Eve by Anna Carey

Eve by Anna Carey
Release Date: October 4, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 336


Summary:The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

My Thoughts: I started this book and couldn't put it down until I was finished! Completely and utterly finished. No breaks, no stops, no doing anything until I was done.

It's the future and a lot of things are different.  We are introduced to Eve who will be graduating from an all girls school. She's top notch and will give a speech at the ceremony. Her life seems pretty good. She will soon learn new things and Eve and her friends are anxious for their futures. She will learn different trades in the City of Sand after graduation.

Ever since The Plague, people are restless. Girls are sent to these schools and taught that men are dangerous. They are not to be trusted.

So, when Eve stumbles upon what really happens after graduation, she's horrified. The future looked so good, until she realized what she and the rest of the girls would be doing next.  Does the population need increased? YES!

She sets out and escapes from the school into the wild. She needs to get to Califia which is a safe haven for people like her. She ends up meeting an unlikely ally along the way and they head out to a safe haven together.

Things don't go expected as they stumble upon a boy named Caleb. Eve is hesitant to trust him or even talk to him but when her life is put in his hands, she has no other choice. Eve describes him as a dirty boy, and stinky when she meets him! This reminded me of how people don't always have soap and have to make do with what they got. And be happy, just to have simple things.

She goes back to his homestead and we get to see her develop a relationship with him and all the other boys who live there.

Eve and Caleb had such a precious relationship. I don't know how else to describe it. It was gentle, and caring, and oh so charming.

Things don't turn out exactly how I had hoped, and now I want the next book!

When I started this novel, I wasn't sure about it. Honestly, I didn't read much about it, because I didn't want to know what was going to happen. I wanted this one to be one of those that I heard a lot about when it came out awhile ago, but it just sat on my bookshelf until I was ready to read it. I picked it up, and started reading it, forgetting what the plot was about.  Am I glad I did? YES YES YES!

Overall: When does the next book come out again? haha, not soon enough! Eve was an imaginative book of what the future could be like. I love these kind of books, because we see different aspects of what the world could hold, and some of them are very scary to really think about it. I really loved Eve and I can't wait to read more by Carey.

Cover:  It's pretty! The colors just go together and the way the girl is looking out is just amazing. She knows something more is out there, but she's not sure what is.

What I'd Give It:

Social Suicide (Deadly Cool #2) by Gemma Halliday

Social Suicide (Deadly Cool #2) by Gemma Halliday
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 272

Summary: Twittercide [twit-er-sahyd]: the killing of one human being by another while the victim is in the act of tweeting.

Call me crazy, but I figured writing for the Herbert Hoover High Homepage would be a pretty sweet gig. Pad the resume for college applications, get a first look at the gossip column, spend some time ogling the paper's brooding bad-boy editor, Chase Erikson. But on my first big story, things went...a little south. What should have been a normal interview with Sydney Sanders turned into me discovering the Homecoming Queen-hopeful dead in her pool. Electrocuted while Tweeting. Now, in addition to developing a reputation as HHH's resident body finder, I'm stuck trying to prove that Sydney's death wasn't suicide.

I'm starting to long for the days when my biggest worry was whether the cafeteria was serving pizza sticks or Tuesday Tacos..

My Thoughts: HA, Twittercide? Loved it! Social Suicide was such a fun mystery novel! I loved it even more than Deadly Cool and I did really enjoy that one.

We are back with Hartley who works on the school newspaper. In this novel, a girl kills herself who was caught cheating. Of course, Hartley knows there is more to the story than her just committing suicide. Come on, she's too popular and had to much going for her to do it, Hartley suspects.

Hartley and her friends are back and on the case. There is her best friend Sam. Sam is such a fun girl. She knows how to primp Hartley right up for all of her dates and she's a fun best friend to have.  She isn't the most serious person but she's a really great friend. Than there is Chase. Oh Chase, how you make me swoon. Chase is the person in charge of the newspaper so in a way he's Hartley's boss.

The chemistry between Chase and Hartley was even more intense in this novel than the first. I still adore him and he always makes me smile. The things he says are just so funny and sweet.

Social Suicide focuses on the murder and Hartley doing the best to find out why the girl was cheating and who killed her. Another great mystery by Halliday.

I can't stress how great this series is! If you haven't checked it out yet, please do so as soon as possible!

