Dead to You / Lisa McMann

TITLE: Dead to You
AUTHOR: Lisa McMann
OWNED BY CCLS? On Order.

Ethan DeWilde was seven years old when he was abducted. Nine years later he is reunited with his family. He tells Child Protective Services that he found his family by searching through the missing childrens' database online. When he came across his photo, he compared it to looking into a mirror. After all that he's been through, Ethan is ready to have a place to call "home" again. The transition from being abandoned in a orphanage to living on the streets and now living in a home with his new/old family would be a whole lot easier if he had any memories of his life from before his abduction. But he just can't seem to remember...

Get ready for a HUGE surprise. Who has the bigger secret? Ethan or his family?

M's Verdict: Don't judge a book by it's cover. The story almost doesn't so justice to the cover. Although it's a quick read and keeps you turning the pages waiting to figure out what could possibly happen next, I felt unfulfilled. I haven't read any of McMann's other novels, but this would probably prevent me from picking up another one. Don't get me wrong, this novel is based upon the pretty intense event of a child being abducted from his home, which keeps the reader glued, but it's just missing something... I do commend McMann for the WOW ending. I won't spooil it; check it out @ your library to see for yourself.

Elixir / Hilary Duff

TITLE: Elixir
AUTHOR: Hilary Duff
OWNED BY CCLS: Yes.

This is a hard book to summarize and explain. Oddly similar to something I've read before. Perhaps comparable to Lauren Kate's Fallen. See for yourself...

Clea Raymond, the seventeen year old daughter of a prominent U.S. politician (mother) and surgeon (father), leads an unusual life to say the least. Clea works as a photojournalist and travels the world taking photos that she believes "capture the soul." Both of her parents are also constantly "on the go" with their work, leaving Clea to fight the paparazzi on her own or spend time with her BFF Rayna and her bodyguard/best friend Ben.

During one of Clea's father's missionary trips to Brazil he goes missing. There are no answers, only questions surrounding his disappearance. Fortunately, one of Clea's photojournalist assignments takes her (and Ben) to the festival of Carnival in Brazil. Clea's trip morphs from a simple photo shoot expedition to a bizarre adventure of sorts that includes fear, love, mystery, intrigue and tales of 500 years past. Perhaps the trip to Brazil will provide Clea with some closure, but it sounds like it may only stir up more questions.

Check out Elixir today @ FRE--only 1 copy is currently available!

M's Verdict: A few things...
(1) This book is hard to explain/describe.
(2) This book leads well into a sequel (coming out this October : Devoted).
(3) I wish that when I had started reading this book that I hadn't known who wrote it. I'll admit that the only reason that I picked up this book is because I wanted to see if actor/singer/songwriter Hilary Duff could write. Unfortunately, I can't help but wonder if this didn't influence how I read this book.

For example, have you ever watched a movie or seen a trailer for a movie and then tried to read the book? How many of you picture what the characters look like? (i.e. When I read Twilight it was after seeing previews of the movie. This meant that as I read the book, I pictured Kristen Stewart as Bella and Robert Pattinson as Edward. I think this definitely changes how you read as well as how you think about a book. The same applies for when you see a movie after reading that book it was based on. More often than not I think--"that is soooo not what I pictured him/her as.)

Clarity / Kim Harrington

TITLE: Clarity

AUTHOR: Kim Harrington

OWNED by CCLS? YES!

Clarity by debut author Kim Harrington is not a book that you're going to want to miss! I read this book a month or so ago and have been waiting for the opportune time to showcase it on the blog. I cannot say enough good things about this novel! Anyhow, just because I love it, doesn't mean you're going to, so read the description below to see if it's something you might like. (May I suggest it for your first summer reading book!! It would be a great beach read!)

Clare Fern, who belongs to a family of psychics, is sixteen and lives in the tourist town of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Unbeknownst to her, she and her family are about to have the summer of their lives. When Clare's brother becomes a suspect in a murder of a teen girl in a local motel, Clare must work with the police detective, her cheating ex-boyfriend, and the new detective's quite hot son to prove that her brother is innocent. Will her gift, which is sometimes unpredictable, be able to help clear her brother's name and keep her safe from the lurking murderer? Check Clarity out if you're looking for a suspenseful novel filled with plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing.

M's Verdict: Obviously it's AWESOME! (If you cannot remember why, read above:p) I will definitely be eagerly awaiting Kim Harrington's upcoming novels, including Perception (the sequel to Clarity and expected to be released in March 2012).