Book Review: The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight - Jennifer E. Smith

THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT: 

Published: January 2, 2012

Publisher: Poppy

Format: Hardcover

Page Count: 256 pages

Source: Amazon.com

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

"One of the funnest rides a book has ever taken me. One of the best contemporary romances I've ever read."

Jennifer E. Smith's THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT (try saying that five times fast) was a novel that was light and fun, but it also had the element that kept it on my mind and made me want to never put it down. Smith's writing style was vivid, beautiful, and so light, it was almost a privilege to read this novel!

This should be the worst day of Hadley's life. She's flying overseas to her father's -- and soon to be stepmother's, who she's never even met -- wedding. But then, she misses her flight by four minutes. While trying to catch the next flight to London, she meets Oliver while waiting. The relationship was almost like BAM! They talked a lot while waiting for 9:45 P.M. to come (the time that the next plane arrives). And usually, these types of situations depart themselves from one another. Except Hadley's in seat 18A. Oliver's in 18B. From there, their relationship takes off as they talk and instantly fall in love with one another. 


I know that this novel has the one turn-off that annoys the crap out everybody, including myself: insta-love. And believe me, there is insta-love in this novel. But for some reason, I didn't mind it. I guess that they way that Hadley and Oliver's situation came about and how they found true love inside of it made me not notice it. Their love was beautiful and true. And besides, they had conversations on the plane ride to London about the most random and quirkiest things ever, but it was just so much fun to be on their journey with them!

Our main characters, Hadley and Oliver, were excellent characters. I felt for Hadley when she had to go to her Dad's wedding in London to see her new step-mom that she's never even met. Then when Oliver came along, I was like YES. It was little bit awkward at first for him just to approach, I guess, but in the end, I was absolutely like YES. I loved their connection, their spark, and just their relationship in general. It was fantastic.


Overall, Jennifer E. Smith's newest novel THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT was a fantastic novel with a beautiful writing style, wonderful characters, and an ending that made me happy. It's just a wonderful  novel!

My Rating:

Book Review: The Lying Game - Sara Shepard

THE LYING GAME:

Published: December 7, 2010

Publisher: HarperTeen 

Format: Hardcover

Page Count: 307 pages

Source: Amazon.com

I had a life anyone would kill for.

Then someone did.

The worst part of being dead is that there’s nothing left to live for. No more kisses. No more secrets. No more gossip. It’s enough to kill a girl all over again. But I’m about to get something no one else does—an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never even got to meet.

Now Emma’s desperate to know what happened to me. And the only way to figure it out is to be me—to slip into my old life and piece it all together. But can she laugh at inside jokes with my best friends? Convince my boyfriend she’s the girl he fell in love with? Pretend to be a happy, carefree daughter when she hugs my parents good night? And can she keep up the charade, even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every move?

Let the lying game begin.

In the prologue of THE LYING GAME, we follow through the eyes of a girl named Sutton Mercer. She's woken up in a bathroom and doesn't remember how she got there. She looks at herself through a mirror, but doesn't see herself. That's because she's dead. 

Flash forward to chapter one. Told still through Sutton's eyes, we follow Emma. She's a foster child whose now be accused of choking somebody to near death with the proof of a video online by the title of SuttoninAZ. The girl who was being choked to death in the video looks exactly like Emma. Emma does some research and finds out that the girl who was strangled might just be her long-lost twin sister. Emma sends her a Facebook message to Sutton explaining everything. Sutton then sends her a message back telling her to come visit her at her house. There's only one problem: Sutton didn't write that message.

When Emma arrives, everybody begins to call her Sutton -- mainly because she looks exactly like her. She can't explain that the real Sutton could have ran off. One day, on the way to school, Emma rides with Sutton's foster sister. The foster sister gives Emma a note and claims "it was on her windshield". The note says: Sutton's dead. Keep playing along or your next. Emma then tries to piece everything together and why somebody might want to kill Sutton. Then again, Sutton does pull lots of pranks on people that could easily infuriate them -- a game called The Lying Game.

First off, the book totally sucked me in. The prologue captivated me because I just wanted to figure out how she got in that bathroom! The action and the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire novel.

