Review: Mini Shopoholic by Sophie Kinsella

Plot: Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) thought motherhood would be a breeze and that having a daughter was a dream come true - a shopping friend for life! But it's trickier than she thought - two-year-old Minnie has a quite different approach to shopping. She can create havoc everywhere from Harrods to Harvey Nicks to her own christening. She hires taxis at random, her favourite word is 'Mine', and she's even started bidding for designer bags on ebay. On top of everything else, there's a big financial crisis. People are having to Cut Back - including all of Becky's personal shopping clients - and she and Luke are still living with Becky's Mum and Dad. To cheer everyone up, Becky decides to throw a surprise birthday party - on a budget - but then things become really complicated. Who will end up on the naughty step, who will get a gold star and will Becky's secret wishes come true?

My opinion: Sophie Kinsella-s Shopoholic-series is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. I have followed Rebecca Bloom Wood ever since the first book Confessions of a Shopaholic eas released in Swedish paperback in 2006 and have gotten to experience great things in her life: marriage, new job, baby. And this latest book is supposed to be about Rebecca's daughter according to the blurb.

I find this book to have a little more serious and darker undertones than normal; not even in the Rebecca Blomwoods universe can one escape the financial crisis. But Rebecca Bloom Wood must be at least partially, cat, because no matter what obstacles she encounters, she always lands on two feet. My favorite part, which recurs in all the books, are the at first very polite but at the end more and more frustrated letter Rebecca get from banks, shops and so on. In this book she receives such a letter from the Treasury, with a polite thanks but no thanks for her tips on the government finances. Epic.

Like the previous books in the series, this one is also easy to get into and hard to put down. A more light read than this is hard to find, and although I sometimes get a little angry with Rebecca for never being able to stop spending money, I still like here. In the future, if there will be another book in the series, I will definitely read it.

Review: Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

The plot: From the moment she sets foot at her new school in Ireland, Megan is inexplicably drawn to the darkly handsome Adam DeRis. But Megan soon discovers that her feelings for Adam are tied to a supernatural fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that unites them could be their ultimate destruction.  (Summary from goodreads.com)

My opinion: I’ve been holding back on reading this novel on purpose because I had read ecstatic reviews on it, but I’ve really been struggling with it. It’s taken me over two weeks to finish it, which is a long time for me. With a good book I read at every opportunity, but this one has spent most of its time lying in the bathroom. I even forgot to bring it to work to reads on the train there.

Although I usually frown upon the fact that everything paranormal is to be compared to Twilight (though it’s lessened somewhat as of lately) but when reading this novel I couldn’t help but doing it too. It’s just too evident. First there are the mysterious siblings at school that everyone’s sort of suspicious about. Then there’s the I-should-stay-away-from-you-but-I’m-not-strong-enough á la Edward Cullen and after that the professing of their undying love for one another after having know each other for what, two weeks? However, Twilight for me, though perhaps not Nobel Prize material, made me feel. I felt their love and their pain, but sadly this novel didn’t do anything in that department. There was no chemistry on the page.

That said, reading it was perhaps not a complete waste of time. The world building was sound and Megan was a likable character. I was intrigued by the mythological element of the Marks. Ancient prophecies are always great. Had the book circled more around that than the Megan-Adam love story, it probably would’ve been much better.

If you loved Twilight and want to read the same story again, this might be the book for you. If you loved Twilight but want to read books with other storylines this is not. Personally I will not pick up the next installment in the series.

Review: Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

The plot: When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now. (Summary from goodreads.com)

My opinion: Perhaps since I was absolutely breath-taken with the first Simone Elkeles novel I read, Perfect Chemistry, I had a bit too high expectations of this second novel. Don't get my wrong, I though it was great, but it didn't knock me out of my socks like the first one did. 

The plot and the Romeo and Juliet theme is rather similar to Perfect Chemistry as well as the macho attitude of the male MC. It just didn't feel unique, but then again, I hadn't expected that. Elkeles uses the same writing technique of altering POV's letting us enter both their heads, which makes me fly through a novel in no time. After all, I finished this page turner in less than two days only reading on the train to work and before going to bed.

