Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent review

By blood, by word, by magic…

Most can't touch the power. But Liv Warren is special— a paranormal tracker who follows the scent of blood.

Liv makes her own rules, and the most important one is trust no one.

But when her friend's daughter goes missing, Liv has no choice but to find the girl. Thanks to a childhood oath, Liv can't rest until the child is home safe. But that means trusting Cam Caballero, the former lover forbidden to her.

Bound by oath and lost in desire for a man she cannot have, Liv is racing to save the child from a dark criminal underworld where secrets, lies, trauma and danger lurk around every corner…every touch…every kiss.

And more blood will be spilled before it's over…

From Goodreads

Liv Warren likes living by her own rules. Unfortunately the rest of the world doesn't like to play by her rules. That's how this blood tracker ended up using her powers for monetary gain. In a world where those with "special abilities" (like walking into shadows, name tracking & even blood tracking) aren't formally recognized by any government, but used by all, Liv finds herself in a pretty tight spot.

An accidental binding from childhood is coming calling in the form of one of her best friends trying to protect her daughter from the child's father's assassin. Sound complicated? It gets worse. This friend also happens to pull in the only other person on the planet that Liv can't stand to be around. Her former lover Cam Caballero is still just as smoldering as he was when Liv left him six years prior, to save both their lives. No time like the present to jump headlong into the fray with danger lurking around every corner from the local criminal families. Is there enough time to save the girl or will Liv just ending failing to keep every promise she's ever made?

Rachel Vincent is seriously my freaking hero! This woman is so diverse I can barely contain my excitement. Between the bean sidhe lore of the Soul Screamers series & the werecat drama of the Shifters series, I honestly wasn't sure how well she'd be able to pull off a whole new series. Let me assure you, Rachel is a remarkable craftswoman never to be doubted.

Blood Bound takes the meanings of "signed in blood" & "my word is my bond" to a whole new level & explores the murky waters of contractual bindings. It truly was fascinating reading about all the different types of bindings, means of tracking a person & situations that arise from such predicaments. Things can really start to get tricky when you're contractually obligated to more than one person & they're on opposing sides of a war in which you're an unwilling recruit.

Liz is a headstrong, complex character (Rachel seems to prefer these and I've got no complaints!) who is trying to do what she thinks is best in a bad situation. After running away from longtime boyfriend Cam (in order to save their lives) she finds herself the unwilling recipient of his assistance in her newest endeavor. Tension & sparks fly because while nothing about these two together has changed, more than enough has changed about them.

A promising start to a new series, Blood Bound is sure to delight. Keep a weather eye on the horizon for book 2 Shadow Bound, due May 22.

Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent review

Testify by Valerie Sherrard review

In some cases, you really don't want to be stabbed in the front. Shana is a loyal & best friend to Carrie. While the girls have a larger group of about 6 girls who are all friends, Carrie & Shana are the closest to one another. They do typical goofy girl stuff & push the boundaries on rules just enough to test their limits. Carrie is always the instigator, but Shana rarely has a problem going along with Carrie's plans. They do anything for each other out of loyalty, friendship & support. It wouldn't be that big a deal for Carrie to ask Shana to testify that her step father molested her. Only, it didn't happen & Shana knows it. Thinking she's doing the right thing, Shana agrees. She testifies that she saw Carrie's step father grope Carrie & he goes to prison, but it's only the beginning.

With the trial over, all the girls just want to get back to how things used to be before the whole mess; only something's off about their patterns & behavior. When drama unfolds that threatens to tear the group apart, it's up to Shana to get to the bottom of everything. When she gets there, she's so stunned & scared by what she finds. No one is safe as long as there are secrets to cover up & Shana must figure out a way to protect those she cares for and herself.

This was an absolute roller coaster of a book. There are sharp turns that you don't see coming combined with stomach-dropping surprises that will leave you gaping in astonishment. For a 144 page book, Testify packs a serious wallop. Shana is such a caring & trusting character that you can't help but empathize with her situation. She really does think that she is doing the right thing, something that is often over-stressed to young adults, by helping to "put away the bad guy"when in reality she has been duped.

What's truly astonishing about this book are the implications it makes. Who knows how many innocent people have been convicted because of sympathy witnesses & who knows how many teenagers are constantly (both knowingly & unknowingly) being controlled by someone they care about so much. The behavior patterns of these malevolent individuals are obvious if you're looking for them, but seem innocuous to those unaware.

