Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Summary Provided by Random House:
BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

Jennifer Donnelly, author of the award-winning novel A Northern Light, artfully weaves two girls’ stories into one unforgettable account of life, loss, and enduring love. Revolution spans centuries and vividly depicts the eternal struggles of the human heart.

My Thoughts: 
Revolution was wonderful! I can't even begin to tell you how truly amazing and touching this story was. I finished this book over two weeks ago and I still can not stop thinking about it! The second I finished it, I wanted to read it again. The characters were well-liked and the plot was original and entertaining. When I first heard about this book, I was skeptical. It seemed interesting but I wasn't sure if I wanted to take the time to read it. I then watched this video, and knew I had to read Revolution:

The book has the perfect blend of history, mixed in with the present. The story is told through the perspective of 17 year old, Andi. Her father moved away, her mother is distant and needs help, and Andi is dealing with the horrible death of her little brother which she believes is her fault. When her dad forces her to go to Paris with him for a few weeks, it is the last place she wants to be. While in Paris, Andi comes across the diary of a actress, Alexandrine Paradis, who lived during the time of The French Revolution. Through the diary, we get a first hand account of what happened before, during, and after The French Revolution, as well as the fate of a young boy, Louis-Charles, Prince of France. Louis-Charles story is a very sad one, and Andi relates his story, to her brother's untimely death.

There is not much I can say about this book except you MUST READ IT! Anything I write about Revolution will not do this book justice. The words flow seamlessly through the pages and you might think it would be hard to juggle the different story lines, but Donnelly does it effortlessly.

This book is a fascinating read! Lovers of YA books, adult books, and history books alike will enjoy this beautiful story.

Love, Kristina

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

Summary Provided by Sourcebooks:
Would you risk everything for someone you just met?
What if he had a secret worth killing for?
Welcome to a future where water is more precious than oil or gold...
Hundreds of millions of people have already died, and millions more will soon fall-victims of disease, hunger, and dehydration. It is a time of drought and war. The rivers have dried up, the polar caps have melted, and drinkable water is now in the hands of the powerful few. There are fines for wasting it and prison sentences for exceeding the quotas.
But Kai didn't seem to care about any of this. He stood in the open road drinking water from a plastic cup, then spilled the remaining drops into the dirt. He didn't go to school, and he traveled with armed guards. Kai claimed he knew a secret-something the government is keeping from us...
And then he was gone. Vanished in the middle of the night. Was he kidnapped? Did he flee? Is he alive or dead? There are no clues, only questions. And no one can guess the lengths to which they will go to keep him silent. We have to find him-and the truth-before it is too late for all of us.


My Thoughts: 
The Water Wars takes place in a future where water is very, very limited. Many people get sick because of the fake water they are forced to drink. Real water is only available to the rich. The United States is split into territories who are at war with each other to gain control of what little water is available (see map below).  The Earth is slowly dying because of the many abuses that it has suffered throughout the years from its inhabitants. Told in the perspective of 16 year old Vera, who, with her older brother Will, go across the country to find their friend, Kai. Kai has a special power that allows him to smell water, making him important and always in danger.

This book actually terrified me. Everyday we destroy our planet more and the future seen in this book, can very well be our future. This book raises an important issue. We need to be aware of what we are doing to our environment, and we need to protect Earth while we still can. I was still thinking about the story a few days after I finished it and started to become more aware of what I do. If every person who reads this book can do that, we might still have a chance. 

Taking the terrifying part aside, I really enjoyed this book. Vera and Will met some interesting people along their journey, some became friends, like the pirates (I love pirates by the way!) and some tried to kill them. Actually, a lot of people tried to kill them. Once I started the book, I couldn't put it down until I knew everyone was going to be safe, which sadly wasn't always the case.

I love books that gives you visuals of where the book is taking place. This is a map of North America in the future:

I would recommend this book to environmentalists, as well as anyone who enjoys a good story!

