The Best Books Ever

Halloween is here and to celebrate we have a host of stories from Harper's Middle Grade line of books!  Our friend Deanna is here to give you a whole stack of mini reviews! Coraline by Neil Gaiman Coraline's often wondered what's behind the locked door in the drawing room. It reveals only a brick wall when she finally opens it, but when she tries again later, a passageway mysteriously appears. Coraline is surprised to find a flat decorated exactly like her own, but strangely different. And when she finds her "other" parents in this alternate world, they are much more interesting despite their creepy black button eyes. When they make it clear, however, that they want to make her theirs forever, Coraline begins a nightmarish game to rescue her real parents and three children imprisoned in a mirror. With only a bored-through stone and an aloof cat to help, Coraline confronts this harrowing task of escaping these monstrous creatures. Wow!

The Evolution of Mara Dyer By  Michelle Hodkin Published on October 23, 2012 Published by Simon & Schuster Source: ARC from publisher Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past. She can’t. She used to think her problems were all in her head. They aren’t. She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets. She’s wrong. In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next? So, I already admitted to being less than pleased with The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer . That was kind of a plus because I went in to reading its sequel, The Evolution of Mara Dyer , with much lower expectations.  Already knowing the characters and knowing what annoyed me, I was better prepared to be in a zen place while reading this one.  It mostly worked. Once again, I didn't love this book, either, but it was still interesting enough to

No Man's Land By  S.T. Underdahl Published on November 8, 2012 Published by Flux Source: Netgalley If life were a movie, Dov Howard's role would be Emo Kid/Family Loser. His brother Brian would star as Master of the Universe. But that's okay. Dov's got great friends-and possibly a new one named Scarlett. Like everyone else, Dov loves his brother and is thrilled when Brian, a National Guard soldier, is sent home in one piece. Then things get weird. Talking to his jumpy brother is like juggling grenades, and Dov can't help but notice Brian's new best friends: Jack Daniels and the pistol he sleeps with. What will it take for his family to wake up and see the ugly truth? I don’t often read contemporary YA novels, as I often  prefer my fiction to be a bit more escapist in nature.  Sometimes, real life can be enough of a downer that I don’t need my fiction to be full of kids experiencing huge problems or weird relationships or whatever.  If I’m going to

Decked with Holly By Marni Bates Published by Kensington Teen Published on September 25, 2012 Source: ARC from Publisher Summary taken from Goodreads: Holly Dayton is about to go way out of her comfort zone. . . Spending Christmas vacation on a cruise with her two cousins from hell isn't Holly's idea of a good time. And when in a moment of seasick-fueled desperation she lurches into an open suite--she's greeted with an eyeful of pepper spray. The culprit? A gorgeous guy calling himself Nick. But when Holly goes to make her exit, she gets the shock of her life: a corridor crammed with screaming teenage fans. Because Nick just happens to be Dominic Wyatt, drummer for ReadySet--one of the hottest bands in America. Suddenly rumors are swirling, and Holly's face is captured on countless phones and plastered all over the Internet. But the band can't risk a scandal destroying their family-friendly image, so Dominic convinces Holly to be his fake girlfriend--

About the Book: Anna Whitt, daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a claim. She’d been naive about a lot of things. Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind. When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and fac

Hello everyone!  Welcome to the YA Mythology Giveaway Hop stop here at Short and Sweet Reviews.  This is Coranne!  (waves hi) I am going to be honest.  I am pregnant, tired, and not willing to mess around- so let's just make this as easy as possible.  I am giving away a copy of Underworld by Meg Cabot.  It is the Advanced Reader's Copy.  I will even throw some swag in too!  This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL! a Rafflecopter giveaway

This week in Best Book Ever, I asked our contributors for books that maybe made you want to throw the book across the room, for one specific reason: a shocking death . Maybe it was shocking because you didn't think the author would kill character X, or maybe it was shocking because it was especially creepy. Spoilers abound, so be warned that you may be ruined for many plot points if you keep reading! .... No, really, you're about to be spoiled for MAJOR CHARACTER DEATHS for A LOT OF BOOKS.  Turn back now if you don't want to know!! As soon as you said "made you want to throw the book across the room," I knew what my answer would be. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE , by Anthony Burgess. This book makes me want to spit shrapnel. Really, it's hard to articulate the depth of my loathing for Alex, the narrator of this book, which also ties into your request for a "shocking death," because Alex and his friends gang-rape a woman so violently she later DIES

Vessel By Sarah Beth Durst Published by Margaret K McElderry Published on September 11, 2012 Source: ARC from publisher for review Summary taken from Goodreads: In a desert world of sandstorms and sand-wolves, a teen girl must defy the gods to save her tribe in this mystical, atmospheric tale from the author of  Drink, Slay, Love . Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.      Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the

The Song of Achilles By  Madeline Miller Published on August 28, 2012 Published by Ecco/HarperCollins Source: Finished copy from publisher Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful-- irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath. They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice. Let'

Shadow of the Mark By  Leigh Fallon Life for Megan Rosenberg just got a lot more complicated. While she evoked the air element, and her feelings for Adam intensified, a web of lies, deceit, and betrayal has been spun around her. With the Order tightening its hold, and the reinstatement of the Mark Knights, Megan has more questions than answers as the Marked Ones grow in strength. New people arouse suspicion, the DeRises start behaving strangely, and Megan begins to unravel a destiny shrouded in mystery. It?s a destiny the Order has struggled to hide, and a destiny someone from the past?far in the past, has already laid claim to. Alliances will be made, and friends will be lost, as the Order?s dark secrets are revealed by the very thing they sought to destroy Leigh's Thoughts about the Cover: I know, there's no mistaking it. This is definitely a Carrier Series  cover, but that was the intention. After the amazing reception to the  cover of Carrier

Iron Legends By  Julie Kagawa Published on August 28, 2012 Published by Harlequin Teen Source: Net Galley Enter the world of the internationally bestselling Iron Fey series. Dangerous faeries. Heartbreaking romance. Thrilling action and limitless adventure. The world of the fey has never been so powerful. This collection includes three novellas set in the world of the Iron Fey plus the Guide to the Iron Fey with exclusive information about Julie Kagawa's unforgettable world of Faery. Winter's Passage Never make a promise to a faery. They always come to collect. Now Meghan Chase must fulfill her promise to Prince Ash of the Winter Court and embark upon a dangerous journey into the heart of enemy territory—while being pursued by a relentless new foe and guarding her own foolish heart. Summer's Crossing What can turn enemies into reluctant allies? A call from the Exile Queen, Leanansidhe, ties legendary prankster Puck to his archenemy, Prince Ash, on a jou

The Lost Prince By  Julie Kagawa Published on October 23, 2012 Published by Harlequin Teen Source: Net Galley Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he'd dare to fall for. Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten. Can I say how glad I am that this book is the first in the series continuing to tell the story of the Iron Fey and the entire cast of characters we have come to love in the Iron Fey

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer By  Michelle Hodkin Published on September 27, 2011 Published by Simon & Schuster Source: Borrowed Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. It can. She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed. There is. She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love. She’s wrong.. When Coranne bestowed upon me an ARC of The Evolution of Mara Dyer , it meant I finally had the excuse I needed to dive into the first book of the series.  Woo, backlogged reading! And so I read it, and, well, I’m ambivalent about it.  At the end, I sort of sat back and said, “what in the world did I just read”?  It was a lot of pages and a lot of things happened but I still was mostly like “wait, what?”  I want to give this book five stars for the sheer creepy factor. I love a go