The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

No. of pages: 327
Rating: 5/5
Series: The Body Finder (Book 1)

Synopsis: 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, 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 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, but now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him. Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer – and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling in love, Violet is getting closer to discovering a killer...and becoming his prey herself.

Review: Violet has always been able to sense dead things, they send out a echo to her, which doesn't stop until they're laid to rest. So Violet does her best to help them pass on peacefully. But what has always been dead animal echoes, becomes a lot more when she finds the body of a young girl....and then another young girl. As Violet is the only one who can see the echoes which attach to both the victim and the murderer, she is determined to find out who is killing the young girls in her town, even when the killer sets his sights on Violet too...

I really enjoy the sensing dead bodies kind of storyline, and this one reminds me a lot of the Charlaine Harris Harper Connelly series which I'd definitely recommend to people who enjoy these kinds of books. The Body Finder is actually a pretty creepy book, which I've not really come across before in the YA genre. I was on tenterhooks throughout most of the second half of the book after Derting really ramped up the suspense, I just couldn't put it down until I found out what happened at the end. I loved Violet as a character, she seemed very down to earth, and just an all round lovely kind of girl just trying to deal with a pretty morbid talent. The growing romantic feelings between Violet and Jay were sweet to read, and added some normality to a pretty creepy story. I really enjoyed The Body Finder and I'm excited to see where the story goes in the next book!

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

No. of pages: 414
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: Summer, 1954. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels has come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Along with his partner, Chuck Aule, he sets out to find an escaped patient. But nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is what it seems. And neither is Teddy Daniels.
Is he there to find a missing patient? Or has he been sent to look into rumors of Ashecliffe's radical approach to psychiatry? An approach that may include drug experimentation, hideous surgical trials, and lethal countermoves in the shadow war against Soviet brainwashing. The closer Teddy and Chuck get to the truth, the more elusive it becomes, and the more they begin to believe that they may never leave Shutter Island.

Review: Teddy and his partner Chuck, are called to Shutter Island to help find an escaped mental patient. But once on the island, Teddy starts to realise things are not what they seem. Over the course of the next 24 hours, while a terrible storm rages, Teddy finds himself questioning everything he ever believed in...

I wasn't sure whether I was going to like this, so I watched the film first which I loved, and then got a hold of the book after that. I was pleased to find that the book and film were very similar, as sometimes they change the film so much from the book it's not even noticable as the same thing! The ending is really good, and it's definitely a bit of a mind bender book, but in a good way. The character of Teddy is lovable, well written and interesting to get to know, I liked the way his past unravels as you read further into the book. Shutter Island is a great setting, and you really get the creepy feel of this desolate island and it's inhabitants. I would most definitely recommend both the book and the film, I think Leo Di Caprio and Mark Ruffalo perfectly capture the characters of Teddy and Chuck.

Sister by Rosamund Lupton

No. of pages: 358
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: Nothing can break the bond between sisters...

When Beatrice gets a frantic call in the middle of Sunday lunch to say that her younger sister, Tess, is missing, she boards the first flight home to London. But as she learns about the circumstances surrounding her sister's disappearance, she is stunned to discover how little she actually knows of her sister's life - and unprepared for the terrifying truths she must now face.

The police, Beatrice's fiance and even their mother accept they have lost Tess but Beatrice refuses to give up on her. So she embarks on a dangerous journey to discover the truth, no matter the cost.

Review: Imagine getting a phone call telling you that your sister has gone missing, then imagine that you're half a world away from where your sister lives. This is the nightmare that begins for Beatrice one lunchtime as she receives a phone call from her mother back in London. But after rushing from New York back to London to find Tess, Beatrice realises that she may not have known her sister as well as she thought she did after all...

I was really looking forward to starting this book because I thought it sounded fantastic, and it even exceeded my incredibly high expectations. I don't know what it was, but this for me was that rare 'perfect' book. I loved the way it was written, I loved the storyline, I loved and cared about the characters, I just pure and simple loved it. I sat and read it through in one sitting because I couldn't bear to put it down and then was incredibly sad that it was over. I think the ending is one that will divide readers, I can definitely see how people would dislike it, but I thought it did fit in well with the story that was being told, so it didn't bother me. I would definitely recommend this to fans of mystery books and I for one cannot wait for another book by this author!

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

No. of pages: 455
Rating: 10/10
Series: The Hunger Games trilogy (Book 3)

Synopsis: Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge...

