Review: Twisted: A Pretty Little Liars Novel by Sara Shepard

I'll be honest. After the series had ended with the last book, and it was supposed to be finished I was kind of sad but understood. And then all of a sudden, the series was back from the grave, probably at least in part because of the success of the tv show. I was definitely skeptical, really could it come back and keep going after everything that had happened? Well I'm here to tell you it's TOTALLY BACK and just as great as it was before!

I'm going to try and keep this spoiler free.

So with the last book a lot of the questions were answered (it was supposed to be the last book after all). There was one possibility that was left open and this new book totally takes that and runs with it, it runs so far I still have no idea what's going on! But this book was awesome, it starts a whole new set of mysteries and the risks and possibilities for trouble are so much bigger that before.

As always, each of the girls have their own story lines, I always forget one of the big differences from the books to the tv show is that in the books the girls aren't actually friends that much of the time whereas on the tv show they are. So not surprisingly the girls aren't really on good terms for much of this book, but that's because they are keeping such a huge secret that they can't stand to look one another in the eye. Luckily by the end we know as much as they do regarding the secret (I think) so it's definitely satisfying in that way.

If you are a lover of PLL the books or the tv show I'd say read this. If you haven't read or watched PLL what are you watching for, it's so juicy and fun and scary and awesome! Get in on it! But seriously, if you are new to this series, start from the beginning, it wouldn't be much fun starting in the middle!

Twisted was released on July 5th 2011
Genre: Young Adult
4/5 Stars
Purchased

Amazon.com:

It’s been a year since the torturous notes from A stopped and the mystery of Alison DiLaurentis’s disappearance was finally put to rest. Now seniors in high school, Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily are older, but they’re not any wiser. The pretty little liars have more secrets than ever—twisted secrets that could destroy the perfect lives they’ve worked so hard to rebuild. 

Aria’s jealous of her boyfriend’s new exchange student. Spencer’s getting a little too cozy with her soon-to-be-stepbrother. Hanna’s one scandalous photo away from ruining her dad’s Senate campaign. And Emily will do anything to get a swim scholarship. 

Worst of all: Last spring break in Jamaica, they did something unforgivable. The girls are desperate to forget that fateful night, but they should know better than anyone that all secrets wash ashore . . . eventually.

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

Amazon.com:

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

I really loved and appreciated The DUFF. In a sea of Young Adult Literature it really comes off as authentic and real to me. I loved the storyline, a girl falling for the guy she she cannot stand, I mean how does that happen and once it does what do you do!

I adored Bianca she's a rather average and normal girl but she's not boring or someone that fades into the background, she's a real person with real problems and I loved seeing her story unfold on the page. And Wesley, who doesn't know someone that comes off slimy like that! All the characters in the book were great!

I know a lot of people have commented on the language and the sex in this book. This is my take on it, the language didn't bother me one bit, I actually liked that it was written that way, it made the dialogue seem a hell of a lot more real that way. And the sex, while there was a lot, it didn't happen without explanation and I found the book to really flesh out and explain everything, nothing was meaningless.

Overall this was a breath of fresh air and I can't wait to read more from this author!

The DUFF was released on September 7th 2010
Genre: Young Adult
4.5/5 Stars
Picked up at BEA

iDrakula by Bekka Black

Amazon.com:

The classic vampire story that started it all gets new life for a generation of connected teens

18-year-old Jonathan Harker is diagnosed with a rare blood disorder after visiting a Romanian Count. His girlfriend Mina and a pre-med student named Van Helsing team up to investigate the source of the disease. The teenagers discover a horrifying truth: the Count is a vampire. The harrowing events unfold through emails, text messages, web pages, Twitter feeds, and instant messaging-the natural modernization of Bram Stoker's original Dracula, which was written in letters, diary entries, and news clippings.

While I've sort of been put off paranormal lately, iDrakula called to me, with it's unique way of storytelling and I'm so glad I picked it up!  Not having read the original of even seen a movie version of Dracula (which I did so afterward and of the two iDrakula wins) it was fun to experience the story in one of my favorite ways, through emails, text messages, web pages etc. I've heard that the original is told in letters and diaries, so I think it's really fun to see how that was modernized in this book too!

It really sucked me in and I finished it in about 2 sittings which never happens for me. I definitely thought it was creepy and mysterious. But at the same time I felt sort of removed from the situation, but I think that is just the case with this story because of the way it's told, even the original. One thing I would have liked was just more, the story moves at such a quick pace it's over like THAT. So maybe a little bit more detail would have been nice!

