Four Seasons by Jane Breskin Zalben

Ally Katz is a thirteen-year-old piano genius, having played since she was four years old. She attends a private music school and practices up to six hours a day. She eat, breathes, and sleeps music, especially with very important recital coming up that will determine her musical future. As you can imagine, this rigorous schedule does not leave a lot of time for a social life. With criticisms getting stronger and stress levels rising, Ally begins to long for something outside of playing piano. A normal life, with girlie sleepovers and maybe even a boyfriend. However, gathering the courage to tell her parents and herself what she really wants is not going to be easy at all.

Four Seasons was an interesting book. Occasionally there will be some kid on the news that lives a similar life as Ally, but reading about it first hand was an entirely different experience. I thought Ally's voice was very raw, very well-written. The reader gets to know her every ache, her hopes, her confusions. Ally's best friend Opal was absolutely adorable and completely charming. Though all teens go through some sort of encounter where they have to learn to express their feelings to their parents, I am not sure this book will appeal to a broad reading audience. It is very focused on the fierce competitive life of being a great musician, with little else in Ally's life that matters. Those who do pick up the book will be rewarded with cute scenes with boys and a happy ending.

Overall Rating: 3 Stars

Sharpshooter in Petticoats by Mary Connealy

Mandy Gray and her three children had been living with her no-good husband for years before he went off and got himself killed. Instead of this being good news, though, it leaves Mandy the prime subject of a family feud between her husband and the vicious Cooter clan. When long-time friend Tom Linscott comes to rescue her and the kids out from under the fear of being killed, Mandy is convinced it means death for him as well. Fortunately (and unfortunately) for Tom and Mandy, both of them are strongly stubborn. And they both know they will have to work together if they want to survive.

*sigh* A Mary Connealy book. Always such good reading. It feels as though I've known these characters for years now, like my own friends of the family. I've watched them grow up and marry off and start families of their own. Been on adventure after adventure with them. It is one of the reasons I enjoy Mary Connealy's books. This latest book (and the last in the Sophie's Daughter's Trilogy), was not my favorite though. For some reason I just wasn't into the story as I was with Beth and Sally. Perhaps because in the previous books, Mandy's story was always on the sidelines, little teases here and there about her terrible situation and the strong woman she was having to be in order to survive. So when we finally push everyone else to the side and get to see Mandy's story full-time, I was expecting more of the same feelings from before. They just weren't there. Not that Mandy is not an incredibly tough, independent woman. But the way she interacted with Tom was simply not interesting enough for me. The best scene in the whole book was when the reader finally gets to see just how sharp a shooter Mandy really is. I would have liked to see more of those shots! Still, Mary Connealy is no stranger to finishing a trilogy, and expertly wraps this one up with happy endings all around.

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

Waiting on Wednesday 1/5/11

OUTSIDE IN by Maria V. Snyder

SYNOPSIS:
Me? A Leader? Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion - between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again - while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside. And something from Outside wants In.

So Inside Out was one of my favorite books from last year. I have loved Maria Snyder's writing ever since Poison Study and have read all the way through six novels in that world. But her futuristic twist in these two books completely blew me away. I will definitely have my schedule cleared when this one comes out, so I can read it as soon as it arrives!

Release Date: March 1, 2011

On Reading Certain Words

You know how there are sometimes certain words that simply roll off your tongue and feel good to speak aloud? And then there are those specific words that make you cringe inwardly (or outwardly) whenever you hear or see them? Everyone has a few words that they like and those few words they don't. I thought I would take a moment to list some of mine.

I will start with words I like. One of my favorites in the whole of the English language is whisper. I love to read this word. It evokes a sensual reaction, a soft feeling of intimacy in my reading. I like giggle for a similar reason- it makes me want to smile and giggle myself. Mischievous is delicious to read, ambiguous makes me yearn for more, amused is just plain fun. I always approve of the use of the term correct over choosing to say someone is right. And perhaps is the preferred choice over the growing popularity of the term mayhaps.

Which is a good place to mention the words that I do not like. Or maybe the distaste comes from these words not being a part of my everyday vocabulary, so reading them in books makes me slow down for a split second. Pulls me out of the story, interrupts my focus.Words like grin instead of smile or smirk. This is a very common word, but rubs me the wrong way for whatever reason. Orb is another weird choice, a word I usually see in reference to someone's eyes or head. Really? There were no others words you could use? Silly. A few other harsh words are virulent, which makes me feel nervous, facetious which sounds meaner than it should, and bemused, which is entirely too close to it's cousin word amused.

These short lists aren't complete, but I wanted to impart my thoughts. Any of you out there feel the same way? Please share your words!

Vixen by Jillian Larkin

Gloria loves jazz music and longs to be an independent woman. This should be easy, except she is set to marry one of Chicago's most eligible bachelors soon, a sure sign of the end of her freedom. Her cousin Clara has come in from Pennsylvania to help plan the wedding, but Gloria can't stand her. However, Clara is arriving with a few secrets of her own, secrets that could bring her down from her new place in society, if revealed. And Lorraine has been Gloria's closest and best friend since forever. But with Gloria marrying Bastian and garnering more attention than she can handle, Lorraine starts to feel the green bug of jealousy creep in. Tired of never being in the spotlight, she begins to plot a way to push past the bright glow of her best friend, even if it means lying to her. Gloria, Clara and Lorraine are all very similar girls, despite their obvious differences. The three of them are caught up in the lifestyle of the roaring 1920's, and are about to clash at The Green Mill, Chicago's most famous speakeasy.

