Release Date: November 29, 2011
(Thanks to ATWT for letting me participate in this tour!)
Published by: Putnam Juvenille

Legend by Marie Lu

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

Ten Likes/Dislikes:


1. (+) Day & June, the Protagonists - To be honest, I didn't actually like June in the beginning. She seemed closed off and almost indulged in violence in the same way that you'd expect the villains to... and her original reaction to her brother's death was not that emotional... but give her a chance. She opens up more as the story goes on and her relationship with her brother is more explored--enough that the ice around her breaks.  Day, on the other hand, is someone I immediately sympathized with.  He's really courageous, caring, and smart-- he knows how to survive on his own and at fifteen years old, he is giving back to his family and to his poor community, which gets neglected by the government.  He is the hero of the story until June discovers things for herself and joins him.  (Side note: they're both really careful and analyze situations a lot and though they come from different backgrounds, they both know how to take what they can from their surroundings. It's a really interesting dynamic between the two of them.)
2. (+) Alternating POVs - The alternating POVs really helped build the suspense both for the romance and for the beginning, when June and Day haven't met yet, though you know when they do, it's going to be explosive.  I also liked how different June and Day's perspectives were from each other -- it was nice contrasting the cynical and admiring POVs on the Republic and nice to see them converge as time goes on.
3. (+) History/World-building - I love, love, LOVED the world-building. I liked the hints of the USA versus how it now is the Republic and the Colonies and how the Republic hides this information from its people. I liked those echoes of American history like the President and coins and the election and loved the way the society had become so very militaristic and how the Trial was like a hyped up SAT.  Dystopians often make me doubt them just because of how violent the societies are, but I could see the dynamics of this kind of society being possible.
4. (+) The Romance - The best part about the romance was that it felt appropriate for this book.  By that I mean that June and Day are distrusting people, but because of their circumstances, their relationship grows in such a way to make it feel realistic, and in a society where June doesn't who she can turn to, it makes sense that she would look to Day and look at him differently... it also makes sense that Day, who was alone for a good part of his life, would admire someone who have the same survival skills that he has.  I liked that their romance also had both sweet and bad turns - those made it seem more believable.  The romance didn't overwhelm the book; it was a great complement to it.
5. (+) Comparisons to the Hunger Games - A lot of dystopians get compared to the Hunger Games, but a lot are not like THG (i.e. Legend)... But Legend is the first dystopian I've read that I think has the potential to be as big as THG, and honestly, I liked it better than THG (even though I could mostly predict what was going to happen...)
6. (--) Weird font change - Just my personal preference, but I hate it when publishing companies change fonts and font colors. Day's section was in a different font than June's and had a goldish color to it and it just looked weird to me.  Yes, really nitpicky, but I can't help it.
7. (+/-) Villains - I definitely believed in the danger that the villains posed, but I didn't feel like I quite understood why they did it or how things got to be that way. I think the book was a little short of what most YA ones are nowadays and I think it really could've been longer, added in a few more details about the society and its history and how Elector Primo somehow is on his 11th term, etc. etc.
8. (+) Writing - Marie Lu's writing is easy to read and easy to visualize.  I especially liked how you could see the character development mirrored in the writing and how June's chapters became less closed off as the book progressed.
9. (+) Pacing - Didn't put the book down once. Each chapter flows into the next, and I could not get through it fast enough.  There is a lot of great action to carry the story.
10. (+/-) The Cover - I know they probably chose this cover to attract both boys and girls (as well they should, like THG), but personally I don't like it.  The Mockingjay is a really important symbol for THG, and this must be the Republic's coin or something, but I don't remember reading about it enough for it to be on the cover.

Legend is the start of a fascinating dystopian trilogy with characters and a world that has enough potential to rival the Hunger Games.  (Yeah, kind of cliche to say, but it's the first time I've ever said that so ;P).  You don't want to miss out on this debut!

Release Date: January 24, 2012
(Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this!)
Published by: Balzer + Bray

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever. 

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists. 

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen. 

