Immortal, Gillian Shields, HarperTeen, 368 pages

This book was just okay for me. Not spectacular, but not horrible either.

I think I was expecting more. More romance, more mystery, more supernatural elements. I suppose it felt a bit rushed. Not just the romance part. I didn’t mind that, it was more how strangely everything fell together.

I think that was it.

Nothing more to say.

The Demon’s Lexicon, Sarah Rees Brennan, Simon and Schuster, 322 pages

This book was. . . I’m not really quite sure. I loved it, against all odds. I say that I suppose because I am a romantic sap at heart, I love anything Jane Austen and when a couple I want doesn’t get together it saddens me so much. Sometimes for days I can’t think about anything else. Case in point, Peter Pan (seriously? um yea) You know the movie with Jeremy Sumpter and Rachel Hurd Wood. I have no idea why, except maybe how well they acted together, but at the end when Wendy didn’t stay with Peter, IT stayed with me for days. I was sad for days. How ridiculous is that? Especially when you take into consideration the fact that they were like 12 or 13.

That being said, I really loved this book despite the fact *SPOILER* that Nick and Mae didn’t get together. Not really. There was such a lack of romance in this book and that is the only reason why I’m not sure how to explain succinctly how I feel about it.

The characters were well written, and despite not getting to know Mae that well, I really liked her, Jamie I thought had some of the best lines. And Alan and Nick were pretty awesome.

The supernatural aspect was well thought out and the twist at the end, well I actually guessed it pretty early on, but it was still clever. The details surrounding it were the surprise for me. And although I was pretty satisfied with the ending, there were still parts of it that saddened me.

Now for my quote section.

Jamie was staring at Alan. “You helped me find Catcher in the Rye today and now you shoot people?”

“He only shot one person,” Nick remarked. “But the night is young.”

(a paragraph down) “Forgive him, he has no manners.”

“I get by on good looks,” Nick said.

“It’s the safest and easiest way to get more power, but there’re also rituals with the dead, and-”

“Rituals with the dead,” Jamie repeated in a faint, stunned voice. Nick turned and looked at him coldly. “I mean,” Jamie said, and swallowed, “how interesting and not at all creepy! Please go on!”

They stopped on a dirt road a few fields away from Cranmore Castle, which was now nothing but a mound, gray in the night but green under a daytime sky, a lump in the ground where people had once lived, and lived no longer.

“I expected something a little more castle-shaped,” said Jamie.

“Nothing lasts forever,” Nick said. “Except demons, of course.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a charming conversationalist?” Jamie asked.

“No,” Nick replied honestly.

“I cannot tell you how much that surprises me,” Jamie told him, and Nick gave him a half smile.

On the morning of the fourth day, Jamie tipped a switchblade out of his box of cornflakes.

“I think these promotional campaigns have really got out of hand,” he said, freezing with his hand on the milk carton.

Beautiful Creatures, Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, Little Brown, 563 pages

I have heard nothing but amazing things, lots of hype and anticipation in regards to this debut novel. And for 98% of it I agree.
The story was amazingly well written, chock full of information. I read a review (can't remember who's, sorry) where she said every page, every paragraph had information you needed (paraphrasing), and I also agree with that.
Reading this story if felt like I had to keep turning the pages because the previous page had so much in it that I needed to know what was coming next.
The characters were well-written, I felt a connection to most of them. I loved the Sisters, Link was pretty fun, Uncle Macon in his own way, and of course Amma. I thought it was awesome how much family involvement there was. Especially in YA "fantasy" there usually isn't much so that was a nice change.
And although I felt like the two main characters were relatable enough, there just seemed to be something missing. I think maybe it had to do with the amount of information we had thrown at us, with all of that something had to be lacking a little.
The history that was woven into the story was deep, it was all so intricate. I was so sucked in and enjoyed it so much until...dun, dun, dun...pages 510 to 563, so basically the very end. To me it just seemed rushed. It seemed lacking in some way, and it seemed to me, a little confusing. There are questions that I have that I can't mention or it would give too much away and I don't think they have anything to do with a second book, if there is one. Which I am unsure of.
Over all an amazing first novel. Amazing.

Meridian, Amber Kizer, Delacorte Press, 305 pages

(Nov. 6) I really enjoyed this book. I liked the fact that it was based in religion, that the scripture was used so well. That it showed how things can be turned around. Well done, Ms. Kizer, very well done.

The story was interesting from word go, and kept my attention the whole way through.

I enjoyed the main characters, being Meridian, Auntie, Tens and even the wolf Custos.

The only thing that bugged me about it, and it’s small, and really it’s just me, is that a 16 year old girl and a 16 year old boy (I think he’s 16) called this woman Auntie. Who says Auntie? What 16 year old says Auntie!?

Wait! I found one more thing. How quickly the love story moved. I understand the idea of fate and part of my life and everything. But seriously the book covers like two weeks and to go from I don’t know you to Why do you hate me? to You’re alright to I think I love you, to I love you forever in two weeks was a little far-fetched for me.

And for someone that met, dated, got engaged and married my husband all in under a year that’s saying a lot, don’t cha think?

Good book, can’t wait for the second.

A Great and Terrible Beauty, Libba Bray, Random House, 416 pages

(Oct. 15)It was inevitable with all the books that I’ve been devouring lately, to find one that I’m just not that into. This book was soooooo difficult for me to get into, and to finish.

I know that I’m probably going to hear it from so many of you because this series gets nothing but great reviews. Which is why I picked it up in the first place. It was highly recommended.

It bored me to tears.

I know, start crafting that noose, right?

There were good parts, I thought the premise of the story sounded really intriguing. What with “another realm” and the school and the girls and the cave and the book. I mean really, I should have been sucked in.

So, that’s all I’m going to say on the subject. I did actually get Rebel Angels and The Sweet Far Thing from the library.

But after reading A Great and Terrible Beauty, I just returned them in the hopes that maybe someday I’ll be able to pick them up and give em a go...I doubt it though.

Oh and by the way, Mel Gibson’s production company is looking at making it into a movie for those of you who didn’t know.