Overall: Oh gosh, I loved this one. I can't believe who the killer was. I did not see that coming at all. I also loved everything that happened. I loved how Hartley's mom got a boyfriend finally and I loved all the side characters and their roles throughout the novel. All in all, I really loved this one.

Cover: Love it! I really enjoyed the first cover with the headphones but I also like this one, she looks so pretty and the words on the front are the perfect font.

What I'd Give It:

7 Clues to Winning You by Kristin Walker

 7 Clues To Winning You by Kristin Walker
Release Date: April 26, 2012
Publisher: Razorbill
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 240

Summary: When a humiliating picture of Blythe goes viral, she's instantly the target of ridicule at her new school. To salvage her reputation, Blythe teams up with Luke to win the Senior Scramble scavenger hunt. But Luke is an unlikely ally and potentially can't be trusted.
Perhaps it's his Shakespearean witticisms that reel Blythe in despite her better judgment . . . or maybe she just craves the thrill of the game. But as the hunt progresses, their relationship heats up. Soon their madcap mischief spirals out of control. Blythe is faced with arrest and expulsion, among other catastrophes - until Luke shows her what the Scramble (and love) is really about.

My Thoughts: These kinds of books are why I love contemporary YA books! Love love love them and 7 Clues To Winning You was no exception!

From page one, I was so excited to be thrust into Blythe's world and her ever changing life. Blythe has to move from a preppy school to a not so preppy school. She also goes from popular to the principles kid. And to get a new house? Yuck. And what's worst than that? Her picture got tossed around a lot last year. An embarrassing picture of her picking her nose.

Blythe starts at the new school with everyone making fun of her. But things soon get worse when she gets their yearly activity cancelled, and everyone really starts to hate her.

What does she do? She takes it underground and starts a new hunt. With fellow cute boy Luke, Blythe and Luke get the scavenger hunt going again!

And Blythe is determined to participate in it and win! We get to experience the clues with her, while she solves them. We also get to experience the nursing home she volunteers at, those 2 old ladies are a riot! Loved them! I also really liked her new friends Cy and Jenna! They were an awesome couple and a nice dynamic to the story.

And Blythe and Lucas' friendship is so cute! I adored it! He was such a cute funny adorable boy! As Blythe started to fall for him, so did I.

Blythe doesn't know how to go from the popular girl to just a plain girl, from name brand clothes to ordinary, from a somebody to a nobody.

Lucas and Blythe if I had to sum up in 2 words: freaking cute!

Overall: 7 Clues to Winning You is a definite winner for any contemporary fan! I loved it! This is exactly the kind of YA I need more of in my life. I want more of these kind of stories. Funny light yet deep and thought provoking.  I hope you'll all give this book a try! I also loved A Match Made in High School, Walker’s debut! Go right out and buy each of them now!!!

Cover: Love it! It's so darn cute!  Love the blue and purple colors!

What I'd Give It:

The Vicious Deep Winner

The Winner Of The Vicious Deep is:

Valia 

I will be emailing you!

Monument 14 Trailer Reveal And Giveaway

I read Monument 14, and really enjoyed it! I can't wait to read the next book!!!

Author site: http://emmylaybourne.com/

Song artist site: http://www.avaanderson.com/

Fierce Reads: https://www.facebook.com/FierceReads

Giveaway:

Want To Read This Book???  

Leave a comment to win a copy with a way to contact you!!!!

 

Want Fated Earrings???

Do you want Fated (by Alyson Noel) Earrings to make your ears pretty? 

All you have to do is pre-order a copy of Fated and send your receipt in and you get a pair!

Here is the way to get them!! HERE

These earrings look awesome!!!!

The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection by Kiera Cass
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 352

Summary: For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined

My Thoughts: I will not try to include too many spoilers in this review. If you want to know NOTHING about this novel, please stop reading now!!!! And come back to my review after you read the novel and see if you agree or disagree with me! I warn you, stop reading! I may or may not gush consistently in this review!

Every once in a while, you come across a book cover, that you swoon over. It's so beautiful and you hope that the cover is a pure indicator of how good the novel will be. Once you start the novel, sometimes your disappointed, and sometimes your so thrilled that its so perfect. It's exactly how you imagined the story would be.

The Selection is that kind of novel. From the moment I saw the cover, I adored it.

As I opened the novel to page one, I felt myself sucked into this magical world of America's life. Yes, her name is really America Singer. It fits perfectly. America has red hair, a wonderful singing voice, and a big family. She's generous, sincere, and an amazing person.

