Legend

Legend by Marie Lu - 2011

Blurb ... 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.

New York to Dallas

New York to Dallas - J.D. Robb - 2011 (Kindle)

Blurb ....
In the mid-twenty-first century, NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas is facing possibly her worst nemesis yet: paperwork. Just as Eve finds herself wishing for a murder that would spring her from paperwork hell, something worse comes along.

Isaac McQueen - a violent pedophile Eve took down not long after she became a police officer - has escaped prison. McQueen seems more than eager to get back to raping and torturing young girls, but he's added an additional target to his list: Eve. McQueen's sick cat-and-mouse game will take Eve and her husband Roarke from New York to Dallas, where the demons of Eve's past will collide with the terrifying danger that taking down McQueen presents.

Equinox

Equinx by Lara Morgan - 2011
Book two of The Rosie Black chronicles


Blurb ....
It’s Rosie’s seventeenth year and she’s starting her first year at Orbitcorp Academy, but it’s not going to be all parties and pilot training. Helios hasn’t forgotten her – and she certainly hasn’t forgotten them. Bent on revenge Rosie is still working in secret to try to take them down.
But a terrible miscalculation will send Rosie once more on the run, this time into the unknown lands of the north, Gondwana Nation, where word has it Helios is building something big.
There will be a new friend and a new boy – the handsome and wealthy Dalton Curtis – who will surprise Rosie with a secret she can’t begin to guess. And Pip will return, but how does he feel about Rosie, and where has he been?
Pursued again and on the run, Rosie might not have time to find out all the answers, but what she will learn is that a capacity for evil can be equalled by a capacity for good -  and she will be forced to make a choice that will change her future forever.

I really enjoyed reading Genesis (book 1) last year and it took me a couple of chapters into  Equinox to remember who was who again. Once I was on track the book took off and I really enjoyed the ride. It is obvious that there is going to be a third book as to the frustrating ending, but you wonder if Rosie and Pip will end up together or will Dalton make his move?

Visit Lara's site: http://laramorgan.wordpress.com/

Tigers voyage

'Tigers voyage' by  Colleen Huock - 2011
Book 3 of the Tiger Saga


Blurb ....
With the head-to-head battle against the villainous Lokesh behind her, Kelsey confronts a new heartbreak: in the wake of his      traumatic experience, her beloved Ren no longer remembers who she is. As the trio continues their quest by challenging five cunning and duplicitous dragons, Ren and Kishan once more vie for her affections--leaving Kelsey more confused than ever.

I have been waiting for this book to come out thinking that finally the curse would be broken and Ren and Kelsey would finally get together. Boy was I so wrong. This is a whole other journey and I was speechless when at the end of the book I finally realised that there was another one to come, no trilogy. Which means I have to wait another year till the next one is published. NOT HAPPY JAN! 

Visit Colleen's site: http://www.tigerscursebook.com/

Shatter me

'Shatter me' by Tahereh Mafi - 2011

Blurb.....
You can't touch me," I whisper.
I'm lying, is what I don't tell him.
He can touch me, is what I'll never tell him.
But things happen when people touch me.
Strange things.
Bad things.
No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon.
But Juliette has plans of her own.
After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever.


All I can say is WOW!!!! I really loved this book. It states that it is likened to The hunger games and the X-men and they weren't wrong. What a great concept and I am definately hanging out for the sequel. You are immediately drawn to Juliette. To see her so broken and defeated your heart breaks for her loneliness. Then Adam comes along and her world is turned upside down and Juliette suddenly feels hope for the first time in her life and maybe a little chance of love.


Visit Tahereh's site: http://www.taherehmafi.com/

Last breath

'Last breath' by Rachel Caine - 2011


Blurb....
Claire Danvers is concerned when three vampires vanish from Morganville without a trace.  The last person seen with them is someone new to town – a mysterious individual named Magnus.  Claire is convinced creepy Magnus isn't human . . . but is he a vampire, or something else entirely?

