Book Review: In Too Deep by Amanda Grace

Title: In Too Deep
Author: Amanda Grace
Series: None
Publisher: Flux
Released: February 8, 2012
Website: http://www.mandyhubbard.com/

Book Summary:

I never meant for anyone to get hurt. All I wanted to do that night was make a play for Carter Wellesley. His heartless rejection was mortifying, but people got the wrong idea when they saw me leaving his bedroom, crying. That's how rumors of rape started.

Now girls at school are pouring out their sympathy to me. Guys too. But not everyone's on my side. The school has become a war zone and the threats are getting scary. What began as poetic justice has morphed into something bigger--forcing me to make a terrible choice.

In Too Deep is a book I didn't want to put down and stayed up until 2 am to finish. When I took a break from reading I couldn't help but think about the storyline and wonder just how Sam was going to get herself out of the mess she was in and what the consequences would be. Thus I was drawn back to the book and stayed up to finish.

Overall I was pleased with this book. The story sucked me in and I like the way the author writes. I could relate to the characters and was grateful this book showed that there were consequences for the choices that were made.

The only thing I could have done without was the language. I'm not a fan of language in books especially the F word.

Rating: 4 Stars - Great Books

Source: ARC Tour

Content: Language including at least a half dozen uses of the F word.



Also by Amanda Grace


By Mandy Hubbard

Book Review: My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent

Title: My Soul to Lose
Author: Rachel Vincent
Series: Prequel to Soul Screamers Series (novella)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Released: July 1, 2009
Source: Read Online
Website: http://rachelvincent.com/


Book Summary:

It was supposed to be a fun day, shopping at the mall with her best friend. Then the panic attack started and Kaylee Cavanaugh finds herself screaming, unable to stop. Her secret fears are exposed and it's the worst day of her life.

Until she wakes up in the psychiatric unit.

She tries to convince everyone she's fine--despite the shadows she sees forming around another patient and the urge to scream which comes burbling up again and again. Everyone thinks she's crazy. Everyone except Lydia, that is. Another patient with some special abilities....

"An eBook exclusive prequel to Rachel Vincent's SOUL SCREAMERS series."

Read it for FREE Here: http://soulscreamers.com/soulscreamers/sites/all/themes/harlequin/mysoultolose.pdf

My Soul to Lose is a short Prequel to My Soul to Take.

I'm actually glad I read My Soul to Take first. This could have been a prologue to that book but I liked not knowing what was in this book when I read My Soul to Take. I think you can honestly go either way, read this first or the book first but I would recommend reading My Soul to Take first.

There is really nothing more I can say that won't be a spoiler.  A must read for Soul Screamers fans.

Rating: 4 Stars - Great Book

Content: language, innuendo and some crude comments

Source: Read Online on the Soul Screamers website

Soul Screamers Volume One: My Soul to Lose, My Soul to Take & My Soul to Save

Book Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Pandemonium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Series: Delirium Book #2
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: February 28, 2012
Author's Website: http://www.laurenoliverbooks.com/

Book Summary:

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

WOW! I really love this series. Although there is not much I can write that won't be a spoiler.

 Pandemonium is not told chronologically but rather jumps back and forth between THEN - starting when Delirium ended and NOW which is about a year later. We are introduced to a whole new set of characters who I couldn't help but love even though I started the book missing Alex.

I predicted the main things that were going to happen in this book but Lauren Oliver took me on quite a ride getting from point A to B. The Wild was nothing like I imagined it would be. Pandemonium focuses much more on the Resistance and has more violence in it then Delirium did.  As I predicted it was another cliffhanger ending.  It will be a long wait for Requiem to be released in 2013!

This is a INCREDIBLE book that I loved!  This is one series I wouldn't mind having extended to more than 3 books.  I'm not sure I will have had enough with just one more book.

If you have not yet read Delirium I highly recommend you do before Pandemonium is released at the end of February.

Rating: 5 Stars - I loved it!

Source: From Publisher for Review

Content: Language including a couple uses of the F word, clothes off but no sex, quite a bit of violence.

Other Books by Lauren Oliver

Delirium


Hana: A Delirium Short Story


Before I Fall


Liesl & Po


Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories

Book Review: The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

Title: The False Princess
Author: Eilis O'Neal
Series: None
Publisher: Egmont USA
Released: January 25, 2011
Author's Website: www.eilisoneal.com

Book Summary:

Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia's led a privileged life at court. But everything changes when it's revealed, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess, a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection. Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city of Vivaskari, her best friend, Keirnan, and the only life she's ever known.

Sinda is sent to live with her only surviving relative, an aunt who is a dyer in a distant village. She is a cold, scornful woman with little patience for her newfound niece, and Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks. But when Sinda discovers that magic runs through her veins - long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control - she realizes that she can never learn to be a simple village girl.

Returning to Vivaskari for answers, Sinda finds her purpose as a wizard scribe, rediscovers the boy who saw her all along, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor's history, forever.

A dazzling first novel, The False Princess is an engrossing fantasy full of mystery, action, and romance.