Love, Kristina

I Am Number Four

Summary Provided by Harper Collins: 
Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real.
Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. we have lived among you without you knowing.
But they know.
They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They killed them all.
I am Number Four.
I am next. 

My Thoughts:
So in an earlier post, I talked about how I buy books based on the cover. Again, this is one of those books. I mean honestly, how hot does Alex Pettyfer look in this picture? Really, just beautiful! So, anyway, after staring at the cover for a few minutes, I picked up the book and it just seemed like a really interesting plot. I knew a movie was coming out too, and I like to read the book before I see the movie. This book did not disappoint at all! The characters were well-developed, and the plot was exciting, funny, and sad, all at the same time.

The book is about "Number Four", he has many alias, currently his name is John Smith. John and his mentor/father figure/friend, Henri, are aliens who come from the planet, Lorien. They keep themselves hidden, and move around from place to place to keep the Mogadorians from finding them. The Mogadorians are the evil aliens who destroyed Lorien and now want to destroy Earth.

John never had any friends. He could not get close to anyone for fear of them learning who and what he really is. When him and Henri move to Paradise, Ohio all that changes. He becomes friends with Sam, a sweet nerd who is obsessed with aliens and starts dating, Sarah, the perfect all-American girl. I really loved John's character. Even though he was an alien with super powers, he still felt like every other teenager. He just wanted to belong. He wanted to live a normal life, but knew it was not possible.

I Am Number Four is a really good book. I would recommend it to anyone. It has a little something of everything in it. The second book in the Lorien Legacies series, The Power of Six comes out later this year. I can't wait to spend time with John again.

Anyone interested in the movie? Here is the trailer for the upcoming film: 

Love, Kristina

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Summary Provided by Harper Collins:
Here’s the deal: Aunt Peg, the New York artist and the person Ginny Blackstone depended on to make her life interesting, took off to Europe without a word three years ago. Aside from a few postcards, Ginny hasn’t heard much. Then she gets a horrible phone call that changes everything.
But the story is only beginning. Soon after, Ginny receives one little blue envelope from Aunt Peg containing a thousand dollars and some very strange instructions… 
 And with that, she is sent off to pick up a package containing twelve similar envelopes, which she can open one by one, as instructed. Each letter contains a task that Ginny must perform.
 Soon, the mild-mannered and quiet Ginny (who’s barely made it out of New Jersey before) finds herself running from London to Paris to Rome, and beyond. Along the way, she collects a number of new friends, including: a manager from Harrods department store who runs errands for the rich and famous, a handsome but maddening thief-turned-playwright, a celebrity painter who tattoos the names of her dead pets on her body, and the angriest vegetable salesman in all of France.
 As time goes on, Ginny realizes that her aunt has sent her on a mission, and that there is something big waiting for her in the thirteenth envelope. All she has to do is make it from place to place and complete all of the tasks that have been set before her.
 As if life is that easy.

My Thoughts:
When I bought this book at Barnes & Noble the other day, I thought it would be just a cute, short and sweet book. It was much more then that. This story is about finding yourself, and trusting yourself with the choices that you make. I finished this book in less than a day.  

The story begins with the first letter from Aunt Peg to her niece, Ginny. She instructs Ginny to read the letters and do what she tells her to do in each one. Once the task in the letter is completed, Ginny is able to read the next one. The letters take Ginny to NYC, London, Scotland, Paris, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Italy, and the beaches of Greece. Throughout the trip, Ginny gains friendship, love, and family.

I loved this story. It was a surprise hit for me!

Love, Kristina

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Summary Provided by Little Brown Books:

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for? 

My Thoughts:  

I'm a person who buys books because of their covers and this is one of those books. The cover is gorgeous!  I read the inside flap and was intrigued. I thought it was interesting that the author, Jackson Pearce, took a classic fairy tale and put her own spin on it. The book follows two sisters, Scarlett and Rosie March as they come to terms with what happened when they were children and they deal with it by kicking the crap out of and killing the Fenris. One particular Fenris murdered their grandmother, and before he was able to hurt Rosie, older sister Scarlett fought him off, losing her right eye in the process. The book is written in Rosie and Scarlett's point of view, and Silas, their neighbor, is a secondary, but very important character. Honestly though, Silas was the only character I actually liked. I wish we were able to see his POV too. I enjoyed his personality a lot. While I liked the bond between the two sisters, I found them both equally annoying. 

Scarlett, Rosie, and Silas leave their small town in GA and movie to a dirty, small apartment in Atlanta so they can find, and kill the Fenris before they are able to make more wolves. Scarlett feels that since she knows that wolves exist, it is her responsibility to kill as many as possible so they are not able to murder anymore young girls. Rosie is not as passionate for the cause. She does it because she believes she owes it to her sister to hunt since Scarlett saved her life when they were children. Silas on the other hand, has known about the Fenris for most of his life, and while he also fights, he knows it is just as important to have a life outside of hunting.  

For me, the book got really good the last hundred pages are so. Before that, I was reading, hoping that it will get more exciting. There were many action scenes, as well as adorable flirting scenes between Silas and Rosie, but I was still waiting for more. I wanted a big plot twist, then BAM! Jackson Pearce gave it to me and I couldn't put it down!! 

I would recommend this story and I am looking forward to her next book, Sweetly. Last night, I finished As You Wish, and I can't wait to talk about it! I loved it!

Love, Kristina

I Bought Lots of Books!!

All I have been doing lately is buying books!! My friends think I have a problem. I've read four of them already in the past week. Reviews to follow soon!!

 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

 Split by Swati Avassthi

 The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

 Wish by Alexandra Bullen

 As You Wish by Jackson Pearce

 The Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

 Choker by Elizabeth Woods

 Across The Universe by Beth Revis

Love, Kristina

The Iron Daughter and Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa

Summary Provided by Harlequin Teen:
Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.


My Thoughts:
Loved, loved, loved this book! The Iron Daughter is the second book in The Iron Fey series. I love Meghan. I love Puck, also known as Robin Goodfellow to all you Midsummer Nights Dreams fans out there. And I loveeeeee Ash!! I never join "teams" when it comes to love triangles, but I am Team Ash all the way! In The Iron Daughter it's up to Meghan, Puck, and Grimalkin to stop a new Iron King (or the false Iron King to some of the iron fey), save Ash from the Iron in his brain that is slowly killing him, and turning him into a monster, and stop a war between the Winter and Summer Faery Courts.

The Iron Daughter had a fast-paced plot that was really enjoyable. I started the book Saturday, during my lunch break at work and finished it on Sunday. The third book, The Iron Queen will be available January 25. I plan on buying it right away and devouring it. The sad thing is I already know the ending, but that's ok, I will still enjoy the book.

After I read The Iron Daughter, I found out that Julie Kagawa wrote an in-between novella which takes places between book 1, The Iron King and this book. I downloaded it right away on my nook. It's called The Winter's Passage, and is a quick read about Ash and Meghan's trip to Tir Na Nog.

Summary Provided by Goodreads:
Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck--Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon--who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey. Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter--a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat....

My Thoughts: 

I wish I knew about this mini book before I read The Iron Daughter. Kagawa delivers to her fans a fun, and exciting read and I highly recommend reading it. 

Love, Kristina

Stefan's Diaries-Volume 2 Bloodlust

Summary Provided By Harper Teen: 

A new beginning . . .

When Stefan Salvatore's first love turned him into a vampire, his world—and his soul—were destroyed. Now he and his brother, Damon, must flee their hometown, where they risk being discovered . . . and killed.

The brothers head to New Orleans, looking for safe haven. But the city is more dangerous than they ever imagined, full of other vampires—and vampire hunters. Will Stefan's eternal life be forever damned?

Based on the popular CW TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan's Diaries reveals the truth about what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine—and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began. 

