Until I Die by Amy Plum

Summary:(from goodreads) Kate and Vincent have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of lights and love.As their romance deepens there’s one question they can’t ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can’t resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake—and that Vincent’s immortality is in jeopardy.In Die for Me, Amy Plum created a captivating paranormal mythology with immortal revenants and a lush Paris setting. Until I Die is poised to thrill readers with more heart-pounding suspense, spellbinding romance, and a cliff-hanger ending that will leave them desperate for the third and final novel in the series. 
Review: This is the second book in the Revenants series and I thought it was a pretty good read. It was a little bit slow at first and took a while for things to pick up. Once you get into the second half of the book things start to pick up a little bit. I was very surprised by the way things ended. There was a huge plot twist that I did not see coming at all. The ending was a big cliffhanger that made me really excited for the next book and made up for the slow first half. I am anxious to see how things end up for the characters in the next book. I like this cast of characters but I don't really have that much of a connection with Kate and Vincent. I did like the fact that their relationship seems authentic rather than just clingy and annoying. I hope that we get to see even more of all the characters in the next book. If you were a fan of the first book I definitely recommend continuing with this one.

Memento Nora by Angie Smibert

Summary:(from goodreads) On an otherwise glossy day, a blast goes off and a body thuds to the ground at Nora's feet. There are terrorist attacks in the city all the time, but Nora can't forget.In Nora's world you don't have to put up with nightmares. Nora goes with her mother to TFC--a Therapeutic Forgetting Clinic. There, she can describe her horrible memory and take a pill to erase it so she can go on like nothing ever happened. But at TFC a chance encounter with a mysterious guy changes Nora's life. She doesn't take the pill. And when Nora learns the memory her mother has chosen to forget, she realizes that someone needs to remember.With newfound friends Micah and Winter, Nora makes a comic book of their memories called Memento. Memento is an instant hit, but it sets off a dangerous chain of events. Will Nora, Micah, and Winter be forced to take the Big Pill that will erase their memories forever. 
Review: This is a book I have been meaning to read for a while and I have mixed feelings about it. I liked the world building but I wish there had been a little bit more background about how things came to be this way.  The plot was not quite as exciting and surprising as i expected it to be. I somewhat knew how things were going to end up and wish there had been a little bit more to the story. This book is less than two hundred pages so not a whole lot happens since a good protion of that is world building and introduction of the characters. I thought Nora, Micah and Winter were all pretty good characters. Although, since it switches between all three of their perpectives we don't really get very much time with any of them. I did like this book i just had  few problems with it. I am curious enough that I will read the sequel at some point.

Ten Things We Did (and probably shouldn't have) by Sarah Mlynowski

Summary:(from goodreads)
2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house - parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn't have. If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn't jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe "opportunity" isn't the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1: "Lied to Our Parents"). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up "Skipping School" (#3), "Throwing a Crazy Party" (#8), "Buying a Hot Tub" (#4), and, um, "Harboring a Fugitive" (#7) at all is kind of a mystery to them. In this hilarious and bittersweet tale, Sarah Mlynowski mines the heart and mind of a girl on her own for the first time. To get through the year, April will have to juggle a love triangle, learn to do her own laundry, and accept that her carefully constructed world just might be falling apart . . . one thing-she-shouldn't-have-done at a time.
Review: This book was just OK for me. It is a pretty lighthearted fluffy read and I pretty much new what was going to happen . This book did have a lot of pretty funny parts and the plot kept moving nicely even if their wasn't much to it. I did like that the book was split into ten sections, each containing one of the things they shouldn't have done. It was a nice touch that made it fun to read. I also liked that there was a little bit of character development going on. I felt like April had learned from her mistakes and had changed at the end. I did like her as a main character and thought that she was pretty easy to relate to. there was one plot point that was thrown in towards the end that annoyed me. The only reason it was put in was to make everything work out for April. i think there was a better way to go about it though. I think if you are a fan of fun and lighthearted chick lit type books then you should still give this one a try. it just wasn't one of my favorites.

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles

Summary:(from goodreads) Ellie remembers how the boys kissed her. Touched her. How they begged for more. And when she gave it to them, she felt loved. For a while anyway. So when Josh, an eager virgin with a troubled home life, leads her from a party to the backseat of his van, Ellie follows. But their "one-time thing" is far from perfect: Ellie gets pregnant. Josh reacts with shame and heartbreak, while their confidantes, Caleb and Corinne, deal with their own complex swirl of emotions. No matter what Ellie chooses, all four teenagers will be forced to grow up a little faster as a result. Told alternately from each character’s point of view, this deeply insightful novel explores the aftershocks of the biggest decision of one fragile girl’s life — and the realities of leaving innocence behind. 
Review: This is a book that I have had for a while but never got around to reading it. I am glad I finally did because it was a pretty good read. I liked that this book switched perspective between all four characters because it added a lot more depth when you know what everyone is thinking and feeling. Although, at some points it felt like Caleb and Corinne's perspectives were somewhat unnecessary. I thought the way everyone handled the situation was very realistic. These characters were easy to relate to despite having never been in their situation. I felt so bad for Ellie and Josh throughout the whole book. At first I was annoyed about Ellie's history but later on it just made me like her even more. One other thing that annoyed me was Josh and  Ellie's parents weren't really around that much. I know this is fairly common in ya books but I just thought it took something away from the story.  Overall, I think this book handles a serious issue very well and although it wasn't perfect it is an enjoyable book.

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Summary:(from goodreads) A  zombie who yearns for a better life ends up falling in love—with a human—in this astonishingly original debut novel.
R is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams. He doesn’t enjoy killing people; he enjoys riding escalators and listening to Frank Sinatra. He is a little different from his fellow Dead.
Not just another zombie novel, Warm Bodies is funny, scary, and deeply moving.
Review: I picked up this book after i saw the trailer for the movie that is coming out next month. I am really glad I did because I really enjoyed it. I liked the fact that this book is told from the Zombie's perspective which made it really unique and interesting to see what goes on in their heads. This story really explores the meaning of life and what it means to be human. I really liked the characters. R and Julie were both really well written and relatable in a way. I am really interested to see how this book will be translated into a movie because not being in R's head will make it lose some of it's magic. Getting to know R is a very important part of the story and I hope it doesn't get lost. I was also very excited to find out that there is going to be a sequel which is going to come out next year. I thought this was a very thoughtful yet fun and entertaining book.

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

This review may contain spoilers of previous books in the series.

Summary:(from goodreads) The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And - most importantly of all - she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.But nothing comes without a price.Someone is murdering Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine's Circle, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second bloody war. Clary's best friend, Simon, can't help her. His mother just found out that he's a vampire and now he's homeless. Everywhere he turns, someone wants him on their side - along with the power of the curse that's wrecking his life. And they're willing to do anything to get what they want. At the same time he's dating two beautiful, dangerous girls - neither of whom knows about the other one.When Jace begins to pull away from Clary without explaining why, she is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: She herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. The stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.  
Review: This is the fourth book in the Mortal Instruments series and I really liked it. Although, the beginning was a little slow moving once things picked up I was completely hooked. I wasn't sure this book was going to be able to live up to the first three books and i heard a lot of mixed reviews about this one but I thought it was a great addition to the story. As always, I loved all of the characters. I wish Magnus had been in this one a little bit more. Hopefully he will have a bigger part in the next one. I did like that Simon was in this one more. He had a much bigger role in this one and I liked that. Clary and Jace are absolutely awesome and i love them both so much. Based on how this book ended I am really excited to read the next book in this series.

Boy Toy by Barry Lyga

 

Summary:(from goodreads) Josh Mendel has a secret. Unfortunately, everyone knows what it is.Five years ago, Josh’s life changed. Drastically. And everyone in his school, his town—seems like the world—thinks they understand. But they don’t—they can’t. And now, about to graduate from high school, Josh is still trying to sort through the pieces. First there’s Rachel, the girl he thought he’d lost years ago. She’s back, and she’s determined to be part of his life, whether he wants her there or not.Then there are college decisions to make, and the toughest baseball game of his life coming up, and a coach who won’t stop pushing Josh all the way to the brink. And then there’s Eve. Her return brings with it all the memories of Josh’s past. It’s time for Josh to face the truth about what happened.If only he knew what the truth was .
Review: This was  a really hard book for me to review because I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it. It was very well written and the flashbacks added a lot of depth to the story.  Everything was well paced and i really enjoyed it reading it, even if it some of it was kind of hard to read. Josh was a really well developed character and they way he changes throughout the novel is really great. he is probably the only character I really liked though. I thought everyone else was annoying. Zik and Rachel were being kind of unrealistic and Josh's parents were just being dumb. Other than that, i did really enjoy this book. It definitely deals with some difficult subjects and i wouldn't recommend this to anyone who is fainthearted.

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

This review may contain spoilers of previous books in the series.
Summary:(from goodreads) My name--my True Name--is Ashallayn' darkmyr Tallyn. I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her. My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl..."To cold faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.Then Meghan Chase--a half human, half fey slip of a girl--smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.With the unwelcome company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end--a quest to find a way to honor his vow to stand by Meghan's side.To survive in the Iron Realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. And along the way Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Review: This is the fourth and final book in the Iron Fey series and I really enjoyed it. This book is told from Ash's perspective and I liked getting to know more about him. The basic plot is somewhat similar to the other books. I thought the plot was well paced and exciting. There were a few plot twists that really surprised me and made the book more interesting. I liked the fact that we get to learn a lot about Ash's history in this book. it made me like him even more, if that's possible. Of course i loved all the usual banter between Ash, Puck and Grimalkin. The trials that this group faces in trying to reach their goal are tougher than ever and it made the story all the more enjoyable. i am excited to read the spinoff/companion series to this one and hope we get to see a glimpse of what these characters are up to. When i first started this series i was a little unsure about it but the more I read the more this story and characters grew on me.

You Are Here by Jennifer E. Smith

Summary:(from goodreads)  Emma and her neighbor Peter are both lonely in a way that only bothers them on occasion. They both come from families they don’t quite understand. They both feel like something big is missing from their lives—and they’re both about to search for answers. When Emma makes a discovery that shakes the foundations of her identity, she convinces Peter to join her for a road trip. Each of them has something to find: For Emma, it is a grave—a grave that may be her only connection to her family. Peter is seeking something harder to define, but perhaps easier to navigate—a freedom, a sense of something more than what he has. Together, they take to the open road, engaging in a universal quest to make sense of who they are and where they come from…and learning a thing or two about love along the way.
Review: This was a really cute story. The road trip aspect really made this book a lot of fun and lighthearted, although there is some more serious issues thrown in as well. When i first started reading this I was confused for the first few chapters because I kept mixing up Peter and Patrick, but after that I got into the story and started to enjoy it. The plot was a little bit slow paced at first and i am glad that Peter went along with Emma otherwise it wouldn't have been nearly as good. I thought the second half of this book was really good and I loved the way things came together at the end. The last few chapters especially just made me happy. I liked both Emma and Peter as main characters. I thought that the switching of perspectives is the only thing that made me like Peter, I think without that he just would have been annoying. Although, they both kept doing things that were really annoying to me, overall, I did like them. Anyone who is a fan of road trip books along with a little dash of love and learning how to move on along the way should give this one a try.