The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

Genre: Romance
Page Count: 375

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever. 

BRIE'S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally. But now that she's D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul . . . who just might hold the key to her forever after. 

With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

I wasn't really sure what to expect when I picked this book up.  I admit, I didn't think that she would actually be dead, I was expecting her to be metaphorically dead, not literally. But she actually does die (this isn't a spoiler, it happens within the first couple pages) and the storyline just picks up from there.

THE CHARACTERS:
I liked Brie.  I didn't connect with her very much, but I thought she was still a well-rounded and well-written character.  Her emotions and thoughts were all very logical in the situations she went in.

As for Patrick, he was probably my favorite character.  He was full of witty comebacks and I enjoyed reading the scenes when him and Brie would talk and argue.

THE PLOT:

It was seeming kind of predictable until the last fifty pages.  There's a giant twist that I definitely did not see coming.  The plot was also fast-paced, it never seemed very boring to me.  Something was always happening and each scene was there for a reason.

HEAVEN:

I really liked how the author depicted Heaven in this novel.  I won't talk too much about it because I don't want to spoil the wondrousness of it for you, but I liked the different ideas about what's up there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn

Genre: Dystopian / Sci-Fi
Page Count: 325

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.

Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.

I saw this on the Kindle Store and bought it right after reading the summary.  I loved the idea and as I began getting further and further into the story, I loved how it played out.  This story is not one of those typical Hunger-Games-Look-Alike, it's fresh and exciting.

THE MAIN CHARACTER:

Kira was a fun character to follow.  Since she can't read minds, she's discriminated against a lot in her school, so even within the first chapter, I felt for her and the hardships she deals with everyday.  She definitely developed through the story as more and more obstacles were thrown at her.

THE PLOT:

You may think the beginning is a little slow, but as soon as you get past those first couple chapters it's non-stop action and suspense and drama.  I loved it!  

The plot twisted in ways I didn't see coming at all and I loved how I never knew what was going to happen in the next chapter - it makes it so much fun to read!

~~~

I strongly recommend this book to sci-fi lovers, dystopian lovers, and really anybody who has an e-reader (it's only $2.99!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

The author of this book was touring in my area, so I picked up this book to read.  By looking at the summary, I was unsure whether or not to read this book; it's not the kind of book I would usually read.  There are tons of good reviews for this book though; so I picked it up.

This book completely exceeded my expectations!

I finished this book in less than 24 hours.  It was fast-paced -- there were barely any slow spots.  I loved the characters and the book is not exactly like the fairytale Cinderella like I was expecting -- it's actually quite different, which makes it really enjoyable and intriguing to read!
I recommend this to fans of YA sci-fi and fantasy.

Summary (from GoodReads):
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

~~~

~thespectacularbookworm

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

I really, really liked this book. At first I was unsure of it, but by the end I was dying for the sequel. The plotline is very original, and I loved the main characters Todd and Viola--you didn't really see into them at first, you didn't really know their story, but you soon learn more about them and I liked how the author did that. He kept you on the edge of your seat--this book is really fast-paced and it's just a really good dark dystopian fiction. I recommend it to fans of The Hunger Games, or if you want to get hooked on another YA series!

Summary (from GoodReads):
Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee -- whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not -- stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden -- a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives.

But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?

~~~

This book was a great way to start the year! 
Hopefully, 2013 will be full of spectacular books.

~thespectacularbookworm

The Scott Pilgrim Series! by Brian O'Malley

The first volume in the Scott Pilgrim series.

THIS SERIES WAS FANTASTIC. I read every single book within a week. First of all, all six volumes are graphic novels, and I loved the cartoon-style of it! It was a mixture of action, romance, and comedy and it was so fun to read. There's a movie, too (it was made in 2010) but I think the books are better, like always. I STRONGLY recommend this to people who like graphic novels, comedy, video games, action, and romance. You won't be disappointed.

Summary of Vol. 1 
(from GoodReads):
Scott Pilgrim's life is totally sweet. He's 23 years old, he's in a rock band,  he's "between jobs", and he's dating a cute high school girl. Nothing could possibly go wrong, unless a seriously mind-blowing, dangerously fashionable, rollerblading delivery girl named Ramona Flowers starts cruising through his dreams and sailing by him at parties. Will Scott's awesome life get turned upside-down? Will he have to face Ramona's seven evil ex-boyfriends in battle? The short answer is yes. The long answer is Scott Pilgrim, Volume 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life.