My Thoughts:
Shortly after the television show, The Vampire Diaries began, I read the original series from LJ Smith and I hated it. I hated the characters and I hated the plot. I was even stupid enough to read the next Vampire Diaries series, The Return, and that was even worse. I love the show so much though, actually I'm borderline obsessed with it. Everything I hated about the original series, I love about the show. I think Damon and Stefan are my favorite vampires out there today, and I love that Elena is not your typical teenage girl who would die without her vampire love (aka-Bella). Elena is a kick-ass strong character who loves her friends and family and would do anything to protect them.
 

Since I hated the original series, but love the television show so much I wasn't sure if I should read Stefan's Diaries, which is based on the Stefan from the TV show, who became a vampire in 1865 in Mystic Falls, instead of the Stefan who became a vampire in 1600's Italy. Then I received an advanced copy of Stefan's Diaries-Volume 1: Origins, which is about Stefan's life before he met Katherine, up to when he became a vampire. I decided to give the series a try.

I was disappointed with Origins. There were too many inconsistencies with the television show. Season 1 had many flashbacks (my favorite scenes!), and since the book was supposed to be based on what we have seen, what we already know, with new added information, it angered me that the book did not keep with the same information as the television show.

Anyway, I decided to still give Bloodlust a chance, and I enjoyed it a lot! It begins two weeks after Stefan and Damon become vampires. Stefan is feeding on the local girls he used to be friends with, and Damon refuses to eat anything. It was really interesting to see Damon being the "good" vampire. On the show he acts like he doesn't care about anyone, or anything, but that isn't true. He just does not let people see his insecurities. One scene in Bloodlust really struck me as ironic:
          "Vampires kill. It's what we do brother," I said calmly, my gaze locking on Damon's blue eyes.
           "It's what you do," he said. "Not me, Never me." (p. 46)
For anyone who watches the show, Damon and Stefan are the opposite of what they say right here. Damon is the monster who doesn't care who he hurts, and Stefan is the brooding, emo one, who will only eat deers and squirrels.

In Bloodlust, Stefan and Damon head to New Orleans where Stefan meets his BFF Lexi!!!! I was so excited to learn how they became friends. Ever since Lexi was staked by Damon in season 1, I wanted to learn more about her, and be able to spend more time with Lexi and Stefan together!

In Bloodlust we learn how and why this switch between the brothers occurred. I would recommend this book to any hardcore Vampire Diaries fan. You don't really need to read the first volume, unless you want too, but it isn't a necessity if you know the TV show.

Love, Kristina

I wish I lived in the UK

It's reasons like this that make me wish I lived in the UK. These are the covers of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series in the UK. Aren't they gorgeous!

I finally bought Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly!

I watched this video of Jennifer Donnelly discussing her new book, and five minutes later I had a receipt from Borders.com stating it will be in my mailbox in 3-5 days. I can not wait to dive right into Revolution. It sounds so interesting!

Love, Kristina

Hush, Hush & Crescendo Thoughts

I read Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick last year and really, really enjoyed it, but then I kind of forgot about it. Not that there was a reason I forgot about it, it was just one of those things that got pushed to the back of my mind. All of a sudden, Crescendo is in bookstores and I remembered how much I loved the first one, so I picked this one up and read it right away, and OH MY GOD, it was amazing. Patch was as sexy as ever, though kind of a jerk (he had his reasons, which we find out at the end) and the plot was so engaging that I read it in one night because I could not put it down! Nora bothered me a bit, I had the urge to slap her a bunch of times. Example: (note: using my own words)

Patch: Why are you so angry? I just don't feel that way about you.

Nora: I'm not angry. I will throw this lamp at you. I hate you.

Patch leaves, and Nora's inner monologue goes something like this: I love him, I hate him, WAHHHH, why didn't I tell him I love him, I hate him, I just want to hold him, I hate him, WAHHHH.

Me: OMG, Nora, Shut-up!

Scenes like this happened a few different times, but the plot was so amazing, it didn't make me think anything less of the book. It was just Nora being a normal teenage girl, with a ridiculously hot, angel  boyfriend. 

It ended on a cliffhanger (of course) and the third book should be out sometime this year (YAY!)

I sent away for a signed bookplate to put in Crescendo, and the awesome Becca Fitzpatrick sent two, along with a signed postcard and note for me.

Love, Kristina

Pacazo by Roy Kesey

Summary Provided by Dzanc Books: 
Roy Kesey's riveting debut novel tells the story of John Segovia, an American historian who teaches English at a small university in Piura, on the desert coast of Peru. The narrative moves between John's obsessive search for his wife's killer and his attempts to build a new life for himself and his infant daughter. The storms of El Niño--three months of savage rains, insect plagues and collapsed bridges--and the ghosts of history that stalk the sands of the Sechura Desert give this novel the sweep of an epic tale. Throughout, Pacazo explores and celebrates the many ways in which we construct the stories we tell of ourselves and those we love. It gives living form to anger and fear and desire, to courage and kindness and strength, and in so doing confirms Roy Kesey as one of the most innovative and compelling American writers working today.

My Thoughts: 
Pacazo was the January selection for The Rumpus Book Club where subscribers get the book a month before publication.This was also the first Rumpus book with a super cool "A Rumpus Book Club Selection of the Month" seal on it. It made us feel kind of important in the literacy world. Anyway, the book was 531 pages, but for some reason Goodreads had it listed as 400 pages. My main issue with this book was that I believe it should have been 400 pages. There were too many wasteful moments that could have been spent discussing other things, or taken out of the novel completely. Pacazo  is about a man named, John Segovia, who 300 days ago lost his wife, Pilar, after she was raped, beaten and left for dead in a Peruvian desert. John is left heartbroken and angry and tries to deal with his pain while raising his 11 month old daughter, Mariángel. The last time he saw his wife, she was getting into a "taxista" (which is basically a Spanish taxi), headed to the market. The only thing John remembers about the taxista is the license plate which started with a "P" (ironically, the first letter of his wife's name), and ended with a 22 (her age). Wherever John goes he searches for the taxista with this license plate. I had the impression that we were going to suffer along with John. We would grieve with him, and watch how his grief turned into anger. But John is already angry, actually he's crazy and in chapter 1, kills a taxista driver with the license plate beginning with a P, and ending with a 22, who may or may not have killed his wife. We watch him go deeper and deeper into madness trying to find his wife's killer(s?). The interesting thing about this novel is Kesey weaves history into the plot. The beginning of the sentence he is talking about the present, and all of sudden, using a conjunctive jump, added Peruvian history. Being a history nerd, I enjoyed reading these bits, but I thought that sometimes it was too much, and would have much rather read about John and his struggles. This is a story about tragedy, love, language, regret, and revenge. It was a powerful story, and without giving anything a way, I enjoyed the ending, and as a reader, I received some closure and was left with hope. Overall, a good read. Oh, and if anyone is wondering what a Pacazo is, here is a picture of one:

Love, Kristina

Books I'm excited for in 2011!!

There are so many books that I am looking forward to read in 2011. These are the ones I am super excited for! They are in the order of their release date.  

The Iron Queen: January 25, 2011. I didn't even read The Iron Daughter yet, and I know I can't wait for the third book in the series.

The Red Garden: January 25, 2011. Anything written by the amazing Alice Hoffman is going to be a good read!

Cryer's Cross: February 8, 2011. I first heard about this book on The Well-Read Wife. Her review made me want to read this book as soon as I possibly could! Her review on Cryer's Cross can be found here.

City of Fallen Angels: April 5, 2011. I am so excited that Cassandra Clare has decided to continue The Mortal Instrument series. I wasn't ready to leave Jace, Clary, Simon, and the rest of the gang behind just yet. And just look at the beautiful cover!

Red Glove: April 5, 2011. Two great books in 1 day! This is going to be an exciting day for book lovers everywhere. I really enjoyed White Cat, and I can't wait to see what is going to happen to Cassel is the second book.