Claire's hunt for answers leads her to solving another mystery that's long been puzzling her: why do vampires live so far out in a sunny desert when they're sensitive to sunlight?  The answer has nothing to do with sunlight, but with water – and an ancient enemy who has finally found a way to invade the vampires' landlocked community.  Vampires aren't the top predator on earth.  There's something worse that preys on them . . . something much worse.  Which means if Claire, and Morganville, want to live, they will have to fight on to the last breath . . .


Last breath is book 11 in the Morganville Vampires series and certainly worth the wait. As the blurb states it does answer a few of those nagging questions however, what I don't like about it is the Cliffhanger ending AHH! How infuriating that I have to wait another 12 months to find out what is going to happen. I don't want to spoil the surprise and give away the big shock about Claire so you will just have to read it. Bring on book 12!


Visit Rachel's site: http://www.rachelcaine.com/Rachel_Caine_-_Writer/Home.html

Thirteen reasons why

Thirteen reasons why by Jay Asher - 2007

Blurb ....
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

This is a classic edge of your seat story and just when you think you know what's going on BAM, along comes another scene that leaves you shaking your head. This story takes you on a journey of sorrow, doubt, anger, revenge, heartache and more sorrow yet it leaves you with a little ray of sunshine. This is so powerful on many levels that I would love to see it being introduced as a Year 10 novel. A must read for all.

Visit Jay's site: http://www.thirteenreasonswhy.com/book.php

Shadows on the moon

Shadows on the moon by Zoe Marriott - 2011


Blurb...
On my fourteenth birthday when the sakura was in full bloom, the men came to kill us. We saw them come, Aimi and me. We were excited, because we did not know how to be frightened. We had never seen soldiers before."
Suzume is a shadow-weaver. She can create mantles of darkness and light, walk unseen in the middle of the day, change her face. She can be anyone she wants to be. Except herself.
Suzume died officially the day the Prince's men accused her father of treason. Now even she is no longer sure of her true identity.
Is she the girl of noble birth living under the tyranny of her mother’s new husband, Lord Terayama? A lowly drudge scraping a living in the ashes of Terayama’s kitchens? Or Yue, the most beautiful courtesan in the Moonlit Lands?
Everyone knows Yue is destined to capture the heart of a prince. Only she knows that she is determined to use his power to destroy Terayama.
And nothing will stop her. Not even love


Set in ancient Asia and using many terms and folklore from Japan and China, it provides a beautiful backdrop for a story full of passion, betrayal, survival and vengence. Suzume's world is turned brutally upside down on her 14th birthday and her journey for survival and revenge is breathtaking. I absolutely loved this story and I desperately hope that Zoe writes a sequel.

Visit Zoe's site: http://www.zoemarriott.com/

The hunter

The Hunter by Tom Wood - 2011


Blurb ....
Forget James Bond.
Forget Jason Bourne.
Forget Jack Bauer.
Meet Victor.


He's an assassin - a man with no past and no surname. But when a Paris job goes spectacularly wrong, Victor finds himself running for his life across four continents, accompanied by a woman too beautiful to trust, pursued by enemies too powerful to escape.
This is Tom Wood's first novel and has just finished writing the 2nd installment to Victor's adventures. I really enjoyed this story and it had me wondering just what is really going on in our world. Just how many 'spies' and contract killers are out there doing their 'thing' while we blissfully go along with our lives? I must admit I didn't like what Woods had done to the Rachel character, just when things were getting really interesting. Not Happy! Anyway, I can highly recommend this story if you love fast paced, gripping, edge of your seat action.

Visit Tom's site: http://www.tomwoodbooks.com/

The power of six

The power of six by Pittacus Lore - 2011
Book two of the Lorien legacies.

Blurb....
Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We’re hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we’ll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I’ve been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?
They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.
I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.
And I’m ready to fight.

