The Secret Circle Volume II: The Power

Secret Circle Volume II: The Power

by L.J.SmithRating: **

Cassie's in The Club but it's quickly becoming deadly. Torn between two leaders, Cassie must choose between her love for Adam or saving all of New Salem. Will Cassie's power be strong enough and will she do the right thing?

I'm having a hard time even writing this review. Again, it did keep me involved, which is why I gave the book two stars. However, it was just kind of bleh for me. Cassie lies, she then fesses up, it's too late... blah blah blah.

Coming Up Next: The Uglies by L.J. Smith

Secret Circle Volume One: The Initiation

The Secret Circle: The Initiation and The Captive Part 1
by L.J. Smith
Rating: **

After visiting New England for the summer Cassie soon finds that her mother has decided that they're moving there permanently, taking Cassie away from California and instead living in a small town called New Salem. Cassie is quickly drawn to the most popular group in her new high school, The Club, and she soon figures out their darkest secret. When Cassie falls for Adam, a member of The Club she is pulled between what it right and what is wrong.

I know I need to be fair. Had I read this book back in the day I probably would have loved it. It's got the whole mysterious feel with a little bit of romance and the main character is fairly likable. However, I guess for me it lacked that certain something that more adult books seem to have. It did manage to keep my attention but... I'm not sure why.

Coming Up Next: Secret Circle Volume Two: The Power by L.J. Smith

Thirteen Reasons Why

Thirteen Reasons Why
by Jay Asher
Rating: ****

When Clay Jensen discovers a box on his front porch addressed to him, he's psyched. Until he realizes that that box contains cassette tapes from a girl named Hannah Baker, who killed herself. He finds that he is one of 13 people to receive the tapes and that those tapes explain why Hannah decided to kill herself. He is told to listen to have his secrets revealed and so that night he goes on a journey to find out why his crush decided to end her life. This book explains why even small actions can have big consequences.

While this book was fairly morbid it was AMAZING and I honestly think it should be required reading in middle school or high school. I picked it up and was immediately intrigued and while I ended up with kind of a sad feeling at the end it was the kind of book that I had a hard time putting down until it was done. You'll love this book. Why? Because everyone's been bullied, everyone has had bad things happened to them, everyone has had a crush that they look back and wonder, "what if." And maybe not everyone has had suicide touch their lives (and I truly wish not a single person would have to go through that) but I'm sure every single person that reads this book will be able to take something away from it.

Coming Up Next: Secret Circle Volume One: The Initiation by L.J. Smith

The Friday Night Knitting Club

The Friday Night Knitting Club

by Kate JacobsRating: ***

Georgia Walker is a single mother to 12 year old Dakota and also the owner of Walker and Daughter, a knitting shop in Manhattan. The shop soon becomes the meeting place of The Friday Night Knitting Club, a group of women that come together every Friday night to knit, talk about their lives and just escape for a few hours. When a man from Georgia's past, who broke her heart once, returns and demands to be a part of Dakota's life, Georgia's life is turned upside down.

While I had a hard time getting into the book, once I did I found myself really enjoying it. The little side stories about each of the women in the knitting club were cute and I found myself wishing I could knit (well, better than a beginner, anyway). PLEASE TAKE NOTE: if you do not want the ending spoiled try not to look too hard at the cover! The compare the book to a movie and if you've seen the movie the ending is totally spoiled. However, I've never seen the movie (shame on me!) so I was safe. I definitely cried at the end and I'm excited to read the sequel to find out what happens next!

Coming Up Next: Secret Circle Volume One: The Initiation by L.J. Smith

Firefly Lane

Firefly Lane

by Kristin HannahRating: ****

It is 1974 when Kate Mularkey meets her best friend, Tully Hart and from that point forward they become the Firefly Lane girls or TullyandKate. On the outside they seem to be complete opposites: Kate is uncool but with a family that loves her. Tully, in turn, is beautiful and mysterious but with a train wreck around every corner. And in the summer that they meet, they make a back from be best friends forever. This novel spans 3 decades and goes through the ever changing lives of these two girls as they turn into women. They've been through everything together - love, anger, jealousy and resentment. And then something happens that could change their lives and friendship forever.