For a YA novel, the sex scenes were pretty graphic. Up until now I've never seen myself as a prude but during the time I've read this novel I've had to reconsider. I was at times almost embarrassed when reading it, especially when I read it on the train on my way for work the other day. But, as much sex as there was in this book, I missed some of the heartbreaking romance from the first novel. The falling in love part just went a bit too... fast this time.

Although not as good as its predecessor, Rules of Attraction is definitely well worth reading and I'll definitely read the third and final (?) novel abut the Fuentes brothers.

Review: I'd tell you I love you but then I'd have to kill you by Ally Carter

The plot: The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women lives up to its name. Not only does this exclusive boarding school teach advanced language skills and correct deportment; its students also master the arts of tapping phones, hacking into computers, and spying in public places. At school, second-generation Gallagher Girl Cammie Morgan has impeccable credentials: She is fluent in 14 languages and able to kill an assailant in seven different ways. But recently life has dealt Cammie a card that she never anticipated: She has fallen in love with an ordinary boy who knows nothing about her exotic double life. A truly covert romance. (Summary from goodreads.com)

My opinion: The title is obviously great (just as the sequels') and the covers with the tartan boarding school skirts are awesome too and what got me to want to read the novel in the first place. But what about the content?

This is a light and funny read. A very funny one. On more than one occasion, I've found myself laughing quietly to myself while reading. It is Cammie’s voice that makes this novel fun, for me. She's a teenager without being annoying. She’s ironic, sarcastic and utterly funny. 

“Number of empty Ben & Jerry's ice cream containers: 3 - two mint chocolate cookie, one plain vanilla. (Who buys plain vanilla ice cream from Ben & Jerry's, anyway? Is there a greater waste?)”

And although a super spy, Cammie's just as insecure about herself as any other teenage girl, making her easy to relate to. Add her falling for a "normal" boy and trying to get him without compromising her school and her spy identity.

I adore the spy boarding school setting of the Gallagher Academy, and the girls being female James Bonds. Talk about girl power! In a very small way it reminds me of Harry Potter, but only in the sense that they attend a specialized boarding school special subjects (spy-connected ones) instead of ordinary ones, except for foreign languages I suppose, although there are unusually many of them. As a language teacher myself I especially appreciate the boards in the lunch room telling the students what language to speak in. Or how Cammie sometimes is unsure what language she actually spoke just then. (There I can relate although I'm only speaking three languages.)

As I started by saying, this is a light and funny read and I'm definitely gonna check out the next installment in the series.

Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

The plot: Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited? (Summary from goodreads.com)

My opinion: I have yet to encounter someone who's read Anna and the French Kiss and didn't love it. Of course, I am no exception though it took me long enough to get to it. I absolutely adored this novel and it was well worth its wait. I hardly know what to write that won't be just a massive chunk of superlatives. For a romance lover like myself, this book has it all. Paris. A main character to feel for and to relate to. A wonderful leading man. A believable love story that progresses in a normal way. A few bumps in the road. A happy end. 

...just read the fricking book already!!!

Review: Blue dahlia by Nora Roberts

Plot: Trying to escape the ghosts of the past, young widow Stella Rothchild, along with her two energetic little boys, has moved back to her roots in southern Tennessee-and into her new life at Harper House and In the Garden nursery. She isn't intimidated by the house-nor its mistress, local legend Roz Harper. Despite a reputation for being difficult, Roz has been nothing but kind to Stella, offering her a comfortable new place to live and a challenging new job as manager of the flourishing nursery. As Stella settles comfortably into her new life, she finds a nurturing friendship with Roz and with expectant mother Hayley. And she discovers a fierce attraction with ruggedly handsome landscaper Logan Kitridge.