First, the characters. Emma was an awesome main character. She wasn't whiny because she didn't get the good life like Sutton did -- she was an awesome sister by trying to figure out who murdered Sutton. That's all she wanted to do. She didn't want to inhale the glamourous life and live it up instead of looking for the killer. Because if she tells or runs away, she'll be the next one dead.

There's also more characters, like: Sutton, Garrett (Sutton's boyfriend), Ethan (an outcast to Sutton's clique), The Twitter Twins, Madeline and more characters. Emma was the best of them all, hands down.

The way that Sara Shepard crafted this mysterious world with possible backstabber friends and a dead twin whose murderer is still on the loose had me holding my breath during some scenes, shouting at the characters for them to do certain things or don't do certain things, and had my eyes glued to the pages.

The novel kept me guessing and flipping through pages the entire ride. Sara Shepard never disappoints with her novels, and I can't wait to see where she takes it with the next novel in this series. 

My Rating:

A Big Thank You to Christine!

I'm starting on my blog officially on January 1, 2012 where I will be sharing what I want in January 2012. But, I had to write this review.

I have an author friend named Christine E. Schulze, who is nice and awesome. She's sent me almost all her books I think! Her novels are fantasy & they're epic and I love them! I just got a package from her today with her series The Legends of Surprisers inside of it. I'm currently reading the first book, and so far, it's great!

I think you should check her books out! Before I go any further, let me say that she didn't ask me to write this about her. But anyways, her novels are AWESOME. Like I said before, they're fantasy/high fantasy and I can't get enough of them. Her writing style is just... wow. I love it.

Click on the links to see my review of her books on Goodreads!:
Bloodmaiden
Golden Healer, Dark Enchantress
Silent Hero
Lily in the Snow and Other Elemental Tales
Tears of a Vampire Prince
The Hero of 1,000 Years
Heroes Reunited
Heroes of the Dove
The Secret Sister and The Silver Knight
The Princess of Destiny and the Princess of the Night
The Prism of Ashlei

So yeah. I've read a bunch of her novels. And I love every single one of them!

Go check her out on Goodreads! Again, she's super nice and I think that you will love her novels!

Thanks again Christine for all the books!!! :-)

See you all on January 1!

New Things Are Coming!

So I've basically like abandoned this blog.

But not anymore!

2012 is going to be the year of Brad's Blog (for me anyways). I have planned out a blog post every day starting January 1, 2012 to March 31, 2012 so far!

I'm having surgery done on my feet in late January, and I'll be homebound from school (I'll go into detail about the surgery on the day of my surgery because I'm scheduling a blog post; I'll give you a hint of what will happen: it's on my feet and they're going to fuse two bones into one, add a bone graph and stretch my heel cord).

I'm really excited to start blogging again, and hopefully, every day in 2012!

See you all on January 1!

The blog has moved!

For breaking my promise of doing more posts, I wanted to create a blog that focused more on my writing with the occasional book reviews. So with that, I created the new blog...

http://bradsellswrites.blogspot.com/

Please go check it out! Only one post is up and the blog is still being tweaked and edited. Thanks so much for sticking with me! :-)

My Debut Novel, "Silence"

My debut novel is now listed on Goodreads!

The novel is entitled Silence. It's a YA mystery/suspense novel about a party being held at a mansion, and a murderer inside the house.

It's written in third person POV and follows two main characters, Brooke Iris and Oscar Knight. The unofficial synopsis is now on Goodreads, but it will change.

I started writing Silence while I was in the middle of a different project, a YA novel about a volcanic eruption in a town isolated from the rest of the world called Ashes. I will probably resume on Ashes after I finish the Silence Trilogy.

And that's another thing. Trilogies. They're EVERYWHERE nowadays. But for some reason, all my stories fit perfectly into three books.

I haven't done the photoshoot for Silence yet. I do have a cover in mind though.

Silence isn't even finished yet. Not nearly done. I'll tell you this now. I'm on page 56 of my novel. I'm plan on writing every single day as much as I can. I still have school, but from 3:30 P.M. to 9:00 P.M., I want to write as much as I possibly can. I've notice that I do really well writing on Friday nights and the whole entire day for Saturday.