Picking up from the ending of 'I am number four'.  this installment has two stories running simulainiously. One, in America on the run with John, Sam, Six and Bernie Kosar and two in a convent/orphanage high in the mountains of Spain where we meet number seven. This book is faced paced and edgier and the ending leaves you wanting more. I'm enjoying this series and I am really looking forward to the next one.



I am number four by Pitticus Lore - 2009

Blurb ....
We were nine, three are dead, I am number four.
Nine teenagers and their guardians are hiding on Earth … protected by a charm that means they can only be killed in numeric order, three are already dead. John Smith is Number Four. And his mortal enemies are hunting him down.
The only way to keep off radar is to keep moving, never staying in one place for long. Finally in the firing line, all he can do is adopt the guise of a student and pray his unusual gifts – his legacies – stay hidden long enough for him to settle into this new community.
But others seem to sense his otherness and when small-town life sucks him into its intrigues, it's only a matter of time before his true nature is revealed. And that means there's no space for love, friendship or a future if it means protecting not only himself, but the other five …

Visit Pittacus Lore's site: http://iamnumberfourfans.com/the-lorien-legacies/

Ashes

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick - 2011


Book 1 of the Ashes series.

Blurb....
Alex has run away and is hiking through the wilderness with her dead parents' ashes, about to say goodbye to the life she no longer wants to live. But then the world suddenly changes. An electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky zapping every electronic device and killing the vast majority of adults. For those spared, it's a question of who can be trusted and who has changed... Everyone still alive has turned - some for the better (those who acquired a superhuman sense) while others for the worse (those who acquired a taste for human flesh). Desperate to find out what happened and to avoid the zombies that are on the hunt, Alex meets up with Tom - an Army veteran who escaped one war only to find something worse at home - and Ellie, a young girl whose grandfather was killed by the electromagnetic pulse. This improvised family will have to use every ounce of courage they have just to find food, shelter, while fighting off the 'Changed' and those desperate to stay alive. A tense and involving adventure with shocks and sudden plot twists that will keep teen and adult readers gripped.

I had no idea what this book as truly about. By reading the blurb I thought OK newbie I'll give it a go. Only a couple of chapters in and I'm thinking oh boy. This must be my first foray into zombieland and I'm still not quite sure what I think about it. When I finished reading this story I checked out the reviews and to see when the next installment comes out as the ending leaves you with a massive cliffhanger, but the reviews were mixed. I definately agree that the first half of the book was fast-paced and edgy, however, the second half seemed to get bogged down and left you wondering what the author has planned. Well the last page gives you the answer. I will read the next book and then I think I will make my mind up to see whether I can read the last. Hmm....

Whisper

Whisper by Chrissie Keighery - 2011

Blurb ....
I'm always trying to figure out what's really going on. Always having to fill in the gaps, but never getting all the details. It's like trying to do a jigsaw when I don't even know what the picture is, and I'm missing one of the vital middle pieces.

How do you know if your friends are talking about you behind your back or if a boy likes you? They could act innocent, but you'd know from the rumours. You'd hear the whispers. But what if you couldn't hear those whispers anymore? What if everything you took for granted was gone? Being a teenager is hard enough.

Immediately there is a connection between Demi and the reader. Your heart feels for her. Her story starts with her journey on the tram to her new school, the start of her new life. Demi is now deaf and her new world is closed off, she is frustrated, angry and lonely. Demi lets you see glimpses of her old life and how she is coming to terms that nothing will ever be the same again. Can she still follow her dreams? Will she ever find friends who just 'get' her and will she find someone who just loves her? Hmmm no spoiling here, you will just have to read it for yourself. You won't be disappointed. I loved it.


Visit Chrissie's site: http://www.chrissieperry.com/Whisper.html

Heart of danger

Heart of danger by Fleur Beale - 2011
Book 3 of Juno series

Blurb ....
Juno and her family arrive at their new home, but almost immediately danger threatens Hera and they move to Willem's protection in New Plymouth, the city Juno most hoped to avoid. Fairlands school is too like Taris, and Hilto's son Thomas is a pupil there. The handsome Ivor is also there and soon begins to pay attention to Juno in a way she finds both confusing and exciting. Juno's special mind powers are called upon to help her save Hera, and HEART OF DANGER carries on to be a rollicking read that veers between scary situations and Juno's discoveries about love and learning more about the powers of her own mind. 