But someone isn't happy about the budding romance...the Harper Bride. As the women dig into the history of Harper House, they discover that grief and rage have kept the Bride's spirit alive long past her death. And now, she will do anything to destroy the passion that Logan and Stella share... (Summary from goodreads.com)

My opinion: Sometimes I just need a break from all YA and love triangles and with Nora Roberts you always know what you will get - and from time to time that's exactly what I need. Although as predictable as ever, three strong and beautiful women befriending each other and finding themselves having to cooperate to finish as task, Nora Roberts still manage to keep my interest up during the course of the novel. I always like the supernatural elements of Roberts' novels and this is no exception. I am really curious to see who the Harper Bride is and what she wants. Being a history buff I can also appreciate that the answer most probably is to find in history.

Nora Roberts trilogies really are guilty pleasure of mine and I'll keep reading them when I need a break from the YA stuff. Not only does this novel contain great gardening tips (at least if you live in the American South and don't have as cold as climate as we do here) but also a ghost story and a steaming romance. After having read almost merely YA for a while now, I had forgotten how graphic the act of making love is depicted in books written for adults. I bet I was blushing while reading parts of the book. That won't stop me from devouring the other two books in the trilogy though, I'm sure.

Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

The plot: Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything. 

(Summary from goodreads.com)

My opinion: I'm sad to report that I was somewhat disappointed with this novel. I had expected more from it. The novel started out great and I was hooked from page one, but then the pace was just too slow and I started losing interest.

Also, the romance aspect of the novel did nothing for me, and given the fact that I am a great admirer of love stories I was a bit bummed out. As it sadly too often happens in YA, the love story progressed too fast and the two lovebirds started sharing their undying love for one another like the day after they met and I didn't buy it. What's wrong with letting one's characters fall in love like normal people? I also didn't care that much about if the ended up together or not, which basically is death for a literary character in my book.

On the upside, what did I like about the novel was a male MC, the somewhat unique premise and the world building, it was intriguing. I do understand the need for detail when building a new world with so much lore, I really do, but this is a case of details gone wild. There's just too much of it and the pace suffers. I found myself skimming through large chunks of text to get somewhere. I finished it though, more out of some kind of "obligation" than actual interest.

If the authors had chopped about a third of the novel, i.e. all unnecessary details, thus pacing the story a bit, it might have been an excellent book, but now it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Review: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

The plot: When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. 

So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.  In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart. (Summary from goodreads.com)

My opinion: If I was to sum up this novel with only one word, that word would be AH-MAZING! And for someone who generally thinks that she's not that into contemporary novels that is saying a lot. Another word that also comes to minds in connection with this novel is unputdownable, because that is exactly what it was. I started reading it on Thursday when riding the train to work and finished it on Friday after getting home from work. On Thursday night I stayed up over an hour later than planned just because it couldn't put the book down. It was highly addictive! I even caught myself thinking about it at multiple times during work on Friday.

This love story for me was incredibly intense, and extraordinarily well-written. The sexual tension was excellently executed and thus very believable. I found myself having butterflies in my stomach on more than one occasion while reading.

I am generally in favor of stories told from two different POV's and so also with this novel. Having the privilege of getting to be inside both MC's adds to the story, I find, because then one can get to see and understand feelings and reactions from both sides. This writing technique is also very efficient in making me cover many pages in one sitting because I always want to go to the next MC and see how he/she reacts to what just happened. All the time with this novel, I had to force myself not to read "just one more chapter"...

So all in all, I can't wait to take on the other two Fuentes boys... were it not for my sad lack of book funding this month. Oh well. Christmas is soon here.

Review: Epic fail by Clair LaZebnik

The plot: Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail? At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point: As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects. As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list. 

When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long. (Summary from goodreads.com)

My opinion: I was very eager to get started with this novel, seeing as Pride & Prejudice is one of my all-time favorite novels (and not to mention the 1995 BBC miniseries. Colin Firth... yum). I just had do read this modern take on it.

