Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong

The book was a slow burn, but once it started going, I could NOT put it down. It had all of the things that I like in a fantasy: magic, mythical beasts (like super awesome ones: giant Thunderbirds, acid-spitting Death Worms, & zombie-esq Shadow Stalkers), and super-awesome female leads. That's right TWINS!! Cause what makes a kick-ass main character kick-assier? Two of 'em! Plus when you have two great main characters, you also get two HOT love interests (this is a YA novel after all, why not)! 

Final Recommendations: if you like fantasy, a little bit of magic, unique mythical creatures, animal companions, epic treks, sassy female heroins, a little bit o romance

Noggin by John Corey Whaley

I had high hopes for this one.  I love weird contemporaries.  But for some reason I just did not connect with this story.  I liked the narrator and I understood the thought behind this novel.  What would it be like to come back 5 years after you died?  It's a great premise with lots of opportunity for great emotional revelations.  But, much like his previous release, Where Things Come Back, I feel like there was not enough substance for the amount of book.  There were some good vignettes, but that could not carry the whole book.

Final recommendations: if you like slightly weird contemporary, unrequited love, impossible circumstances

Not a Book Review, More Of A Pat on the Back & A Request

YAY!!!  I have reached "Side-Kick" status over @ the Recaptains!  If you are not familiar with this wonderful resource yet, you should totally go check them out!  The Recaptains pride themselves on "saving series one book at a time."  Remember how you read book two of that series a year and a half ago?  And then you had to painfully wait for the next in the series to be released?  You've picked it up from your local bookstore only to realize that YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST BOOK!!!  Enter the Recaptains.  They have a whole slew of reviews that break down what happened step by step in your favorite books.  Don't like spoilers?  This site is not for you.  But if you are like me and are either a) getting too old or b) read too much, this site is the perfect place to go to jog your failing memory.  And if you are so inclined, you can read a few reviews that I wrote my very own self!  Enjoy & you're welcome :)

http://recaptains.blogspot.nl/

Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

What did I think?  You know how sometimes there are books that are so wholly sad and filled with all the feels you could ever feel and it makes it too hard to to really funnel your thoughts into actual critical ideas about the book?  This is that book for me.  It was all just too full for me as a mom, and a teacher, and a sister and a former teenager, I felt it all.  This book had many beautiful moments and many wonderful quotable quotes.  I guess this isn't really a review but more so a lack of a review and a recommendation for you to read it yourself and come to your own conclusions.

My favorite quote: "And maybe what growing up really means is knowing that you don't have to be just the character, going whichever way the story says.  It's knowing that you could be the author instead."

Final Recommendations: if you enjoy the feels (all of them), lovers of contemporary, a good "next read" if you enjoyed: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Eleanor & Park or Looking for Alaska.

Death Sworn by Leah Cypess

Disclaimer:  This book is a dystopian vaguely veiled in the pretty prom dress that is fantasy.  Now don't get me wrong, I really liked this book.  Clearly outlined in my Goodreads "read" list is a long history of loving both fantasy and dystopian, so this is no surprise.  I was, however, surprised that the description of this book did not meet my expectations (but again, not in a bad way).  This book was nice in that it slowly enveloped you in the story as well as the atmosphere of the fantasy setting.  I look forward to read future installments and hope that the world building expands out of the dark cave (literally, the majority of this novel takes place in a dark cave).  Ileni, our main heroine, is both likable and realistic with just enough sass and toughness.  The male lead is aloof in a way that you are drawn to him (but also disconnected enough that the romantic tension can continue into future books).

Final recommendations: lovers of fantasy, lovers of dystopian, strained romance, sassy girls, "magic"

Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens

Full disclosure, Speak by  Laurie Halse Anderson is one of my favorite books of all time.  I read it at a time when things like rape were not discussed in Young Adult literature...ever.  I was unique and fresh and raw and sad and it touched something in me that I think is inherent in all young girls, the pain, fear and self-loathing of just being young.  Courtney C. Stevens' Faking Normal reminds me that these types of contemporary stories written by women for the young adult crowd are still relevant and still very much needed.  I am glad that the market is still open and that girls still have the opportunity to read these stories (even though it does make me sad that they are still necessary).  I have read this story before, but that does not mean that my students have and I will be glad to share this with those who still need it.

Recommended for: fans of contemporary YA, you like Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak (and if you have not read this novel, go out and get it NOW), romance, girls who find their voices, if you are searching for your own

Half Bad by Sally Green

I was pleasantly surprised by this wonderful book.  The protagonist, Nathan, was such an interesting, likable character.  Likable isn't even the right word but I really cannot come up with a better one.  He grows into you.  Like you have known him all you life, like he is a part of your family, like he is you.  You want him to succeed, you wonder what he's going to do at each turn, you ache when he realizes that the things he has always wanted in life may not be attainable.  The magical element to this book was subtle but well explained and believable.  The world building is a slow-burn but makes sense as you, the reader, basically learn at the same pace Nathan does.  I really enjoyed the characters, the magic and the feeling of this book and definitely would continue reading this series.

Final recommendation: if you like magic, endearing-moody boys, for fans of both the Harry Potter series and Mortal Instruments, stories where the "good guys" may not be all that good and the "bad guys" may just be a little better