Review: The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

My name is Meghan Chase.

I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.

Available at Amazon, Book Depository, Chapters, Harlequin

I'd been working on this series as part of a book club read on Goodreads and I will admit that each book gradually made the entire series grow on me. (My reviews of The Iron King, Winter's Passage and The Iron Daughter are linked here.) The idea of Iron Fairies and how they came about is a very cool concept, but it's the characters and their situations/battles that have steadily improved for me.

Going into The Iron Queen, it was initially with the thought that it would be the end of the series, then, of course, with the announcement of The Iron Knight coming out, it was uncertain whether much closure would come about. Truly, I had certain formulaic expectations of how this book would end. And, wow, I did not expect things to go the way they did (I even said this out loud as I was reading it.) Kudos to Julie Kagawa for surprising me (and going against the grain!)

Review: Betsy Wickwire's Dirty Secret by Vicki Grant

Betsy’s life is officially over: Dumped by her boyfriend, betrayed by her best friend . . . how is she ever going to show her face again? 

Determined to avoid everyone and everything from her previous life, Betsy stumbles into an unusual café and an even more unusual girl. Dolores Morris—a mouthy, green-haired outsider Betsy can’t quite remember from school—talks her into starting a cleaning service. Before she knows it, Betsy is down on her knees, dressed like a dust bunny, scrubbing strangers’ toilets. 

It’s a long way for the most popular girl in school to have fallen. But Betsy finds comfort in the wine bottles and prescriptions and other dirty secrets she finds hidden in her clients’ homes. She also finds love with a client’s son, friendship with Dolores and a liberated sense of herself. Her new life soon falls apart, though, when valuables begin to go missing from some of the homes she and Dolores have been cleaning. Betsy discovers the hard way that not all dirty secrets can just be swept under the rug.

Available from  Chapters, HarperCollins Canada,

Betsy Wickwire's story is a completely relatable one: having your heart broken in such an overwhelming manner has happened a million times over. And Betsy's ensuing desire to hide herself from the world....well,who hasn't wanted to do that at one time or another? It's these initial reactions to Vicki Grant's Betsy Wickwire's Dirty Secret  that had me hooked..

Review: Circle of Fire by Michelle Zink

With time dwindling but her will to end the Prophecy stronger than ever, Lia sets out on a journey to find the remaining keys, locate the missing pages of the Prophecy, and convince her sister Alice to help--or risk her life trying. Lia has her beloved Dimitri by her side, but Alice has James, the man who once loved her sister--and maybe still does. James doesn't know the truth about either sister, or the prophecy that divides them. And Alice intends to keep it that way. 

There are some secrets sisters aren't meant to share. Because when they do, it destroys them. This stunning conclusion to Michelle Zink's Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy will make saying good-bye bittersweet for readers.

Available at Amazon, Book Depository, Chapters, HBG Canada, Author's Website

Circle of Fire is the last book in the Prophecy of the Sisters Trilogy, and it was something I had long been waiting for. It is a strange thing though, when you have been anticipating a book like this for so long but when you begin to read, the realization hits that this is truly the end. Such was the case as I read through this book. Initially, I read at such a slow pace, I thought I would never finish! I couldn't keep it up for long, as I really needed to see how things would play out between Lia and Alice.

Part of my enjoyment with this series stemmed from familiar elements that I love built right into the story (standing stones, mystical worlds, etc.). There were also new places, new wonders to be discovered this time around. In Circle of Fire, we get to travel to Ireland, to a series of underground caverns (cairns) and see the ingenuity of people from long, long ago. I've said it before, I love learning about "real" things from fictional books. Thank you, Michelle Zink, for furthering my education!

Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

I'm not sure where to start talking about this book. You see, I started reading it on Friday night last week and reached 1/3 of the way through very quickly. At that point, I was still questioning whether I liked the story or not. Weird, right, that I wouldn't know one way or the other? Well, it's true.

By Saturday, when I delved into it again, I was better able to understand what it was that had me initially confused then, ultimately, enamored with Mara Dyer and Michelle Hodkin. The author has you in the present, then in the past. She has you in Mara's head, which is a touchy area considering her mental faculties are seriously in question. You never know what is real and what is imagined. It is this back and forth feel that keeps you mesmerized, waiting for final clarification of what exactly is happening to this poor, messed up girl. (And did I mention I finished this 450 page book on Saturday?)

Sneak Peek! The Iron Knight is coming soon....

I've been reading the Iron Fey books faithfully this year and with the ending to The Iron Queen still fresh in mind, I'm very anxious to read The Iron Knight! So, it gives me great pleasure to be able to share a wee clip on the book trailer here on my site (thanks to Larissa at Harlequin for allowing me to be part of this exclusive group!)

Without further ado, check it out here:

Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

The first book in Richelle Mead's brand-new teen fiction series - set in the same world as Vampire Academy. 

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning. 

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.

I want to preface my review with a little background information. I have heard great things about the Vampire Academy  series, so much so that I purchased all the books. But, I haven't read them yet. I went into reading Bloodlines, knowing that it was somehow related to the former series, but not knowing how much I would be missing out on because I haven't read them. Mel at He Followed Me Home recommended that I Wiki the series to get some of the details to help me with reading this. Of course, I didn't (she loves telling me "I told you so" when I don't listen to her advice ;). So, I read this book with no prior knowledge of the characters or Richelle Mead's world. I was hoping this would serve as an objective way of reading, to see if it would stand up to the test of a "stand alone" novel.

With the above disclaimer in mind, I have to say, I really enjoyed this book. There was enough world information to make the story flow smoothly and character description to sort of give a heads up on what had happened up till now. I liked that it features Sydney Sage, an alchemist, as the main character. It's funny, alchemists have been popping up in several of my recent reads, in one capacity or another. This makes me wonder if alchemy is the next big thing, as opposed to the formerly popular vampire/werewolf/fairy themes? (Though Bloodlines  does contain vampires with the alchemists working to prevent their exposure to the unknowing humans.) Alchemy, I think, has a flexible quality about it, giving a writer lots of room to work with  chemistry, and not just the idea of changing lead into gold.

Review: Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Click here for the book description.

Available at Amazon, Book Depository, Chapters, Scholastic Books Canada

I was nervous going into my reading of Forever, knowing that this would be the last book in the series. First, because it was a series that had grown on me, considerably, between Shiver (book one) and Linger (book two). Secondly, because I don't like endings! But I put on a brave face and dove in.

Having spent so much time away from the books since I had read Linger (a whole year), it was nice, early in the book, to have a reminder of why I've enjoyed this series so much. It is this: Stiefvater's writing takes on the essence of what is beloved in poetry; the tone mournful yet full of observation,. It makes the reading feel surreal; slightly mystical. For example: (pg. 71 of ARC) "Overhead, thunder rumbled, seemingly in advance of the storm cloud, which was cupping around the tops of the trees like a hand hiding a secret." I think this imagery is just stunning! But more than that is when these little bits of insight are revealed. It could pop up just after one of the characters had been discussing a mundane element of life, then bam! something beautiful and intuitive shows up. It always makes me wish I had realized it myself, but happy that someone else had, and found a way to share it with me (and all of the other readers).

Review: The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Click here to read the book description.

Available at Amazon, Book Depository, Chapters, Harlequin

The Iron Daughter is my third foray into Julie Kagawa's version of the Faery world and its interactions with the human world (I am including the short story, Winter's Passage in my calculations :-) As I mentioned in my review of Winter's Passage, I had thought this book would start with the travel to the Winter Court, but it starts smack dab with Meghan in Mab's domain.

We get to really meet Ash's whole family here, and I know they're supposed to be cold and all, but that they'd make great candidates for the Jerry Springer Show was surprising to me. Ash's mother (Mab) is portrayed as a raving lunatic, at times. Granted, she's been around a long, long time and has felt the enmity against the Summer King for just as long,  it stands to reason that a raging war is always just brewing under the surface. I think this is where I really started to feel something for Ash; he's trying so hard to maintain his cool facade around his mother, while battling his growing feelings for Meghan. Poor guy!