But what does having a big family mean when your not exactly coming in with the money? Less food and more mouths to feed.

The Selection starts off by introducing us into America's way of life. The society is classified into numbers. A Caste. Basically each person has a different number. You could either be really rich, in the middle, or poor. In America's family, there is always someone still hungry and no second helpings.

America's family isn't exactly rich so when The Selection sends her a letter, her family is persistent that she sign up. If she won this, her family would be better off. They could actually provide and eat comfortably. They are thrilled.

What is The Selection you ask? Let me sum it up in short. It's basically a contest that girls enter to become the wife of Prince Maxon. Thousands (maybe even millions of girls) enter and its slowly cut back until there is just one left. A girl to become his wife.

Let me talk about the guys for a minute here. America's heart already belongs to someone. His name is Aspen and he's a caste below her. She doesn't care though, she wants to be with him. She knows if she marries him, she'll go to his caste level. He wants good things for her so when she gets the chance to be a part of the Selection, he tells her to do it. He wants her to be happy.  He breaks up with her so she can have a chance to marry Maxon. Even if it is a small chance. His twin sisters also enter!

Than there is Maxon. Oh, sweet Maxon I thought I would hate you. There for a while I wanted too. I wanted America to end up with Aspen. But once I got to know you, that all changed. I felt myself drawn to you and secretly rooting for you to steal America's heart.

Maxon and America's relationship isn't what you'd think it would be. They are just "buddies." The way they meet at first was pretty awesome.

As the competition gets fiercer, the girls are all trying to steal Maxon's heart while America is just trying not to think about Aspen.

When a mysterious person shows up during the selection, America is even more confused. With her new friends, her maids helping her out, America is just trying to get through each and every day. She doesn't really care about the selection, but being there each week provides more money for her family.

I read The Selection in one sitting. I stayed up until 3 in the morning reading. I never got tired once. I was so addicted to this novel. Some will compare this to The Bachelor and if you don't like The Bachelor, this novel will bore you. Well, I for one, have never once watched The Bachelor but I adored this novel.

Honestly, I loved this novel. It was everything I wanted it to be. It was beautiful, it was thrilling! Yes, at times it did feel a tad bit slow but you have to sit back and appreciate the beauty. You have to just let it guide you and not be worried about not much happening at times.

I'll stop there about the plot. Just read the book to find out what happens. Am I Team Aspen or Team Maxon? Ohhhhh, this is so hard to decide! I'll wait until the next book to decide.

I also have to add that when I finished the book, I threw it on the floor, said in my most whiny voice to my boyfriend, I am done reading first novels! I hate that they end on a cliffhanger, I hate this! I boycott reading from now on! He just laughed and gave me a funny look. Yeah right! As if I could stop reading!

Overall: Kiera Cass, you have made me fall in love with the characters in this book! You created this wonderful world, this wonderful setting, and these two wonderful guys! I want the next book now! How am I going to wait to get it? I need it right this very second or else I'm going to cry! And I don't care if you haven't written or finished it yet! LOL

Cover: Love it!!! The girls in dresses, the colors of their dresses, its perfect! PERFECT! Even the way her hand is on top of her head! It just fits! America looks like who I would picture in my head! One of the best and most pretty covers of 2012 I'm sure of!

What I'd Give It:

Thumped (Bumped #2) by Megan McCafferty

Thumped by Megan McCafferty
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Balzer And Bray
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 304


Summary: THE CONCLUSION TO ONE OF THE MOST TALKED-ABOUT NOVELS OF LAST YEAR

It’s been thirty-five weeks since twin sisters Harmony and Melody went their separate ways. And now their story has become irresistible: twins separated at birth, each due to deliver twins…on the same day!

Married to Ram and living in Goodside, Harmony spends her time trying to fit back into the community she once believed in. But she can’t forget about Jondoe, the guy she fell for under the strangest of circumstances.

To her adoring fans, Melody has achieved everything: a major contract and a coupling with the hottest bump prospect around. But this image is costing her the one guy she really wants.

The girls’ every move is analyzed by millions of fans eagerly counting down to “Double Double Due Date.” They’re two of the most powerful teen girls on the planet, and they could do only one thing to make them even more famous:

Tell the truth.

My Thoughts: Oh my gosh, I liked Thumped much more than Bumped! Bumped started off a rocky start with this series for me but Thumped redeemed it in my eyes.

