The Scorpio Races

	Title: The Scorpio Races
	Author: Maggie Stiefvater
	Date Published:10/18/11
	Pages: 416
	Genre: YA, Fiction
	Format Read: Hardcover
	Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Audible
Rating

Maggie Stiefvater is a wonderful author, whose work I quite enjoy reading. The Scorpio Races was no exception. Stiefvater has created a new species of horse, water horses or capall uisce. These horses live in the sea, are blood thirsty and once a year are captured to compete in races that generally result in the deaths of the riders who are unfortunate enough to not be the winner.

Kate Puck Connolly is a teenage orphan living with her brothers and trying to scrape by maintaining their family's home and feeding themselves. When her eldest brother tells them he is leaving, Puck feels the only way to keep her family together is to enter the races, even though it is sure to mean her death, and no female has ever entered before!

Sean Kendrick is also an orphan, living as a stable hand and capall uisce trainer at Malvern Stables. Sean is a 4 time winner of the Scorpio Races on his uisce Corr. All he wants from life is a place to call his own, a job, and Corr.

This book is fairly action packed. I finished in under 2 days (extra reading time because I was home sick!), the action is enough to draw you in. This isn't an overly girly book, there is a enough blood and competition in it to keep the male species interested as well. 

This book ended well, and didn't leave me hanging, so I can assume that this is not a series, but a stand alone book from Stiefvater (although this is uncommon).  I highly recommend it to lovers of horses and underdogs!

The Night Circus

	Title: The Night Circus
	Author: Erin Morgenstern
	Date Published: 9/13/11
	Pages: 400
	Genre: Fantasy
	Format Read: audiobook
	Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Audible
Rating

This was an enjoyable book, and it wasn't even a YA book! I choose to listen to The Night Circus because it was narrated by Jim Dale, the narrator for the Harry Potter series and the television show Pushing Daisies. Because I chose the audiobook version, it took a moment or two to realize that we had changed years, cities or viewpoints because I could not refer back to the text. These jumps did not inhibit my ability to enjoy the book though. I did however sometimes think to myself, when did Hermione join the cast of characters?

This book follows a circus, from its inception, creating, highlife, demise and rebirth. It also looks at the catalyst behind the circus - a bet, and a challenge between to children who don't know what it is that they've been thrust into.

The characters are easy to picture in your head as Morgenstern describes not only them, but the design of the circus tents, the food and the magic with great detail.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the circus or magic. Even if you don't, this book may win you over anyway!

Passion

	Title: Passion
	Author: Lauren Kate
	Date Published: 6/14/11
	Pages: 432
	Genre: YA Romance
	Format Read: Hardcover
	Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Audible
Rating

Passion, the third book in Lauren Kate's Fallen series has been just as well written as the previous two books. This book follows Luce on her journey through time as she witnesses, and even partakes, in the many incarnations of the relationships between Daniel and herself. Luce is looking for proof that their love is worth all the pain and suffering it has caused not only Daniel and Luce, but people around them.

I gave Passion 4 coffee cups. It was an easy read, and I loved the many exotic places that the author took Luce and Daniel in the past. Lauren Kate used past happenings with Daniel and Luce to explain various events throughout history. A fun read!

Crave

	Title: Crave
	Author: Melissa Darnell
	Date Published: 10/25/11
	Pages: 432
	Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance
	Format Read: eBook on Kindle app for iPad2
	Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Audible: N/A
Rating

I really enjoyed this book... even with limited free time I managed to finish in less than 3 days. Of course it just so happens that this is part of a trilogy... go figure. I found this one through Amazon recommendations based on my reading.

This is about Savannah and Tristan... two childhood friends whose parents forbade them from seeing each other after a pretend wedding in the fourth grade. Tristan's clique, The Clann, is always putting Savannah down and calling her a freak, but Tristan has always viewed her as a friend he can't talk to.

Savannah has always kept an eye on Tristan, can sense when he is near and still dreams about him. The Clann won't even let her be his friend, let alone his girlfriend as she wishes she could be.