You know how sometimes you are unsure if you will like a book but it ends up grabbing your attention and holding on tightly? This was one of those times for me. I was not too anxious to pick up this book, as reading about socialite girls doesn't often appeal to me. However, I was pleased to find that I really, REALLY enjoyed this one. Vixen is a very atmospheric book, from the settings to the politics to the language. The chapters alternate between the three girls, and I found each one equally enjoyable. That is hard to do, no? More often than not there will be one character that stands out above the others, but I found I was excited to keep reading from each of the girls' perspectives. One of the most impressive parts about this book was by far the language. Jillian Larkin captures the slang of the 1920's underground and spreads it throughout without sounding forced and unnatural. I felt Gloria's suffocation and hope, worried with Clara about her past, and believed the confusion Lorraine was going through. A most excellent debut. I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel, Ingenue, due out in August 2011!

Overall Rating: 5 Stars

Happy New Year!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

I am totally looking forward to 2011 and the possibilities it brings! Not to mention all of the exciting new authors and books!

A quick tally for Total Books Read for 2010: 285

That is an insane number. But delicious. Out of curiosity, I counted those I thought were 5 out of 5 stars - only 76.

Whew! Not sure I can keep up that pace in 2011. How many books did you read last year?

Fear Street Flashback (12)

Why? Because FEAR STREET was like, my favorite series growing up.

Originally released in December, 1995.

Timely, no?

Hmm. The New Year's Party was a little disappointing, to come right out and say it. Perhaps because New Year's eve is so full of hope and promise of a new year that it really wasn't scary. Or more likely, there was simply no tie between the two stories in the book. They seemed forced together for the sake of making it work, without justifying why the characters were who they said they were or explaining the paranormal elements. There was a very slow build up to the actual party on New Year's eve. And then when everyone got there, it was all very short and jumped to the conclusion. Boo, Mr. Stine! The cover is one of the creepier ones in the whole Fear Street series. It would have been great to stay at Liz's party a little longer and look around her gloomy decoration theme. The final ending might surprise some readers, but all in all I think most will feel let down.

Fear Rating: 1 out of 3 Screams

Best Books of 2010

It's that time of year when lots of lists are coming out, so I thought I would make a short one of my own. In no particular, below are ten of the most enjoyable books I read in 2010. How I wish I could discover these again for the first time!

Waiting on Wednesday 12/29/10

A TOUCH MORTAL by Leah Clifford

Synopsis:
Eden didn’t expect Az.

Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.

Yeah.

So long happily-ever-after.

Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.

She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else’s game. Her heart is her own.

And that’s only the beginning of the end.

This one sounds so interesting, doesn't it? Something a little different for the paranormal fiction out there. And the cover is so pretty! Want to read!!!

Release Date: February 22, 2011

Dark Heart Forever by Lee Monroe

Jane Jonas has never really been a sociable or popular person. She takes comfort in being with her immediate family, like spending time with her younger sister Dot. Then a new boy named Evan starts at her school and suddenly she has not one, but TWO handsome boys after her. Evan's past is as mysterious as his good looks, but Jane can't shake the feeling that there is something darker to him. Luca is the only boy who's ever made Jane feel completely comfortable in her own skin... if only she knew exactly what he was. With so much confusion building in her mind, Jane has to figure out who she can trust. Before someone gets hurt.

This book is out in the UK, but the not the US. Which I only mention because as I was reading it, I kept thinking how it would probably never be released in the States. For one, there is quite a bit of casual underage drinking. Underage for the US, that is. Also, the main character drops out of school because of bullying and switches to a pretty relaxed homeschooling regimen. I'm not sure many teens out there would see this as plausible or be able to identify with it. And then the book itself was just ok. I never connected with any of the characters or felt invested in what was happening at all. I thought Jane made some terrible and naive choices. If it was so obvious to me which boy was the bad one, why couldn't Jane see it as well? I also felt the paranormal elements were thrown in haphazardly. It seemed Monroe wanted the focus to be on the two boys fighting for Jane's affection, and the paranormal bits were an after thought. Perhaps it would have been better to leave them out? Either way, it was interesting to read this debut and I will most likely check out the second in the series, called Dark Heart Rising.

Overall Rating: 3 Stars

Fallen Angel by Heather Terrell

Ellie Faneuil is a special girl. She can read people's thoughts and memories simply by touching them. It's a good life for her, despite having to hide her secret from everyone who knows her. Then a new boy, Michael, begins at her school and Ellie is instantly drawn to him. He is equally attracted to her, and as he moves closer to Ellie, they find they have unique powers in common. Plus more. A whole lot more, including Ellie's parents revealing secrets about her past, a mysterious man following her around, and the popular girls at school cooking up a cruel prank.

Even with all of the angel-themed books I have been reading lately, this one was not what I expected. It was a little slow to get to the real action, but I found that I didn't mind so much, as long as I could keep seeing more of Michael. My heart swelled seeing Ellie and Michael thrive in the comfort of having someone else like them. He was so alluring, especially in the beginning! I don't want to give away any spoilers, but the high school hoax already feels a little outdated. It might be relevant currently, but I am not sure it still will be when the next book in the series comes out. This is not Terrell's first book, but it is her debut YA novel, and it reads a little amateur. Even Ellie's friend Ruth seemed off somehow. I liked her for the most part, but thought she was undeveloped, even for a secondary character. Still, Fallen Angel serves mostly to set up the world Terrell has created, and successfully does so. Hopefully book two, called Eternity, will pick up the pace with some much needed action.

Overall Rating: 3 Stars

Waiting on Wednesday 12/22/10

DARKEST MERCY by Melissa Marr

Synopsis:
The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.

OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY this is the final installment in Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series, a set of stories that I fell in love with from the beginning and highly anticipate reading the ending. It will sad to see the characters go, but I have always liked seeing how authors wrap up a series. It is not easy to do!

Release Date: February 22, 2011