Rayne can’t wait to start her summer job at a remote country mansion, far from the crowded, noisy London she so desperately wants to escape. But the retreat soon turns into a nightmare — the mansion is creepy, the legends of ghosts keep Rayne up at night, and she doesn’t feel safe anywhere.

Can Rayne figure out why she’s so freaked — before she becomes a ghost story herself?

This was a pretty good little ghost story.  Rayne is the typical teenager in many ways, feeling smothered by both her dependent mother and her boyfriend.  So, like many teens, her solutions is ultimately to run away.  To facilitate this she finds a job in a tearoom at Morton’s Keep, a mysterious English countryside manor with a long, dark history.  I would have actually liked to have learned more about the history of the Keep, and could have used more details such as who the Black Prince was.  Not all of us are up to speed on English history, so thank goodness for Wikipedia! Things are spooky and mysterious, especially with Rayne’s new boyfriend, St. John, and his group of obedient friends.  I actually could have used a little more ghostly activity, since a lot of what happens is more along the lines of "things don’t feel right" than something tangible. All in all, though, I found Rayne to be believable and accessible, and this to be an entertaining read.

This book is a review copy.

Other reviews:

Review: Possessed by Kate Cann | Dark Faerie Tales
He Followed Me Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Can I Keep Him
Shooting Stars Mag: Possessed by Kate Cann
S. Krishna’s Books: Possessed – Kate Cann

Page count: 336 | Approximate word count: 50,400

2009: Reunion (Therese Fowler)
2008: Fearless Fourteen (Janet Evanovich)
2007: Windmills of the Gods (Sidney Sheldon)
2006: The Weatherman (Steve Thayer)
2005: To the Nines (Janet Evanovich)

Used in these Challenges: Countdown Challenge 2010; ARC Reading Challenge 2010; 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; 2010 Pub Challenge; 2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge; New Author Challenge; Pages Read Challenge Season 2;

Love in the time of the Tiananmen Square.

Anna never imagined living in such a foreign place. Fresh out of high school, she has joined her father, who works in Shanghai. She’s eager to see China beyond the bicycle-crowded streets between their apartment, her father’s expatriate community and the art school she’s attending. That’s why she’s thrilled when her father hires a cute local — a fellow student named Chenxi — to be her translator and guide.

Too bad Anna seems nothing but trouble for Chenxi. His ideas about art already rankle the authorities, and he could do without the added attention of being with a wai guo ren — a foreigner. Even so, he is intrigued by Anna’s brashness and the freedoms she takes for granted. But when Anna turns their friendship toward passion, her actions have consequences that are intensified by a watchful regime looking to get rid of disruptive artists.

Set around the time of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre and inspired by the author’s time spent in China as a teenager, Chenxi and the Foreigner crackles with emotion, ideas and authenticity.

I have mixed feelings about this.  I think the story has good bones — a privileged Australian teenager spends some time in Shanghai to study art during the lead up to the Tiananmen Square protests — but ultimately fell flat.  It was hard for me to connect with Anna, who is self-absorbed and rather blind to the plight of others. She also lacks any sort of respect for her father, who just flits in and out of the story tossing money at her at every opportunity.  You get some sense of the political climate in Shanghai during this time, but I think that could have been taken further.  I wanted to know more about how the city looked, smelled, tasted. I’m not sure the twist in Anna’s story, the repercussions of her brief affair with Chenxi, were really needed.  It showed some interesting thing about healthcare in China at that time, but ultimately made little difference in Chenxi’s story.  Maybe I expected too much.

This book was a review copy.

Page count: 208 | Approximate word count: 36,400

2009: Dark Places (Gillian Flynn)
2008: How I Live Now (Meg Rosoff)
2007: Basket Case (Carl Hiaasen)
2006: Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
2005: Hard Eight (Janet Evanovich)

Used in these Challenges: ARC Reading Challenge 2010; 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; 2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge; New Author Challenge; Pages Read Challenge Season 2;

A best friend sinks into a quicksand of teenage addictions.

Sophie and Mia have been best friends for most of their 15 years. Sophie is popular, so when she suggests they try ecstasy Mia figures it can’t hurt her own chances with the in crowd. Mia is elated when the drug lives up to its name and amazed when Lewis, the hottest guy in school, kisses her goodnight.

Soon Lewis is Mia’s boyfriend, and she and Soph are running with his fast, rich friends, until Sophie is sexually assaulted by Lewis’s drug-dealing buddy. Reluctant to say what happened, Sophie grows distant, leaving Mia to conclude she’s jealous of her popular boyfriend. But to keep Lewis’s attention, Mia grows increasingly dependent on the confidence that only E seems to give her. When things worsen, it is the girls’ strained but solid friendship that finally helps bring Mia back from the brink.

Powerfully told from the alternating points of view of each girl, In Ecstasy is a brutally frank and utterly convincing portrait of the challenges facing contemporary teens.

I read this in the twilight of the read-a-thon, and it was perfect for that.  The chapters alternate point-of-view between the two girls, Sophie and Mia.  Sophie is the popular, outgoing one, and Mia just sort of tags along in her shadow.  One decision at one party changes all that, as Sophie convinces Mia to try Ecstasy.  What follows is a reversal of positions, with some unfortunate consequences. I think this is a good book for young teen girls to read, especially those who are more like Mia. It had some useful lessons about how seemingly small decisions can pile up to become much larger problems, and also about the strength of a good friendship.  On an aesthetic note, each girl’s chapters used a different font, which made it easy to keep track of who was speaking.

Other reviews:

In Ecstasy – Kate McCaffrey
Just Listen Book Reviews: In Ecstasy by Kate McCaffrey.
In Ecstasy – Kate McCaffrey « Tower of Books

Page count: 272 | Approximate word count: 54,400

2009: Whiskey Sour (J.A. Konrath)
2008: Club Dead (Charlaine Harris)
2007: The Survivors (Dinah McCall)
2006: Goodnight Nobody (Jennifer Weiner)
2005: Circus of the Damned (Laurell K. Hamilton)

Used in these Challenges: ARC Reading Challenge 2010; 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; 2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge; New Author Challenge 2010; Pages Read Challenge Season 2; The TwentyTen Challenge;

Nancy Drew’s quest for the driver who mowed down Kim Baylor in broad daylight leads her into extreme danger and an encounter with a murderer.

It’s been many, many years (20?) since I’ve read a Nancy Drew book, and I’d forgotten how much fun they can be.  Nancy, Bess, and George have all they need for the perfect spring break — great weather, nice beaches, good looking guys, and a mystery. Nancy arrives just in time to see her friend run down in the street and witness the friend’s room being searched.  And if she resisted the urge to find out what was going on, she wouldn’t be Nancy Drew. The storyline is actually still relevant, and if it weren’t for the lack of cell phones, this could have been written yesterday.  I have a bunch of these on my Kindle, so I’ll definitely keep reading them from time to time.

Page count: 180 | Approximate word count: 45,000

2009: In the Woods (Tana French)
2008: Midnight Bayou (Nora Roberts)
2007: The Black Echo (Michael Connelly)
2006: Purity in Death (J.D. Robb)
2005: Wicked (Gregory Maguire)

Used in these Challenges: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; 2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge; Pages Read Challenge Season 2; TwentyTen Challenge;

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

This book is many things. "Haunting" may be an egregiously overused cliché, but it’s difficult to find a better word to describe a book set in Germany during World War II that is narrated by none other than Death himself. People seem to either love or hate this book, and I think most of that has to do with the writing style.  Zusak does things that are generally not done.  Words are spoken about as objects that can slap you in the face or roll to a stop at your feet. Colors come to you through Death’s eyes, so the skies may be blue or yellow or brown or white. And beneath it all is a rhythm that grabbed me and pulled me through Liesel’s world.

"Summer came.
    For the book thief, everything was going nicely.    
    For me, the sky was the color of Jews."

For me, an interesting aspect of this book is the view of the life of a young German living in poverty in Hitler’s Germany. I have read a lot of Holocaust literature, but very little from the German point of view. And there is a good mixture of points of view here.  You have Germans from both sides of the line — those who would help the Jews, and those who would throw things at the helpers and scream "Jew-lover". Yet even the screamers have their softer sides.

Though the book is about Liesel, the book thief, one of the more interesting characters is Hans, her foster father. He is the one who makes it possible for Liesel to develop the love of books and words that eventually saves her life. He makes it possible for Liesel to love anyone at all, with his patience and compassion.  And he’s the subject of one of my favorite descriptions in the entire book:

"Papa sat with me tonight.  He brought the accordion down and sat close to where Max used to sit.  I often look at his fingers and face when he plays. The accordion breathes.  There are lines on his cheeks.  They look drawn on, and for some reason, when I see them, I want to cry.  It is not for any sadness or pride.  I just like the way they move and change. Sometimes I think my papa is an accordion.  When he looks at me and smiles and breathes, I hear the notes."

One of the things that really made this book come alive for me is something that you won’t get if you’re listening to it on audio, or perhaps even reading the ebook (depending on the format).  At one point, Max, the Jewish man living in Liesel’s basement, paints over the pages of his copy of Mein Kampf and writes and illustrates a story for Liesel. In the book you are treated to this story, complete with the faded words of Mein Kampf in the background.  It was something so minor, but so powerful for me.  Here’s an example (illustration snagged from Amazon):

There are aspects to the book that are weak.  The whole plot line with the mayor’s wife comes off as a little undeveloped, and when Liesel decides to write her own life story, it’s rushed through and then forgotten in the rubble. There are a few unanswered questions that I really wish had been answered, but I guess it’s those unanswered questions that keep us thinking about a book long after we’ve closed it.  Overall, I loved it.

Other reviews:

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak | Maw Books
The Book Thief « So Many Books
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak « In the Shadow of Mt. TBR
At Home With Books: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak – Review
books i done read: The Book Thief – Markus Zusak

Page count: 550 | Approximate word count: 110,000

2007: Dead Irish (John Lescroart)

Used in these Challenges: The 999 Challenge; A-Z Challenge 2009; Read Your Own Books Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010;

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

I’m sure that this novel has found itself compared to The Hunger Games, as they are both young adult dystopian novels.  The Hunger Games is a hard title to surpass, but in some ways, The Maze Runner has done just that. From the start of the story, when Thomas wakes up in a strange elevator knowing only his name, you know nothing more than what the characters know.  And the characters don’t know much, which makes everything a mystery.  Where are they?  Why is there a maze?  Who keeps sending them supplies?  Will they *really* die if they stay in the maze at night?  And what is the deal with the girl who suddenly shows up the next day? I found this story to be much more complex than The Hunger Games, even if it isn’t suspenseful in quite the same way.  It certainly kept me reading, and I blew through the second half of the book like someone was going to take it away from me.  The ending is incredible, because just when you think you know what is going on, you find out that you’re completely wrong.  Can’t wait for the next one.

This book was a review copy.

Other reviews:

Book Review: The Maze Runner by James Dashner | BOOKS AND MOVIES
Devourer of Books » The Maze Runner – Book Review
THE MAZE RUNNER by James Dashner – REVIEW « Karin’s Book Nook
Review: The Maze Runner by James Dashner
At Home With Books: The Maze Runner by James Dashner – Review

Page count: 384 | Approximate word count: 96,000

2007: Rapture in Death (J.D. Robb)

Used in these Challenges: Countdown Challenge 2010;

New to town, Beatrice is expecting her new best friend to be one of the girls she meets on the first day. But instead, the alphabet conspires to seat her next to Jonah, aka Ghost Boy, a quiet loner who hasn’t made a new friend since third grade. Something about him, though, gets to Bea, and soon they form an unexpected friendship. It’s not romance, exactly – but it’s definitely love. Still, Bea can’t quite dispel Jonah’s gloom and doom – and as she finds out his family history, she understands why. Can Bea help Jonah? Or is he destined to vanish?

I thought this was a touching story… a little bit coming of age, a little bit romance.  Bea has moved to a new town and is starting in a new school for her senior year of high school.  Fate, the alphabet, and a shared affinity for late night radio call-in shows lead her to a tentative-at-first friendship with the Ghost Boy, Jonah, who has long been the misfit of the class. Bea is a bit of a misfit herself, not really interested in the usual teenaged girl things and saddled with a couple of parents that are far to involved with their own problems to really pay much attention to her. I really liked this story, though the ending is a bit bittersweet.  I did have one problem with it…. I didn’t like how casual underaged drinking was in this book.  I know that it happens, a lot, but I don’t think that a book that is marketed to young adults should treat it in such a "this is normal, everyone does it!" way. And though I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Baltimore, I don’t really believe that there are business establishments in this day and age where 17 year olds can waltz in and buy alcohol on a regular basis.

This book was a review copy.

Other reviews:

Kids Lit » Blog Archive » How to Say Goodbye in Robot
3 Evil Cousins: How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford
Killin’ Time Reading: How to Say Goodbye in Robot; Natalie Standiford

Page count: 288 | Approximate word count: 72,000

2007: Straight Into Darkness (Faye Kellerman)

Used in these Challenges: Countdown Challenge 2010;

Welcome to Morganville, Texas.

Just don’t stay out after dark.

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation, where the popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks in the school’s social scene: somewhere less than zero.

When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don’t show many signs of life. But they’ll have Claire’s back when the town’s deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood.

I found this to be a pleasant surprise.  It’s young adult, so it’s not super gory or super scary, but the girl-on-girl violence is super cruel and unfortunately, probably not much of an exaggeration. And the romances are sweet. I liked meeting Claire and her new roommates.  Caine also makes Morganville a particularly creepy place to live.  The feeling it invoked in me was like one of those dreams where you’re being chased and can’t find a way to escape.  My one complaint about the book is that I didn’t like the last chapter with its manufactured cliff-hanger.  I would have rather had that event open the next book – it didn’t really fit – but it wasn’t enough to discourage me from continuing with this series.

Other reviews:
Rachel Caine: Glass House (The Morganville Vampires Book 1) – Book Review
Just Listen Book Reviews: Glass Houses by Rachel Caine.
Book Review : Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
Just Your Typical Book Blog (Main Site): Glass Houses – The Morganville Vampires Book One by Rachel Caine
MariReads: Book Review- Glass Houses (Morganville Vampires) by Rachel Caine

Page count: 256 | Word count: 74,107

2007: The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
2006: Under the Overtree (James A. Moore)

Used in these Challenges: Random Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010;

The marriage of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is one of the greatest love stories of all time, a tale of unbridled passion with earth-shaking political consequences. Feared and hunted by the powers in Rome, the lovers choose to die by their own hands as the triumphant armies of Antony’s revengeful rival, Octavian, sweep into Egypt. Their three orphaned children are taken in chains to Rome; only two– the ten-year-old twins Selene and Alexander–survive the journey. Delivered to the household of Octavian’s sister, the siblings cling to each other and to the hope that they will return one day to their rightful place on the throne of Egypt. As they come of age, they are buffeted by the personal ambitions of Octavian’s family and court, by the ever-present threat of slave rebellion, and by the longings and desires deep within their own hearts.

The fateful tale of Selene and Alexander is brought brilliantly to life in Cleopatra’s Daughter. Recounted in Selene’s youthful and engaging voice, it introduces a compelling cast of historical characters: Octavia, the emperor Octavian’s kind and compassionate sister, abandoned by Marc Antony for Cleopatra; Livia, Octavian’s bitter and jealous wife; Marcellus, Octavian’s handsome, flirtatious nephew and heir apparent; Tiberius, Livia’s sardonic son and Marcellus’s great rival for power; and Juba, Octavian’s watchful aide, whose honored position at court has far-reaching effects on the lives of the young Egyptian royals.

Selene’s narrative is animated by the concerns of a young girl in any time and place–the possibility of finding love, the pull of friendship and family, and the pursuit of her unique interests and talents. While coping with the loss of both her family and her ancestral kingdom, Selene must find a path around the dangers of a foreign land. Her accounts of life in Rome are filled with historical details that vividly capture both the glories and horrors of the times. She dines with the empire’s most illustrious poets and politicians, witnesses the creation of the Pantheon, and navigates the colorful, crowded marketplaces of the city where Roman-style justice is meted out with merciless authority.

Based on meticulous research, Cleopatra’s Daughter is a fascinating portrait of imperial Rome and of the people and events of this glorious and most tumultuous period in human history. Emerging from the shadows of the past, Selene, a young woman of irresistible charm and preternatural intelligence, will capture your heart.

Loved this.  While Moran sticks to her Egyptian roots with her main character, Cleopatra Selene, really this book is about post-Julius Caesar Rome. Selene, her twin brother Alexander, and younger brother Ptolemy are taken to Rome by Octavian (future Emperor Augustus) after the death of their parents, Cleopatra and Mark Antony. They are his trophies, and will live with his sister, Octavia. Soon, Selene finds herself wrapped up not only in the politics of being part of the Caesar’s extended family, but also in the mystery of the Red Eagle, a mystery man (or woman) who fights for the freedom of Rome’s slaves.

Not much is known about Selene’s early life, but I can completely buy that a strong, independent woman such as Cleopatra would have a strong, independent daughter.  She longs for a return to Egypt, but still finds herself wrapped up in the normalcy of a pre-teen/teenager’s life — school, shopping, gossip, and crushes. Through her experiences, we learn what life for a girl in Rome’s aristocracy may have been like. It’s a little bit difficult to keep track of who everyone is and how they’re related to each other (especially the children, who all tend to be either step-siblings or half-siblings with each other), but there is a guide in the front that helps.

Also, this book is being marketed both as a YA novel and as an "adult" novel (whatever that means).  It’s definitely more on the YA side, but enjoyable for adults as well.

This book was a review copy.

Other reviews:
Cleopatra’s Daughter – Book Review – caribousmom
At Home With Books: Cleopatra’s Daughter – Review
Creative Madness that Makes Me Myself: Review: Cleopatra’s Daughter
Becky’s Book Reviews: Cleopatra’s Daughter
Medieval Bookworm » Review: Cleopatra’s Daughter, Michelle Moran

Page count: 448 | Approximate word count: 122,000

2008: Deja Dead (Kathy Reichs)
2007: Night Pleasures (Sherrilyn Kenyon)
2006: Vital Signs (Robin Cook)

Used in these Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge 2009; 2nds Challenge; 2009 ARC Reading Challenge; The 999 Challenge; What’s in a Name Challenge;  

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

This was a highly anticipated book, and it definitely did not disappoint. I actually pre-ordered this, something I haven’t done since Harry Potter #5. The story picks up almost a year after the Hunger Games ended, with Katniss and Peeta now living in the winner’s village and trying to recover some semblance of a normal life. Katniss still isn’t sure how to deal with Peeta and Gale and definitely isn’t sure how she truly feels about either of them. And worse of all, it will soon be time for another Games, and no one knows what the Capitol has planned for the Quarter Quell, the 75th anniversary of the games. Katniss knows she is still on the President’s naughty list, and there’s no way she can feel safe.

I refuse to post any spoilers, but I assure you that it’s not what you expect. This book is a lot more political, as we learn more about the districts and how life truly is throughout Panem.  There’s not quite as much suspense or heavy violence here as in The Hunger Games, but the ending will leave you breathless and dying for the next book. 

Other reviews:

CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins – REVIEW « Karin’s Book Nook
Devourer of Books » Catching Fire – *spoiler free* Book Review
Wands and Worlds: Book Review: Catching Fire
Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Persnickety Snark: Review – Catching Fire / Suzanne Collins

Page count: 400 | Approximate word count: 80,000

2008: Any Given Doomsday (Lori Handeland)
2007: A Game of Thrones (George R.R. Martin)
2006: A Dangerous Fortune (Ken Follett)

Used in these Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge 2009; 2nds Challenge; Read Your Own Books Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010;