For me, this novel was somewhat of a Catch 22. I'll explain what I mean. A big part of why I really enjoyed this novel was that it is based on P&P. I spent a considerably large amount of the reading time trying to figure out who corresponds to whom in the original story and the same for the plot really. I was a little bit lite detective work, and I enjoyed it very much indeed. But I also think it might have limited the actual story in the novel, having read the 'original' so many times and knowing it so well. However, as highly entertaining as I found it to try and link the characters and events of this novel to those of P&P, it also kind of made me lose focus on this story. I spent too much time comparing and not enough actually reading this story for what it was. Thus my Catch 22 moment.

Review: The Single Girl's To-Do List by Lindsey Kelk

Plot: A hilarious and romantic standalone novel from the bestselling author of the I Heart series Rachel Summers lives every area of her life according to a to-do list and so far, she is ticking most things off. She has a job she loves (make-up artist to the stars), the perfect boyfriend, a cosy London flat and a fantastic circle of friends. All that remains on her life to-do list is to get married, have a baby and live happily ever after. Simple. Well, not quite! Suddenly, Rachel's perfect boyfriend wants to take a break. She's convinced it's just cold feet but when the break turns into a split, her best friends Emelie and Matthew step in and come up with the ultimate heartbreak cure -- the single girl's to-do list, the top ten things Rachel must see and do to kick-start her fabulous, new single life. But nothing can prepare her for the adventures that unfold as the to-do list takes them all over town and even abroad, and proves to all three that love is out there if you're willing to take a chance! (Summary from goodreads.com)

My opinion: Before I read Twilight and found the whole YA scene (about 2,5 years ago-ish) I mainly read chick-lit, especially Sophie Kinsella. The Single Girl's To-Do List is the first chick-lit novel that I've read in about a year and I was looking forward to reading it. That pretty cover also helped selling it. 

I did, however, not like it as much as I'd though. I found the idea of Rachel changing her life after a tough breakup interesting and being a list-girl myself I could relate to that part. One would think, with so many crazy things for Rachel to do, the novel would be hilarious and fast-paced, but sadly I found the novel slow and at times even rather slow. I was actually not very interested in Rachel's new love life at all. It has taken me over two weeks to finish this book and that doesn't make for a good read, because I've been know to devour a book that I love in less than two days during the time I worked full-time. With this one, I just didn't have the urge to pick up the book wherever I was because I wasn't interested enough to know how it ended. However, I did finish it eventually so it wasn't a bad book, just not a very good one.

The part I liked best was the reader's Single Girl's To-Do Lists at the end of the novel. They were fun.

Review: Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne

Plot: I see him and I know what this turmoil inside of me means: He's the one. My forever.

KAYLA is the nature lover, the all-American beauty who can't understand why she's so drawn to distant, brooding Lucas. Adopted as a young child, she has no way of knowing that she's inherited a terrifying-and thrilling-gene that will change her life forever.

LUCAS is dangerous, gorgeous ... and a werewolf. As leader of the Dark Guardians, shape-shifters who gather deep within the state park, he has sworn to protect his pack. But when Lucas finds his true soul mate, his love could put them all in harm's way.

As Lucas and Kayla struggle with their feelings for each other, a greater danger lurks: Humans have discovered the Dark Guardians and are planning their destruction. Kayla must choose between the life she knows and the love she feels certain is her destiny. (Summary from goodreads.com)

My opinion: When I showcased this novel in an IMM the other week, I got a comment that this book and the others in the Dark Guardian series were a guilty pleasure, and I might just have to agree with that. For me, a guilty pleasure is something you like although you know you shouldn't and that is sort of the case with Moonlight. There are no existential questions to ponder, very few twists you don't see coming and the end is incredibly predictable, but still I could not bring myself to stop reading.

The novel started off with a prologue, and I have mixed feelings about prologues. They can be awesome when carried out well, but they can also ruin a lot if they're not and I find that this prologue is almost a spoiler and I would've though it better to have left it out completely.

If you're looking for a deep philosophical novel this is not a book for you. You enjoy it while you read it but afterwards you never think of it again. However, it was a cute and incredibly fast and straightforward read. You get what you expect in a sweet package. And sometimes that is exactly what you want.

