Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

In the book, Sharp Objects, by Gillian Flynn, Camille Preaker is having issues when her editor tells her that she has to go to her childhood home, Wind Gap, to write a story about a missing girl. She finds who she just happens to be looking for wedged between the hardware store and the beauty parlor. The real story in Wind Gap is what happened to the reporter as a child. If the story she was reporting wasn't scary enough, the fact that she has to stay with her mother (who is pretty much a nut right out of a catalogue) is enough to scare her. She returns to her childhood home where she must sleep in the room across from where her sister died. Camille loved her sister, Marian. After she died, Camille went into a depression that caused her to cut herself. Her cuts were words she engraved in her body or a cupcake she cut into her arm or the word "punish" on her hip. She even gouged the word "vanish" on the nap of her neck thinking the words she cut would disappear. With her editorial assignment in front of her, she is having trouble focusing. She flashes back to her childhood and wants to get out of Wind Gap as quick as possible. She has to get her story, but first she must find closure for her childhood before she can make a break in the case. Camille faces trouble, and the citizens of Wind Gap are not making it easy for her to get her story.
This book is thrilling and hard to put down. The reader never knows what is going to happen to Camille. This book will surprise and scare the reader. It is a good book. I'm glad I gave this book a chance because I don't know how many times I picked it up and put it back on the shelf before checking it out.

Things Change by Patrick Jones

This was a good book. At some points in the book, I really did not like what was happening (mostly because it went against everything that I believe in as an idependant, strong person). Johanna, a junior, straight A student, and budding journalist is like any other girl. She has a crush on the schools bad boy, Paul. She faces her fears and confronts him about her crush for him. At first, he blows her off. Eventually, he finds that he needs her to get through what he has been battling against since he was twelve. Johanna finds out that getting Paul is the easy part, but keeping him happy is ten times harder than any test she could ever take. Paul makes Johanna his target for his unhappiness and anger. Soon Paul's happiness is all that Johanna thinks about.
I do not understand - nor will I probably ever understand- how someone can get themselves into a position where they can be physically and emotionally destroyed. The worst part is that once she got away from him, she went back for more. As a person who loves to read, I like to put myself in the position of the main character. I was unable to walk even a single step in her shoes becasue there is no way I would be in a relationahip like hers. I didn't love the story, but I enjoyed how the author used the title of the book as a punch line. Perhaps Paul will never change.

Skate by Michael Harmon

Michael Harmon's Skate was a surprisingly good book. At first, I thought it was just another story about a messed up boy. Harmon gives the reader a run for their money by adding a twist to this messed up teen. Ian McDermott, the main character, goes to Morrison High School in Spokane, Washington. Do not be misled into thinking that he is a streotypical punk skate boarder. Ian has morals along with a bond with his brother that reveals itself in extreme hardship. At Morrison High, the teachers are even smug toward him. Principal Spence lets Ian know the he "intends to clean up Morrisn High". Already frustrated, Ian goes to the gym where he proceeds to hit the teacher. In fear, Ian flees with his brother to Walla Walla, Washington, where he believes his father is living. Throughout the trip, he and his brother both change drastically as they attempt to survive. I do not want to say more, in fear of giving the story away. I reccommend this book. It is well written and will not disappoint.

Snitch by Allison Van Diepen

I never thought I would ever be seen reading Snitch by Allison Van Diepen. It was completely off my radar of must reads, but it blew me away. Snitch is about an honor student named Julia DiVino, who lives in Brooklyn, and is a returning junior at South Bay High School. Julia dislikes gangs, but unfortunately finds her school is divided by two gangs, the Bloods and the Crips. She thinks the year is going swimmingly well until she meets total “hottie”, Eric Valiente. Julie finds herself outside her comfort zone when Eric immediately gets her full attention. He turns her world upside down and inside out in a matter of weeks, with his involvement in gang activity. She participates in drastic and careless gang activities that she would have avoided before her involvement with Eric. The climatic point arrives when Julia gives Eric a heads up about some trouble coming his way, while getting into some trouble of her own. Soon after deciding to join Eric’s gang, Julia realizes the mistake she has made and finds that not only is Eric in trouble, he hasn't been honest with her since the day they met. Snitch hooks the reader and delivers a thrill with every turn of the page.

Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast

Marked By P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

In a world not far from our own where vampires have always existed, a sixteen year old, Zoey Reelard, is marked as a fledgling vampire. She is happy to escape her unsupportive mother and overbearing stepdad to join the House of Night. She will train to become an adult vampire if her body does not reject the change. Going from a normal life to a life of darkness is not an easy transition. Zoey has to leave her boyfriend and best friends behind and begin again as a vampire. Her life is further complicated in that she is no normal fledgling. She has been chosen by the vampire Goddess Nyx, who gifts her with amazing powers. Unfortunately, with great power comes great responsibility. Zoey has to learn to control a fast evolving blood lust and try not to imprint her human boyfriend. Lo and behold, Zoey is not the only one with new gifts. When she finds out the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school’s most prized group, is using her gift, Zoey has to find the bravery that lays deep within her. With the help of her new vampire friends, she must live up to her destiny.