~~~~

The Series:
VOL. 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
VOL. 2: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
VOL. 3: Scott Pilgrim and the Infinite Sadness
VOL. 4: Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together
VOL. 5: Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe
VOL. 6: Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour

~~~~

For more info, visit the website.

~thespectacularbookworm

Paper Towns by John Green

First of all, I already knew John Green was a fantastic author from reading The Fault In Our Stars (and by the way, if you haven't read that yet, YOU SHOULD) and Paper Towns was a great book also!  I strongly recommend this for fans of John Green, fans of The Fault In Our Stars, fans of realistic fiction and/or fans of YA fiction!

Summary (from GoodReads):
Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life--dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge--he follows.

After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues--and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew.

Printz medalist John Green returns with the brilliant wit and searing emotional honesty that have inspired a new generation of readers.

~~

You should read it!

For more information, visit John Green's website.

~thespectacularbookworm

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Since I'm waiting for Cassandra Clare's City of Heavenly Fire (book six in The Mortal Instruments series which comes out in 2014) I decided to pick up the first book of her prequel series, The Infernal Devices. And it was amazing! I can honestly say that I liked this book more than City of Bones (book one in The Mortal Instruments series) and the characters were intriguing -- I could relate to Tessa, Jem's really nice and his past is quite sad, and Will seems to be keeping many secrets. I recommend this book for fans of urban fantasy, fans of steampunk, and fans of The Mortal Instruments series.

Summary (from GoodReads):
 

Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.
When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

~~

The Infernal Devices Trilogy

BOOK ONE: Clockwork Angel
BOOK TWO: Clockwork Prince
BOOK THREE: Clockwork Princess (RELEASES MARCH 19, 2013)
~~

~thespectacularbookworm



City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

CAUTION: This is the fifth book in The Mortal Instruments series. To see my review of the first one, click here.

So this book was really good! Definitely one of my favorites in the whole The Mortal Instruments series. This book was gripping --it's 534 pages and I finished it in just a few days. It was hard to put down and full of action, romance, and humor. I don't know what I'm going to do until the last book comes out (it doesn't come out until 2014). Well, as usual, I recommend this book for lovers of urban fantasy and The Mortal Instruments series. :)

Summary (from GoodReads):
  Jace is now a servant of evil, bound for all eternity to Sebastian. Only a small band of Shadowhunters believe he can be saved. To do this they must defy the Clave. And they must act without Clary. For Clary is playing a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace's soul. Clary is willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?




~~

The Mortal Instruments Series
BOOK ONE: City of Bones
BOOK TWO: City of Ashes
BOOK THREE: City of Glass
BOOK FOUR: City of Fallen Angels
BOOK FIVE: City of Lost Souls
BOOK SIX: City of Heavenly Fire (RELEASING IN MARCH 2014)

~~

~thespectacularbookworm

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

CAUTION: This is the third book in the Mortal Instruments series. To see my review of the first, click here. 

This book was so thrilling!  So far, it's my favorite in The Mortal Instruments series. There's action, romance, humor, vampires, faeries, warlocks, werewolves, and of course, Shadowhunters. The characters were all three-dimensional, the plotline was amazing, and it was just an all-around spectacular book! If you haven't read this series, and you love fantasy, you should read it as soon as possible! :]

Summary (from GoodReads):
To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.
As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost?
Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the final installment of the New York Times bestselling trilogy The Mortal Instruments.