But listen to this. I came up with the storyline to Silence late Saturday Night. It's only Monday and I'm already on page 56. It's going pretty well for me!

I put the expected publication date for February 14, 2012, even though I am hoping to get it out MUCH earlier than that.

Thanks for taking the time to read this! I hope you everybody enjoys Silence! :-)

Just an Update :-)

Hey guys.

I haven't been on my blog in awhile.

A few things have been going on in my life. I've been busy with school and other things, along with reading books. Here's some books that I've read over the course of two weeks that I won't be writing individual reviews about.

Dead Rules - Randy Russell (4.5/5)
The Hero of 1,000 Years - Christine E. Schuzle (4.5/5)
Heroes Reunited - Christine E. Schuzle (5/5)
Heroes of the Dove - Christine E. Schuzle (5/5)
The Secret Sister & The Silver Knight - Christine E. Schuzle (5/5)
An Abundance of Katherines - John Green (5/5)

Dead Rules took me about three days to read, while the Christine E. Schuzle novels are super quick to read and took only like a day to read, and An Abundance of Katherines took maybe three days.

I also got a new puppy on September 11! It's a miniature dachshund. His colors are red and white, and he's so sweet. He loves everybody :-)

But that's my excuse for not being around for so long! :-)

re: A Very Fever Giveaway!

If you don't know yet, Lauren DeStefano is giving away a SIGNED "FEVER" DUST JACKET. Have you seen the cover? If not, here it is...

I know. It's awesome.

And I really want a dust jacket. If you were at my house the day that the Fever cover was revealed, you would have heard me talk NONSTOP about how in love I am with it.

That's why I'm wanting to win one... SO BAD. :-)

You can enter this contest to! Read the post on Lauren DeStefano's blog about the giveaway!

P.S. It's international!

Link to her blog: http://www.laurendestefano.com/blog.php

Author Interview: RJ Gonzales!

I got to ask RJ Gonzales, author of Mundahlia, a few questions about his new novel, upcoming novels from him, and don't forgot to read each question, he's shared great advice about writing!

1)How did you come up with the idea of Mundahlia? 
Mundahlians came about from greek and roman mythology and Egyptian deities/hieroglyphics and Native American stories of skinwalkers. They all had these fascinating tales or images of creatures that were half human and half animal. Mermaids, Centaurs, Minotaurs, Gorgons, Sirens…etc. The Egyptians worshipped deities such as Horus, Sobek, Anubis…etc. who were also creatures that had qualities of both an animal and human. I thought they were fascinating and so I wanted to give a story to where they went, and why the disappeared all of a sudden. 

2) Who was your biggest influence while writing Mundahlia? 
Legends, Mythology & Fairytales. In fact there are a few fairy tale references riddled throughout Mundahlia if you really pay close attention. 

3) How many books will be in The Mundahlian Era series? 
I had originally wanted it to be a trilogy, but honestly, trilogies are almost everywhere now-a-days. So I shortened it to just "The Mundahlian Era" because I could either end it in the second book or carry it on for as long as my characters are willing to. It's really as much as my decision as much as it is theirs. Why yes, that does sound a bit crazy, but it's the truth! lol The tagline for the series is "When our era ends, theirs begins." 

4) How did you come up with the cover to Mundahlia? 
The cover image (hourglass) is by photographer Mark Wragg. I though it was the perfect image because it showed that time really is running out. The tiger's reflection watching the sand fall came as a later addition, and portrays a very nasty villain that you will meet in the book. 

5) When did you first start to write Mundahlia? 
Mundahlia started out as a 5 page story I wrote sprung from a dream. I put that story away my freshman year of high school and didn't really see it again until senior year. After looking over it I realized I had something and spent half of my senior year as well as the summer and part of the following year adapting that 5 page story into a novel. So I guess if you'd add it up from start to finish, idea wise it was about 4 and a half to 5 years. If you only count writing wise, it took about a little over a year. 


6) Who was your favorite character to write about in Mundahlia?

Rini was definitely fun to write about. She's bookish, sassy, sarcastic, and doesn't let herself get bullied. She was definitely interesting to write with. Jett was a hoot to write with too. There are many characters in Mundahlia, not one is the same. I love all my characters and can't wait to see what they have in store next.

