Review: ‘Love Story’ by Jennifer Echols

For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions—it’s her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family’s racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin’s college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a local coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she’s sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He’s joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin’s heart with longing. Now she’s not just imagining what might have been. She’s writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

(Amazon product description)

I wanted to write this review immediately after I finished closing the book...only I didn’t know what I wanted to say.  This book was very different from what I was expecting.  I mean that in a good way.  I thought this would be just another fluffy teen romance with a happy ending.  What I didn’t expect was such interesting and well developed characters.  Both Erin and Hunter are flawed and deeply scarred by their pasts, yet neither is moody or brooding as is so common in characters.  I like how Erin never really knows where she stands with Hunter, even up to the end. 

I also loved the unique way the book was constructed.  No simple linear plotline here.  Instead the story is threaded with flashbacks and short stories written by the characters during their English class.  Rather than distracting from the plot, these stories add a depth to the writing and the characters.  It adds a literary quality in a genre where this is seldom found. 

The ending left me somewhat on the fence though, which is why I had trouble writing this review.  I both loved it and hated it.  It has left me with questions that keep me thinking after the book is closed.  I guess that is a sign of a good book, right?  I think in the end, if you like teen romance, this is one book you don’t want to miss.

Overall, I give Love Story...

Plot - 4 1/2 bookmarks

Character Development - 5 bookmarks

Romance - 4 1/2 bookmarks

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Renee Olstead (Erin), Lucas Till (Hunter)

Review: ‘The Adventure of English’ by Melvyn Bragg

Here is the riveting story of the English language, from its humble beginnings as a regional dialect to its current preeminence as the one global language, spoken by more than two billion people worldwide. In this groundbreaking book, Melvyn Bragg shows how English conquered the world. It is a magnificent adventure, full of jealousy, intrigue, and war—against a hoard of invaders, all armed with their own conquering languages, which bit by bit, the speakers of English absorbed and made their own.

Along the way, its colorful story takes in a host of remarkable people, places, and events: the Norman invasion of England in 1066; the arrival of The Canterbury Tales and a “coarse” playwright named William Shakespeare, who added 2,000 words to the language; the songs of slaves; the words of Davy Crockett; and the Lewis and Clark expedition, which led to hundreds of new words as the explorers discovered unknown flora and fauna. The Adventure of English is an enthralling story not only of power, religion, and trade, but also of a people and how they changed the world.

(Amazon product description)

I have been recommending this book to everyone I talk to.  I don’t read a lot of non-fiction, but this book was fascinating.  It tells the story of how our language evolved from ancient Sanskrit up through the centuries into what we speak today.  I know that sounds boring, but if you like history, you will love this book. 

One of the reasons I loved this book is because I actually listened to it on the audio version.  If you have never heard Old English spoken, it is both familiar and foreign at the same time.  Very strange.  Even the English of a few centuries ago would be hard for us to understand completely if we were to go back in time.  (Claire from Outlander would have never been able to understand Jamie...)  This is one that I think was better as an audio book.

The history in the book was really interesting.  I think my favorite part was leaning just how big of a role French played in the formation of our language.  I’m descended from the Normans on both sides of my family.  During the Norman invasion of England, French very easily could have taken over completely, causing English to die out in the way Cornish and Gaelic did.  Instead, English persevered by taking on many French words and making them part of the total lexicon. 

Anyway, whether you are a word nerd or a history buff, The Adventure of English is definitely worth the read...or listen. 

Overall I give The Adventure of English...

Plot - 4 bookmarks (Normally, I wouldn’t think of a non-fic as having a plot, but this was interesting, fast paced and made you feel as if you were journeying through time.  I call that plot.)

History - 5 bookmarks (Along the way, the book explains how historic people and events shaped the language. Shakespeare, Chaucer, bible translators, Native Americans, etc.)

Research - 5 bookmarks (It amazed me some of the stuff the author came up with.)

Narrator - 5 bookmarks (I strongly recommend this as an audio book.)

Review: ‘The Winter Sea’ by Susanna Kearsley

History has all but forgotten...In the spring of 1708, an invading Jacobite fleet of French and Scottish soldiers nearly succeeded in landing the exiled James Stewart in Scotland to reclaim his crown.

Now, Carrie McClelland hopes to turn that story into her next bestselling novel. Settling herself in the shadow of Slains Castle, she creates a heroine named for one of her own ancestors and starts to write.

But when she discovers her novel is more fact than fiction, Carrie wonders if she might be dealing with ancestral memory, making her the only living person who knows the truth-the ultimate betrayal-that happened all those years ago, and that knowledge comes very close to destroying her...

