Hour Game

He's copying famous serial killers. 
And the HOUR GAME has just begun...

A woman is found murdered in the woods. It seems like a simple case but it soon escalates into a terrible nightmare. Someone is replicating the killing styles of the most infamous murderers of all time. No one knows this criminal's motives...or who will die next.

Two ex-Secret Service agents, Sean King and Michelle Maxwell, have been hired to defend a man's innocence in a burglary involving an aristocratic family. Then a series of secrets leads the partners right into the frantic hunt that is confounding even the FBI. Now King and Maxwell are playing the Hour Game, uncovering one horrifying revelation after another and putting their lives in danger. For the closer they get to the truth, the closer they get to the most shocking surprise of all.

Wow. So this was my first David Baldacci book even though I own a couple I have now just gotten around to picking one up. I was pulled in on page one! I HATE mystery books that have a slow beginning and take forever to pick up, this one wasn't one of those. I loved the whole plot and how much it twisted and turned the entire time, even when you think the story is going to settle down, bam its off again. It is a rather large book at 500+ pages but it doesn't feel that long as you are reading. I would totally recommend it, i hope to read more books by this great suspenseful author. 

Pigboy

Dan is not sure he'll survive the boring field trip to a remote heritage farm. How could a place with no running water, telephone or electricity be anything but dull? The farmer knows nothing about farming and is angry about having to conduct the tour. And what's with his tattoo? The teacher requests a private word with the farmer and then mysteriously disappears. After a messy attack of allergies, Dan is excused to find a tissue. He sneaks back to the school bus and discovers the driver and teacher have been bound and gagged. The farmer is really an escaped convict with nasty plans. Will Dan be able to find help in time?
Oh my gosh, I was dumb enough to read this at around 10pm and that was a mistake. It was very creepy so i ended up reading the entire thing (all 114 pages of it) before going to bed. It was very suspenseful and showed how even the disliked nerd of a class can do big things too. It was a very good read and I would recommend it, just don't read it at night... 

The Great Wide Sea

Ben, Dylan, and Gerry are still mourning their mother?s death when their dad decides to buy a boat and take them on a year-long sailing trip. Tensions flare between Ben and his father, but they gradually learn to live together in close quarters. Then one morning the boys wake up to discover their father has disappeared?and they are lost. What happened to him? Where are they? And what will they do when a terrible storm looms on the horizon?
So, this book was a little slow at getting started, i thought it was going to have a little about the before and then a little about while they were on the sea, but it was like 3/4 of the book. The last fourth was there time on the island and then their eventual rescue. That was my biggest pet peeve about it. I did like the ending though, there was a nice little plot twist there tucked into the last couple chapters. So that sort of made up for the dragging on of the other parts of the story. But i would say in the end, overall a good read. I would recommend it more towards boys though. 

Hate That Cat

Jack

Room 204—Miss Stretchberry

February 25

Today the fat black cat
up in the tree by the bus stop
dropped a nut on my head
thunk
and when I yelled at it
that fat black cat said
Murr-mee-urrr
in a
nasty
spiteful
way.

I hate that cat.

This is the story of
Jack
words
sounds
silence
teacher
and cat.

This book was good, set more for middle school kids I still enjoyed it. Though I was confused for awhile what it was about. I did finally figure it out toward the middle of the book but it took awhile. I loved that this book was written in verse, those are my top favorite types of book mostly because of the fact they are pretty writing most times and also they don't take wrong to read, ever! Even long ones (which this one was not) only take 2 to 3 hours to read tops. All in all i enjoyed it but not as much as i wanted too and feel like i would have liked it more as a middle grader versus now as a junior in high school. 

The Host

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human.

Okay I admit, i watched the movie before reading this book. I know the shame right? But I saw it on Netflix and knew the book was 600+ pages and didn't want to waste my time reading something that long if I didn't think I was going to like it. I really loved the movie so decided to give the book a whirl. It didn't disappoint  me! The movie is so spot on with a lot of it, I was so surprised that it was too, most movies anymore aren't that close to the book. Which is really annoying, of course. I really enjoyed it and loved the relationships they shared and the love triangle really was more like a square when you think about it... But I all in all enjoyed it a lot and was totally worth my time to read all of those pages. I don't know how i feel about a sequel though... On goodreads it said there is supose to be a 2nd and 3rd book in the "series". I think its just fine the way it is but that is just me. Totally 5 stars though!