Reading iDrakula has opened me up to exploring other versions of the story and that I'm definitely excited about!

iDrakula was released on October 1st 2010
Genre: Young Adult
3.5/5 Stars
Picked up at BEA

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Amazon.com:

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Hush, Hush is a hard one to wrap my head around. I loved how mysterious it was, Nora has all these unexplained events happening around her but why? And she has this new lab partner that is basically hell bent on getting to know her and is a weird cross between a major flirt and a creepy creepy dude. She knows to stay away from him but he keeps appearing and giving her rides etc so that doesn’t really happen. He didn’t seem extremely scary to me but enough to warrant her fear. But she also can’t help her attraction to him though she sure tries.

I liked Nora’s character but her friend Vee, while funny, WOW she was kind of an idiot. I could have done without her, she was just getting Nora into trouble instead of really helping her with anything.

But towards the end when all the angel stuff (yeah that’s what I’m going to call it) comes out it’s sort of contradictory. One angel tells another if you do this you will be back in heaven and do this, and then they do just that but they end up doing something else instead of going back to heaven. I know that sounds really vague but I don’t want to spoil. Also, aren’t angels supposed to be nice, not fallen angels but normal angels, they don’t seem so nice.... It was just really confusing to me. And my interest started to wain towards the end.

I will say it will be interesting to see where the story continues in Book 2 Crescendo.

Hush, Hush will be released in paperback on September 21st
Genre: Young Adult
3.5/5 Stars
ARC reviewed from publisher

Degrassi: The Next Generation Extra Credit #3 and #4 by J. Torres art by Eric Kim (#3) and Steve Rolston (#4)

Missing You Degrassi: The Next Generation Extra Credit #3

Spinner has been dumped by Darcy for his cheating ways! But with God as his witness, he promises to get her back no matter what it takes - including resisting all manner of temptation, all summer long. When arch-nemesis Jay Hogart offers to help, Spinner finds himself torn between "good" and "evil." Which one will win out?

Considering what Liberty's been through recently, it's no wonder she's spending her summer vacation moping about. Her parents suspect post-partum depression, but something else is weighing on her mind. Could Liberty be planning a desperate move?

The third book in the Degrassi: TNG Extra Credit series takes us into Spinner and Liberty's worlds. I really like how this book shows what happens to Spinner over the summer so there is a bit of explanation when the new season starts and if he is or isn't back with Darcy!

I think this might have been my least favorite of the books illustration wise, some of the facial expressions were not really detailed enough and some of the wide shots were way too cartoony for me, it made for a disrupt in the story.

Overall though, another fun installment in the series!

Missing You was released on April 24th 2007
Genre: Graphic Novel/TV/Young Adult
4 Stars
Purchased from Amazon Marketplace

Safety Dance Degrassi The Next Generation Extra Credit #4

When Marco sees Dylan get into a fight with a homophobic hockey player, he's suddenly super self-conscious about the way the world looks at him. Dylan wants to take their relationship to the next level, but Marco is holding them back. What will it take for Marco to move forward? Ashley is back from merry ol' England but she's finding it hard to reconnect with her stepbrother Toby and to rekindle the romance with ex-boyfriend Jimmy. Is her talk of all things British keeping them at a distance...? Or is it her hideous hat?

Like the other books in this series, this book focuses on two characters, this time Marco and Ashley. Marco is/was one of my favorite characters so I loved that he got his own story in one of the graphic novels! I really love the author's sense of humor, bringing in the running gag through the books of Ashley's really ugly hat from the season finale of season 5. It was darn ugly!

What I liked about the artwork in this installment was how clean it was. Clean and crisp lines create my favorite types of graphic images in graphic novels!

Overall, I really enjoyed reading the Degrassi: TNG graphic novels, now that it's been a few years since these came out and there is a whole new cast of characters I would love to see a some new installments of the graphic novel series!

