North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley

Reading Level: Young Adult
(4 out of 5)

Terra Cooper is tall, blond, and has an enviable body but with the turn of her cheek everyone stares at the red birthmark that covers half of her face. Born with a port wine stain all the treatments over the years have not helped so Terra keeps her face hidden under layers of makeup. She's ashamed of her face and her controlling father never lets her forget about her "flaw".

Sometimes when I read a book a character just rubs me the wrong way. Terra's father did just that. He is a map maker that was exiled when he said that China found America first. This has made him mean and bitter and he verbally takes it out on his wife and children. I really wanted to step into the book and slap him. He is a bully and I don't like bullies.

Terra's plan is to graduate high school a year early and go to a college as far away from her father as possible but her father tells her he won't pay for any college but the local one. Terra feels defeated just like her mother who consoles herself with food. One day Terra almost runs over Jacob and her life gets turned around. He challenges her assumptions about herself and her life and she wonders about her true path.

This story really is about finding yourself and learning to love yourself. Very good read.

Hold Still by Nina Lacour

Reading Level: Young Adult
(4 out of 5)

How would you feel if one day you are laughing with your friend and the next day she is gone? Gone by suicide. Caitlin and Ingrid are best friends. Ingrid tells Caitlin that she will go wherever she goes and by the next day Ingrid is dead. Caitlin is devastated. How did she not see the signs? Could she have helped her friend? One day Caitlin finds Ingrid's journal under her bed. Ingrid had to have deliberately put it there because Ingrid didn't go anywhere without her journal. Caitlin lets herself read one entry a day so she can keep Ingrid with her as long as possible. The days and months after Ingrid's suicide Caitlin starts to heal with the help of her parents, her new friend Dylan, love interest Taylor, and Ingrid's journal. This is a very heartfelt book and you feel for Ingrid and Caitlin. Suicide is sad and hard to understand, especially for the ones left behind. From the book jacket, "Nina LaCour brings the changing seasons of Caitlin's first year without Ingrid to the page with indelible emotion and honesty."

The Politician by Andrew Young

Reading Level: Adult
(4 out of 5)

Even though this book may be a “tell all” by Andrew Young, John Edwards’ aid of 10 years, it is a very eye-opening comment on the personal relationships between aspiring presidential candidates, their aids, family members and entourage. In the Politician Andrew Young has exposed the egotism and unacceptable behavior of a man who wanted to be the leader of the free world. Although he was an accomplice in John Edwards’ extramarital affair and abuse of power, you may understand Andrew Young’s motivations even if you do not agree. Look for the illusions and delusions that are inherent in people whose lives revolve around power and money. After you read this book you may become more skeptical and cynical about the political process … which is after all a good thing for a free country.

Submitted by Helen

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garicia and Margaret Stohl

Reading Level: Young Adult
(5 out of 5)

This book is right up there with Twilight for me. If you are a fan of Stephenie Meyer, Cassandra Clare, or Claudia Gray check out Beautiful Creatures. It's sooooooooo good! I loved the characters, the setting, the story, everything.

Ethan Wate has been having dreams about a girl. Then this girl moves into town. Lena Duchannes is the girl he has been dreaming about and he feels a undeniable connection between them and he is determined to figure the connection out. You can't help but fall in love with Ethan and Lena and their families. The characters are well developed and the story just flows. This book is full of romance, danger, and magic. I can't wait for the next one, Beautiful Darkness, that comes out in October.

Immortal by Gillian Shields

Reading Level: Young Adult
(3 out of 5)

Evie Johnson is sent to Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies when her grandmother is put in a nursing home and her father is in the army. Wyldcliffe is housed in a Gothic mansion on the bleak northern moors, is elite, expensive, and unwelcoming.

When Evie gets to the school she finds that the teaching is strict, the students are snobbish, and the oppressive atmosphere leaves her feeling lonely. Her only lifeline is Sebastian who she meets by chance. Soon she is sneaking out to see him every night but something about him doesn't add up. Evie is haunted by a ghostly girl that looks a lot like her. Evie is slowly drawn into a tangled web of the past and present that she cannot control.

What I liked about this book is that the chapters alternate between Evie and the diary of Agnes. Evie is in the present while Agnes lived in the past. Of course I'm pretty sure there will be a second book because everything doesn't get resolved at the end but I couldn't find any information about a second book.

The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen by Teri Edwards and Serena Thompson

Teri and Serena liked to look for treasure and one day they thought why not hold a sale. The Farm Chicks Antique Show was started in the fall of 2002. They started out in a barn and eventually grew into covering two parks and the community center and its grounds. Then Country Living called and did a spread on them in their magazine. And then they did this cookbook. This book is really fun to look at. Not only are there some really good recipes but they have fun craft and organization ideas as well.

The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

Reading Level: Adult
(4 out of 5)

Nicholas Sparks was inspired to write this story from an image. The image was of a marine staring at a photograph. Who was in the photograph? Why was he staring?

In The Lucky One Logan Thibault finds a photograph lying in the sand in Iraq. Once Thibault is in possession of the photograph he seems to get out of every deadly situation he gets in. His friend Victor says that the photograph is his lucky charm and that he needs to find the woman in the photograph. When Thibault gets back home he can't get the woman in the photograph out of his mind. When tragedy strikes Thibault decides to find this woman. Along with his German Shepherd Zeus Thibault walks from Colorado to North Carolina. He finds the woman in the photograph and his life will never be the same. This is a Nicholas Sparks book with a sad but happy ending. Mr. Sparks you need more of those.