Haven by Kristi Cook

Salve Readers!

Okay, I just finished a book called Haven by Kristi Cook. I would give this book a three star because while the main character is original, the story and the plot is not, I had a lot of Twilight deja 'vu throughout the novel, when Aidan and Violet were falling in love, and Aidan's problem with being with her and the whole he's there one minute and the next minute he is gone. Still, it was a pretty good book and I think the fact that this story takes place in the school where there are people with special gifts is cool. Also, I think the supporting characters are great. I love the room mate Cece, Kate, Sophie, and Marissa.
Something that I don't really like is that there were a lot of loose ends, which sort of bugged me a lot. Like, What was with Jenna? Or Joshua? What are there friendships going to be like? Why does Jack have a brother, and how is he going to save him? Is Aidan ever going to make Violet a vampire? And what about the rest of the vampire world? Some many questions with so little answers. I just hope that in the sequel which is coming out soon, that at least some of these questions will be answered.

Summary: "Violet doesn't understand why she feels drawn to the Winterhaven School. She just knows it's the tight place for her. When she discovers the school's secret, it all makes sense: Everyone at Winterhaven had psychic gifts. For the first time in her life Vioet doesn't have to hide her visions. She's always seen them as a curse, but now she can hone her ability and try to control it.
But she's thrown completely off balance when she meets the most alluring--and most mysterious-- boy in school. She's never connected with anyone the way she does with Aidan, and the intensity takes them both by surprise. But as their relationship deepens, she begins to have visions of Aidan's death--and sees that she is the one who's fated to kill him.
Violet's never been able to prevent her visions from coming true. But this time she'll do whatever it takes... even if it means sacrificing her own life for the boy she loves." - Inside cover

Favorite quotes: "Cold was the new hot" - Violet McKenna
                          "Hey c'mon, Vi. Snap out of it. Stay with me, love." - Aidan Gray

Song: Wherever You Will Go by Camino Palmero
           She's So High by Tal Bachman

I give this book a 3 star because I think it is a good story and many young adults will enjoy it, however it is not as original as I had expected.

xoxo.
Miss Reader

Quote of the Day- The Hunger Games

Hello.

Quote of the Day: " 'You are not leaving me here alone,' I say. Because if he dies, I'll never really go home, not really. I'll spend the rest of my life in this arena trying to think my way out." 

This quote is from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I like this book, and I think this dystopian world is really fascinating, and the whole idea of the hunger games, making children kill each other is a jarring and disgusting thought. The story, told by a contestant in the games, Katniss Everdeen, is a scary, emotional journey that has you reeling at every turn.  This quote is near the end of the book, and Katniss is saying this to Peeta, the other District Eleven contestant. She makes the crowd believe that she loves him, but the question that the audience is always asking is 'Is she really in love with him? Is she just making up all of these excuses and reasons for the pretend love to cover up the truth?' I personally was asking these questions and practically begging her to give it up and admit to loving Peeta. Peeta is an awesome individual, he sort of reminds me of Ian from The Host by Stephenie Meyer, because they are both kind, handsome individuals who fall in love with the heroine. Peeta will stand by Katniss in everything and will do anything to make sure that she is safe.
I love Peeta, and think he is just what Katniss needs. However, some people do disagree with me and think that Katniss should end up with Gale, who is her best friend. Before Katniss was selected to be in the Hunger Games,  Gale and Katniss would go out every day after school and go hunting for different things, they enjoyed their time together. Gale noted that the only time Katniss ever smiles is when they are in the woods.

I give this book a four star because I think the story is definitely unique, and the reader becomes very emotionally attacked to the characters which shows good character development. My favorite part is when Katniss realizes that she doesn't want to be with out the boy with the bread. (If you want to understand - read the book!)

xoxo.
Miss Reader

Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson

Hello.

I just finished reading Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson. I really enjoyed the way this book flowed, however, I think that the heroine Leigh could have figured out her feelings a little bit more quickly than she did.