(Amazon product description)

 

I really don’t like the Amazon description on this book.  I don’t get the whole reference to “...that knowledge comes very close to destroying her...”  I didn’t pick up on anything that dramatic in the book.  That being said, this book was well written and had a fascinating plot.  Many writers claim to hear the voices of their characters in their heads, but in Carrie’s case, her character is telling the truth, giving her a view into actual events from history.  I don’t know any writer who would not want that to happen to them.  She is skeptical at first, thinking she must have read these details somewhere before, but one coincidence after another finally leads her to understand what is happening to her...she is channeling the memories of her ancestor. 

My favorite part of this book was the history.  Part of me longs to live in a damp castle on top of a cliff in Scotland.  The author did a great job explaining the context of the Jacobite cause without making it sound like a giant info dump.  Even though the main characters in the historical part of the book are not major players in the Jacobite cause, you get to see how so many regular people worked behind the scenes in effort to bring King James Stuart back to the throne. 

The plot of the book goes back and forth between the past and the present, but still, the plot moves together in a linear motion. Not confusing at all.  In fact, each scene compliments the other, building the story. 

There are two love story plots in the book; Carrie and Graham in the present, and Sophia and John in the past.  Both were understated and grew naturally.  But of the two, I was more interested in the romance between Sofia and John, particularly since we know from the beginning that Sophia ended up marrying someone else only three years later.  I couldn’t figure out how Sophia could possibly get her happy ending, so the twist at the end was a pleasant surprise. 

Overall, I give The Winter Sea...

Plot - 4 bookmarks

Character development - 4 1/2 bookmarks

History - 4 bookmarks

Romance - 3 1/2 for Carrie & Graham & 4 1/2 for Sophia & John

Dream cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Amy Adams (Carrie), Ewan McGregor (Graham), Tom Hardy (John), April Pearson (Sophia)

Review: ‘Bloom’ by Elizabeth Scott

Lauren has a good life: decent grades, great friends, and a boyfriend every girl lusts after. So why is she so unhappy?

It takes the arrival of Evan Kirkland for Lauren to figure out the answer: She's been holding back. She's been denying herself a bunch of things (like sex) because staying with her loyal and gorgeous boyfriend, Dave, is the "right" thing to do. After all, who would give up the perfect boyfriend?

But as Dave starts talking more and more about their life together, planning a future Lauren simply can't see herself in -- and as Lauren's craving for Evan, and moreover, who she is with Evan becomes all the more fierce -- Lauren realizes she needs to make a choice...before one is made for her.

(Amazon product description)

Lauren’s life is perfect, but she’s not happy.  Wah, wah, wah...my heart bleeds for her.  

This book is one long story of indecision, which if you know me at all, you know I hate people (and characters) who are indecisive!  She’s got this really cute boyfriend who is kind, and comes from a good family, but she feels like she has to fake being a different person when she is with him.  Hey, that happens sometimes.  Just because a guy is cute, doesn’t mean you are going to have chemistry together.  I can see going along with it for a while to see if something develops, but when it doesn’t, move on. 

Instead, Lauren mopes around about how miserable she is.  When Evan, a boy from her past, moves back to town the chemistry between them heats up.  But rather than break up with her boyfriend and go for it with Evan, Lauren sneaks around and cheats on him, making me dislike her even more.  Her reason for staying with him (so she wouldn’t be like her mother) was lame and the logic of it never really connected with me.  At least Evan has a conscience about his role in the cheating.  Lauren just mopes along hoping not to get caught. 

It also bothered me that Lauren treated her “best friend” Katie like crap.  Katie was going through a lot in her life, but Lauren was too busy moping to notice.  (Seriously, Lauren makes Bella Swan seem like the most carefree, happy girl in literature.)  I found myself more interested in what was going on with Katie at home, but the author never really develops that story line.  A real missed opportunity in my opinion. 

Another way this story might have been improved is if the author had spent more time developing the back story of Lauren and Evan.  As children, Evan’s mother and Lauren’s dad dated moved in together for a while.  There could have been a really cool storyline developed from that, but instead, it just sort of gets dropped.  There could have been some reason why the two had to rely on each other because of problems at home or something.  Or there might have been some dramatic break when Evan and his mother moved away.  Unfortunately, her dad was just a jerk of a boyfriend...end of story.

Overall, I give Bloom...

Plot - 2 1/2 bookmarks

Character development - 2 bookmarks (and the only reason I’m being that generous is because I liked Evan.)

Love story - 1 bookmark (Evan should have hooked up with Katie instead.)

