North of Beautiful, by Justina Chen Headley

As he continued to stare, I wanted to point to my check and remind him, But you were the one who wanted this, remember? You're the one who asked- and I repeat- Why not fix your face?
It's hard not to notice Terra Cooper.
She's tall, blond, and has an enviable body. But with one turn of her cheek, all people notice is her unmistakably "flawed" face. Terra secretly plans to leave her small , stifling town in the Northwest and escape to an East Coast college, but gets pushed off course by her controlling father. When an unexpected collision puts Terra directly in Jacob's path, the handsome but quirky goth boy immediately challenges her assumptions about herself and her life, and she is forced in yet another direction. With her carefully laid plans disturbed, will Terra be able to find her true path?
All I have to say is, wow. This was the first book I've ever read, that had almost no dialog (in my oppinion) and yet I was still able to piture everything in my head. I've always read others people's reviews were they said how a book has changed their life, and I always wondered how it did, but this book truely did change they way I looked at things. It's hard to explain the lesson in this book without giving away the ending, so you'll have to read it yourself to find out! This is the first book that's ever made me cry tears of joy.

(Re) Cycler

Jill McTeague is not your average high school graduate. Not because she doesn't want to be, but because she is a scientific anomaly. Every month, for four days, she turns into Jack, a guy-complete with all the respective parts. Jill got through high school claiming she had blood transfusions every month, but now everyone in her home town knows that something very weird is up with her. So what's a girl ( and a guy) to do? Get the heck out of town, that's what.
With Ramie, her loyal and kooky best friend, Jill sets out to make it on her own in a place where no one knows her name or her secret: New York City. There both she and Jack will have to figure out everything, from the usual (relationships) to the not so usual(career options for a "cycler" anyone?"

I was so excited when the wonderful Staci, ( That can just be her name now. It fits her so well;), I was practically jumping up and down when I received it from the mail....Aright I was jumping up and down. Like none of you have ever done that? Any who, once again Lauren McLaughlin did an awesome job! There really wasn't any dry spots, boring, e.c.t at all, and that's what I really look for in a book. I picked it up and I didn't up it down until it was done. Lauren McLaughlin has a fabulous way of having it be a happy ending, while at the same time you want to scream for more! I find Jill's problems to, I'm sure, be very similar to those of older teens. How do you know if it's really love you feel, or just desire? This question haunts Jill through most of the book, where she mad wonderful, and not so wonderful choices, along with Jack too. Jack happens to be one of my favorite male characters ever! The way he thinks, you can actually understand why he ( and Jill) feel the way they feel! Sound interesting? Give it a try! Thank you everyone for all the wonderful comments! Happy reading!

Seventeen

When seventeen-year-old Sophia dares to prove to her she should stay alive, her suffering is at its climax, her predicament at its worse, and her adolescence at its most difficult.
Sophia is taking summer courses at a New York City college before her senior year of high school, lured to the program by Shauna, her best friend from California. Blessed with all that society considers attractive and intelligent, Shauna succeeds with guy after guy, course after course. Sophia, meanwhile, fails in every course, at every challenge(especially attracting date-worthy males), and with everything she touches....or so she thinks.
Constantly reminded of her own beauty and brains, haunted by pangs of worthlessness, and noticed by only her lanky friend J.P., Sophia begs life for a single decent reason to stick around. Days slip by and she continues her silent countdown until...the greatest hope she can find becomes the deepest threat imaginable.
As she makes her final attempt to confront life among adults, this bold adolescent and feisty storyteller shreds the life she comes to know.
Sophia's plight is the plight of every girl or woman who's ever felt substandard, who'd ever questioned her own value, indeed every person who's ever wondered, "is life worth the suffering?"

I was amazed at this book. I was very very disappointed to have to give up on reading it. I get very close to the characters in the book I'm reading and if the book is good enough, I'll start to almost feel what they feel, and as you can tell, Sophia is suicidal. Reading this book was starting to throw me into a deep depression even though it was so good, and I finally had to call it quites. Not after reading the end of course! What amazed me the most was how...the author, was right on the dime with almost everything! He might as well have been a high school girl himself! If there is a woman out there who hasn't felt what Sophia is feeling at least once in there life I'd LOVE to meet them! If there is anyone out there who loves a good book and does't get too close to the characters...you should read this!

Trissa and the Necklace of Nulidor

One day twelve-year-old Trissa discovers that everyone in her village is under a spell. Everyone but her! Desperate to find someone who can break the spell she flees, leaving her village behind. An old herbwoman tells her to seek help from a wizard who lives far away, and her journey takes her across the Three Kingdoms. Along the way she's joined by a kindly troll and a short, fat palace guard. They are pursued by the twin princes of Kallayne, the best hunters in the Blue River Kingdom, as well as by a huge, dangerous bird. Meanwhile, an evil wizard watches Trissa and her friends in his magic mirror and plans the second spell that will kill everyone in the Three Kingdoms.
I had a great time reading this book by Willow. I was impressed with her creativity. I think that this would be more of a book for preteens and maybe young adults as well. My favorite thing about books is reading about new, and mythical creatures and magic, and this book hit the spot. In the beginning I was a little insertion about Trissa and the Necklace of Nulidor, but my fears soon faded away as I got deeper, and deeper into Willow's story. Keep reading!!:)

Cycler

Jill McTeague s your average smart senior trying to get her dream date to ask her to the prom. Of, course those monthly blood transfusions aren't exactly average-but it's not like she's got anything fatal. What no one knows, except for Jill's parents-who live in constant feat of the secret getting out-is that for the four days Jill is out of school each month, she's not having blood transfusions. In fact, she's not even Jill those days. For four days of every monthly cycle, Jill becomes Jack, a boy-complete with all the parts-and Jack has to live out his four days as a prisoner in Jill's bedroom. But Jack's personality has been gaining strength over the years sense the cycle began. He is growing more rebellious and less content with his confinement, while at the same time his cycles are becoming more frequent. Now Jill's question about the prom isn't simply who she will go with, but who will she be when the night arrives?
This has to be my favorite book I've read all year!(I can't remember past then!) my all time favorite thing about Cycler was how easy it was for me to connect to the characters, or to dislike them! I felt like I knew the characters, without the author having to get over-descriptive in the process. I didn't pass a single dry spot in Cycler, and I also found it surprising that the author truly did know what a high school girl and boy would normally be thinking. A lot of authors kind of like to pretend they know what's going on in a teenager's head,but let's face it. They almost never do.
The only thing I didn't like about Cycler was just how it ended. The author could have totally kept on going, and frankly, I didn't want it to end!

Recovering Dad

Another great Bianca Balducci mystery! Libby Sternberg is inspirational for all young, or even older, readers who are interested in writing. Recovering Dad was hard to not skip to the ending. It took me almost less then a day to read it, because I was so fascinated by the words on each page. What I like best about Recovering Dad was, how easy it was to picture what was going on. Libby did a great job of describing the characters, but not over whelming you with description like a Steven King book. I can't wait to read my next mystery! Give it a try!

Uncovering Sadie's Secrets

Bianca Balducci is an intelligent girl how I think that many young adults will be able to relate with very easily. The author, Libby Sternberg, has a great way of keeping it real, while still keeping it interesting. This was the first mystery I've ever read so I have to tell you, I was surprised to find out how much I wanted to know what happened in the end! You may need some self control to keep you from skipping to ending in this book!