Seven Clues To Winning You

Seven Clues To Winning You is the story of a girl who has everything she could want and then she has to leave it to go to the school her father is the principal for. Which is also the school that embarassed her with a secret picture that hadn't been meant to get out. And the school is not close to dropping it. So, in order to regaining her dignity, she must win the Senior Scramble, which she got her father to ban because she was so embarassed. There, she falls for her enemy- the source of all her problems-Luke. And together they plan a secret Senior Scramble.

This book- if turned into a movie- would be classified as a romantic comedy. It was really great and I enjoyed realting myself to the characters of the book as they grew and developed as people. Also, coincidentally, the characters reminded me of my friend and her old crush's relationship. So I devoured this book. Kudos to Kristin Walker!

The Night She Disappeared

The Night She Disappeared is a terrific horror story mized with a little romance and a lot of mystery. It all starts when Gabie accepts Kayla's offer for a trade of shifts at the pizza place they both work at. Kayla goes out to deliver an order and never comes back.

The main reason why Gabie is so bothered by it is because the person placing the order had asked if the girl driving the Mini Cooper was working that night. And last time Gabie checked, she was the only girl that drove a Mini. So, because it could've been Gabie, she feels like it's her responsibility to find out where the alive Kayla is. Because both Gabie and her friend Drew both know she is not dead. And the person who has her was not at all expected.

This is a great book! I highly suggest it! Great job April Henry!

Irises

Irises by Fransisco X. Stork is a heartwrenching tale of two sisters after their father passes away. They have their mother, who was left brain-dead after a terrible accident a few years earlier, and each other. This book is the perfect sister story and I highly suggest it for those who want to smile through their tears at the end.

This takes you on the story of Mary and Kate. Mary is the artist who loves their mother even though she really isn't there anymore and Kate is the brilliant older sister who has everything she could ask for: a reliable boyfriend, a good education; but she always wanted more. So she decides to rebel and she loses everything really quickly.

Variant

This book, Variant by Robison Wells, is a fast-paced thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seats. It takes you on the adventure of an orphaned boy, Benson Fisher, that had been in one terrible foster home after another for a long time, until he was offered to attend school at Maxfield Academy. He accepts it almost immeadiately, but soon discovers the school is anything but normal.

I really enjoyed this book. It was made for people who love the whole idea of elusive boarding school with plenty of dirty secrets. But it also gives the satisfaction of a little romance and plenty of action. This is a really great book and I highly suggest it!

Vanish

Hey! I am reviewing the book Vanish by Sophie Jordan. It is the second book in the Firelight series.
You pick up where you left off, when Jacinda exposes her secret to save the boy she loves. Now, back at home, she is ignored and shunned by her people for the hunters finding and kidnapping their people. As well as this, she is not able to see Will.
Personally, the plotline was really hard to follow and you really have to read the first book in order to fully understand it. This book is full of drama and heartbreak so be prepared for some sadness. Can't wait for the follow up!

Under The Never Sky

Hi! Long time no blog, huh? I just started school and I have been really busy, so it took me awhile to get this uploaded. But no worries, there is definitely more to come. I just finished reading Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi. 

This book has both a thrilling and a romantic side to it. It starts when Aria, one of the main narrators, is trying to find out why the connection between her world and Bliss- her mom's- is not working. and that requires flirting with the only boy that might have information on it. Turns out, that boy is a little crazy and eventually, he ends up ripping off Aria's 'Smarteye', a piece of technology that links you up to the realms. A comparison of this would be an iPhone glued to your eye and connected to your thoughts. Peregrine- a "savage" and the other narrator- saves her from dying in a fire.

When Aria wakes up, she is questioned by Soren's- crazy boy's- father. And to make sure that Aria doesn't try any of that again, she is sent to the Death shop. There, she is reunited with Peregrine- or Perry- and they work together to hopefully save the one's they love.

I really enjoyed this book because I felt it melded together perfectly to create a well-written and creative book. The ending threw me off just a little because it left you hanging there and then it ends. I'm crossing my fingers for a second book because it is so great and I would like to find out what happens to Aria and Perry and Talon- Perry's nephew. The rest of the book fit together nicely and though I had a few questions in the beginning, I felt that they were answered by the time the book ended. This book is similar to The Hunger Games and Eve and I recommend this to anyone who is up for a delicious new read!

Yum-Yum! (Until next time),

Galley Girl!!! {xoxox} 

:(:) <-- PIG!