Savannah misses a week of school and now Tristan is just as obsessed with her as she is with him... why was she gone? What happened to her during that week? Why can't he think about anything but her? Why are all of the boys suddenly intersted in her?

Can't wait for the next one, but apparently I will have to wait... Covet is set to come out later this year.

Awaken

	Title: Awaken
	Author: Katie Kacvinsky
	Date Published: 5/23/11
	Pages: 309
	Genre: YA, Dystopian, Romance
	Format Read: eBook - Kindle app for iPad 2
	Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Audible: N/A
Rating

This was a great read because the dystopian future that Kacvinsky depicts is completely believable. In Awaken, students no longer physically go to school. Because of school shootings, bombings and violence, students are educated through the DS (digital school) system at home. Everyone logs into their computer, images of their classmates and instructors are projected. After DS takes off, no one goes to the movies, concerts, restaurants or any other social hang out physically. Teenagers hang out in chat rooms, parents use virtual images of themselves to dance together and people become isolated by “plugging in.” Madeline meets Justin in a virtual study group, and ends up interacting with him “unplugged.” Awaken follows Madeline’s progression from constantly “plugged in” to wanting constant interaction with Justin.

The main reason I gave this a 4.5 cups of coffee instead of 5 was due to the fact that I specifically looked for a book that was NOT part of a series… and as I neared the end I knew this was going to be a series, and I would end up waiting for future books to come out.

Witch and Wizard: The Fire

	Title: Witch and Wizard: The Fire (Witch and Wizard book 3)
	Author: James Patterson and Jill Dembowski
	Date Published: 12/5/11
	Pages: 352
	Genre: YA, Fantasy, Dystopian Fiction
	Format Read: audiobook on iPod nano
	Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Audible
Rating

The third and final installment of the Witch and Wizard series, The Fire, was a good read (or in this case - listen). The book was packed with action and lead to a logical and satisfying conclusion to the series. Whit and Wisty have to use all of their M to fight a blood plague intended to reduce the city's numbers so that there are fewer people to stand against The One who is The one. Wisty is infected with the plague an Whit has to battle to ensure her recovery. While some new characters are introduced, we are allowed a chance to revisit some, and Whit and Celia are finally allowed some closure (after we learn about how she died and who killed her!). As with any book about struggle, we have the final battle, which locks Wisty and The One who is The One in a match to the death.
Overall this was a good ending to the series, a little bit dragging in some parts, but well worth the time to read it!

Never to Sleep

	Title: Never to Sleep (A Soul Screamers Novella)
	Author: Rachel Vincent
	Date Published: 1/1/12
	Pages: N/A
	Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance
	Format Read: eBook - Kindle app for iPad 2
	Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Audible: N/A
Rating

Just finished "Never to Sleep" by Rachel Vincent. I enjoyed the break from having Kaylee as the narrator. NTS allowed us a look into the mind of Kaylee's cousin, Sophie, and how her mind works and how she views Kaylee and the world around her. Most importantly it lets us know that Kaylee isn't the only female bean sidhe (banshee) in the Cavanaugh family!

Sophie visits the Netherworld for the first time, and we are introduced to a new character, Luca. Luca takes an immediate (and very physical) liking to Sophie.

I know that this was a novella, but it left me wanting more! I can't wait until "Before I Wake" finally arrives in June!

A new year...

So when the new year rolled around, I asked myself... what can I do this year that I didn't do last year? I've decided to chronicle my reading (and listening) adventures. While this is a public blog, I doubt that much interest will be taken, but will serve more of a way for me to reflect on what I've read. If someone else happens to find a book that they enjoy reading on here, then it will all be well worth it!

That being said, I am not the type to read heavy duty literature. I read for fun and generally like it when my reading doesn't require a lot of thought (I get enough thinking during my job, my reading is for relaxation!). I generally stay within the YA world, although I do enjoy chic lit, paranormal romance, and pretty much anything dystopian!