decide for her, and suddenly she's left with a sum total of zero boyfriends.
Kelly's kinda-sorta boyfriend, Will, has plans for Valentine's Day. Just not with her.
Four friends.
Alexia's never had a broken heart, but that's because she's never had a serious boyfriend. So when her three BFF's turn up boyless, shes' sympathetic... but maybe secretly- selfishly- glad. She has her friends back. She just had to help them get over their heartaches.
Twenty- nine rules.
How else to get over the breakups but follow a simple rules? It all goes so well at first; There are girly sleepovers, cold shoulders, and the destruction of sentimental items. But even as the girls redicover their friendship, rules are broken left and right. Soon the formerly heartbroken are on their way to becoming heartbreakers themselves. Especially Alexia.
4/10
This book took so long for me to read, because it was horribly boring. I guess it would help you if you're recently heartbroken. But there really was no plot and had the ever- present life lessons, we've heard over and over. Love yourself, be who you are, blah blah blah.

Sucks To Be Me by Kimberly Pauley

Mina Hamilton's parents want her dead. (Or undead to be precise.) They're vampires, and like it or not, Mina must decide whether to become a vampire herself. But Mina's more interested in hanging out with best friend Serena and trying to catch the eye of the too-hot-for-high-school Nathan Able than in the vampire training classes she's being forced to take. How's a girl supposed to find the perfect prom date and pass third-year French when her mom and dad are breathing down her neck--literally? She ends up with George, and gets turned.

6/10

The Poison Apples by Lily Archer

We all know the stories of Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel. But have you ever heard of Alice Bingley- Beckerman, Reena Paruchuri, or Molly Miller? Of course you haven't. Not yet. What these girls have in common with their fairy-tale sisters is this: They are the stepdaughters of three very evil stepmothers. And they're not happy about it. They think they are alone in their unhappiness until they arrive at Putnam Mount McKinsey, a posh boarding school located in lovely rural Massachusetts. Here is where they will plot their revenge. But first, they have to meet.

Brisingr by Christopher Paolini

Oaths sworn...
loyalties tested...
forces collide.
It's been only months since Eragon first uttered "brisingr," an ancient language term for fire. Since then, he's not only learned to create magic with words- he's been challenged to his very core. Following the colossal battle against the Empire's warriors on the Burning Plains, Earagon and his dragon, Saphira, have narrowly escaped with their lives. Still, there is more adventure at hand for the Rider and his dragon, as Eragon finds himself bound by a tangle of promises he may not be able to keep.
First is Eragon's oath to his cousin, Roran: to help rescue Roran;s beloved from King Galbatorix's clutches. But Eragon owes his loyalties to others, too. The Varden are in desperate need of his talents and strength- as are the elves and dwarves. When unrest claims the rebels and danger strikes from every corner, Eragin must make choices- choices that will take him across the Empire and beyond, choices that mey lead to inimagined sacrifice.
Eragon is the greates hope to rid the land of tyranny. Can this once simple farm boy unite the rebel forces and defeat the king?
10/10

Anatopsis by Chris Abouzeid

Princess Antopsis Solomon is a prodigy. She can levitate. She can spotshift to distant planets. She ca even make fish rain down from the ceiling. Her mother, Queen Solomon, wants Ana to follow in her footsteps and become chairwoman of Amalgamated Witchcraft Corporation. But Ana wants to be a knight errant, like her father.
On Ana's thirteenth birthday, the Queen brings a new tutor to the castle: a chilling, corpse- like demigod named Mr. Pound. Mr.Pound is supposed to mold Ana to her mother's wishes, but Ana soon discovers that his plans stretch far beyond the educatin of of a princess. He is searching for the mysterious and the powerful Os Divinitas- and when her finds it, no one will be spared.
Catapulted by and ominious prophecy and a shocking discovery, the princess and her friends- including the endearing (if bumbling) Prince Barnaby Georges- set out on an unlikely quest through the rich world of Anatopsis, where ancient gods, magical Immortals, a rebel army, and the very last dog in the Universe must fight to save their dying worlds.
8/10