Dark Inside

Just finished a really good, don't read at night book. It took me forever to read, because I didn't want to read it when it was dark out. That realistic. Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts is a story told in five different points of view: Mason, Aries, Michael, Clementine and Nothing. It started off semi-normal but then every went bad and people started killing each other. Kind of like a nightmarish dystopia. All the kids were trying to stay alive and at one point, they came together from four different places. Nothing was like it's name. Nothing. You have no idea who or what it is and it's point of view can be kind of disturbing sometimes.
I really enjoyed this book when I was reading it, because I really became attached to one point of view and I couldn't wait for the next chapter with them to come up. All the chapters were thrilling and a race to stay alive. After I finished it, I stayed awake for several hours just thinking about what happened and if there would be a sequel.
All in all: amazing, awesome, scary, and thrilling. Great book. Really suggest you read it!
XOXO,
Galley Girl

Maggie Stiefvater Interview

Just for you!

Interview with Maggie Stiefvater (author of The Wolves of Mercy Falls, Lament and Ballad.)

G.Grl- What inspired you to write The Wolves of Mercy Falls?

Maggie- Mostly, because I'm a terrible person and I really enjoy watching people cry and so, when I first set out to write Shiver, I didn’t know it was going to be about wolves. All I knew was that I wanted to write a bittersweet book that would make teens cry buckets. So… yeah… I know it makes me sound like a terrible person.

G.Grl- What character in all of your books do you relate to most?

Maggie- Uh… The character I relate to most is… that’s difficult because I put a little piece of all of myself in them. Especially I stole a lot of my college self for Isabel because she seems an ice queen, and really that’s not really who she is, but what she projects. And then also Cole, the way he goes from his internal struggles to becoming more of a… social creature. So, definitely Isabel and Cole.

G.Grl- Um… how much research did you have to do for Wolves of Mercy Falls?

Maggie- Loads of research. I always think that if you’re gonna tell a lie, you have to make it as realistic as possible. So I spend loads of time with real wolves, I’ve watched so many documentaries that my little dogs learned how to howl in their sleep, and I have read a gajillion books on wolves and the worst part of the research was the brain science to make the werewolf disease realistic.

G.Grl- What advice do you have for a young writer?

Maggie- Oh, I have two. One that was given to me really early on: write the book you always wish you could find on the shelf that isn’t there. Cause then you’ll write a book that’s really meaningful to you and not like a knockoff of anything else you’re reading. It’s just like a book for you. And then the other thing is that never believe in the word no, unless you’re saying it to yourself. Because if anyone else says no, like a rejection, it always just means not yet. Until you believe it means no and then it means the end.

G.Grl- When is your next book planning to come out?

Maggie- October 18^th. It’s called the Scorpio Races and um… it’s kind of about homicidal horses and kissing.

G.Grl- And what have you learned most as an author?

Maggie- Hmmm… the most as an author… that you never get better at writing books, you only get better at the book you are currently writing. I always think that ‘It’s gonna be easier this time!’ and its not. I mean, all I know is that I can see the symptoms of writers’ block or when I start to get stuck coming in the distance, but I still have to fix it the exact same way.

G.Grl- And… when was your first book published?

Maggie- My first book was publishes when I was 23, I think, that was Lament published back in 2008.

G.Grl- Alright, I’m Galley Girl and I have just interviewed Maggie

Every Other Day

Hola! Long time no blog, huh? I actually read three in a row and completely forgot about them until today. So here I am, at 9 PM, writing not one, but three blogs. Brilliant, Galley Girl! *smacks head*
Anyways... I have the last book on my agenda. I actually have one more to read. I saved the scariest for last. Great. Excited?  Okay, now I am going to focus and power through this last one and go to bed. Not really, going to try and watch the ending of The Nine Lives of Chloe King. Or not. I guess, since I am recording it, I will prepare my interview questions for Maggie. (it's on Monday!!!)
{Oh... Sorry about there not being any book cover, I looked FOREVER to find it and the best I could find was the Every Other Day Diet.}
Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is narrated by Kali D'Angelo. One day, she is human, and the nest, she is something totally different. And she doesn't know what she is. Then, one day-while she was human- she met Skylar, a girl who was a bit psychic and has 5 older brothers. Together, they and a girl named Bethany, figure out a mystery involving a mysterious guy named Zev- who is all in Kali's head- a ouroboros and a chupacabra.
I really liked this book. It is thrilling and exciting and I really, truly hope that there is a sequel in the future.
*Skylar is being psychic and she predicts that there might be. and I am predicting you will read this :)*
TTYL,
Galley Girl
P.S. must finish last book... :D

iBoy

New book alert! Similar to Terminator, iBoy by Kevin Brooks, combines both human and robot together to create a great book.

Tom Harvey is a normal teenage boy. He goes to school, he hangs out with friends. the only difference between him and normal is that he is surrounded by multiple gangs (based out of his town!) and his life changes the day someone drops an iPhone from 30 stories up. On his head.After he wakes up from his 17-day long coma, he discovers that his long time crush, Lucy Walker, and her brother, Ben, had been beaten. And in Lucy's case, raped. And the police weren't doing anything about it.

