The White Rose by Amy Ewing

This novel is the sequel to The Jewel. The action, suspense, and revelations all come together to make for an enthralling story that'll make you eager for the final novel.

Lucien's plans to help Violet escape were complicated when she tried to save Raven instead of herself. Things then became even further complicated when Violet is caught with Ash, the royal companion, which lead to the two of them being captured and threatened with death. When some unlikely allies show up, everyone manages to escape the confines, but face new challenges that might prevent them for obtaining their freedom. Along the way, Violet and her friends learn of a secret society known as the Black Keys, all working together to bring down the royalty and fight for those who are oppressed. Violet also learns that these Auguries which gave her power are only one form of power that she has. It is believed that she's strong enough to use her new found magic to break down the walls separating people and help them destroy the people in power. Everyone works together to build their army, but when the game starts to change, success becomes even more important to Violet than ever.

This is an excellent sequel. It starts off with wonderful amount of suspense as Violet and her friends try to escape the Jewel. You have a feeling that they'll all survive since it's only the second book in a trilogy - at least until the middle of the book - but the worry that something horrible will happen is fairly present in their escape. The novel slows down a bit when Violet learns the true nature of her power. Then it's all about getting ready for the next stage of their attack. There are a few more peaks of excitement but it's pretty steady until the last chapter when a bomb is dropped and another cliffhanger that has you salivating for the next book (not out until next year). Characters grow in this novel so that you fall in love with all of them and hope for the best. 

After reading this novel I'm even more invested in seeing where things go. It's going to be awful waiting another year. I hope it will be a solid payout, but if the first two novels are any indication, it will be worth the wait. 
MMK

The Heir by Kiera Cass

When I read the third book in the Selection series, I thought it was the end of the trilogy and series. I was wrong and the series continues twenty years later with the story of their daughter in much of the same addicting fashion as the first few books.

After everything that America Singer and Prince Maxson accomplished at the end of The One, things in Illea aren't perfect. They've eliminated the caste system, but the people are having trouble adjusting to the new way of life and the fact that their next ruler will be a woman. Eadlyn is the firstborn of four children and the future ruler, ready to do what needs to be done to prove that a woman is capable of leading the country. With the unrest of the people, the king and queen feel that a happy distraction is called for, so they create a new Selection for Eadlyn to find a spouse. Although she eventually goes along with it, she's an independent and stubborn woman who doesn't want to get married and doesn't believe in love. While she initially planned to push the guys away, slowly a number of them start to work their way into her heart, including Kile, the son of her mother's best friend whom she always thought was annoying, Henri from Swendway who doesn't even speak English and his translator Erik who seems to understand Eadlyn even though he's not even a contestant, but then there are the others who have her questioning what her grand plan is with this competition like Ean who is more than willing to her forever companion without demanding love. The Selection is not without its bumps, but if Eadlyn can stop being so scared, she might be able to find the same kind of love that brought her mother and father together during their Selection.

This is the second to last book in the series - there will supposedly only be five books. While it is helpful to have read the first three books, one can pick up this book and work their way through it without complete knowledge of the prior novels. While it has much of the charm of the first books with the whole teenage "Bachelorette" dating game, Eadlyn is a bit of a brat and unlikable. It has been a year since I read the first novels, but I felt like I could root for America and the other characters, whereas for most of the novel Eadlyn is annoying. She comes off as stuck-up, too good for their entire process because she doesn't want a man. She can do it all on her own. Then she starts to grow and you start to like her and in the next breath she's back to her old ways. It's nice to see her come around near the end and it'll be interesting to see how things turn out in the conclusion. Knowing there's only one book left, though, I wish the love connections were a bit stronger come the end of this book - that it was down to the final four so that we could see who really mattered to her. There's a lot going on that it's hard to think it will all get the right amount of attention in one book. Yes, there are the four or five who she keeps gravitating to, but I wish it was a little clearer who she was thinking about (the first three books had the clearly defined love triangle with America). The author has a plan, so who am I to really say anything. I know, though, who my top three are and it'll be interesting to see if that's the direction Eadlyn goes.

This novel succeeds like the previous three to pull the reader in. It creates a dating game scenario and then gives you unique contestants for you to root for as the main character grows and realizes that love does not make one weak. With the conflict of her heart on top of a country uprising, there's more than enough pull to bring the reader back for the hopefully stellar conclusion of this entrancing series.
MMK

Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

This is a great second novel to series that will definitely have you coming back for more, although it is important to read these books in order. The book, like the first, is Criminal Minds for teens.

The Naturals program is a group of five extraordinary teens who help solve cold cases. The narrator Cassie is a profiler, as is Dean. There's also Sloane who is amazing with numbers and facts, Lia who can detect lies, and Michael who reads emotions. Together they work to solve cases that the FBI hasn't cracked and only cold cases because this program is a bit hush-hush and you can't have teens involved in active cases. But when the latest killer seems to be a copy of the murders Dean's father committed, it's impossible for the teens to take a backseat on this case. Even with the threat of someone shutting down the program, they break and bend the rules to help a friend and solve the case before some else dies. 

I know a number of people who hear "Young Adult" and don't want to give a book another shot. They think that given the teen audience, the books aren't as developed or might come off as superficial - they just don't have the depth that an adult book would have. While I have seen that in some books, that does not happen in this novel. I felt like this book had a great balance of teen connection with enjoyable and quirky teen characters, but it has the depth and development and complexities of an adult murder mystery. You feel for the characters, there are twists and turns with the story, and it is an overall enjoyable ride. Just make sure you read the first book first. Things that happen in the first book are brought up throughout this novel, so it is important to have that background knowledge. Sure there are enough references to get you through if you didn't read it, but it would be best to start this series at the beginning. 

I really enjoyed this novel and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good murder mystery. It's not just blood and guts and whodunit. This novel does a great job getting into the mind of the murder and characters. Definitely pick this book up.
MMK

The Selection Series by Kiera Cass

Publishers Weekly captures the my initial reaction to this series: "A cross between The Hunger Games (minus the blood sport) and The Bachelor (minus the blood sport)." While it doesn't have the action that the Hunger Games has, you see similar qualities in the main characters. This is a captivating trilogy that constantly pulls you in different directions but always back for more.

Book One: The Selection
In a future version of the United States (after two World Wars and now known as Illea), the Selection has been established to find a princess for the prince of Illea. Girls of a certain age are encouraged to enter a lottery to be one of 35 girls chosen to be candidates for the Prince's heart. America Singer, has no desire to be a princess. Although she is only a Five, she is currently in love with a Six - a boy named Aspen who is in the caste below her. Everyone knows, though, that getting chosen for the Selection would change everything for her family, so her boyfriend and family both urge her to enter. When she is selected and Aspen breaks up with her, everything does change and a trip to the palace is the perfect escape for her heartache, even though she has no interest in Prince Maxon - a fact she makes clear the first time she meets him. So rather than fighting for his heart, she becomes his friend, which seems to be the perfect solution until Aspen shows up at the palace as a guard and she realizes that she just might have feelings for the prince after all...

Book Two: The Elite
After the Selection was cut down to six, the competition became more serious, as does the conflict America faces between Maxon and Aspen. The decision of which man holds her heart faces multiple obstacle - just when she seems committed to Maxon, something happens that makes her question his true character, but then she also realizes the real consequences of what being caught with a guard in a compromising position. It doesn't help matters that five other girls are monopolizing Maxon's time and affections. How can she be certain of his love is he's also sharing his love with others? On top of the drama of the Selection, the rebels are unhappy with the palace and repeatedly attacking, leaving behind immense destruction and fear. Their displeasure is related to the caste system and how poorly the lower castes are treated, something America is well aware of being the only candidate from one of the lower castes. When given a chance to speak her mind, America finds herself making an enemy of the king who wants her out of the competition, but what about Maxon?

