Instant Series by Jill Shalvis

Reading Level: Adult
(4 out of 5)

If I ever wanted to go on an adventure (skiing, moonlight hiking, rock climbing, trip to Alaska) I would want it to be lead by on of the Wilder brothers. T.J, Stone, and Cameron are bad boys with hearts of gold. Rugged good looks and smoldering sex appeal I wouldn't mind following them somewhere.

In Wishful, California you can find Wilder Adventures run by T.J., Stone, Cameron, their Aunt Annie and her husband Nick. In the first book Instant Attraction Katie Kramer is looking to find herself and she ends up taking a job as a temp at Wilder Adventures. Cameron, the golden boy of extreme sports, had lost his way for awhile but made it back to his home only to find a beautiful woman in his bed. Can these two help each other heal and realize before it's too late that they are meant for each other?



In Instant Gratification Stone meets Dr. Emma Sinclair and sparks fly. Emma is only in town for a short while taking care of her ailing estranged father's clinic. Once he's able to take back over she is out of here. Stone loves what he does but he's looking for more. Soon they find themselves in a mind blowing affair that shakes them both to the core. Will Emma stay or will it all be over for them?

These books are so good. T.J's story is in Instant Temptation and I'm impatiently waiting for it on my holds list. Check these books out. You won't be disappointed.

Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer

Reading Level: Young Adult
4 out of 5

So my wonderful husband, Will, loves to read like I do and the light bulb went on over my head. I'm like you could write a review for the blog and he so nicely agreed. I didn't get a picture of the first book in the series so here is a picture of the second (Ninth Grade Slays) and the third book (Tenth Grade Bleeds).

I've enjoyed vampire novels for a long time. Every author of vampire novels has a different set of rules for vampires they decide to follow, or in some cases, throw out the window (I'm talking about you Stephenie Meyer and your glittery vampires!). This book has chosen to go sort of the Blade theory that with enough sunblock, any vampire can be in the daylight. Now what i really like about this book is that the pretty boy isn't the vampire. I feel as if she lifted part of the formula of a good middle schooler dork trying to get the pretty girl with a vampire novel, which i think works well. It's not a completely original book in the genre, but i found it very entertaining for the time it took to read, and I'm looking forward to the next books in the series.

Check out her website: http://www.heatherbrewer.com/ The fourth book in the series is Eleventh Grade Burns and Twelfth Grade Kills comes out in September of this year.

Louder Than Words by Jenny McCarthy

Reading level: Adult
4 out of 5

One morning Jenny sensed something was wrong with her son and she ran to his room. Evan was having a seizure in his crib. 911 was called and Jenny and Evan's medical journey began. Evan was diagnosed with epilepsy even though it didn't run in the family and he hadn't suffered an injury to the head. The seizure medication helped the seizures but Evan wasn't responding. He was in his own world. Jenny was relentless to find out what was really wrong. Finally after going to a different doctor Evan was diagnosed with Autism. Then began Jenny's journey to pull her son out of his world of Autism. She did that by researching, talking to other parents, getting Evan enrolled in a school that helped Autistic children, and just never giving up. Then finally she discovered an intense combination of behavioral therapy, diet, and supplements that became the key to saving Evan from Autism. This book is very inspiring. Jenny didn't just accept that her son had Autism she became a detective and found what would help heal her son.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Reading Level: Young Adult
4 out of 5


What happens when you put together the head cheerleader and a gang member? Love of course. I'm not making fun I really enjoyed this book and I like when opposites attract. At Fairfield High School, in the outskirts of Chicago, the south siders and the north siders don't mix well. So when Brittany Ellis (head cheerleader) and Alex Fuentes (gang member) get paired up in chemistry sparks start to fly and they are not generated from lab experiments. Brittany thinks that she has Alex all figured out and Alex thinks the same of Brittany but in reality they don't know anything.

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