For such a short book, Testify really gives you a lot to think about & I think it gives a startling glimpse at how "good kids go bad." The twist at the end is along the same lines of some of Ellen Hopkins' books. If you've gotten a chance to read this one, what did you think? If you haven't gotten a chance, I highly recommend at least giving it a look. I bet you could read it in the bookstore, it's that engrossing.

Testify by Valerie Sherrard review

Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society #2) by Ally Carter review

WARNING: Spoilers for Heist Society may follow this banner. Read at your own risk. Thanks! :)

Kat only thought she could leave her life of crime behind her. After having lead the crew who robbed the Henley, Kat has been on a thieving spree. She has traveled all over the world to reclaim items, long since stolen, to their rightful owners. Now she's being asked to step it up a notch. She's supposed to steal the cursed Cleopatra Emerald, one of the 2 largest emeralds known to man, for the woman whose family actually discovered it.

There are only a few problems with the task. The emerald is cursed, no one has seen it in over 30 years, it's cursed, the "victim" isn't the most trustworthy client, oh and did I mention the emerald is cursed?! Kat & her team of wonder bandits, yes that does include the dashing Hale, are on the hunt & pulling out every trick in the book they know to set the record straight.

But they are just pawns in the biggest con of all...

Three words describe how I feel about this book: NO FREAKING WAY!!! Ally Carter outdoes herself in this roller coaster sequel to the fabulous Heist Society. Every single thing that I enjoyed about the first book is replicated with precision in this next book. The quips & barbs between characters are spot on & enjoyable in a way that I don't think will ever get old. Most marvelous of all the experiences in this book are the cons themselves. Not only are the names amusing & quite telling, but the descriptions of who would do what (and why it won't work) are what make them truly memorable.

We pick back up with Kat after a whirlwind stealing tour of some of the most pricey cities in the world & see her struggling with her emotions. She not too sure how she feels about herself & her role in this plan, but she does know that she's good at what she does. As long as she is on the move she can ignore everything else & lose herself in the work. The one thing she can't ever seem to ignore though is Hale.

And Hale doesn't really know how to reach Kat. He's only mostly one of the team (being that he was originally a mark to be stolen from) and doesn't always know the ins and outs of the business. There are rules & protocols that he wasn't raised with, but he's a quick learner & when he sets his sights on something, he is very driven.

The settings as always were magnificent & full of splendid details that really bring the story to life. Because naturally expensive things tend to live in resplendent locations. If you've enjoyed Heist Society or even Carter's Gallagher Girls series, then Uncommon Criminals is just the next natural step on the road of awesome! Who's with me?!

Book graciously provided by Disney Hyperion.

Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society #2) by Ally Carter review

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Gwyneth Sheperd's life has been quite ordinary & she's very thankful for that fact. In a family that passes a time-traveling gene through the women, Gwyneth has counted herself very fortunate to have been skipped & only have the misfortune of seeing ghosts & spirits. Her cousin Charlotte, the one whose birthday Sir Issac Newton himself predicted, has been the one preparing for her first time travel experience. She has taken fencing lessons, riding lessons, learned several languages & spent a great deal of time studying history so as to be prepared for any situation in which she might find herself. But it appears that even the great Sir Newton can be faulted.

It turns out that Gwyneth actually does have the gene & she is therefore extremely ill-prepared when she sudden finds herself in another time period. Now Gwyneth must accept her position in a very secretive society, known as the Guardians, where no one can be trusted & secrets lie around every corner. With a stead-fast side kick doing research on the side & a stunning male companion to help her through her elapses (when she actually does go back in time), Gwyneth is sure to sort things out. At least... she hopes.

Ruby Red was a different kind of time-travel tale. I really enjoyed the historical tidbits spread throughout the book including times, places & people that we rarely think about. Gwyneth is the perfect person for a narrator in this story because as she learns more, we learn more. You can actually put the puzzle together as the story moves forward. There are so many details that one can easily become lost in them, but the beauty is that not every single little thing is important. We experience the thrill of determining if a factoid is important or not with Gwyneth.

Even more fun than exploring these details with Gwyneth, is the descriptive language. I was enamored with the lavish descriptions Gier used for the different time periods, outfits & mannerisms. There are some historical actions/attitudes that cannot be adequately described with modern language. Gier does a wonderful job of choosing just the right verbs or phrases to convey whatever point she wants to get across to the reader.

I must admit that the book took a little while to get going for me & it seems to stop just as the action is picking up, but I think that may be due in part to the translation. There is a lot of backstory to be filled in & characters to be introduced, so the beginning felt a little sluggish, but it was worth it in the end. This book seems to suffer from "stick shift learner," there's some coughing & sputtering when you first start off, but by the end it's smooth sailing.

If you're in the mood for a newer take on a classic storyline, be sure to check out Ruby Red. Anyone else feel this was an awesome time-travel/adventure story?

ARC supplied by Henry Holt & Co. via Shelf Awareness

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Solid by Shelley Workinger

Secret military testing is nothing new to this era. Secret military chromosomal testing on pregnant women is new. When a military doctor is murdered, a web of lies & experiments unfolds that leads his commanders to understand that the decedent gave experimental drugs to pregnant women on military bases. His goal was to create special abilities in the offspring. Unfortunately, as his research was of his own design & management, the military is unaware of the drugs' components. That's where the kids come in to play.

Although it took them eighteen years to round them all up, Clio, Bliss, Miranda, Garrett, Jack & dozens of other military brats find themselves at an altogether different kind of summer camp. For the next several weeks they will be living a very comfortable life of ease with plenty of free Starbucks, recreational activities, oh and some simple testing of their "talents."

None of the gang is too impressed or terrified of this situation because, other than them being essentially on military lock down & having to attend "sessions" to study their abilities during the day, they are given extensive leeway to do as they please. It's all pretty mesmerizing, until the gang uncovers some seriously sinister information about how long this project has really been investigated & who is behind it. It's up to this mock "Scooby gang" to solve the mystery before things get even stranger.

I must admit that Solid was a very unique story. The thought of secret government testing has always been a "conspiracy theory" of mine. I mean honestly, do we know everything they do? Is this so far fetched? Anyway, I digress.

Solid was, at it's basis, a feel good mystery. There wasn't anything too nefarious & while there were some dastardly deeds committed, there was minimal peril to the main characters. I enjoyed watching the characters come together & work off each others' strengths & weakness to make the best of the situation they found themselves in. What I didn't care for was the instant romance between two of the characters & the compressed time frame. The whole book takes place within about a week and a half. While there are many illusions to previous events only relevant to mystery solving, there just didn't seem to be enough time for everything that happened to happen. Maybe a month would have been a better time frame for this novel.

I must admit though, I really enjoyed the writing style, the characters & the details. It is obvious that Shelley Workinger put a lot of thought into how this would all play out & be perceived. A very straightforward read, Solid is one that I would recommend for readers looking for a light mystery with humor & a minor steamy romance. A job well done!

Be sure to keep an eye out for the next novel in the Solid series, Settling that is set to come out later this year!

Solid by Shelley Workinger

Nostalgic Friday: Holes

Welcome back to Nostalgic Friday! Since I love all things historical (culturally, physically, and personally) I do a post on Fridays honoring some awesome book that is a bit older. Many of them are books I enjoyed in my teens and others are books that I discovered as an adult that I think are relevant to YA readers.

This week I am happy to be featuring Holes by Louis Sachar. I remember being 17 and hearing about this movie plot about a boy sent to a work camp to build character, immediately I thought of this book & it turned out I was right! This was a great book to begin with & Louis Sachar is a phenomenal writer. He just really gets teens & knows how to write for them. In my opinion, this book has been his greatest hit... so far.

Stanley Yelnats isn't really a trouble-maker. Sure he gets caught doing something he shouldn't be doing every once in a while, but the court was just wrong to sentence him to either jail or Camp Green Lake. No really, mistaken identity is to blame for the theft Stanley is convicted of. Unfortunately no one else sees it that way so, mal-contentedly, Stanley chooses Camp Green Lake & begins the daily grind of rising before dawn to dig holes in the hot sun to build character.

Unfortunately that's not all they're digging. The venomous warden is as evil as they come and she has something else in mind for those holes. The truth is rarely as nice as the reality.

This is a funny, action-packed book that many kids will love. It's great for both boys & girls because of the story's accessibility. We've all been the victim of mistaken identity, but hopefully nothing to this extreme! Stanley is a likable character with just enough gumption & tenacity to get to the bottom of a mystery, but the quirkiness to appeal to the non-mainstream kids.

Holes is a story of layers. There are layers to each character, each situation, and each resolution. Some of them overlap & intertwine creating complex conflicts that anyone can comprehend. The resulting story is one of profoundness with a snarky side. If you like good books then this is one that you definitely can't miss!