Blood Brothers by S.A. Harazin

Without his job at the hospital, Clay would be lost. The hard work, the struggles of the patients, the drama in the ER- they make his days seem worth something and five focus to his dream of someday becoming a doctor. Clay can't afford to go away to college like the rest of his class, but what other seventeen-year-old has delivered a baby, or helped save a life?
Still, Clay wishes his life could be more like his best friend's. Joey has it all- a great family, a good college waiting for him at the end of the summer, money, a car. Clay has to bike everywhere, and the miles are starting to wear him down.
But Joey's bright future shatters one day when he overdoses at a party. Now he's clinging to life at the hospital where Clay works- and Clay may be blamed for his condition. Tension and emotion rise as those who love Joey gather and wait. Clay will do whatever he can to find out what happened at that party, and to help Joey recover. But to survive this ordeal, Clay must draw on a strength he never knew he had.
7/10

Before I Go by Riley Weston

Before I Go is a touching story of family, love and the will of the human spirit. It centers on the relationship of Annie, and ice skating coach who gave up on her dream long ago, and young Olympic hopeful, Madison Henry. What makes this team different from the rest is.. Annie and Madison also happen to be mother and daughter.
Madison Henry has been skating almost as long as she's been walking. She is living her dream and on her way to the Olympics. She's had only one friend since she was seven years old, Jack. Now at sixteen, she is completely oblivious to his deep feelings for her. There has been no time for anything but skating for as long as she can remember. When tragedy strikes unexpectedly, Madison is forced to look at her life in a different way...and accept one without skating. Only after Madison opens her heart entirely does she understand the magnitude of the sacrifices Annie made, realize the depth of Jack' love and know in her heart that she was blessed in every way.
10/10

Before, After, and Somebody In Between by Jeannine Garsee

One hour into her first day of tenth grade, Martha Kowalski knows she's really in trouble. The school bully, Chardonnay, has already threatened her life- and at home, things are even worse. Martha's mom, fresh out of rehab, is shacking up with a total jerk in a run-down two- family house in the ghetto.
More that anything she's ever wanted, Martha wants to play the cello. But even music becomes a danger- because nothing is what it seems in this place. With her mother's willpower dissolving, Martha watches helplessly as her own dreams slip farther away.
But in an exhilarating twist that would stun even Cinderella, everything changes. A wealthy lawyer invites her into his family's home, and Martha is given a chance to start over. The warm, caring Brinkmans treat Martha like one of the family, and even though it feels so right, she knows they can't be as perfect as they seem. This fairy tale won't last forever.
9/10

Bloomability by Sharon Creech

My second life began when I was kidnapped by two complete strangers...

That the kidnappers are actually Aunt Sandy and Uncle Max makes no difference to thirteen-year-old Domenica Santolina Doone, better known as Dinnie -she just doesn't want to go. Dinnie's accustomed to change, with her family constantly moving from town to town while her father searches for "opportunity"-- but whne her aunt nad uncle whisk her away to an international school in Switzerland, she's not sure she's ready to face this "opportunity" alone.
All at once she finds herself in a foreign country, surrounded by kids from different cultures speaking all sorts of languages and sharing various beliefs. Home and her first life seem so far away.
But new friendships and the awesome beauty of Switzerland begin to unlock thoughts and dreams within her. Her joys and struggles make up a rich tapestry of experiences che can find nowhere else. Switzerland begins to be more than a temporary home- it becomes a part of Dinnie herself, the self she never knew she could be. Life is full of wonderful "bloomabilities."