Safety Dance was released on May 8th 2007
Genre: Graphic Novel/TV/Young Adult
4 Stars
Purchased from Amazon Marketplace

Blog Tour: Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin

Amazon.com:

The only thing Avery Hood can remember about the night her parents died is that she saw silver—deadly silver, moving inhumanly fast. As much as she wants to remember who killed them, she can't, and there's nothing left to do but try to piece her life back together. Then Avery meets the new boy in school—Ben, mysterious and beautiful, with whom she feels a connection like nothing she's ever experienced. When Ben reveals he's a werewolf, Avery still trusts him—at first. Then she sees that sometimes his eyes flash inhuman silver. And she learns that she's not the only one who can't remember the night her parents died.Part murder mystery, part grief narrative, and part heart-stopping, headlong romance, Low Red Moon is a must-read for teen paranormal fans. As breathless as Twilight and as spooky as Shiver, this is a book to be devoured in one sitting—by an acclaimed YA author making her paranormal debut under the pseudonym Ivy Devlin.

I have been barely reading any paranormal for the last year, it just wasn't feeling like my thing and I was getting sick of the repetitiveness but I wanted to read Low Red Moon because of who was writing it. Unfortunately I don't think I was ready for more paranormal.

I was definitely interested in the mystery in Low Red Moon, Avery's parents die and she's found with their bodies but doesn't really remember a thing, besides seeing a flash of silver. That was definitely my favorite part of the story, was it a paranormal creature or something or someone else? I also liked Avery being reunited with her Grandmother, after the falling out her father had with her Grandmother years ago.

Other than that, like I've heard others say this reminded me a lot of a mash-up of a few other paranormal stories, the hint of mystery is there, the romance etc. I was hoping to really be gripped by this story by something fresh and brand new but sadly this didn't happen for me.

I think if you are a paranormal fan though, you might want to check it out!

Low Red Moon will be released on September 14th 2010
Genre: Young Adult
3/5 Stars
ARC picked up at BEA

Center Stage Book Tours

The Aristobrats by Jennifer Solow

Amazon.com:

It's all about the Attitude

Parker Bell knows the secret to beauty is pretty simple–wearing the right clothes isn't as important as how you feel in them. Popularity is like that too. It's all about attitude. You have to picture who you want to be and then just imagine that's who you already are.

This year Parker and her three best friends have made their way to the top of the populadder at Wallingford Academy. And they're ready to use their Aristobrat status to help spread positive vibes throughout the school. But when the girls are assigned to produce the seriously lame school webcast, their popularity plummets! Will this tragedy destroy the girls' status? Or their friendship? Or both?

The Aristobrats is about a group of girls that while high on the popularity scale aren't really what you would consider mean girls, not really, they really like their popularity but for the most part they are nice to other students which was refreshing!

The book was very current which was good and bad, I loved the idea of someone like Steve Jobs providing the school with all sort of current gadgets like giant screens and tablets and things that let you spy on classrooms making it an ultra-techy school. But at the same time there was so much insider lingo to the girls' group it sort of distracted from the actual story because I kept having to look up the words in the back or if there weren't listed in the Guide to Terms figure it out on my own. Yes, the lingo showed how close the girls were having almost their own language but it made it a bit harder for me, the reader.

I also thing telling the stories from each girl's perspective for say a whole chapter instead of for a bit here and there would have helped separate them more from each other and create a clearer personality for each girl. But if this is set to be a series, which I think it is, maybe the next book will be told for another girl's perspective?

I did really like the plot though, how the girls were assigned to write and film a school wide newshow with other classmates, and also the normal things 8th grade girls go through dealing with cliques and boys etc. Overall, I think this book might be especially enjoyed but Middle Grade/Junior High age girls!

The Aristobrats will be released on September 7th 2010
Genre: Young Adult
3/5 Stars
ARC picked up at BEA

Degrassi: The Next Generation Extra Credit #1 and #2 by J. Torres art by Ed Northcott (#1) and Ramon Perez (#2)

Turning Japanese Degrassi: The Next Generation Extra Credit #1

It's the end of Ellie's senior year, and as though final exams aren't enough to worry about, she's been placed in a compromising position by one of her bosses at a comic book company. Is quitting her only option?

J.T. turns to the Internet to help cope with the recent troubles in his life. But now he spends most of his time locked in his room, and he can't seem to move on. Is his new habit just making his problems worse?

I want to start off with some information that covers all 4 of the Degrassi Graphic Novels. They read just like episodes of the show, with two main plotlines. All 4 take place basically in the summer between Seasons 5 and 6 with some overlap into those 2 seasons. I'm not sure if I would suggest them for people that aren't familiar with the show, they just kind of jump in where the show left off so there isn't much framework for someone that is new to these characters.

