The Sweep Series -- Book of Shadows -- Cate Tiernan

The Sweep Series -- Book of Shadows -- Cate Tiernan

Book of Shadows is the first installment of the Sweep series. In this first book you meet Morgan Rowlands, it’s the first day of school and she is a junior in high school taking advanced classes. Morgan was meeting up with her best friend, Bree, when saw him. His name was Cal Blaire, a senior, and already Morgan and Bree were drooling over him. Cal is a social butterfly and he was already fitting in with different cliques. He then invites everyone to a party out in a clearing in the woods. When everyone shows up Cal explains that he wanted to get people together to join his Wiccan coven. Some people were shocked, other was scared and they left. A few people including Morgan, Bree and Robbie (Morgan’s other best friend) stayed to try it out. They performed a circle and they enjoyed it and decided to join. But joining Wicca causes problems. Morgan has been an active church going Christian with her family and joining Wicca get everyone upset. Her family thinks its evil. Her sister whom she’s very close to is scared. Also Bree and Morgan start fighting over Cal when Cal chooses Morgan over Bree.

I liked this book. It was one of those books where I finish in two hours because I wanted to get to the end. I remember Leah let me borrow it because if I didn’t read it she was going to shove it down my throat! I also wanted to shove it down her throat because she only gave me one of the books. I was playing monopoly and reading at the same time and my uncle kept making fun of me. But I loved what was happening to Morgan. How she was somehow physic after that first circle. I liked how Tiernan put family struggles into perspective and how the whole family was affected. I recommend this book to kids 13+ it’s a cool read and you’ll like it J

Personal Demons -- Lisa Desrochers

Frannie Cavanaugh has always been a bit of a loner. She's spent years keeping everyone at a distance, even her closest friends. That is, until Luc Cain enrolls in her school. He's hot, sarcastic, and dangerous--and Frannie can't seem to stay away.

What she doesn't know is that Luc is on a mission. Because Frannie isn't exactly ordinary. She possesses a skill so unique that the King of Hell himself has taken notice, and he's sent Luc to claim Frannie's soul. It should be easy: All he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come.

Unfortunately for Luc, Heaven has other plans, and he's just started making progress when  the angel Gabriel shows up. Gabe will do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for and his angelic charm might just be enough to keep Frannie on the right path.

It isn't long before Luc and Gabe find themselves fighting for more than just Frannie's soul. But if Luc fails to win her over, there will be Hell to pay...for all of them.

The cover immediately caught my eye, so I read the back and thought that this would be a good read. I mean, who doesn't like Angels and Demons fighting for the soul of a teenage girl? My first impression was wrong, though. I did not enjoy this book. I felt that the idea for Personal Demons was great and definitely movie worthy, but this idea was, in my opinion, poorly executed. I would give this book a 2/5.

We don't get to know much about the supporting characters, and the love triangle between Luc, Frannie and Gabe didn't grab my attention at all. I just couldn't connect with these characters. Another thing that annoyed me was the fact that both Luc and Frannie's voices were the same. If I stopped reading this book in the middle of a chapter, I had to go back and check to see which perspective I was reading from. I felt myself forcing myself to finish this book, just to get it over with and start a different book.

There is a scene that reminds me of a modern day take on Shakespeare's balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet. In Personal Demons, Luc is talking with Frannie's grandfather in the driveway of Frannie's house and looks up at Frannie, "I glance up at her window and smile when I see her, elbow propped on the sill and cheek resting in her hand, watching us. My need to be that hand--to touch her face--almost knocks me over."(225) This scene is much like the balcony scene where Romeo looks up at Juliet and says, "See how she leans her cheek upon her hand. O, that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek." [2.2.24-26]

There are some things in Personal Demons that aren't explained, like the term "ginger" for example. In this book, "ginger" is not used as a cooking ingredient, nor is it used as a nickname for one who has red/orange hair, it is used by Luc when he addresses the sent of Frannie's soul. Desrochers also uses food as a way for the reader to get a feel for Frannie's emotions. I feel that this method should have been explained in the beginning of the book. Some of the demons that we encounter throughout this book weren't explained when we meet them, and although this aspect may not be that important at times, I feel that it would have been nice to read.

Read on!
-Leah

Hush, Hush -- Becca Fitzpatrick

Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgement.But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether to fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those who have fallen--and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.

I finished this book a while ago and I can't wait until I have enough money to get the sequel! Personally, I liked this book, but I felt like it was lacking something. So I would give it a 4/5. The cover of this book is astounding, and I really like the contrast between the red feathers and the black-and-white background. I really liked Patch's voice and the twists that surround this book. It somewhat reminds me of City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, because while reading, you think that the story is going to go one way and then as you read you can sense a change, but you do not know when this change will occur. In the end you are blindsided by a fantastic ending and a new story to listen to.

Nora was a typical teenage girl, she gets good grades and spends some time tutoring her best friend, Vee. That is, until an unexpected seat change puts Nora sitting next to Patch; the mysterious new guy without a past. When Nora meets Jules and Elliot, and her life gets weird. Someone has tried to attack her on multiple occasions, but every trace of any encounter with this mystery person is erased minutes afterwards and Nora begins to question whether these encounters have even happened at all.