Now it's up to Tom to serve justice to the gang and fight with his brain. Which, oddly enough, gives him super powers.I really liked the voice in the book, and the idea that brains are stronger than brawn. And that, 9 times out of 10, the brain smarts beat muscle. Kevin takes this to the literal sense. This book is thrilling and suspenseful. I wanted more the entire time and it left me wondering, what happens next?

Until next time, Which isn't that far away. I have another one.

XOXO,

Galley Girl

Guy Langman: Crime Scene Procrastinator

hey! it's Galley Girl, bringing you all things bookish. Today (tonight...) i actually have a different type of book. A crime book.

It's called Guy Langman: Crime Scene Procrastinator by Josh Berk.

I thought this novel was funny and it had a great voice to it. Although it is narrated by a Guy (literally! that's his name!), I feel like it a good novel for both boys and girls.

The book takes you a Guy's journey, starting from when his dad dies, to when he is almost out of high school. The mayhem all starts when Anoop, his best friend, convinces him to join the forensics club. Guy willingly joins- mostly doing it because his crush's name was on the list- and it goes from there. He makes new friends and then two different things happen: someone breaks into his house and that very day, at the fake crime scene the teacher makes up, he and Anoop find a body. A real, dead one. It is up to him to find the murderer and bring justice to himself and the boy that was murdered.

This book was really funny and I can't help but wonder what would have happened if his dad hadn't died and  many other things, but I don't want to spoil the entire book for you.

Get Ready For...

On August 1st, I will be interviewing Maggie Stiefvater, author of Shiver and Lament series.


When it is over, I will type up the interview and post it here for your enjoyment!

So be ready.

Blood on the Moon

I got the chance to read Blood on the Moon by Jennifer Knight.
Faith is a freshman at college when she meets Lucas. He is her roommate's boyfriend. But she finds something odd about him. She meets Vincent when she goes to a club with her friends and he instantly intrigues her. Derek has been her best friend for a long time and he is trying to stir up romance between them again. This leaves Faith at an odd position, who does she choose and who is safe? This book has the perfect amount of both vampires and werewolves and makes you question about who is really who they seem. These elements combine to make a thrilling, suspenseful book that leaves you hanging at the end of the book. I really truly hope that this book has a sequel because I can't wait!
XOXO,
Galley Girl

Prized

Hey! It's the one and only GalleyGirl and I am here to bring you the what's what of the hottest new books that aren't technically out yet! ;)
This weekend, during a 14 hour car trip, I got to read Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien, the sequel to Birthmarked.
Prized is another dystopic novel set around the 25th century. Where we last left Gaia, she had wandered into the Wastelands with no more than a rumor of "The Dead Forest" and her premature baby sister, Maya. Now she has found the village of Sylum, where women rule because they are a minority. Women aren't allowed to have any romantic relationships unless they are married and plan on having at least 10 kids. 
I encourage you to read Birthmarked before taking on this book because the author moves quickly through the book assuming you have the information of the previous book. It was a difficult read because you need to know the history from Birthmarked. I found myself looking back to the prequel many times trying to understand it better. If you take on these books, you will be rewarded with Gaia's eerie, dystopic world.
I liked this book because you got the chance to see Gaia develop relationships and defy the law yet again to do what's right. For example, Gaia develops a relationship with a girl named Josephine and her daughter, Junie, and Gaia helps Josephine because she wasn't married and she had a kid. This means that Josephine will have to give away Junie and she will never be able to have her own kid because she is not "proper mother material". The reader connects with the characters of the novel and roots for the underdog the entire time and hope that all is well in the end.

Fateful

Galley Girl here, and I am reviewing Fateful by Claudia Gray.

This book is a rendition of the Titanic with a twist: werewolves. This book left me on the edge of my seat and on the verge of tears throughout the entire novel it was so good. It blends all of the best elements for a young adult novel that catches people's attention: suspense, thrills, paranormal creatures, and a forbidden romance. Tess is a maid for a rich, English family during the early 1900s, the Lisles. The Lisles have decided to go from England to the U.S. and are taking Tess with them. Then Tess meets Alec, a rich first-class character, and she falls in love with him. She finds out about werewolves and things slowly go downhill from there.

I loved this book so much, it had a strong voice to it and I wasn't able to put it down. It reminded me of the movie, the love between Jack and Rose, except switched around and with werewolves. And the Lisles are the only ones that don't like it. I must've cried at least twice during the book and it really gave you a piece of fictitious history. I think the author enjoyed writing this novel, because you can tell from the entire of the book. I really liked Tess. She is a strong character and she really cares for the people she loves and never backs down.

Away

Hey! It's Galley Girl and this time I am reviewing Away by Teri Hall:
Away is the dystopic sequel to The Line. The Line introduces a girl, Rachel, who lost her dad when he was called to serve. Rachel and her mother move to The Property, the closest house to Away as possible. There she meets Ms. Moore whose son is dying in Away and it is up to Rachel to bring him the medicine they don't have in Away to save him. Rachel meets Pathik, the grandson of Ms. Moore, and they travel to Away and save Pathik's father.