Review: Still recovering from the events of the second Hunger Games, Katniss doesn't really understand what's going on. That's until they tell her about the uprising in all the districts, and how she, as the Mockingjay, has become the face of the revolution. But war is never easy, and Katniss is about to find that out firsthand...

I wasn't sure what to expect from Mockingjay, and in a way I was a bit apprehensive, after all, what if this one book came to ruin a series I had quickly come to adore. But I need not have worried, as Mockingjay was fantastic, and even exceeded my highest hopes for ending this series. I loved the plot of the uprising, and how Katniss stood up as the Mockingjay to give everyone hope that they could win. Character wise, there were a few things I wasn't expecting, such as what happens to Peeta, and also seeing Prim mature so much and come in to her role as healer. I found quite a few of the deaths devestating, and in a way I hate Collins for killing them off, but the story is about war, and good people die in wars so I guess she had to show that. The ending was exactly what I expected of Katniss, and I was glad she ended up with the person she did. In a way I feel like it was always going to be inevitable from the first page. A fantastic ending to an amazing series, I would definitely recommend this series to everyone!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

No. of pages: 454
Rating: 10/10
Series: The Hunger Games trilogy (Book 1)

Synopsis: In a dark vision of the near future, a terrifying reality TV show is taking place. Twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live event called the Hunger Games. There is only one rule: kill or be killed.

When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her sister's place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.

Review: Set in the future, Panem is split into 12 districts and the Capitol. Each year, every district has to provide 2 teenagers to take place in the games - one boy and one girl. When 12 year old Prim Everdeen is chosen, her 16 year old sister Katniss steps forward to take her place, alongside Peeta Mellark. As Katniss and Peeta are sent in to the arena, they can only wonder if they will make it out alive...

I'm finding it hard to put into words how much I loved this book. I picked it up expecting to enjoy it, but for it to not be anything special, but I was completely blown away by how gripping the plot was, to the point that I stayed up half of the night to finish reading it because I just couldn't put it down without knowing what happened to Katniss. I loved the plot line of the games, despite how brutal it was and came to care about so many of the characters. Not only did I admire Katniss, but I also came to love Peeta, Gale, Prim and even the smaller characters like Cinna and Effie. I thought the author did a great job giving them all different personalities, yet making sure they all connected somehow. I cannot recommend this book enough, and it has definitely become one of my favourite YA books.

Therapy by Sebastian Fitzek

No. of pages: 348
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: Dr. Viktor Larenz’ life ended the day his 12-year-old daughter, Josy, vanished without a trace. Now, with his marriage and his career as a TV psychiatrist in tatters, he retreats to a remote island cottage to work on an article marking the fourth anniversary of Josy’s disappearance.

Viktor’s solitude is shattered by the appearance of a mysterious woman named Anna Glass. A schizophrenic author who claims she meets characters from her stories in real life, Anna begs for Viktor’s help. Reluctantly, he agrees—but when he recognizes Josy in one of her delusions, it becomes clear that Anna is not what she seems.

Review: Dr. Viktor Larenz is a renowned Psychotherapist, but his life falls apart the day his 12 year old daughter Josy disappears. Fours year later, Viktor is taking a break on the island of Parkum, when a strange woman called Anna Glass insists she needs him to give her therapy sessions. When she starts talking about a character in her book, a young girl that ran away, Viktor wonders if she could possibly be referring to his daughter, and if he might he find out what happened to her after all?

This book was quite frankly, one of the best I've read in the psychological thriller genre. The whole thing from start to finish was written to play with your mind, and it does it oh so well too. When you think you've guessed what happened, something else is revealed blowing your theories out of the water. The story is well written, as are the characters, and I was so gripped I found it impossible to put down until I was finished. The ending was a complete surprise, which I didn't see coming at all, and I love those kinds of endings. I cannot recommend this higly enough to fans of this genre. When more of his work is translated, I will be first in the queue!

Waking The Witch by Kelley Armstrong

No. of pages: 325
Rating: 10/10
Series: Women Of The Otherworld (Book 11)

Synopsis: The orphaned daughter of a sorcerer and a half-demon, Savannah is a terrifyingly powerful young witch who has never been able to resist the chance to throw her magical weight around. But at 21 she knows she needs to grow up and prove to her guardians, Paige and Lucas, that she can be a responsible member of their supernatural detective agency. So she jumps at the chance to fly solo, investigating the mysterious deaths of three young women in a nearby factory town as a favor to one of the agency's associates. At first glance, the murders look garden-variety human, but on closer inspection signs point to otherworldly stakes.