Review: Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

Plot: 17-year-old Lila has two secrets she's prepared to take to the grave. The first is that she can move things just by looking at them. The second is that she's been in love with her brother's best friend, Alex, since forever. Or thereabouts.After a mugging on the streets of South London goes horribly wrong and exposes her unique ability, Lila decides to run to the only people she can trust - her brother and Alex. They live in Southern California where they work for a secret organisation called The Unit, and Lila discovers that the two of them are hunting down the men who murdered her mother five years before. And that they've found them. Trying to uncover the truth of why her mother was killed, and the real remit of The Unit, Lila becomes a pawn in a dangerous game. Struggling to keep her secrets in a world where nothing and no one is quite as they seem, Lila quickly realises that she is not alone - there are others out there just like her - people with special powers -and her mother's killer is one of them... (Summary from goodreads.com)

My opinion: What originally drew me in was the gorgeous cover. I just love the blue dress and red heals. The premise also sounded unique and the love story promising. So, did it live up to my expectations? Yes, it did! I found this a rather intriguing read that I finished in a few short sittings (although portioned out over a few days). Despite the fact that I just started a new job and have had loads of new things to do, resulting in a very tired me, I kept turning the pages late in the evening. I just had to find out what would happen next!

I really liked Lila, who was a character that I easily could relate too (though I don't master telekinesis and my mother is very much alive) and that I cared about. Alex really was a swoon-worthy love interest and Lila's all-life crush on him is easy to understand. There was good tension there..

The only thing that was a downer for me about this novel was the way too open end and the obvious pass to the coming sequel. I don't mind a series when the author is this good, the premise this exciting and the romance this... romantic, but I do wish that even books that are part of a series could have an actual ending too.

Hunting Lila was a fast paced, funny, compelling and romantic debut novel and there were few dull moments. This truly is a great novel and you should read it!

Review: Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Plot: When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food. 

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

From New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty comes a strikingly original look at friendship, love, and sisterhood—in a future that is eerily believable. (Summary from goodreads.com)

My opinion: I was really excited to dive into this one, and maybe my expectations were sat a bit too high. There were things I enjoyed and things I did not enjoy with the novel. Perhaps it was the point of the novel, but I found it rather creepy. Both the world where Melody lives, where teenage girls are baby machines and Harmony's Godside, where the people are being brainwashed by religion. I hope no-one takes offense now, but I have a really hard time with religious mumbo jumbo, disregarding of religion.

In the beginning, it was difficult for me to keep track of which MC was narrating at the time and I had to go back to the start of each chapter to see and then turn to the blurb on the back to see which was which. The end did not appeal to me at all since there really wasn't any, just an almost cliff-hanger to the next books (if there even is one coming... if not, the end is even more disappointing). 

The premise though, was interesting and though-provoking for sure, and I really liked Zen. He seemed like the only sane person in a loony bin. For all its flaws, I did find the novel intriguing enough to keep on reading and finished it rather quickly.

Review: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

Plot: Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew—just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn’t seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she’s coming to terms with her father’s death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road—diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards—this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself. (Summary from goodreads.com)

My opinion: Oh. My. God! I absolutely loved this book! It is amazing, probably the best one I read all year!

It might have started off a little slow, but once I got into it, it was impossible to stop reading. For me, the proof of how much I like a book is obvious judging by my reading MO. With this one, I really wanted to read every free second because I had to know what happened next, but I stopped myself and forced myself to read slowly--to savor it. I didn't want to miss a single word.

I loved that we got to take part of Amy's traveling scrapbook and whenever I came across one of Roger's play lists I got the urge to listen to them on Spotify. But I always found myself reading the novel rather far away from a computer with an Internet connection to sadly I never had access to Spotify (which might be one of the top inventions ever...) so I just never got around to doing it. I also got this yearning for road tripping through the US... any volunteers?

What I liked best about the novel though were not the fast food receipts but the main characters. They were two people that I as a reader really cared about. Amy is easy to related to, even though you haven't been in her situation and I like the writing technique of letting us get to know her by letting us see glimpses of her past. Roger being calm and respectful is not only a great company for Amy on her journey of self-discovery but finds that he changes too. A road trip is bound to be life-altering and one as epic as this one definitely was, for both characters. 

I'm not gonna say anything more because I don't want to spoil anything, but wow this novel blew me away! You have to read it!

Review: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Plot: Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world -- and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever. (Summary from goodreads.com)

My opinion: I struggled somewhat with this novel. It started off rather interesting with Tally's 16th birthday coming up and all what that entails, but until she actually showed up in Smoke, I found the novel somewhat dull and mainly read by obligation. However, as I said, when she shows up in Smoke and comes to realize a thing or two about her life and the society she lives in, I find a new interest. And from that point it's action all the way and I couldn't put the book down.

I have read in many reviews that the MC, Tally, is not a very liked character but rather shallow. And I can agree with that, but I can also see why. She has been brought up thinking in a certain way and expecting her life to move along a certain path. All of this just disappears in front of her and she is forced to throw away everything she ever believed in. When she ultimately does this, that's when I start liking her. Being in Smoke alters not only the way Tally perceives herself but all of the world around her.

In a way, Uglies differ from many other dystopias out there in the sense that the world actually seems like a good place. No wars, no hunger, no poverty. Just a bunch of overly pretty people partying away, and that's why most people in the City don't feel the urge to rebel, because what would they gain? However, there are a few people who have realized the truth about the surgery and chosen another way to live, which is a threat to the Pretty community and must be stopped at all costs...

Uglies is a fast and in many ways though-provoking read, where the obsession with appearances and beauty was an interesting aspect of the novel. It also raises questions about loyalty and friendship, and manages to throw in a little love story in the mix. I enjoyed it and will probably try to get hold of the next book too.

Review: Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker

Plot: Lovestruck Summer is the story of 18-year-old Quinn, an indie-rock girl spending the summer in Austin on a coveted music internship. While she hopes to find the perfect hipster boyfriend, she unexpectedly falls in love with a college cowboy who makes her challenge her own stereotypes, expand her musical tastes, and ultimately open up her world.

(Summary from the blog of the author herself)

Cover: The cover is absolutely hideous. There is no way I would've picked this up in a bookstore had I not already decided to get this exact novel. But based on cover, never.

My opinion: I read one raging review about this novel and when I found it on The Bookdepository for just above 3€, I didn't hesitate a second; I just bough it. It's not an elaborate novel with many different side stories and a huge cast, but still this novel really managed to draw me in. Last night, I just thought I'd read a chapter or two before going to sleep but I ended up finishing the entire novel. Well, the 265 pages of it.

I really enjoyed this novel! More than many I've read lately. Although rather predictable, Lovestruck Summer is a really sweet and summery novel that gives you the urge to want to visit Texas or perhaps just go abroad and do something crazy. 

The novel has very likable characters, from the main character Priscilla to the sorority cousin Penny with her cross-dressing dog and the internship co-worker Jade. And not to mention cowboy next door Russ! Mmm-mm. What probably worked so well for me in this novel was the chemistry that Melissa Walker managed to create between her characters. I often find that authors have difficulties to create a romance that I "feel", but  this one was very well executed. One was not surprised by the romance itself; it was kind of obvious what was to come, but because it took a while for it to go anywhere a lot of excellent romantic tension was built. And you know how I love my romantic tension!

So, if you're looking for a fast read and a sweet romance, Lovestruck Summer is the perfect summer read!

Review: Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Plot: It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live. 

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend. 

In her signature pitch-perfect style, Sarah Dessen explores the hearts of two lonely people learning to connect. (Summary from goodreads.com)

Cover: I really like the US cover depicted here, because it just goes so well with both the title and the content of the novel. Bikes do play an important role. The cover also gives a very summery feel to the book.

My opinion: Up until last week I was a Sarah Dessen virgin. I had never read a Sarah Dessen novel. So when I came across one in my local library, I decided to grab to see what the hype was about. And now I get the hype. I really do.

