My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris Review

Name: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century
Author: Rachel Harris
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Release Date: September 11th, 2012
Format: ARC Copy
Pre-Order the book on Amazon
304 pages

Thank you Entangled Publishing and Heather for sending me an ARC of this book for review!!

Summary:
On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore.

Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

Goodreads

My Review:
So blown away by this awesome book..it simply was so enchanting! I've always been interested in ya time travel books..especially ones that go back to the past. When I heard that this book takes place in one of my favorite cities I have visited (the lovely Firenze!!), I knew that this would be a book I would so enjoy...and it definitely didn't disappoint!

One of my favorite parts about this book was the plot! Once I started this book it was physically impossible to put it down..I was reading it on my iphone, my kindle, my computer, and any other device that I could read this book on! Rachel Harris uses such fantastic details, that I really felt I was in Florence with Cat, and I could so picture the gowns she was wearing, and the gorgeous places she was seeing! What I really liked the most about the plot was that it was so original and unique..very different than other books I have read before! I also loved how Rachel was able to incorporate different pieces of art into this book! Cat is a HUGE fan of paintings, sculptures, etc. (just like me!) so it was really great to see her seeing some of her favorite pieces (especially ones in the sixteenth century!). It was also fun to see how Cat adjusted to her new life in the sixteenth century. Not only is she adjusting to being without her family and technology, but she also is pretending to be someone else! 

Now onto the romance...oh man! I can so see why Cat fell for Lorenzo..he's soso swoon worthy! He is so gorgeous (and I can really picture him in my head because of Rachel's amazing details!), sweet, and he's an artist! He's such a gentleman too! At first, Cat thinks Lorenzo is such a player but as she gets to know him better (and he soon learns her secret!) they start to fall in love. Rachel Harris definitely keeps the plot exciting by adding in a few twists that keep the reader hanging (which includes an arranged marriage!). What I liked the most is that when Cat goes back to her time, she realizes how much she cherishes her father and her soon-to be stepmother, even though they can sometimes get on her nerve. Going to the past helped Cat find out more about herself and open up to others instead of shutting them out. 

Now the ending...SUCH A CLIFFHANGER!! I seriously can't wait for the next book and I am hoping we will see more of Lorenzo! I highly recommend that you read this book when it comes out next month. My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century captivated me from page one, and it definitely is one of my favorite books that I have read in awhile!

My Rating:

The Season by Sarah MacLean Review

Name: The Season
Author: Sarah MacLean
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Release Date: March 1st, 2009
Buy the book on Amazon

Seventeen year old Lady Alexandra is strong-willed and sharp-tongued — in a house full of older brothers and their friends, she had to learn to hold her own. Not the best makings for an aristocratic lady in Regency London. Yet her mother still dreams of marrying Alex off to someone safe, respectable, and wealthy. But between ball gown fittings, dances, and dinner parties, Alex, along with her two best friends, Ella and Vivi, manages to get herself into what may be her biggest scrape yet.


When the Earl of Blackmoor is mysteriously killed, Alex decides to help his son, the brooding and devilishly handsome Gavin, uncover the truth. But will Alex's heart be stolen in the process? In an adventure brimming with espionage, murder, and other clandestine affairs, who could possibly have time to worry about finding a husband? Romance abounds as this year's season begins!-Goodreads

My Review:
So I haven't read really any historical romance YA books in awhile so when I saw this one at my local library I decided to give it a try and I'm so glad that I did!! I seriously need to read more historical romance ya books!

One of my favorite parts about this book was the plot!! It was really fun to see the main character Alex, interact with her friends, and of course the dashing Gavin! It was interesting to read about life during the 1800s in England and how important "The Season" was!! I really liked how the plot of this book wasn't too slow, but it wasn't too fast either which was nice. I also loved how the romance progressed in this book between Gavin and Alex. It was nice to see them as life-long friends and see their relationship change into a romantic one!

I also really liked the main character, Alex! She is very independent and strong willed, especially for a character living in the 1800s where women didn't have much of a say as they do now. Alex definitely was a very likeable character and I really enjoyed watching her grow as a character throughout the book!!

Overall, I really enjoyed the Season!! If you are looking for a historical ya book please check this one out!!

My Rating: Four out of Five Stars

The Académie by Susanne Dunlap Review

Name: The Académie
Author: Susanne Dunlap
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Release Date: February 28th, 2012
Buy the Book on Amazon

Much thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury USA Childrens for giving me an ARC copy of this book!!

Eliza Monroe—daughter of the future president of the United States—is devastated when her mother decides to send her to boarding school outside of Paris. But the young American teen is quickly reconciled to the idea when—ooh, la-la!—she discovers who her fellow pupils will be: Hortense de Beauharnais, daughter of Josephine Bonaparte; and Caroline Bonaparte, youngest sister of the famous French general. It doesn't take long for Eliza to figure out that the two French girls are mortal enemies—and that she's about to get caught in the middle of their schemes.

Loosely drawn from history, Eliza Monroe's imagined coming of age provides a scintillating glimpse into the lives, loves, and hopes of three young women during one of the most volatile periods in French history.-Goodreads

My Review:
What a really fun read!! I haven't really read any historical novels in a while so it was really fun reading something from a different time period! One of the first things that caught my eye about this novel was the setting/location. It was really interesting to see what France was like right after the revolution, especially from a teenager's perspective. Susanne Dunlap does a really great job of describing the setting and making the reader really able to imagine France during this time.

One of my favorite parts about this book was that the chapters rotated between the different characters in the book. At first, I wasn't a huge fan of the main character Eliza, but as the book went on and I learned more about her, I really started to like her. Her character developed a lot throughout the novel and in the end I really enjoyed seeing what happened to Eliza and her friends.

Another part of this novel that I really enjoyed was the suspense and mystery that I got from reading this book. I thought the book was going to go in one direction, but by the end I was totally wrong and something happened that I did not see coming!! I love when books surprise me and keep me on edge, and this novel definitely did this for me!!

Overall, I really enjoyed The Académie, and I recommend that you all check this book out if you are looking for a great historical young adult novel!

My Rating: Four out of Five Stars

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen Review

Name: Scarlet
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Release Date: February 14, 2012
Format: Received as an ARC fron Netgalley and Walker Childrens!
Buy the Book on: Amazon
304 pages
Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.-Goodreads

My Review:
I'm not going to lie, the first few chapters of this book were really hard for me to read. I really didn't like the writing style and I wasn't sure where the plot was going. After putting this book down and going back to it after a few days, however, I was able to get more into Scarlet and I was able to enjoy the last half of Scarlet.
Like I mentioned above, one of the hardest parts of this book for me to read was the writing style. I liked how the author made the book more authentic by making the characters speak like they actually did during this time period, but at times it was SO hard for me to understand!


Once the plot picked up, I really enjoyed seeing what would happen between Scarlet and Robin Hood. It was fun to see a different side of Robin Hood and see a different perspective on the story. I also liked the little added bit of romance to this book..it was very nice to see that added bonus to this book!


Overall, this wasn't the greatest book for me, but if you like retellings of classic stories, try giving Scarlet a shot!


My Rating: Three out of Five Stars

The Poison Diaries by Maryrose Wood, The Duchess Of Northumberland Review

Name: The Poison Diaries
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: July 20th, 2010
288 pages



In the right dose, everything is a poison. Even love . . .

Jessamine Luxton has lived all her sixteen years in an isolated cottage near Alnwick Castle, with little company apart from the plants in her garden. Her father, Thomas, a feared and respected apothecary, has taught her much about the incredible powers of plants: that even the most innocent-looking weed can cure -- or kill.

When Jessamine begins to fall in love with a mysterious boy who claims to communicate with plants, she is drawn into the dangerous world of the poison garden in a way she never could have imagined . . . -Goodreads

My Review:
Overall, this was a pretty good book! Their were moments that I really enjoyed but their were some moments that I did not really like.
One of the first things that I liked about this book was the setting! I really liked seeing how people lived in early 19th century England!
I also really liked seeing the relationship between Jessamine and Weed (the mysterious boy she meets). It was nice seeing their relationship progress through the novel.
One of the things that I did not really like was the plot twist towards the end of the novel. I felt that this part was unnecessary and I wished that this part was not included in the novel.

Anyways, I still really enjoyed this novel and I am looking forward to reading the second book in this series. I recommend that you all give this one a shot!

My Rating: Three out of Five Stars

The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees Review

Name: The Juliet Spell
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: September 27th, 2011
304 pages




I’m Juliet.

At least, I wanted to be.

So I did something stupid to make it happen.

Well, stupid and wonderful.

I wanted the role of Juliet more than anything. I studied hard. I gave a great reading for it—even with Bobby checking me out the whole time. I deserved the part.

I didn’t get it. So I decided to level the playing field, though I actually might have leveled the whole play. You see, since there aren’t any Success in Getting to Be Juliet in Your High School Play spells, I thought I’d cast the next best—a Fame spell. Good idea, right?

Yeah. Instead of bringing me a little fame, it brought me someone a little famous. Shakespeare. Well, Edmund Shakespeare. William’s younger brother.

Good thing he’s sweet and enthusiastic about helping me with the play...and—ahem—maybe a little bit hot. But he’s from the past. Way past. Cars amaze him—cars! And cell phones? Ugh.

Still, there’s something about him that’s making my eyes go star-crossed....

Will Romeo steal her heart before time steals him away?-Goodreads

This book was received as an ARC from Netgalley!

My Review:
When I first heard about this book I thought it sounded really interesting, and I thought the cover was amazing! I actually really enjoyed Romeo and Juliet in school so I thought this would be a great fun read!

Overall, I enjoyed this book but at times it felt rushed. I also didn't love the main character, Miri that much. She just did not really stand out as the protagonist for me.

The other thing I did not really like was how Miri's mother reacted so well to have Edmund in her house. It just did not feel realistic at all.

Overall, this was book was a fun read, but it was not what I was expecting.

My Rating: Three out of Five Stars

Dark Mirror by M.J. Putney Review

Name: Dark Mirror
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: March 1st, 2011
304 pages

Lady Victoria Mansfield, youngest daughter of the earl and countess of Fairmount, is destined for a charmed life. Soon she will be presented during the London season, where she can choose a mate worthy of her status.

Yet Tory has a shameful secret—a secret so powerful that, if exposed, it could strip her of her position and disgrace her family forever. Tory’s blood is tainted . . . by magic.

When a shocking accident forces Tory to demonstrate her despised skill, the secret she’s fought so hard to hide is revealed for all to see. She is immediately exiled to Lackland Abbey, a reform school for young men and women in her position. There she will learn to suppress her deplorable talents and maybe, if she’s one of the lucky ones, be able to return to society.

But Tory’s life is about to change forever. All that she’s ever known or considered important will be challenged. What lies ahead is only the beginning of a strange and wonderful journey into a world where destiny and magic come together, where true love and friendship find her, and where courage and strength of character are the only things that determine a young girl’s worth. - Goodreads

My Review:

I absolutely adored this book! When I first heard about this book I fell in love with the cover! I loved the colors and the girl looking in the mirror!

One of my favorite parts about this book was the main character Tory. She is so strong willed and I love her personality!
I also loved that this book took place in the 1800s. It was really cool to imagine what people wore and dressed like at the time!

Overall, if you are looking for a fun paranormal book to read this summer, check this book out!

My Rating: Five out of Five Stars

P.S. I am back from my trip! Sorry for the lack of updates and I promise more will be coming soon!