Review: Paige and Lucas have gone on holiday, so when someone comes to the agency with a job, Savannah decides to take it on alone to prove she's ready to do it. But as she delves into the secrets in the small town where three women have been killed, Savannah uncovers a lot more than she bargained for, and it takes everything she has to find the killer...

First off, I have to say, I absolutely love this series, and I always eagerly await new installments, however, my favourite characters are the wolves, and my least favourite are the witches. That's not to say I don't enjoy the books with the witches in, because I do, but there's just something about the characters I don't connect with so much. So I was a little apprehensive about reading Waking The Witch, because not only was it the witches, but it was from a new perspective too, so I wasn't sure I was going to like it as much as I did Frostbitten, which I absolutely loved. However, I was so pleased to find I really enjoyed Waking The Witch, and I could barely put it down once I started it. Savannah has fast become one of my favourite women, and I cannot wait for the next book which is also from her point of view. It was nice to see the transition from Savannah being Paige's young ward, to Savannah being a woman in her own right, capable of looking after herself. The plot was great as well, I loved all the little twists and turns, although I did suspect about half way through who the killer was, and I was kind of right, but again there was a great twist that I wasn't expecting and that's why I love these books. I'd definitely recommend this series, it's one of the best I've read about supernaturals, and Kelley Armstrong is a fantastic writer.

Kiss Of Death by Rachel Caine

No. of pages: 348
Rating: 10/10
Series: The Morganville Vampires (Book 8)

Synopsis: Claire Danvers has a few things on her mind. First of all there is the laundry, which is now an unfortunate shade of pink. Then there is her boyfriend, Shane, who is never too far from her thoughts. Finally there is her best friend Eve’s relationship problems. As if life as a student wasn’t complicated enough, Claire just happens to be studying in Morganville. A town run by vampires. Trouble seems to follow Claire and her friends like a shadow and tonight is no exception to the rule. They must find the most difficult documents for a vampire to acquire; people passes that will allow ‘bad ass’ Morley and his friends to leave Morganville. But it’s proving incredibly difficult, and with the odds seemingly stacked against them, the biggest question of all is…Will they survive?

Review: Eve, Claire, Shane and Michael get passes to leave Morganville, so that Michael can record a music demo. But of course they must have a chaperone, and unfortunately it's Oliver. At the last minute he tells them he needs to make a detour on the way, but what he doesn't mention is that he's dragging them into danger yet again...

It was kind of nice to get out of Morganville during this book, although I do have to admit I did miss the usual cast of characters such as Amelie and Myrnin. It was pretty action packed though, and kept me gripped until the end, it's always so fun to follow their adventures. It was also nice to be reading about a new setting, and new side characters, in particular, Morley grew on me a lot during the story. It's been quite refreshing to read something more unique within the vampire YA genre, and would definitely recommend this series. I'm really looking forward to the new book at the end of the year, I can't wait to see what Morganville holds next!

Carpe Corpus by Rachel Caine

No. of pages: 356
Rating: 10/10
Series: The Morganville Vampires (Book 6)

Synopsis: In the small college town of Morganville, vampires and humans lived in (relative) peace - until all the rules got rewritten when the evil vampire Bishop arrived, looking for the lost book of vampire secrets. He's kept a death grip on the town ever since. Now an underground resistance is brewing, and in order to contain it, Bishop must go to even greater lengths.

He vows to obliterate the town and all its inhabitants - the living and the undead. Claire Danvers and her friends are the only ones who stand in his way. But even if they defeat Bishop, will the vampires ever be content to go back to the old rules, after having such a taste of power?

Review: As the problems between Bishop and Amelie come to a head, everyone must battle to save those they care about, and fight to save the future of Morganville...

In this book Claire really gets a chance to flourish as her own person and we see her grow up and adapt pretty quickly. I did miss the fact there wasn't as much Eve, Shane or Michael in this book, but I was glad to see this portion of the storyline come to an end as I really was ready for it to be done. Ada was an interesting addition of character, I'm not sure I particularly like her, but I guess we can only see what her motives are as the books carry on. Myrnin is still my favourite, the series would not be anywhere near as great without him, he's a fantastic character. I'm so glad I bought all of these books to read back to back, and would advise anyone intending to get them to do the same, each book tends to have a big cliffhanger which I imagine would be mighty frustrating if you had to wait a while before seeing what happened next.