Nostalgic Friday: Holes

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Ellie wanted a huge party for her 17th birthday; too bad all she got were some seriously messed up magical abilities. The ever hunky, and handy, Will shows up practically on her doorstep to inform her that she isn't just Ellie Monroe. She is actually a centuries-old, reaper-slaying warrior, who continues to be reincarnated after each of her deaths. This recent incarnation, Ellie's life, took longer than usual, so her memory isn't coming back to her as quickly as usual.

Unfortunately that doesn't stop all sorts of nasties from trying to stop her reincarnation cycle permanently. Bastian, a very powerful reaper, has come forward to formally challenge her abilities & put her out of her misery, for there is no way she can defeat her enemies without her memories. The only one capable of wielding the angelfire swords, Ellie must make a choice between stepping away from the fight & watching the world end or trusting Will to guide her as she steps back into her old self & lays siege to those who dare to threaten her world.

Angelfire was certainly a different kind of story. As promised, there were definitely elements of mystery, thrilling battle scenes & undeniable attraction. I truly enjoyed this debut author's take on the urban fantasy world. The writing was very accessible & easy flowing. It would be very interesting to see this book written from different points of view because I felt like I really knew Ellie, but that the rest of the cast was kind of blurry. That's not to say that it's a bad thing. I honestly expect them to become clearer in the next book or two since this will be a series.

The mysteriousness of Ellie's history was a very mesmerizing part of the story. There was certainly some amusement to be had since Will (as her protective warrior) knew about her past, but refused to share it. Their interactions were some of the most charismatic I have seen recently. It kind of reminded me of the Buffy & Giles/Angel relationships that bewitched me during the show's 7 season run. Will has elements of both Giles & Angel all wrapped up in one; like a really hot tutor. :)

Anyway, I digress. For those urban fantasy folks, this is right up your alley and for those who enjoy a good action novel, try this too. Good luck!

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

Ellie Spencer is a mostly typical teenager. After her mother's cancer battle, her parents have left her in Mansfield Boarding School while they traipse around Europe. Ellie is taller than most girls and carries a little extra weight, making it possible for her to float around unnoticed by most of the human population. With asexual guy friends like Kevin and a keen interest in the Classics, what more could a girl ask for?

Ellie never expected that a chance run-in with her crush, the mysteriously brooding Mark, and working on a play at the local university would change everything as she knows it. There is something dark and foreboding in the mist around the schools and it may have something to do with people turning up dead. What's a girl to do?

Well. That was different. Guardian of the Dead had a lot of potential. Using New Zealand as a setting is completely out of the norm and totally awesome! I really enjoyed catching glimpses of everyday life & there was definitely a large focus on the cultural history & mythology of the Māori people. Ellie, Kevin, & Mark were very fascinating characters with quite a few dimensions. Ellie was an especially fabulous character because she wasn't a traditional female lead. She had self-image issues, but they weren't the entire focus of her being while still maintaining a form of self-confidence. I feel most girls can relate to this balance.

As I stated though, this book had potential. There was just so much going on in this book. Between self-assessment from Ellie, her relationships with the males, the murderer, the Māori history/culture, and more, I found myself struggling to keep up with everything. It seemed like once I got settled into the explanation of something, we were already moving on to the next thing that needed to be explained. A few points, mostly the "romance," felt constrained and unnatural. This book would have really benefited from being broken into two pieces.

As it stands, Guardian of the Dead was alright. For me, it's really something I could take or leave. If there was nothing compelling me to read it, I feel like I would pass it by. The cover and jacket description look & sound great, but I feel like it failed to deliver what was promised.

Graciously provided by Around the World Tours.

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

Nostalgic Friday: The Terrorist by Caroline B. Cooney

Welcome back to Nostalgic Friday! Since I love all things historical (culturally, physically, and personally) I do a post on Fridays honoring some awesome book that is a bit older. Many of them are books I enjoyed in my teens and others are books that I discovered as an adult that I think are relevant to YA readers.

One of the things I love about working in the public library is when I'm presented with a challenge. My favorite is when someone claims they have read everything and that there's nothing left for them to read. That's how I rediscover little gems like The Terrorist by Caroline B. Cooney. I read this in early high school on the suggestion of my local librarian. Mind you, this came out before September 11, 2001 & the London Underground bombings of 2005, so this seemed kind of far-fetched to me. It goes a little something like this:

Sixteen-year-old Laura Williams is enjoying the simple life. As a visiting American, studying at the London International Academy, she doesn't really think much about the future or the possibility of being a target. That all changes when her eleven-year-old brother Billy naively accepts a package from a stranger in the metro, which turns out to be an explosive that kills him and others.

Consumed with grief and shock, Laura withdraws from her social circle and becomes extremely paranoid. She is determined to find out who killed her little brother so she can exact revenge. This obsession begins to take a toll as she lashes out at friends, suspecting everyone from a classmate to the IRA. Her downward spiral bottoms out when the killer decides that she's getting too nosy for her own good. Can Laura save herself and bring justice for her gone-too-soon brother?

Again, it may have something to do with the time period when I read this book, but it was so frightening and gripping. I couldn't put it down. Laura's grief consumed me and I found myself desperately searching for Billy's killer as well. I really empathized with Laura and felt like I really understood her. While she could definitely play the clichéd American a bit too much, she was a strong, determined young woman.

At the time I read it, this book seemed a complete work of fiction as nothing like that could really happen. Imagine my utter shock and horror when this book's situation became a reality in my life. While I was not directly affected by these tragic events, we are all affected in some manner. This book became much more important to me upon re-reading it because with older eyes, I saw more depth of character and more sophisticated situations than I had originally observed. Truly worth a read, The Terrorist is a simple Cooney story with real-life implications. I hope you give is a shot!

Nostalgic Friday: The Terrorist by Caroline B. Cooney

Paper Towns by John Green

Margo Roth Spiegelman has always been an unknown quantity ever since she was a child. Her quirky behavior and reclusive, yet outlandish, actions have always made her quite a character to behold. Quentin Jacobsen has lived next door to her all their lives and as children they were quite close. As they grew up though, they grew apart with Quentin focusing on his studies and Margo doing whatever she wanted to do.

One night, a few days before graduation, Margo shows up at Quentin's window and begs him to come on a night of revengeful adventure with her. Reluctantly he agrees, mostly because he's intrigued. They spend all night pulling pranks and getting back at people who made Margo's "hit list." In the morning, Quentin realizes the feelings he had for her at a younger child have now matured and he is enamored. To his dismay, and worry, it turns out the next morning that Margo has disappeared.

Quentin sets out on a journey to find the girl he loves with a rag tag team of geeks and clues that she seems to have left specifically for him.

After the first read, I despised this book. There is such a focus on the poem "Song of Myself" by Walt Whitman, which Margo used as a clue, that I felt like I was back in college dissecting works of literature for every minute detail.

Then I went back and read it again and then one more time. And the more I read it the more I like it. I think I was so focused the first time on figuring out what happened to Margo, that I ignored the more nuanced action. There was so much more going on with the characters that I overlooked while analyzing the poem and other clues. I realized I was acting almost exactly like Quentin in the book. He was so obsessed with piecing the puzzle together, that he missed the whole point of the exercise. Talk about ingenious!

I really enjoyed watching the characters grow and learn to appreciate everything around them. Margo was definitely a "carpe diem" kind of gal and I found that both refreshing and frustrating. She was very "in your face" about her actions, while sometimes I questioned her motives. Eventually her reasoning was revealed and that made it much easier to handle on a re-read. Quentin on the other hand went the other way. He went from being the geeky, quiet guy to a parent-ignoring, blowing-off-of-graduation kind of guy. Margo really managed to shake his core.

Truly, I am on-board now with those who says this is a great book. If you haven't already, give this book a chance. I would consider myself proof that it's worth it.

Paper Towns by John Green

Virals by Kathy Reichs

Tory Brennan is just like her famous Aunt Temperance Brennan in so many ways. Namely she seems to get herself into trouble without being able to fully rescue herself on her own. Tory is still adjusting to her new living situation as she was unceremoniously dumped upon her never-before-seen father when her mother tragically died. So in addition to parental awkwardness, social isolation, & general teen angst, Tory manages to create plenty of mischief with her crew. As the lone girl, and kind of the ring-leader, of a rag-tag team of misfits on a secluded South Carolina research island, Tory and her friends find plenty of trouble to get into. They're all children of university professors/researchers whose work has them studying local sea creatures & habitats, so naturally they're brilliant in the intelligence department, but still developing common sense.