Nicole Reviews: He's So Not Worth It by Kieran Scott

Ally Ryan, come on down to the Jersey Shore and forget your troubles!

Have you recently been humiliated in front of your friends and family at your former best friend's birthday party? Was your almost boyfriend partly responsible for that humiliation by withholding some vital information about where your estranged father is? Did you come home to find said estranged father sitting on your stoop?

If so, then it sounds like you could use a vacation! The Jersey Shore is the place to be. Your mother may be living with her boyfriend of only a few months, but at least the stunt Shannen pulled has put some of your friends back in your court. Even so, you're still angry and what better way to get over Jake than to blow off some steam with local guy, Cooper? People will hardly recognize your new attitude, but the old one wasn't getting you anywhere, so who cares!

Jake Graydon, an exciting opportunity is waiting for you in the service industry!

Are your grades so low your parents have grounded you for the summer? Did you the girl you really like unceremoniously leave you behind? Would you rather eat dirt than see your friends again? Then a job at the local coffee shop is just the ticket! Surprisingly, Ally's father is the new manager so you get to be reminded of her nearly every day. Maybe it's time to start flirting with your best friend's ex or even taking school a bit more seriously. Especially when you finally see Ally and she's hanging around with some loser and it's couldn't be more clear that she is over you.

Have a great summer!

Available at Amazon, Book Depository

A little while ago, I introduced you to my friend, Nicole (her first review is here). She enjoyed the reading/reviewing part so much I got her to agree to come on board for more! So, as I gently mould her into a book reviewer, lol, I gave her a few things to think about as she read He's So Not Worth It by Kieran Scott. Here's what she had to say:

When I was half finished the book, Jackie told  me that this was the second book in the series.  I don't feel that reading the first book is a necessity, but it may help.  At times, it felt like the author expected me to know the characters history, and how the previous plot twisted and turned. (Jackie interprets this as: First book would be a big asset in understanding this book also)  It may have helped me to connect more with the characters.  With saying that, the author left it VERY open for the third book.  I feel that it is a MUST to read this book before moving onto the third.

Review: Winter's Passage by Julia Kagawa

Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck--Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon--who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.

Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter--a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat....

An eBook exclusive story from Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series.

Available at Harlequin, Amazon

Being a short story, I guess it's okay for me to write a short review, right?  Let's see how that works out, as I can, at times, tend to be verbose :-p

Reading this e-book right after The Iron King, I was surprised that it dealt with the voyage to the Winter Court. I thought for sure that would be an integral part of The Iron

Review: Switch by Tish Cohen

Click here for the book description.

Available from Chapter Indigo, Amazon, Book Depository (note: Switch is available in Canada now, but releases elsewhere in August 2011)

Likened to the movie Freaky Friday, Switch has two girls switching lives based on a wish (with an imaginative conduit, I might add). Having seen both versions of the movie, I had a good idea what I was in for.

Immediately, I felt that Tish Cohen seemed on the money, giving the main character, Andrea, the right type of "voice" for a teenage girl. The vernacular was not too old for someone in high school, nor was it too young. What irked me though was her (Andrea's) constant wallowing in self pity. But this actually turned out to be an important factor in why I ended up really liking the book.

I think we can all appreciate the desire to live life in someone else's shoes; we've probably made a passing wish ourselves at some point in our lives. Of course, fiction always comes around to prove that the grass is indeed greener on the other side. It was the real life situations that initially made Andrea make her wish, but it's the other girl, Joules', reality that really opens her eyes. Joules was also the biggest mystery for me; what were her motivations, how would her part of the story end?

Review: Where She Went by Gayle Foreman

Click here to read the book blurb on Goodreads.