Feast Of Fools by Rachel Caine

No. of pages: 367
Rating: 10/10
Series: The Morganville Vampires (Book 4)

Synopsis: In the town of Morganville, vampires and humans live in relative peace. Student Claire Danvers has never been convinced, though especially with the arrival of Mr. Bishop, an ancient, old-school vampire who cares nothing about harmony. What he wants from the town's living and its dead is unthinkably sinister. It's only at a formal ball, attended by vampires and their human dates, that Claire realizes the elaborately evil trap he's set for Morganville.

Review: The book begins with the arrival of Bishop, the vampire 'father' of Morganville founder Amelie. Unlike the vampires of Morganville who live in relative peace with humans, Bishop and his companions have no such desire, so it's with trepidation that they are received into Morganville. So as Amelie hosts a welcome feast for Bishop, both vampires and humans alike can only speculate as to what his true motives are...

Still absolutely loving this series, the books are just so action packed, and keep you gripped the whole way through. In this book, I loved how everyone came together against a common enemy, although I just cannot stand the character of Bishop, but I suppose that's how it's meant to be. I'm seriously falling in love with Myrnin though, he is just too funny even though he's so scatty! He's definitely one of my favourite characters in the series. This book is a tad slower going than the others that precede it, but it's no less interesting. Instead of the non-stop action, it focuses a lot of the personal problem that Amelie and Myrnin have that Claire is helping with, and how that's developing. I can't wait to see where the storyline with Bishop goes in the next book.

Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine

No. of pages: 365
Rating: 10/10
Series: The Morganville Vampires (Book 3)

Synopsis: Claire Danvers's college town may be run by vampires but a truce between the living and the dead made things relatively safe. For a while. Now people are turning up dead, a psycho is stalking her, and an ancient bloodsucker has proposed private mentoring. To what end, Claire will find out. And it's giving night school a whole new meaning.

Review: Claire has made a huge commitment in order to protect her friends, but in doing so she has just put herself in much more danger. Amelia orders Claire to start mentoring under a very old and slightly crazy vampire, in order to learn some ancient things that cannot be lost. Added to that, there's a crazy human psycho stalking her too. So as things spin out of control for Claire, it's all she can do to keep herself alive...

This is the book where you find out the big secret behind Morganville, and you meet Myrnin the eccentric crazy old vampire. He is a hilarious if not slightly scary character, but a great addition to the series. I really enjoyed finding out about the secrets behind Morganville and all that Amelie is trying to hide, it's certainly one of the more original storylines that I've come across lately. I'm loving the characters more and more as the books go on, even the 'evil' characters are really well written and easy to get attached too. I also really love the way Claire, Michael, Eve and Shane all fit together as housemates and friends, all protecting each other. I'm so glad I found this series, they are great books, with fantastic characters and great plot lines that keep me gripped.

The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine

No. of pages: 368
Rating: 10/10
Series: The Morganville Vampires (Book 2)

Synopsis: Claire Danvers has her share of challenges - like being a genius in a school that favors beauty over brains, dealing with the homicidal girls in her down, and above all, finding out that her college town is overrun with vampires. On the up side, she has a great roommate (who tends to disappear at sun up) and a new boyfriend named Shane... whose vampire-hunting dad has called in backup: cycle punks who like the idea of killing just about anything.

Now a fraternity is throwing its annual Dead Girls' Dance and - surprise! - Claire and her equally outcast best friend, Eve, have been invited. When they find out why, all hell is going to break loose. Because this time both the living and the dead are coming out - and everybody's hungry for blood.

Review: Now an official resident of Glass House, Claire has settled in well, and is even starting to think she could have something special going with Shane. But then Shane's very angry biker dad turns up, with a few of his buddies, and they are seeking revenge against the vampires of Morganville. As Shane becomes torn between his father and his housemates, Claire and Eve must rush to save him, before it all becomes deadly...

The Dead Girls' Dance carries on from the cliff hanger at the end of Glass Houses, and leave you hanging it does...for a while anyway, before you find out what has happened as a result. I liked that in this book you get to see more development of the characters, both individually, and all of them coming together as a friendship group. Sam was also a great new addition to the book, and I'm definitely hoping to see more of him in the future. The plot in this book was great too, it started from the very first page and kept me gripped right until the end. There were also a couple of great twists that I did not see coming at all, and so I can't wait to see how they pan out in future books.