One of their favorite places is Loggerhead Island where the university has the main research compound. There are wild monkeys roaming about and plenty of other wildlife to observe, but the crew's favorite, or should it be Tory's favorite, are the wolf-dogs. A lone wolf was brought to the island and soon discovered a German Shepard mate. Together they have two gorgeous wolf-dog pups that the crew are keeping tabs up with. When one of the pups goes missing, and the parents become agitated, the crew decides to explore the forbidden compound. They were not prepared for what they found, nor the consequences of their snooping. The crew is now more than just friends, they're a pack. In a race against more than just time, these four teens have to solve a murder and hope to save themselves in the process.

I must start off by saying that I am a newly-minted fan of the television show Bones. This wonderfully charming show is based on Kathy Reichs's adult mystery series surrounding Dr. Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist. That alone would have been enough to get me to read Virals, but the summary was so much more enticing!! This book was non-stop action and intrigue with lots of mystery and teenage fun mixed together. I was quite amazed at how adeptly Dr. Reichs combined her mystery-solving, science-loving content with the characters. Nothing felt forced or out of the realm of possibility for these teens.

I really enjoyed the dynamics of the crew's relationships. It's kind of obvious that there is some friction among some of the more dominant members and that there is definitely at least one follower. What was truly fun to watch play out was the epiphany that so many guys have later in their teens, "Oh my gosh, she's really a girl!" It just suddenly dawns on them that there is something different about their friend and this story was no exception.

If you like depth, non-whiny teens, and a good mystery with some ethical dilemmas, this book is perfectly suited to fulfill your needs. Happy reading!

This book was graciously provided by Around the World Tours and will be available in November 2010.

Virals by Kathy Reichs

Nostalgic Friday: Nancy Drew

Welcome back to Nostalgic Friday! Since I love all things historical (culturally, physically, and personally) I do a post on Fridays honoring some awesome book that is a bit older. Many of them are books I enjoyed in my teens and others are books that I discovered as an adult that I think are relevant to YA readers.

This week I am featuring one of the most popular children's series for girls that dates all the way back to the 1930's. That's right, Nancy Drew. The quintessential sleuthing gal has been around for eight decades and has yet to lose her charm. I don't think the original creator (Edward Stratemeyer) knew what he was getting into when he created the lovable and wildly entertaining Nancy Drew in the late 1920's. He had already created the Hardy Boys series and wanted to create something like that for girls and that's exactly what he did. The novels have been ghost-written by many different authors over the years all under the same pseudonym of Carolyn Keene.

These stories, and their many incarnations, revolve around the mystery-solving 16 year old (18 depending on the year of publication) Nancy Drew, daughter of lawyer Carson Drew, in the fictional town of River Heights. Nancy either stumbles on to mysterious goings-on or picks up the cold trail on one of her father's cases as a way to pass the time because we never see her in school or with a job. Despite her lack of a maternal presence, as her mother died when Nancy was quite young, Nancy manages to be accomplished at almost everything she tries. Cooking, sewing, driving, motorboating, and even marksmanship seem to come naturally to her. All these things, along with best friends/co-conspirators, like Bess Marvin & George Fayne, allow Nancy the freedom and ability to pursue her sleuthing hobby. Some of my personal favorites are: The Hidden Inheritance, Nancy's Mysterious Letter, & The Spider Sapphire Mystery.

What's truly amazing about Nancy Drew is her ability to work in multiple formats. Not only has she appeared in multiple book series, sometimes even crossing over with the Hardy Boys, she has movies, video games, and graphic novels. Her constant morphing into new formats has kept her accessible and open to each generation. Check out one of them if you haven't yet. They're so worth it!

Nostalgic Friday: Nancy Drew

Nostalgic Friday: The Body of Christopher Creed

Welcome back to Nostalgic Friday! Since I love all things historical (culturally, physically, and personally) I do a post on Fridays honoring some awesome book that is a bit older. Many of them are books I enjoyed in my teens and others are books that I discovered as an adult that I think are relevant to YA readers.

This week's selection is one of my favorites. I almost always recommend it to middle grade kids who like intrigue, mystery, and realistic fiction. The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci was released in 2000.

The often-tortured class weirdo has disappeared, leaving an enigmatic note on the school library computer. Is he a runaway, a suicide, a murder victim?

