bookmania

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

2010-01-08T21:52:00.001-08:00

In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn, color your hair, watch a third of a hockey game. In nineteen minutes, you can bake scones or get a tooth filled by a dentist; you can fold laundry for a family of five.... In nineteen minutes, you can stop the world, or you can just jump off it. In nineteen minutes, you can get revenge.

Sterling is a small, ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens - until the day its complacency is shattered by a shocking act of violence. In the aftermath, the town's residents must not only seek justice in order to begin healing but also to come to terms with the role they played in the tragedy. For them, the lines between truth and fiction, right and wring, insider and outsider have been obscured forever. Josie Cormier, the teenage daughter of the judge sitting on the case, could be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened in front of her own eyes. and as the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show, destroying the closest friendships and families.

Again, I was rendered speechless by a work of the amazing Jodi Picoult. I'm not even going to try to write about my feelings. Because it will just end up sounding like a ....a...umm. See? Speechless. But I will say this. Picoult has encouraged and forced me to look at things from a different perspective as I've learned that I am hasty to pass judgment on others. Definitely a must read.

alright, so i'm back and it feels great.

2010-01-08T21:33:00.000-08:00

Genius Squad by Catherine Jinks
Sequel to Evil Genius

Cadel Piggott. Looks like an angelic 8 year-old, but behind those innocent eyes lurks a genius. Yes, he is a computer hacker and despite his small size he can change other people's lives with a stroke of a computer keyboard. He attended the Axis Institute where they taught everything, from embezzlement to perfect disguise, to poisoning without a trace. But a series of events lead him to find out that he is not who others made him believe to be. So now he is under constant supervision living in a foster home and worrying about his future... Want to know more? Read the book.
I don't know if I succeeded in making you guys interested, but i tried. Loved this book. Apparently it's a trilogy, so I will definitely check out Genius Wars.

Circle the Soul Softly by Davida Wills Hurwin

2009-09-20T15:36:00.001-07:00

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

2009-09-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-21T11:00:00.001-07:00

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

2009-07-16T10:58:00.001-07:00

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

2009-07-16T10:16:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-01T18:05:00.001-07:00

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

2009-07-01T17:51:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-23T16:44:00.000-07:00

"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

2009-06-23T16:39:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-23T16:35:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-23T14:29:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-31T15:11:00.000-07:00

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

Bliss by Lauren Myracle

2009-05-05T19:16:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-04-27T19:43:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-27T19:29:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-11T11:30:00.001-07:00

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

2009-04-08T14:13:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-05T18:21:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-28T18:58:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-23T13:32:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-18T19:22:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-13T18:58:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-09T20:16:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-01T13:55:00.001-08:00

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

2009-03-01T13:52:00.000-08:00

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

2009-03-01T13:50:00.000-08:00

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

2009-03-01T13:48:00.000-08:00

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

2009-03-01T13:46:00.000-08:00

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

2009-03-01T13:29:00.000-08:00

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

2009-03-01T13:26:00.000-08:00

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Subject: This Book

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A School for Sorcery by E. Rose Sabin

2009-03-01T13:24:00.000-08:00

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

2009-03-01T13:22:00.000-08:00

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

2009-03-01T13:20:00.000-08:00

. 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.

Eyeliner of the Gods by Katie Maxwell

2009-03-01T13:14:00.000-08:00

January "Jan" James, just shy of 17, well endowed, and a budding journalist, gets off the plane in Cairo and promptly gets separated from her group. When she dashes into a small shop to escape from would-be lechers, she meets a bona-fide hottie named Seth and is given something most unexpected-a bracelet that not only may be an ancient artifact but may be cursed as well. After two thugs then assault her in an alley, Seth comes to her rescue. He turns out to be one of the twin sons of the dig's leader. As things at the dig heat up between Jan and Seth, seemingly inexplicable occurrences take place, including the theft of priceless antiquities and the obsessive lip-glossing of fellow dig-mate Chloe. Jan puts her journalistic skills to work to solve the mystery while balancing her lust for Seth with her suspicions of him.

Till Death Do Us Part by Lurlene McDaniel

2009-03-01T13:12:00.000-08:00

The doctor's diagnosis for April Lancaster is not good. April has a brain tumor which cannot be operated on. She's only 18, and her future is uncertain. But when she meets Mark Gianni, a 21-year-old with a passion for car racing, things change.
Mark is handsome and charming--and has cystic fibrosis. Despite herself, April falls completely in love with him. April says yes when Mark asks her to marry him. But a racing accident aggravates Mark's CF, and April must make a decision that will change the course of her life forever.

Cross My Heart And Hope To Spy by Ally Carter

2009-03-01T13:11:00.000-08:00

After staking out, obtaining, and then being forced to give up her first boyfriend, Josh, all Cammie Morgan wants is a peaceful semester. But that's easier said than done when you're a CIA legacy and go to the premier school in the world...for spies.

Cammie may have a genius IQ , but there are still a lot of things she doesn't know. Like, will her ex-boyfriend even remember she exists? And how much trouble is she really in after what happened last semester? And most of all, why is her mother acting so strangely?

Despite Cammie's best intentions to be a normal student, danger seems to follow her. She and her best friends learn that their school is going to play host to some mysterious guests--code name: "Blackthorne. Then she's blamed for a security breach that leaves the school's top-secret status at risk.

Soon Cammie and her friends are crawling through walls and surveilling the school to learn the truth about Blackthorne and clear Cammie's name. Even though they have confidence in their spy skills, this time the targets are tougher (and hotter), and the stakes for Cammie's heart--and her beloved school--are higher than ever.

I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

2009-03-01T13:09:00.000-08:00

Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school-that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but it's really a school for spies.

Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real "pavement artist"-but can she maneuver a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her?

Cammie Morgan may be an elite spy-in-training, but in her sophomore year, she's on her most dangerous mission-falling in love.

How to Ruin My Teenage Life by Simone Elkeles

2009-03-01T13:07:00.000-08:00

In this sequel to How to Ruin a Summer Vacation, EVERYTHING in sixteen-year-old Amy Nelson Barak's life is going wrong! Her mom got married and moved to the suburbs, and now they are going to have a baby. Amy moves in with her dad in Chicago and signs him up for an online dating service. His first four dates are that night . . .

What else? Her dog Mutt impregnated her grumpy neighbor's prized poodle, so Amy will actually have to get a part-time job to pay for half the veterinary bill. And there's this totally annoying boy, Nathan Rubin, who just moved into her apartment building. Luckily, Amy has a cute boyfriend named Avi. Only he's more like a non-boyfriend considering Avi is in the Israeli army for the next three years.

What's a girl to do when everyone is conspiring to ruin her life?

How to Ruin a Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles

2009-03-01T13:05:00.000-08:00

Moshav? What’s a moshav? Is it “shopping mall” in Hebrew? I mean, from what Jessica was telling me, Israeli stores have the latest fashions from Europe. That black dress Jessica has is really awesome. I know I’d be selling out if I go with the Sperm Donor to a mall, but I keep thinking about all the great stuff I could bring back home.

Unfortunately for 16-year-old Amy Nelson, “moshav” is not Hebrew for “shopping mall.” Not even close. Think goats, not Gucci.

Going to Israel with her estranged Israeli father is the last thing Amy wants to do this summer. She’s got a serious grudge against her dad, a.k.a. “Sperm Donor,” for showing up so rarely in her life. Now he’s dragging her to a war zone to meet a family she’s never known, where she’ll probably be drafted into the army. At the very least, she’ll be stuck in a house with no AC and only one bathroom for seven people all summer—no best friend, no boyfriend, no shopping, no cell phone…

Goodbye pride—hello Israel.

A Ring of Endless Light by Madeliene L’Engle

2009-03-01T13:03:00.000-08:00

"This wasn't the first tie that I'd come close to death, but it was the first time I'd been involved in this part of it, this strange, terrible saying goodbye to someone you've loved."

These are Vicky Austin's thoughts as she stands near Commander Rodney's grave while her grandfather, who himself is dying of cancer, recites the funeral service. Watching his condition deteriorate over that long summer is almost more than she can bear. Then, in the midst of her struggle, she finds herself the center of attention for three young men. Leo, Commander Rodney's son, turns to her as an old friend seeki comfort but longing for romance. Zachary, whose attempted suicide inadvertently cauesd Commander Rodney's death, sees her as the one sane and normal person who can give some meaning ot his life. And Adam, a serious young student working at the nearby marine-biology station, discvoers Vicky, his friend's little sister, incipient telepathic powers that can help him with his experiments in dolphin communications. Vicky finds solace and brief moments of peace in her poetry, but life goes on around her, and the strain intensifies as she confromts matters of love and of death, of dependence and of responsibility, universal concerns that we all must face. The inevitable crisis comes and Vicky must rely on openness, sensitivity, and the love of others to overcome her private grief.

Broken Chords by Barbara Snow Gilbert

2009-03-01T13:00:00.000-08:00

Chronicles 17-year-old Clara's struggle to live up to her musical potential yet avoid the pressure of the cutthroat world of young musicians.

Seventeen-year-old Clara Lorenzo has it all: a great family, friends, Marshall-her love interest waiting in the wings. And to top it all off, she is a brilliant pianist, on her way to a career doing what she loves best.

But does she? Sometimes Clara gets tired of constantly performing. She knows that her ability is more skill than passion. But if she stopped playing, her family would be heartbroken. Marshall would never understand.

Clara must decide whether she can risk giving up a world where her forte is revered for one unfamiliar and uncertain.

Before I Die by Jenny Downham

2009-03-01T12:58:00.000-08:00

Tessa has just months to live. Fighting back against hospital visits, endless tests, drugs with excruciating side-effects, Tessa compiles a list. It’s her To Do Before I Die list. And number one is Sex. Released from the constraints of ‘normal’ life, Tessa tastes new experiences to make her feel alive while her failing body struggles to keep up. Tessa’s feelings, her relationships with her father and brother, her estranged mother, her best friend, and her new boyfriend, all are painfully crystallised in the precious weeks before Tessa’s time finally runs out.

Guitar Girl by Sarra Manning

2009-03-01T12:56:00.000-08:00

Seventeen-year-old Molly Montgomery never planned on becoming famous. Molly's band, The Hormones, was just supposed to be about mucking around with her best mates, Jane and Tara, and having fun. But when the deliciously dangerous Dean and his friend T join the band, things start happening fast. Soon The Hormones are front-page news, and their debut album is rocketing up the charts. Molly is the force behind the band, but the hazards of fame, first love, screaming fans, and sleazy managers are forcing the newly crowned teen queen of grrl angst close to the edge. Fame never comes for free, and Molly's about to find out what it costs.

Girl hearts by Norma Fox Mazer

2009-03-01T12:54:00.000-08:00

It all happened so suddenly...

One minute, her mother is waking her in the middle of the night to dance with her in the rain. The next, Sarabeth is pulled out of class and told that her mother has died of a heart attack. All of a sudden, Sarabeth faces unanswerable questions:

How could this happen?

Where will she go?

Will she ever find a place she truly belongs?

This is Norma Fox Mazer's long-awaited sequel to her best-selling novel Silver.

Got Fangs? by Katie Maxwell

2009-03-01T12:51:00.000-08:00

I used to think all I wanted was to have a normal life. You know, where I could be one of the crowd and blend in, so no one would know just how different I am. But now I'm stuck in the middle of Hungary with my mom, working for a traveling fair with my psychics, magicians, and other really weird people, and somehow, blending in with this crowd doesn't look so good.

Fortunately, there's Benedikt. Yeah, he may be a vampire, but he has a motorcycle, he likes the mysterious horse I suddenly acquired, and best of all, he doesn't think I'm the leasy bit freaky. So I'm supposed to redeem his soul -- if his kisses are anything to go by, my new life may not be quite as bad as I imagined.

Bras and Broomsticks by Sarah Mlynowski

2009-03-01T12:49:00.000-08:00

What if all your wishes could come true? Blink your eyes, drink a fizzing pink potion, and poof! Life is perfect. That’s Rachel’s situation. Except she’s not the one who suddenly has magical powers. Her younger sister is. And as Rachel would tell you, spellbooks are wasted on the young!

Yes, yes, of course world peace and cures for horrible diseases are important. But so is dancing without looking like she’s being electrocuted, winning back her best friend, stopping her dad’s wedding, and finding a date for Spring Fling.

Rachel’s not bewitched. Yet. . . .

Rules of The Road by Joan Bauer

2009-03-01T12:47:00.000-08:00

Meet Jenna Boller, star employee at Gladstone’s Shoe Store in Chicago. Standing a gawky 5'11'' at 16 years old, Jenna is the kind of girl most likely to stand out in the crowd - for all the wrong reasons. But that doesn’t stop Madeline Gladstone, the president of Gladstone's Shoes 176 outlets in 37 states, from hiring Jenna to drive her cross country in a last ditch effort to stop Elden Gladstone from taking over his mother's company and turning a quality business into a shop-and-schlock empire. Now Jenna Boller shoe salesperson is about to become a shoe-store spy as she joins her crusty old employer for an eye-opening adventure that will teach them both the rules of the road - and the rules of life.

Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce

2009-03-01T12:46:00.000-08:00

Keladry of Mindelan has finally achieved her life-long dream of being a knight. But it’s not turning out as she imagined at all. With the land of Tortall at war with the Scanrans, she has been assigned to oversee a refugee camp. But Kel has had a vision in the Chamber–a vision of the man behind the horrific battle machines that her fellow knights and friends are now fighting without her. She is torn between a duty she has sworn and a quest that she feels could turn the tide of the war. . . .

Page by Tamora Pierce

2009-03-01T12:44:00.000-08:00

Keladry of Mindalen, the first girl to train as a knight since Alanna, is officially a page now, but she's got three more years before she'll be a squire. And those three years are not going to be easy. Kel has to stand up against bullying boys, cruel older sisters, and, as always, the training master, Lord Wyldon!

Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn

2009-03-01T12:42:00.000-08:00

"I will be as wild as I wanna be."

After getting tossed from her posh boarding school, wild, willful, and coffee addicted Cyd Charisse returns to San Francisco to live with her parents. But there's no way Cyd can survive in her parents' pristine house. Lucky for Cyd she's got Gingerbread, her childhood rag doll and confidante, and her new surfer boyfriend.

When Cyd's rebelliousness gets out of hand, her parents ship her off to New York City to spend the summer with "Frank real-dad," her biological father. Trading in her parents for New York City grunge and getting to know her bio-dad and step-sibs is what Cyd has been waiting for her whole life. But summer in the city is not what Cyd expects — and she's far from the daughter or sister that anyone could have imagined.

I Was a Teenage Fairy by Francesca Lia Block

2009-03-01T12:38:00.000-08:00

A pinkie-size, straight-talking fairy, who may or may not be real, helps Barbie and Griffin uncover the strength beneath their pain and teaches that love -- like a sparkling web of light spinning around our bodies and souls -- is what can heal even the deepest scars.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

2009-03-01T12:31:00.000-08:00

Artemis Fowl is a one of the greatest criminal minds the world has ever seen. He is heir to the Fowl family empire—a centuries old clan of international underworld figures and con artists. He is arguably the most cunning Fowl of all. He is also twelve years old.

Artemis' interest in mythology and an obsession with the Internet leads him to discover proof of the existence of "The People"- otherwise known as fairies, sprites, leprechauns and trolls. He learns every fairy has a magical Book. If he can find the Book, it will lead him to "The People's" vast treasure of gold.

With his brutish sidekick, Butler, he sets his plans in motion. Artemis tricks a drunken old fairy woman into loaning him her Book, a tiny golden volume, for thirty minutes. He scans it with a digital camera and emails it to his Mac G6 computer. Back in his mansion in Ireland, he is the first human to decode the secrets of the fairies.

Artemis needs a leprechaun to help him with this plan. He and Butler hunt down Holly Short, a tough, female LEPrecon, part of a gung-ho Fairy commando unit, who is on a reconnaissance mission. He kidnaps her, and a major battle begins. It's satyr against gnome, man against elf, and for the first time in his life, Artemis must decide what he values most.

Music From a Place Called Half Moon by Jerrie Oughton

2009-03-01T12:23:00.000-08:00

When Edie Jo Houp's father opens the "biggest can of worms you ever did see" by suggesting that the Vine Street Baptist Church ope its Vacation Bible School to all the children of Half Moon, North Carolina - including the Indian children - practically everyone in town turns on the Houps. Thirteen-year-old Edie Jo isn't sure how she feels about ther daddy's idea. That summer of 1956, however, is one of change and growth. Up at her own private place, she meets and Indian boy named Cherokee Fish. A tentative connection develops between them as they begin to share their secrets and dreams. As the tensions that summer reach their peak, Edie Jo ultimately learns that "friendships don't shape on color."