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

No. of pages: 348
Rating: 10/10
Series: The Morganville Vampires (Book 1)

Synopsis: It's a small college town filled with quirky characters. But when the sun goes down, the bad comes out. Because in Morganville, there is an evil that lurks in the darkest shadows - one that will spill out into the bright light of day.

Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation. The popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks on the school's social scene: somewhere less than zero. And Claire really doesn't have the right connections - to the undead who run the town.
When Claire heads off campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Hew new roommates don't show many signs of life. But they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood...

Review: After a particularly nasty attack from the 'popular' girls in her dorm, sixteen year old Claire decides it's time to look for somewhere off campus to stay, even if she promised her parents she would stay in the dorm. As she meets the occupants of Glass House, who all seem pretty weird to straight edged Claire, she considers that maybe it's just time to pack up and go back home to her parents. But overnight Claire learns things about Morganville that mean not only can she not go out at night, but she also cannot leave now she knows so much about the undead rulers of the town...

I went in to these books thinking they would just be of the light vampire entertainment type that has become popular since Twilight. Not that I don't enjoy Twilight, but I just thought it would be of the same type of story, where the vampires are lovely and to be adored etc. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that in this series, vampires are actually bad guys, and will drain you in a second if you turn your back. It's nice to have something a bit different, and not only that, but the story is interesting and they're well written. Claire is believable as the slightly nerdy, genius kid that has managed to get into uni two years early, but is bullied for being that exact person. The other cast of characters are great too - Eve, the Goth girl, Shane, the dead beat, and Michael, the mysterious owner of the house, are all wary at having a sixteen year old in the house when they're all eighteen, not to mention they all know the truth about Morganville and Claire doesn't when this book starts. Definitely recommended to fans of supernatural YA books, this is a great beginning to what I hope will be a fantastic series.

The Killing Place by Tess Gerritsen

No. of pages: 322
Rating: 10/10
Series: Rizzoli/Isles (Book 8)

Synopsis: Something terrible has happened in the snowbound village of Kingdom Come, Wyoming. Twelve eerily identical houses stand dark and abandoned. Meals remain untouched on dining room tables. Cars are still parked in garages. The human occupants have vanished, seemingly into thin air. This is the unsettling place where Maura Isles finds herself trapped during a snowstorm. She has joined a group of friends on a drive to an isolated ski lodge, but when a wrong turn leaves her car stranded in deep snow, she stumbles down a private road into the valley of Kingdom Come, where she takes shelter - and disappears. Days later, Jane Rizzoli flies to Wyoming to search for her missing friend. A crashed vehicle has been found with four badly burned bodies still inside. The authorities assume that one of the women is Maura. But is it? Jane Rizzoli's search for the truth leads her to Kingdom Come, where a terrifying and gruesome discovery lies buried beneath the snow.

Review: While at a medical conference, Maura bumps into an old friend from medical school, and decides on the spur of the moment to accept his offer for a side trip to a cabin for a few days. But when a bad snow storm forces them off the road, they come across the village of Kingdom Come, which eerily is completely empty, even though there are plates of food still on the tables. When Jane hears that Maura has disappeared, she flies out to try and find her, but instead only finds a car with four bodies inside...is one of the them Maura?

I absolutely loved this book. I'm a huge fan of the Rizzoli/Isles series so I knew I would enjoy The Killing Place, but it surpassed even my expectations. This is the most haunting plot yet, and it was so gripping that I found it absolutely impossible to put it down. There were so many twists that I just didn't see coming and the ending had a great twist too. I enjoyed the fact that you really get to know Maura so much more in this book, and can start to understand her a bit more as a person, rather than it being mainly about Jane. Definitely my favourite book yet, and I'm already eagerly awaiting the next installment! The Killing Place can easily be read as a stand alone book, but I would highly recommend reading the whole series, purely because the books are just so fantastic!

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

No. of pages: 250
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: 'Just listen,' Adam says with a voice that sounds like shrapnel. I open my eyes wide now. I sit up as much as I can. And I listen. 'Stay,' he says. Everybody has to make choices. Some might break you. For seventeen-year-old Mia, surrounded by a wonderful family, friends and a gorgeous boyfriend decisions might seem tough, but they're all about a future full of music and love, a future that's brimming with hope. But life can change in an instant. A cold February morning ...a snowy road ...and suddenly all of Mia's choices are gone. Except one. As alone as she'll ever be, Mia must make the most difficult choice of all. Gripping, heartrending and ultimately life-affirming, "If I Stay" will make you appreciate all that you have, all that you've lost - and all that might be.