Sixteen-year-old Torey Adams and his friends remember beating up Chris Creed when his gentle but obnoxious ways exasperated them. Now that he is gone, they joke uneasily about him to ease their guilt. The town is full of ugly rumors, as Torey's lawyer mother tells them "See, guys, this is what happens when a kid suffers a personal tragedy. Nobody wants to take responsibility. Nobody wants to admit they had a part in it. So, they spend a lot of time pointing the finger, and things just get worse and worse." Suspicion of murder conveniently falls on big, tough Bo Richardson, an outcast "boon" from the boondocks edge of town. Torey's smug assumptions about people are rattled when he discovers that his childhood friend Ali is secretly romantically involved with Bo, who displays surprising tenderness and maturity in caring for her.

The three try to solve the mystery of Chris's disappearance by attempting to steal his diary, but only succeed in implicating themselves, as the town is consumed with rumors and the revelation of adult secrets. Torey begins to find himself distanced from his other friends by his growing understanding of the importance of compassion toward those who are different.
-From Goodreads

Can I just tell you how much this book influenced me? Of all the books I read as an adolescent and teen, this is in the Top 5. The characters were so memorable and it kind of reminded me of another favorite, To Kill a Mockingbird. The "bad guy" from the wrong side of the tracks and the mystery surrounding the truth. I found myself identifying with many of the characters, not just one. We all know what it's like to be bullied and picked on and we all can imagine what it's like to be madly in love with someone and not be able to tell anyone.

This book seems especially relevant in light of recent headlines (examples here and here). I'm not one to usually drag the news into my blog, but this book really strikes home the effect that bullying can have on an individual. Kids can be very cruel and I found that The Body of Christopher Creed really focused on lessons that can be learned from such tragedies. The writing was also spot on and I really felt like the author understood the plight of teens. This is one of a few good novels from this time period when YA was still an up-and-coming genre. This is a great thriller/mystery that I think fans of Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher will appreciate.

Nostalgic Friday: The Body of Christopher Creed

Waiting on Wednesday: Jekel Loves Hyde

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week's selection is Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey and is set to be released May 3, 2010 by Harcourt Children's Books.

Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents’ rules – especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father’s office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, she's tempted to peek inside, as the contents might be key to a lucrative chemistry scholarship.

To better her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen’s sanity. Maybe his life. But Jill’s accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and compels her to risk everything – even Tristen’s love – just for the thrill of being… bad.

From Goodreads

So, how could this not be awesome?! With all the "remixes" of classic literature flying around, I think this one will be better suited to what I like. Don't get me wrong, I loved Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and I want to read Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter, but this one is different. It's not telling the story again and adding in paranormal elements, it is simply taking the basic idea and applying it to today's world. While I was not thrilled with Fantaskey's last book, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, I think this one is more suited to my tastes. It has mystery, intrigue, a little romance, and danger. Let's hit it!

So what are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday: Jekel Loves Hyde

My Invisible Boyfriend by Susie Day

My Invisible Boyfriend by Susie Day was supplied by Around the World Tours and is set to be released April 1, 2010.

Heidi is accustomed to being odd-girl-out. With parents who like to flit across the country in search of the next struggling school in dire need of their assistance, she is used to being the new girl who never quite fits in. Fortunately, at the latest stop she has managed to find a gang of kids quite like her. That is until after summer vacation.

Heidi comes back expecting that everything will pick up where it left off, but the party changes everything. At the annual "let's get rid of our stashes so they aren't confiscated" party, Heidi turns down a guy. Automatically her friends assume that she is seeing someone; and just so she doesn't feel left out, she doesn't correct them.

So she makes up an amazing sounding guy, complete with an online profile. Everyone tells her how amazing he since, this motorcycle-riding, Shakespearean sonnet-writing Romeo. He's so amazing, that her friends start contacting him for advice about everything; including what to do about Heidi. As if your friends not liking you as much as you thought they did isn't bad enough, someone has discovered the truth and is threatening to uncover her secret. Heidi is now thrown headfirst into the truth. She must decide whether her friends deserve to hear the truth from her or if she just doesn't care anymore. Her lies are about to catch up to her and there's nothing she can do about it. Or is there?

Sadly, this book was not as great as I thought it was going to be. Heidi was just too wishy-washy for my tastes. She is triumphing over her friends one minute and then moping about her sad existence the next. Her character did not really elicit any feelings from me other than annoyance and frustration. I felt she had so many opportunities to clear herself, but never took them because they weren't easy. Not exactly the kind of message I want to send out.