7) Let’s talk about a new novel by you coming in the future called Some Call Me a Witch. How did you come up with the idea of this novel?

I can't really say too much since it'll be a while until I publish it, and things could change. But what I can say is that it will be an Upper YA novel. There will be action, adventure, magic, fantasy, and most of all romantic elements involved. As if the title doesn't already give it away, the main character of the novel is named Emilia, or "Emmy" McBane and well, we can just say that some call her a witch. lol

8) When is Some Call Me a Witch suppose to be released?

I am working hard on it as we speak, but am also working on several side project such as "Unearthly" my standalone novel and a prequel novel to The Mundahlian Era called "The Heart of a King" which is the story of Jett's mother's relationship with the King up until the prologue that is at the beginning of Mundahlia. Currently I am hoping "Some Call Me a Witch" the first in the Emmy McBane novels, will be ready for publication sometime in 2013. However, I am going to take some time off to query some agents or publishers about it. I really recommend this to everyone out there wanting to get their book out there. You never know, you could have the very story that an agent or publishing house is looking for! :] Even if you get a few rejections, never ever stop querying agents or publishers.

9) Do you have a cover in mind for Some Call Me a Witch? If so, when do you think you will release it?
I do have a cover in mind, but it could change. I am going for something subtle like the cover to Mundahlia, or something "magical" looking. lol If anything I will probably end up releasing the cover sometime next year. 


10) Are you working on any novels that you’re willing to share on BookYAReview?

Yes I am. I am currently working on Unearthly and a prequel novella to The Mundahlian Era as mentioned above. But I am also toying around with a few ideas that could possibly blossom into a full novel. But for now those are pretty hush, hush :] lol

11) What has been your favorite novel to work on so far?

I have to say that Mundahlia was fun, I loved working on it so much and didn't want to stop. I hope the second one will be as fun to write as it was with the first.
Some Call Me a Witch is another one that is getting pretty fun. The characters are equally as awesome to write with as Rini and Jett are.

12) What is your favorite book of all time?

Don't make me choose! I love many books. Perfect Chemistry, Shiver, Hush Hush…Ah too many! :] haha. I've loved reading ever since I can remember. I grew up with "The Bailey School Kids" "Goosebumps" or "Hank the Cowdog" books when I was younger, that's probably what propelled me to develop an addiction to reading.

13) Did you like or dislike the editing process for Mundahlia?

I had a love/hate relationship with the editing process. I edited as much as I could, then had my cousin go over very minor things in the first 12 chapters. And still some things probably got through. I couldn't really afford an editor at the time, which is why I am taking my time with any other books I put out. I want them to be as checked as possible and will look into some local editors. On the other hand, I was able to add a few things in and take some things out so it was a very stressful process, but much needed.

14) What will be the name for the sequel to Mundahlia?

It will be another Mundahlian word which of course will be translated and defined like it is in Mundahlia. I don't really want to release the title yet, but if you look REALLY close in the blurred out un-final cover on Goodreads, you might be able to decipher the first few letters. What I can tell you is that the next books will be Upper YA/New Adult instead of regular YA. Mundahlia deals with older characters that are either at the end of their YA years or at the very start of their New Adulthood (19 and 21) also it will get edgier and steamier. 


15) How many books will be in the Emmy McBane series?
At this point, it's pretty much the same as it is with The Mundahlian Era, I will go on for as long as my characters will let me.

16) How did the inspiration for the cover of Mundahlia come to be?

I wanted something that showed that our time was running out, and when I saw the hourglass I knew it was perfect. If you look closely you will see the reflection of a tiger in the top portion, as though it is watching the sand fall, waiting for it to run out. That was a final little touch I added right before I published the book.

Thanks so much Brad! :]


Thanks to RJ Gonzales for answering my questions! Click on the links below to find him in different spots around the internet!: 


His Goodreads Author Profile
His Youtube Channel
His Amazon Profile (Don't forgot to order his book!)

Author Interview: Richard Denney!

I was very lucky to get to ask Richard Denney eleven questions about his books and writing, but mainly about his new middle grade novel coming out Winter 2011, The Immortalists. Richard Denney is the author of A Girl's Guide to Falling in Love With a Zombie, Hillserpent Academy, Violet Fury, and Secrets. Other upcoming novels by him include A Girl's Guide to Breaking Up with a Zombie and Hollow, his new dystopian novel. Here are the questions and his answers!
1) How long did it take you to write The Immortalists? 