Review: Although Mia doesn't have a perfect life, things are going well for her - she has a great family that love each other, a boyfriend that adores her, and a future filled with her dream of playing cello professionally. But a single moment on a snowy road blasts her whole life apart, and before she knows it she's left with only one decision - to stay and fight or to go and leave it all behind.

I adored this book so much, I just could not put it down, and read it straight through in one sitting. It was easy to immediately empathise with Mia, who was a great, realistic character. The other characters were also really well written, each had a distinct personality and voice within the story which made it flow really well. I also liked the way the author flicked between the present and memories of the past so well, sometimes it can be a bit confusing being flicked around in time, but it was done well and really suited this story. Definitely would recommend this to fans of YA books, it's fantastically written and is a great and enjoyable story to read. I personally cannot wait for the sequel out next year!

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

No. of pages: 338
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: "Dear John", the letter read. And with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives changed forever. When Savannah Lynn Curtis comes into his life, John Tyree knows he is ready to turn over a new leaf. An angry rebel, he had enlisted in the army after high school, not knowing what else to do. Then, during a furlough, he meets Savannah, the girl of his dreams. The attraction is mutual and quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah vowing to wait for John while he finishes his tour of duty. What neither realises is that 9/11 will change everything and now John must choose between love and country. Now, when he finally returns to North Carolina, John will discover how love can transform us in ways we never could have imagined.

Review: John meets Savannah at the beach while on holiday leave from the army, and as they get to know each other, they fall deeply in love. Then John has to return to Germany where he's stationed, for the 18 months he still has left to serve. While apart both John and Savannah write letters to each other to pass the time while they're waiting. But then 9/11 happens, and John must make the toughest decision of all - does he re-up for another two years and risk losing Savannah, or does he abandon his country when he's most needed?

I wasn't sure whether to read this before watching the film, after all I really wanted to watch the film and wasn't so sure I wanted to read the book. But I fell in love with the story and immediately went and got a copy of the book and started it as soon as I could. There are three main characters in the book, John, Savannah and John's dad. I really felt I connected with all 3 characters in both the film and the book, they were all fantastically written and you really feel what they are feeling. I have to admit, I really adored John's dad, and some of the scenes with him made me cry, he is easily one of my favourite characters ever. The storyline in the book does differ a little in places from the film, the main change would be the ending, which was so sad in the book, and so I prefered the film ending, purely because it was the ending I was rooting for throughout. The writing in the book was beautiful though, as you'd expect from Sparks, who is known for his fantastic writing. You can just feel the love between John and Savannah spilling from the pages, and it's wonderfully uplifting to read. I could just rave forever about this book, it's definitely one that has touched me deeply, and that's something I never imagined I'd be taking away from this book. I'd recommend it to everyone, it's such a fantastic book, and the film is equally great.

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

No. of pages: 391
Rating: 10/10
Series: Darkest Powers (Book 3)

Synopsis: Only two weeks ago, life was all too predictable. But that was before I saw my first ghost. Now, along with my supernatural friends Tori, Derek, and Simon, I’m on the run from the Edison Group, which genetically altered us as part of their sinister experiment. We’re hiding in a safe house that might not be as safe as it seems. We’ll be gone soon anyway, back to rescue those we’d left behind and to take out the Edison Group . . . or so we hope.

Review: In the last installation of the series, Chloe, Tori, Derek and Simon think they're safe and start to plan a return to save their friend and Chloe's aunt. But they're not as safe as they first assume, and alarm bells start ringing when the people that say they're protecting become very scared by their powers. So it falls to the four teens to yet again figure out a way to do it all by themselves...

Like the first two books, I absolutely shot through this one, they are just so hard to put down. The thing I love about Kelley Armstrong's books are that they're never predictable, and it's great to be surprised at every turn. The story didn't go how I imagined it to go at all in this book, but it was completely gripping none the less. There's also a lot of different things you get with this series, a bit of romance mixed with humour, action and mystery, and I think it's great that there's such variety. I love the characters of Chloe and Derek so much, and have from the first book, but it's great to see how both of the characters have grown and evolved over the series. I was really pleased that I got the ending I was hoping for as well, and just cannot rave enough not only about this series but about Armstrong too. Her Women Of The Otherworld is an amazing series also, so if you're a fan of these books, be sure to check those ones out as well, and vice versa.