The Light of the Oracle by Victoria Hanley

2009-03-01T12:05:00.000-08:00

Bryn is the daughter of a humble stone-cutter. So no one is more surprised than she when the Master Priest seeks her out to become a student at the famous Temple of the Oracle; a training school for future priests and priestesses.

But her innately gifted nature proves a threat to the evil embedded within the Temple, and Bryn encounters unimaginable danger. Is she able to struggle with the unknown and to save the whole world from untold misery? Or will the powers of darkness succeed?

Princess Academy by Sharon Creech

2009-02-27T21:29:00.000-08:00

Cheerful and witty 14-year-old Miri loves her life on Mount Eskel, home to the quarries filled with the most precious linder stone in the land, though she longs to be big and strong enough to do quarry work like her sister and father. But Miri experiences big changes when the king announces that the prince will choose a potential wife from among the village's eligible girls-and that said girls must attend a new Princess Academy in preparation. Princess training is not all it's cracked up to be for spunky Miri in the isolated school overseen by cruel Tutor Olana. But through education-and the realization that she has the common mountain power to communicate wordlessly via magical "quarry-speech"-Miri and the girls eventually gain confidence and knowledge that helps transform their village

The Wanderer by Sharon Creech

2009-02-27T21:27:00.000-08:00

"The sea, the sea, the sea. It rolled and rolled and called to me. Come in, it said, come in."

Thirteen-year-old Sophie hears the sea calling, promising adventure and a chance for discovery as she sets sail for England with her three uncles and two cousins. Sophie's cousin Cody isn't sure he has the strength to prove himself to the crew and to his father. Through Sophie's and Cody's travel logs, we hear stories of the past and the daily challenges of surviving at sea as The Wanderer sails toward its destination -- and its passengers search for their places in the world.

Abhorsen by Garth Nix

2009-02-27T21:25:00.000-08:00

The Abhorsen Sabriel and King Touchstone are missing, leaving only Lirael—newly come into her inheritance as the Abhorsen-in-Waiting—to stop the Destroyer. If Orannis's unspeakable powers are unleashed, it will mean the end of all Life. With only a vision from the Clayr to guide her and the help of her companions, Sam, the Disreputable Dog, and Mogget, Lirael must search in both Life and Death for some means to defeat the evil destructor—before it is too late. . . .

Lirael by Garth Nix

2009-02-27T21:23:00.000-08:00

Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Abandoned by her mother, ignorant of her father's identity, Lirael resembles no one else in her large extended family living in the Clayr's Glacier. She doesn't even have the Sight -- the ability to see into the present and possible futures -- that is the very birthright of the Clayr.

Nonetheless, it is Lirael in whose hands the fate of the Old Kingdom lies. She must undertake a desperate mission under the growing shadow of an ancient evil -- one that opposes the Royal Family, blocks the Sight of the Clay; and threatens to break the very boundary between Life and Death itself. With only her faithful companion, the Disreputable Dog, to help her, Lirael must find the courage to seek her own hidden destiny.

Sabriel by Garth Nix

2009-02-27T21:21:00.000-08:00

Since childhood, Sabriel has lived outside the walls of the Old Kingdom, away from the power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who refuse to stay dead. But now her father, the Mage Abhorson, is missing, and Sabriel must cross into that world to find him. With Mogget, whose feline form hides a powerful, perhaps malevolent spirit, and Touchstone, a young Charter Mage, Sabriel travels deep into the Old Kingdom. There she confronts an evil that threatens much more than her life'and comes face to face with her own hidden destiny. . .

Girl, Going On 17: Pants on Fire by Sue Limb

2009-02-27T21:19:00.000-08:00

It's never fun when a great summer comes to an end.

Particularly when one argues with one’s adorable, but grossly insensitive, boyfriend the night before school starts. It’s such a terrible fight, Jess doesn’t know—are they broken up? Should she apologize? Too bad Jess is spending all her time in detention and can’t talk to Fred to figure it out. A sadistic new English teacher has decided Jess needs an attitude adjustment, and Jess can’t seem to stop making terrible mistakes. When she ends up pantless in her own backyard, Jess is left to ask herself: Where did she go wrong? And what can be done to make it up to Fred and salvage this horrible, horrible year?

Girl, Nearly 16: Absolute Torture by Sue Limb

2009-02-27T21:17:00.000-08:00

Just when things were going so well.

Jess had the perfect summer planned: She and Fred, lounging in the park, gazing into one another’s eyes and engaging in witty repartee. It was going to be so romantic. And then her maddening mum stepped in: She suddenly announced a two-week “road trip” to Cornwall to visit Jess’s dad, something Jess might have enjoyed, actually, were it not for the monstrously bad timing. Not only will this force Jess and Fred apart for two whole weeks, it will also leave the darling and handsome Fred in the clutches of Jess’s blindingly beautiful best friend, Flora—who, you might recall, expressed an interest in Fred not too long ago. As if all this weren’t enough, Jess’s mum seems to expect her to weep at the grave of every departed literary hero in Britain’s long history. It’s absolute torture. And little does Jess know, a huge surprise awaits her when she visits her dad at his home for the first time in years.

Girl 15, Charming but Insane by Sue Limb

2009-02-27T21:15:00.000-08:00

Like any self-respecting girl her age, Jess wants to be devastatingly gorgeous, popular, and intelligent. But unfortunately, her best friend, Flora, has beaten her to it. Now Jess needs a new focus. The stunningly gorgeous Ben Jones seems the obvious choice. But can Ben Jones focus on anything that takes longer than a free kick? Perhaps Fred, who's sweet and clever but really needs a haircut, will help Jess through her teen-life crisis. But what of Flora's long-held secret crush? With her particular combination of charm and insanity, Jess heroically tries to keep it all together—with hilarious results.