Also, all 4 are illustrated by different people, I'm going to guess the reason for this was because these all came out in a short amount of time and it would be impossible for 1 person to illustrate them all that fast. Though because of the way the different artists draw the characters it helps that there is a page near the front of each book that shows all the characters who are main players in that specific story.

Onto the book, Ellie's internship at a Comic Book company alternates with J.T.s summer at home trying to get over his trying year. I definitely enjoyed Ellie's story more so, there were some great comic references and we got to see more of the characters in her story.

I enjoyed the art, especially the full page illustrations, they provided more detail and in turn more expression on the characters faces.

I think the author did a great job of staying in tune with the show right up to the signature ending without much resolution (which I found hilarious when I first started watching the show). It's hinted that that things will turn out ok but you never actually see it happen!

Turning Japanese was released on November 21st 2006
Genre: Graphic Novel/TV/Young Adult
4 Stars
Purchased from Amazon Marketplace


Suddenly Last Summer Degrassi: The Next Generation Extra Credit #2

Emma gets her groove back with the help of group therapy and a family trip to New York City. But as she returns to her old self, her relationship with Peter begins to suffer. Is he helping Emma recover--or holding her back?

While coaching at basketball camp, Jimmy finds himself dealing with the fallout of a hazing accident. Was the initiation just a prank, or did it cross the line? When the police get involved, Jimmy is faced with a touch decision?

I think Suddenly Last Summer is my favorite of the 4 graphic novels, and that's probably because part of it takes Emma and Manny and Emma's family to New York City! The other story involves Jimmy at basketball camp.

There is a great montage in the book that shows Emma and Manny in New York and the backgrounds are actual posterized photos of the city which makes for a really nice effect. I really like the sleek and stylized illustration this artist used as well, definitely my favorite of the bunch. I also really liked the Alice in Wonderland references.

All in all another great graphic novel from the Degrassi family!

Suddenly Last Summer was released on January 7th 2007
Genre: Graphic Novel/TV/Young Adult
4 Stars
Purchased from Amazon Marketplace

Glee: The Beginning by Sophia Lowell

Amazon.com:

Calling all Gleeks!

Get more of your favorite characters in this official Glee prequel!

All great performances deserve a warm-up! Enroll early at McKinley High--before New Directions was even a glimmer in Mr. Schuester's eye. When did Rachel first decide Finn was more than just a jock? When did Puck and Quinn start their secret romance? And how did the fledgling Glee Club function without a fearless leader? Hint: It wasn't exactly a perfect melody.

Break out the gold stars and refill the slushies: It's time to find out what happened to all your favorite characters before the show-mance began.

I'm still struggling on how to describe this venture from the screen to the page. There is some good stuff in this book and stuff really not so good stuff. But overall I'm glad I read it.

In this book we get more of everything from the characters, Rachel is more annoying, Finn is a little more dumb, Quinn is meaner. I sort of wish they hadn't been. But I think this comes from being inside of the characters head instead of being a spectator. I did like seeing how Quinn and Puck got together and how Rachel and Finn first bonded, stuff like that.

The book speculates that Mercedes, Kurt, Tina, and Artie were all in Glee Club before Mr. Schuester takes over (with Rachel joining in the book). I re-watched the pilot to see how they match up and I can't say I'm fully on board with them already all being in the Glee Club. Of course someone had to be in the Glee Club before, the old memebers wouldn't just all drop out when the old teacher was fired but still, something doesn't sit right with me. Why did they all have to audition for Mr. Schuester and it didn't seem like they really knew each other let alone had already performed as a Glee Club already.

A few horrible unforgivable NO moments I came across included Puck being referred to as Puck Puckerman, when in fact his real name is Noah. And the word Gleeks being uttered in the book. hell no! But besides that it was a fun book and I'm glad I read it. It does have some flaws but I'll live with it. Will be interesting to see where in time the next book, Glee: Foreign Exchange takes place.

Glee: The Beginning was released on August 3rd 2010
Genre: Young Adult, TV
3.5/5 Stars
Purchased at Borders

Girl Parts by John Cusick

Amazon.com:

What happens when a robot designed to be a boy’s ideal “companion” develops a will of her own? A compulsively readable novel from a new talent.

