CITY of BONES by Cassandra Clare

From Goodreads: When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

This book is the first in a series and set to be released on the big screen in August of 2013.


Rachel's Thoughts: This book sucked me in like a Dyson vacuum cleaner. I was turning those pages, wondering what's next, anticipating how the story will unfold, waiting for the character depth to...deepen. And the story DID unfold. But the character depth...yeah, that left me wanting until ultimately, I found myself reading just to finish the book. I felt as though I learned more about Clary's circumstances as the story progressed, but not so much about who she was and what made her tick. Basically, I didn't connect with her. Unfortunately  I didn't love this book to place the second on my "to be read" list. I still plan on seeing the movie, though, because I really DO like the premise. I gave this book THREE bookmarks. 

Lakela's Thoughts: I LOVED this book! It was great! It kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time. There was some creepy creatures but nothing that scared me too much. There was an amazing twist at the end that made me want more. I did enjoy the love "square" but it was a bit confusing. The shadowhunters were very interesting and I liked the action.  I read this book in a total of three days (I don't have much time to read so this is pretty fast for me.) I'm very excited for the movie to come out, I hope they don't disappoint me. :) I really didn't fully understand Clary and wish it talked more about what she liked besides her artsy side. I gave this book FIVE bookmarks.

LIES BENEATH by Anne Greenwood Brown

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans and absorb their positive energy. Usually, they select their victims at random, but this time around, the underwater clan chooses its target for a reason: revenge. They want to kill Jason Hancock, the man they blame for their mother's death.

It's going to take a concerted effort to lure the aquaphobic Hancock onto the water. Calder's job is to gain Hancock's trust by getting close to his family. Relying on his irresistible good looks and charm, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter Lily. Easy enough, but Calder screws everything up by falling in love--just as Lily starts to suspect there's more to the monster-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined, and just as the mermaids threaten to take matters into their own hands, forcing Calder to choose between them and the girl he loves.

One thing's for sure: whatever Calder decides, the outcome won't be pretty.

This book is said to be for ages 12 and up. This book is also the first in a three part series. 


Rachel's Thoughts: I am a huge fan of the murderous mermaids concept, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. And then the cover...WOW. There isn't a whole lot of deep plot threads, which makes this story a perfect fit for the younger YA crowd. So, it's great that Anne took a unique concept and then molded it to fit the younger crowd--no blood, gore, or torturing. This book is a quick read with fun (in my opinion) ideas and characters. I gave this book 3 1/2 bookmarks.  

Lakela's Thoughts: 

MONSTER HIGH by Lisi Harrison

They prefer to call themselves RAD (Regular Attribute Dodgers), but some call them monsters. So far, the "monster" community has kept a low profile in Salem, but this year two new girls enroll at Master High School, and the town will never be the same.

Created just fifteen days ago, Frankie Stein is psyched to trade her father's formaldehyde-smelling basement lab for parties and cheerleading. But with a student body totally freaked out by rumors of monsters who might be stalking the halls, Frankie finds that life in the "normi" world can be rough for a chic freak like her.

She thinks she finds a friend in fellow new student Melody Carver--but can a normi be trusted with her big secret?

This book is said to be for middle grade plus. This book is the first in a series.


Rachel's Thoughts: This would be a fun read for a tween or teen. But as an adult reading it, the teeny-bop lingo kind of grated on my nerves as well as the need to explain the brand name of every piece of clothing and shoes. Otherwise, it was a fun read. I gave this book 3 bookmarks.

Lakela's Thoughts: I really liked this book. The story moved quickly and the characters were fun to read about. And I liked all the fashion and art references. I gave this book 5 bookmarks.