For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn’t want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she’s made for herself–and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Hardcover, 327 pages  Published April 24th 2012 by HarperTeen (first published 2012)  ISBN  0062059939 (ISBN13: 9780062059932)

In a war torn country in the early years of being rebuilt. We have a monarchy and a caste system. Strict rules of who can marry whom, and what jobs each can hold, but mostly how much money you can make. America just so happens to be the right age at the right time when the Prince is looking for a spouse. Her invitation is a blessing for her household, but a horror for her personal life. Her heart is already taken, even though her chosen mate maybe from a lower caste and the reality of them marrying is slim. His choice to push her to apply, and better her family will get her to act.

America Singer is a talented musician and just so happens to be very pretty. A shoe-in for the competition, she makes the cut. But going to live in the Castle is beyond what she imagined it would be. Exciting, claustrophobic and frightening. Between the rebel attacks on the Castle and the time the Prince must spend in meetings, it’s hard to imagine he has time to fit in finding a wife. But he manages to spend alone time with all of the girls, narrowing it down to just 10 by the end of the book.

What caught me off guard with this story was how detailed the world building was. I was expecting just a competition for a husband, and girls being petty and drama-filled. But this story has depth, a lot of character growth and a world that is on the edge of falling into chaos. Of course, there is some drama and pettiness between the contestants, but so little that it’s not a huge part of the plot.

The Selection really surprised me and I found it a very entertaining to read. America was a thinker, always making smart decisions with the situations she was put in. Not only did I admire her for her perspective on things, but also the Prince. They did what most people don’t do enough … communicate. Honesty really is the best policy, and even when the timing may be off, their intentions were good. But without that bad timing, we wouldn’t have the same amount of suspense.

I am really excited to jump into the next book The Elite so see what happens as the competition gets down to the narrow last few contestants and the attacks against the Castle surely become more dangerous.

The Bluebeard fairy tale retold. . . .

When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi.

Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world.

Glowing strands of romance, mystery, and suspense are woven into this breathtaking debut—a thrilling retelling of the “Bluebeard” fairy tale.  Hardcover, 352 pages  Published March 12th 2013 by Random House Children’s Books

For those readers who have some knowledge of the fairy tale of Bluebeard, the events that happen in this story may not turn out to be a surprise. For those who are not familiar with the fairytale, I wouldn’t recommend that you read up on it before reading this book, as it will tend to be on the predictable side.

Perhaps the most unique part of this retelling is the setting.  The author chose to set this story in Mississippi during a time in American history in which slaves were still considered property and were beginning to travel north on the underground rail-road. There is quite a bit more history in the book than I would have expected, but it adds a flavour to the setting that makes the story interesting and compelling. There is a lot of down time in the scenes and relationship between Sophie and Bernard because of his business, but the side stories help push the narrative forward and add human interest.

Sophie is invited by her godfather to come and live with him in his mansion in Mississippi. It is very obvious from the beginning pages that he has more than just a passing interest in the girl. There is a sexual tension between the two from the moment they meet. Torn between family/guardian ideals and the fact that Sophie is physically attracted to him, leads to some very pensive moments throughout the story.

As Bernard is a very busy businessman, Sophie is left wandering the mansion, on several occasions and making discoveries about the past women and wives who have lived there. As barely an object is left behind in any of the rooms, she is eventually forced to believe that their disappearances are not coincidental.

The story is quite slow and the main character a bit “classic” in behaviour ie soft spoken overall and overly curious. It’s like the old saying, “curiosity killed the cat” and in this instance, Sophie’s nosing around the house does get her into trouble.

Strands of Bronze and Gold is a story that has a mystery at its core, but also includes a soft love story – as well as a villain who’s a bit handsy. The writing style emulates a classic fairytale but in a more modern day.

Imagine your father is a monster. Would that mean there are monsters inside you, too?

Nineteen-year-old Ry Burke, his mother, and little sister scrape by for a living on their dying family farm. Ry wishes for anything to distract him from the grim memories of his father’s physical and emotional abuse. Then a meteorite falls from the sky, bringing with it not only a fragment from another world but also the arrival of a ruthless man intent on destroying the entire family. Soon Ry is forced to defend himself by resurrecting a trio of imaginary childhood protectors: kindly Mr. Furrington, wise Jesus, and the bloodthirsty Scowler.