In Away, it picks up where the last book ended (when Rachel gave the medicine to Pathik's father). Rachel's stay in Away gives her the chance to meet new people and the villagers realize that not all 'Regulars' are bad people. Rachel also finds out her father is still alive!  Rachel and her new friends travel to the enemy tribe's camp and rescue her father, who thought that both Rachel and her mother were dead. Eventually Rachel and her father decide to go back to the Unified States and take Ms. Moore and Rachel's mother back to their camp. Then things get exciting but I'm not going to spoil it for you. I really like Pathik in the novel because he has a big heart and he stands up for what he believes in.

This book has a similar dystopic feel as Hunger Games, Wither, and possibly even The Giver. Fans of these books should read The Line if they haven't already and then read Away, because this book is a suspenseful must read!

EVE

Hey, me again and this time I am reviewing EVE by Anna Carey:

This dystopian novel is set in the further off in the future after a deadly plague has hit the U.S and killed 98% of the population and the girls are sent off to a school where they are taught to fear boys and men and after they graduate, they are to go to another building across the lake and they are to learn the trade of their choice and after four years of that they get to go to the City of Sand and live there. The boys on the other hand go to a "school", which is actuslly more like a labor camp. On the eve of her graduation, valedictorian Eve is told by Arden about what actually goes on in the building. Then Arden leaves and Eve is left all alone to decide whether or not she is telling the truth. That night, she escapes and goes to live in the wild where she meets up with Arden again and after almost being killed by an angry bear, she meets Caleb. 

Caleb takes Arden and Eve to his camp where they are taken care of and Leif, the leader of the camp, sets rules that they aren't supposed to leave to go outside because the guards are out looking for Eve, because the King wants her to be his heir. In the camp, Eve teaches the younger boys how to read and write and slowly Caleb and Eve fall in love with each other. One day, something goes wrong and from then on, Eve has nothing but bad luck. 

I like this book because you get the chance to see a sheltered girl turn into a strong girl who is not afraid to fight and never gives up hope throughout the novel. I absolutely cannot wait until the next one comes out!

This book is similar to Wither and the Hunger Games trilogy. Fans of these books should definitely read this book. It is sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat-stay-up-all-night-reading good. EVE is about a sheltered girl leaving her life behind and learning how to survive in the real world. And frankly, to her, it is a matter of living your life and death.

The Power of Six

Hey, it's me again and this time I am reviewing The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore:

Being the sequel of I am Number Four, you kind of have to read the first to get the real gist of the plot. John Smith is back where we left him, on the run from both Mogdorians and the FBI and all that mayhem because he is believed to be an international terrorist. He has Sam and Number Six by his side the whole time. But Number Seven is also introduced with her point of view while she is living in an orphanage in Spain. She has a tough time because she developed her Legacies without her Cepan and her chest. Her Cepan won't believe her because she's been "brain washed" by her strong belief in God and she's completely forgotten about Lorien, her home planet. 

This book, with the switching points of view of both Number Four and Number Seven, you get to meet more of the Garde. You meet Number Seven, Number Six is back but you also are introduced to Number Nine and Ten. Ten has an interesting history as she grows up because she was not one of the nine Garde and nine Cepan that fled Lorien on the same ship. This sci-fi sequel is a must read and you can't put it down. So be prepared for suspense and thrills as well as meeting Sarah again, maybe for the last time...
This book is a great middle-of-the-night read and I enjoyed getting to hear John Smith's perspective again, as well as getting to hear from Number Seven/Marina. This book really makes you think about what it's like to be different and being hunted down. Which I hope doesn't happen to me anytime soon. The plot of the book is difficult enough that you can't guess the next part but it is not really easy.  I would and am planning on reading this again and again. It leaves me longing for the next book because I want to know what happens next!

The Carrier of the Mark

Hi! I am reviewing The Carrier of the Mark:

I really liked the character of this book. She has a strong voice and you really feel like you are right there with her during the course of the book. The conflict in the book is quite interesting, it takes a witch story and completely modernizes it and creates a gripping thriller. It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time and I couldn't put it down. Adam, the love interest, is quite a character himself. I wouldn't mind seeing him around town (though he lives in Ireland and is purely fictitious...) I like that he is protective of her and he is constantly reassuring her that his love for her is real and not just the attraction of the elements. All in all, I find this a suspenseful read and you can really relate to the characters.

I hope to one day become a published young adult novelist and just recently I discovered InkPop, a website you share writing on, and when I read the back of the book I found out that this book was originally posted on InkPop and the review board read it and enjoyed it. It really gives me hope that when I finish a story that I can have that kind of good luck.