The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

No. of pages: 357
Rating: 10/10
Series: Darkest Powers (Book 2)

Synopsis: If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl—someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment—not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a group of people who call themselves The Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I’m a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control: I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends—a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch—and we have to find someone who can help us gain our freedom back before The Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

Review: Continuing from where The Summoning left off, Chloe is trying to escape from The Edison Group. With people who are determined to hunt them down inching ever closer, and their strengthening powers to deal with, they all have a lot of trouble breathing down their necks...

Being that this was following on from the already established story of The Summoning meant that The Awakening was action packed from page one, which made it all that much more gripping. It was great to see how much Chloe grows up in this book, and you really see the development from scared little girl, to a young woman who is ready to face things she never thought imaginable. I'm still totally in love with Chloe and Derek, and so hope they get together in the final book! I really like the direction that the story is going in, and I love that it's just so easy to sink into and completely lose yourself in the story. As if you can't tell, I'm enjoying the series immensely and can't wait to see how it all ends!

The Forest Of Hands & Teeth by Carrie Ryan

No. of pages: 308
Rating: 10/10
Series: The Forest (Book 1)

Synopsis: In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

But, slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future - between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

Review: Mary lives in a fenced in village in the middle of a forest, completely surrounded by the Unconsecrated (aka zombies), which force them to live in fear. But Mary cannot forget the stories of the ocean that her mother used to tell her when she was a little girl. So she becomes determined to find some answers, and as a result, sets a devestating sequence of events in motion...

I absolutely loved this book, I couldn't put it down until I had finished it because it was so good. I found it fast paced and gripping, and thought it had a great storyline. The writing itself was beautifully lyrical, almost haunting in some scenes. Mary and Travis were my favourite characters, although I truly feel that all of them were amazingly written. You really felt like you knew them and what made them tick as people. I loved the zombie aspect too, and that was primarily why I picked up the book, but it was so much more than I expected. Sure there are zombies, so it's tense and scary at times, but there's also the undercurrent of love and hope throughout. Such a fantastic book, I will recommend it high and low, especially to those who love a supernatural type book, but I think this is a book everyone could enjoy (unless you hate zombies, in which case you won't).

Slumdog Millionaire by Vikas Swarup

No. of pages: 361
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: Former tiffinboy Ram Mohammad Thomas has just got twelve questions correct on a TV quiz-show to win a cool one billion rupees. But he is brutally slung in prison on suspicion of cheating. Because how can a kid from the slums know who Shakespeare was, unless he is pulling a fast one. In the order of the questions on the show, Ram tells us which amazing adventures in his street-kid life gave him the answers. From orphanages to brothels, gangsters to beggar-masters, and into the homes of Bollywood's rich and famous, Ram's story is brimming with the chaotic comedy, heart-stopping tragedy and tear-inducing joyousness of modern India.

Review: When Ram wins the top prize - a billion rupees - on a tv quiz show, he is immediately arrested for cheating, for how could a poor boy from the slums of India possibly know the answers?! Through each chapter of the novel, Ram recounts each story behind how he knew the answer to the questions he was asked, ultimately making him the luckiest person alive.

I've been interested in reading this ever since the hype around the movie started, so I finally got around to buying it last month and decided to read it as part of my 'around the world' challenge. I'm so incredibly glad I finally picked it up, it was absolutely nothing how I imagined it to be. I had actually heard a lot of bad things about the book, and also heard that the movie was a lot better, so I went into it kind of thinking that it would be just an okay read, but I ended up really enjoying it. The writing is so vivid, that you can actually imagine the scene that's being created, and that's not always easy to do, especially with a foreign culture that you don't really know a whole lot about. I really liked the way the book was set out, with each chapter telling the story of how he knew the answer to that particular quiz question, although I found the author sometimes forgot to place the memory in time, so it was a little confusing as to how old Ram was supposed to be, but I managed to piece most of it together in the end. I loved the character of Ram, I thought that considering the awful life he'd had, he was just so kind and generous, especially as people were always trying to hurt him or take advantage of him. Slumdog Millionaire (originally named Q&A) is an unflinching look at the underbelly of India, and I think it's fantastically written, especially when you consider this is a debut novel. Recommended to people interested in the Indian culture, or just looking for an unusual, interesting story to read.