Skeleton Man

Trust your dreams. Both my parents said that. That's our old way, our Mohawk way. The way of our ancestors. Trust the little voice that speaks to you. That is your speaking. But when those feelings, those dreams, those voices are so confusing, what do you do then?
"Help," I whisper. "Help."
I'm not sure who I'm talking to when I
say that, but I hope they're listening.

Ever since Molly woke up one morning and discovered that her parents vanished, she has had to depend on herself to survive 
-- and find the reason for their disappearance.

Social Services has turned her over to the care of a great-uncle, a mysterious man Molly has never met before. Then Molly starts having dreams about the Skeleton Man from a spooky old Mohawk tale her father used to tell her...dreams that are trying to tell her something...dreams that might save her, if only she can understand them.

So i thought this was going to be a bit more creepy then it was, i still wouldn't read it at night though... It is based on an old Indian story and its a suspenseful book, not as suspenseful as i wanted but still good. It is for ages 8-12 but i still enjoyed it. I would recommend it to that age group though. In the end it was a good book and i really enjoyed the short read. 

Secrets Over Sweet Tea

Secrets can be funny things. We think they keep us safe, but more often than not, they spill out when we least expect and make a mess out of everything. It’s a truth Scarlett Jo Newberry knows all too well—a truth Grace Shepherd and Zach Craig are about to learn the hard way. As the lives of this boisterous pastor’s wife, polished news anchor, and beleaguered divorce attorney intersect in the tree-lined streets of Franklin, Tennessee, scandal threatens to topple their carefully constructed worlds. Grasping at survival, they embark on a journey of friendship and courage, desperate to find a way back to laughter, love, and life.

This book was laugh out loud funny and oh so much fun to read. I don't remember the last time I laughed so much reading a book before! I really enjoyed the story and how the characters grew through out the book. I would totally have Scarlett as my best friend, just saying. She's so awesome and we would have so much fun together i just wish i could... Anyways I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for a light hearted read.  I received this advanced readers copy from Tyndale House Publishers for review. 

The Quilted Heart Omnibus: Three Novellas in One: Dandelions on the Wind, Bending Toward the Sun, and Ripples Along the Shore

Like a beautiful patchwork quilt, the three novellas in The Quilted Heart tell stories of lives stitched together with love and God’s unending grace.

Once a week, Elsa Brantenberg hosts the Saint Charles Quilting Circle at her farmhouse on the outskirts of the riverside town of St. Charles, Missouri. The ladies who gather there have all experienced heartache related to the intense hardships of the Civil War, and together, they are facing their painful circumstances with friendship and prayer. Can the tattered pieces of their hearts be stitched together by God’s grace?

Dandelions on the Wind
When Maren Jensen took a job on Elsa Brantenberg’s St. Charles, Missouri farm, she never expected to call the place her home. As she grows to love Mrs. Brantenberg and her granddaughter, Gabi, Maren is transformed from a lonely mail-order bride-without-a-groom to a beloved member of the Brantenberg household. But when Gabi’s father, Rutherford “Wooly” Wainwright, returns to the farm unexpectedly, everything changes for Maren, and she feels compelled to find another job. Are her choices in obedience to God, or is she running from His plan?

Bending Toward the Sun
Dedicated to her education and to helping her father in his general store, Emilie Heinrich is convinced she doesn't have time for love. But when a childhood friend returns to St. Charles, Missouri, after serving in the Civil War, his smile and charm captures Emilie’s eye and her heart. Will she be forced to choose between honoring her father and a future with a husband and family of her own?

Ripples Along the Shore
Change is brewing in St. Charles. A group of brave souls are preparing to head west on the Boone's Lick Wagon Train, led by the mysterious and handsome Garrett Cowlishaw, who served as a Confederate soldier in the war that killed Caroline’s husband. Despite her dislike for him, Caroline is tempted to join the wagon train and start fresh somewhere new, but when Mr. Cowlishaw forbids her—a single woman—to travel with them, will one man’s prejudice destroy Caroline’s hope for a new future? Or will the ripples of God’s love bring the answer she needs?

This book was sooo good, until I hit the last story, i didn't like the ending at all. Those who have read it know why. Not that its a bad ending just that its not what i expected. I really enjoyed another great read by this great author. I have always enjoyed her work and her stories.My one thing about this book is that on page 312 there is a "add" for the other books in a series that continues the story. There is a whole page missing! So that was a bummer. All in all a good read and well worth the time.
I received this book for review through Waterbrook Press.

Caught Between the Pages

A slacker student’s perspective changes when he gets his hands on his teacher’s journal.

PJ Barnes is on the fast track to failing high school, and everyone is riding him about it—especially his English teacher, Mrs. Jordan. Then, somehow, her personal journal gets mixed up with his homework papers. Thinking he’ll find the answers to the next quiz, he starts reading and quickly discovers it’s not what he expected. As insights and family secrets surface, PJ begins to realize that Mrs. Jordan knows more about his past, his present, and his future than he ever imagined. Author Marlene Carvell explores the impact that decisions have on our lives in this exciting, moving novel for young adults.

So the synopsis of this book is so different from the book its dumbfounding! Its similar i will give them that but its so different from what goes down in the real  story its not similar enough. But i was okay with the overall story line and everything, it progressed well and i really enjoyed how it had highs and lows in it, so there wasn't nonstop action yet wasn't a flat story all the time either, a mix of both. I felt like this was more of a guys book but it was still a decent read. I probably won't read again though. I do recommend it but more for guys then anything.

Beastly

Love is never ugly

Now a major motion picture starring Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer

I am a beast. A beast! Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright. I am a monster.

You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll,stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

OH MY GOSH. I am in love with this book! In my mind it is perfection, like come on its a retelling of the classic and my personal favorite love story of all time; Beauty and the Beast. Like whats not to like, about a evil witch putting a spell on a cute guy and making them into someone who is now ugly, a beast. Covered with fur, grows claws and starts acting beast like and the only way to break the spell is to have a girl fall in love with him and kiss him. And the girl he ends up falling for is a girl who's father sold her to the beast in exchange for some kind of favor. I mean seriously, this book has all the major points in the story, including a library (the most important part!) So i seriously loved this book and am adding to the retelling's-of-the-beauty-and-the-beast area of my shelves which i am very pumped to make bigger now. I highly recommend this book and I really want to see the movie now too!It has 5 stars in my book. 

Speak

The first ten lies they tell you in high school.

 

"Speak up for yourself--we want to know what you have to say." From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication. In Laurie Halse Anderson's powerful novel, an utterly believable heroine with a bitterly ironic voice delivers a blow to the hypocritical world of high school. She speaks for many a disenfranchised teenager while demonstrating the importance of speaking up for oneself.

 

Speak was a 1999 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature.

One of the reasons I decided to read this one was basically this: its been on my shelf for over a year and it also has been recommend by so many people I could say no any longer. And I am so glad I decided to read it! It is a very emotional story and there are a lot of things that make the story come to life. She seriously reminds my of myself minus some of the worst stuff. It was a great read i know i will be recommending to people in the future. It was a story that deserved to be told. I am also glad i waited until now to read it not when i bought it over a year ago (maybe two?), I don't think i would like it back then as much as now and it would be harder to get into the story. It was written very well and i was sucked in on page one! Read it off and on and finished it in a day. I seriously recommend this book to older teens. 

The Brimstone Journals

In a startling, often poignant student journal, acclaimed poet and novelist Ron Koertge creates a suburban high school both familiar and terrifying.

The Branston High School Class of 2001 seems familiar enough on the surface: there’s the Smart One, the Fat Kid, Social Conscience, Bad Girl, Good Girl, Jock, Anorexic, Dyke, Rich Boy, Sistah, Stud . . . and Boyd, an Angry Young Man who has just made a dangerous new friend. Now he’s making a list.

The Branston High School Class of 2001. You might think you know them. You might be surprised.

Narrated by fifteen teenage characters, this startling, often poignant poetic novel evokes a suburban high school both familiar and terrifying — and provides an ideal opportunity for young adults to discuss violence in schools.

This book has different journal entries by the different character. So you basically get a glimpse into each persons world, which i thought was really cool, but one thing that was annoying was how all the entries were written in a very similar way so it was hard to figure who the heck was talking unless you remember to read the top of every page. And good luck keeping the story straight!  I had a hard time with that but other then that it was only alright, the ending left much to be desired, big time. It simply ends, nothing was really wrapped up or anything it just stops and the story should go on it just doesn't. That's why it has 2 stars on goodreads from me. The only thing i liked was the different store and how each one was connected at different parts of the book. It was a very short read at only 113 pages and 99% of them only half or less full. So i really would recommend this book and am super glad i din't pay anything for it, i would be so mad if i did. It should be for ages 14 and up because of some subject manner.