David and Charlie are opposites. David has a million friends, online and off. Charlie is a soulful outsider, off the grid completely. But neither feels close to anybody. When David’s parents present him with a hot Companion bot designed to encourage healthy bonds and treat his “dissociative disorder,” he can’t get enough of luscious redheaded Rose — and he can’t get it soon. Companions come with strict intimacy protocols, and whenever he tries anything, David gets an electric shock. Parted from the boy she was built to love, Rose turns to Charlie, who finds he can open up, knowing Rose isn’t real. With Charlie’s help, the ideal “companion” is about to become her own best friend. In a stunning and hilarious debut, John Cusick takes rollicking aim at internet culture and our craving for meaningful connection in an uberconnected world.

I adored the premise of Girl Parts, and every single bit of information about the Companions I ate right up, I couldn’t get enough of it. I loved the beginning of the book, especially a passage about Charlie (the more quiet and nerdy of the two boys) going out on a date. That entire chapter I envisioned Alec Baldwin narrating a la The Royal Tenenbaums (my favorite movie).

The middle of the book remained interesting, I liked seeing David experience a healthier relationship with his Companion, Rose. And then Rose meeting Charlie and learning things about herself, that even though she’s programed to have her "heart" point her right at David, maybe there are other things in the world.

All the while I expected the book to go someplace and the characters to grow. But I’m not really convinced that that happened in the end and that was disappointing. Also, Charlie and Rose’s relationship ended up going someplace I really didn’t agree with, kind of ruined it for me, sorry.

Overall, I think Girl Parts was a great idea that could have used a bit more fleshing out and a concrete ending.

Girl Parts was released on August 10th 2010
Genre Young Adult
3/5 Stars
ARC picked up at BEA

Wanted (Pretty Little Liars #8)

**WARNING SPOILERS FROM PREVIOUS BOOKS**

Amazon.com:

In Rosewood, majestic estates sprawl for acres, and Tiffany toggle bracelets dangle from every girl's wrist. But not all that glitters is gold, and the town harbors secrets darker than anyone could imagine—like the truth about what really happened the night Alison DiLaurentis went missing. . . .

Back in middle school, Ali plucked Emily, Hanna, Aria, and Spencer from obscurity and turned them into the beautiful, popular girls everyone wanted to be. Ali was the best friend they ever had. But she also made them do terrible things and taunted them with their worst secrets. Now, three years later, all their questions about Ali have finally been answered and they can put this awful chapter of their lives behind them. Or so they think.

Not every story has a happy ending, especially when four pretty little liars have done so many wicked things. In the dramatic conclusion of Sara Shepard's bestselling Pretty Little Liars series, Emily, Hanna, Aria, and Spencer could get everything they've ever wanted—unless A has one more horrifying twist in store.

By the time you close this book for the final time, you will know all, well all the author wanted you to know. It starts with a shocking revelation and that carries through the rest of the book. I sort of wish this would have happened in the previous book or closer to the end of this book because it basically takes over the entire book.

By the time of the big reveal, of who A is and who Ali’s killer is I didn’t really see any suspects left except for one, and oh guess what, it was them! So while it wasn’t so shocking by the outcome there was a little twist in there I hadn’t expected at all that put a whole new perspective on the series! I really liked that!

Overall reading this series has been one of the best reading experiences I've had in a long while, I don’t remember being so addicted to a series, I think I read them in about 2 weeks. Great stuff!

Wanted was released on June 8th 2010
Genre: Young Adult
4/5 Stars
Purchased at Borders

Fortune by Megan Cole

Amazon.co.uk:

Step into the world of the mega-rich… and the mega-bitches.

Three girls. One life-changing fortune…

Madison is so over New York. Her mom won't let her have botox and she can't leave the city because her step-father is sick. Snoresville. So when she gets a mysterious invitation to a private party in Capri, held by billionaire music mogul Brad Masters, she's determined to go.

Simonetta wants her mamma off her back. Of course she's not going to give up modelling in Rome to go back to her fusty little village. When she gets her invitation, she sees the chance to lose her roots forever.

Sapphire just wants to write songs and hang out in the London record shop where she works. When she's invited to Brad's party, she doesn't even want to go – but her mum seems strangely excited about it.

Madison, Simonetta and Sapphire: three girls from different worlds who are about to find out they have more in common than they think.

I found the premise of Fortune to be rather interesting, 3 half sisters (that don’t know they are half sisters at first) competing for their extremely rich and successful new father’s fortune. The tag line is “Half Sisters. Half Enemies.” But it should have been more like “Half Sisters. Full Enemies.” The book is definitely very fun and also extremely catty, with a rich spoiled girl, a model, and a down to earth musician (can you tell which is the nice one?), throw in 2 boys and let the claws come out.