I LOVED this book. I loved it. The friendship between Kate and Tully was so real and it truly felt like I made friends while reading about their lives. At times it was hard to take - their jealousy towards each other, how their friendship at times seemed to almost fall apart. And the end... oh gosh, don't get me started. Needless to say I cried my eyes out and I promise you will too.

This is a DEFINITE read in my book, something I almost want to pick up right now and read again because I sort of miss Tully and Kate.

Coming Up Next: The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

A Hopeless Romantic

A Hopeless Romantic

by Harriet EvansRating: ***

Just a warning, I've read this book before. It's a reread because I was in between books!

A Hopeless Romantic is about Laura, who is a hopeless romantic. She watches the sappy movies, reads the sappy books and constantly finds herself falling in love with the wrong guys. When she falls head over heels for a guy that should have been out of bounds she finds herself in a bad situation that leaves her with far less than she started with. And after that, Laura is determined to get her head out of the clouds and her feet on the ground where they belong. Then Laura meets Nick and slowly she feels her walls break down again. But when she finds out a secret about him she's thrown for a loop. Will Laura find a happy medium or will this be just another relationship to add as a notch in her bedpost?

It's a cute book and I definitely feel for Laura. The first time I read it I really loved it. The second time - oh, it lost a bit of its shine but was still good nonetheless. I found myself constantly thinking, "Oh gosh Laura, quit messing it up and get it right for once!" Laura is a great character with more than one flaw and Nick - well, he's that handsome bachelor that every girl wishes could be her prince charming, that's for sure!

Remember Me?

Remember Me?

by Sophie Kinsella
Rating: ***

Lexi Smart is 25 and feeling like there's not much to her life. She's got a crap boyfriend and a crap job and she wonders when things will get better. Then one day she wakes up to find that she's 28 and has been in a car accident - in a Mercedes. She finds that she can't remember 3 years of her life and in those three years she went from mundane to fabulous, with a gorgeous loft, a personal assistant and amazing new friends. Oh, and a sexy new husband, too. However, once the shine wears off Lexi finds that there are secrets in her life and one of those is a man that drops a huge bombshell on Lexi. Suddenly she finds herself scrambling to figure out how her life took this turn and who the real Lexi Smart is.

Okay, I love Sophie Kinsella. I've read every one of her books and I ADORE the Shopaholic series. And while this book was cute, I felt like it was missing something, that little bit of charm that I've always felt that Sophie's books have had. It still had it's share of cute moments (Lexi realizing she has no idea how to drive as she's in the middle of trying to drive a car) but for some reason Lexi wasn't quite as zaney or SMART as some of Sophie's other characters. Still, it's a cute read so it still gets three stars.

Just Listen

Just Listen

by Sarah DessenRating: ****

Okay okay, I'm back! I know it's been forever and a day, I kept telling myself I need to update and I've been kind of lazy. Lots going on in life and while I'm reading I just haven't been updating what I've read!

Just Listen is about a girl named Annabel Greene who, on the surface looks like she has everything. However, over the summer she loses her best friend Sophie and Annabell's family is dealing with the eating disorder of her older sister. When Annabel returns to school she finds that Sophie has made her a social outcast. Just when it seems like things will never get better, Annabel meets Owen, a boy who always tells the truth. With Owen's help Annabel learns to face her problems but she is unsure if she'll ever be able to get past her family's expectations of her or help her to deal with what happened the night that her friendship with Sophie ended.

I LOVED this book! Generally Sarah Dessen is just okay for me. However, in this book Sarah went a little bit deeper into her main character's head and it really made Annabel a real person for me. I loved Annabel for her insecurities and Owen for his ability to always tell the truth - I wish I could do that! Definitely an A+ for me!