I'll be giving this one to my daughter to read.  The False Princess is a great book for tweens, teens & adults.  This book had a little bit of just about everything: romance, mystery, magic, history, adventure, fantasy.  Simply put it is just a great story that I enjoyed reading.

Rating: 4 Stars - Great Book

Content: Clean Read

Source: Download from Audible.com

Book Review: Independence Rock by Debra Terry Hulet

Title: Independence Rock
Author: Debra Terry Hulet
Series: None
Publisher: Cedar Fort
Release Date: February 8, 2011
Author's Website: http://debraterryhulet.com/


Book Summary:

Katie McBride seems locked into a life of failure. First her father abandons her, and then she is abused by her alcoholic mother. Katie’s path begins to look very much like that of her parents, and she sees no way out – until she is sentenced by a juvenile court judge to a difficult, two-week handcart trek.

Over one hundred and fifty years earlier, Katie’s pioneer ancestor Katherine faces great hardships as she travels West with a wagon train. A young, widowed mother, she keeps a journal along the trail, and Katie reads it as she completes her sentencing.

At Independence Rock, Katie’s and Katherine’s paths and divine intervention meet. Katie is discouraged, though, and decides that it is too late for her to change. She must be willing to believe in herself if she is wants to stop the downward generational spiral that has plagued her family.

Independence Rock is two stories in one. The chapters jump from a present day pioneer trek reenactment back to the real Trek from the 1800s. The stories are link through a journal that was kept by Katherine McBride as she journeyed west. Her descendant Katie McBride is part of the reenactment and is unknowingly traveling the same road as her ancestor. Through the journey both work to overcome the challenges their lives have brought them.

This was a good read that was worth my time. Recommended to those who enjoy LDS young adult fiction or stories of pioneers.

Rating: 3.5 Stars - Good Book

Content: Clean

Source: From Publisher from Review

The 126 Book I Read in 2011

The 126 Books I Read in 2011

In Too Deep by Amanda Grace

The False Princess by Eilis O’Neal

Independence Rock by Debra Terry Hulet

Pandemonium (Delirium, #2) by Lauren Oliver

The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ

Delirium (Delirium, #1) by Lauren Oliver

The Lost Saint (The Dark Divine, #2) by Bree Despain

Carving Angels by Diane Tolley

Crossed (Matched, #2) by Ally Condie

The Chimney Sweep Charm by Marcia Lynn McClure

Can You Survive: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Ryan Jacobson

Pride & Popularity by Jenni James

Thou Shalt Not Road Trip by Antony John

Daughter of Smoke and Bone(Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #1) by Laini Taylor

Slayers by C.J. Hill

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Haunting of Autumn Lake by Marcia Lynn McClure

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Life's Lessons Learned: Personal Reflections by Dallin H. Oaks

Miles from Ordinary by Carol Lynch Williams

Tempestuous (Wondrous Strange, #3) by Lesley Livingston

Just Your Average Princess by Kristina Springer

If I Tell by Janet Gurlter

Darklight (Wondrous Strange, #2) by Lesley Livingston

Wondrous Strange (Wondrous Strange, #1) by Lesley Livingston

Crossroads (Crossroads Saga, #1) by Mary Ting

Torment (Fallen, #2) by Lauren Kate

Hang'em High by Tristi Pinkston

The Pirate Ruse by Marcia Lynn McClure

Witch Song by Amber Argyle

The Breakup Artist by Shannen Camp Crane

Intrinsical (The Yara Silva Trilogy, #1) by Lani Woodland

Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #3) by Maggie Stiefvater

Illusions (Wings, #3) by Aprilynne Pike

Minor Adjustments by Rachael Renee Anderson

The Iron Knight (Iron Fey, #4) by Julie Kagawa

Beautiful Darkness (Caster Chronicles, #2) by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

The Trove of the Passion Room by Marcia Lynn McClure

Back When You Were Easier to Love by Emily Wing Smith

52 Ways to Wow Your Husband: How to Put a Smile on His Face by Pam Farrel

Wellness on a Shoestring: Seven Habits for a Healthy Life by Michelle Robin

Double Deceit by Stephanie Humphreys

Dearly Departed (Secret Sisters Mystery #2) by Tristi Pinkston

Hope's Journey by Stephanie Worlton

Luminous by Dawn Metcalf

Raw Energy by Stephanie Tourles

Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating with More Than 75 Recipes by Mark Bittman