While the book was pretty predictable it was fun and extremely easy to read, I couldn’t believe how quickly I would go through the pages when reading. Basically the girls try to sabotage each other to make themselves look good and some hilarity ensures.

While there are a few twists and turns it ends how you would expect. I was hoping for some kind of shocking ending or something to make my jaw drop. Overall it was a light and fun summer read.

Fortune was released on July 8th 2010 (in the UK)
Genre: Young Adult
3/5 Stars
ARC provided by the publisher

Heartless (Pretty Little Liars #7) by Sara Shepard

**WARNING SPOILERS FROM PREVIOUS BOOKS**

Amazon.com:

Four gorgeous girls are telling very ugly stories.

First Emily, Aria, Hanna, and Spencer claimed they found a dead body in the woods behind Spencer's house, only to have it vanish without a trace. Then, when the same woods went up in flames, they swore they saw someone who's supposed to be dead rise from the ashes. And even after all that, the pretty little liars are still playing with fire. Call me heartless, but it's about time someone shut these liars up for good. After all, nobody likes a girl who cries wolf—least of all me. . . .

-A

Heartless finds the girls all exploring their own individual hunches in the disappearance of Ali and who A is. My favorite storyline is Emily’s who goes undercover as a Amish girl to try to find out some information that A has hinted at and least favorite I think was Aria going to a seance. But one by one they all knock suspects off the list or become even more sure of what the answer to the mystery is.

When reading this book, my mind was boggled, there was only one book left and so many many things were still open ended I had no idea where the story was going! All I knew was A was EVIL! It's definitely as addicting as the rest of the series and ends with another great cliffhanger!

Heartless was released in paperback on June 8th 2010
Genre: Young Adult
4/5 Stars
Purchased at Borders

Tweet Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick

Amazon.com:

Claire is a #hopelessromantic. Lottie is determined to set up her BFF with Mr. Perfect. Will wants his #secretcrush to finally notice him. Bennett is a man with a plan. Claire can’t believe it when her dream guy starts following her on Twitter. She never thought he noticed her, and suddenly he seems to understand her better than almost anyone. But the Twitterverse can be a confusing place, especially when friends act differently online than they do in person. Things get even more complicated when Claire realizes she’s falling for someone else, the last person she ever would have expected…. Told in an innovative format combining tweets, emails, and blogs, Tweet Heart is a contemporary romantic comedy that will set your heart atwitter.

What drew me to this book was the format, Twitter messages (and direct messages), emails, blog posts, and advice columns, honestly I’d read just about anything with this sort of format. But the storyline is what kept me reading. I think the format took this cute and sweet story and made it seem real to me. I mean looking at this kids twitter icons allowed me to see what they "looked like" and imagine them actually typing these sentences and going through these situations.

I think the author really captured the essence of Twitter and how people use it. You want to vent about something but since it’s a public forum you are sort of cagey about what you are saying and then go and Direct Message (DM) your friend to give them the full scoop.

And while you don’t get full on narrative from these characters I still feel like you really got to know them. You see them having honest conversations with their friends, talking to their crush when their crush is oblivious etc. Honestly if the book was 4 times as long that would have been just fine with me, I became attached to these characters and wanted to keep going along reading their tweets!

Tweet Heart was released on June 29th 2010
Genre: Young Adult
5/5 Stars
Purchased at Borders

Killer (Pretty Little Liars #6) By Sara Shepard

**WARNING SPOILERS FROM PREVIOUS BOOKS**

Amazon.com:

In picture-perfect Rosewood, Pennsylvania, ash-blond highlights gleam in the winter sun and frozen lakes sparkle like Swarovski crystals. But pictures often lie—and so do Rosewood's four prettiest girls.

Hanna, Aria, Spencer, and Emily have been lying ever since they became friends with beautiful Alison DiLaurentis. Ali made them do terrible things—things they had to keep secret for years. And even though Ali was killed at the end of seventh grade, their bad-girl ways didn't die with her.

Hanna's on a mission to corrupt Rosewood's youth, starting with a very attractive sophomore. Aria's snooping into her boyfriend's past. Spencer's stealing—from her family. And pure little Emily's abstaining from abstinence.

The girls should be careful, though. They thought they were safe when Ali's killer was arrested and A's true identity was finally revealed. But now there's a new A in town turning up the heat. And this time Rosewood is going to burn.