Girl, Barely 15: Flirting for England by Sue Limb

2009-02-27T21:11:00.000-08:00

Jess Jordan is barely 15. Fred is her often-aggravating best guy friend; her father is a lonely bachelor; Flora is her gorgeous best friend, a constant liability; and Ben Jones is barely a twinkle in her eye. Into this innocent scene are dropped 30 or so helpless French exchange students. Jess and her mother are assigned to house Eduoard, a shy, awkward, and painfully English-deprived boy Jess’s age. To counter what Jess fears is Eduoard’s growing crush on her, Jess convinces her friend Fred to pose as her boyfriend, but he refuses to take their fake relationship seriously. Add a gorgeous, womanizing French student, an ill-fated camping trip in a student’s backyard, and Flora just being, well, Flora, and you have all the makings of an international incident. Will Jess be able to keep the peace, or even translate the whole debacle to the confused French students? The future of England is on the line. . . .

Bloom by Elizabeth Scott

2009-02-27T21:08:00.000-08:00

There's a difference between falling and letting go.

Lauren has a good life: decent grades, great friends, and a boyfriend every girl lusts after. So why is she so unhappy?

It takes the arrival of Evan Kirkland for Lauren to figure out the answer: She's been holding back. She's been denying herself a bunch of things (like sex) because staying with her loyal and gorgeous boyfriend, Dave, is the "right" thing to do. After all, who would give up the perfect boyfriend?

But as Dave starts talking more and more about their life together, planning a future Lauren simply can't see herself in -- and as Lauren's craving for Evan, and moreover, who she is with Evan becomes all the more fierce -- Lauren realizes she needs to make a choice...before one is made for her.

Catch by Will Leitch

2009-02-27T21:07:00.000-08:00

Everything comes easy for Tim Temples. He's got a sweet summer job, lots of love from the ladies, and parties with his high school buddies. Why does he need to go to college?

Then Tim falls hard for Helena -- a worldly and mysterious twenty-twoyear- old. Their relationship opens his eyes to life outside the small town of Mattoon, Illinois. Now Tim has to choose:Will he settle for being a small town hero, or will he leave it all behind to follow his dreams?

Gilda Joyce…Psychic Investigator by Jennifer Allison

2009-02-27T21:06:00.000-08:00

Ever since her father died, kooky Gilda Joyce has been working hard to sharpen her psychic skills. She's determined to communicate with spirits from the Other Side and become a crack investigator of spooky, twisted mysteries. After wrangling an invitation to visit San Francisco relatives, Gilda discovers just how much her dreary, tight-lipped uncle and his strange, delicate daughter need her help to uncover the terrible family secret that has a tortured ghost stalking their home.

From poignant to hair-raising and hilarious, this is a behind-the-scenes, tell-all account of the very first case in the illustrious career of Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator.

Flight #116 is Down by Caroline Cooney

2009-02-27T21:04:00.000-08:00

Teenager Heidi Landseth helps rescue people from a plane crash on her family's property, and the experience changes her life forever.

Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath

2009-02-27T21:01:00.000-08:00

Eleven-year-old Primrose living in a small fishing village in British Columbia recounts her experiences and all that she learns about human nature and the unpredictability of life in the months after her parents are lost at sea.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

2009-02-27T20:59:00.000-08:00

Esperanza thought she'd always live with her family on their ranch in Mexico--she'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home, & servants. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California during the Great Depression, and to settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard labor, financial struggles, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When their new life is threatened, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances--Mama's life and her own depend on it.

Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman

2009-02-27T20:57:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact that Julie Lefkowitz is often exasperated by her best friend Ashleigh, "an Enthusiast," the 15-year-old loyally tolerates and often takes part in Ashleigh's various crazes. Ashleigh's current interest is the book Pride and Prejudice, and her latest scheme is to crash a formidable boys' school to attend a dance and find a 21st-century version of Mr. Darcy for herself, as well as a suitable companion for Julie. Dressed in vintage gowns, the girls do manage to slip into the dance and hook up with two agreeable young gentlemen. The problem is that both girls become smitten with the same guy-the shyer, more refined of the two boys. What follows is a sequence of witty exchanges, comic errors and miscommunications that could be taken right out of a Jane Austen novel. When all four characters get cast in a play, opportunities for passionate encounters abound; love triangles emerge and eventually evolve into appropriate romantic pairings. Those familiar with Jane Austen's writing style and themes will most appreciate the many overt and subtle references to the 19th-century author.

Enna Burning by Shannon Hale

2009-02-27T20:54:00.000-08:00

Enna and Princess Isi became fast friends in The Goose Girl, but after Isi married Prince Geric, Enna returned to the forest. Enna's simple life changes forever when she learns to wield fire and burn anything at will. Enna is convinced that she can use her ability for good-to fight Tira, the kingdom threatening the Bayern borders-and goes on secret raids to set fire to the Tiran camps and villages. But as the power of the fire grows stronger, she is less able to control her need to burn. In her recklessness she is captured by the Tiran army and held captive by a handsome, manipulative young captain who drugs her to keep her under his influence. Can Isi and her old friends Finn and Razo rescue her without sacrificing themselves? And with the fire still consuming her, will Enna find a way to manage the gift that threatens to destroy her?