                                     

 Juno of Taris by Fleur Beale - 2009
Book 1 of the Juno series.

Blurb ....
Juno is a young teen who lives – in the not-too-distant future – on Taris, a bubble-covered island in the Pacific, to which a select few hundred people were evacuated when the Earth was under threat. On Taris there are many rules governing appearance, behaviour, even procreation, but all are for the good of the community, to ensure the survival of humankind. Or are they? As Taris begins to break down and Juno's questioning nature takes hold, she uncovers some startling inconsistencies in the 'facts' she has grown up with.

Fierce September by Fleur Beale - 2010
Book 2 of the Juno series.

Blurb ....
Juno and the Taris inhabitants must leave their dying island. The young people are entranced by the prospect of a life Outside, despite the hate campaigns against them. There are the fashions, the technologies and best of all for Juno, the freedom from extreme control. But Taris doesn't give up its hold so easily, and Juno is shocked to find that the island held more secrets than anyone knew. She wants to bury her head, ignore what she's discovered and forge ahead to find her own place in this new world. If only it were that easy...

Coming in 2012, 'Nash's story'

Silvermay

Silvermay by James Maloney - 2011

Blurb ....

Sixteen-year-old Silvermay can’t help falling for the dark, handsome youth who shows up in the village. But he is a man she has no right to love; he is with Nerigold and baby Lucien. The trio are fugitives on the run from Coyle, a corrupt and cruel Wyrdborn. As they make ready to flee once more, Silvermay is swept up in their adventure. She finds herself losing her heart to all three as they travel through the forest to the heart of the mountains and beyond. She also discovers that the evil they are running from will test not only her love, courage, and trust, but will test the very essence of her humanity.

Book one of the Silvermay triology. The reader is taken on a journey set in a time and place unknown, where evil lurks and survival is a battle. When 16 year old Silvermay finds herself responsible for caring an ailing young mother and her new born son on a journey out of harms way she fears for their safety and comes to rely on Tamlyn for support and strength. Never did she ever realise the importance of their quest or understand what true evil is until she sees the mosaic on an unearthed  wall. Fear of what could happen rests heavily on her as she looks into the eyes of a young baby boy who could be the reason for such evil.

Visit Jame's site: http://www.jamesmoloney.com.au/

Tiger's curse

Tiger's curse by Colleen Houck - 2010


Blurb ....
The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that’s exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and  mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.
Book one of tiger trilogy. This story takes you on a beautiful journey through India. Your imagination runs wild with exotic places, foods and culture. Kelsey's life turns upside down when she agrees to work for a travelling circus for two weeks. She finds herself on a journey to India to undo the curse that has been placed on Ren, a white tiger, who is actually an Indian prince.
I absolutely loved this story and I look forward to the second installment.

Tiger's quest by Colleen Houch - 2011

Blurb ....
Back in Oregon, Kelsey tries to pick up the pieces of her life and push aside her feelings for Ren. But danger lurks around the corner, forcing her to return to India where she embarks on a second quest--this time with Ren's dark, bad-boy brother Kishan, who has also fallen prey to the Tiger's Curse. Fraught with danger, spellbinding dreams, and choices of the heart, TIGER'S QUEST brings the trio one step closer to breaking the spell that binds them.
Book two of Tiger trilogy. Oh my, what an adventure. Just when you think everything will work out, Bam! you get hit by a curve ball. I absolutely love this series and would have to say that it would sit in my all time favourites list. I am literally hanging out for the last book (due November 2011). Bring it on!
Visit the Tiger's curse site: http://www.tigerscursebook.com/

