Review: Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury

Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury

Holden Harris is an autistic eighteen-year-old who is bullied at school. Laura Reynolds is the head cheerleader who befriends Holden but has problems of her own at home. In her trademark way, Kingsbury tackles real-life issues of high school bullying, autism, adultery, and ultimately ... acceptance.

Published in US: Dec 2010
Source: library

My review:
   This is such a powerful and emotional read! It had me crying (both happy and sad for characters) at several points. Ms. Kingsbury really nailed using multiple perspectives, giving us a full story and picture of autism, God's power, healing and the power of music.
   This is christian fiction at its best... I was so wrapped up in the character's lives and voices, pulling for a miracle, and soaking up the message that God can change, He can be there for those who love him, ask of him and trust him to work.
   Bullying and suicide are also addressed, but she handles it well, and it didn't feel like she was stretching to include it in the story, it really matched up well, and evoked emotion from me.
   I'm glad that I picked this up! I don't know why I've waited so long to read it.

Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.
As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

Published in US: Dec 2010
Source: Library
My Review:
   I know that nearly everyone has read and reviewed this book for me, but I am just getting off of the sweeping tour of Paris, and the anticipation rush from Anna and St Clair (I'll call him that not because I didn't feel effection for him, but because I'm not the fondest of E name.)
   I've seen so many positive reviews, I tried to wipe my slate clean before reading so that I could just enjoy (or not) the story before me. And enjoy it I did. It was a fast, fun, and romantic story that surprised me with the emotional depth at times. There aren't just cute and fun issues here, there are some hard ones--sickness, barriers to friendship, and just raw emotions from events playing out.
   I do sympathize with St Clair's reasonings behind Ellie, but I still have to say that it still didn't sit right with me. Sure, she's not there and his feelings for Anna are strong, but why drag it on? It would've been hard as a girl seeing it from Ellie's eyes, but I think that would've been the right thing to do.... I guess I just had to mention that because that's the one thing in the book that still nags at me.
   That is not to say that I thought negatively of the book, I loved it. Anna grows and learns so much, and she has a great (and wonderfully written) group of friends, and the tension between her and St Clair kept me on the edge of my seat.
I'd love to hear what you think of my review and/or the book.

Review: Plague by Michael Grant

Plague by Michael Grant

It's been eight months since all the adults disappeared. GONE. They've survived hunger. They've survived lies. But the stakes keep rising, and the dystopian horror keeps building. Yet despite the simmering unrest left behind by so many battles, power struggles, and angry divides, there is a momentary calm in Perdido Beach. But enemies in the FAYZ don't just fade away, and in the quiet, deadly things are stirring, mutating, and finding their way free. The Darkness has found its way into the mind of its Nemesis at last and is controlling it through a haze of delirium and confusion. A highly contagious, fatal illness spreads at an alarming rate. Sinister, predatory insects terrorize Perdido Beach. And Sam, Astrid, Diana, and Caine are plagued by a growing doubt that they'll escape - or even survive - life in the FAYZ. With so much turmoil surrounding them, what desperate choices will they make when it comes to saving themselves and those they love? Plague, Michale Grant's fourth book in the bestselling Gone series, will satisfy dystopian fans of all ages.

Published Apr 2011 in US
4th in Gone series, Fear comes out Apr 2012
Source: library

My Review:
   This is another great installment in the Gone series. I enjoyed this one as much as the others, and Grant has an amazing thing going on here. It didn't feel like an in between or filler, it felt very much like he has a plot, and these kids have a story to tell.
  I wasn't expecting a lot of the twists that came up in here, and I don't know how it's going to effect the story overall, but I know that I can't wait to find out.                      
I'd love to hear what you think of my review and/or this book!                                                                                                              

Giveaway of Unveiled and Top Book Picks from Trisha Wolfe

Unveiled by Trisha Wolfe

Amongst the wasteland lies the gleaming city of Karm. A Camelot-esque utopia built from the ashes of a dying world.
Seventeen-year-old Fallon is no daughter of Karm.
She's its assassin.
Raised by a secret society of rebels, she's bent on bringing down the king's sham of an existence. But her first mark, one of the king's top knights of the Force, makes her question everything. Even her heart.

Here's Trisha's Top Ten Book Picks:
Girl of Fire and Thorns
Daughter of Smoke and bone
On a Dark Wing
Brightest Kind of Darkness
Eve
the Near Witch
The Iron Knight
Indelible
Carrier of the Mark
Shattered Souls


Sounds like I need to add some books to my TBR! 
Thanks Trisha, and good luck on upcoming release of Destiny's Fire!
Here's how you can win Unveiled:

Favorites of 2011

It's another fun Mini Challenge!!! This Mini Challenge is all about the books you read this year!!!

Challenge: Write up a blog post telling me the top 5 books you read in 2011 that you loved! That were your favorite! 

Make sure to link up on Princess Bookie's blog to be entered to win!

My faves:

Amber Frost, here's my review

 Haven by Cook, here's my review

 Wither by Destefano, here's my review

 Accused by Kate Kaynak, my review

 Half Blood by Jennifter Armentrout, my review

These are ones on my read list on goodreads (I didn't set all my dates so I may have missed/forgotten something)