Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Hey everybody! Sorry we haven't been posting a lot lately. Right now we're working on a new system to our reviews. I'm not sure if we're posting on assigned days or not, but we're picking what books/series we're reviewing to make it fair. Here's another review for you all, and I'm planning to post another within the next week if not the next couple days.

Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Auden is a straight-A student. Her parents are divorced, their fights were horrible, and ever since, she’s been an insomniac. She’s ready for college, her whole life is in order, her parents expect nothing less than 110%, she has to study during the summer, and she is not happy with her life at all. Her life has been protected with school and hardly any friends, and all she’s ever known is studying. When she moves to shore-side town Colby, North Carolina for the summer to spend time with her father and his new wife, she comes across three girls that are just the type she steers clear of: happy, carefree, and...girly. She also meets another boy like her--Eli. He is also an insomniac, but his night life is totally different from Auden’s. Her parents want her to go to college, but what if she just wants to have fun?

This is the second of Dessen’s books that I’ve read so far. I fell in love with the first one I read of hers (The Truth About Forever) and I automatically picked up this one.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Review by Max

Lena's grown up being positive of one thing and one thing only: Don't fall in love.
Not only is love dangerous, it's disease, and if you catch it, well, you're basically screwed.

With ninety-five days until she gets the cure, Lena couldn't be any more excited. She'll finally be normal, like everyone else. She'll finally be safe.
And then, Lena does the unthinkable.
She falls in love.

Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan

Picture courtesy of Goodreads

Immortal Beloved

Author: Cate Tiernan
Series: Immortal Beloved #1
Release Date: January 2, 2012
Pages: 407
Review by: Tessa

       Have you ever wondered what it would be like to never die? Let me tell you that it isn't all charm and happy endings.
       Nastasya (Nasty for short) is immortal, but she is tired of it. Living for hundreds of years is exhausting! She decides to lay low for a couple decades, but she quickly runs into the wrong crowd. She spends her days drinking, partying, and just being a spoiled rich girl. This all changes when her best friend for the past hundred years tortures a human. Nasty realizes that she needs to get help now. She goes into rehab for immortals at a secluded farm in Massachusetts. Living a farm girl life is harder than Nasty expected, especially when you live with a guy who acts (and looks like) a Norse god. But no one expected what would happen when Nasty's past catches up with her.

Favorites Friday 4/5/13 and The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

Hey everybody! Cassia here! Sorry I haven't been keeping up with Favs Fri lately. :'( On the bright side, April is Camp NaNoWriMo! Both Max and I are doing it. She's writing one called "Lucky Me," and I'm writing one titled "The Effect." We might post our summaries later, but--at least for me--it's still early, and the summary might change. So, here's our favorites from the past...long time, and a review of The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross.

Max:
Max's favorite she recently read is Scarlet by Marissa Meyer. It's the second book in the Lunar Chronicles, and she gives it five stars! Apparently--and coincidentally--she wrote the first book in the series during NaNoWriMo 2008. See what good things can come out of forcing yourself to write a novel in a month? ;)

Cassia:
My favorite I read recently is the book you'll see the review for in a minute, The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross. It was pretty good, and I loved Griff. :D Lots of action and romance all blended together very nicely. Four stars! Oh, wait, besides Clockwork Princess. But I don't count that, because you already saw my reaction to it. So, Clockwork Princess first, The Girl in the Steel Corset next.

Tessa:
Tessa's favorite she read recently is Flash Point by Nancy Kress. She says it's about a reality TV show gone wrong. Ooooh, I have to read that. (Go on www.merryfates.com and read "Rain Maker" by Maggie Stiefvater. That reminds me of it.) Of course, I'm going to make the same exception of Clockwork Princess for her, too.

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

There has always been something...wild about Finley. A rebellious streak that shows itself more than she likes. And she can’t control it, no matter how hard she tries. When she meets Griffin King, though, that might be able to change. Then there’s also Jack Dandy. For all his felonies, he is charming, and accepts her for who she is. The darkness in her is growing stronger--and she must choose between two equally attractive young men.

Double Reaction | Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

*WARNING* This post contains spoilers!!!

Hello everybody!  As just about everyone who reads knows, Clockwork Princess came out on March 19th, 2013.  I had it the day it came out. :D  Anyway, I thought I would post my reaction. And then Tessa butted in and put in her reaction right before I posted it, but that's okay. Now you get both of our reactions!  We will try to keep it as spoiler-free as possible but any spoilers will be in a really light tan color so you can't see it well unless you really look.

The ending: 
Cassia: Ahhhhhh!!!!  Bittersweet, that's for sure.  So, you know those authors that like to lay out the characters' lives together in the epilogue?  Cassandra Clare does it.  I liked it, and it was hilarious at times, but I kind of wished I could just imagine it for myself.  Oh, and of course she just had to describe Will's death.  It was sweet, but it upset me. 
Overall, I loved it.
Tessa:
I HATED the epilogue!!! The book was just fine without it. I would advise anyone who likes Will to
avoid the epilogue.

The writing: 
Cassia: Cassandra Clare is at her best with this book: incredible imagery with sometimes painful detail, figurative language that I absolutely loved, and of course, lots and lots of romance and emotions.  She made me feel everything and demanded all my attention.  Very well-written.
Tessa:
I agree.

The plot: 
Cassia: Twists and turns, surprises and thrills.  It's what kept me turning pages, hungry for more.  Even though I was satisfied with the ending, I still want her to write another book in this series.
Tessa:
I personally think that the plot was kinda predictable.  I mean everyone knew Tessa was going to get kidnapped my Mortmain and who was going to save her.

The characters: 
Cassia: Umm, I'm Team Will.  Yeah, it's sad with Jem and everything, but sorry, I like Will better.  I like Tessa a lot more than Clary, especially her passion for books, her knowledge of the power of words, and her willingness to sacrifice everything and anything for those she loves.  I do like Jem, with his music and unlimited kindness.  But I like Will more, with his horrible poetry, made-up songs, love of books and words, his knowledge of the power of words (like Tessa), and his own words.  You'll only get this if you've read Clockwork Prince, but...demon pox!
Tessa:
I am definitely on Team Will. Jem is nice and all, but he was DYING!!! No one knew if he was even going to survive the night. On a lighter note, my favorite Will moment would have to be the ducks.
Cassia: ME TOO TESSA!!!!

So, there's our reaction.  Not a review, that's Tessa's job only.  (Not Tessa Gray.  Our Tessa.)  Actually Tessa just finished it, Max has my copy right now, and we're playing pass the book.  Happy reading!
Goodbye for now,
Cassia