Stefan's Diaries Volume 3-The Craving: May 3, 2011. I'm not so much of a fan of The Vampire Diaries book series, but I am obsessed with the TV show. These books are cute, easy reads that take place before the show begins.

The Demon's Surrender: June 14, 2011. In an earlier post, I discussed how much I enjoyed the second book of the series, The Demon's Covenant. I can't wait to find how it ends. I just hope Alan, Nick, and Jamie are safe and don't die. I don't think I will be able to take that.

Forever: July 12, 2011. I've already told you how much I love The Wolves of Mercy Falls series! Shiver and Linger were on my top five books I've read in 2010, and I can't wait for Forever. I need a happy ending!! I also love the covers, they are so simple and beautiful.

A Little Harmless Obsession: August 2, 2011. I've already bought this book by Melissa Schroeder on my nook, but in August it will be released in paperback. This is actually the third book in the Harmless series. If you're a romance lover, you will really enjoy these books. Who doesn't love a book with a sexy lead man!!

Clockwork Prince: August 31, 2011. This is the second book that Cassandra Clare is releasing in 2011! I can not be excited enough that the release date was pushed up a month sooner. I am obsessed with Clockwork Angel and I'm looking forward to see where she goes with Tessa, Jem, and Will! I also can't wait to see the final cover!

Love, Kristina

The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan

Summary provided by Simon & Schuster:  
Mae Crawford's always thought of herself as in control, but in the last few weeks her life has changed. Her younger brother, Jamie, suddenly has magical powers, and she's even more unsettled when she realizes that Gerald, the new leader of the Obsidian Circle, is trying to persuade Jamie to join the magicians. Even worse… Jamie hasn't told Mae a thing about any of it. Mae turns to brothers Nick and Alan to help her rescue Jamie, but they are in danger from Gerald themselves because he wants to steal Nick's powers. Will Mae be able to find a way to save everyone she cares about from the power-hungry magician's carefully laid trap?

My Thoughts:
The Demon's Covenant is the sensational follow up to The Demon's Lexicon. This book follows brothers, Alan and Nick as they struggle with Nick's new demon powers, as well as twins, Jamie and Mae, who are dealing with problems of their own. Jamie's one-liners in this book were hilarious and his character has evolved so much since when we last saw him. I'm not sure if this is because Jamie has opened up more around Alan and Nick, who saved his life in the last book, or he is becoming more confident in his abilities as a magician. In Brennan's world, magicians=bad, and many covenants are trying to recruit Jamie, much to the dismay of Mae, Alan, and Nick. One thing I absolutely love about these books is the brotherly dynamic between Alan and Nick. **Spoilers for The Demon's Lexicon** We learn in the last book that Alan and Nick aren't actually blood brothers. Alan's dad took Nick and Nick's mother in, and Nick always believed that this was his father. Only Alan knew the truth. Oh, and there was also this tiny issue that Nick is actually a demon, who, with the help of an evil magician, possessed Nick's dead baby body. So basically, even though Alan is the sweetest guy you would ever meet who has lied to his brother his entire life to protect him, and Nick is a demon incapable of any emotions or feelings, loves his brother, in his own, messed-up demon way. I just love the scenes when the two of them are together, and I love how much they care about each other. I would recommend this book to anyone in need of an amazing read! The third, and final book in this series is scheduled to be released June 14, 2011 and is called The Demon's Surrender.

Love, Kristina

Books I bought and can't wait to read!

I buy a lot of books, either in paper form or on my nook! This is what I bought in the last two weeks! They are in no particular order.


Stefan's Diaries Volume 2: Bloodlust

 The Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer By Lucy Weston

I Am Number Four By James Frey

 










The Iron Daughter By Julie Kagawa

 








Paranormalcy By Kiersten White

Sisters Red Jackson Pearce

The Lying Game By Sara Shepard

Perfect Chemistry By Simone Elkeles

Lady Lazarus By Andrew Foster Altschul

Nicholas Dane By Melvin Burgess

Panopticon By David Bajo