The plot kind of sluggishly moved forward for me. There was no real hook anywhere. I tried very hard to find some redeeming quality anywhere and I continually came up empty-handed. The shallowness exhibited by these kids was just beyond my level of tolerance and I really wish they had been slightly less predictable. This was just not a good book for me. I hope one of you has better luck!

My Invisible Boyfriend by Susie Day

Beautiful Dead: Jonas by Eden Maguire

Darina is seeing ghosts. Literally. Her recently deceased boyfriend Phoenix is following her around. The doctors say it's normal to see someone you love, who has recently died, in places that you associate with them. So why does she see him where he has no business being?

Darina stumbled upon the old farmhouse while out for a drive to clear her head. Not only does she find Phoenix there, but she also finds the three other kids form their high school who have died this year and a few others. They are the "Beautiful Dead." These people have unresolved issues and have been chosen to come back, with phenomenal powers, for one year to clear any misgivings they have with the human world.

Unfortunately, the "Beautiful Dead" cannot do their work on their own. They have chosen to have Darina as their contact with the human world. She will be their eyes and ears and search out the wrong-doings keeping them on Earth. First up is Jonas. He died in a motorcycle accident that they town has labeled as his fault. Jonas knows better and so does the other person who was on the bike at the time. Can Darina unlock the clues in the little amount of time she's allotted? What does it mean if she succeeds? And what will it cost should she fail?

This fast-paced novel was a roller coaster ride from beginning to end. Honestly, a girl who can see and talk to those beyond the land of the living sounds very mundane, but the powers that they have and the fact that she is still influenced by them is unique. The "Beautiful Dead" don't want to intentionally harm anyone, they simply want to conceal their existence so that they can get on with their work and move on with their deaths.

Darina is quite fascinating to me because of her unique position. Her deceased boyfriend is "living" still, at least for another year, but yet she has to function in the land of the living with someone tugging her heart strings. She may appear weak at times, but I can't imagine the strain that she is under dealing with her reality. Most of the other characters remind the reader of the small town mentality that is prevalent when dealing with supernatural elements. Yet some can still surprise you.

I am looking forward to the continuation of this series and the next mystery that Darina must solve.

Beautiful Dead: Jonas by Eden Maguire

Waiting on Wednesday: The Body Finder

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week's selection is The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting and is set to be released March 16,2010 by HarperTeen.

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

From Goodreads

I am a little hesitant about this one, but it has a really interesting premise. I mean, a girl who can sense murdered bodies is definitely a new one for me. The "falling in love with best guy friend" plotline will most likely annoy me, but I think I'll be able to put that aside for the main story. While murdering psycho stories are not necessarily my main go-to readings, I have been known to pick one or two up from time to time and I am rarely disappointed. Hopefully this one will live up to its hype!

What are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday: The Body Finder

Waiting on Wednesday: The Line

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The Line by Teri Hall is set to be released on March 4, 2010.

An invisible, uncrossable physical barrier encloses the Unified States. The Line is the part of the border that lopped off part of the country, dooming the inhabitants to an unknown fate when the enemy used a banned weapon. It’s said that bizarre creatures and superhumans live on the other side, in Away. Nobody except tough old Ms. Moore would ever live next to the Line.

Nobody but Rachel and her mother, who went to live there after Rachel’s dad died in the last war. It’s a safe, quiet life. Until Rachel finds a mysterious recorded message that can only have come from Away. The voice is asking for help.

Who sent the message? Why is her mother so protective? And to what lengths is Rachel willing to go in order to do what she thinks is right? From Goodreads

How awesome does that sound?! It's got some serious mystery to it that I find ridiculously appealing and a unique plot. Quartered off sections of the country that left those on the other side to fend for themselves? Sign me up for reading that book! Anyway, I am hoping that Rachel will be a strong, female heroine because those are my favorite types. Maybe she can go all "superhero"-ish and saves those on the other side. Who knows? Can't wait to read it!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Line

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain is set to be released December 22, 2009!

Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul. From Goodreads

This has real promise written all over it. A paranormal mystery/thriller that leaves someone's soul on the bargaining table sounds amazing! I have never understood why families (in stories and in real life) can't be as open as they should be about important things. I mean, if there is something bad that happened one night and it may come back to affect us later, I really think all family members that it might affect should be clued in. Anyway, this book has been getting some pretty high praise so I'm hoping it's as wonderful as it sounds!

Waiting on Wednesday