Maybe I was more used to the lingo, or the characters. I'm not sure but I did enjoy it a lot more. and these are such fast reads.

We are back with twin sisters Melody and Harmony and their misfit of boys, including Ram, Jondoe, and Zen. Still love Zen the most.  We also switch back and forth between Harmony and Melody again. In this novel, I had no trouble telling the girls apart and I knew what thoughts were whose, unlike the first book.

It's 35 weeks after Bumped and both girls are sporting a baby bump. They are each pregnant with twins,  everyone knows. This is the biggest thing ever, the glorious twins who are having twins. Everyone knows them, everyone wants to be them.

Melody is still struggling with wanting to be with Zen and Harmony is  still struggling with her faith. Melody is having Jondoe's babies and Harmony is married to Ram and having his twins. Melody has her own dilemmas with the Jadens, and the mission with Zen.

What can I possibly say about this book? It is still WEIRD. But Thumped was a good weird. I liked exploring the story more and learning more about the girls. I also liked seeing the guys throughout the story and how they reacted to different situations.

Let’s remember, the time period is in the future and things are different. The world is different. People have babies because they have too, population would seize to exist. Condoms are illegal, and people aren't supposed to have sex for fun.

I'm not sure where McCafferty came up with this idea, but when I think of the plot of this book, the saying pops into my mind, "Babies having Babies."  This story can be summed up with what exactly is happening around the world right now.

Thumped is different, but in a weird laugh out loud kind of way. It's a series to at least read, even if you end up hating it.

Overall: Thumped was an intense ride, with things constantly up in the air. Feelings and events aren't always what they seem and it could turn out any possible way.  Even though, some things were predictable, I still liked it a lot more than Bumped.

Cover: I like this one much more than BUmped. I love how the egg is split open, representing the childbirth aspect of this novel . Also love the blueish background.

What I'd Give It:

Supergirl Mixtapes by Meagan Brothers

Supergirl Mixtapes by Meagan Brothers
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Henry Holt And Co
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 256

Summary: After years of boredom in her rural South Carolina town, Maria is thrilled when her father finally allows her to visit her estranged artist mother in New York City. She’s ready for adventure, and she soon finds herself immersed in a world of rock music and busy streets, where new people and ideas lie around every concrete corner. This is the freedom she’s always longed for—and she pushes for as much as she can get, skipping school to roam the streets, visit fancy museums, and flirt with the cute clerk at a downtown record store.

But just like her beloved New York City, Maria’s life has a darker side. Behind her mother’s carefree existence are shadowy secrets, and Maria must decide just where—and with whom—her loyalty lies.

My Thoughts: Honestly, I wanted to love Supergirl Mixtapes. The cover alone suggests it would be unique. The plot sounds like it would be awesome. And its sprinkled with music, big win.

We are introduced to Maria who lives with her father in a small southern town. Her mother has never really been around. Until now. She goes off to New York to live with her mother for a while.

While in New York, Maria is trying to navigate the streets while trying to figure out where exactly she belongs. Back in her hometown, everything was going downhill and she felt like she was losing everything. But in New York, she doesn't fit in at school or in her mother's world.

She’s staying with her mother and her mother's young boyfriend. Her mother introduces Maria to a bunch of new music which Maria loves. Maria’s personality is based a lot on music and its just who she is.  Music represents her. She understands it and loves it.

Maria also meets a boy who she takes an interest in. I never really felt connected to him. I really wanted her to end up with someone a little bit better and with more of a personality.

Supergirl Mixtapes did have a lot of music references which were awesome, it also had a bit of romance, and a lot of family drama.

Overall: Honestly, I did enjoy Supergirl Mixtapes a bit. I enjoyed the last part of the book more than the beginning. As I read, the middle is when I really became intrigued and I had to keep reading. This one didn’t make my favorites of the year but it was an alright read.

Cover: Pretty cool cover, right? I love the cassette tape, it takes me back to the 90’s before CD’s were so popular.

What I’d Give It:

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 400

Summary: It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…”

Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before.

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her.

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

My Thoughts: How shall I start this review? When I first started this novel, I peaked at the reviews on goodreads and it actually had some negative reviews so I wondered if I would enjoy it or not. I actually did, maybe I was in the mood or maybe I don't read enough angel books to compare it to much else.