Siren's Storm (Siren's Storm, #1) by Lisa Papademetiou

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

The Royal Treatment (Princess for Hire, #2) by Lindsey Leavitt

Don't Stop Now by Julie Halpern

Nia by Mella Reese

A Golden Web by Barbara Quick

The Language Of Souls by Lena Goldfinch

Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler

A Season of Eden by Jennifer Laurens

I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

Depth of Deceit by Betty Briggs

Flavors by Emily Sue Harvey

Orthomolecular Treatment by Abram Hoffer

Hereafter (Hereafter, #1) by Tara Hudson

The Crazy Daze of Motherhood by Jane Still

Calling for Angels by Alex Smith

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

Growing Up Gracie by Maggie Fechner

Demonglass (Hex Hall, #2) by Rachel Hawkins

I Sit All Amazed: The Extraordinary Power of a Mother's Love by Steve Mikita

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr

Priscilla the Great (Priscilla the Great #1) by Sybil Nelson

Lost Truth (Truth Series, Book 4) by Dawn Cook

OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy

Nickel Plated by Aric Davis

Forgotten Truth (Truth Series, Book 3) by Dawn Cook

The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder

Girl Wonder by Alesa Martin

Haunted (Dreaming Anastasia, #2) by Joy Preble

Dreaming Anastasia(Dreaming Anastasia, #1) by Joy Preble

The Pull of Gravity by Gae Polisner

Letters From Home by Kristina McMorris

Secrets and Shadows (13 to Life, #2) by Shannon Delany

Shadow of the Sun (Timeless #1) by Laura Kreitzer

Don't Throw Rocks at His Window: Real Advice to Mend a Broken Heart by Julie C. Donaldson

Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

Unlocking the Power of the Spirit by Campbell Gray

Hidden Truth (Truth, #2) by Dawn Cook

Recovery Road by Blake Nelson

A New Birth of Freedom: The Visitor by Robert G. Pielke

The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski

Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors

The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan

Fallen Grace by Mary Hooper

First Truth (Truth, #1) by Dawn Cook

Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin & Brenden Halpin

Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

The Rhythm of Secrets by Patti Lacy

The Road Show by Braden Bell

Fused (The Samantha Granger Experiment, #1) by Kari Lee Townsend

Between by Jessica Warman

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Impractical Grace by John S. Bushman

How Sweet It is by Sophie Gunn

The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #5) by Rick Riordan

Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream by Jenny Han

The Life and Opinions of Amy Finawitz by Laura Toffler-Corrie

Falling Under (Falling Under, #1) by Gwen Hayes

The Peasant Queen by Cheri Chesley

Spells (Wings, #2) by Aprilynne Pike

Pearl by Jo Knowles

Lost On Spirit River: Spirit River Trilogy: Book 1 by Tommy Batchelor

The Blood of Cain by T.L. Gray

Sapphique (Incarceron, #2) by Catherine Fisher

Artemis the Brave (Goddess Girls, #4) by Joan Holub

Meg's Melody by Kaylee Baldwin

Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley

Jazz in Love by Neesha Meminger

Incarceron (Incarceron, #1) by Catherine Fisher

The Iron Queen (Iron Fey, #3) by Julie Kagawa

Secret Sisters (Secret Sisters Mystery #1) by Tristi Pinkston

The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey, #2) by Julie Kagawa

Star Prophecy by Joan Sowards

Aphrodite the Beauty (Goddess Girls, #3) by Joan Holub

BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale by Crystal Marcos

Island Sting by Bonnie J. Doerr

33 Habits of a Really Good Man by Yvonne Swinson

Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook Gross Junior Edition by David Borgenicht

And now that I took all that time to get book covers I found an easier way on goodreads:

Inspired Kathy's read-in-2011 book montage

Inspired Kathy's favorite books »

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2011 Totals:
126 Books Read in 2011
(229 Books if you count picture books and short stories I remembered to add to goodreads)
For a total of 41,261 Pages

Blog Tour: Book Review - Don't Stop Now by Julie Halpern

On the first day of Lillian’s summer-before-college, she gets a message on her cell from her sort-of friend, Penny. Not only has Penny faked her own kidnapping, but Lil is the only one who figures it out. She knows that Penny’s home life has been rough, and that her boyfriend may be abusive. Soon, Penny’s family, the local police, and even the FBI are grilling Lil, and she decides to head out to Oregon, where Penny has mentioned an acquaintance. And who better to road-trip across the country with than Lil’s BFF, Josh. But here’s the thing: Lil loves Josh. And Josh doesn’t want to “ruin” their amazing friendship.

Josh has a car and his dad’s credit card. Lil has her cellphone and a hunch about where Penny is hiding. There’s something else she needs to find: Are she and Josh meant to be together?

After my senior year I took the "road trip" that Lil & Josh took so this was fun to read.  (Although my trip was with family and lasted full 7 weeks).  As they described the places they were visiting I kept thinking - been there, done that!

Don't Stop Now was a fun, quick read that I really enjoyed.  I liked the characters and found myself thinking about them when I was done reading.  With as crazy as my life has been it's been hard to find the desire or time to read, but this book hooked me and I want to know how the story ended so I spent a morning reading it.

My only complaint is that the ending was just too easy.  I'm a believer in fate and coincidence but I couldn't really buy how easily things all worked out - I've been to Portland and it's a big city - it just didn't seem plausible to me.  That said it was a fun enough read that I let myself suspend my disbelief enough to enjoy the ride.

Rating - 3.5 Stars - Good Book

Content - language especially at the start of the book, implied teen sex but no details, abuse but again no details

Source - From author for review as part of The Teen Book Scene Blog Tour

For all the tour stops please visit The Teen Book Scene