Raven by Allison van Diepen

For me this was a bit of a mix between Twilight and Step-Up (a movie about a street dancing). Nicole is a teenage girl who works at a night-club part time serving drinks. However, to pull the crowds she, and the dance group she belongs to, often perform their moves on the dance floor and even have organised ‘dance-offs’ with other groups. Zin is the leader of her dance group, and he is the best best-friend Nic could ask for. Except there’s more than just platonic feelings between them, and they both know it. So why doesn’t Zin return any of them? Nic soon discovers that pretty much the entire staff at the night club are called ‘Jiang Shi’ or immortals, who have to keep moving every 10 years, so as to not arouse suspicion.

This book was fairly well written, with an interesting albeit unusual concept. If you are into dancing then I would recommend it. Overall, Raven by Allison van Diepen isn’t a bad read.

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Lucy Scarborough is a seventeen year old girl, who lives with her adopted parents and her good friend, Zach, whom she has know since they were both small. She soon discovers that all the women in her family have been cursed to fall pregnant at 17, and must complete three ‘impossible’ tasks or turn crazy after the birth of a  baby girl – the fate endured by her own biological mother who often follows her. However living in our technological age has its advantages, as do having extremely dedicated parents and definitely-more-than-just-friends Zach (who is so cute!), and so the prospects look better for Lucy than they did for the previous women in her family.

This book is based on an old poem ‘Scarborough Fair’, which is also a Simon and Garfunkel song. I thought this was a wonderful book. Recommended to readers who like to read urban-fantasy with a bit of romance. I would say probably for slightly more mature readers, as there are some ‘sensitive’ scenes/issues.

City of Bones, by Cassandra Clare

It takes me a while to give in and read these really popular books. But I did and I have to say that I was really disappointed. While I thought “Twilight” was a great read with lots of tension and excitement, I found this one a bit ridiculous with the demon hunters and stuff. I suppose I’m not much of a fantasy reader to start with.

So sorry to disagree with the many girls who have read and loved the whole series – I won’t be reading the other two. But then, that’s what reading’s all about – we’re all different (thank heavens) and we won’t always like what other people do. So you should try it if you haven’t read it, and see if you agree with me or the many girls who love this series.

The Missing by Margaret Peterson Haddix

This is the first in the “Found” series. The prologue gives the background to the whole situation – a plane that arrived without a pilot and only 36 babies on board. The FBI took over and nothing more is known until 13 years later we get to meet Chip and Jonah who we realise are 2 of these babies.

They soon discover that there are others nearby and they are adopted, just like them. I’m sure that the sequels will take us further into solving these novels. A good mystery that keeps you reading and wanting to know more.