Quick Summary: Leigh is a girl who goes to Stiles college and is in love with her high school sweetheart of one year, Andrew. She is a psychology major who rooms with Ami an art major who seems to understand many things despite not knowing how to write an analytical essay. The relationship between Andrew and Leigh evolves through this novel, and not in the 'they fell even more in love way', rather the opposite actually. After Leigh's car is towed and she has no way to get home for Thanksgiving, Nathan, Andrews room mate, comes to the rescue, and drives her seven hours to her house.

This book is very similar to Back When You Were Easier To Love.  The plot is very similar and the main characters are sort of in the same position, however it is interesting to see how the two different authors handle the situation. The subtleties of the differences in the characters personalities is what made all of the difference. Leigh is so different from Joy in the way that Leigh is a psychology major and she has this weird problem with procrastination. Not unlike myself actually, however my friends usually call me the MVP (most valuable procrastinator). Joy on the other hand, is very organized and is mormon, which isn't that big a deal, and certainly adds to the cuteness factor and charm, however also reduces the amount of physical interactions where as in Psych Major Syndrome, there is quite a few scenes involving talking of sex, and mentoring teenage girls on teenage pregnancy. Overall, it was very charming and funny.  The supporting characters where very amusing too. Ami, Leigh's best friend and room mate is an artist and understands Leigh very well, she is also very opinionated on the subject of Andrew, Leigh's boyfriend. There is also Rebekah, a teenage girl whom Leigh confides in who is very cynical, and is very straight to the point.

I give this book an overall rating of three and a half stars. I think it is a very charming book with interesting character, however, I was also left wondering about a lot of things, that just seemed kind of random, like whatever happened to the twenty page paper that she wrote in Nathan's room? Or what was with Jenny, and what was going on between Sydney and Leigh? But, I still liked it and I really like Nathan, one of the sweetest guys in books, and I think that it was a crucial conversation between Leigh and Andrew, when he unknowingly tells her things about Nathan that she never knew.

Favorite Quote: "Two strangers- please tell me there was only two- mating like rabbits through the wall may have been a part of it."

xoxo.
Miss Reader

Quote of the Day - Angel Burn

Hello.

One of my favorite books is called Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly. I love the romance and the constant danger that Willow, the half angel, and Alex, the angel killer, are always in. They want and need to be together, however, they also need to fight the angels which are corrupting and feeding off of the human race. 

Quote: "No matter how dangerous the future might be, or how much we simply wanted to be together, not fighting the angels wasn't an option. It just wasn't." 

Quick summary: A second wave of Angels are coming to earth, and they feed off humans, the more humans we allow to come to earth the greater the risk that the human race is going to die out. Willow is a half angel who doesn't know this world exists until she uses her psychic ability to predict the future for a girl in her class, and all she sees is blackness, depression and an angel. Alex is a seventeen year old guy who is running around killing these angels, which he has been trained to do ever since he was a little boy. the angels have taken everything from him, his mother, father and brother. He is now one of the greatest angel killers alive, and he is one of the only ones alive to. He is unknowingly working for the angels, and he realizes there is something wrong when he is sent to kill Willow, a teenage girl who only half angel. Alex knows that Willow is different and that she might be the only hope for the human races survival. He will do anything to keep her safe, and he ends up falling in love with her. And Willow with him.

This book is perfectly part action, part romance. They are constantly on the run from the Angels, however they have a couple of cozy moments along the way. Neither one thinks that the other one is interested, and then the moment occurs when Alex kisses her, that they are in love, both of them together. 

Also, the characters are very 3D. They have many sides to them, and they have specific likes and dislikes. Willow loves her mother who has Angel Burn, and cars, and has a psychic ability. Alex is an Angel killer who loves the road and the rush of killing an Angel. Also, Alex is extraordinarily handsome, hot, and sexy. He definitely makes my heart stutter, and makes my breath come faster.  

I give this book 4.5 stars because I think that this book is creative and uses a classic fantasy creature and flips their role. Angels are usually guardians, the ones who are trying to save the human race, not the ones who are killing them. I love this book, it is definitely one of my favorites.

xoxo.

Miss Reader