Along for the Ride is in a sense a coming-of-age novel although it only plays during one summer. Auden has spent most of her days buried in her schoolwork in order to get her parents' approval and has in fact never really been a child, but rather an adult. She is hopelessly socially flawed because she's never taken part in social life of important adolescent rituals. During this summer, however, Auden discovers new side to herself and who she can be and changes. I think it was really moving to see these changes in Auden, which was a very likable character, who I to some extent could relate to. Not all characters were nice and relatable though. All through the book I was less than mildly annoyed at Auden's father. A bigger egoist seems hard to come by! I was furious at the man at times.

Sarah Dessen is a really talented writer who cares about her characters and who makes the reader care too. This was my first Sarah Dessen, but it certainly won't be my last. I just wish that this book and others like it would have been there when I was a teenager myself.

Review: Ward against Death

Plot: Twenty-year-old Ward de’Ath expected this to be a simple job—bring a nobleman’s daughter back from the dead for fifteen minutes, let her family say good-bye, and launch his fledgling career as a necromancer. Goddess knows he can’t be a surgeon—the Quayestri already branded him a criminal for trying—so bringing people back from the dead it is.

But when Ward wakes the beautiful Celia Carlyle, he gets more than he bargained for. Insistent that she’s been murdered, Celia begs Ward to keep her alive and help her find justice. By the time she drags him out her bedroom window and into the sewers, Ward can’t bring himself to break his damned physician’s Oath and desert her.

However, nothing is as it seems—including Celia. One second, she’s treating Ward like sewage, the next she’s kissing him. And for a nobleman’s daughter, she sure has a lot of enemies. If he could just convince his heart to give up on the infuriating beauty, he might get out of this alive…(Summary from goodreads.com)

Cover: I like the cover a lot because it gives that haunted almost Gothic feel. The only bad thing is that now I have a picture of the main characters and don't get to make them up on my own.

My opinion: This novel took me a lot longer than usual to read and not because of the writing or the plot, but because of its format. I don’t have an e-reader only my computer (which is not a laptop) so I couldn’t bring the book to my usual favourite reading spaces: a train/bus on my way somewhere, the bathroom or my bed. Thus it took me forever to finish it, because otherwise I read a chapter here and there in before said places. Now I couldn’t so it made my reading a bit more irregular, which wasn't good for the reading experience.

When I received this e-ARC from the publisher (thanks a lot!), I had no idea what to expect and sometimes that can be a good things. Many a books have disappointed me in the past because my expectations were sat too high. Although I didn’t have any real expectations for this novel, it still somehow exceeded them. I was immediately drawn in by the first chapter with Ward performing his necromancy on the nobleman’s daughter Ceila, who doesn’t even realises she’s dead. Many are the mythological creatures who recently have found themselves appearing in numerous books lately but a necromancer, well.. that’s a first for me anyway.

As for the characters, they are quite enjoyable. Celia is a kick-ass protagonist. Though a murdered nobleman’s daughter brought back to life, she is in no need for a man to save her. She proves that more than once killing off enemies by throwing daggers through their throats. Now that’s some real sass. Ward on the other hand, too likable, is a quiet rather shy and upright necromancer/physician who never dreamed of stumbling into something like this. As always I like it when the story is told from both protagonists’ POVs, as is the case with this novel. The part that I am a bit disappointed in was the romance aspect. The summary made me expect more of this, which makes this "just" a good read instead of a great one.

All in all, there wasn’t a slow minute in this debut and I enjoyed Ward against Death a lot. I think you should give it a shot.

Release date: 2nd of August 2011.

Review: Själakistan by Ann Rosman

Plot: One late summer day near the Carlsten Fortress in Marstrand, a visiting school class makes a terrible discovery. The corpse of a woman in medieval clothes and without head is found at the ancient sacrificial stone. Shortly thereafter an old lady get the biggest shock of her life when she sees the head, on top of a trellis with roses and sweet peas.

When Karin Adler at Gothenburg police is informed by his colleague Robert, she enjoys the last day of her vacation. She has separated from her partner George and now lives aboard her boat in Marstrand.