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

2009-02-27T20:51:00.000-08:00

In this incredible debut novel comes the richly entertaining story of Ella of Frell, who at birth was given the gift of obedience by a fairy. Ella soon realizes that this gift is little better than a curse, for how can she truly be herself if at anytime anyone can order her to hop on one foot, or cut off her hand, or betray her kingdom'and she'll have to obey? Against a bold tapestry of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella's quest to break the curse once and for all and discover who she really is is as sharply funny

Don't Die My Love by Lurlene McDaniel

2009-02-27T20:49:00.000-08:00

Julie Ellis and Luke Muldenhower have always been school sweethearts. Now both are in high school and deeply in love. Luke, a talented football player, is almost certain to receive an athletic scholarship to a top college. And no matter what her parents say, wherever Luke goes, Julie intends to follow. When Luke can't shake what he thinks is a virus, Julie persuades him to see a doctor. Luke's test results are alarming, but Julie believes their love is stronger than anything. Can love survive, now and forever?

Devilish by Maureen Johnson

2009-02-27T20:47:00.000-08:00

The only thing that makes St. Teresa's Preparatory School for Girls bearable for Jane is her best friend Ally. But when Ally changes into a whole different person literally overnight the fall of their senior year, Jane's suddenly alone--and very confused.

Turns out, Ally has sold her soul in exchange for popularity--to a devil masquerading as a sophomore at St. Teresa's! Now it's up to Jane to put it all on the line to save her friend from this ponytail-wearing, cupcakenibbling demon . . . without losing her own soul in the process.

Daughter of Venice by Donna JO Napoli

2009-02-27T20:45:00.000-08:00

Sixteenth-century Venice springs to life in this entrancing historical novel. Rebelling at the restrictions that surround her, fourteen-year-old Donata seeks adventure and education, and finds them, along with romance and a greater understanding of her world. Napoli takes on a lot, writing about commerce, Judaism and a host of other subjects, but the strength of the plot and characters ties it all together in this outstanding novel.

Avalon High by Meg Cabot

2009-02-27T20:43:00.000-08:00

Avalon High seems like a typical high school, attended by typical students: There's Lance, the jock. Jennifer, the cheerleader. And Will, senior class president, quarterback, and all-around good guy.

But not everybody at Avalon High is who they appear to be ... not even, as new student Ellie is about to discover, herself. What part does she play in the drama that is unfolding? What if the bizarre chain of events and coincidences she has pieced together means -- as with the court of King Arthur -- tragedy is fast approaching Avalon High?

Worst of all, what if there's nothing she can do about it?

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

2009-02-27T20:39:00.000-08:00

An ancient secret brotherhood.
A devastating new weapon of destruction.
An unthinkable target.

All American Girl by Meg Cabot

2009-02-27T20:38:00.001-08:00

Top Ten Reasons Samantha Madison is in Deep Trouble

10. Her big sister is the most popular girl in school

9. Her little sister is a certified genius

8. She's in love with her big sister's boyfriend

7. She got caught selling celebrity portraits in school

6. And now she's being forced to take art classes

5. She's just saved the president of the United States from an assassination attempt

4. So the whole world thinks she is a hero

3. Even though Sam knows she is far, far from being a hero

2. And now she's been appointed teen ambassador to the UN

And the number-one reason Sam's life is over?

1. The president's son just might be in love with her

All's Fair in Love, War and High School by Janette Rallison

2009-02-27T20:32:00.000-08:00

When your chance for getting into college and your date for the prom are all on the line…

Sixteen-year-old Samantha Taylor is used to having things go her way. She’s head cheerleader and has all the right friends and a steady stream of boyfriends. But when she tanks the SATs, her automatic assumptions about going to college don’t appear to be so automatic anymore. She determines that her only hope for college admission is to win the election for student body president. Unfortunately, with her razor wit and acid tongue she’s bettersuited to dishing out insults than winning votes.

When she brashly bets her classmate Logan that she can go two weeks without uttering a single insult, Samantha immediately realizes that she may have bitten off more than she can chew. And when her current boyfriend dumps her, less than three weeks before the prom, it couldn’t be a worse time to be forced to keep her opinions to herself. Finding a new boyfriend will be a challenge now that Logan shadows her every move, hoping to catch her slipping back into her old ways. Samantha is determined to win the election and find a dream date for the prom, no matter what it takes. After all . . . all’s fair in love and war (and high school!).

A Rose For Melinda by Lurlene McDaniel

2009-02-27T20:30:00.000-08:00

Told in letters, journal entries, e-mails, doctors’ reports, and instant messages, the heartbreaking story of an aspiring ballet dancer battling leukemia.

From: Melinda Skye
To: Readers
Subject: Jesse

Hi! I can’t believe it. What a surprise from Jesse. When he got my e-mail about being accepted by the Washington School of Classical Dance’s summer program, he called to congratulate me! I loved hearing his voice. We’ve been friends forever–could it turn into something more?
Melinda

From: Jesse Rose
To: Readers
Subject: Melinda

I couldn’t believe the news. Melinda is so young! How could she be sick? How did she get leukemia? She’s got to get better. She’s got to.
Jesse

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

2009-02-27T20:28:00.000-08:00

Josie, Nicolette, and Aviva all get mixed up with a senior boy–a cool, slick, sexy boy who can talk them into doing almost anything he wants. In a blur of high school hormones and personal doubt, each girl struggles with how much to give up and what ultimately to keep for herself. How do girls handle themselves? How much can a boy get away with? And in the end, who comes out
on top? A bad boy may always be a bad boy. But this bad boy is about to meet three girls who won’t back down.