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

Ten Likes/Dislikes:

1. (+) Nikki, the protagonist - Thank God, she's not another one of the selfless protagonists who knows to do the right thing and doesn't get attached to the people she'll eventually leave--no, she makes mistakes; she seems like someone I might actually know. At the same time, I sometimes thought that she had too little personality-- like when she said something about not deserving Jack (before she got claimed) even though they were really good friends. There were lots of situations where I could empathize with her (being nervous with her boyfriend, etc.), but I often felt like I didn't know her in full.  BUT I did like her and it was nice and easy to read things from her perspective. I especially liked that she knew she had screwed up and blamed nobody but herself for it--she was really mature in that regard.
2. (+) The world-building - Such an interesting take on mythology--it's a mix of Greek and Egyptian stories, though the focus is on the Persephone and Orpheus tales.  I'm not terribly familiar with all the details of these myths, but I love what Ms. Ashton did bring in and love her take on Hell/the Underworld/immortality/succubi? via the Everneath and the Everliving.  There are a lot of a great things about her fantasy world, but I won't spoil them for you, only will say that I can't wait to learn more!
3. (+) The romance - At first, Jack bothered me because it seemed like he was going to be the typical good-looking football player who the protagonist would of course fall in love with.... but he surprised me. I liked how he and Nikki were friends first. I liked how their relationship now was different from their relationship then, and how they had both changed so much but how that didn't really affect their love.  Jack has some really sweet and romantic lines, some of which I almost doubted because they were so sweet, but this book banks on you believing in their love, and I can say that I definitely believed in Jack and Nikki's relationship.
4. (--) Cole, the other romantic interest/antagonist? - I think that I might have enjoyed reading about the situation with Cole more had he either been a romantic interest OR an antagonist and not both. As a romantic interest, he failed for me. He was annoying, and I could not see the appeal in him whatsoever, especially when he was being uber creepy. I often wondered how much of Nikki's memories of him was actually him being him. As an antagonist, he also failed for me. He "loved/liked/had feelings for Nikki" so it was basically impossible for me to imagine him doing anything terrible.
5. (+) The Balance of Time - I liked how the time was a way for us to see how Nikki had fallen in love with Jack before Cole came along, how Cole convinced her, and how her falling in love with him back then was different from the way she and Jack get together later.  I liked how time was used to show her maturation.  It didn't break up the story's pacing because it was necessary to advance the story.
6. (+) Family - I liked the family dynamics and how Nikki came back not just for Jack but for her family too and to repair the broken way she had left them. I wish there was a little bit more focusing on them (instead of Jack), but I suppose it might have dragged down the story if there was more.
7. (+) Side characters - You don't honestly learn that much about the other side characters like her family or Jules or Marshall, but they still made for a great side cast, and I can't wait to see what will happen next with these characters and what sort of tests they'll endure after that ending!
8. (+) Writing - Ms. Ashton's writing is easy to read, flows pretty well.  I didn't notice any hiccups and her descriptions were never overdone.
9. (+) Pacing - I didn't put this book down once.  Though there are breaks in time, each scene felt like it ended in such a way as to make me want to continue reading and to see what Nikki had done in the past that affected the way her present was.
10. (+/-) The Cover - It's incredibly pretty, and that actually is what I think is at fault-- it doesn't seem to represent the danger and utter hopelessness of the Everneath and its power over Nikki. There is the smoke, but it looks more like a special effect to beautify the flowing dress.

Everneath's interesting spin on mythology along with its sweet, sweet romance and the timeless question of redemption enticed me until the very end.  I did not put this book down once--it is one of the great debuts of 2012 that you don't want to miss.

Release Date: January 17, 2011
(Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher!)
Published by: HarperTeen

Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning. 

Described by Richelle Mead as “utterly captivating,” Unearthly received outstanding reviews, garnered accolades from New York Times bestselling authors, and was named an Indie Next Pick. In this heart-wrenching sequel, Cynthia Hand expertly captures the all-consuming joy of first love—and the agony of loss. This beautifully woven tale will appeal to fans of Lauren Kate, Becca Fitzpatrick, and Aprilynne Pike.

