Passing Strange by Daniel Waters

Author:Daniel Waters

Reading level: Young Adult

Publisher: Hyperion

Rated 9/10

Karen DeSonne is used to pretending to be something she’s not. All her life, she’s passed as a normal all-American teenager; with her friends, with her family, and at school. Passing cost her the love of her life. And now that Karen’s dead, she’s still passing - this time, as alive.

Meanwhile, Karen’s dead friends have been fingered in a high-profile murder, causing a new round of anti-zombie regulations that have forced nearly all of Oakvale’s undead into hiding. Karen soon learns that the “murder” was a hoax, staged by Pete Martinsburg and his bioist zealots. Obtaining enough evidence to expose the fraud and prove her friends’ innocence means doing the unthinkable: betraying her love by becoming Pete’s girlfriend. Karen’s only hope is that the enemy never realizes who she really is - because the consequences would be even worse than death.

MY REVIEW
This is the third book in the Generation Dead series. This has to be my favorite out of all three of the books, the other two weren't bad but this one was mostly from Karen's point of view, which happnes to be a little more interesting than the other characters because they were a little more predictable. I would have never guessed Karen's true love from the other two books.

Karen can pass as alive and uses it to her advantage to get information from Pete about the crimes blamed on her zombie friends. It's hard for her though because of her feelings of love for someone else. While dating Karen, Pete starts to give secrets to her that helps the truth get out, the truth that can destroy his anto zombie cause. Soon Pete realizes the truth about Karen and things start to go bad.



                                                                                      

Into the Cold Fire by Lynne Ewing

Author: Lynne Ewing

Reading level: Young Adult

Publisher: Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

Rated 9/10

Serena is being targeted by the dark forces of the Atrox. Her power to read minds is the key they need in order to turn the Daughters of the Moon into Followers. Jimena has a premonition that Serena is going to betray the girls. And she has never been wrong before....

MY REVIEW
This is the second book in the Daughters of the Moon series. I happen to like this book better than Goddess of the Night, this one just flowed more easily and I really like Serena's character, she's different and not afraid to be either.

Serena seems to either be losing her memory or having strange dreams, she can't remember and it scares her. She can't grasp reality and she starts  to look for answers to her questions. She's falling for Zahi and is being followed by the Atrox and it's most dangerous Followers. Her friends all think deep down that she willbetray them and Serena doesn't know what to think.

                                                                                          

The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine

Author:Gail Carson Levine

Reading level: Young Adult

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Rated 8/10

A kingdom beset by monsters . . .

A disease that weakens and destroys . . .

An epic poem and a hero of long ago . . .

A story of danger and desperation.

The Two Princesses of Bamarre couldn't be more different. Princess Addie is fearful and shy. Her deepest wish is for safety. Princess Meryl is bold and brave. Her deepest wish is to save the kingdom of Bamarre. They are sisters, and they mean the world to each other.

Then disaster strikes, and Addie -- terrified and unprepared -- sets out on a perilous quest. In her path are monsters of Bamarre: ogres, specters, gryphons, and dragons. Addie must battle them, but time is running out, and the sister's lives -- and Barmarre's fate -- hang in the balance.

MY REVIEW
This is a great book to show us that we can accomplish things in life and defeat our fears, I've read a few books by Gail Carson Levine now and can say that she is an excellent author and I love her books, I definitely can't wait to read more books by her.

Princess Addie is afraid of monsters and the world outside of the castle. Princess Meryl dreams of the day she can defeat monsters and be like her hero Drualt, Bamarre's greatest hero. The only thing keeping her from her dream is Addie's happiness. Princess Addie soon starts to develop feelings for Rhys knowing it could probably never be and to make matters worseMeryl catches the Gray Death, something nobody has ever lived through because there's no cure, Addie decides she will go on a quest to find the cure, a quest full of dangerous monsters and all that she fears.
                                                                                       

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

Author: Juliet Marillier

Reading level: Young Adult

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Rated 9/10

High in the Transylvanian woods, at the castle Piscul Draculi, live five daughters and their doting father. It's an idyllic life for Jena, the second eldest, who spends her time exploring the mysterious forest with her constant companion, a most unusual frog. But best by far is the castle's hidden portal, known only to the sisters. Every Full Moon, they alone can pass through it into the enchanted world of the Other Kingdom. There they dance through the night with the fey creatures of this magical realm.

But their peace is shattered when Father falls ill and must go to the southern parts to recover, for that is when cousin Cezar arrives. Though he's there to help the girls survive the brutal winter, Jena suspects he has darker motives in store. Meanwhile, Jena's sister has fallen in love with a dangerous creature of the Other Kingdom—an impossible union it's up to Jena to stop.