A Bad Boy Can Be Good For a Girl by Tanya Lee Stone

2009-02-27T20:25:00.000-08:00

If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince? by Melissa Kantor

2009-02-27T20:23:00.000-08:00

Wicked stepmother? Check. Evil stepsisters? Check. Miserable life? Check.

Lucy Norton's life has all the makings of a Cinderella story. Her dad's always away on business, leaving Lucy with her cruel stepmother and bratty stepsisters. She's burdened with chores, and has a hard time fitting in at her new school. So when she sees Connor Pearson, the star player on the varsity basketball team, Lucy hopes her destiny has finally changed. With everything else going on in her life, doesn't she at least deserve to get the handsome prince?

Melissa Kantor's enchanting novel proves that sometimes the happy ending isn't quite the one you'd expect. Lucy's about to discover the truth about finding her real Prince Charming. and finding herself.

Am I Right of Am I Right? by Barry Jonsberg

2009-02-27T20:21:00.000-08:00

Calma Harrison, 16, is a bright, eccentric loner who loves English lit and brightly colored eyeglasses. Her only friend is Vanessa, a hippie so mellow she's nearly in a coma. Calma and her mother communicate via notes on the refrigerator. Then, her long-absent father appears in their tropical Australian town, desperate to speak to her, and her mother starts sneaking around at night, causing Calma to fear that her parents may be dating. When Vanessa becomes even more withdrawn and Calma notices cuts and scratches on her friend's body, she starts sleuthing. For the first quarter of the book, Jonsberg lays the teenage sarcasm on so thickly it backfires, and Calma, despite her raw language, sounds cutesy instead of edgy. Fortunately, she's more and more engaging as the plot progresses, and her depth and sincerity become obvious. Moreover, her jaunty narration creates a farcical mood that keeps the increasingly heavy subject matter from descending into melodrama.

The End of Forever by Lurlene McDaniel

2009-02-27T20:13:00.000-08:00

The celebration isn't supposed to end in tragedy. But the lives of sisters Amy and Erin come crashing down when Amy takes the car and has a horrible accident. Landing the lead in the senior musical opposite David Devlin doesn't give Erin much pleasure. Erin knows that her headaches started just after the death of her younger sister. What is it about David that triggers Erin's violent reaction?

This companion volume explores the complexities not only of accepting unexpected loss, but also the need to move on.

1000 Reasons Never to Kiss a Boy by Martha Freeman

2009-02-27T20:12:00.000-08:00

This is how Jane’s whirlwind four-month relationship with Elliot comes to an end—in the walk-in fridge, at the bagel shop. with Valerie. Jane is distraught, and vows to never get involved with another boy. Why bother when there are a thousand reasons why it will never be worth it. But there are more surprises in store for Jane this year, and one of them—a surprisingly cute one of them—lives right next door.
From young adult ARCs

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

2009-02-27T20:03:00.000-08:00

Grade 7-10-Sophomore Virginia Shreves lives in Manhattan and attends a prestigious private school. She lives by her Fat Girl Code of Conduct. She has a budding romance with Froggy the Fourth, but she doesn't want his wandering hands to feel her fat. Her baggy clothing helps her to "hide." Her mother, Dr. Phyllis Shreves, is an adolescent psychologist obsessed with her imperfect daughter's weight, and her father is rarely around. Her older sister joined the Peace Corps to escape mom, and brother Byron is big man on the Columbia campus-until he's suspended for date rape. Finally, Virginia stands up to her mother and takes charge of her life. Strong points in the novel are the issue of date rape and its consequences and, however glossed over, eating disorders. Parental pressure is overdone. Mom and dad are stereotypical of adults so involved in themselves that they cannot see their child for who she is. Some passages are very well done, but the book has an uneven quality in prose style and character development. Told through first-person narrative, journal entries, and e-mail, Virginia's story will interest readers who are looking for one more book with teen angst, a bit of romance, and a kid who is a bit like them or their friends.

Prom Nights From Hell

2009-02-27T20:02:00.001-08:00

In this exciting collection, bestselling authors Meg Cabot (How to Be Popular), Kim Harrison (A Fistful of Charms), Michele Jaffe (Bad Kitty), Stephenie Meyer (Twilight), and Lauren Myracle (ttyl) take bad prom nights to a whole new level—a paranormally bad level. Wardrobe malfunctions and two left feet don't hold a candle to discovering your date is the Grim Reaper—and he isn't here to tell you how hot you look.

From angels fighting demons to a creepy take on getting what you wish for, these five stories will entertain better than any DJ in a bad tux. No corsage or limo rental necessary. Just good, scary fun.

Almost Home by Nora Raleigh Baskin

2009-02-25T18:40:00.000-08:00

Twelve-year-old Leah Baer has been shuffled from various parents and households for years, but now she is back at her father's house with his new wife. Although this latest move seems as if it might be a lasting one, Leah feels out of place both at home and at school. Then, an exceptional boy named Will befriends Leah and persuades her to try acting to express her emotions. As Leah begins to learn more about herself, she also begins to see how she fits in her family members' lives, and gradually discovers what it means to "be home".

Autumn Street by Lois Lowry

2009-02-23T17:14:00.001-08:00

There were things to be afraid of in the woods at the end of Autumn Street. But the year she went to live in her grandfather's big house- when her father went off to fight in World War II- Elizabeth couldn't put a name to those dark, shadowy fears. She was grateful for the reassurance of Tatie's strong, enveloping brown arms which held when she needed comforting, and she relished her friendship with Tatie's grandson, feisty and streetwise Charles, who called he dumb old Elizabeth but didn't mean it. Together the two lonely children tried to interpret for each other an adult world which was always puzzling and often cruel. Together, finally, on a day when snow obscured everything but terror, they left that world behind them and entered the world that was waiting in the woods.

