Peeled by Joan Bauer

Hildy Biddle is a sixteen year old journalist following her dead father's footsteps. She is determined to find the truth. Hildy lives in Banesville, New York which has an abundance of apple orchards and a haunted house that has come back to life. There have been weird events occurring at the old Ludlow house now for a while, including a mysterious break-in and then a death. The town becomes a bundle of nerves with the price of mace skyrocketing while property prices are dwindling. No one is sure of the truth and the editor at the local newspaper, the Bee, is of no help. Hildy, along with the help of the members of the school newspaper, the Core, set off on a journey of clues and lies to solve the mystery of the Ludlow house. Hildy won't settle for anything less than the truth and is quite perturbed when there are many lies floating around town. Soon there is a clash of the newspapers and a desperate fury to solve the mystery. Who could be behind the haunted house? Could it really be ghosts or is it just greedy people?

This was a really cute book and great for all ages. I'm so glad I got the chance to read it, as it is now one of my favorite books. It mixes mystery, high school, and even a little romance into one great heap of a book! Hildy is a lovable character who I couldn't get enough of. Everything starts to unfold at the end of the book and just made me keep turning the pages. Joan Bauer has once again created an unforgettable book which will be loved for many years to come. The writing is excellent, the characters are great, and the storyline is fantastic. For anyone looking for a little mystery and a novel as sweet as an apple in their lives, look no further than Peeled by Joan Bauer.

*Also reviewed for Flamingnet

The REAL Final Challenge!!

I know on my last post I said the A~Z Challenge was my last, but I changed my mind!! The Young Adult challenge will really be my last because I have so much else going on that there just isn't enough time in the day to read as much as I want to! So here is a brief overview of the Young Adult challenge. It's really not that hard, just read 12 young adult books during 2008. So really it isn't that hard and since I read so much anyway it won't be to much pressure! I will try and put books on the list though that I'm not reading for other challenges (except maybe for the A~Z challenge). If you want to join the challenge or just want more information visit the Thoughts of Joy blog. I'll put my list in the sidebar because I'm still thinking of the books I want to put on it!

Final Challenge

I decided to do just one more challenge, because they are so much fun! I'm going to do the A-Z Titles and Authors challenge. For this challenge you must read a book with a title from every letter of the alphabet, and then a book by an author who's last name starts a letter of the alphabet. I hope that doesn't sound to confunsing, but if it does check out Thoughts of Joy's blog because she is hosting it!! The list would be to long for the post so just check out my sidebar!

Zora & Nicky by Claudia Mair Burney

Zora Hampton is very aware of her African heritage. How can you not be when your father is breathing it down your neck 24/7? But her father treats her with the utmost respect and gives her anything she wants. He makes sure she has the perfect car, apartment, and even boyfriend. Her father doesn't seem to take in her considerations though because he has ignored Zora's love of painting. Zora's not sure if she's happy with her current lifestyle and even though her dad's the preacher of one of the biggest churches in the city, she seems to have lost her way to God. Nicky Parker is the All American rebel. He's hot, can't stand his racist, preacher-father, and he got a girl pregnant. He decided to California to get away from his father and get rid of his player reputation. When he returns he seems to have left God in California. This unlikely pair is brought together at a Bible Study far from each of their home churches. There is instantly a spark of love and neither one of them can get the other off their mind. These two have nothing in common except that they are both preacher's kids or PK's as they like to refer to themselves. Within a week of meeting each other circumstances throw them together at every opportunity, creating a love so deep that nothing can tear them apart. Could it be the hand of God?

At first I was anxious to read this book, but when I started it I was really bored. There was still something there though that wouldn't let me put the book down. Whatever you do, read at least 100 pages into the book and you'll be hooked. I am so glad I continued reading because this is one of the most memorable books I have read in a while. It made me feel so many different emotions and really contemplate my life. Usually when I think of a love story I think about those cutesy little Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies. Well let me tell you, Zora & Nicky is not a book like that. It is one of the most powerful love stories I've ever read. It is not only love between Zora and Nicky, but their love and relationship with God. These characters go through thick and thin to be with each other, defeating all odds. If you are looking for a love story that will open your eyes to the world, then Zora & Nicky is the book for you. Even if you are not looking for a love story, still pick it up and read it. There are so many lessons to be learned whether you are white, black, yellow, or red. The characters in this book are so well developed that the reader can actually feel the character's emotions. I know if I was in Zora's position I wold never give Nicky away either. I think a round of applause is definitely in order for Claudia Mair Burney for a stunning, heartfelt novel.

I'm sorry that this is such a lengthy post, but I truly felt so different after reading this book that I had to gush about it! Even if Christian literature is not your thing, you should still read the book because there are so many more themes in the book besides the whole God thing. Trust me, this is the first Christian fiction book that I have ever read, and as you can see, I loved it! Keep an eye out for it because it comes out in April.

Perfect by Sara Shepard

Perfect is the third installment in the Pretty Little Liars Series. I am anxiously anticipating the release of the fourth so I can find out what happens next!! I advise you not to read my review if you haven't read the first two books, because while I will not spoil this book, the review may spoil the other two.