-A

Killer is great at developing the girls' individual storylines but I felt like the mystery of Ali and A take a back seat for most of the book, which I didn't like. Another weird thing is a plotline involving Emily and her boyfriend's mother, it seemed like it was supposed to go somewhere but didn't.

One thing I liked about this book is Hanna's relationship with a younger guy (wait til you find out who!), it was pretty cute and just made me smile. Another interesting switch that happens in this book is the police and also the media start to doubt and also suspect the girls are telling the whole truth, could they possibly have a hand in this mystery? Since they really can't get the police to help them anymore, they sort of have to take matters into their own hands, and there are dangerous waters ahead.

So while not my favorite of the series, it's essential to move the plot forward and also get some more into each of the girls personalities.

Killer was released on June 30th 2009
Genre: Young Adult
3.5/5 Stars
Purchased at Borders

Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Amazon.com:

WHY CAN’T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET . . . AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER?

There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon. But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.

While Jennifer Echols's book, Going Too Far still holds the number one spot in my heart I found Forget You to be also pretty darn engaging. She has such a way with words you better protect your heart because she just makes you fall in love with her male characters, in this case Doug.

It started off a little rocky for me, I didn’t instantly understand Zoey but she began to grow on me once I got to know more about her and her family. One thing that kept throwing a hitch in the wagon was how Zoey could ever even call her friend, Brandon her boyfriend, it was laughable and made her look desperate beyond belief. I mean I guess it makes a bit of sense why she clung to that (as her family fell apart before her eyes) but she clung so hard and so stubbornly to it, for so long, I wanted to smack her upside the head.

But when that phrase ("Brandon is my boyfriend") wasn’t being repeated by her constantly I really started to enjoy Zoey’s journey. Especially her journey with Doug. I didn’t get why he would lash out verbally at her in the beginning but then we get to know about their almost past and his past and it all starts to fit together. Doug was just hot, damn hot. Whenever he was around the book was golden. He was so nurturing and protective of Zoey, I mean he had his own problems and that just helped keep the book realistic.

Another thing I really liked was the mystery of what happened in the gap of Zoey’s memory, before/during and after her car crash. It sort of kept you guessing as to who you could really trust and where the story would end up. Overall a bit of a rocky start but ended with a great finish!

Forget You will be released on July 20th 2010
Genre: Young Adult
4.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by publisher

Wicked (Pretty Little Liars #5) by Sara Shepard

**WARNING SPOILERS FROM PREVIOUS BOOKS**

Amazon.com:

In idyllic Rosewood, Pennsylvania, four very pretty girls just can't help but be bad. . . .

Hanna will do anything to be Rosewood's queen bee. Spencer's digging up her family's secrets. Emily can't stop thinking about her new boyfriend. And Aria approves a little too strongly of her mom's taste in men.

Now that Ali's killer is finally behind bars, the girls think they're safe. But those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. And they should know by now that I'm always watching. . . .

-A

I found Wicked to be a bit like a new beginning, a slightly calmer entrance into the second half of the series. That's not to say there weren't things going on, but it didn't have me basically tearing out the pages to get to the end like the previous two books (Perfect and Unbelievable). I guess knowing who A was, was enough to calm me down, temporarily.

So now we have a suspect in Ali's murder who is behind bars, but was it really him or is the real killer still out there? I thought he was still out there, but you be the judge. I thought the introduction of Hanna's soon to be stepsister Kate as a regular fixture in her household to be a great renewal of Hanna's plotline. Wicked is also the introduction to a semi-bizarre and almost distracting plot about Spencer's family that spans the rest of the books. I feel like the plot was given more importance then it really deserved, I really enjoyed it, but in the end it just distracted from the bigger picture.

Most interestingly, this book introduces another A, I know ANOTHER A?! It seems like it would be cheesy but this new A is even scarier than the first! And because of that the book ends in a big old cliffhanger!

Wicked was released November 25th 2008
Genre: Young Adult
4/5 Stars
Purchased at Borders

Unbelievable (Pretty Little Liars #4) by Sara Shepard

**WARNING SPOILERS FROM PREVIOUS BOOKS**

Amazon.com:

Four pretty little liars' charmed lives have turned into living nightmares.

Emily's been shipped off to Iowa to live with her überconservative cousins. Aria's boyfriend is behind bars—because of her. Spencer's afraid she was involved in Ali's murder. But Hanna's fate is far worse: She's clinging to life in the hospital because she knew too much.

