Five Faves #4

Okay, so I picked some really awesome books for my Five Faves this month!  In case you missed them, they were:




A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer
Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

And my standout book for the month was:




A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer

So, what's so great about my Five Faves?  Here we go!

1.) A CHILD CALLED IT by Dave Pelzer is a crazy-powerful memoir about a young boy who was savagely abused by his mother.  I can't even think of where to begin--and I can't really give a synopsis of the book either--so I'm just going to say this: The monster of this book is the worst villain I've ever seen.  The intensity and drive this horrible woman invested into hurting her child (both physically and emotionally) is the most disgusting, horrifying thing I've ever read.  I think the reason why this book stood out to me so much is because I'm a teacher--and I know I've had students who've lived through some really awful stuff.  It really makes me take a different look at those students who act out, misbehave, smell bad and wear dirty clothing, or steal food/drinks from others.  Instead of judging that kid, make sure he's okay.  All in all, a very powerful book, indeed.

2.) TRICKS was my first Ellen Hopkins book ever (I know, right?!?!) and it took me a bit to get used to the whole "novel in prose" thingy.  But, truth be told, I loved it way more than I thought I would.  I'm not a huge fan of poetry and reading an entire novel written in poetry format was a little daunting to say the least, but Hopkins smooths the prose into a free-flowing, fluent masterpiece.  With five--count them FIVE--POVs (Points of View) the reader follows a handful of kids through some sticky situations, including some very hot relationships.  I've never seen a book deal with the realities of physical affection, and the way it ties to teenage emotion, quite like this.  An absolute page turner and an absolute must-read for all YA book lovers.

3.) LINGER by Maggie Stiefvater is the second installment of the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy (the third installment, FOREVER, is on my nightstand right now waiting TBR) and it's even more delicious than SHIVER.  The introduction of a new male heartthrob is enough to make any girl take a fresh look at that bad boy she's been eying and, let's face it, you just can't help but love the electricity between this secondary couple.  The heat between them is ELECTRIC and I want more.  A lot more.  In the midst of a YA market saturated with paranormal romance novels, this series definitely has some staying power (especially if me--the girl who's totally wiped on anything paranormal or dystopian--still wants to finish the series).  If you haven't started the SHIVER series, get the heck on the train, folks.  It's hot...and cold.  Brrrrrr.

4.) BEAUTIFUL CREATURES by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl had a slow start for me, but quickly picked up pace once I saw the chemistry between these two characters.  With paranormal elements not quite like anything else I've read lately (including dream connections and weird visions of the past) really kept me turning the pages.  I also found the characters to be quite sympathetic--ya just feel bad for a girl who knows she's got a 50/50 chance of turning into an evil chick on her upcoming birthday and thereby being banished from her family forever.  Sure, the whole paranormal thing is getting tiresome for me at the moment, but I have to admit, Beautiful Creatures definitely added a little flavor to my boring life.  Loved the romance.  Loved the mystery.  Heck, even loved the paranormal elements.  I <3 Beautiful Creatures!  (The sequel, Beautiful Darkness, is also on my TBR list [although, not quite on my "nightstand" short-list yet]).

5.) Last, but Oh-Most-Certainly-Not-Least, is Cassandra Clare's fourth of a masterpiece series CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS (Mortal Instruments Series).  I wish I could catch my breath long enough to tell you how much I ADORE this series.  I want to read it again.  And again.  And again.  And a-freaking-gain.  I cannot tell you how much I love the main characters and their seriously steamy heat for one another or the continual, and multi-layered, conflicts of the story.  With a new bad guy (well, girl, actually) in the forefront of this "oh yeah, btw, this is no longer a trilogy" fourth, the reader is desperately rifling through the pages to see how the heck our two favorite love birds are going to get out of this mess (oh, and that vamp bestie, too).  With an eerie presence lurking around the Shadowhunters all the time, we just can't help but wonder what comes next.  (Where's the fifth, Cassie Clare?  Huh?  WHERE???)

So that's it for my Five Faves of September!  Have you read one (or more) of these books?  If so, leave me a comment on my Five Faves Page.  I'd love to hear your reactions (try not to spoil) to the books I love!

Don't forget to check out my Five Faves of October!

((hugs))

~L