A: It took me about a month and a half to complete and three weeks to revise for the editor. 
I am still currently revising a couple of chapters, but all in all everything is set & ready to go. 
It is probably one of the most fun books I have ever written, it never made me want to pull my hair 
out or curse out of a window. I loved writing it. 

2) Who was your favorite character to write about? 

A: Rowan Burton, the main protagonist. He's our narrator, since the book is told in first person. 
His journey is full of adventure & fantasy and he is one of my favorite characters of all my books. 
I love how he puts people before him and will protect his family & friends no matter what. 


3) How did you come up with inspiration behind The Immortalists? 

A: I was in a writing flop, which means I simply couldn't write for about two weeks, it's like writer's block except you don't go insane. 
Well one day I sat down at my laptop and opened a blank document and stared into the screen. Nothing came. About three hours later, I was reading 
an article about immortality and BOOM! the idea hit me like a thunder storm. I did quick research and later that night, I poured three chapters out of me. 
I was in shock at the amount I had written and in awe at the idea I came up with. I can't say much about the story line because it will spoil the book, but once you read you'll 
hopefully enjoy the story. I believe that it is unique & original. I will give a hint: This book includes, Zombies, Wizards, Pixies, Hobgoblins and Ghosts. Hope that quenches your thirst a bit, until the book is released this winter 2011. 


4) How did it feel publishing your book, A Girl’s Guide to Falling in Love with a Zombie, for the first time?

A: To be honest, I was frightened. I was scared it was going to flop and leave me scarred. It turned out the book did really well for my first book and
grew me fans that I cherish to this day. I say that if your scared to publish whether it's self-publishing or big publishing, don't be scared to lose, because there are people out there who are willing to read the wonderful story you have created. NEVER GIVE UP.

5) Are you working on any upcoming projects you are willing to share?

A: I am currently revising "Hollow" my first dystopian novel, which has been receiving a lot of hype
and is making some go crazy because they want to read it so bad. May 2012 will be here soon, don't worry.
I am also working on my first contemporary novel called "The Summer I nearly farted in Jake Dawson's face"
and I can't wait for both to come out.

6) Do you prefer writing middle grade novels, or official YA novels?

A: I prefer Middle-Grade novels. I have always written middle grade stories and only recently in 2009 I began my journey into YA fiction.
I love writing both, but MG will always be my first love. In MG novels the author doesn't really have to worry about a love interest or teen angst.
In MG novels, it's all about the adventure and friendship and sex, drugs and relationships are non-existent and that's why I love MG more than YA.
I will always write both, I like being able to try something new all the time.

7) How did you come up with the covers to all of your novels?

A: Google. Seriously, the internet has helped me with coming up with cover concepts.
With self-publishing you have to do everything yourself but luckily there are many websites that sell
photos you can use for the cover and don't have to do so much hard work. 


8) Is The Immortalists a stand alone novel, or will a sequel follow it?

A: "The Immortalists" is going to be a trilogy. I have the next two planned for a 2012 and 2013 release.
I am very excited for the trilogy to come out and to see if the younger audience will respond and enjoy the
books and Rowan's journey.

9) Which was your favorite novel to write?
"The Immortalists" hands down! it was a breath of fresh air and a fantastic joy to write.


10) Do you get inspiration from any other authors?

A: My favorite authors are J.K. Rowling, John Bellairs, Tony Deterlizzi, Holly Black, & Michelle Harrison.
They each have inspired me a lot and without them being who they are, I'd be in a very different place right now.
If you have not read any books by any of these awesome authors, you should very soon.

11) When is the release date for The Immortalists?

A: This is the first time I am announcing the release date, your blog is lucky Brad!
drum roll please... louder...... LOUDER.... December 13th 2011!
hope you all enjoy the book when it comes out and thanks Brad for this great interview
and I wish you luck on your writing.

- R.D. 


Thanks so much to Richard Denney for his answers!


Click here to go to his author's Goodreads page
Click here to visit his blog
Click here to visit his Twitter 
Click here to go to his Youtube channel. Subscribe to him because he makes awesome videos and book hauls!


Don't forgot to order his books off of Amazon in paperback and for your Kindle! 

Claire de Lune - Christine Johnson

Torn between two destinies…

Claire is having the perfect sixteenth birthday. Her pool party is a big success, and her crush keeps chatting and flirting with her as if she’s the only girl there. But that night, she discovers something that takes away all sense of normalcy: She’s a werewolf.

As Claire is initiated into the pack of female werewolves, she finds her lupine loyalty at odds with her human heart. Burdened with a dark secret and pushing the boundaries of forbidden love, she will be forced to make a choice that will change her life forever. . . .

I borrowed Claire de Lune from one of my friends, because I was hearing mixed reviews of the novel. He said that he loved and I needed to read it, so I did. He has the paperback copy that matches the hardcover copy of the sequel to Claire de Lune, which will be posted at the bottom of this review.

Going into the novel, I didn't know what to expect. All I knew is that it was werewolf novel. The first fifty pages didn't captivate me like I expected it to. When I reached 100 pages, I was drawn into the story. All the action, drama, and suspense that Christine Johnson expressed through words was amazing and breathtaking. 

Beautifully written. Christine Johnson knows how to weave together a story like it's nothing! Incredible! 

Claire was a wonderful character. Her not knowing she is werewolf (*not a spoiler, it was said in the synopsis*) and then finding out on probably the most magical day of her life was thrilling and I couldn't believe what I was reading.

Claire's mom disgusted me though. She was trying to force things into Claire's mind that I didn't enjoy reading. 

Claire's mom was the only problem I had with Claire de Lune. But I'm very excited to continue the series with Claire.

Claire de Lune:

Published: April 19, 2011 (Hardcover was published on May 18, 2010)

Format: US Paperback

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Average Rating: 3.54 stars

Page Count: 272 pages

What number copy this is: 711 

Sequel: Nocturne 

Rating: 5/5 stars

Trailer Thursday

This week for Trailer Thursday, I chose the trailer to the novel I'm currently reading, Fury by Elizabeth Miles. This is the UK trailer, but it's only official trailer I could find.

I haven't made a blog post in almost a month!

Hello everybody.

I've haven't been around on my blog for almost a month now. I've started back to school and I guess that's sort of my excuse for not being around.

But, this month has been a great reading month for me! I won't do reviews for them, but I will list them below and put their ratings:

Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (5/5)
A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin (5/5)
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin (4.5/5)
Bloodlines by Richelle Mead (5/5)
A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford (5/5)
Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles (4/5)
The Help by Kathryn Stockett (4/5)
Violet Fury by Richard Denney (5/5)
Burned by Ellen Hopkins (5/5)
Sweetly by Jackson Pearce (5/5)

I will start making more blog posts on my blog. :-)

- Brad

Musing Mondays (3)

Musing Mondays is hosted by Should Be Reading!

This week’s musing asks…

If you were (are) going on vacation, what books would you take with you?

I would take the Harry Potter books. Because I can re-read them over and over and never get bored with them, and they're so long, they would keep me busy! :-)

Leave your link to your Musing Mondays so I can check it out!

Review: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan

Click here to go to this book's Goodreads page.

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.

Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both them both legions of faithful fans.

My first John Green AND David Levithan novel! Now that I've read this I really want to check out some more of John's work (Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns) along with some of David's work (The Realm of Possibility & Love is the Higher Law).

Will Grayson, Will Grayson was a fantastic novel. It was funny, had amazing characters, and the writing style blew me away.

I think I prefer John's Will Grayson. He was deep but funny. David's Will Grayson was also great, I just liked John's a tiny bit more.

I highly recommend this novel!

Will Grayson, Will Grayson:

Published: April 6, 2011

Format: US Paperback

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile 

Average Rating: 4.07 stars 

Page Count: 336 pages

Rating: 5/5 stars 

Review: The Hidden Coronet by Catherine Fisher

Click here to go to this book's Goodreads page

The third installment in the Relic Master quartet!

The coronet, a potent ancient relic, might be the only way to defeat the power that is destroying Anara. But it has been lost for centuries, and only legend tells of its whereabouts. Will Galen and Raffi be able to find it before the Watch does?


