The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

What would you do if you woke up in a strange room with no recollection of what happened the night before? What would you do when the sudden realization hit that you did something you really wish you hadn't of done? What would you do if you were raped?

Alex attends Themis Academy, where everyone is perfect and nothing bad ever happens. Except bad things do happen. That's why Alex's sister created The Mockingbirds, a group that is set out to right the wrongs that happen behind the teachers' backs. So, when Alex is date raped her only logical choice is to go to The Mockingbirds. They tell her it will be hard, but ultimately things will work out. But when Alex starts feeling thing for one of her friends who is also in The Mockingbirds, things get complicated.

I loved this book! It was a great read and I could not put it down. The pacing was great and the book had a great plot. What is better than a book with a dash of justice? A book with a dash of justice and romance (wink wink). I don't care who you are, you will love this book. I can't wait to get my grubby fingers on the sequel!

100 Cupboards by N.D. Wilson

Another journey, another great read! While I was away in the land they call "The Oregon Coast" I got to embark on another fun book with an exciting plot.I thoroughly enjoyed how young this book made me feel. There was no complicated romance or mind numbing mystery, just a young boy who found a fantastic adventure!

This book has been sitting on my book shelf for who knows how many years! And as soon as I picked it up and started reading, I thought to myself  "Why have I waited this long to read this book?" I felt like a kid again, reading a book simply for the fun of reading. The writer's imagination blew me away! How many people can say "Hey, I just thought of an idea! What if we had magical cupboards that took you to different worlds and different dimensions?" Not many. It was so brilliantly imaginative that you could tell the writer is genuinly thoughtful and not just groping around in the dark for an idea.

After his parents are kidnapped and held for ransom, Henry is shipped off Henry, Kansas for the summer, where his aunt and unce live, along with their three daughters. His attic bedroom doesn't hold much excitement, until he hears a strange thumping and sees a strange doorknob protruding from his ceiling. As he starts exploring he uncovers 99 cupboards, all with their own dimensions and secrets. But not everything is as it seems and Henry is getting himself in way deeper than he wants. With the help of one of his cousins, he uncovers secrets about himself, the cupboards, and things that should never be meddled with.

Big Day Tomorrow

Heading off for the great city of Newport, Oregon tomorrow night. Wish me luck! A whole week with my family? Somebody had better pray for me! But, hey, wouldn't trade 'em for the world, so might as well make the most of it right? Definitely!

Can't wait to revisit the coast, my favorite place on earth. What is better than the smell of the ocean and the patter of the rain? Nothing, that's what! After a trip to the dry, over heated state of California it is really nice to be going somewhere where the trees aren't crippling with death and the grass isn't crunching with dryness under your feet. I absolutely love the life I see at the coast, from the candy covered faces of children, to the blooming wildflowers, it is an absolutely uplifting place! And I can't wait to sink my teeth into a nice, relaxing vacation.

What am I going to be doing for an entire week in a city so full of fun? Going with the flow, of course! Here, there, everywhere. Maybe take a stroll down the boardwalk, munch on some caramel apples, I might even visit a museum or two! Whatever I do, though, you can be sure I will be having a great time.

There are a few errands I have to run, as does any American, before I leave. Bop over to the library, pop a squat at the orthodontists and get some reading done while mother dearest is at the hairdresser's. Oh, yeah, and one other minor thing. Get packing!

You Against Me by Jenny Downham

What are you supposed to do when your brother is accused of rape, and you know the truth?

How do you protect your sister when she claims she was the one who was raped?

When Mikey McKenzie's sister claims she was raped by Ellie Parker's brother it starts a whirlwind of emotions and heartache for both Mikey and Ellie. When they met, all Mikey was trying to do was get close to Tom Parker, if only to pummel his face in. But when he starts feeling things for Ellie that he's never felt for any girl, things start to get complicated. When Ellie realizes she feels the same things, things really take a turn for the worst. Through the stress of accusations and lies, Ellie and Mikey somehow find a way to overcome their fears and fall in love.

With a tense and romantic plot, this book left me wanting more. I finished this book in no time at all. Two thumbs up, I would say. It was one of those books where I know I will remember it, but I am not so sure anyone else will. I loved how the story didn't drag and it was perfectly paced, but some people may not feel the same way I do about the pacing of books. If you love young adult romance with a dash of mysterious truth, then this book is a must read.

One Day by David Nicholls

I recently read this book, called One Day. Looking at the cover you think 'Oh, what a nice, romantic book!'. No, it was, in fact, an awfully irritating, disappointing, stupid, insert-insulting-word-here, book! The ending was sad and depressing and I could barely pull myself through the mucked up mess that was this book. Want my opinion? No? Too bad. Save yourself the time and heartache and find a book with a real plot.

Okay,so I am being a bit harsh. The book, I'm sure, to someone else was a smashing hit, but with me it didn't tickle my tummy. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for sadness (which the book definetly had) and so I came down with a little too much force when I decided that this book was not in my Fave Five.

Dex and Emma have been best friends ever since a that fateful night when they took a tumble in the sheets (wink wink). We take a look into their lives for one day (that same day they met) every year, for twenty years. Through tears and triumphs, heartbreaks and -aches, Dex and Emma manage to hold onto their love for each other until (SPOILER ALERT) they finally get together. For keepsies.

But this isn't what makes me dislike the book. No, what makes me not like the book is two years after they get together she (SPOILER ALERT) dies. Yes, you heard me right, she dies. Now what kind of ending is that?