Ten Likes/Dislikes


1. (+) Clara, the protagonist - Clara really grows up in this novel.  I liked her a lot more in Hallowed -- she's a strong and smart girl but one who also makes a lot of mistakes and is easy to relate to.  She is no longer detailing everything she can about Christian; she becomes more of herself and more of who she needs to be, given her powers and whatnot.  That being said, she also is a bit more vulnerable in parts of this book which may irritate some readers.
2. (+) World-building - You learn more about the angelology, and though I haven't read a lot of angel books, I really like what Cynthia Hand is doing in terms of her world-building.  The idea of free will and the draw of darkness and one's purpose are really fascinating and are expanded upon in this novel.  You learn more about Clara's powers as well as her connection to Christian and some other things that I don't want to spoil for you ;P.
3. (+) Clara's family - The family dynamics are so realistic.  I love how everybody has their secrets, but there's still so much love there.  And though Jeffrey started getting on my nerves, I still had a spot for him too, after everything the two of them go through.
4. (+) The Romance - Tucker v. Christian.  This would be on my list of acceptable love triangles, because Clara clearly would choose Tucker and the Christian dynamic only comes in when you wonder what her purpose really is so it becomes a battle of what she is vs. what she wants, which I think is kind of interesting...  Though... admittedly Christian has his moments in Hallowed... as does Tucker.  But it's sad to see that Clara seems to be giving into whatever the supernatural forces are telling her (especially when you learn what her mom's purpose was)...
5. (+) The Setting - One of the great things I liked about Unearthly was the great setting, and that continues in Hallowed.  Though Clara doesn't get out as much as she did in Unearthly (in the sense that there's more on her plate than the fun summer she had), you still get a glimpse of Wyoming and it's just as beautiful as before.
6. (--) The Plot - Character development.  This book felt like it was the character book of the series... but at the same time, it felt like it wanted to be on that also moved the series forward... so it was a weird mix.  And I didn't like it.  I hated how by page fiftyish, I knew what was going to happen.  I hated the way Clara kept considering the idea of not going to college because of Tucker.  I hated the way she didn't battle the supernatural will as much as before.  I hated how some of the characters got tossed to the side for newer characters, though they weren't expanded on as much as the older ones so it's like the weird plot deal again.  I hated that there was one central event and that we just saw the emotional consequences of it.  In Unearthly, there was Clara's purpose, but her purpose got mixed up with the two fires and the Tucker/Christian deal and figuring things out on her own and the Black Wing.  This book feels like there is only this dream in terms of action, and personally, I'd would preferred if it was either a fully character-oriented book or a plot-driven book rather than a hybrid of the two.  I don't really know what the next book will be about.
7. (+) Pacing - My egalley says it's only 242 pages, but Goodreads lists it at over 400... It definitely did not feel as long as that! It felt like a quick and easy read, and each scene draws you in like a hook until you feel like you have to keep reading until the end.
8. (+) The Writing - Cynthia Hand is a really good writer.  I don't remember what was happening in the book that made me think this but at some point, I thought, wow, she's really good with all these little details in building her setting and making her world come alive.
9. (--) Too Much Build-up - In Unearthly, I really liked the build-up with the purpose repeating and the twists that came with it.  In Hallowed, however, you get Clara's dream... but then you know what it's about... and there were very few twists to match.  I kind of already mentioned this, but it was really disappointing for me.  As much as I liked finding out about the consequences of what happened when Clara didn't fulfill her purpose, I would've much rather read about things that she does to continue her purpose, which I guess is contrary to what you learn about purposes but blah, it was frustrating.  Don't build up the dream unless you're going to deliver on the threat.
10. (--) The Cover - I really hate the way the color isn't sharp and makes it seem like we're seeing Clara through some sort of filter.  I get why the book is colored blue, but for me, it doesn't really cut the feeling I get from the book.

Hallowed is a great sequel but doesn't quite follow up to Unearthly.

Reminded me of: Supernaturally in that the voice stays the same as does the romance, but I enjoyed the plots less than I did for the first books.

Release Date: 3/27/2012
(Thank you to ATWT for letting me participate in this tour!)
Published by: Balzer + Bray

Slide by Jill Hathaway

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered. 

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body. 

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane. 

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again. 

Ten Likes/Dislikes:

1. (+/-) Vee, the protagonist - Sometimes I really liked Vee.  I felt her grief and thought she was strong for the way she handled seeing the murder and for the way she and her best friend fought (and how it wasn't the typical girly girl drama in HS).  But at the same time... sometimes she seemed too judgmental, and what really ticked me off is that you find out that Vee is no longer friends with this group of people because of what happened one night... And Vee's very justified in splitting with them... But then her sister becomes friends with them, and Vee doesn't tell her what happened.  That was very isolating for me as a reader.  I can understand not wanting to revisit the pain, but if she loved her sister as much as she claimed, she shouldn't have stood by and let her befriend such gruesome people.
2. (+) Vee's ability - I really like Vee's ability / haven't read something like that before.  I also like how it wasn't just this stagnant thing-- it was something she was slowly discovering more about, and I loved the way her discovery of her powers mirrored her transformation from observer to active participant, to someone who wasn't going to stand by and let things go on around her without voicing her opinion.  (Side note: also love the title Slide and its representation of her ability).
3. (+) The Character Cast - One of the benefits to Vee's ability is that it allowed the author to make really dynamic characters.  There is a huge character cast--natural if you don't know who the murderer is--but they felt real because Vee got to see more into their lives than what they just present to her.
4. (+) The Mystery - Didn't see it coming.  I could tell there was something more from the beginning, but what did actually happen was planted in pretty slyly.  Slide is a good mystery.
5. (+) The Family Portrait - Vee's family is not perfect and is actually pretty far from it... but with the grief and the sisterly and fatherly interactions, I felt it... and liked it.  I thought it was realistic and didn't at all feel like it was one of those things where the YA author just wanted to get rid of the parent so the teen could do whatever.
6. (--) Explanation - .... <-- My face when I read the explanation in the last couple of chapters. I don't buy some of it. I can't say anything else because I don't want to ruin it for you.
7. (+) Pacing - This book is only like 250 pages, and it goes by pretty quickly.  It's an easy and fun read.
8. (+/-) The Writing - there were a couple of times in the beginning when I was like, "you're trying too hard to make me think this person is a suspect. You don't need to tell me that situation is fishy."  Basically, I think the author could have trusted the reader a bit more.  Also, there were a couple of times when I was snagged out of the story because I thought of ways I'd have phrased it if I was writing the story.... but besides those instances, the writing was fine.
9. (+/-) The Romance - It was pretty intense rather quickly which is not something I usually enjoy, but in this case, I could see it happening.  There was a certain desperation in it with their grief uniting them in the first place, but what ticked me off was why the romance even happened in the first place.  If I was in that situation, I don't think I would've done that.
10. (+) The Cover - Not sure how you could really portray Vee's ability, but the purple color is nice, pretty important to the book. Plus it sort of looks like a supernatural cover.

Slide is a fun paranormal mystery with a broken family and intriguing ability.

Reminded me of: The Body Finder.  Fans of that book will probably enjoy this.

Release Date: November 1, 2011
Published by: Dutton Juvenile

Crossed (Matched #2) by Ally Condie

The hotly awaited second book in the dystopian Matched trilogy

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

Ten Likes/Dislikes


1. (+) Cassia, the Protagonist - Cassia is so much stronger and wiser in Crossed than in Matched.  You can really tell the difference and see how much her character has developed so far in the trilogy. There are several times when she wants to give up, but she doesn't, and what I found even better was that she knew her mind.  Though there still is that sort of love triangle, Crossed is very much a Ky book and the book where Cassia seems to choose the type of life she wants to have and is willing to fight for that until the end.
2. (+) Alternating Points of View - Crossed didn't have much for it in terms of actual plot-- I can think of Matched and a few specific things that happened in it to advance the plot, but Crossed is much more of a character book, and it shows in the alternating points of view.  A lot of the most interesting things you learn about from Ky's perspective and he too sets the stage for suspicion about the Rising and what the third book will entail.  I loved reading about how he saw the world and what had happened to him--his journey, in many ways, was much more fascinating than Cassia's and his character development more thorough.  Fantastic decision on Ally Condie's part to give us both POVs.
3. (+) The Poetry - Ally Condie's writing is also a lot like poetry, but what I really, really enjoyed about this book was again the incorporation of other poems into the book.  The poems from Matched become really important explanations for how Ky viewed Cassia and how the new characters view the two of them... and for the rebellion against the Society. I just love how Ally Condie makes every word count--that these poems, which had only seemed like words whispered between lovers in the first book, became so much more meaningful.
4. (+) The World-building - Okay, first off, I love Ally Condie's capitalization - the Rising, the Carving, the Warming, the Outer Provinces... I love that she doesn't explain some of these things like the Warming, that her capitalization basically tells you all you need to know about it.  Secondly, I was fascinated by the history of the Society and the story of the farmers and the Rising and the way Ky's parents factored in and the Archivists and the blue tablets and the Enemy vs. the Rising and ah!  All of it.  So many more details were added to the world already established in Matched and I can't wait to see how the third book will bring them all together.
5. (+) The Romance - You guys know that I am not a fan of love triangles... but as I already said, this book feels very much like only a Ky book, so I'm disregarding the triangle and saying that wow, the love and romance is done so beautifully.  So, so sweet and agh, there really are no words to describe Ally Condie's writing and how wonderfully this was done.
6. (+) New Side Characters - Four side characters are introduced who all have different stories to tell and who all are very interesting and integral to the plot.  I cannot wait to find out more about them and see the rest of their character arcs unfold.
7. (--) Old Characters - Because this book takes place in the Outer Provinces / the Carving / outside the Society, you don't get to see some of the other characters introduced in Matched.  For one, Cassia's parents and brother Bram are not in this book (except in Cassia's thoughts)... and her friend... (I can't remember her name now? Emily, was it? Or??)  Cassia didn't think about her at all and she's not in Crossed either, and Xander makes only one appearance.  (Side note: though he is not physically there, he's in Cassia's and Ky's thoughts quite often, and he is perhaps more mysterious than I had ever guessed from Matched.)
8. (+) The Setting - Ally Condie, on her website, has written about how Utah (I think) influenced the setting for Crossed, and I must say that I don't care what influenced it, only that I want to go wherever that is.  Even though the setting is treacherous and hard to survive in, it is beautiful, and as is typical of Ally Condie's writing, it seems to have a life of its own.
9. (+/-) The Pacing - You can expect the same pacing that you get in Matched and the sense that things are slowly building to their end... but for someone like me, sometimes it does seem a tad too slow, even if I had expected it to be that way.
10. (+) The Cover - You learn what the blue tablets do... and though I thought that this cover was beautiful and symbolic when I first saw it, I now think it's even better and more representative of the book.