We are introduced to Violet who has a normal life living with her dad, visiting with her best friend Steph and her friend Lincoln. She and Lincoln have been friends for a while now and they train together. They do climbing, running, and fighting.  She meets up with him everyday. He's a few years older than her.

One day Violet finds out that she is an Grigori aka angel and that Lincoln is also an angel and he's been watching over her training her to become his partner. She feels betrayed because she has fallen in love this this boy and he's not who she thought he was. Another thing is, two Grigori partners can never be together so their relationship is doomed from the get go.

She learns she has to embrace in order to fully develop her powers and become an actual angel. She also meets another angel named Phoenix, who she believes to be an exile. She starts to get to know him and develop feelings for him. Of course, he's not who she thought he was either. Complicated much?

While all this is happening, other exiles are out to kill other angels including herself.  Basically, not all angels are good and some are fallen and want to kill others.

I felt like there wasn't a whole lot of plot happening really but I liked the love triangle aspect. By the end of the novel, I didn't know who I wanted her to be with.

I actually liked Embrace a lot but it felt like a lot happened but at the same time it felt like a lot didn't, if that makes sense?  Embrace had a lot of details and that is probably what made the book feel long.

I really did enjoy Embrace and I'm excited for the next in the series.

Phoenix: bad boy who can't do any wrong; swoon.  Lincoln= good boy who makes me want to giggle.

Overall: Like I said above, I was really weary of reading this, because a few of my friends have rated it so badly but I actually really enjoyed it. I haven't read many other angel books so didn't have much to compare it too but I actually liked the characters. I like both Lincoln and Phoenix and of course Violet.

Cover: Love the cover! Love the purple and her dress and her long ponytail.

What I'd Give It:

Introducing Bethany Griffin

Today On Princess Bookie, we have a special guest! Hello Bethany!

When Did I Become an Author and How did that Change my Life?

As an author I feel it is my prerogative to randomly capitalize the title of this blog post…otherwise, I don’t know. I tend to call myself a writer more often than author. Maybe I prefer the term because I’ve been a writer longer than I’ve been an author… maybe I’m a little bit humble. Maybe it’s because I spend a good part of my day teaching writing and creative writing rather than creative authorship. I don’t really know.

I’ve always been a writer. As a kid, my mom would write my stories down before I could actually manipulate the pencil. In elementary school I entered the local “Young Author’s Contest” every year. I never won, never even got honorable mention, but I had a lot of fun sewing the books together, though not so much fun trying to cover the cover with contact paper (that stuff is really sticky).

In high school I had great teachers and encouragement, and I wrote some truly awful stuff. I’m not saying it was because of the great teachers or their encouragement, rather in conjunction with great teachers and encouragement, I wrote some truly abysmal stuff. I continued this trend well into college, at which point I decided to be an English teacher, a career that sucked out all of my creative energy for the next half-decade. So, I was teaching other people to write but not doing much of it myself. I like to consider that a hiatus.

Anyway, long story short, a few years back I started seriously writing again, and was teaching high school and loving YA literature, and that’s really the only thing I can see myself writing.

How has being an author changed my life? Well, I’ve missed some awesome parties while doing revisions, missed out on a lot of sleep, and…met some wonderful people, the online writing community is pretty fabulous, and I’ve made online friends who I get to see at writing conferences 2-3 times a year.

I haven’t quit teaching and don’t plan to, but my husband was able to switch from a soul-numbing management job to working 30 hours in the library of the high school where I teach, so that’s been wonderful, and it will be much easier to do book signings and with him home more. I’ll be travelling this summer, which is an awesome perk of being an author.

Holding my book in my hands is the most awesome feeling in the world. I got to be on the local news once, I was upstaged by Santa Clause, and I’ve never watched the video because I hate seeing and hearing myself on video, but as an experience, it was pretty cool! I have a certain credibility with my students, and it’s just really gratifying to have created something that other people have enjoyed.

At this point, Masque isn’t out to the general public, but it will be very soon, and at that point, maybe my life will change more, but at the end of the day, I’ll still be doing the dishes, reading to my kids, and, occasionally, checking my reviews on Goodreads!

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

 Masque Of The Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Release Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 336

Summary: Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

My Thoughts: Wow, wow, wow! The day I got this novel, I had to start it. No waiting on it at all!

We are introduced to Araby who lives with her mother and father. She had a brother who died. And Araby is such a weird but neat name.

The town is infected and the only way to avoid infection is to wear a face mask. Araby isn't just any old girl, she is the daughter of the inventor of the masks. Everyone wants a mask, few can afford a mask.