Available to purchase from: Amazon, Book Depository, Book Depository UK

Not having read If I Stay, I wasn't sure how this story would play out for me. I quickly found out that it really didn't matter that I hadn't read the first book; the way this story was presented had me (and kept me) completely engrossed. If it hadn't been for a darned power outage on the day I started reading Where She Went, I would have had this book consumed in one sitting (and seriously, it wasn't for my lack of trying with candles, a book light, and a flash light...but it was just too dark :-p)

The best part of this story, for me, was Adam's introspection. He knows what sets him off, he realizes he needs to do something about it, but can't quite grasp the ability to fix all that has happened to him emotionally/mentally

Review: Abandon by Meg Cabot

New from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a dark, fantastical story about this world . . . and the underworld.

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.

Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

I got Abandon as a surprise review copy from Nikole at Scholastic Canada and was immediately intrigued. It has many of the elements I find enjoyable in a story: light YA reading, mythology, and a pretty cover. I delved in right away.

Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....

I could make this a simple review and say "I loved this book!" and leave it at that. But, for those of you that haven't read it yet (and, seriously, what are you waiting for?), it doesn't give you a compelling enough arguement to run out right away and read this book.

There are lots of stories that have a gradual rise, you get accustomed to characters then watch the action begin. Not so, with City of Bones. Within the first few pages, you're right in the thick of things, with the boy being killed and Clary Fray, our heroine, having her eyes opened to unbelievable things.

The novel does build to a fantastic climax but along the way you are teased with details, fun dialogue, and an incredible world that lies just below the sightline of "normal" humans. Clare writes with such fervor that you do kind of want to jump right in there too, possible early death be damned!

There's also an incredibly taboo subject that becomes a main focus here. I have to say, I was glad that no one had spoiled things for me along the way (except a random Tweet by Maggie Stievate), which gave this part of the storyline that much more impact. My "Noooooo!" is still resounding in my head. Again, Clare's writing makes you question your own judgement, when despite this "facet", you still want what should really be impossible.

City of Bones is rich in characters, drama, and action. I know it will be a book I return to again and again, to relive this entrancing story.

Review: Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

The community of Cryer’s Cross, Montana (population 212) is distraught when high school freshman Tiffany disappears without a trace. Already off-balance due to her OCD, 16-year-old Kendall is freaked out seeing Tiffany’s empty desk in the one-room school house, but somehow life goes on... until Kendall's boyfriend Nico also disappears, and also without a trace. Now the town is in a panic. Alone in her depression and with her OCD at an all-time high, Kendall notices something that connects Nico and Tiffany: they both sat at the same desk. She knows it's crazy, but Kendall finds herself drawn to the desk, dreaming of Nico and wondering if maybe she, too, will disappear...and whether that would be so bad. Then she begins receiving graffiti messages on the desk from someone who can only be Nico. Can he possibly be alive somewhere? Where is he? And how can Kendall help him? The only person who believes her is Jacian, the new guy she finds irritating...and attractive. As Kendall and Jacian grow closer, Kendall digs deeper into Nico's mysterious disappearance only to stumble upon some ugly—and deadly—local history. Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.

There is something to be said about not reading a book blurb. In discussing Cryer's Cross with Mel at He Followed Me Home, I was explaining to her how freaked out this book made me. Whether it's just my general chicken-ness for certain spooky scenarios or because of my different perspective as a result of knowing nothing going into it, we couldn't actually decide. Either way, this book was creepy (to me)!

Having read all of Lisa McMann's book to date, what I find refreshing about her writing is that she can get her ideas across in such a concise way. Her novels are short but this in no way hampers the story. There's a distinct detachment from the characters and storyline but at the same time, you still feel the intensity of what's going on. I think for me, it's this hard to pin-point factor that makes reading a Lisa McMann novel so compelling.

My foray into the story started off with about ten pages the first night; by the second, I had finished the book! I love a novel that can keep your attention like this. I had to find out what happened to Nico, I had to find out who the "we" were, and I had to find out if Jacian was capable of smiling, ever! For me, the sign of a good story is most felt when you walk away from the book but are left with something that makes it memorable. Cryer's Cross did just that, though what it has left me with is a compulsion to double check my door locks before bedtime. Thanks to Lisa McMann for another successful novel (and a little OCD of my own :-p )

Review: Tempestuous by Lesley Livingston

"I don't love Sonny Flannery."

