I CAN'T KEEP MY OWN SECRETS by Teens Famous and Obscure

I'm not going to say much about this one since it's not yet out on the bookstore shelves. Nor am I going to quote my favorites from it, you'll just have to read it and find your own. However, I will say that this book is the second or so in the Six-Memoirs series, after Not Quite What I was Planning. But of course you don't need to read the first one since it's not one big story, it's a slice of life from hundreds teens of the ages of 13 to 19 printed onto less than two-hundred pages.

A few memoirs will make you chuckle, others might not make much sense, some will seem a little cliche in a way. And then there will be those that leave you somewhat numb, you won't know how to react to it, it may be a "wow" or "whoa" feeling or something more like "what the heck?" or you just wouldn't have anything to say. It'll just make you think.

Either way, you might be able to relate to some of the memoirs and say that those six words sum up your life too, and say "hey, I'm not alone" or something like that.

Moving on, I Can't Keep My Own Secrets is a quick read and I think anyone that's slightly interested or not interested at all should just pick this little book off the shelf, randomly open to a page and read a couple memoirs. But... You'll have to wait until it comes out. Sorry.

-- Chances vs Pills

As You Wish by Jackson Pearce

As You Wish is an wonderful book. It brings together a fantasy world matched with reality in a way that isn't to out there, but not too subtle. The characters are very detailed, and each chapter is from two characters point of view, Viola, and a jinn or Jinn. I can be a sucker for romance novels on occasion, and this one had me in tears near the end. Which is incredibly rare, so props for that. I'd love to see a squeal to this book. I do admit, the basic story has been used before, but the magic brought into it gives it a fresh new point of view for the reader. Props to Jackson on her first novel. Can't wait to see more work from her!

-ChooChoo

ORANGE by Benjamin

"Her name is Orange. She's a young girl in high school. Coming of age in the heart on the city. And she has decided she has nothing to live for..." This is only a few sentences from the back cover, and the only things I can say about the storyline without giving anything away.

Just follow Orange through her telling of her life so far and how it's changed forever with a moral everyone should remember.

Now, moving forward to the main reason I picked up the book before I read the back .... Just looking at the vibrant colored front cover, the art sucks you in. The co-existing color shades on each page really set the mood for the storyline. I definitely like how you don't really see the faces of anyone other than Orange herself.

Like I stated before, I can't say anymore without giving most of it away. However, the moral you find at the end is really... Well, I don't know how it'll relate to you who read it, but to me, it changed the way I looked at a couple of things.

-- Chances vs Pills

The Knife Of Never Letting Go

The Knife of Never Letting Go is a brilliant, dark, sci-fi adventure story. It is both powerful and relatable, despite it's distance from the recognizable. In fact, you have to REALLY immerse yourself in the world to enjoy this novel, as it takes some getting used to. Give it a chance, and make sure you're at least a couple dozen pages in before you consider putting it down. But, if you're like me, you won't be able to :). Enjoy your reading!

Final Verdict: Dark, mysterious, sci fantasy. Read it!

Read My Lips by Teri Brown

This book is possibly the most cheesy thing I've read in months. The plot line is rather flat, the typical "lolhotguy@school" deal... though it was very weird in some points. I'm not giving anything away when I say it's almost incest. But not really. The girl's cousin who is adopted is some hot skater guy from school, and she doesn't know he's her adopted cousin until she goes to help her aunt on their farm. The whole cousin thing is just weird. Even if he is adopted. It made it hard for me to finish the book. Oh, I should mention the girl is deaf... thats the focal point of the book. I'd say it's a mix between mean girls and gossip girls. It's just... kljasdg. To put it lightly.


-ChooChoo

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

I am a little afraid to be posting this review, as it is on a book that is not only not out yet, but the envy of every other person who knows what it is and hasn't read it. Catching Fire, due to be released sometime in September, is the Sequel to Collin's equally brilliant Hunger Games. Hunger Games is a wonderful novel about a controlling government that makes it citizens compete in a gladatorial arena called the Hunger Games annually. Catching Fire picks up right where Hunger Games leaves off, so I won't divulge any plot to give you a chance to read the first book. Nevertheless, suffice to say, the book will fulfill any desperate need you have for a sequel. It answers most of the questions from the first book, AND (of course) leaves room for a third novel. A large amount of room. A cliff, you might say. In fact, expect it in about a year, because it's coming. PLEASE, quickly, author! The characters are deep, the action intense, and there are cliffhangers that will blow your mind. Literally, your mind will explode. So pick it up, and love it. NOW.

PROS:
Engaging story
Action
Characters

CONS:
Youre going to have to read hunger games first.
Too short
Cliffhangers :(

~Abyss

Serendipity Market by Penny Blubaugh

The premise of Serendipity Market has the potential to be a beautiful book-a group of people come together to tell stories because the earth has gone off its tilt and must be put to rights. Each story has its own chapter. However the execution of the book is somewhat awry. The writing is awkward, especially as its in the present tense except when the storytellers are speaking. Even in the middle of the story, there are interjections of the storyteller's actions, which I felt detracted from the flow of each story.

Many of the stories are retellings of traditional fairy tales, and although its fun to try and guess which character matches what fairy tale, I feel that the author could have expressed her range much better in original stories. There was a lot of creativity in what she did write, and I feel that that was her biggest strength. Her writing wasn't as poetic as it could have been in a story this free-flowing, and she didn't get very in-depth with her characters, especially as a short story is not a format ideal for character developement.

In general, the book was interesting, but not amazing.

-Mistress Fu