Clockwork Angel

by Cassandra Clare

Its rare when I read a made-for-teen novel and fall in love with it.  Case-in-point: The Twilight Series; not really my favorite, but I did read them.  And...I'm going off on a tangent now, but does it feel like every novel written lately is part of a trilogy?  I mean, what happened to people writing it all down in one novel so we don't have to wait forever to know the end of the story?  I feel like all of the novels I have read lately are exactly like a television series: cliffhangers, love triangles, and to-be-continued plots...not fair!!  Now I'm waiting for celebrities to make guest appearances in novels.  It wouldn't surprise me at all.  :(

Anyway, I digress.  As I was saying, I really did fall in love with this novel, although not during the first chapter.  It took a few pages to get into it, but once I started liking the novel, I couldn't put it down.  I think I ignored my husband and kiddos for a few hours while I immersed myself in the details of this book. 

The story is set in Victorian London and contains all elements of magic, mythical creatures, angels, secret domains, hidden buildings (think Harry Potter) and supernatural dealings in general.  It felt like a Gothic Buffy the Vampire Slayer of sorts.  Tessa Gray sets off for England to look for her brother and ends up getting involved in a lot more than she bargained for.  She finds herself plopped in the middle of a war between two supernatural factions that humans didn't even know existed (no...not like Twilight...get that idea out of your head!!).  The sequel, Clockwork Prince, is already published and the final in the trilogy, Clockwork Princess, is due in March 2013.

Similar Novels: Divergent by Veronica Roth and Matched by Ally Condie

Length: 512 pages

Copyright: August 2010

The Ice Queen

by Alice Hoffman

Every time Alice Hoffman comes out with a new novel, I almost drool with excitement because she's never let me down!  Her novels are full of mind-inspiring descriptions and delicate touches of magic that leave you wanting the novel to go on forever.  I first discovered her when I noticed she had written the novel "Practical Magic," which is a movie I dearly adore.  I've since gone on to read all of her novels and this last trip to the library I was able to pick up her latest TWO!  Like most of her novels, magic is referred to in "The Ice Queen" as a sub-plot and it is left up to the reader to decide if the protagonist lives in a world where magic exists or if they are just grasping at straws to explain events in their life.

The main character (who is unnamed) is a woman who has built a shell around herself and becomes a self-declared Ice Queen.  Her relationships are few and always shaky and she believes her life is dull and seemingly pointless.  After a near death experience when she is struck by lightning, she begins to realize her life was anything but pointless.  She meets a fellow lightning strike survivor and piece by piece they put together their shattered lives with surprising consequences.

Similar Novels: Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman and Run by Ann Patchett
Length: 224 pages
Copyright: January 2006

Divergent

By Veronica Roth

I really have a hard time figuring out if this is a post-apocalyptic or alternate reality novel.  I don't believe they ever mentioned in the novel what created the setting.  I know the story takes place in dystopian Chicago, but nothing is mentioned as to the chain of events that led to society's collapse.  Either way, I really enjoyed every page of this book.  Ever since "Hunger Games" (and even before), there has been an influx of post-apocalyptic/survival novels written that are geared towards a younger audience.  I start these books knowing there will probably not be any swearing, sex, or too much violence.  This book was interesting because it created a violent and unknown world while still sticking to the young adult aspects of the main characters.

The main character is Beatrice "Tris" Prior, who, in her sixteenth year is forced to choose a faction that will be where she lives for the remainder of her life.  There are five factions that each focus on a different virtue that determines their choices and lifestyles.  These are Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent).  Beatrice is forced to choose between a life with her family in a faction where she doesn't fit in, or embracing another faction that allows her to be who she really is - and where her very life will be in danger.

Similar Novels:  Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Matched by Ally Condie

Length: 496 Pages

Copyright: May 2011

P.S.  The sequel, Insurgent, just came out this week!!!

Between Friends

By Kristy Kiernan

Well, its about time I put a little effort into my reading hobby.  I went down to the local library and checked out 10, yes TEN, books to read in the next few weeks.  I picked out a few whose authors I recognized and then I tried for some new material.  This novel was one of those "new" ones.  I haven't even heard of, let alone read Kristy Kiernan before, but I will in the future!  In all honesty, I picked this book because of its cover and I hadn't read a good contemporary women's literature book lately.  I was fairly surprised to find I was captivated in the first few pages and finished the novel in two days.  It was a really easy read, with lovable, but flawed characters and the relationships are anything but perfect.  It was the most realistic and non-post-apocalyptic novel I've read in a few months!

The two main characters are Ali and Cora; girls who have been best friends for decades.  Ali has Cora to thank for the opportunity of becoming a mother.  When faced with the lonely road of infertility, it was Cora who volunteered her eggs and gave Ali the life she most desired.  Now, almost sixteen years later, Cora returns to the "family" she helped start with some devastating news that will change their relationships and quite possibly, their future.

Similar Novels: Handle with Care By Jodi Picoult and All He Ever Wanted By Anita Shreve

Length: 322 Pages

Copyright: 2010

The Lucky One

By Nicholas Sparks

I have to admit...I heard about this book because I saw the preview for the upcoming movie starring Zac Efron. For those of you who don't know, I have a serious crush on Zac Efron and I had to know the plot of the movie before it comes out this spring! I ordered this book on my Kindle (thanks mom, dad, Emily and Lee!!) and was able to start reading it over Christmas break. I've only read one or two Nicholas Sparks books before due to the fact that they are always made into movies (i.e., Dear John, The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, Nights in Rodanthe, and Message in a Bottle).

The novel follows a marine through combat in Iraq and then as he tries to adjust to life back home in the United States. While on tour, the marine found a photograph of a young woman and comes to believe that the photo brings him luck. After his tour is over, he vows to find the woman in the photo. The story that follows is one of love, fate, and redemption. I highly recommend reading this novel BEFORE the movie comes out. Trust me...its worth it!!

Similar Novels: Last Song by Nicholas Sparks and The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Length: 336 Pages

Copyright: 2008

Fortune's Daughter

By Alice Hoffman

Hoffman has a way of writing her novels that makes me feel like I'm reading a fairy tale...even though it's written in the present times and there are no princesses or evil queens. It's amazing how her style of writing includes descriptions that make me catch my breath and reread a passage I've already read twice. She usually does this at the very beginning of a novel to catch your eye and make you continue reading. Fortune's Daughter is no exception. I thought I'd read every Hoffman novel out there, but apparently, this one slipped through. I found it at our local library and what a find!

The main character's of this novel are two ladies who find themselves pulled together by forces outside of their control. Each is dealing with a loss in their own way and stumble across each other in their search for answers. As always, Hoffman weaves in flashbacks and vivid imagery to enhance the novel. Trust me, this is an oldie, but a goldie!!

Similar Novels: Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman and Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

Length: 272 Pages

Copyright: 1986

Change in Altitude

By Anita Shreve
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I think I've said it before, but I'll say it again...Anita Shreve is one of my most favorite authors!! Each one of her novels keeps me enthralled and waiting with ever fiber of my being for her next novel! This most recent novel is no exception. Shreve delivered a novel that not only pries into the very heart of a relationship but also deals with the power of love to overcome loss and desperation.

The story centers around a couple living in Africa who are new in their relationship and struggling to get used to their marriage. After befriending another couple, they decide to summit Mount Kenya together. When an unforeseeable accident occurs and a life is claimed, the couple is left to deal with the fallout. The rest of the novel centers around their struggle to maintain their marriage with feelings of betrayal and mistrust.

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Similar Novel: All He Ever Wanted by Anita Shreve
Length: 307 Pages
Copyright: May 2010