Hollyweird ARCs

Thank you Terri Clark for the ARCs of Hollyweird!

Net Galley Review: The Immortal Rules

Title: The Immortal Rules

SubTitle: Book of Eden: Book I

Pub: Harlequin

Imprint: HarlequinTeen

PubDate: April 24, 2012

ISBN: 9780373210510

Author: Julie Kagawa

“Immortality is a lonely road,” he murmured, “and it will only be made worse if you don’t release your attachments to your old life. To that boy, you are the enemy now, the unseen monster that haunts his nightmares. You are the creature he fears the most. And nothing in your previous life, not friendship or loyalty or love, will ever change that.” Pg 149

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of the vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die…or become one of the monsters. Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike. But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa brings everything that a reader loves to the YA table.  The characters range from vampires who use and abuse humans, to crazed rabids who crave human flesh, to human beings desperate to find refuge from the chaotic world they live in.  The main character, Allie, chooses the bite of immortality instead of physical death, even though her choice changes her into a monster. Allie is a passionate, complicated teen that struggles desperately with the vampire she has become.  Despite her immortal status, she commits herself to her former humanity, vowing to protect a small band of humans searching for Eden, a paradise free of rabids and vampires.  Zeke is the unsuspecting boy who welcomes Allie into his band of humans as they search for Eden. Allie does not compromise herself, and as she struggles with her fascination and growing attraction for Zeke, she fights her thirst for blood. Zeke has been taught all his life to hate creatures like Allie, and when she protects his family from harm, he questions his faith and his upbringing.

“What are you doing to me? He whispered, as his hand moved down to my neck, tracing my collarbone. I couldn’t answer even if I wanted to. “You make me question everything I’ve learned, everything I know. Truths I’ve believed since I was a kid, gone.”  He sighed, and I felt a shiver go through him, but he didn’t pull his hand back. “What’s wrong with me?” he groaned, low and anguished. “I shouldn’t be feeling any of this…”  pg 409

I absolutely loved this book; I was glued to the pages from start to finish.  I love a love story with bite, and when Allie and Zeke are faced with breaking the Immortal Rules in order to be together, I found myself hoping for the impossible.  Twilight’s Edward and Bella, along with Cassandra Clare’s Jace and Clary, need to move over and be ready to share the YA spotlight with Julie Kagawa’s Allie and Zeke. The Immortal Rules is a winner!

I give this book my highest rating: A+ for its forbidden love story and action-packed plot. 

The Immortal Rules

Rabids, Vampires, and the Unregistered...Oh Yeah!

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa is OUTSTANDING! Watch for our teacher/student reviews coming soon.

NCT Article

Stetson...

Here is my new horse Stetson! He's a Missouri Fox Trotter.

Illuminate~A MUST Read!

 

Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything changes when she is awarded a prestigious internship at a posh Chicago hotel under the watchful eyes of a group of gorgeous strangers: the powerful and alluring hotel owner Aurelia Brown; her second-in-command, the dashing Lucian Grove; and their stunning but aloof staff of glamazons called The Outfit.

As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that these beautiful people are not quite what they seem. With the help of a mysterious book, she uncovers the evil agenda of Aurelia and company: they’re in the business of buying souls. Will they succeed in wooing Haven to join them in their recruitment efforts, or will she be able to thwart this devilish set’s plans to take the souls of her classmates on prom night at the hotel?

I LOVED this book. It's available NOW at Barnes & Noble or on your eReader. You will need to make sure your homework is done before you start this book- because once you start it, you will not want to stop. 

Mr. Hot Dog

As promised, here is the picture of Mr. Hot Dog at the Oceanside Street Fair. 

VITs While You Read

Look for VITs while you Read!

Reading Challenge: Look for examples of your VITs within your independent reading material. Keep a list in your comp and include the term, page #, and the textual example. Be picky- similes and alliteration examples are plentiful, so only select the strongest and weed out the weak. We will start a VIT assignment next week- so front load your comp with examples and be ahead of the game for the assignment!

CoLS release party: May 8th, O'side Barnes and Noble. Free SWAG! Cassie Clare ROCKS! See you there!