Dream cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Sarah Hyland (Lauren), Cassie Scerbo (Katie), Kendall Schmidt (Evan), Hunter Parrish (Dave)

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Review: ‘Between the Lines’ Trilogy by Tammara Webber

I call this series a trilogy because there are only three books, but my fingers are crossed that Webber will write at least one more book.  (Don't leave us hating Brooke!  She deserves love, too.)  I had two days over the holidays when I didn’t feel well.  All I wanted to do was curl up on the couch with a book.  This series completely fit my mood.  Pure escapism!  The characters were well developed, the story was compelling, there was plenty of chemistry between the love interests and the Hollywood element added just a touch of glamour.  Since I read all three books in one long sitting over the course of two days, the stories blur together for me, so I have to review them together. 

Book one, Between the Lines, starts when a group of teenaged actors are hired to be in a big budget, modern day version of Pride & Prejudice.  Filming is in Austin, Texas, and the cast moves into a hotel for the months of production.  The second and third books follow the cast as they deal with promotion, premiers and paparazzi.  In typical teen fashion, crushes develop, friendships are formed and lost, egos and emotions get bruised.  But rather than coming across as vapid, over-privileged brats, these characters have fully developed back stories.  The author allows them to make mistakes and learn from them.  None of the teens are all good or all bad--rather they are all a realistic mixture of both. 

I would say this series is meant for older teens.  There is quite a bit frank talk about sex, drugs, alcohol and the trappings of fame.  Profanity is used, but didn't bother me.  The sensitive or controversial topics were handled with care by the author.  We all know that children who grow up in Hollywood face adult challenges.  I think Webber stayed true to her characters by addressing these issues head-on, not sugarcoating the story like a Disney film.    

Overall, I give Between the Lines...

Plot - 4 bookmarks

Character Development - 4 1/2 bookmarks

Love Stories - 4 1/2 bookmarks

Dream cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Hunter Parrish (Reid Alexander), Ashley Benson (Emma Pierce), Jean-Luc Bilodeau (Graham Douglas), Blake Lively (Brooke Cameron), Jessica Brown Findlay (Dori Cantrell)

Review: ‘Will Grayson Will Grayson’ by John Green & David Levithan

“One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, Will Grayson crosses paths with . . . Will Grayson. Two teens with the same name, running in two very different circles, suddenly find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, and culminating in epic turns-of-heart and the most fabulous musical ever to grace the high school stage. Told in alternating voices from two YA superstars, this collaborative novel features a double helping of the heart and humor that have won them both legions of fans.”

(Amazon product description)

Upon closing this book when I was finished, I wanted to jump up and sign really loudly.  What an uplifting story!  It reminded me of a modern day John Hughes movie in the tradition of Ferris Bueller and The Breakfast Club. 

WG^2 was such a fun story with quirky, yet lovable characters and a really beautiful message.  No character is fully good or bad, and the authors did a great job in staying away from stereotypes.  Will Grayson number one is a heterosexual boy who’s best friend is the giant homosexual teddy bear, Tiny.  As pessimistic Will is, Tiny matches him in exuberant optimism.  Out of all of the characters, it is Tiny who upstages the others in every scene.  He is one of the most unique and self-confident characters I’ve read in young adult literature. 

Through a chance encounter at a porn shop, the pair is introduced to the second Will Grayson.  You might think having two central characters with the same name would be confusing, but the execution of this novel is so brilliantly done, that I never lost track of who was who.  In fact, I don’t know if this book could have been pulled off so well had there only been one author writing it.  The two writing styles added to the distinct voices of the two narrators. 

The story itself covers several heavy topics--cyber-bullying, teen homosexuality, love, mental illness and the meaning of friendships.  But this is far from a heavy story.  Many times while reading I found myself smiling, and several times I even laughed out loud.  (The screw up with Will Grayson #1’s fake ID is priceless!) 

I can’t recommend this book enough!  The story is beautiful and touching.  The moral lessons taught about friendship and appreciation are big take-away’s.  There is a little bit of profanity used, but I don’t think any more than you might expect from normal teenagers.  

Overall, I give Will Grayson Will Grayson...

Plot - 5 bookmarks

Character Development - 5 bookmarks

Message/Lessons - 5 bookmarks

Humor - 5 bookmarks

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Lucas Till (Will Grayson #1), Anton Yelchin (Will Grayson #2), Quinton Aaron (Tiny Cooper - okay, I know Tiny was Caucasian in the book, but I can’t help who I picture, right?), Rachel Hurd Wood (Jane), Daviegh Chase (Maura), Nick Roux (Gideon)

Review ‘Wither’ by Lauren DeStefano

“By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males born with a lifespan of 25 years, and females a lifespan of 20 years--leaving the world in a state of panic. Geneticists seek a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.

“When Rhine is sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Yet her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement; her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next; and Rhine has no way to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive.

“Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?”

(Amazon description)

I bought this book because the cover is absolutely gorgeous, but also the premise sounded interesting.  While I liked the book, I can’t say I loved it.  Rhine is a strong character, even though her actions at times had my skin crawling.  For example, her sister wife Cecily is the most obnoxious, insensitive bitch, but Rhine continues to be kind to her and overlook her faults.  I kept waiting for Rhine to smack her or get revenge on her or something but it never happened.  Toward the end, when Rhine finally speaks up to Cecily, I felt like she was pulling her punches, holding back.  Rather than leaving the reader with a nice cathartic release, it left me wanting more. 

This also happens in Rhine’s interactions with Linden.  Every once in a while, Rhine says she is just being nice to him because she has to win his trust in order to escape, but her actions give us a whole different impression.  To me, it felt like she didn’t have enough fire in her belly for this man who essentially is her prisoner.  Linden is annoyingly oblivious to the world around him, and I suppose we should sympathize with him, but I just didn’t care about him at all.  I wanted Rhine to blow up and tell him the truth of how she came to be his wife and what happened to the other girls he rejected.  That never happens.  Then, when she is with Linden, all thoughts of Gabriel disappear, and that irritated me. So she is supposedly crushing on Gabriel, her servant, but when he is out of sight (which is most of the time) he is also out of mind.  We also don’t get very much sexual tension or emotional connection between either her and Gabriel or her and Linden.  If this was meant to form some sort of interesting love triangle, it left me lukewarm.  

(Side note:  Linden’s gold teeth made me picture Flava Flav.) 

The story was dark and captivating, but I thought the world building could have used a bit of fleshing out.  So there is this “virus” that kills girls at exactly 20 years old and boys at exactly 25 years old.  Since this is a science based book and not a paranormal, this seems a little too thrown together without much thought given to the science behind it.  Why the five year difference between the sexes?  Why does this virus suddenly kick in at exactly the right ages?  The only explanation I could come up with is that the author needed something quick and easy to justify her plot.  The thing is though, with a bit more realistic explanation, it could have taken this from a good book to a great book. 

Overall, I give Wither...

Plot - 4 bookmarks

Character Development - 3 bookmarks (We get a lot from the girls, but nothing from the boys)

Age Appropriateness - Warning: 20 year old Linden knocks up 13 year old Cecily. This may skeeve some parents out.  This child mother creeped me out and did not make me like Linden.

Romance - 1 bookmark (Just didn’t care about it.)

World Building - 3 bookmarks (Not bad, but could have been so much more with a little more thought.)

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Bridgit Mendler (Rhine), Willow Shields (Cecily), Nina Dobrev (Jenna), Blake Lively (Rose), David Henrie (Gabriel), Logan Lerman (Linden)

Review: ‘Forget You’ by Jennifer Echols

WHY CAN’T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET . . .  AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER?  There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon.  But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.

(Amazon product description)

I started off really liking this book.  Zoey’s head injury has caused her to forget the night before, but because her jerk of a father, she has to pretend like nothing is wrong.  When Brandon and Doug start acting strangely the next day, she sets out to piece together the truth of what happened before her accident.  Cool plot.  However, Zoey take a little too long to catch on to the clues.  I mean, she knows from the beginning that Brandon is a total player.  Why she thinks she is his exclusive girlfriend is beyond me.  Her naivety irritated me at times.  That being said, I liked Zoey.  She was sweet, a tad innocent, and a good person.     

The love triangle between Zoey, Brandon and Doug really isn’t a triangle, because at no point does the reader think there is any kind of chance for Zoey with Brandon.  The guy is a total meat head.  Doug, on the other hand, is hotter than hell!  He’s slightly brooding and dark, but in a sexy way, not annoying.  The chemistry between him and Zoey is perfect. 

Like a lot of young adult books published by MTV, there are some sexual situations in the book.  Obviously, they are not graphic, but some parents might prefer younger teens not read this.  Older or more mature teens should have no problem with the content. 

Overall, I give Forget You...

Plot - 4 bookmarks

Character development - 4 bookmarks

Love story - 4 1/2 bookmarks

Dream cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Emily Kassie (Zoey), Evan Alex Cole (Doug), Ed Speeler (Brandon) 

Ringing in the New Year with my favorite books of 2011!!!!