Book Three: The One
America's antics have her walking on thin ice as she has to prove she's worthy of being a princess, despite the fact that she's growing in popularity with the public. After Northern rebels (less violent compared to the Southern rebels) contact Maxon and America, the truth about how little they know about their country's history comes to light and what needs to be changes to create peace. With the king's displeasure mounting against America and the stress of running a country growing, it's time for the Selection to come to an end. While the answer seems clear, it won't be easy.

To be honest, I don't know what it was about this series that I loved so much, but it hooked me and I couldn't put the books down. Even thought the books take place in the future, it feels like the past with kings, queens, princes and a caste system. Whether past or present, it all works to create setting and drama. The first book does a good job of setting America apart from all of the other girls. Come the end of that book, there is the love triangle which initially made me fear that it would be a constant back and forth of who she chooses and it would just make her a wishy-washy character. I thought, though, that the series does a good job of making realistic obstacles for whatever wishy-washiness that arises. She's not just in love with two people, it's history with one and the responsibility of being a princess with another and the fact that he's sharing his "love" with a number of other girls. It's real to be torn and you sympathize with America's struggles. The first book felt the most fluffy - just a romance, but there hints that it would be more and the series delivers in the final two books. The stakes are upped and it's no longer just a competition to win the Prince. Before you know it, you're fully invested in all of these characters, wanting to see a happy ending for everyone and the just desserts for the enemy.

I really enjoyed the series. The first book is nominated for an Abe Lincoln award, which is why I picked it up in the first place. I'm glad I did. This was one of the most enjoyable series I've read in a long time.
MMK

Pretenders by Lisi Harrison

Pretenders is a new series by Lisi Harrison, author of The Clique and Monster High series. This series is filled with a cast of unique characters all trying to make their mark in high school through whatever means possible.

The novel is made up of journal entries from five students who eventually become the “Phoenix Five,” a group of five students who are truly outstanding in school. One student is Lily, a former home schooled girl who just wants to be normal while obsessing over her neighbor Duffy. The boy-next-door is another student whose journal is featured in this book. Duffy is a basketball star struggling to make his mark as a freshman on varsity, especially after learning about his family’s financial woes. He’ll do whatever it takes to stay on the team, even if it means compromising his image for money. He seems to like Sheridan who can be a bit of a drama queen as she tries to find the right persona that everyone will love as she models herself after actors or characters she has seen elsewhere. All she wants to do is fit in and be popular, which is becoming even more difficult as her best friend’s summer friend shows up, proving to be everything Sheridan wants to be. It doesn’t help that her best friend now has a boyfriend, orphan Jagger whose parents are in jail for taking care of a bully. He’s now trying to survive on his own while steering clear of someone who might want revenge for his parent’s actions. Aside from the journals of Lily, Duffy, Sheridan, and Jagger, there is also Vanessa who is struggling to maintain her status as the best-of-the-best, which she feels will keep her parents from fighting. She’s willing to do anything, even possibly illegal activities to maintain her G.P.A. Before long, it seems as if all of the characters are in over their heads, each moment documented in their journals.

This novel does a good job of creating five unique characters, each one individual and fully developed. At times, however, they seem a bit like caricatures and cliches. Duffy is the jock, Lily is the sheltered home schooled kid, Vanessa is an overachiever obsessed with grades, Jagger is the mysterious loner, and Sheridan is the actress. Sheridan to me was the hardest to swallow. Her obsession with being someone else was a bit much to digest. It really went over the top when she wanted to channel “Massie Block from the straight-to-DVD movie The Clique” (59), which is a not too subtle nod to the author’s other series (there is also a Monster High reference later in the book). It read as a desperate move from the author to promote her other works. Plus it alienates people who don’t know her books. The other character Sheridan wants to channel are more pop-culture, but even the Gossip Girl reference will date the book. Her whole character was a little too much, so it was nice come the end when she starts to be more herself than someone else. Lily’s stalker tendencies also got to be a little much, although I’m sure a number of girls can relate to the obsessive quality of having a crush on a boy out of your league - even if Lily takes it to extremes. Jagger is the least developed character, but I think that all works towards him being the most mysterious. The characters become more likable as the book progresses and their true stories develop and grow conflicted. It all culminates to one night when everything gets out of control, and then the book ends in a cliffhanger.

