Percy Jackson and the Olympians; The Battle of the Laberynth and The Last Olympian - By Rick Riordan

If you liked the first three, you'll like these. If you didn't read the first three, well, read them first.

The last two have everything the first ones did, adventure, mythical beasts, battles, Olympians, but as the books go on, the writing gets, if possible, better. I read the last book in one sitting. The ending is hard won for the characters, but satisfying. Everything turns out basically well, but it gives the illusion of life after it, not a clean ending but much more realistic.

I adore these books.

Marked - By P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast

In the spirit of full disclosure, this is a vampire book. Wait! It's not what you think. No doubt at this point the word vampire trigers thoughts of another book, and I'm just going to say, this book is not like the one your thinking of.

Vampires yes, but a new and creative spin. It's not as dark as you would expect from a vampire book. There's danger in being a fledgling vampire, as the change into a full vamp can kill you, but the book doesn't center around blood lust. In fact, the fact that there vampires seems, in some cases, to be incidental.

Sure, it's creepy and scary, to an extent, but in stead of using the fact that they're vampires as a crutch, it is added to thicken the plot.

Creative, and a hither to unseen approach to vampires.

Waiting for You - By Susane Colasanti

If there's one thing I absolutely adore in a book, as I've said before, it's a smart main character. Smart supporting characters too, but especially the main one, and Marisa fits the bill pretty well, as do her friends. She makes mistakes, sure, but isn't made out to be an idiot because of them. In some situations, she brinks on obliviousness, but never stupidity. She handles things well, but not unrealistically well, and it all turns out in the end. She's strong, whatever she may think, and she knows what she wants. Her relationship with her best friend is sweet, and realistic, which makes a nice combo. And don't let the seeming theme fool you. The cover and the info on the back and in the panel make it seem as though it should be Sarah Dessen. Wether you like her or not, know Susane Colasanti is a totally different author.

Plus, Marisa has stuff going on. She's not shallow, like so many heroins.(Fear not, I didn't see this problem in anything I've given a good review)

it's 300 pages, but an easy read.

City of Bones - By Cassandra Clare

I liked it at the beginning, I did. The characters are smart, sarcastic, and generally great. The plot leaves nothing to be desired. There's even tension between the main character's childhood friend and the boy she likes. She's an artist, and a book lover, and I loved her perspective. If I could make a recommendation, it would be to quit while your ahead, at the werewolves, and imagine the end, because once you've fallen in love with Clare and Jace as a couple, you may not much like the unrealistic ending.

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City of Bones - By Cassandra Clare
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He's her long lost brother, the one everyone had thought died. And so suddenly, in stead of making out, they're perfect siblings. Unrealistic and horrid. If you don't mind, read it, but it bothered me.
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City of Bones - By Cassandra Clare
___SPOILER ALERT___

Goose Girl - By Shannon Hale

Goose Girl is a lovely faerie tale, there's nothing really like it, and yet it stands perfectly well on it's own. It's a marvelous faerie tale, and while magic is an integral part, it doesn't take over, and it's style is unique. Some people are born with the power of animal speaking, the ability to learn any animal language, while others have the power of people speaking, and their words carry special weight for those who hear them. Some, it is said, have the power of nature speaking, the ability to communicate with wind or fire or tree, but that's just a legend. The heroin is possesses the first of these, a self reliant person with common sense, the value of which cannot be underestimated.

She is a princess, betrayed and hiding under the guise of a goose girl, and she and the guard of the prince she was going to have married begin to fall in love. Then he leaves and doesn't come back, and though she knows he's alright, she misses him. Meanwhile, she has her own problems having to do with her usurper.

It works itself out magnificently in the end, with plenty of suspense on the way, and the truth wins out, which I just love. One of my favorite books.

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

It was dark. Super duper dark. Almost everyone died, though it wasn't a tragedy. It had it's high points and it's low points, and was an exciting read. The plot plowed forward in a consistent way, yet it didn't become monotonous. Relationships where delicately woven in, and the entire story was artfully written.

Ultimately, it was about survival, both in the wild, and by skirting around masked tyranny.

Highly recommended if you don't mind something dark and violent. Not recommended for an audience too young. There is death, but it never gets too too gory for most.