The woman at the sacrificial stone turns out to have belonged to a group of people engaged in a live action role-playing game, set in the Medival times, at the remote St Erik's park on the island of Marstrand. That the police is dealing with a very cool calculating offender becomes clear when the forensic examination states that the headless body is not associated with the found head.

Karin and colleagues Folke and Robert now fears that there may be more victims, and pretty soon they get information about yet another macabre finding. A dismembered woman's body without the head. DNA samples show that the two women most likely are sisters ... (Summary from bokus.com, translated)

Cover: There are two different covers, one for the hardback and one for the paperback. This one above is for the hardback and I think it works well with the genre and the plot.

My opinion: Earlier I wrote about the Swedes and our relationship with crime stories, especially in summer time. I don't read much crime literature, I must admit, but when I do I prefer some of our own crime queens, for example Camilla Läckberg (also avaliable in English!) or the author of this novel Ann Rosman. What I like about them and their books beside the fact that they're always a fast read, simple yet entertaining and exciting is the fact that the motive for the crime always is to find in the past. As a history buff, I like this. 

Själakistan (roughly translates to 'Chest of souls') is very much rooted in history as the traced lead the police officers back in time to the witch trials, which in itself is very interesting, I think, even with the modern murders taken away.  Mixed in with the investigation and the history of Marstrand and the witch trials, there's also a parallel story from the 50's taking place, which also proves to play an important role for the present.Our Swedish crime queens also focus a lot on the main characters and their lives, their friends and family and love interests. I like that.

So, bottom line, if you understand Swedish and like a well-researched and exciting crime story mixing everyday life and history this might be a novel for you. And for me, I actually found myself wanting to pick up another crime story. 

Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Plot: If you had the power to kill with your bare hands, what would you do with it?

Graceling takes readers inside the world of Katsa, a warrior-girl in her late teens with one blue eye and one green eye. This gives her haunting beauty, but also marks her as a Graceling. Gracelings are beings with special talents—swimming, storytelling, dancing. Katsa's Grace is considered more useful: her ability to fight (and kill, if she wanted to) is unequaled in the seven kingdoms. Forced to act as a henchman for a manipulative king, Katsa channels her guilt by forming a secret council of like-minded citizens who carry out secret missions to promote justice over cruelty and abuses of power.

Combining elements of fantasy and romance, Cashore skillfully portrays the confusion, discovery, and angst that smart, strong-willed girls experience as they creep toward adulthood. Katsa wrestles with questions of freedom, truth, and knowing when to rely on a friend for help. This is no small task for an angry girl who had eschewed friendships (with the exception of one cousin that she trusts) for her more ready skills of self-reliance, hunting, and fighting. Katsa also comes to know the real power of her Grace and the nature of Graces in general: they are not always what they appear to be.

Graceling is the first book in a series, and Kristin Cashore’s first work of fiction. It sets up a vivid world with engaging characters that readers will certainly look forward to following beyond the last chapter of this book. (Summary from goodreads.com)

Cover: The Swedish cover (as seen here above) corresponds rather well with the UK version. I like the way it portrays Katsa - strong, proud and lethal.

My opinion: I must admit that I was positively surprised by this novel and I really enjoyed it. Though it is a rather thick book I got through it in just a matter of days. Or perhaps devoured it, is a better way to put it.As soon as I started reading it, I was hooked. It slowed down somewhat during the second half of the novel, but not enough to make me lose interest.

The protagonist Katsa was one of the things I liked best about this novel. She was strong-willed, powerful and absolutely lethal and not even close to being the lady her title suggests. I found her journey of self-discovery very interesting and the romance aspect was just romantic enough for this novel. There was real tension between the main characters and of course, the romance was inevitable, but it didn't take over the story. Don't get me wrong - you know I do love a good romance as much as the next person - but I also find it refreshing sometimes with young female characters whose greatest wishes and goals in life don't circle around boys.

Graceling is truly an engrossing read and I highly recommend it.