That's the lie Kelley Winslow told to protect the boy she loves from a power he doesn't know he possesses. Devastated, Sonny retreats—to a haven for Lost Fae that's hidden deep underneath New York City.

But Kelley's not about to let things end in heartbreak. To get Sonny back, she's got to find out who's after his magick—and how to use her own. She's got to uncover who's recruiting Janus Guards to murderously hunt innocent Faerie. She's got to help rebuild the shattered theater company she called family. And she's got to do it all without getting dangerously distracted by the Fennrys Wolf, whose legendary heart of stone seems to melt whenever he's around Kelley.

The intrigue and romance that began with Wondrous strange and Darklight come to a stormy head in Tempestuous, the breathtaking conclusion to Lesley Livingston's ravishing urban Faerie trilogy.

Tempestuous is the final book in Lesley Livingston's "urban faerie trilogy". Throughout the series Lesley has been consistent with her tying in of Shakespeare's work with this fantastic world she has created surrounding Kelley Winslow and Sonny Flannery. So much so, in fact, she makes the reader (that can't spout Shakespeare at will) feel slightly smarter for the experience.

I was happy to see a few familiar "faces" from Wondrous Strange reappear in Tempestuous, particularly Herne; it was neat to see how all of the characters blended into the conclusion. The part I struggled with most was reconnecting some of the mythology and circumstances involved in Wondrous Strange that played heavily into the storyline of Tempestuous. What would be great is to re-read this series, one book immediately after the other. The time frame between each installment did make me forget a few details, though Lesley does an admirable job of refreshing the reader's memory throughout.

There were elements that occurred in Darklight that had left me quite anxious to get right into Tempestuous: the possibility (however slim) of a love triangle, the mysterious actions of Fennrys, etc. All were tied up quite satisfactorily, though. For whatever reason, I didn't love this book as much as I did the first two. In Ms. Livingston's defense, this may only be because I not big on endings when I've come to love the story and the characters.

 I truly enjoyed the parallel worlds created in this series. While Darklight's action happened, for the most part, in the faerie realm, Tempestuous brings us back into New York, Central Park, and some hidden locations around and under the Park. Lesley gives great descriptions, making the pureness of the Faerie courts vivid while contrasting it with the darker, scarier side of New York (mostly because of all the creatures running amuck.)

I also found an educational aspect, with regards to the many mythological beings that pop up in these books. I did have to look up a few, for instance the sylph. Ironically, I was reading a play by Alexander Pope at the same time, only to discover his use of this airy creature, also. So kudos, to Lesley and to Pope for teaching me a little something (Lesley's are bigger because she made it much more fun :-)

Ms Livingston has a style of writing that grabs your attention and keeps it. For this reason, I'm sure this will end up being one of those series that I will read again and again over time!

Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

After reading Before I Fall, Lauren Oliver's first book, I knew one thing about this author: she can really stir up the emotions! (I'm still reeling from the ending of that book.) So, I found it curious that her latest book is labelled as "dystopian", which are typically devoid of emotion...at least out in the open.

But, with this genre, I think Lauren Oliver is a natural fit. Her main character, Lena, admits that she often feels like two different people, one on the inside and one on the outside. Living in a dystopian society, where the paranoia of always being watched is realized, these feelings are understandable, especially in this world that Oliver has created.

Lena is 17, almost 18, the age at which scientist have found a cure for the disease called love (in the book, it is named amor deliria nervosa). From that age, society chooses who you will be partnered with for, basically, propagation of the species. Random meetings, love at first sight, heartbreak, all these normal factors are replaced with scientific match-making (E-Harmony gone wild, as it were.)

So, here's what gets me: First, it seems science doesn't always get it right. Lena's knowledge of her mother's past is horrifying, at least to me. Second, if love is truly taken away before you have your children, they lose out on so much of the parental relationship; it's just heartbreaking to imagine.

