THE BODY FINDER by Kimberly Derting

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THE BODY FINDER
Source: Library Loan
  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Hardcover: 336 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (March 16, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0061779814
  • ISBN-13: 978-0061779817
SYNOPSIS:

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers. 

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him. 

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself. 
MY THOUGHTS:

WOW! I had heard so much about this book, all of it positive, that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it!  I was intrigued with the summary and the plot that I knew it was going to be a hard book to put down. 

I am sorry to admit that my family suffered while I was reading this book.  I was so into this book, they had to fend for themselves at meal time.  THAT is how good this book is.  I loved the characters of Violet and Jay.  The writing was witty and flowed great with suspense and love weaved together perfectly.  The author constantly kept leading you down one path to figuring it all out, and then she yanks you in a different direction.  The suspense, intrigue and overall plot was so captivating, that you couldn’t help but tune out everything else in life just you can keep reading!  

I am amazed by this author’s writing and the world she has created with this book.  Who would have thought psychics who see echo’s would be so captivating? I didn’t, but I am so happy to have given it a chance — to capture me in the world of Kimberly Derting. By far, one of the better books I have read this year! I definitely will be checking out the next book in this series!

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

(ARC Review) The Haunted by Jessica Verday

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THE HAUNTED
The Hollow Trilogy #2
Author: Jessica Verday
Source: Simon Pulse
* I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

  • Reading level: Ages 9-12
  • Hardcover: 480 pages
  • Publisher: Simon Pulse (August 31, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 141697895X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1416978954

SYNOPSIS:

An impossible truth. An impossible love. 

After a summer spent reclaiming her sanity and trying to forget the boy she fell in love with–the boy who must not exist, cannot exist, because she knows that he is dead–Abbey returns to Sleepy Hollow, ready to leave the ghosts of her past behind. She throws herself into her schoolwork, her perfume-making, and her friendship with Ben, her cute and funny lab partner, who just might be her ticket to getting over Caspian once and for all.

But Abbey can never get over Caspian, and Caspian has no choice but to return to her side, for Caspian is a Shade, and Abbey is his destiny. They are tied not only to each other, but also to the town of Sleepy Hollow, and to the famous legend that binds their fates–a legend whose dark truths they are only beginning to guess….

MY THOUGHTS:

After the disappointment that The Hollow left me with, I was anxious to read the next in the series to see if it would be better.  I am so glad I gave this author another chance!

Abbey returns to Sleepy Hollow after a breakdown caused by the death of her best friend Kristen and falling in love with a dead boy.  She has been living with her Aunt and finally comes home after the completion of the Sleepy Hollow bridge to dedicate it in the memory of her friend.  She is scared to return to the town that caused her such pain, but she puts a brave face on and decides it is time.  Just when things start taking off with Ben and getting back into the perfume creations, Caspian returns to Abbey.  She feels conflicted at first trying to figure out if she is going crazy again, or if Caspian truly is real in her world.  Along the way, we get to see the love between Caspian and Abbey grow, old favorites return in Abbey’s life and new discoveries about The Shade.

I am amazed at how much the author’s writing has progressed from The Hollow.  I admit, the beginning of this book moves slow like the first one, but as you get going in the story it really takes off. That is about the only negative thing about the book in my opinion. There is more suspense with a lot of the answers you were wanting from the previous book being answered.  The author still left a great climax at the end of the story though that will leave you frustrated because you have to wait for the final book.  Some things become clear in the plot, but other things are going to be left for the final book I assume.  Personally, I can’t wait for the final book now.  I have crossed the Sleepy Hollow bridge and I don’t want to turn back!

MY RATING:


Very Good! I would recommend this book! 4 STARS

A GIRL’S GUIDE TO LIFE by Katie Meier

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A GIRL’S GUIDE TO LIFE
Author: Katie Meier
Source: Booksneeze
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Thomas Nelson (June 22, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1400315948
  • ISBN-13: 978-1400315949

SYNOPSIS:


A Girl’s Guide to Life offers girls a fun, healthy approach to facing their adolescent years. 
 
This complete resource helps teenage girls deal with all the traumas, dramas, and triumphs in their lives. The book is divided into Body, Mind, and Soul sections to address the relevant issues in each area of a young woman’s life. It’s “the” book for any girl wondering what’s happening to her body, soul, and mind during these crazy years. 

Revised and updated to include information on texting, sexting, and the viral cultural in which teens live, this book will help girls navigate their way through what can be a very tumultuous time in life.
With conversations with real teen girls, a foundation on God and the Bible, and helpful tips and questions for the reader, girls will gain an encouraging and fresh perspective on their lives.

A Girl’s Guide to Life offers teen girls a new approach to facing their adolescent years. 

MY THOUGHTS:

I wish I had this book when I was growing up and going through those awkward teenage years.  This is the perfect book for a teen girl who has questions about life, love, sex and everything in between.  Not only would it be perfect for teen girls, but it also would be perfect for Mother’s to help in explaining those tough questions we all dread.

This book focused on the questions that almost any teenage girl would have.  It helped with explaining sex, make-up, eating disorders and peer pressure with explanations and advice in teen language that will be easy to understand.  It touches on the religious side of things as well, without pushing the religion on every page.  It had a good balance between the two.

Overall a great book for teen girls and Mother’s with teen girls as well. 

MY RATING:


Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

GODDESS BOOT CAMP by Tera Lynn Childs

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GODDESS BOOT CAMP
Author: Tera Lynn Childs
Source: Library Loan
  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (June 11, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0525421343
  • ISBN-13: 978-0525421344
SYNOPSIS:
Phoebe, who recently discovered she’s a descendant of Nike (the goddess, not the shoe), is finding that supernatural powers come with a crazy learning curve. Her stepfather, headmaster of the Academy for descendants of the Greek gods, has enrolled her at Dynamotheos Development Camp—aka Goddess Boot Camp—with a bunch of ten-year-olds for the summer. Embarrassing as that is, hopefully it’ll help her gain control over her powers in time to pass the test of the gods, continue training hard enough to qualify for the Pythian Games, and enjoy her godly boyfriend, Griffin, all while avoiding the ultimate mistake of accidentally misusing powers.
MY THOUGHTS:
After reading Oh.My.Gods I quickly started reading Goddess Boot Camp.  It is the second book in the series and is written by one of my favorite authors for young adult books.  I loved the first book in the series! The second book though just wasn’t as great as the first. 
I still loved this book, so don’t get me wrong.  I just felt it needed just a little bit more to it.  I loved the witty dialogue that the author never fails to bring to the story. I loved each of the characters in the story as well.  The only thing I didn’t like was I wanted to read about the trial of Phoebe’s Dad.  It was a major part of the book, yet we never get to see it.  It left me frustrated and hoping that this series will continue with another book that will go into that part of the story in more detail.  There were plenty of laugh out loud moments and teen romance that is sweet.  The book moved at a normal pace and included a lot of my favorite characters from the previous book.  
While this is not my favorite book by this author, it still is a great book with great imagination.  I do hope that the author will continue the story of Phoebe and let us see more glimpse’s of her relationship with her Father.
MY RATING:



Very Good! I would recommend this book! 4 STARS

IMM: IN MY MAILBOX

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Well, believe it or not, this was a slow week for me.  I didn’t receive as much as I was expecting. If you could see my list of books that are coming from PaperBackSwap, you would fall over. So hopefully next week I will have even more waiting in my mailbox! In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren!

On the left hand side are the books I received from PaperBackSwap. That is just a small sample of what I have coming from that site. I can’t wait for the rest to get here! On the right hand side are books I received for review and for the tour site. My big squeal was Paranormalcy. I already posted it on my tour site, Not Forgotten Tours.

On the left hand side are the books I found at our local Goodwill store.  Each book was only 90 cents each! Love finding great books for under a buck! It makes my book money stretch longer! On the right hand side are books from my Book Fairy.(AGAIN) My book fairy rocks and she will never understand how much she means to me! If it wasn’t for her I would never be able to read the latest books. She is a book angel sent from Heaven’s library/bookstore! THANK YOU!

That is what was waiting for me in my mailbox this week. I can’t wait to see what everyone else got, even though I know I will suffer from book envy! LOL