Hardcover, 304 pages  Published March 12th 2013 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Ry’s father is currently in prison and Ry and his family are still trying to cope with the abuse he caused them all. They live in a secluded farmhouse on land that is the prize of their fathers heart. But after years of having to run the farm on her own, Ry’s mother has finally decided it’s time for them to move now that it’s been desolated and dried out. Meteorites begin to fall from the sky and one lands on their property, bringing with it not only memories of the past, but also some bad characters as well.

This story is told with several flashback scenes in which we learn more about our characters and the events that lead to the present day. This story does take place over a matter of a few days and chapters are sequenced by counting down to the time of the meteorite landing and immediately after.  The whole book is told from Ry’s perspective and his flashbacks take us through his youth to present day events.

With this writing style the reader is introduced to Ry’s mother and little sister, their growth throughout the years and the events that have lead them to the current situation with them fighting for their lives. Each character is fully rounded out to the point that you hate them, you love them, and your heart will break for them.

Scowler is one of the scariest young adult books I have ever read. Author Daniel Kraus makes no attempt to guard the readers from the events that unfold. It’s a bloody, terrifying and emotionally wrenching story that can and will cause loss of sleep. A deeply disturbing and well-crafted novel of suspense, and a thriller that any horror lover will enjoy.

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

Hardcover, 352 pages  Published February 12th 2013 by HarperTeen  ISBN 0062117378 (ISBN13: 9780062117373)

Addison was born and raised in “The Compound” where people have special abilities and it’s unknown to the rest of the world they exist.

When Addison’s parents announce they are divorcing, she must choose who she wants to live with. She uses her “searching” ability to see which decision is right for her. The story walks us through both of these decisions, alternating chapters of each day after the decision, up to present day.

Her mother is going to keep the house and stay at the compound. Her father is moving to Texas, he has an investigator’s job out among the “norms’.

While I went into this story thinking that each decision she made would have a drastically different storyline to the other, it turns out that both worlds ran parallel. The one thing that pushes this story forward is the investigation that her father is involved in. There has been a murder of a young girl within the compound (which is unheard of) until now.

As the chapters switch between Addison’s lives, the reader gets to see what is happening within the compound as well as the investigation on the outside through her father’s investigations into the case.

Addison has a love interest in both worlds, both quite different aside from the fact that they both play football. Overall the writing has humour along with the suspense and great dialogue.

Nothing is certain and no one is safe in the second book in the highly praised Dust Lands trilogy.

It seemed so simple: Defeat the Tonton, rescue her kidnapped brother, Lugh, and then order would be restored to Saba’s world. Simplicity, however, has proved to be elusive. Now, Saba and her family travel west, headed for a better life and a longed-for reunion with Jack. But the fight for Lugh’s freedom has unleashed a new power in the dust lands, and a formidable new enemy is on the rise.

What is the truth about Jack? And how far will Saba go to get what she wants? In this much-anticipated follow-up to the riveting Blood Red Road, a fierce heroine finds herself at the crossroads of danger and destiny, betrayal and passion

This series is absolutely one of the most unique reads you will find in Young Adult books today. Mostly due to the dialect of the characters and the minimal writing style the author has chosen to use. The combination leads to a very unique read.

Saba gets a coded message from Jack and decides to go and find him against the advice of Hugh. The whole group follows Saba knowing that they must stick together and they want to help her. Through their travels they encounter several people in trouble. But when they reach their destination we find that maybe Saba has a destiny, something she never would have considered before and never expected.

One thing that stood out more to me in this book than the first, was the dialect. It was harder for me to get back into the story, but I found that listening to the audio-book made it a lot easier to picture the story.The audio is narrated by Heather Lind and I imagine it would have taken some practice reading through it without tripping over the words. She does an amazing job getting the story to flow and helps bring in the passion and tension the characters feel throughout their adventures.

The books have a similar rhythm to them. Something happens in the beginning to initiate their travels, they come across several different characters and trials along the way, and the books end with a bang and several revelations. I can see a pattern here with this series, and with the events in the end of this book, I cannot wait to find out where the next book takes us. I have really high hopes for what Saba can become. She’s strong, smart and has heroine written all over her.

Here’s a sample of the dialect: “Not jest wagons, lone travelers too. We found the leftover bits of one fella. Well, Nero did. Dead eaters had bin at him, jackals an vultures, so you couldn’t tell much. Jest his hair color an boot size. The boots was good an they fit Tommo. You never felt right, takin from the dead. But he wouldn’t be doin no more walkin an Tommo would. We piled rocks over what was left of him and Lugh said a few respeckful words.”