Wicked appetite

Wicked appetite - Janet Evanovich - 2011

Blurb ....
Lizzy Tucker has a way with cupcakes, and she’s inherited a great-aunt’s 1740 saltbox house in Salem, Massachusetts, plying her trade at Dazzle’s Bakery in town. Who should turn up in her living room but Diesel (Visions of Sugar Plums, 2002), who is extremely handsome, very strong, and not entirely human (if not entirely angelic). Diesel is locked into a cosmic battle with his cousin Wulf, specter-thin with more than an air of sulfur about him. Lizzy, who may or may not have a secret, special ability, is needed by Wulf and Diesel to recognize objects of magical power. What follows is a romp that careens wildly between impossibly silly and impossibly adorable (and includes the reemergence of Carl the monkey from Evanovich’s Plum Spooky, 2009). Lizzy gamely attempts to make sense of oddly magical occurrences (in possession of one of the magic charms, she can’t stop eating; in possession of another, she wants household goods and babies now), while simultaneously dealing with some fairly specific threats involving Wulf and resisting Diesel’s obvious affection and attraction.

As usual Janet's stories leave you with a smile on your face. This one doesn't disappoint with the dangerously sexy Deisel and his latest quest to keep mankind save from the perils of evil. It is a laugh out loud, shake you head at the antics of the main characters, with a tease of sexual tension.
For those who love the Stephanie Plum series, it is a very similar story line with supernatural themes and her additction to all foods and a great sense of humour.

I absolutely love Janet and I am definately looking forward to the next book.

Visit Janet's site: http://www.evanovich.com/

Skinned

Skinned by Robin Wasserman - 2009 - Now re-released as Frozen

Blurb ....

Everyone will die someday. Everyone but Lia.

The Download was supposed to change the world.
It was supposed to mean the end of aging, the end of death, the birth of a new humanity.
But it wasn't supposed to happen to someone like Lia Kahn.
And it wasn't supposed to ruin her life.

Lia knows she should be grateful she didn't die in the accident. The Download saved her--but it also changed her, forever. She can deal with being a freak. She can deal with the fear in her parents' eyes and the way her boyfriend flinches at her touch. But she can't deal with what she knows, deep down, every time she forces herself to look in the mirror. She's not the same person she used to be.

Maybe she's not even a person at all.

The sky is everywhere

The sky is everywhere by Jandy Nelson - 2010

Blurb ....
Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery sister Bailey.  But when Bailey dies suddenly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, finds herself struggling to balance two.  Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own.  Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent.  For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it.  But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

Blood song

Blood song by Rhiannon Hart - 2011

Blurb ....
When her sister becomes betrothed to a prince in a northern nation, Zeraphina’s only consolations are that her loyal animal companions are by her side – and that her burning hunger to travel north is finally being sated.
Already her black hair and pale eyes mark her out as different, but now Zeraphina must be even more careful to keep her secret safe. Craving blood is not considered normal behaviour for anyone, let alone a princess. So when the king’s advisor, Rodden, seems to know more about her condition than she does, Zeraphina is determined to find out more.  Zeraphina must be willing to sacrifice everything if she’s to uncover the truth – but what if the truth is beyond her worst nightmares?


I have just come across this new Australian author and found it interesting that she has the same name as someone else I know.  As I was reading the blurb for this book I was thinking hmm another vamp book. However, when I was actually reading the story I found that I was totally off the mark. It is set in the time of kings and queens and princesses marrying for border protection and money and hopefully love. Zeraphina always new that she was looked different to her mum and older sister but couldn't understand why and why is she always craving blood? I did enjoy this story and I look forward to reading the second book.