For the most part I wasn’t impressed with the book - at least for three-fourths of the novel. It feels a bit like a watered down attempt at Pretty Little Liars with less extreme secrets. I wasn’t going to pick up the next book, but I might just to see how it all turns out - thanks to the cliffhanger at the end. All of the characters seem to have the best intentions, their desperation just got in the way of making smart choices. We shall see in book two how it all turns out.
MMK

Wanted : A Pretty Little Liars Novel by Sara Shepard

Pretty Little Liars is finally wrapped up, although, of course, isn't not exactly a pretty little bow. I'm not going to really summarize the book because that will give it all away. All you need to know is a new character is introduced who is, you guessed it, too good to be true. While the creepy text messages have stopped, that doesn't mean their lives have returned to normal. In fact, maybe they were safer when their enemy was openly threatening them.

The book has extreme soap opera flair to the point I was going to throw the book out the window. I could not believe the author pulled one of the cheapest soap opera tricks there is. And what's worse, she didn't just use one cheesy soap opera ploy, but multiple! If she wanted flair and to go out with a bang, you could argue that she did (literally and figuratively). However, it also felt like a cop out. Until I got to the end I was extremely disappointed because I didn't feel like the girls grew or developed from this experience, but the last few chapters showed a little growth and maturity that made me feel a little bit better, even if it did seem too much like a pseudo-happily ever after for each character.

I'm glad the series is over. It started to drag and become unrealistic. Maybe if I read them all at once without waiting months for the next book to appear I would have had an easier time riding the suspense. I know that I definitely was sucked into the series at the beginning so I would recommend the series. Now that it's finished, maybe it'll flow better than long interludes between books.
MMK

Heartless: A Pretty Little Liars Novel by Sara Shepard

**SPOILER WARNING** This is book seven in the Pretty Little Liars series and will reference information from previous books. I won't give away too much from this novel, but the others might be spoiled. Read on with caution...

At the end of the last novel, a fire nearly kills all four girls and in the twist ending of that novel, the girls saw Ali alive! In this novel, when Emily admits this to the police, everyone gets fed up with the drama these girls are creating. Finally deemed in the press as the "Pretty Little Liars," Hanna, Spencer, Aria, and Emily are slowly becoming the prime suspects in Ali's murder. Fearing for Hanna's sanity, her father ships her off to a spa/rehab/mental institute. There she befriends her roommate who isn't as trustworthy as she seems. Aria, on the other hand, might be the one who needs to be committed as she tries to get in contact with the dead, thinking Ali might be trying to communicate with them from beyond. Emily, under "A"'s advice, dresses up as an Amish girl and heads to Lancaster where she meets a girl whose family has a mysterious past to Darren Wilden - whom they all at one point thought killed Ali. Things begin looking up for Spencer as her family apologizes for treating her like dirt, but that only lasts so long as she begins digging into her family's past and her parent's connections to Ali's family. All of this drama climaxes to the point the girls are all arrested and Ali's killer is identified.

Of course this isn't the last novel in the series as at least one more book remains. A huge part of me hopes the next book is the last. The series has run it's course and I think the story is just being dragged out. Why do the girls keep falling for A's tricks? You'd think by now they'd learn but no, each new text lead to a whole new soap opera storyline. True, the story does draw you in as you're eager to find out where it all leads but it's getting a little old. I think some of it has to do with the time between when books are released. I would almost recommend waiting until all of the books are out and reading them all together. That way your excitement for the story doesn't dwindle.

For what the story is, the novel is good. There are some interesting new leads and twists which makes you wonder what's really going on. But, overall, this storyline needs to come to a close. How much more can realistically be done to the girls before even the readers lose trust in them?
MMK

Killer: A Pretty Little Liars novel by Sara Shepard

**SPOILER WARNING** This is book six in the Pretty Little Liars series and will reference information from previous books. I won't give away too much from this novel, but the others might spoiled. Read on with caution...



This is the sixth book and I think the storyline might be getting a little tired and a little bit like a soap opera. I mean, when it doubt of what to do next, bring a character back to life, which is exactly what this novel does. Now it's been a few months since I read the series, so maybe it's just lost some appeal, but I felt like the story is getting a little old.

The last novel ended with the girls finding Ian dead in the woods. They bring in Officer Wilden and when they reach the body, it's gone. A search ensues, but not until the next day, which has the girls wondering if something, besides a body, is being hidden. After a few days, though, the dead body is deemed a hoax and soon Spencer receives an IM from Ian, which has even the girls convinced he's not dead. In the meantime, Emily's progressing in her relationship with Issac, but is getting some negative vibes from his mother. Hanna hatches a plan to double cross her stepsister Kate by stealing the man she likes but Kate isn't that easily foiled. Spencer is still facing major neglect and attitude from her parents but has success finding her real mother, which gives her hope of an escape. And finally, Aria moves in with her dad to avoid her mother's creepy boyfriend and hopes to form a relationship with an unlikely candidate - Ali's brother Jason who, according to A, has a major secret. Speaking of A, she's been sending Emily and Spencer "Clues" to Ali's murder, which has them wondering whether this A is out to get them or help them. And what's up with Wilden who seems to be everywhere and acting a little odd.

So we've got A leaving them notes, but they're not so nasty this time around. In fact, most of the notes aren't even about taunting the girls which is an interesting turn of events. Come the end of the novel, though, one note isn't interpreted, but that's unimportant. What is worth noting, though, is that this series is kind of losing steam. Like I said before, it's becoming a bit of a soap opera. I mean, Ian is blue and bloated, obviously dead, and then he's not? I won't even mention the end of the novel which has daytime soap written all over it. Hanna and Kate are acting like total soap divas with the backstabbing and stealing boys and playing the victim to corrupt people. Isaac's psycho mom leaves me wanting to scream, "COME ON!" Spencer's parent's need to be slapped. I mean, how many parents hold that big of a grudge? And then Spencer's desperation to be loved is her own downfall, which is really sad. She was probably the only character that I felt bad for. She had it worst out of all the girls because she's asking for forgiveness and getting the raw end of the deal, which makes her desperate, but not in the nasty way Hanna is desperate. You can't help but sympathize with Spencer. One thing that I would have liked is a little bit more clarification of the previous novel. It has been months since I read it, so I completely forgot how characters landed where they were. There was some back story, but I would have liked a little more. Granted, if you're reading one novel right after the other, that might be annoying and unnecessary, but after a long hiatus, I felt lost at times.

The mystery of A remains, although the girls definitely seem to be zooming in on some key information that is either going to solve Ali's murder or maybe they're on yet another wild goose chase. That is still working for the novel, but the personal lives of the girls is getting just a little too dramatic and slightly hard to swallow. Maybe pull back the drama and add more mystery. After the surprise ending, though, I'm still looking forward to another novel and would recommend the series.
MMK

Wicked: A Pretty Little Liars novel by Sara Shepard

Pretty Little Liars could have ended with the fourth book Unbelievable, but that would be too easy. Hanna, Emily, Aria, and Spencer return in this fifth book, trying to start over and learning that their problems have only just begun. Maybe this book is a little bit more of the same, but it's still an intriguing novel that has me waiting for the next novel.

Wicked begins with Ali's killer in jail, A dead (I'm not going to give away their identities for those readers who have not caught up) and the girls trying to restart their lives. Emily is even more sexually confused when she finds herself attracted to a boy. Hanna's soon to be step-sister Kate is working to becoming her BFF. Aria's mother is trying to date again and Aria finds herself attracted to this new man. And lastly, Spencer's family seems to have disinherited her after what happened with the Golden Orchid. As the girls try to sort out their lives, Ali's killer is released into house arrest due to his/her dying mother and the minute that person steps out, A reappears. Could they be one in the same? Will the four girls ever be able to live their dramatic lives in peace? How can one person honestly know everyone's secrets? The questions remain and more pop up as the pretty little liars continue to deal with their inner demons, coming in and out of friendships, all the while learning more and more about who they truly are.

The book starts out a little rocky. The first page threw me off with the repeated mention of high end merchandise brands. That, however, faded as the novel progressed. Just like the other four novels, it started with a flashback to a scenario when Ali was alive. This memory reappeared throughout the novel. After that, is still dragged because we needed to set up where all of the characters were now that their mysteries have been solved. Once each story picked up, the story really started to get interesting, especially when A reappeared. Come the end, just like all the others, the characters' lives are in complete disarray and what we all thought isn't so. Once again you're sucked into the story wondering what will happen to Hanna, Aria, Spencer, and Emily. I really love the fact that the author gets the reader invested in every character.

While this novel at times feels like the same concept as all the others - Oh no, who's A? Why won't this person just leave me alone? - it still turned out to be an enjoyable novel. So much of it rides on the intriguing lives of these characters. A aside, I want to know where these characters are going and that bond between character and reader really keeps these novels alive. I look forward to number six and encourage teens to pick up this series. It is important, though, to read them in order. I don't think there's enough backtracking to pick up any novel and start. Plus, it's all worth the ride.
MMK

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

Everyone has secrets and some are more devastating than others. With those big, gut wrenching secrets, it's nice to have someone to confide in. The trouble comes, though, when someone starts threatening you with that deep, dark past.

Alison was best friends with Spencer, Aria, Hanna, and Emily. That is, of course, until the seventh grade when she suddenly disappeared. Now juniors in high school, the four remaining girls have grown apart and have started to live lives that they'd probably like to keep secret. Spencer realizes that she has a major crush on her snotty sister's boyfriend, Aria has fallen in love with a young English teacher, Hanna is stealing and dealing with image issues, and Emily might be falling in love with the new girl in town. As the girls struggle with these problems, all begin to receive messages from someone named A, referring to things they'd only shared with Alison. Could she have returned even though many believed her to be dead? If it wasn't Alison, then who could be contacting them? What would it mean if their secrets were revealed? Soon everything starts to unravel and the girls struggle to make sense of everything happening in their lives.

When I picked up this book, mainly to find out what all the hype was about, I expected to read a shallow, prep school, high society novel. It turns out, though, that this book has so much more to offer. Yes, these girls go to a ritzy school and shop at places like Tiffany's and yes, there's drinking and some sex, but this novel has so much more going on than just boyfriend stealing and backstabbing. Each character is developed and has her own complex story and struggles. I'll admit that it takes a little while to develop each character, but the wait is worth it. No one is more important than the other. At the same time, each story is different and, in a way, something the reader can relate to. That's not to say everyone is sleeping with their teacher, but I feel like these characters speak to complicated world some teens face. Then, besides the great struggles of each character, this novel has this amazing umbrella conflict of who A is and what does she want. On top of that, there's some "Jenna Thing" that haunts all four girls. The suspense and interesting story lines really makes this novel stand out.

So much about this book has me enthralled, but I think most of it comes from the fact that it didn't turn out like I expected. I like the characters and it has me intrigued to find out what happens. This novel is a great draw-in to a new series.
MMK