~~~

The Mortal Instruments Series
BOOK ONE: City of Bones
BOOK TWO: City of Ashes
BOOK THREE: City of Glass
BOOK FOUR: City of Fallen Angels
BOOK FIVE: City of Lost Souls
BOOK SIX: City of Heavenly Fire (RELEASING IN MARCH 2014)

~~~

~thespectacularbookworm

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

CAUTION -- This book is the 2nd book in The Mortal Instruments series.  For info on the first, click here. Spoiler Alert for anyone who hasn't read City of Bones!

I liked this book much better than the first, so if you didn't like the first very much, DON'T GIVE UP ON THE SERIES.  I liked getting to know each character better, and there are so many nail-biting moments where I was on the edge of my seat anxious to see what would happen next.  I definitely recommend this to people who like YA and fantasy!

Summary (from GoodReads):
Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.

~~~

The Mortal Instruments Series
BOOK ONE: City of Bones
BOOK TWO: City of Ashes
BOOK THREE: City of Glass
BOOK FOUR: City of Fallen Angels
BOOK FIVE: City of Lost Souls
BOOK SIX: City of Heavenly Fire (RELEASING IN MARCH 2014)

~~~

~thespectacularbookworm

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

First of all, I thought this book was great! There were a few parts that I thought dragged on a bit, but otherwise it was very fast-paced and exciting!  There's everything: vampires, werewolves, fairies... I recommend this book for people who like fantasy. :)

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. . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

~~~
The Mortal Instruments Series
BOOK ONE: City of Bones
BOOK TWO: City of Ashes
BOOK THREE: City of Glass
BOOK FOUR: City of Fallen Angels
BOOK FIVE: City of Lost Souls
BOOK SIX: City of Heavenly Fire (RELEASING IN MARCH 2014)
~~~

Hope you enjoy the book as much as I did!

~thespectacularbookworm

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

I just finished this book today and it was amazing!  The plot is very original, and there's an ending that I didn't see coming!  It's a great mix of time-travel and romance.  If the cover's not enough to convince you to read this book, just read the summary!

Summary (from GoodReads):

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

~~~

What are you waiting for? Read it already! :)

~thespectacularbookworm

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

This is the new book by the author of "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" and I loved this book just as much as I loved Hugo (which is now out in theatres (as of today) -- I can't wait to go see it!

This story follows two children 50 years apart -- Rose's story told in pictures and Ben's story told in words.

Summary (from GoodReads):
Ben and Rose secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known. Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother's room and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing.

Set fifty years apart, these two independent stories--Ben's told in words, Rose's in pictures--weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. How they unfold and ultimately intertwine will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder. Rich, complex, affecting, and beautiful--with over 460 pages of original artwork--Wonderstruck is a stunning achievement from a uniquely gifted artist and visionary.
~~~
To learn more about Wonderstruck, click here.

~thespectacularbookworm

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

I read this book a while ago, but I remember loving it!!  When you first look at it, your first thought is - 'Wow, that's a big book' because it is.  526 pages, but half of the story is told in pictures.  I read this in just two days!  It sucked me in from the beginning.
I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a good, quick read... and plus, the movie's coming out in theatres on November 23rd, which is  Wednesday! 

Summary:
Hugo Cabret is a 12-year-old orphan, thief, and clock keeper, for he lives within the walls of a train station in Paris.  But when he meets a girl named Isabelle who has a key to his dead father's automaton, his world turns upside down as he and Isabelle try to decipher the secret.

For more information on the book, click here.
For more information on the movie, click here.

~thespectacularbookworm

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

WARNING!  This is Book 2 in the Hunger Games series.  If you are looking for Book 1, click here.  Spoiler alert for those who haven't read Book 1!

This is my favorite book in the Hunger Games trilogy.  I would strongly advise reading it, especially if you loved The Hunger Games. And if you haven't read the first one, it's in the making of a movie so you should read it before the movie comes out in early 2012!

Summary (from GoodReads):

Sparks are igniting, flames are spreading and the Capitol wants revenge. 

Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

In Catching Fire, the second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before...and surprising readers at every turn.

BOOK 1: THE HUNGER GAMES 
BOOK 2: CATCHING FIRE 
BOOK 3: MOCKINGJAY

~thespectacularbookworm