Visit Rhiannon's site: http://rhiannon-hart.blogspot.com/

Matched

Matched by Ally Condie - 2010


For all those YA groupies who absolutely loved The Hunger Games, the Rose Black chronicles and the Juno series and need another dystopian book to read, well you have just found it.
Everything was supposed to be perfect when Cassia found out who her match was, but then she started questioning her life, and just how much control the Officials have on her life. Falling in love with the wrong guy leads Cassia on a journey where she will need to fight for her life and for those she loves. I cannot wait for the next installment.
Visit Ally's site: http://www.allysoncondie.com/

Crossed. Book 2 by Ally Condie - 2011

Numbers : time to run

Numbers : time to run by Rachel Ward - 2009

Blurb ....
Since her mother’s death, fifteen-year-old Jem has kept a secret. When her eyes meet someone else’s, a number pops into her head – the date on which they will die. Knowing that nothing lasts forever, Jem avoids relationships, but when she meets a boy called Spider, and they plan a day out together, her life takes a new twist and turn. Waiting for the London Eye, she sees everyone in the queue has the same number – something terrible is going to happen.’

This is book one of the Numbers trilogy. Based in the U.K. it starts off introducing us to the main character Jem. She is a 15 year old who has learnt to make herself  'invisable' so people don't notice her. Jem has a gift/curse where when she look into people's eyes she sees numbers, not just random numbers, these numbers are the date of when that person will die. This book sets up Jem's character and the rollercoaster her life goes on when choices are made. In some places I was a bit over Jem and her moods/attitude towards life and people, however, when I was left with a clifthanger of an ending I understood why Rachel Ward spent so much time letting us get to know Jem. I'm looking forward to reading book 2 Numbers : Chaos.


Visit Rachels site: http://www.rachelwardbooks.com/

Nora Roberts

Chasing fire / Black hills - Nora Roberts - 2011/2010 (Kindle)

Blurb (Chasing fire) ....

There's little else as thrilling as firefighting - at least to Rowan Tripp. The Missoula smoke jumpers are in Rowan's blood: her father is a legend. She's been fighting fires since her eighteenth birthday. At this point, returning to the wilds of Montana for the season feels like coming home - even with reminders of the partner she lost last season still lingering.
Fortunately, this year's rookie crop is one of their strongest ever - and Gulliver Curry's one of the best. He's also a walking contradiction, a hotshot firefighter with a big vocabulary and a winter job at a kids' arcade. But everything is thrown off-balance when a dark presence lashes out against Rowan, looking to blame someone for last year's tragedy. Rowan knows she can't complicate things with Gull - any distractions in the air or on the ground could mean the end - but if she doesn't find someone she can lean on, she may not make it through the summer..

                              Blurb (Black hills) ....

Lil Chance fell in love with Cooper Sullivan pretty much the first time she saw him, an awkward teenager staying with his grandparents on their cattle ranch in Montana while his parents went through a messy divorce. They spent every summer together, treking in the Black Hills, tracking cougar and falling in love. Then Cooper broke her heart and moved back to New York City. Ten years later and Cooper has given up his job in the police force to run the ranch after his grandfather is injured in a fall. Lil has stayed true to her love of cougars and of the Black Hills and opened an animal sanctuary. She has been targeted by animal rights campaigners in the past but this time someone seems intent on murder. As hikers are killed, animals mutiliated and a family member goes missing, Lil knows that she has no choice but to turn to Cooper for help in her fight for survival ...

Nora has a fabulous skill of setting the background, building up the characters and throwing in suspense and bit of romance to create stories of pure escapism.
I can recommend both these stories and if you throw in some chocolate, coffee and a comfy chair you are in a good place.

Visit Nora's website: http://www.noraroberts.com/index.html

Unlocked

Unlocked by Ryan G. Van Cleave - 2011

Blurb ....
Andy is the janitor's son, an outcast, a nobody. Then the rumor starts-that Blake has a gun in his locker. In a moment of misguided hopefulness, Andy steals the keys from his dad and opens up Blake's locker, hoping that finding the gun will change his own status. But the gun isn't there and Andy remains an outcast. When an unlikely friendship develops between the two loners, Blake shares most of his secrets with Andy, including the gun. But there's one secret that worries Andy more than anything-the date circled on Blake's calendar. Does Blake have something planned? Something that Andy can prevent? In a fascinating look at how teens deal with the now constant threat of school violence, debut author Ryan G. Van Cleave provides a unique, emotional perspective on how it feels to be the one who can prevent a tragedy.


