Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Title: Forgive My Fins
Author: Tera Lynn Childs
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: May 19th, 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 293
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

I wasn't sure what to expect. I honestly bought this book for the cover, which I know is kind of bad, but it was pretty! Anyways, I was surprised just how much I actually enjoyed this story.

And I wasn't too upset about Lily's self-centered nature, only because she grew a lot in the end, which I was glad.

Now, I'm not completely obsessed with mermaids. I think they're pretty cool and if someone gave me the option to be a mermaid or a human, I'd chose the fins (even though I'm not a fan of fish).

The story was a lot of fun and Quince is by far my favorite in the story. I wish I had a guy like him, so sweet and caring.

It was a simple story that ended much too soon for me, and also my first book from Childs. I can't wait to read the rest of the series and a little bit more from her. If there was ever a story that would be quick and fun to read, this is it!

I'd say, go for it.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Title: 13 Little Blue Envelopes
Author: Maureen Johnson
Release Date: August 23rd, 2005
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 336
Format: iBook
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

When Ginny receives thirteen little blue envelopes and instructions to buy a plane ticket to London, she knows something exciting is going to happen. What Ginny doesn't know is that she will have the adventure of her life and it will change her in more ways than one. Life and love are waiting for her across the Atlantic, and the thirteen little blue envelopes are the key to finding them in this funny, romantic, heartbreaking novel.

This was such a cute story! Taking a break from all the adult novels and stress on school work, I enjoyed this novel a lot. The idea of taking a trip to another country and finding a cute boy on the way is always refreshing.

I have to say an idea like this does not come around often, even though it should.

And while, I really did enjoy this book it did not go without some flaws. First of all I felt that the way that Ginny just up and left was not something that could just happen. If an aunt that I loved and cared dearly just died and now I'm getting her letters asking me to do this? Well, I'm not sure I could handle the situation well. And I know for a fact my parent's would never let me leave the country on my own if I were Ginny's age.

Second, I felt like the pace was just too slow in some areas and two fast in another. And then there was the fact that there really wasn't much back story on Ginny herself. She was just there, a girl, and it was like she was just doing this out of some obligation. And not to mention the boy coming out of nowhere. I don't know about you guys, but I'm not a fan of insta-love. It's irritating and unrealistic. And while this is fiction, I would like to point out that these are supposed to be people who are based in our world, so obviously those rules of attractions have to apply.

I also didn't like Ginny had no personality. It was like she was going through the motions as stuff was happening to her and she would react like, "Oh, I should do this." There was no feeling from her at all. It was like a mannequin would have more life than her.

I think that had to be my biggest problem out of everything in this book.

Cute and sometimes funny this book could make for a quick read or a slow one, depending on how you take it. I can't say that I completely and utterly loved it... but I didn't loath it either. So, we'll see how I feel about Johnson later on.

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Title: The Body Finder
Author: Kimberly Derting
Release Date: March 16th, 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 336
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult
Rating: 5 Stars

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers. Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him. Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself

I have to say that the start of this series is the best way to end the year. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book, because I could not imagine how it was that someone found dead bodies. It was interesting, I won't lie, but I couldn't really picture it. So, the way Derting expressed it through the book felt so original.

Violet, basically, can find the dead or at least those that went through a violent murder. Those murdered, and she assumes that it's only the ones who's lives were wrongfully taken, leave an echo that calls to her. And this calling - it can be any of the five senses plus this feeling - does not leave until the bodies are laid to rest. And on top of that the killers leave an imprint that matches that of who they murdered. So when a serial killer appears in her little hometown Violet feels their call. But on top of all this, as if it weren't enough, she has to deal with her growing feelings for her best friend Jay.

Overall, I loved the book. It was an excellent start to an excellent series. The character of Violet is conflicted with her emotions about her gift and that of her best friend, which just makes being a teenager that much more complicated. Derting brought Violet to life for me. While I wish that Violet was a little more stronger, instead of withdrawing into this zombie state that she gets in whenever the call of the dead is too powerful. And that she didn't lean so much on Jay, but in consequence it's a little cute, which makes the ending that much better.

I also enjoyed the alternative chapters that Derting gives. Not only do we get to see Violet's side of things but also get into the minds of the killers, which always asks the question: "Who did it?" That's what I feel Derting did an excellent job at. Not only did she keep us in suspense but she held on with all the twists that she had up her sleeve that kept the book going.

It went at an excellent pace and it didn't take long for things to really start going and once they did Derting kept it for the entire book.

This is on the list of my favorite new series for 2011 coming into 2012. I loved Violet and Jay, though if he could lighten up that would be great.

It was like I could not read this book fast enough. It was dark, haunting, hair-raising fun that made this first book excellent.

The Poison Diaries: Nightshade by Maryrose Wood

Title: The Poison Diaries: Nightshade
Author: Maryrose Wood
Release Date: October 25th, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 288
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: ARC; Netgalley
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: The Poison Diaries
Age Group: Young Adult
Rating: 5 Stars

Our heroine, Jessamine, has lost her faith in the men she loved, and her innocence as well. She turns to the dark side and plots to kill her father, using his own poisons, before becoming an assassin, a poisoner for hire. Can she recover from her heartache and reunite with her true love, Weed? Find out in this thrilling story where poisons, darkness and horror are a part of everyday life, and love is the only cure

I'm not going to lie, I didn't read the first book, but now I'm going to have to read it, because I want to know how Jessamine and Weed (I still can't believe that's his name) fell in love, and the relationship with her father. There was a lot that was going on that I didn't understand too well, since I hadn't read the first book, but what I really like about Maryrose is that I understood enough to get me through.

I like how you can understand who Jessamine is and get a pretty clear picture of the first book, to understand. I could see her being almost being different in the first book, than when she's in this book where she's dark, haunted. And the pull she has to the dark force of Prince Oleander, is very easy to catch.

What I love about Maryrose is how she can make the reader feel exactly what Jessamine feels; there's this sense of guilt, this darkness inside of her, and it's almost like poetry is being written here. But like every haunting tale there's always that one piece of light, and that's Weed. Even though Jessamine is being seduced by Oleander to become this assassin, Weed searches for her, and there's this moment when the reader wants them to find each other, because it's like magic.

I don't want to give too much away, but the ending almost had me in tears. I love the imagination that is being poured into this story and I just can't wait for the next book to come out. Of course, I want Weed and Jessamine to find each other and take this evil that has taken hold of them both and throw it away.

The story takes you to another world where things can get twisted and there's this huge force of darkness around our heroines. I cannot wait for the next book and I highly recommend it.