If these girls don't start listening to me, Hanna's going to look like the lucky one.

-A

Finally, some damn answers! Not all of them of course because there are 4 more books in the series but enough to briefly satisfy. I love how in Unbelievable Emily is shipping off to live with relatives (because her family is basically appalled by her, nice ones they are). I wondered how that would work, how she could still be part of the story but she really still was. I think in the previous book and a bit in this one, the "Rosewood Stalker" is mentioned a lot and then fizzles out, I wish that plotline would have turned into something more. In the end it just got roped into something else.

The aftermath of Hanna's hit and run leaves her with some gaps in her memory. That plotline in Perfect was INSANE! I was freaking out when I was reading it. Along with Perfect, this book really ramps up the plot, you know you are so close to answers you just have to keep going and going!

A few red herrings were in place to help the revelation of A (yes we finally get to find out!) more surprising. But honestly my suspicions about who A was from earlier in the book were proven right so for me nothing too shocking, but I was glad to finally know and know WHY!

So while this book wraps up one mystery it leaves open another and there is far far more to come!

Unbelievable was released on November 28th 2008
Genre: Young Adult
4/5 Stars
Purchased at Half Price Books

The Education of Bet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Amazon.com:

When Will and Bet were four, tragic circumstances brought them to the same house, to be raised by a wealthy gentleman as brother and sister. Now sixteen, they’ve both enjoyed a privileged upbringing thus far. But not all is well in their household. Because she’s a girl, Bet’s world is contained within the walls of their grand home, her education limited to the rudiments of reading, writing, arithmetic, and sewing. Will’s world is much larger. He is allowed—forced, in his case—to go to school. Neither is happy.

So Bet comes up with a plan and persuades Will to give it a try: They’ll switch places. She’ll go to school as Will. Will can live as he chooses. But once Bet gets to school, she soon realizes living as a boy is going to be much more difficult than she imagined.

The Education of Bet is a sweet and humorous story told in a wonderful voice! I have read at least one historical novel where a woman dresses like a man to do something only a man can do and I absolutely adored it, so when I heard about The Education of Bet bringing this concept to the YA genre I was really excited!

And Bet didn't let me down. From page one I had a lot of fun reading about her adventures in school masquerading as a boy. The author crafted her voice in such a way that she is so proper even while doing scandalous boy type things, I loved it! And falling for her roommate that thinks she's a boy, priceless! Her relationship with James (her roommate) is so sweet, even when they are both boys, they really look out for each other. We don't see a ton of her relationship with her "brother in spirit" Will save for the beginning of the book but I really liked what I saw of Will as well.

I knew eventually Bet would have to be discovered by someone as a girl but I didn't know how and it was so fun getting there. The Education of Bet was a sweet and very cute book, which I definitely recommend!

The Education of Bet will be released on July 12th 2010
Genre: Historical Young Adult
4.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by Amazon Vine

Perfect (Pretty Little Liars #3) by Sara Shepard

**WARNING SPOILERS FROM PREVIOUS BOOKS**

Amazon.com:

In Rosewood, Pennsylvania, four perfect-looking girls aren't nearly as perfect as they seem.

Aria can't resist her forbidden ex. Hanna is on the verge of losing her BFF. Emily is freaking out over a simple kiss. And Spencer can't keep her hands off anything that belongs to her sister.

Lucky me. I know these pretty little liars better than they know themselves. But it's hard keeping all of their secrets to myself. They better do as I say . . . or else!

-A

Perfect is probably my favorite of the Pretty Little Liars series. It was the first book that made me really sit up and say WOW A really means business! A is really out to do some serious damage to these girls. Some big stuff goes down in this book! I love how each book starts with something from the past when Ali was still around, we get to know more and more about her and her very apparent baggage and more and more clues are thrown into the mix.

I'm not sure which book this really starts to come into play but there are some really great instances of creepiness in this series. Like the girls see people in the shadows watching them or crouching by cars. It totally works too, it freaked me out! And there is a Rosewood Stalker on the loose too in this book, I mean it's bad enough we have A but now another stalker too! Or is it? And A starts to keep creepier, leaving the girls notes in places that make it obvious that A had just been standing right by them.

I'll leave you with this, if you find the first two books just ok and are thinking of not continuting to read, at least read through this book and then see how you feel. From about this book on I read about a book a day until the end of the series!

Perfect was released on May 27th 2008
Genre: Young Adult
4/5 Stars
Purchased at Half Price Books