I loved Crossed just as much as I had loved Matched. Whatever Ally Condie writes, I will buy because one thing's for certain: she knows how to write and tell a beautiful story.

Release Date: October 18, 2011
Published by: Scholastic

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

1. The Protagonists & Alternating Points of View.

There are two points of view--one from our heroine, Puck Connolly, and the other from our hero, Sean Kendrick.

A lot of the reviews I had read said that it was hard to identify with Sean because he was so closed off, but to me, he wasn't that closed off.  He seemed closed off from Puck's perspective and the way everybody else treated him, but his point of view showed so much more.  (And honestly, he seemed so lonely that I just wanted to hug him.)  Puck and Sean have two very different types of strength: Puck seems to get her strength from her love for her family, from her stubbornness, from a genuine appreciation of the island while Sean gets strength from his love of the horses he cares for, from Corr, from living for nine years without (really) relying on anybody but himself.  I loved how different their perspectives were... but I also loved how much they seemed to fit together.

2. The Romance


I have been thinking a lot about Veronica Roth's blog post on insta-love, particularly since The Scorpio Races was listed as an example of a book that had a couple fall in love rather quickly.  But the thing is, with this book, the romance doesn't even feel like insta-love. I do think they fell in love, but it's not exactly named, and Maggie Stiefvater makes you want to believe in Puck and Sean as a couple.  They feel like puzzle pieces put together, and they balance each other's personalities.  I fell in love with the idea of them falling in love, and Veronica Roth was right with this: Maggie Stiefvater convinces me that it can happen for some people.

3. The Character Cast

I am so glad that this book might be developed into a movie (as Maggie Stiefvater announced on Twitter).  Every character you meet has a certain quirk, something that just makes you believe in his / her existence.  I want to meet every one of them and I particularly love the dynamics between the people of Thisby--what is said and what goes unsaid.  It will make for a great film if whoever picked it up gets on that.

4. The Writing


Maggie Stiefvater is an author I greatly admire.  Her writing always paints such vivid descriptions that for me at least, I feel like I'm actually there with the characters.  Also, if you're a writer looking to study how other authors create certain moods or handle pacing, look no further than Maggie Stiefvater.  It's no wonder this book has gotten five starred reviews.

5. Magical Like Nothing Else I've Read


Maybe it's the topic of the books.  Maybe it's the writing.  Maybe it's the characters.... but whatever it is, this book is like nothing else I've ever read.  I want to believe in Thisby.  I want to believe in Puck and Sean.  I am both fascinated with and disgusted by the Scorpio Races.  I wonder what it would be like to encounter a water horse.  There's so much about this book that I love and that feels magical, and I think that part of it is because of all the details.  Maggie Stiefvater makes the descriptions come to life, makes them seem real just by how detailed they are.

If you're somebody who likes to read faster paced books, maybe this isn't for you.  But if you're somebody who's just looking for a good story, check out The Scorpio Races.  You won't be disappointed.