Pineville Heist

I am addicted to Law & Order, the new season and every rerun that exists... which is a lot! I love crime shows, drama, cute guys, and a great book. If you like action-packed stories, with a little mystery thrown in for fun, that happen to have a hot guy as the main character (and we know he's hot because Booboo Stewart from Twilight is playing him in the movie!)  then get your hands on The Pineville Heist by Lee Chambers. Lee Chambers (author) and Booboo Stewart (star of Pineville Heist)

What's so cool about this book is that it was written by a screenwriter, so it kind of happened backwards. Most books are written and then optioned to be made into movies. This book is already going to be made into a movie, starring Booboo Stewart, who played Seth Clearwater in Twilight.

http://youtu.be/bRkB30jSedU

As soon as you begin reading, you get a clear picture of Aaron Stevens, a stereotypical teenage boy who just wants attention from his workaholic father. But life veers from ordinary to chaotic when Aaron takes a short-cut through the woods on his way to school, and he stumbles across a bank robbery that quickly escalates into a day that goes haywire. Aaron doesn’t realize that witnessing this crime scene will forever change his life, and potentially change his relationship with his father.

There is action non-stop throughout the book that makes it hard to find a good stopping point since there is always a cliffhanger that left me wanting to know more! My only complaint is that the action at the end gets a little repetitive, but I can understand it since it is based on a screenplay, and that scene is going to be awesome in a movie. Plus, there were so many surprises that I didn't expect, that it kept me on my toes all the way until the end.

I'd recommend this book if you like crime, drama, hot guys, reading about how teens get along with parents... or just want a quick read that will grab your attention and not let go. And, um, we'l be in line to buy tickets to the movie. Probably first in line.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

If you’re a fan of books with a little bit of mystery with romance thrown in, then Pushing The Limits is definitely a book you want to pick up ASAP. This book is a little “darker” than most teen books, but that's what drew me into it once I started reading. And once I started it, I couldn't stop for the 2 days it took me to finish it. Pushing the Limits has received well-deserved praise, and you can add ours to the list. I love this book and absolutely recommend it!

Pushing The Limits is about a Echo, a senior in high school, who has a bi-polar mother who tried to hurt her, but Echo repressed the memory of what actually happened on that brutal night. Throughout the book you follow Echo to see how she copes with what happened and the repressed memory. We all have our own issues, but what if we had to physically wear them like Echo does with the scars that were left on her arm and the assumptions others have about her? I can't imagine being in her position, and kept placing myself in her shoes and wondering what it would be like to actually be Echo... which, to me, means I'm reading such a fab book that I'm getting lost in it and kudos to the writer! I felt Echo's pain, I wanted to be her friend, and I wanted to know what would happen to her. When Echo befriended bad boy, Noah, who also had endured a tragedy, they become attracted to each other. I rooted for them both, and was drawn to these characters like true friends.

The voice of the book switches back and forth between Echo and Noah, and it’s really fascinating to see what each of the characters thinks about situations. Pushing the Limits is a book I would recommend for teens who like mysteries and dramas with an edge and romance. I'm definitely looking forward to more books by Katie McGarry and if you are lucky enough to catch her on a book tour - GO - she's awesome and welcoming.

"The Rise of Nine" by Pittacus Lore: Book Review

If you are a regular follower of ours, you know (1) we are avid readers, and (2) we are humongous Pittacus Lore fans! So when we got our hands on an advance copy of The Rise of Nine, which is set for release on August 21, 2012, you know we were ecstatic. But we were also worried... would it disappoint? Inevitably, in a series, there is going to be a blip, the dip that has to come, whether it be the sophomore slump, or after. Book One of the Lorien Legacies Series I Am Number Four blew us away. Our review of Book Two tells you what we thought of The Power of Six and we also were granted a rare Interview with Pittacus Lore, so check those out to see if there was a sophomore slump. But, could Book Three The Rise of Nine continue the bestselling progression?

The short answer is an unqualified YES! Pittacus Lore is otherworldly in his ability to entertain with non-stop action, delicious details, and imaginable, yet creative, characters! And boy was he right in his interview with us - Setrakus Ra is back and he's badder than bad. The Rise of Nine picks up where The Power of Six left off... mass confusion and potential for destruction. But the two groups of Loriens: Six,Marina, Ella and Crayton are in Spain and Nine and Four, with Bernie Kosar, are hiding out in the US and each group tells their own stories. And, if you don't want the story to be ruined, then STOP HERE!

The narration jumps around from number to number which can be a bit hard to follow, but we like how the fonts change as a visual reminder that there is a new narrator at the beginning of each chapter. As typical, there is more action than the prior books put together, and we never know what to expect next. We liked this book almost as much as I Am Number Four in the sense that it was full of unexpected surprises and new powers, especially with Number Ten Eight, who we would like to meet in person, he just seems so cool!  

In fact, there are so many characters, that without a great author, we would have felt lost, but this part of the series was not just about adventures and fighting, it seemed that it was more about learning who the characters are, learning a bit more about their Legacies, what is in their chests, and how they will be interacting with each other. And we were excited to learn a bit more about each of the characters so we could start to care more about some of them. We are still partial to Six, Four and Ten, and curious about the new Legacies and how everything works in the chests. Without spoiling too much... (stop now if you don't want to know who makes an appearance in the book!) Nine and Six might make a cute, tough couple. We are thrilled Sarah made a reappearance... but Sam?! And Sam's Dad? And Setrakus Ra is just one mean and nasty dude who is the bully we all hate at school.  'Nuff said without totally ruining the plot for you. Get it and devour it. Before the Mogadorians do.