When Cezar's grip of power begins to tighten, at stake is everything Jena loves: her home, her family, and the Other Kingdom she has come to cherish. To save her world, Jena will be tested in ways she can't imagine—tests of trust, strength, and true love  

MY REVIEW
I really like this book and it's aspect of fairies and "vampires". It took me back to a time where I was young and imaginedbeing in a place like the Dancing Glade with it's many different creatures. I love the fact that Jenica's best friend is a frog, I would love to have a friend like Gogu. If you love fairies tales and love stories and all that come with them then this book is definitely for you, it's a fairytale more in the lines for an older audience. I love the cover, I absolutely think it's beautiful.

                                                                                         

Kiss of Life by Daniel Waters

Author: Daniel Waters

Reading Level: Young Adult

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

Rated 8/10

The phenomenon that’s been sweeping the country seems to be here to stay. Not only are the teenagers who have come back from their graves still here, but newlydeads are being unearthed all the time. While scientists look for answers and politicians take their stands, the undead population of Oakville have banded together in a group they’re calling the Sons of Romero, hoping to find solidarity in segregation.

Phoebe Kendall may be alive, but she feels just as lost and alone as her dead friends. Just when she reconciled herself to having feelings for a zombie -- her Homecoming date Tommy Williams -- her friend Adam is murdered taking a bullet that was meant for her. Things get even more confusing when Adam comes back from the grave. Now she has romantic interest in two dead boys; one who saved her life, and one she can't seem to live without

MY REVIEW
This book was a good sequel to Generation Dead and showed us that change just doesn't come overnight, sometimes you have to fight a long time before it. I'm not gonna lie, I didn't like this as much as Generation Dead, there were some dull parts, but I still think it's worth reading.

Adam is leanring what being a zombie is really all about and is frustratedwith it all. He's gladhe risked his life for Phoebebut he wants her to livelife and not worry about him, he doesn't want to be the one to hold her back and have her feel sorry for him. Phoebe just wants to be there for Adam and is confused about the feelings she has for him and her former boyfriend Tommy. To make matters worse zombies are being framed for crimes they didn't commit. There is still fear and hatred towards zombies and everything seems to be going downhill.
                                                                                        

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Author:Lauren Oliver

Reading Level:Young Adult

Publisher:HarperCollins

Rated 9.5/10

MAYBE you can afford to wait. Maybe for you there's a tomorrow. Maybe for you there's one thousand tomorrows, or three thousand, or ten, so much time you can breathe in it, roll around in it, let it slide like coins through your fingers. So much time you can waste it.

But for some of us there's only today. And the truth is, you never really know.

WHAT IF you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High, from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last. Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death, and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing

MY REVIEW
I really like this book, wouldn't it be something to be able to live the last day of your life over and over until you make everything right? Wehn I first started reading this book I didn't know what to expect and to be honest the first 100 pages I hated the book, it had something to do with the fact that I hated Samantha and her friends more than it did with the actual writing. In the beginning I though she got what she deserved but towards the middle I started to really feel sorry for Sam and started rooting for her and that's when I started liking it. I think this book does show us how kids and teenagers can truly be like and it isn't a very pretty picture to see.

Sam is the popular girl at school, the girl everyone wants to be and loves to hate. It's not like Sam doesn't earn that hate, always picking on others and never being nice. It's cupid day at school, February 12, one of Sam's favorite days, the day where one can  flaunt one's popularity at school by having the most roses. Sam goes through the day like any other normal day not knowing it's her last day. That night after a party Sam is driving home with her three best friends when they go off the road and Sam dies. Death isn't anything she envisioned it would be and she wakes up in the morning to find it's February 12 again and she has to repeat that day over and over. Sam learns that through the good and bad choices we make that we influence our lives and others around us and that things and people aren't always what they seem. Sam learns how cruel she was and tries to change things, not just because she wants to end this day but because in the end she really wants to change.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Author: James Dashner

Reading level: Young Adult

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Rated 10/10

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.

MY REVIEW
I  absolutely love this book, it's action filled and there's never a dull moment, I did however guess what was happening but never why until the end. Thomas has no memory of his life, only that he is named Thomas, and has no clue why he has been sent to live in the Glade with other teenage boys with the same memory problem . As soon as Thomas arrives in the Glade things start happening to make the others suspect him of something bad. All Thomas want to be is a runner in the maze, the maze surrounds the Glade keeping everyone from escaping. Then a girl arrives and Thomas has a feeling he knows her, and only bad news comes with her.Thomas gets the chance soon to be a runner after he does something no other boy had done since being there all while breaking one of the major rules. Things starts turning for the worse and they have to figure out a way to get out of the maze alive or soon they'll all be dead. I don't want to give to much away and hopefully I didn't, it's a lot better if you read everything for yourself :)