Catching Fire

by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire is the sequel to The Hunger Games. I was dying for this to come out, hoping it would be as good as its predecessor. Collins did not disappoint.

Once again, the story drew me in and ultimately left me wanting more. Although considerable less fast paced and action packed, the plot was compelling and far from dull.

I love how Collins continued the story, leaving unresolved issues unresolved without a quick resolution. The characters were no less charming in this installment and I continued to be caught between Katniss' conflicting emotions for Gale and Peeta. I loved the plot twists despite the fact that they weren't necessarily surprising.

This second installment provided even more character development in characters that I'd already fallen in love with and related to. The writing is extremely easy with great imagery.

I love this book, I love this series and I will be holding my breath until the next comes out.

Intertwined

by Gena Showalter

Five people, four paranormal talents, one body. Vampires, werewolves and deep family secrets. Romance, action and betrayal. That about sums up Intertwined.

There were so many elements to this book it could have either been a disaster or a fantastic success. Somehow, Showalter made everything come together in a very smooth and intriguing way. The characters were fun and interesting and the mystery behind Mary Ann and Aden's connection kept me guessing. The writing was very appropriate for a Young Adult novel. It was dynamic but light without being pretentious.

The main complaint I have is the fact that the book opens with a huge display of the paranormal talents contained within Aden's four companion souls and by the end of the book, those voices have become unnaturally secondary and their abilities have been ignored. The focus shifts gradually, but noticeably.

There will obviously be a sequel and I'm excited to see where the story goes.

Rewind

by Jeff Downs

After the belated realization that I had plowed through all of my library books, I went in search of something to read and descended upon the two boxes of novels given to me by an Aunt. Thus, the next two hours flew by, cuddled up on the couch with Rewind.

This was obviously a very quick read and the writing left something to be desired. The story was nothing new; a reinvention of A Christmas Carol. I loathe novels that have a story totally unrelated to religion, but have undertones or elements of religion randomly thrown in. This is especially prevalent in LDS novels, which is the reason I tend to stay away from them unless the story is fully based on religion. Rewind was especially annoying in that respect and I think Downs overplayed the Poor-Me-I'm-So-Pathetic-And-Depressed-And-It's-Making-Me-An-Ungrateful-Douche card.

That said, the last three pages of the book kept those two hours from becoming a total waste of time. There was a sweet surprise at the end, which I really should have seen coming, and an insight that left me pensive long after I turned the final page.

The Reluctant Heiress

by Eva Ibbotson

Once again, I was not disappointed by Eva Ibbotson. The one word that comes to mind each time I finish the last page of one of her books is 'beautiful'. The Reluctant Heiress was no exception.

Ibbotson is an immensely talented writer. She has found a recipe for success and, although her novels are strikingly similar, they work so well that I don't mind at all. I would not protest a slight departure from her idea of a hero, as I typically find it hard to really like her male protagonists. Similarly, although her heroines are all strong, determined and independent, somehow they each seem to have a very low opinion of herself, feeling that she doesn't deserve any better than she has.

A constant in Ibbotson's works is the unique way she gives a background to each minor character which is so fluid, woven so tightly into the story that you hardly notice it's there at first. The culture and history she wraps up in each story is interesting and relevant.

The Reluctant Heiress was a beautiful story with a wonderful antagonist and a clever, well turned out conclusion.

The Amaranth Enchantment

by Julie Berry

The Amaranth Enchantment was an unexpected find.

This book combined mythology with elements reminiscent of Cinderella. The writing was uncomplicated and the characters were likable. It was a little disjointed in trying to connect several story lines and I felt that there were two books that could have been written with the myriad of ideas floating around.

All in all, I liked this book.

Academy 7

by Anne Osterlund

Looking back on my review of Osterlund's debut novel, Aurelia, I am surprised I even gave her a chance at redemption with Academy 7. I am so happy I did.

Osterlund has found her niche in this space-age, sci-fi novel. The plot was well-developed, as were the characters, there were a few well-place plot twists and a very engaging romance. The writing in Academy 7 was exponentially better than that of Aurelia. Osterlund managed to create a very real collection of worlds and cultures and I was relieved that she wasn't inclined to delve too deeply into them, instead relying on a surface facade in description and interaction of the worlds. This simplification maintained the focus on the story and the characters, rather than deterring attention on inadequacies or unimaginative development I felt might have been present, based on the society she created in her previous novel.

There was excitement, teenagers and rebellion in this story, but I don't believe there was one profanity, and the only physical intimacy was a kiss.

The Goose Girl

by Shannon Hale

I have had The Goose Girl sitting on my shelf for MONTHS, but for some reason I haven't been able to pick it up. Once I did, I didn't want to put it down.

The book starts off a little slow, typical of Hale. I like that the story starts out in one place and the story evolves from there, creating history and depth as you're reading. I also appreciated the fact that there weren't hundreds of pages dedicated to narrating weeks-long journeys; apples gathered, bales of hay slept in, etc. The best part of this book was the way the protagonist, Ani, changed and gained an awareness of who she was, who she wanted to be and, ultimately, who she became. It was all very subtle and enmeshed in the story.

Hale is a very accomplished writer and the culture of Bayern flowed seamlessly. I liked the characters, although I would have enjoyed a more complete development of Geric. The antagonists were deliciously villainous and possessed intelligence, which I find more realistic than a group of dumb thugs. The jealous goose boy, Conrad, provided some wonderful, if predictable, conflict as well.

The biggest complaint that I have with The Goose Girl is the gory and morbid imagery of punished miscreants and, especially disturbing to me, was the sub-plot involving Ani's horse, Falada. It was heart wrenching, but too graphic and cruel.

This book would have a "G" rating if not for the violence. Excellent and fun read despite.