Lock and Key

Ruby, where is your mother?

Ruby knows that the game is up. For the past few months, she's been on her own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return.

That's how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she hasn't seen in ten years, and Cora's husband Jamie, whose down-to-earth demeanor makes it hard for Ruby to believe he founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house, fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future; it's a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby is just learning to give?

Best-selling author Sarah Dessen explores the heart of a gutsy, complex girl dealing with unforeseen circumstances and learning to trust again.
 I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book, Most of the reviews I have seen all say this is there favorite Sarah Dessen book. This is my third one by her and I am surprised by how each of her books are so different from each other yet similar in theme. Each has it flaws but I really enjoy them and reading them so much. Who doesn't like chick lit that's deep? I love chick lit as much as the next girl but don't always want something super light, yet not super deep. I always have found myself reaching for one of her book when that's what I need, I have never been disappointed either. I loved this book, I loved the characters and all of their little flaws that made them so much more real  to me, I have a hard time connecting to  the characters that are too "perfect". I feel like they are less human somehow. I Loved Nate from page 1 to the last, he was the "perfect" rich kid with his own hidden problems that he has no control over even though it seems like he has control over the rest of his life. I loved that he had these deep hidden flaws. I would so recommend this book , its seriously on my favorite shelf now. I now understand why everyone loves this so much!

This is book 10 of 10 of the 10 in 12 read-a-thon, I finished all of my books several days ahead of schedule ,it ends on Sept 1 .  

Teacher's Pest (Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #3) BOOK 100 OF THE YEAR!

“Two-headed monsters, giant tentacles, angry demons—Lovecraft Middle School is great creepy fun!”
—Ransom Riggs, author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
 
DON'T BE FOOLED by his friendly smile, his perfect manners, or his shiny red apple. Student council president Howard Mergler is actually a sinister bug-monster in disguise—and he's summoning swarms of roaches, wasps, fleas, and head lice into the corridors of Lovecraft Middle School!  Twelve-year-old Robert Arthur is the only student who can stop him--but he'll need help from his best friends: the school bully, the school ghost, and an extremely courageous two-headed rat.
 
This third novel in the Lovecraft Middle School series begins right where Professor Gargoyle and The Slither Sisters ended—with more action, more adventure, and more outrageous monsters!

Basically, again the same thoughts, I read all of these one right after another and really enjoyed the story overall. I enjoy the characters and the mysteriousness and creepiness of the whole series. Yes there are ways to improve the series but I am not bothered to much by the flaws of the storyline. I really enjoyed this and am going to be picking up the fourth one eventually. I really loved this series overall and wonder how its all going to end.

This is book 9 of 10 for the 10 in 12 read-a-thon. Also this is my 100 book of the year! Which completes my reading goal of the year! 

The Slither Sisters (Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #2)

“Two-headed monsters, giant tentacles, angry demons – Lovecraft Middle School is great creepy fun!”
–Ransom Riggs, author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
 
This second novel in the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School series begins right where Professor Gargoyle ended.  Seventh-grader Robert Arthur has discovered that two of his classmates are actually sinister snake-women in disguise. Even worse, his new middle school is full of “gates” to a terrifying alternate dimension – a haunted mansion full of strange spirits and monstrous beasts.  For Robert to protect his teachers and classmates, he'll need to return to this haunted dimension with his best friends Glenn and Karina.   Can they uncover the secrets of Lovecraft Middle School before it's too late?
 
The Slither Sisters features more bizarre beasts, more strange mysteries, and more adventure.  It's perfect for readers ages 10 and up. Best of all, the cover features a state-of-the-art “morphing” photo portrait – so you can personally witness the sisters transforming into their slithering alter egos.  You won't believe your eyes!

I feel basically the same about this one as I did the first one, so I am not going to say much in that way. Basically it was good and worth the read, my only complaint was that I feel like these books could be condensed into one longer book as one is just a continuation of the one before it. But they are still good and a very short, quick reads. I can read one of these in a little over a hour. 

This is book 8 of 10 for the 10 in 12 read-a-thon. 

Every Day

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

Nothing much to say. It was good, not amazing, but good; different then I thought it was going to be but was still good regardless. Overall I enjoyed this and would recommend this if you are looking for a different kind of read. 

This is book 1 of 10 for #10booksin12days read-a-thon. 

Professor Gargoyle (Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #1)

Every volume in the Lovecraft Middle School series is fully illustrated and features an original lenticular portrait on the cover. Display them on bookshelves—and then watch the cover characters morph into monsters as you pass by!

Strange things are happening at Lovecraft Middle School. Rats are leaping from lockers. Students are disappearing. The school library is a labyrinth of secret corridors. And the science teacher is acting very, very peculiar. Robert Arthurt knew that seventh grade was going to be weird, but this is ridiculous!

With the help of some unlikely new friends, Robert discovers there's more to Lovecraft Middle School than meets the eye. Can he uncover the secrets of the school before it's too late?

I really liked these, like who couldn't like these? I was drawn in by the cover first then by the story.  Like monsters, and demons inside of a middle school? Yes please, my kind of fantasy! I really enjoyed these and am looking forward to read books 2 AND 3 next. These are really short coming in at around 170 each. 

This is book 7 of 10 for the 10 in 12 read-a-thon. 

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall

When twelve-year-old Florence boards the crowded horse-drawn coach in London, she looks forward to a new life with her great uncle and aunt at Crutchfield Hall, an old manor house in the English countryside. Anything will be better, she thinks, than the grim London orphanage where she has lived since her parents' death.
          But Florence doesn't expect the ghost of her cousin Sophia, who haunts the cavernous rooms and dimly lit hallways of Crutchfield and concocts a plan to use Florence to help her achieve her murderous goals. Will Florence be able to convince the others in the household of the imminent danger and stop Sophia before it's too late?

Okay I bought this under the pretense that this was going to be creepy and  maybe borderline a horror novel. Yet what I go was a slightly creepy, entertaining read. It was good, as a story and as a whole, but lacked what I wanted from this book.   So on that aspect  I had picked this up for. Over all a good read and a very short one but not a scary one. 

This is book 6 of 10 for the 10 in 12 read-a-thon. 

That Summer

The more things change...

As far as Haven is concerned, there's just too much going on.

Everything is changing, and she's not sure where she fits in.

Then her sister's old boyfriend shows up, sparking memories of the summer when they were all happy and everything was perfect...

But along the way, Haven realizes that sometimes change is a good thing.

This book screams summertime and romance. Yet there wasn't any which was disappointing to say the least. With that being said, i still loved it and still love her writing style and how well she can write about everything and anything.  Defiantly excited to read more by her in the near future. 

Book 5 of 10 for the 10 in 12 readathon.