Yearbook

Review by Curry

Yearbook
by Ally Condie



Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Christian: LDS Fiction, Young Readers

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:

It was the first day of school at Lakeview High, and everyone was afraid of something. Michaela Choi was afraid that Ethan Back was never going to ask her out on a date. Andrea Beck was afraid that someone would find her weak spot, the chink in her armor. She was afraid of knowing what it was herself. Principal Downing was afraid she was going to die. Julie Reid was afraid that no one would notice her. She was also afraid that someone would. And there was a deeper, unnamed fear inside her that she couldn't escape - a fear that she was nothing and no one

Personal Review:

I actually found this book really interesting. It follows many different characters and story lines, each one of them unique and touching. My only complaint about this book is that it follows so many different characters (almost every chapter changes perspective) that I think that none of them are developed as well as they could be, as well as I wanted them to be. However, with that aside, I still really enjoyed the book. It wasn't predictable and it was very realistic. I recommend this book to everyone but it is especially great for teens. (There are also two sequels)

- Curry

If you liked this you might also like:

First Day (Yearbook trilogy #2) by Ally Condie
Deep Blue Eyes and Other Lies by Janette Rallison
Counting Stars by Michele Paige Holmes

Cybele's Secret

Review by Curry

Cybele's Secret 
By Juliet Marillier



Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Adventure

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:

Scholarly eighteen year old Paula and her merchant father journey from Transylvania to Istanbul to buy an ancient pagan artifact rumored to be charmed, but others, including a handsome Portuguese pirate and an envoy from the magical Wildwood, want to acquire the item as well.

Personal Review:

Cyblele's Secret is a companion book to one of my favorite books, Wildwood Dancing.  I strongly recommend reading Wildwood Dancing before reading Cybele's Secret because there will be some spoilers in this book if you read them out of order. Cybele's Secret tells the story of Paula, Who is the sister of Jenica the main character in Wildwood Dancing. It takes place several years after the first book. Cybele's secret was a good and entertaining book however, because I loved the first book so much, this one fell a little short for me. That being said, it is still a good book and I know others that liked it more than the first. There were some things that were a little predictable but I can often look past that easily. My biggest disappointment with Cybele's Secret was purely a matter of a opinion. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. It's fun and exciting.
(you can see my review for Wildwood Dancing here.)
P.s. isn't the cover of this book gorgeous! I love it. hehe

- Curry

If you liked this you might also like:

To Catch a Pirate by Jade Parker
Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle
The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry

Head in the Clouds

Review by Felicity

Head in the Clouds

by: Karen Witemeyer

Genre: Christian/Historical Romance

Rating: Y

Content: clean

Summary:  (from goodreads)

Adelaide Proctor is a young woman with her head in the clouds, longing for a real-life storybook hero to claim as her own. But when a husband-hunting debacle leaves her humiliated, she interviews for a staid governess position on a central Texas sheep ranch and vows to leave her romantic yearnings behind.

When Gideon Westcott left his privileged life in England to make a name for himself in America's wool industry, he never expected to become a father overnight. And five-year-old Isabella hasn't uttered a word since she lost her mother. The unconventionality of the new governess concerns Gideon--and intrigues him at the same time. But he can't afford distractions. He has a ranch to run, a shearing to oversee, and a suspicious fence-cutting to investigate.

Personal Review:

The best way to describe this book is simply that it is a Cowboy style Jane Eyre. Confession: I never liked ‘Jane Eyre’ so luckily for me this book isn’t really the same story but it has that feel.  Karen Witemeyer has a wonderful way of using the lawless west (namely Texas) as a wonderful backdrop to romances filled with christian values.

- Felicity

If you like this you may also like:

Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte