Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

Title: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

Author: Morgan Matson

Pages: 344

Rating: ****1/2

Summary: Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road--diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

Review: Read this book. Right now. I'll wait.
Okay, this book, as its title states, is EPIC! I absolutely loved this book. I don't even know what to say. I finished this book at 2:00 this morning; I just couldn't put it down! It has also given me a huge desire to go on a cross country road trip. I've been to more of the country than Amy had before this trip, but I haven't seen enough!
This is the perfect summer book. Reading it at the beginning of the summer makes me feel like anything can happen in a single summer--something previously only Sarah Dessen books could promote. The characters were fantastic. Amy is a good protagonist; we are left wondering about some of her secrets, something that makes me want to keep reading. Roger is adorable. He is the perfect guy for this book, and I absolutely love him! The plot is also fabulous; there is obviously the overlying goal of reaching Connecticut, but there is enough going on during their "detour" that the trip is the best part. Of course, this is often the case in literature and life.
The only thing keeping this book from 5 stars is the predictability. I mean, you can probably guess what happens. But it isn't overly cheesy, which I appreciated.
What I really liked in this book was the scrapbook inserts, including pictures, receipts, playlists, etc.
So go read this book. You will not regret it!

Recommended for: everyone except anyone who hates romance.

City of Bones

Title: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments Book One)

Author: Cassandra Clare

Pages: 485

Rating: *****

Summary (from Goodreads): When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....

Review: This book has become one of my all-time favorites. Full of action and suspense with just enough romance to keep my interest, Cassandra Clare has written one of the best books no one's heard of. It is really a shame how few people have even heard of this series! (City of Bones is the first of four--City of Ashes, City of Glass, and City of Fallen Angels--out May 2011--are the next three.)
Jace is a kick-butt, sexy, self-sacrificing love interest. From about...the second time we see him I was in love. He definitely gives Edward a run for his money. I'm not completely sure, but I believe there is movie talk for this book, if not series. Alex Pettyfer would be a freakin' amazing Jace. Just look at him! *swoons*

Clary, as a whole, is not the strongest female protagonist. In this first book, she is never really involved in the fighting or the problem-solving, but that kind of makes the book more real. If I suddenly stumbled across this world of demons and Shadowhunters, I know I wouldn't be much good in a fight either!
The supporting characters are strong, and add a lot to the story, including Magnus Bane, the glittery high-warlock of Brooklyn, and Alec and Isabelle, Jace's fellow Shadowhunters.
This story has a HUGE twist at the end that made me want to throw the book at the wall. But I didn't.
I read this book last summer ( I think) and I recently finished the audiobook. DEFINTELY READ THE BOOK! The audiobook isn't the best I've listened to--no offense to Ari, but her voice got a bit annoying with lack of emotion and verging-on-Valley-Girl intonations. So if you have to choose, I definitely recommend reading the book itself.
All in all an AMAZING book.

Recommended for: supernatural fans.

And don't forget the rest of the series!

AND Cassandra is writing a "prequel" series to The Mortal Instruments, the first of which is The Clockwork Angel, out September 7, 2010 (you can see the countdown on my sidebar)

Teaser Tuesday: Extras

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

Warning: this teaser is from the fourth book in a series.

From page 89 of Extras by Scott Westerfeld:
"Underwater and underground?" He nodded again. "That would explain wetness. And yet I'm still mystified."

Thoughts?

So...what do you think of the new layout?

YES!!

I am blowing off my two final exams tomorrow to present you with this BREAKING NEWS!!!

I'm not sure how many of you are as PSYCHED for Only the Good Spy Young, the fourth book in the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter, as I am. The publishing date was moved from June 15 to June 29 (check out the countdown on my sidebar!)

To tide you over, here is the AWESOME book trailer!

In honor...

In honor of the marvelous Sarah Dessen's birthday yesterday, I give you:

Title: This Lullaby

Author: Sarah Dessen

Pages: 345

Rating: ****1/2

Summary (from Goodreads): When it comes to relationships, Remy doesn't mess around. After all, she's learned all there is to know from her mother, who's currently working on husband number five. But there's something about Dexter that seems to defy all of Remy's rules. He certainly doesn't seem like Mr. Right. For some reason, however, Remy just can't seem to shake him. Could it be that Remy's starting to understand what those love songs are all about?

Review: Another amazing novel from Sarah Dessen. I read it a few years ago and just recently finished the audiobook. I think this one might be my third favorite--right after Just Listen and Along for the Ride (1 and 2, respectively). Remy is a realistic girl who even I, the hopeless romantic, could relate to. Dexter is adorable, as all of Sarah's male leads are. Sarah really sets the bar high on the boyfriend front, doesn't she?
As always, this book is beautifully written. The plot moves smoothly, and the conflict is a normal one, not some drastic complication that never happens in real life. The characters are realistic too, even if Dexter is way cooler than any boy I've ever met. But I can dream that guys like him are out there!
There's so much I want to say to express how marvelous this book is, but all I can think of is...amazing! The audiobook was good quality, so if you don't have time to sit down and read the novel (though that is always the best way to go) check out the audiobook!
I honestly believe Sarah Dessen is one of the best writers of our generation. I love every single book of hers, and know only one person who doesn't like her (and I know a lot of bookworms). She writes elequently and realistically. If you haven't picked up any and all of her books, do so IMMEDIATELY! You are missing out. She writes romance for the realist. I hope to be anywhere near as good as she is someday when I get around to writing a book!
What's your favorite Sarah Dessen novel?

Recommended for: romantics, but basically all girls teenaged+.

And...

Have you heard about Sarah's new novel, coming out May 2011?

Cut and Run is described as "...a high school senior who, after her parents’ divorce, has taken up the practice of assuming a new identity in each of the four towns she’s lived in."

This will be Sarah's tenth book out! Don't miss it! I'm already counting down!

I'm sure you've already seen...

The beauty that is... CRESCENDO!




Nora should have known her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described as anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy, Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.

The further Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim bloodline has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?



So what do you think? I don't think it has the "WOW" of the Hush, Hush cover, but it intrigues me about the book. I'm so excited!
P.S. If anyone's found a countdown for this book...feel free to share! ;)