Crave

by Melissa Darnell

Reviewed by

Anna Caracciolo

Savannah used to be friends with the kids from the Clann. Now, they hate her and she doesn’t know why. She was told to stay away from them, and they were told to stay away from her.

One day she disappears from school for a week, telling people she was sick. When she returns, she is a completely different person. Her physical features have changed as well as her senses. She has become a vampire. 

She then developed an irresistible desire for Tristan, one of the members of the Clann. Although they were told they may never make contact with each other, they cannot stay away. Their friendship grows stronger, sparking a war between the vampires and witches. In hopes that they won’t get caught, they continue to see each other by sneaking around. Throughout their time together they uncover the truth about their town and their true identities. 

            Of all the vampire stories I have read, this is probably my favorite. There is so much fictional history and information that kept me glued to the pages. It was so creative, that even without the love story it would have been an amazing book. It was really well written, with a lot of background that shaped well developed characters. One thing that I noted was that Tristan is the witch and Savannah is the vampire, which is usually the other way around in most supernatural stories. I also enjoyed that it was written in both Savannah’s and Tristan’s point of view, because you really understand what is going on through their heads as they both begin to change. This was such a creative story, that I recommend everyone to read it. I will definitely be picking up the next one in the series.

 Little Women and Me
 by Lauren Baratz-Logstead

            Reviewed by
Elizabeth Mosolovich

Emily March hates being the middle sister (her older sister always gets first pick of everything, and then her younger sister, always leaving Emily with the all the unwanted things). When she gets a school assignment to rewrite the ending of any book she wants, she decides to fix the mistakes of Little Women to forget about her sisterly woes. But in rereading the books, Emily finds herself somehow transplanted into the world of the fictional Marches as, just like in real life, the middle child. According to the March sisters, Emily has always been part of their world, and even though Emily had meant to change it (which is proving harder than she thought,as is getting home), she discovers some things are better, just the way they are.

          Little Women and Me is a great twist on a favored classic; if you loved Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, then you will love this modern version. It does go through the whole story of Little Women, so if you don't want spoilers, you should read up on LW. Also, there is a big plot twist towards the end of the book; it's enjoyable, but you'll never see it coming. Overall, this books was good for lighthearted entertainment, though there are plenty of serious parts. I'm sure you'd like it if you'd give it a try.

Lock and Key

By Sarah Dessen

Reviewed by

Nicole Valladares

Family is a strong word, something that everyone can describe- but the description can come out in a million different ways. For example, my take on family is my close friends, my mom and little sister, and even some teachers that have influenced my life. 

However, there are people who just don't understand... or have never experienced the word family. They are stuck relying on themselves, looking at their blood as just people but nothing more.

That is how 17 -year -old Ruby feels in her little yellow house, working hard to maintain herself until she can come out of hiding when she turns 18. It's not like she chose this life, to live alone, with the drugs and alcohol, and the lonely feeling she would get in the pit of her stomach as she came home hoping to see her mother return. Instead someone else was waiting for her, someone who she thought had abandoned her a long time ago. Her successful sister Cora, and her husband Jamie open their arms towards Ruby and gave her life she wasn't expecting, a future worth opening.

Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite authors; she is down to earth and has actually gotten me through a lot. She has helped me from making mistakes that I've read in her books. This story is about family, lack thereof, and friends. It's a beautiful story, written in the perspective of a pessimistic teenage girl who finds that, even though a house is nice on the outside, it might not be nice on the inside. 

Whoever likes down- to- earth books, romance, or just wanting to have a laugh-  this book, I highly recommended it to you.

The Diviners

by Libba Bray

Reviewed by

Lucy McGrew

Many stories overlap and intertwine during this novel. The book uses elements of suspense, horror, action, and romance, as the characters try to fight an elusive evil that strikes again and again in a series of strange, occult murders. The story takes place in the roaring 20s, with a modern flapper girl- Evie- as one of the protagonists. Because of a strange gift she possesses, Evie is sent to live in New York with her uncle. 

            But Evie isn't the only one in New York surrounded by strange mysteries; other characters reveal past gifts and hidden secrets throughout the story. Her uncle Will proves to be more interesting than she thought, after he is called to the scene of a murder, and Jericho, Uncle Will's assistant, may be hiding something more beneath his stoic surface. Memphis Campbell is a numbers runner with crazy dreams- could there be a more sinister meaning behind them? And Evie's new friend Theta seems as exciting as they get, being a famous Ziegfield girl and all, but she might have a secret that she doesn't want to be discovered. 

            The characters' lives intertwine and overlap as the plot unfolds. As murders shake the city and it seems no one is safe, Evie, Theta, Memphis, Jericho and others must come together to protect the ones they love. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a thrilling mystery, with plenty of plot twists and a killer on the loose. The reader has to stick with it- but once the pace picks up one is hopelessly sucked into New York, 1920 and taken for a winding adventure into its darkest secrets.