Having said this, the emotions drawn out in the reader, especially the anxiety for these poor children living this way, is what makes me feel that Oliver's writing is spot on. She comes from a place of deep understanding of those delicate teen to adult years and the major decisions that are usually made during this time and twists them with all her might. Not to mention, of course, the nerve-racking first love that comes around that time also, (for most people.) All I can say is that I'm glad I don't have to go through all of that again!

Normally, the main story is what keeps you reading and wanting more, and that is very true here, but for me, the secondary characters in Delirium are no small part of this imaginary world. The best friend, Hana, and what role she will play in the future (I have my suspicions) and Lena's cousin, Grace (she has piqued my interest the most, I admit) will encourage me to keep reading this series (Delirium is book one of a trilogy.)

Having recently read Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, I can see similarities in the way this world has been imagined with the border closures, scientific control, and the fringe element that is necessary for a small measure of hope. The main difference here, I think, is that this story is less of a commentary of society overall (though there is some of that) but more about the fragile inner workings of youth. Delirium is an awesome start to the series!

Review: Darklight by Lesley Livingston

Hardcover, 312 pages
Published December 22nd 2009 by HarperTeen
ISBN13: 9780061575402

Much has changed since autumn, when Kelley Winslow learned she was a Faerie princess, fell in love with changeling guard Sonny Flannery, and saved the mortal realm from the ravages of the Wild Hunt.

Now Kelley is stuck in New York City, rehearsing Romeo and Juliet and missing Sonny more with every stage kiss, while Sonny has been forced back to the Otherworld and into a deadly game of cat and mouse with the remaining Hunters and Queen Mabh herself.

When a terrifying encounter sends Kelley tumbling into the Otherworld, her reunion with Sonny is joyful but destined to be cut short. An ancient, hidden magick is stirring, and a dangerous new enemy is willing to risk everything to claim that power.

Caught in a web of Faerie deception and shifting allegiances, Kelley and Sonny must tread carefully, for each next step could topple a kingdom . . . or tear them apart.

With breathtakingly high stakes, the talented Lesley Livingston delivers soaring romance and vividly magical characters in Darklight, the second novel in the trilogy that began with Wondrous Strange.

I read Wondrous Strange last year and really enjoyed it but for some reason, I didn't jump right into Darklight right away. I think I had too much on the go at the time. But then I got Tempestuous, the last book in this series by Lesley Livingston, for review and I knew I had to catch up with what was happening with Kelley Winslow, Sonny Flannery, et al. Am I ever glad I did!

Reading Darklight reminded me why I had been captivated with the first book: the way Ms. Livingston writes. These books are considered Young Adult, but I don't find the writing overly simplistic, nor are the scenarios involved, drawn with no small measure of tribute to Shakespeare, dull. The story moves from modern day New York to the Otherworld quite seamlessly. It's in the descriptions that the author outdoes herself; you can almost feel the difference in the contrasts of the "concrete jungle" versus the lush, verdant Summer Court or the icy majesty of the Winter Court, and so on. This lends some credence to the legends of mortals being tricked into Faery submission. Really, who wouldn't want to live in such a magickal place, where death is rare?

With a blend of New Yorkers and Faery royalty, Livingston will competently maintain the pompous talk of Kings and Queens, then throw in a word like "ass-hat" that makes you giggle at the juxtaposition. I found her use of metaphors quite entertaining also. She writes on page 227, "So many thoughts and questions tumbled about in her head like puzzle pieces in a box shaken by a child who just wanted to hear them rattle." This is a fantastic image and avoids the typical reference to "deafening silence" etc.

It has been a while since reading Wondrous Strange, but I think I liked Darklight better than the first. Maybe the climactic scene at the theatre or the mystery surrounding Fennrys or Auberon's ailment or the hooded figure's identity, or the combination of all of these that made this an exciting read. Being the middle book of a series can sometimes be a detriment, but not in Darklight's case. It has plenty to keep you interested, not just acting as a bridge to the last book (though there is some bridging of the story involved).