If you enjoyed the Twilight series, prepare to skink your teeth into Marked. It is a book that will definitely keep anyone on the edge of their seat from cover to cover.

The Best Little Girl In The World by Steven Levenkron

Steven Levenkkron is a psychotherapist who specializes in treating Anorexia Nervosa. He is also the author of a disturbing novel titled The Best Little Girl In The World. It is the tale of one Francesca Dietrich, ballet dancer, ignored third child, and victim of anorexia.

The novel opens with Francesca’s ballet teacher telling her to lose a few more pounds. At 5’1’’, Francesca weighs ninety-nine pounds. This ‘encouragement’ leads to Francesca creating obsessions for herself, most of which deal with food. She cannot let her teeth touch the tines of her fork, her food must be divisible by four, and every meal must be planned ahead of time. Her weight starts dropping dramatically. She is sent to a psychiatrist, and finally, the hospital. She reaches her low point at 67 pounds. Then, thanks to a caring psychiatrist, she begins to heal.

This stunning volume takes you on the terrifying, repetitive, confined journey of anorexics. In the end, it is not a story about not eating; it is the story of being hungry for what you can’t have.

Books Reviwed: Vampire Kisses (Books 1 & 2) by Ellen Schreiber

All over the world, since the darkest ages of mankind, there have been legends of beautiful life-sucking creatures, known to us as vampires. The first notable book about vampires is Bram Stoker’s Dracula. As most of us know, Dracula is the story of an evil, blood thirsty vampire with no redeemable traits. Vampire stories continued in this fasion until Anne Rice showed up on the scene. Starting with Interview with the Vampire, she portrayed vampires as beautiful and humanlike. For the first time in literary history, vampires had a conscious; they loved, they despaired, they felt. Mrs. Rice opened the floodgates to the new era of vampires. Then came Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight series. With Twilight, vampires became teenaged heartthrobs, and authors everywhere took notice.
In the books reviewed, the vampire in question is not Dracula, Interview with the Vampire, or even Twilight; the series in question is Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber. In this tale, a goth girl named Raven meets the goth vampire boy of her dreams and they have many adventures and misadventures together. I picked up this series because it was recommended to me by several people. Now, I don’t mean to be harsh, but Vampire Kisses seems to be an adolescent fantasy thought up by someone who knew next to nothing about vampires and even less about Goths.
Raven, the heroine, is almost unbearably perky, ending the majority of her sentences with exclamation marks. She is a ‘goth’ in all of her memories, even back to elementary school. In this series, ‘goth’ means “too much makeup wearing, death obsessed, clothing fixated teen.” It’s a travesty and every fan-fiction reader’s worst nightmare. The characters are flat, immature and fit together illogically.
There are some redeeming literary traits. The sensory language is very good and the humor is clever and fresh. Right now, there are probably several fans of this series out for my blood (haha). I’ll admit I’m very critical. If you Vampire Kisses fans enjoy the series, by all means read on! Maybe theseries impoves as it evolves. I’ve only read books 1-3, and I plan on finishing the series. I have every hope that the story will improve with time.

Book Reviewed: Skin Deep by Lois Ruby

Most teenagers know a little bit about the ‘darker’ social groups of the past and present; the kids who were ‘up to no good’ – hippies, punks, gangsters, goths, emos. One such group that has been all but erased from the minds of our society, are the skin heads.

Until recently, all I knew about skin heads would take only a sentence to say: “They shaved their heads and hated Jews.” Maybe society has consciously tried to erase these people from our history, but they did exist, and they were a tidal wave of power and hate.
Skin Deep, by Lois Ruby is a tale about a teenage boy caught up in that wave of hate. Ruby’s novel tells of the beliefs, dress code and lives of the boys and girls in the skin head movement. Her work is a testament to teenagers about the power of hate. The story is told from two points of view; one is of Dan, who becomes a skin, and the other is of Laurel, Dan’s girlfriend. Dan shows how hate and destruction can become the ‘only way out’, and Laurel’s viewpoint shows the other side of the coin; how watching a loved one fall can hurt. Skin Deep is a valuable and interesting novel with a message for everyone.

Series: The Wheel of Time, by Robert Jordan

Looking at the cover of any of the books in The Wheel of Time series, it would be easy to imagine that only a 'nerd' would ever read such books. Every title is more than 600 pages and contains such words as "the Dragon Reborn", "Aes Sedai" and "Windfinders". Though it sounds like any typical fantasy/sci-fi series, The Wheel of Time is anything but.

I was given the first book of the series, The Eye of the World, by my brother for my tenth birthday. I waited four years to read it. I deeply regret those four years. The Wheel of Time has the most intricate plot I have ever read.

New characters are introduced almost every chapter and they quickly become key players in the story. Every action impacts the story up to five books later. The characters are interesting and unique. Each one is a complete entity.

Robert Jordan has created another world; complete with countries, politics, factions, governments, landscapes and customs. The series is not just "for girls" or "for guys"; it contains adventure, horror, mystery, romance, war, magic, intrigue and triumph. The Wheel of Time series is simply marvelous reading and I recommend it to everyone.