Envy by Gregg Olsen

Read: December 22-27, 2013

read in 6 days

pages: 285

Book Blurb:

Crime lives--and dies--in the deceptively picture-perfect town of Port Gamble (aka “Empty Coffin”), Washington. Evil lurks and strange things happen--and 15-year-olds Hayley and Taylor Ryan secretly use their wits and their telepathic “twin-sense” to uncover the truth about the town's victims and culprits. 
 

Envy, the series debut, involves the mysterious death of the twins' old friend, Katelyn. Was it murder? Suicide? An accident? Hayley and Taylor are determined to find out--and as they investigate, they stumble upon a dark truth that is far more disturbing than they ever could have imagined.

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I was unsure what to expect because I did not know anything about it, just that this was a very creepy cover. However I found that I was sucked in very quickly and DID NOT SEE THIS ENDING COMING! I liked the twins and their eerie connection to each other and ability to see things. I'm still debating if I want to go further since it is a series. I liked the idea of the novel ending where it did rather than the twins continuing to solve crimes or mysteries. I liked that there was a connection between these girls and the crime in this novel. From what I read of the next book I'm not sure I'm really interested.

Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer (Pinocchio, Vampire Slayer #1) by Van Jensen

Read: December 21, 2013

read in less than an hour

pages: 128

Book blurb:

After seeing Geppetto die at the hands of vampires, Pinocchio swears revenge in this darkly funny graphic novel. As the vampires plot the enslavement of mankind, only a one-puppet army stands in their way. But will a wooden boy and his endless supply of stakes - courtesy of plenty of lies and his elongating nose - be enough to save the day?

Don't really remember how I came across this title, but it sounded interesting so I checked out the first book....am I continuing....nah I don't think so. It was an okay read, but it didn't really capture my attention enough to want to read further. 

The Hidden Staircase (Nancy Drew #2) by Carolyn Keene

Read: December 11-14, 2013

read in 4 days

pages: 182

Book Blurb:

Teenage detective Nancy Drew uses her courage and powers of deduction to solve the mysterious happenings in an old stone mansion.

Book two in the Nancy Drew series. These are super short, quick and easy reads. I enjoy them enough to keep reading them. They are light and fluffy. I don't even try to solve them, but that is not why I'm reading them!!! So sure you could easily solve the crime yourself should you so decide...it is junior fiction after all....but I choose not to. I choose to be entertained and that is all I'm looking for in these books!!

Long Live the Queen (The Immortal Empire #3) by Kate Locke

Read: November 26-December 6, 2013

read in 11 days

pages: 311

Book blurb:

Xandra Vardan thought life would be simpler when she accepted the goblin crown and became their queen, but life has only become more complicated. Everyone -- vampires, werewolves and humans -- wants the goblins on their side, because whoever has the goblins -- wins. 

Queen Victoria wants her head, Alpha wolf Vex wants her heart, and she still doesn't know the identity of the person who wanted her blood. What she does know is that a project from one of the 'secret' aristocrat labs has gotten free and she's the only one who can stop the perfect killing machine -- a sixteen year-old girl. With human zealots intent on ridding the world of anyone with plagued blood and supernatural politics taking Britain to the verge of civil war, Xandra's finding out that being queen isn't all it's cracked up to be, and if she doesn't do something fast, hers will be the shortest reign in history. 
The fantastic conclusion to the series that started with the spectacular undead steampunk debut, God Save the Queen and The Queen is Dead.

The conclusion to the series, and honestly I'm glad. This was not my favorite series because I was fooled into thinking this was steampunk when in reality it is not. Far from it in fact. Just some world building and cool gadgets that are suspiciously just like what we have in modern times. All in all I'd say the series is entertaining I guess. I really kept reading because I liked the male love interest. His name alone makes you take notice: Vexation "Vex" MacLaughlin. He's a super sexy Alpha Were that was hands down my favorite character. I liked him better than the lead character Xandra because she is run by her emotions and gets herself into these messes or situations she never needed to be in.

Would I recommend?? Yes. IF you've read the others in the series and want to know what happens in the end. Would I continue on the off chance that more come from this series....eh I'd be very hard to persuade....