I'm not sure that I would recommend it as a stand alone book, but that's just because I love this series and I think everyone should read all of the books as soon as possible. I give Lesley Livingston two very large thumbs up, and move on to Tempestuous with a bit of a heavy heart as I know the story will end there.

To get a little more info on Tempestuous (and its author), my interview with Lesley can be found here.

Review: First Step 2 Forever by Justin Bieber

Billed as "100% Official," this very generously illustrated autobiography chronicles the early years and dizzying success of this teen-pop heartthrob in his own words and pictures. The staggering dimensions of his story should silence any skepticism about the worth of any autobiography of a 16-year-old#58; Since being discovered just three years ago, this small-town Ontario boy has gone platinum with his first album; drawn more than 70 million YouTube hits and four million Twitter followers; and caused crowd scenes and near riots on his World Tour. Sometimes just too cute for words.

Before you all collectively roll your eyes at further Justin Bieber exposure, read on to find out why I think this book is a worthwhile investment.

On a typical day, a conversation with my 8 year old daughter goes like this:

Daughter: "Mom, what's Justin Bieber's favourite ice cream?"

Me: "HOW WOULD I KNOW THAT??!"

My dad: "It's chocolate."

Me: How do you know that?!"

My Dad: "I saw it on TV..."

Daughter: "Yay! Same as me!"

So, as much as I would be rolling my own eyes at yet another JB product, I like that fact that I can now say: "go check the book for the answer" to my daughter (and pray that all her questions can be answered by this resource, lol.)

Aside from that, it has tons of great pictures in it AND lots to read. Unfortunately, my daughter is still at the age that she likes to read out loud. This can be a double edged sword in that she will sit down and read First Step 2 Forever for 20-30 minutes at a time (which is great!) but I have to hear it too. Gosh, the things we do for our kids....

It is not at an easy reading level for her but it pushes her skills and her interest in new words (okay, so she has learned sexy and pimp-mobile from it, but those are nothing that she hasn't since seen on public bathroom walls, but that's a story for another day...)

In the end, I think, if your child is a fan, this book is a must-have for their collection, not just to have but to further their interest in reading in a parentally devious way, also ;-)

If you are still unconvinced, here are some sample readings from the book. Enjoy:

Review: The Education of Hailey Kendrick by Eileen Cook

Product Details:
Simon Pulse, January 2011
Hardcover, 272 pages
ISBN-10: 1442413255
ISBN-13: 9781442413252
Grades: 9 and up

Hailey Kendrick always does exactly what's expected of her. She has the right friends, dates the perfect boy, gets good grades, and follows all the rules. But one night, Hailey risks everything by breaking a very big rule in a very public way...and with a very unexpected partner in crime. Hailey gets caught, but her accomplice does not, and Hailey takes the fall for both of them.

Suddenly, Hailey's perfect life--and her reputation--are blowing up in her face. Her friends are all avoiding her. Her teachers don't trust her. Her boyfriend won't even speak to her for long enough to tell her that she's been dumped.

They say honesty is the best policy--but some secrets are worth keeping, no matter the cost. Or are they?

From the first chapter, I really enjoyed the flow of Eileen Cook's writing. There was a great balance of teen elements that did not seem either so harsh or so pure that they were unrealistic. I also really liked the main character here. Despite attending an elite school, Hailey was focused on a real career. She was aware of having privileges but wasn't one to flaunt them. This fictional character felt genuine to me....complete with fallabilities.

With Hailey doing her best to keep a tight lip on her own feelings and trying to please everyone else, it was only a matter of time before it all blew up. I think this made her easy to identify with... at least for me. The problem with this type of person...the one that holds it all inside...is that when it lets loose, that fallout can be dangerous. I was actually ticked off with Hailey for how her actions affected Tristan; he seemed like such a nice guy!

But, in the end, Hailey had her own lessons to learn and part of it was that, sometimes, other people get hurt and you can't avoid it forever. It was fun to watch this learning curve in action, though. The character of Drew was a very welcome addition to the mix. The Education of Hailey Kendrick was, for me, a quick, enjoyable read with some quirky humour and lots of relatable emotions.