Looking back over 2011, I realize I have read so many great books this year.  While I read a large variety, I noticed that it was mostly the Young Adult books that I chose to review for my blog.  From blockbuster hits to small indie gems, these are my favorite books of the year:

 

The Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking has gotten a lot of press this year as an example of an indie author striking gold.  I see now that St. Martin’s Press has released these books in traditional form now, but when I read them in January, they were the first $2.99 e-books that I downloaded onto my brand new Nook back in January.  While the version I read could have used some editing, the strength of Hocking’s unique Trylle world sucked me right in.  I also loved the way she chose to end the love triangle. 

Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead was my most anticipated book of the year.  While Mead’s Vampire Academy series may be more popular, it is the romance between Georgina Kincaid and Seth Mortensen that made my heart race.  I have been in love with this series for the past couple of years, and the final book was bittersweet.  Never has a series caused me to fall in love, broken my heart and mended it together again the way this one had.  And it was funny too! 

Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson was, by far, the most well-written book I read this year.  A mix of paranormal, sci-fi, suspense and romance, this book had something for everyone.  The main character, Allison, has a condition called Synesthesia which mixes up the way she perceives the information coming to her through her five senses.  For example, she can see the color of sounds, feel personalities in words and taste when someone is lying.  The descriptions showing the world from Allison's perspective are fascinating.  Here's the twist, what is metaphor to the reader is real to the character.  Brilliant!

Scent and Shadow by Mercy Loomis is my favorite vampire book of the year, and considering how many vampire books I read, that means a lot.   Gabriel is how vampires are meant to be...no drinking animal blood to appease his conscience, no human turning his stone heart to mush, no sparkles.  The author describes this book as almost an anti-romance.  The characters get their happy ending, but it is nothing like you would expect.  Sometimes, I like vamps to be the monsters they are meant to be, and Scent and Shadow delivers.

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini received my highest ranking out of all of my reviews this year, a Greek inspired romance with a modern day Helen of Troy. Helen is beautiful, but incredibly awkward, which makes her endearing.  Oh, and then there is Lucas.  *swoon*  He is completely hot!  But it isn’t just his looks—let’s face it, every male lead in YA novels is the most gorgeous boy ever—Lucas is strong and smart and thoughtful.  The sexual tension between him and Helen practically ignites the pages.  Even when Helen wanted to kill him and later when they found out they couldn’t be together, you just know there has to be a way to make it happen. 

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins proved that sophomore novels can be just as good as the debuts.  After the stunning success of Anna and the French Kiss, Perkins returned with another beautiful teenage romance filled with unique characters and sexual tension.  Lola is not a perfect girl.  She makes poor decisions and lots of mistakes, but that makes her real.  I have known many girls like Lola.  She lies when she is afraid to tell the truth.  She struggles with her identity.  Her heart is traitorous and out of control.  In other words, she is a typical teenage girl.  Lola’s costumes are both an expression of who she is and a mask to hide from the world.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin was one of the most haunting stories I read all year.  After being diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder resulting from a tragic accident, of which she has no memory, Mara and her family move to Florida for her recuperation.  But while she tries desperately to pretend she is getting better, she’s not.  Are her hallucinations mental illness or something more?  All she knows is that when she gets angry, the bodies start piling up. 

On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves is another indie book that I fell in love with.  I lost a lot of sleep this week over this book!  You might think that a story which largely takes place on a deserted island would get boring, but let me assure you, there is plenty of action, humor and romance to keep the pace moving.  So much more than a simple survivor story, On The Island takes two highly developed characters--both at turning points in their lives--and forces them to into an endurance situation which will alter them both forever.  Along the way, they have to confront issues such as life & death, what they want out of life, whether they will even have a future beyond the island and the effect their thirteen year age gap might have on their feelings for each other.

Ashfall by Mike Mullin is my choice for debut novel of the year.  This post-disaster story follows a teenage boy’s fight for survival after the devastating eruption of the Yellowstone super volcano.  My first impression of this book is how incredibly well researched it is.  Not only did Mullin have the science down -- he calculated the exact spot in the country to set the story based on the ashfall projected from such an eruption -- but he also knew how the characters would feel, both physically and emotionally over what was happening around them.  The opening scenes where Alex is experiencing the first 24 hours of noise and darkness were amazing!  I felt like I was there right alongside him.  This feeling stayed with me throughout the book, putting me on the edge of my seat the whole time.  I am eagerly awaiting the follow up Ashen Winter due out in 2012. 

I'm sure 2012 will bring it's share of wonderful books also.  Here are a few that I'm looking forward to:

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Lover Reborn by J.R. Ward

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Spellbound by Rachel Hawkins

The One That I Want by Jennifer Echols

Blue-Blooded Vamp by Jaye Wells

Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin

So, do you have any books that you are eagerly anticipating for 2012?  Share with me!