As much as I love the deep, mind boggling Paulo Coelho type books, I love me some good books that let me get lost within their alternate reality pages even more. How much more interesting the world could be if such things existed! For example, I'm sure you all have heard of the Twilight series and possibly feel the way that my friends and I do: Life as we knew it was interrupted while we voraciously read the books, and then over once there weren't anymore to read. A deep sadness took us. Depression, almost, I would say. Not having anymore Edward and Bella time was devastating.
Since then I have been branching out to see what other books could catch my attention in that same fashion. I have some new favorites which include angels, ghosts and people who possess the power of psychometry. Yet, I still love and will always turn to the vampire books. I'm a vampire kind of girl. Always have been (Go Buffy!). Sorry Jacob fans. Werewolves scare the life right out of me. It all stems from a poor judgement call back in my childhood where I snuck out to watch a werewolf movie, then thought I saw a werewolf and ever since that moment I have been ruined. I can't even stand the insurance commercials where they have a wolf howling in the background. Kills me almost!
So, yeah, I read a bunch of Young Adult books and I'm not a teenager anymore. I really don't know why they even label these books as Young Adult. Everyone I know that reads them is my age or older and we are very much Adult Adult, so let's just get that straight. In fact, reading about teenage love makes me think I'm turning into a Cougar. Or a Bobcat. I think I'm far too young for that, but whatever. Rawr.
I just finished reading Haven by Kristi Cook.
This is my new favorite vampire book. It's a cross between Twilight, The Vampire Diaries and every other supernatural thing possible. Very well done, though. Violet McKenna meets Aiden Gray, a mysterious boy at her new, even more mysterious boarding school. Their past and future depend on the choices they make and ultimately, their love for each other. Will it be able to withstand their destiny? Only time will tell.
There are more books coming in the series so it leaves you hanging on, patiently trying to wait for the next book to come out. I'm not going to lie, I did get a little irritated with Miss Violet. It mostly boils down to my impatience. At this point, after having read so many of these types of books, I always get to the point in the story where I'm like, "Look here, girl-who's-afraid-of-the-vampire-hottie. Get over it. A zillion other women would be A-Okay with that factor. Wouldn't even cause us to flinch. In fact, we would've figured it out a long time ago because we all secretly want to date a vampire." So there you have it. I now get mad at the books I read.
Moving along...
My very, very favorite books collections are:
The Hush, Hush Saga by Becca Fitzpatrick
In the first book in the trilogy, Nora, who's life is in danger, must decide if she can trust Patch, a wayward Fallen Angel who definitely doesn't fall into the good guy category. Will she trust him with her life, and if she does, will he defend it with his? You'll have to read the first two books to find out.
The Fallen Series by Lauren Kate
Luce has seen dark things haunting her, her entire life. When she's sent to a boarding school after a deadly fire she meets Daniel, a strange boy who seems to want nothing to do with her. As her time at the school continues she finds that nothing is as it seems and no one is who she thinks they are. Daniel and Luce share a long past that is ever so slowly revealed. Who is Luce really and why does everyone in heaven want her and Daniel separated forever?
(Spoiler Alert: I think I've got this mystery figured out, as to why Luce and Daniel can't be together. Luce...that could be short for some other name, or taken from perhaps a relative? Read the books and think it over.)
The Touch Series by Laurie Stolarz
Camelia and Ben shares something unusual: The ability to see the future through the power of touch. Ben is an outcast who avoids all human contact because of this, where as Camelia is drawn to see where her abilities lead her, which mostly is dangerous situations thus far. Will their love be able to withstand the dangers that are headed their way? I wish I knew but I don't because this doggone series left off right then and there! I am patiently, but not all that patiently, waiting for the next one to come out.
The Hollow Trilogy by Jessica Verday
Abbey's best friend has died and she's left with an empty, unbearable feeling in her heart. She goes to the cemetery to find solace and there meets a strange, green eyed boy named Caspian. As she spends more time with Caspian she finds that there's something different about him, something untouchable. Little pieces of her friends death start to come to light and she's soon left wondering if it was truly an accident or a malicious murder. My favorite thing about this series- Caspian's personality. Verday gives him a little attitude mixed with humor. I'm always waiting to see what he'll say next.
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
"I love you. Remember. They cannot take it."
I'm almost done with this one, but figured I'd throw it in anyway. Delirium has no other worldly beings. It's set in the future, a future without love. A future where love has been labeled a disease and with it a "cure" from it's horrible side effects: daydreaming, laughter, heartache, tears. Lena has only known this world, the love-free world, and can't wait for her eighteenth birthday when she can finally receive the cure. Before that time comes, however, she meets Alex, an invalid. Soon everything she knows is questioned and her life is turned upside down.
I find this book to not only be brilliant and well written, but terribly sad. Books like this, with things that could very well happen in a too controlling society, always get me. I put off reading them because they're too much for me at first, too intensely possible. If you've read Matched you might like this. It's very similar in the sense of a controlled society, your spouse being chosen for you, everyone blending in for the most part. I'm told The Hunger Games is also very good and a little bit on this path, but I haven't read any of those books...yet.
Anyway, there is a three part series planned for this. The end leaves you hanging, dangling from a cliff. I know this because I cheated and read ahead. Excellent book though. It makes you appreciate all the things that seem so normal, and so difficult, and helps you to realize what life would be like without them.
"Love: A single word, a wispy thing, a word no bigger or longer than an edge. That's what it is: an edge; a razor. It draws up through the center of your life, cutting everything in two. Before and after. The rest of the world falls away on either side."
And to tie together all the books, a poem taken from Delirium, which is then taken from "A Child's Walk Home", edited by Cory Levinson.
Mama, mama, help me get home
I'm out in the woods, I am out on my own.
I found me a werewolf, a nasty old mutt
It showed me its teeth and went straight for my gut.
Mama, mama, help me get home
I'm out in the woods, I am out on my own.
I was stopped by a vampire, a rotting old wreck
It showed me its teeth, and went straight for my neck.
Mama, mama, put me to bed
I won't make it home, I'm already half-dead.
I met an Invalid, and fell for his art
He showed me his smile, and went right for my heart.
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