Anybody Out There? by Marian Keyes

Life is perfect for Anna Walsh. She has the "Best Job in the World" as a PR exec for a top-selling urban beauty brand, a lovely apartment in New York, and a perfect husband - the love of her life, Aidan Maddox. Until the morning she wakes up in her mammy's living room in Dublin with stitches in her face, a dislocated knee, and completely smashed-up hands- and no memory of how she got there. While her mammy plays nursemaid (just like all of her favorite nurses on her soaps), and her sister Helen sits in wet hedges doing her private investigator work for Lucky Star Pl, Anna tries to get better and keeps wondering why Aidan won't return her phone calls or e-mails.
Recuperating from her injuries, a mystified Anna returns to Manhattan. Slowly beginning to remember what happened, she sets off on a search to find Aidan- a hilarious quest involving lilies (she can't stop smelling them), psychics, mediums, and anyone in the city who can promise her a reunion with her beloved...

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Edward’s soft voice came from behind me.

I turned to see him spring lightly up the porch steps, his hair windblown from running. He pulled me into his arms at once, just like he had in the parking lot, and kissed me again. This kiss frightened me. There was too much tension, too strong an edge to the way his lips crushed mine–like he was afraid we had only so much time left to us.

As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob–knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which?

Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot

Meet Kate Mackenzie. She:

• works for the T.O.D. (short for Tyrannical Office Despot, also known as Amy Jenkins, Director of the Human Resources Division at the New York Journal)
• is sleeping on the couch because her boyfriend of ten years refuses to commit
• can't find an affordable studio apartment anywhere in New York City
• thinks things can't get any worse.

They can. Because:

• the T.O.D. is making her fire the most popular employee in the paper's senior staff dining room
• that employee is now suing Kate for wrongful termination, and
• now Kate has to give a deposition in front of Mitch Hertzog, the scion of one of Manhattan's wealthiest law families, who embraces everything Kate most despises ... but also happens to have a nice smile and a killer bod.

The last thing anybody -- least of all Kate Mackenzie -- expects to find in a legal arbitration is love. But that's the kind of thing that can happen when ... Boy Meets Girl.

Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

IF YOU CAN’T STAND THE HEAT

Agnes Crandall’s problems are rolling to a boil. First, a dog-napper invades her kitchen, seriously hampering her attempts to put on a wedding that she’s staked her entire net worth on. Then a man climbs through her bedroom window to save her. “Shane” (no last name) may be Agnes’s hero, but he’s also a professional hitman—so he’s no stranger to trouble himself…

GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN

Between a rival who wants to take him out and an uncle who may have lost five million bucks in Agnes’s basement, Shane’s plate is plenty full. Soon Agnes and Shane are tangled up with the lowlifes after the money, a gang of Southern mob wedding guests, a dog named Rhett, and—most dangerous of all—each other.

24 girls in 7 days by Alexis Bradley

Jack Grammar, average American senior, has no date to the prom. Or so he thinks. Percy and Natalie, Jack's so-called best friends, posted an ad in the classified section of the online version of the school newspaper. They figured it couldn't hurt-after all, there's not much in this world sadder than Jack's love life. Soon Percy and Natalie have assembled a list of girls eager to go to the prom with Jack, including one mysterious girl known only as FancyPants. He has just seven days to meet and date them before he will ask one special girl to the prom.
Newcomer Alex Bradley shares a fresh and funny boy perspective in a genre dominated by girls.

Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furnace by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi

And you thought puberty sucked. Try morphing into a dragon.

I knew that at this age I'd be going through a lot of changes-but blue scales? Claws? A snout? Come on! This is ridiculous and just so unfair. And I can't believe my parents waited until the day I turned into a dragon to tell me that I am one-thanks to my dad's side of the family. Believe me, no amount of dieting can stop how big I grow when I turn dragon-and don't get me started on the tail.

This dragon thing is going to happen every crescent moon. Can I be any more of a freak? At least I have my grandfather to show me how to get by as a weredragon. It's not easy. And I can't even tell my best friends, because dragons have ancient enemies who want to destroy them. As if my parents, school and the soccer team weren't enough to deal with. Looks like it's up to me to protect the few fellow dragons that are still left or I won't see my next birthday. Forget about blowing out those candles. With this breath, I'll set the whole town on fire...

Bet Me by Jennifer Cruise

Minerva Dobbs knows that happily-ever-after is a fairy tale, especially with a man who asked her to dinner to win a bet. Even if he is gorgeous and successful Calvin Morrisey. Cal knows commitment is impossible, especially with a woman as cranky as Min Dobbs. Even if she does wear great shoes, and keep him on his toes. When they say good-bye at the end of their evening, they cut their losses and agree never to see each other again.

But Fate has other plans, and it's not long before Min and Cal meet again. Soon, they're dealing with a jealous ex-boyfriend, Krispy Kreme donuts, a determined psychologist, chaos theory, a freakishly intelligent cat, Chicken Marsala, and more risky propositions than either of them ever dreamed of. Including the biggest gamble of all-true love.

The Boy Next Door by Meggin Cabot

To: You (you)
From: Human Resources (human.resources@thenyjournal.com)
Subject: This Book

Dear Reader,

This is an automated message from the Human Resources Division of the New York Journal, New York City's leading photo-newspaper. Please be aware that according to our records you have not yet read this book. What exactly are you waiting for? This book has it all:

• Humor
  
• Romance
  
• Cooking tips
  
• Great Danes
  
• Heroine in peril
  
• Dolphin-shaped driftwood sculptures

If you wish to read about any of the above, please do not hesitate to head to the checkout counter, where you will be paired with a sales associate who will work to help you buy this book.

We here at the New York Journal are a team. We win as a team, and lose as one as well. Don't you want to be on the winning team?

Sincerely,
Human Resources Division
New York Journal

Please note that failure to read this book may result in suspension or dismissal from this store.

*********This e-mail is confidential and should not be used by anyone who is not the original intended recipient. If you have received this e-mail in error please inform the sender and delete it from your mailbox or any other storage mechanism.*********

A School for Sorcery by E. Rose Sabin

When seventeen-year-old Tria Tesserel begins her studies at the Leslie Simonton School for the Magically Gifted, she is unprepared for the dangers she will face. Oryon—a classmate of formidable power but bent to dark purpose—decides to ally himself to evil. Conspiring with witches known as Dire Women, Oryon causes two classmates to disappear...imprisoned in a terrifying world beyond anyone’s reach: except Tria’s. Tria will have to make a journey unlike any she has ever known. A journey into the heart of Evil.

Angels on Sunset Blvd by Melissa de la Cruz

THE ANGELS PRACTICE, OR TAP, is the kind of cult that doesn't exist. There are no rules and no records, just a MySpace-like website. All you need to know is that it will define who you are and what you will become.

Amidst the glittering L.A. nightlife, TAP parties are the place to see and be seen, especially in the exclusive back room. Taj and her rocker boyfriend, Johnny, are TAP elite, so when Taj meets preppie outsider Nick at a party, she doesn't give him a second thought. But then Johnny goes missing, along with Nick's sister. And suddenly Taj and Nick are teaming up to question TAP's darker side....

A Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

. A plucky and resourceful orphan, Dashti comes from a nomad tribe in a place resembling the Asian Steppes, and is brought to the Lady's house in the midst of a crisis. Lady Saren, having refused to marry the powerful but loathsome Lord her father has chosen, faces seven years' imprisonment in an unlit tower. Initially, Dashti believes her worth is tied to her ability to care for her "tower-addled" lady until she can join Khan Tegus, to whom she is secretly betrothed. When the gentle Tegus comes to the tower, Dashti must step in for her traumatized lady, speaking to him as Saren through the one tiny metal door. Hale exploits the diary form to convey Dashti's perspective; despite her self-effacing declaration that "?I draw this from memory so it won't be right," the entries reflect her genuinely spirited inner life. The tension between her unstinting loyalty and patience and burgeoning realization of her own strength and feelings for Tegus feels especially authentic. Readers will be riveted as Dashti and Saren escape and flee to the Khan's realm where, through a series of deceptions, contrivances and a riotously triumphant climax, the tale spins out to a thoroughly satisfying ending.