This verse novel is set in a junior high school in America.  It is based around 2 boys and how they deal with their 'social status'. One boy Andy is on the 'outer' and desperately wants to belong.  Blake however has purposely distanced himself from his peers since the death of his father in Iraq. Then one day the rumour starts. Does Blake have a gun in his locker?? And if the answer is yes, why does he?? Is Andy brave enough to find out?? This contemporary story is powerful and even though it is a quick read Andy and Blake will stay with you for days to come.

Visit Ryan's site: http://www.ryangvancleave.com/

Grave minder

Grave minder by Melissa Marr - 2011

Blurb ....

Three sips to mind the dead . . . 
Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the attention her grandmother Maylene bestowed upon the dead of Claysville, the small town where Bek spent her adolescence. There wasn't a funeral that Maylene didn't attend, and at each one Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual: She took three sips from a silver flask and spoke the words "Sleep well, and stay where I put you." 
Now Maylene is dead, and Bek must go back to the place she left a decade earlier. She soon discovers that Claysville is not just the sleepy town she remembers, and that Maylene had good reason for her odd traditions. It turns out that in Claysville the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected; beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D. If the dead are not properly cared for, they will come back to satiate themselves with food, drink, and stories from the land of the living. Only the Graveminder, by tradition a Barrow woman, and her Undertaker—in this case Byron Montgomery, with whom Bek shares a complicated past—can set things right once the dead begin to walk. 
Although she is still grieving for Maylene, Rebekkah will soon find that she has more than a funeral to attend to in Claysville, and that what awaits her may be far worse: dark secrets, a centuries-old bargain, a romance that still haunts her, and a frightening new responsibility—to stop a monster and put the dead to rest where they belong.

Well this is certainly a new one for the supernatural genre. When I started reading this story I wasn't sure if I was enjoying it. However, once the story started picking up the pace it just became more weird and unusual and yet I found myself waiting for the next page. The whole premise for this novel revolves around a small town in which the role of the grave minder and the undertaker are solely responsible for making sure the dead stay dead. Lots of gruesome scenes and creepy evil stuff makes this story and interesting read. Not sure if Melissa is making this a series (I wouldn't be surprised) I have no doubt that it will be a hit.
Just how much I liked this book, the jury is still out. I would really like to hear what you think if you have read it.
Visit Melissa's site: http://www.melissa-marr.com/

Hell Island

Hell Island by Matthew Reilly - 2005

Scarecrow Series

Fabulously quick read (all of 108p.). Fast, action-packed and mysterious makes this novel a great escape. It's planet of the apes v's Halo, what more can you want from a book? I really enjoy reading Matthew Reilly. He is able to capture all the ingredients that make you want to read more. He blends action with humour, history and technology while adding a big dose of good v's evil. I can confidently recommend any of his books and I hope he keeps writing for years to come.
I have also read 'Seven ancient wonders" from the Jack West series and all I can say is WOW what a journey. Loved it!

Visit Matthew's site: http://www.matthewreilly.com/

Graffiti moon

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley - 2010

Honour Award of The Children's Book Council of Australia, YA 2011

Blurb ....
Lucy is in love with Shadow, a mysterious graffiti artist.
Ed thought he was in love with Lucy, until she broke his nose.
Dylan loves Daisy, but throwing eggs at her probably wasn't the best way to show it. Jazz and Leo are slowly encircling each other.
An intense and exhilarating 24 hours in the lives of four teenagers on the verge: of adulthood, of HSC, of finding out just who they are, and who they want to be.

For me this story took a bit to warm up, however, once it did it was on a roll. It's aimed at 17 to 18 year olds by the use of its contemporary language and subject matter with the ups and downs of relationships. I really liked this story.