A widespread and dangerous Contagion-Plague has taken over her city and if you don't want to die, you have to wear a mask out side. It's not safe to go anywhere without your mask.

If you get sick, people have the right to shoot you on sight. It's a dangerous world out there. Araby comes from a somewhat wealthy family and she's had multiple masks in her lifetime. The negative, you can't give them away. Once they adapt to you, they are useless to anyone else.

Araby has a best friend named April who she runs around with. They make an odd team but it works.

April has gone missing and her brother Elliot shows up to team up with Araby to find April and make the city a better place. Of course, there is another guy Araby has her eye on. His name is Will and he takes care of his two younger siblings.

Set in a Steampunk environment,  Araby wants to change the world. She wants people to get healthy, she doesn't want to watch people die. Set out to change the way things are, her and Elliot try to step up to the plate and do the right thing.

I'm not going to go on and on about this plot. I loved it. You need to read the book yourself and experience it. I haven't read anything like this before. Yes, it’s Steampunk I guess but its more than that. It is a captivating love story, it's a unique look at  a dangerous disease, and it is a tale of being caught in the middle of something that is bigger than you, way bigger than just one person.

I don't know which guy I liked more. Each had his own fantastic personality and it was hard for me to decide who I wanted to see her with.

All, I can really say is this is a book I truly loved even though I had reservations going into it. I wasn't sure if it was my kind of story.

Overall: Oh my godness, I really loved this book. I read it within the course of a few hours. I was pulled into the story from page one and I couldn't stop until I was done with it. And the last page, oh man. I want a sequel right now. I want to know what happens with our heroic characters. I want to know what becomes of Araby and her two guys.

A great debut full of awesomeness, bravery, romance, and a hot set of guys!

Cover: Love it! It fits really nicely! The color scheme is amazing!

What I'd Give It:

The Last Echo (Body Finder #3) by Kimberly Derting

The Last Echo (Body Finder #3) by Kimberly Derting
Release Date: April 17, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 336

Summary: In the end, all that’s left is an echo.

Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet’s talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it’s Violet’s job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice.

When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by “the girlfriend collector” she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new “relationship” and Violet may have caught his eye.

My Thoughts: And I thought The Body Finder and Desires Of The Dead were awesome books. The Last Echo is by far the best in the series so far.

We are back with Violet who can see imprints. Remember, she can see the imprints of dead people on the killers bodies. Jay, her super cool boyfriend is also around throughout the novel. He is there to help Violet get through life with her special abilities.

Violet is working with a group of people who have similar abilities to hers. There is Sam, Sarah, Rafe, Gemma, and Krystal. Each person contributes to the group in their own way.

The Last Echo has a few bad guys dipped in. First, there is James Nu, who killed his whole family. He and Violet run into each other and he takes a liking to her, and is drawn to her. Yuck.

Than, there is the main bad guy. I won't say his name but he is known as The Girlfriend Collector, creepy much? His goal is to find a girl who will love him. And none of them do the job to his liking so he has to move on to the next one. Just like the other novels, we see into his head and get to go through the motions with him. We get to see him pick out his victims, bathe his victims, feed his victims, and than dispose of his victims. Yuck.  And the worst, we know one of the girls who becomes his victim!

As far as bad guys go, he's definitely creepy and the whole book I wanted the team to find him and fix the problem, so he can't hurt anymore girls.

A lot of people are mentioning love triangles for this book? Is there one? I won't tell! But yes, Rafe is more in this book and he is nicer around V and he actually seems like he's starting to care. He is always so aloof and keeps to himself, it’s hard to really ever know what the guy is thinking. Yes, he and V do share a bond since their abilities connect them, and they relate to each other. Am I Team Rafe or Team Jay? I honestly don't know. I like them both in their own ways.

Does the team catch the killer? Before its too late? Does Violet ever have a normal life? With normal friends, a normal family, and a normal boyfriend? Of should she just accept that she's different.

The Last Echo is the best in the series this far and I can't wait to see what Derting has in store for us next.

Overall: Loved it! I read it all in one sitting! I just can't believe how good these books are! There is just something about them that amazes me. Violet is such a likable character and I'm always rooting for her. And than all the new characters thrown in, are so wonderful and independent and mysterious! Loved this one!

Cover: Adorable!  All these covers are very pretty! Love the purple!

What I'd Give It: