Torment by Lauren Kate

How many lives do you need to live before you find someone worth dying for? I am in love with this catch phrase for this book. It simply screams “This book is amazing. You must read it!” and I must say that I agree. Plus it is one of the best covers I have seen this year! I mean I am in love with that dress! Anyways, Torment is the sequel to the New York Times Best Seller, Fallen. If you have not read Fallen, Torment may be hard to get into. Torment picks up right where Fallen left off. Luce has been removed from Sword and Cross and is going into hiding. Cam and Daniel (fallen angels on different sides of the line) have drawn up a truce lasting 18 days. In this time period both sides will work together toward a common goal, protecting Luce from the Outcasts.

For her own safety Daniel and Cam agree to keep Luce at Shoreline, a school filled with Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans. Here Luce begins to uncover the truth behind the Announcers (the shadows that have followed her all of her life) and her past lives. Luce is beginning to understand that it is not just her and Daniel who have been hurt by her many deaths. With each life there is a family that is left behind. Is it right for her to keep hurting those she loves? With this knew knowledge it is becoming harder for Luce to overlook Daniels half truths and his insistence that he can not stay with her now. Daniel may be her past and her present but is he really her future? Could Luce be happy with someone else?

Luce is a much stronger character in this book. She is not content with waiting around and just blindly taking orders anymore. More characters are introduced in Torment as well. Miles is a great addition to the series. He will have everyone questioning whether they should ditch their Team Daniel shirts for a shiny new Team Miles one. Shelby (Luce's new roommate) is brash, stubborn, and has a history of her own with Daniel and Luce, but she is also impossible not to love. Most of the characters from Fallen make an appearance in Torment but I was disappointed that there wasn't more Cam. I hope he plays a bigger role in future books.

The one thing that may seem frustrating is that like all series this is a cliffhanger. The next book will be Passion. It is set to release in Fall 2011. Passion will be a sort of prequel to the series. Once you finish Torment you may have a better idea of what exactly that could mean. I don’t want to spoil anything ;) Then Rapture will be released in 2012 to wrap up the series. So expect to be frustrated after turning that last page. :)

Love Sucks! by Melissa Francis

This is the sequel to Bite Me! by Melissa Francis. I really enjoyed this book. I have to say that it was better then the first one. I felt like the story was better developed and of coarse I was much happier with the romantic developments in this one. Keep in mind if you have not read the first book this review will contain some spoilers for that book so reader beware.

Bite Me! Left off after A.J. and Ryan finally except that they are now brother and sister...well at least thats what they say ;) They decide this once they discover the truth about each other, AJ. and her family are vampires and Ryan and his family are warlocks. Plus their parents are going to have a baby, a baby that is prophesied to be the barer of the mark of both Frieceadan and the Serpentine clans. The baby would render the Serpentine's powerless because its blood will be the anti-serum to their venom. So they all must ban together to protect their family.

When Love Sucks! picks up, AJ is moving on, or at least that’s what she tells herself and Ryan decided to give his relationship with Lindsey a try. Despite their efforts, it is clear their feelings for each other are still nowhere close to that of a brother and sister. But a new vampire in town named Alexander Archer provides just the distraction A.J. needs. Only now she must choose beteew Sexy Lexy and her unwavering feelings for Ryan. Soon A.J.'s past catches back up and she is once again being hunted by the Serpentine's. Her mother is in intensive care and the evil father that abandoned her eight years ago maybe the only one who can save her. But what will he want in return? Just when you think that the story is all wrapped up Melissa Francis drops one more bombshell. You might see it coming (or at least be hopping for it) but you wont be disappointed ;)

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

I finished City of Glass and I have to say that The Mortal Instruments is one of the best series I have ever read. City of Bones crushed me a little with the news that Clary and Jace were really brother and sister. I was stubborn though and I refused to believe it. I immediately ran over to pick up City of Ashes. City of Ashes was even more exciting then the first book in the series. It was in that book that I realized why everybody is always raving about Magnus Bane. He is a very….sparkly character. I of course was also driven crazy by the end of that book when Jace “lies” to Clary and says he will just be her brother from now on…You are killing me Cassandra Clare!

City of Glass picks up right after City of Ashes. Clary’s mother is still in her magically induced coma but now, thanks to Madeline, Clary knows how to save her and the only one who can help her is in Idris. The reader hears a lot about Idris in the previous books but we are never really introduces to it until this book. Despite Clary’s reasons for wanting to go to Idris Jace is determined to prevent her from going. Jace fears that Clary’s heightened Shadowhunter abilities will make her desired by the Clave. After an unexpected demon attack Jace manages to succeed in leaving Clary behind but ends up bringing Simon with instead. Let’s just say that the new Inquisitor is not too pleased to see a vampire come through the portal and he has some plans for Simon.

Jace may have succeeded initially but Clary being the determined person she is creates her own portal and ends up in Idris with Luke anyways. Shortly after arriving in Idris Clary meets a new tall dark haired boy who seems strangely familiar. Sebastian quickly offers to help Clary in her pursuit for the warlock who can help her cure her mother. Valentine is still moving forward with his plans to attack the Clave and Idris. He has the sword and the cup and now he just needs the mirror. The only way to defeat his demon army may be for Shadowhunters and Downworlders to work together. Putting aside there differences and petty jealousies may prove to be impossible. Only Clary seems to hold the key to uniting them against Valentine.

City of Glass is action packed and laced with declarations of love *squeal*. I can’t wait to continue this series with City of Fallen Angels which is scheduled to release April 5, 2011. At least I will have Clockwork Angel to tide me over in the meantime and I only have to wait 2 more weeks for it!

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Clarissa Fray “Clary” is expecting a typical night out with her best friend Simon when she heads to the Pandemonium Club. Clary certainly was not expecting to witness a murder, but she can’t deny that the strangest part about the situation is that no one else can see them but her. Clary is quickly thrown into a world that she never knew existed, where Shadowhunters are responsible for ridding the earth of demons. Jace, Isabelle, and Alec are Shadowhunters and they are just as surprised as Clary that she can see them. After all Clary is just a mundane human right?

When Clary’s mother is taken and Clary is attacked by a Ravener demon it is Jace who saves her and brings her back to the Institute. It becomes evident that Clary is not a “mundie” and her mother has been hiding more then she could have imagined. Now Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Alec, and Simon all have there part to play in the search for the Mortal Cup, Jocelyn Fray, and the truth.

I must admit that I was not happy about how a few things turned out (If you have read this you know exactly what I am referring to), but I am confident that it will turn out to be false. *clasps hands and prays “Dear God don’t let it be true”* Other then that little glitch I absolutely loved this book. It has a lot going on so it is almost impossible to put down. In fact as soon as I finished the last page I headed straight to the bookshelf to grab “City of Ashes.” I think my favorite character is Jace and not just because he is gorgeous. You can tell that he cares about Clary a lot as the story progresses but based on the hints to his background it is apparent that he has been conditioned to view love as a weakness. He fights his feelings and hides behind is cocky attitude to keep from being hurt (think about the falcon story).

To be honest I think that all the characters are really well developed within this series. The reader is really able to climb into their heads and understand why they are the way they are. Like so many other books this one was recommended to me a long time ago and I kept pushing it back. I really regret not reading this sooner. Sorry Ollie I should have listened to you!

Feel free to tell me who your favorite character is and why? I would love to discuss. Also no spoilers but if you can tell me if the “situation” gets better in book 2 I can stop mourning it…. lol

Oh and BTW – Most of you will laugh at me but now I get the whole MundieMoms blog name…I know I am not the sharpest tool in the shed lol

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Warning if you have not read the first book in this series, The Hunger Games, this review will contain a spoiler or two. I started this book the same night I finished The Hunger Games. After much crying over Rue I was nervous for what the second book in this series had in store. Catching Fire was just as amazing as the first book even though I once again cried my eyes out about Rue when Katniss and Peeta toured District 11.

The Hunger games are now officially behind them. Now Katniss can move on with life right? Wrong. Her perceived act of defiance (that kept Peeta alive) has made her the catalyst for an uprising against the Capital. Katniss, "The girl who was on fire" has created a spark and now she will have to face the consequences. Suddenly Katniss has much bigger problems then her conflicting feels for Peeta and her best friend Gale.

On top of everything, it is the 75th anniversary of the Hunger Games which means that it is the year of the Quarter Quill. The Quarter Quill is a Hunger Games with a twist, which no one knows about until it is announced just before the reaping. This year the twist is worse then Katniss could have imagined.

I can’t wait for the third and final book in this series, “Mockingjay.” Like I mentioned in my review for The Hunger Games, I am glad in a way that I waited to start this series for so long because I only have to wait two more weeks to read the conclusion. I am a little worried about Peeta and Katniss. I really like Gale but he is no Peeta. Once again Suzanne Collins has written a story that pulls the reader in and creates a permanent connection with the characters.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

So after putting this series off for far too long I finally decided it was time to read The Hunger Games. Let me tell you I am kicking myself for not starting it sooner. The bright side is that the second book is already out and the third is close at hand so I won’t have to wait to finish this series. If you are looking for a book with a strong female heroin, edge of your seat suspense, or an emotional rollercoaster then this is the book for you. I have not cried from reading a book in a while (mostly because I steer clear of the tear jerker genre in general) but this one had me turning on the waterworks.

Katniss Everdeen is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister (Prim) in the poorest district of Panem, District 12. Panem is what remains of the United States. Panem was once thirteen districts and a capital, but after an uprising nearly 75 years ago only 12 districts remain. The war that the district raged on the capital all those years ago is how the Capital has justified the creation of “The Hunger Games.” Each year, ever one of the remaining twelve districts must send one boy and one girl to compete in the televised event where they are forced to fight to the death. Only one will be allowed to survive.

The reaping (like a lottery) is a dreaded event by everyone in the district but it is especially troubling for Katniss because this is the first year that her little sister’s name will be in the running. When Prim is chosen, Katniss steps forward to take her place. Now Katniss along with Peeta are swept away to represent District 12 in the 74th annual Hunger Games.

I am a twilight fan so in the spirit of the Twilight mania going on in the world I am totally team Peeta! I <3 Gale but Peeta…swoon! ;)