Anyone But You by Lara M. Zeises

2009-02-23T17:04:00.001-08:00

Family, it turned out, was something you really could choose yourself. Seattle should know. Critter and Jesse have been close to Sea since her dad moved in with their mother. Closer still since he took off six years ago and Layla decided to raise Sea as one of her own. It's a decision none of them regrets, especially not Critter. He's more than a brother- he's Seattle's best friend.
Now it's vacation, and Seattle and Critter are stoop sitters, at least until summer school starts in July. It beats working, like Jesse, or worse, studying, like Layla wants them to. It's too hot for Seattle to be on her skateboard- too hot even for Critter to be scamming in girls. But Sea comes up with a plan for them to bluff their way into the ritzy swimming pool the next town over. Big mistake.
Soon Critter's got his heart set on a Penn Acres princess, while Seattle is trying hard not to fall for a skater boy on the rebound. For the first time in a long while, they can talk to anyone but each other. Then Seattle's dad shows up unexpectedly, and the way of life Critter and Seattle have always known begins to change even more..
With this powerful novel of two voices, Lara M. Zeises takes a fresh, hard look at what it means to be a family.

Are You Alone on Purpose? by Nancy Werlin

2009-02-22T13:16:00.000-08:00

Fate sometimes works on strange ways. Harry Roth and Alison Shandling would never have dreamed that their lives would become entwined. Harry is the surly and athletic son of a rabbi; his father has closed himself off since he lost his wife over two years ago. Alison is smart, sensitive, and nerdy girl whose autistic twin brother commands all of the parental attention. Harry and Alison don't have a thing in common- except a history of mutual dislike.
But when Harry has a paralyzing accident, Alison feels morally responsible and considers herself obligated to befriend him. And as their knowledge of each other slowly grows, the two discover they have similar feelings of alienation from their parents and their peers. Somehow, they begin to find comfort and a sense of esteem from each other. Perhaps they will finally be able to express their loneliness and their needs.
Unique, often funny, and very real is this story of a complicated journey- the grueling but wonderfully rewarding path toward true friendship.

Amazing Grace by Megan Shull

2009-02-20T17:59:00.001-08:00

Gorgeous teen superstar Grace Kinlaid has it all - an electric smile, million- dollar endorsement deals, and blond cover-girl looks. But what happens when America's "It" girl doesn't want it anymore?
With the paparazzi stalking her every move, Grace quietly slips out of a Teen People photo shoot, ducks the press, and calls her mom from the boiler room of the fables USTA National Tennis Center. And right there, in her custom - made Nike warm-ups, tears streaming down her face, Grace says the three magic words that her mom told her she could say anytime, anytime this whole crazy life wasn't fun anymore. Three simple words and her life begins. For the hottest girl on the planet, life's about to change. Grace gets a make-under, a new identity, and a new life in a rugged little town on the edge of nowhere, population 813 ( including one cute boy: one very cute boy).
I have just started on this book, but I know it is not the usual celebrity- turned- into- a- normal- teenager-hoping- to- be- "like everyone else" book.

New Moon

2009-02-16T15:05:00.001-08:00

Protagonist Isabella "Bella" Swan is thrown an eighteenth birthday party by Alice and Edward Cullen, the vampire she loves, and the rest of their vampire family. While unwrapping a gift, she gets a paper cut. Edward's brother Jasper, although attempting a non-human diet, is overwhelmed by the scent of blood and tries to attack Bella. In an attempt to keep her safe from the world of vampires, Edward tells Bella that he can not be with her anymore and leaves the town of Forks, Washington, with his family. Bella becomes severely depressed and heartbroken, and seeks comfort with Jacob Black, an old family friend who eases her pain over losing Edward.

Bella and Jacob begin spending a lot of time together, and Bella soon discovers that the rush of adrenaline present when she places herself in dangerous situations stimulates hallucinations of Edward's voice. Bella begins seeking out dangerous behavior, such as riding a motorcycle, to trigger the illusions. Meanwhile, Bella finds out that Jacob is a werewolf. The werewolves begin to protect Bella from the pursuit of the vampire Victoria, who seeks revenge for the death of her mate, James, who was killed by the Cullens in Twilight. After Bella attempts cliff-diving near La Push, she gets caught in a riptide and is rescued by Jacob.

At the same time, Alice Cullen, Edward's vampire sister who has visions of the future, has a vision of Bella jumping off the cliff. Presuming that Bella is dead, Alice rushes to Forks to check on Charlie Swan, Bella's father, while Edward calls Bella's home. Jacob answers and informs Edward that Charlie is at a funeral, referring to that of a man in town who had died of a heart attack, but Edward draws the conclusion that Jacob means Bella's funeral. Desperate after Bella's supposed death, Edward flies to Italy to see the Volturi, peace-keeping vampires who would be able to kill Edward, granting him leave of a world without Bella.

Bella and Alice rush to Italy to stop Edward, and save him before it is too late. Before they leave Italy, the Volturi tell them that Bella, a human who knows of the existence of vampires, must either be killed or changed into a vampire herself. After they return to Forks, Edward explains to Bella that he only left in order to protect her, and she forgives him. The book ends with the Cullens voting in favor of Bella being changed into a vampire after her graduation, much to Edward's dismay.

I loved Twilight. So I am really looking forward to read New Moon.

2009-02-12T20:01:00.000-08:00

Inkspell is the second book to the Inkheart trilogy. I really liked Inkheart. At times it gets slow but the plt and the story line is unique.

new here

2009-02-12T19:26:00.000-08:00

HI! My name is Ruth and I decided that I should keep a blog about the books that I have read. I love reading. So help me out please. :)