Cath Crowley takes you on a journey looking through the eyes of it two main characters, Lucy and Ed. So each chapter is seen through Lucy's eye's then the next through Ed's. The story begins on the last day of Year 12 and the events that unfold throughout the night and finishes the next morning. Basically, Lucy wants to meet the elusive Shadow, a graffiti artist whose work really speaks to Lucy, and spends her night trying to find him. Ed however, is doing his best making sure she doesn't. I'm not going to spoil the story and tell you what happens, you will just have to read it to find out!!

Visit Cath's site: http://cathcrowley.com.au/

H.I.V.E. series

H.I.V.E. series by Mark Waldon - Bloomsbury 2006-

Blurb ....
Otto Malpense may only be thirteen years old, but so far he has managed to run the orphanage where he lives, and he has come up with a plan clever enough to trick the most powerful man in the country. He is the perfect candidate to become the world's next supervillain.
That is why he ends up at H.I.V.E., handpicked to become a member of the incoming class. The students have been kidnapped and brought to a secluded island inside a seemingly active volcano, where the school has resided for decades. All the kids are elite; they are the most athletic, the most technically advanced, and the smartest in the country. Inside the cavernous marble rooms, floodlit hangars, and steel doors, the students are enrolled in Villainy Studies and Stealth and Evasion 101. But what Otto soon comes to realize is that this is a six-year program, and leaving is not an option.
With the help of his new friends: an athletic martial-arts expert; a world-famous, beautiful diamond thief; and a spunky computer genius -- the only other people who seem to want to leave -- can Otto achieve what has never been done before and break out of H.I.V.E.?

H.I.V.E stands for Higher Institute of Villainous Education.

 I have just read book 3 in this series and am thoroughly enjoying it. The premise behind this series at first didn't grab me, as I love reading good v's evil thillers, but it didn't take long into the first book that I connected to the main character Otto. Otto is fourteen year old boy who grew up in an orphanage. He is extremely gifted and uses his talents for the shady side of good. He gets abducted and finds himself, with other gifted teenagers at the H.I.V.E. Institite on an island in a remote part of the world. There he befriends Wing, Laura and Shelby who between them all are a truly gifted force to be reconned with. For those who love reading Charlie Higson, Anthony Horowitz and Jack Higgins will love the ride this series takes you on.

Visit Mark's site: http://www.markwalden.net/blog/

Morganville Vampire series

Morganville Vampire Series by Rachel Caine - Penguin 2009- (Kindle)

Blurb ....
College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation. When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life, but they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood


So far, this series contains 10 books, there will be 12 in total, the 11th due out at the end of this year.

I was totally involved in this vampire/human story. It features a big cast, primarily focusing on Claire and her friends Shane, Michael and Eve who live in the small town of Morganville which is ran by vampires. The stories are diverse while slowly building up to the ultimate ending. While each book has its own storyline, Rachel Caine lets you discover more about the characters and their backgrounds. As I was reading each book I was shocked and amazed and in awe of author's ability to keep you reading and wanting for more.



Visit Rachel's site: http://www.rachelcaine.com/Rachel_Caine_-_Writer/Home.html

Six impossible things

Six impossible things by Fiona Wood. - Pan McMillan 2010
Shortlisted for The Children's Book Council of Australia, YA 2011.

Blurb ....
Fourteen-year-old nerd-boy Dan Cereill is not quite coping with a reversal of family fortune, moving house, new school hell, a mother with a failing wedding cake business, a just-out gay dad, and an impossible crush on the girl next door. His life is a mess, but for now he's narrowed it down to just six impossible things...

We meet Dan, the main character in this story, when his life has just been turned upside down and inside out. Dan and his mother have just moved to an old dusty house, they have no money, he has to start at a new school, his mother is in the process of a breakdown, his father has just announced that he is gay and to top it all off, he is madly in love with the girl next door.
Although there is so much going on in the story line, it is written in a gentle yet honest way. Your heart will break for Dan, you will sympathise with Dan and you will cheer for Dan. I loved this book and I look forward to seeing if it wins this year's CBCA highest award.

Visit Fiona's webpage: http://fionawood.com/