With the third novel in the Relic Master series, The Hidden Coronet didn't meet up to the standards of the first two novels.


I did enjoy The Hidden Coronet, I just found the previous novels to be a slight better writing-wise and storyline-wise. Galen and Raffi are becoming better characters in every book, but I think I expected them to become a little more matured and developed in this novel.


But I do recommend this series!


The Hidden Coronet:
Published: July 12, 2011 (Originally published April 4, 2000)
Format: US Hardcover
Publisher: Dial
Average Rating: 4.29 stars
Page Count: 384 pages


Sequel: The Margrave (August 9, 2011)

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Review: The Lost Heiress by Catherine Fisher

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The second installment in the Relic Master quartet!

Even though Tasceron and its Emperor have fallen, there is a rumor that the heiress to the throne still lives. If so, her life is in grave danger, especially from the Watch. Galen and Raffi must race to find and protect her.


I love visiting Anara when I read the Relic Master series! I think I liked The Lost Heiress over The Dark City. 


With the fallen Emperor in Tasceron, the stakes are high and the throne of the heiress, the Watch are all over everybody.


I don't want to say much about The Lost Heiress, since it is a sequel, but I do recommend this series! It's not amazing, but it's still a great novel!


The Lost Heiress:
Published: June 14, 2011 (originally published February 4, 1999)
Format: US Hardcover
Publisher: Dial
Average Rating: 4.19 stars
Page Count: 384 pages


Sequel: The Hidden Coronet 

Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: The Dark City by Catherine Fisher

Click here to go to this book's Goodreads page.

Welcome to Anara, a world mysteriously crumbling to devastation, where nothing is what it seems: Ancient relics emit technologically advanced powers, members of the old Order are hunted by the governing Watch yet revered by the people, and the great energy that connects all seems to also be destroying all. The only hope for the world lies in Galen, a man of the old Order and a Keeper of relics, and his sixteen-year-old apprentice, Raffi. They know of a secret relic with great power that has been hidden for centuries. As they search for it, they will be tested beyond their limits. For there are monsters-some human, some not-that also want the relic's power and will stop at nothing to get it.


The Dark City, the first book in the Relic Master series, was actually a surprising read! I didn't think I would enjoy as much as I did! 


If you read the Relic Master series, you enter the crumbling world of Anara. I loved the idea of this world that is crumbling down, but you have little artifacts to find to save the world. It would be an amazing movie!


Catherine Fisher also wrote another series, the Incarceron series (Incarceron and Sapphique), which the first book is being made into a movie. I personally think that this is a much better series. You get to follow along into new places of the world and be on the journey with the characters.


Catherine Fisher's writing style always blows me away. She describes the action so perfectly in her stories. She also creates worlds that are always fun to explore. Catherine Fisher is a gifted writer.


This wasn't an amazing read, but still a great read!


Relic Master: The Dark City is perfect for anyone who enjoys action, artifacts, and worlds to travel with the characters.


The Dark City:
Published: May 17, 2011 (originally published August 6, 1998)
Format: US Hardcover
Publisher: Dial
Average Rating: 3.73 stars
Page Count: 384 pages


Sequel: The Lost Heiress 

Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Click here to go to this book's Goodreads page. (The cover below is the original ARC cover. There is a new cover now)

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness. 

Elisa is the chosen one. 

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will. 

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess. 

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake. 

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young. 

Most of the chosen do. 


Rae Carson's The Girl of Fire and Thorns was an incredible read! It's fast-paced with a great storyline, and Elisa, one of the only female protagonists that will stand up for her self.


Elisa is now one of my favorite characters. She's brave and innocent, but the way that Carson stylized it was breathtaking to read. 


The idea of a weak princess being chosen, and then you read her mature into this warrior was absolutely astonishing. When I finished this book (no spoilers) I couldn't believe what I had read. I had to re-read some pages sometimes because my mind couldn't cope with all the amazingness that I was reading.


The Girl of Fire and Thorns:
Expected Publication Date: September 20, 2011
Format: Online ARC
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Average Rating: 4.28 stars
Page Count: 299 pages


Rating: 5/5 stars