It has been a month since Toby Cavanaugh's funeral and a month since the girls have gotten any messages from A. Could A have been Toby?? Most certainly not because A is soon back, and Toby is definitely not. Aria, Hanna, Spencer, and Emily still aren't to fond of each other, but keep getting brought back together to try and crack the case of who A is. As for their day-to-day lives, they are just as busy and bad as ever. Aria, her mom kicked her dad out of the house and Aria too, she has no choice but to go live with her boyfriend Sean. When Sean catches her with Ezra, on a tip from A, Sean kicks her out and gets Ezra arrested leaving Aria without a place to go. Hanna and her best friend Mona have been on the rocks ever since Foxy, but with Mona's seventeenth birthday rolling around, will they be able to kiss and make up? Hanna's also befriended Lucas, a boy that has always liked Hanna, even when she was chubby. Emily has no doubt about who she wants to be with, but her parents do. After A distributes pictures at a swim meet of Emily and Maya kissing, Em's parents offer her the choice of moving to her Aunt Helene's farm or joining Tree Tops, a group that helps gay people realize they're not gay. Spencer has become a celebrity. Her teacher nominated her essays for the prestigious Golden Orchid awards, but Spencer doesn't think this is such as good as it's supposed to be. See she didn't write those essays, and once the person who did finds out, Spencer knows she's done. Spencer also comes to find out that she has a natural gift of blacking out when something horrific happens. For example, pushing a girl down with all her might...When one of the girls cracks the A case, A's not to happy and gets rid of them. Which girl is it? Do the other girls know to? Is Ali's killer one of the four other best friends?

These books just keep getting better and better. Perfect is my favorite book out of all three because the characters become so much more interesting. New drama is created and new characters are introduced. Sara Shepard has made me feel that I am actually standing on one of many perfectly manicured curbs in Rosewood. The new book, Unbelievable, comes out at the end of May/beginning of June and the identity of A is supposedly going to be revealed!! I am beyond excited and eager to read the fates of Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer. I recommend this whole series to all girls and urge you to go get them from your library or the book store!

Who do you think the killer is? Who is A? I would love to know what you think and be able to talk about who is who! Email me at andanotherbookread@gmail.com or leave a comment.

Flawless by Sara Shepard

Flawless is the second book in the Pretty Little Liars series. It starts out right where Pretty Little Liars left off, except for a preface that includes a couple juicy secrets! Note: Don't read if you have not read Pretty Little Liars, unless of course you don't mind spoiling a little bit of the book!

Rosewood, Pennsylvania is mourning the loss of Ali DiLaurentis after her body was recovered in her old backyard. Spencer, Aria, Hanna, and Emily all meet up at the memorial for Ali and discover that all four of them have been receiving messages from A. No one knows who A is and they are desperate to find out. At the memorial service they are all shocked to see Toby the brother of Jenna, the girl who had the terrible accident. They all wonder what he could be doing back in town, and could he be A? As for the rest of the girls lives they are as scandalous as ever. For Spencer she's starting to slip from the stress of life. Her parents are still unbelievably mad at her for making out with her sister's boyfriend (whom she's still seeing), her grades are starting to slip and the notes from A are threatening to unleash secrets that could ruin her life. Aria is just as bad off. Her steamy affair with her teacher has been called off, but now she's into Hanna's ex-boyfriend Sean. While her relationship is heating up, her parent's relationship cools off and A is anxious to slip the secret. Emily is still questioning her sexuality and her swimming career. Hoping to get her old life back she takes a certain someone to the big Foxy dance, but he could be more danger than good. Last but not least, Hanna is trying to get her ex back, but she has a little competition. Also, her dad comes back into the picture and with him comes his evil soon to be step-daughter. All this drama can't be good for a small town, but these four girls don't care. They'll do whatever it takes to keep their secrets safe.

This book was a thrilling follow-up to Pretty Little Liars. It answers many of the questions that the reader is asking at the end of the first book. We find out about Jenna and more about the lives of Aria, Hanna, Spencer, and Emily before Ali disappeared. This book is the perfect mix of murder, rivalry, romance, and mystery. Perfect for any girl who's ever wondered what those "it" girls have to hide! The series becomes even more enthralling because as soon as one question is answered another appears. Especially the question of who is A! Sara Shepard has definitely got me hooked on the series and eager for more.

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

Rosewood, Pennsylvania is the ideal suburban neighborhood. The houses are all old and beautiful, oh and cost mega dollars! In this perfect neighborhood live five best friends. Ali, Spencer, Emily, Aria, and Hanna. They've been friends since the seventh grade and have been through it all. They have all the classic inside jokes as any normal circle of friends would have, but these girls have a nasty secret that they all share. It involves a terrible accident that happened to the girls' neighbor. All changed the last day of seventh grade when Ali went missing. Rosewood was sent into a whirlwind panic and police were everywhere. Ali is never found and the girls continue on with their lives and eventually drift apart. Now all the girls are juniors in high school and the gap between them has never been as big. Spencer is your typical over-achiever. She is always volunteering for something or catching up on her SAT vocab. Aria has just returned from Iceland and is determined to show everyone that she isn't the girl who's best friend dissapeared, especially her new English teacher who is just absolutely yummy. Emily is an all-star swimmer with a hot swimmer boyfriend, but when new girl Maya moves into town Emily questions her swimming future and her dating future. Hanna is the "it girl." She has the body (through much hard work), boyfriend, and style, but things start looking down when Hanna can't help but be a bad girl. The girls continue on without each other but little do they know they will all be reunited again. Coincidentally all of them are being contacted by someone by the name of A. A knows all their secrets, whether they are new or from many years ago. Who could A be? Could it be Ali who disappeared so long ago?

Pretty Little Liars is the book for any girl who loves drama. It is filled with juicy scandalous secrets, and more drama than could ever go on in anyone's life. With every page turn new questions popped into my head. Who could A be? What was the terrible accident that plagues the girls? None of these questions are answered, but don't fear there are two sequels already published - the fourth arrives in April and there are said to be a total of eight. I was sucked in from the get go and couldn't put this book down until I was finished. Any girl looking for a light read will enjoy this book!

This is the second book for my 1st in a series challenge. I going to have to put the challenge on hold though so I can read the other two books - Flawless and Perfect - because I am definitely hooked!