Enchanted, Inc by Shanna Swendson

Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson
4 Stars

Katie Chandler has been living in New York City for a while now and beginning to think the weird things she sees are normal for NYC. She is, after all, from small town Texas, where things like people with wings just aren't the norm. Katie is fed up with her job and her evil boss when she gets a job offer from a magical company. Katie soon finds out that all those weird things are actually real. She finds out that she is an asset to the company since she cannot be influenced by magic. But Katie soon finds she is a target when she is asked to help prevent an old employee from developing evil spells.

This was a fun, fluffy read. The story flowed really well and kept me interested. I'll be interested to see what other types of magical mischief Katie gets in to in the rest of the series.

The Submission by Amy Waldman

The Submission by Amy Waldman
4 Stars

With the 9/11 terrorist attacks still fresh in everyone's mind, a jury is formed to vote on memorial designs. Among the jury members is Claire, who lost her husband during the attack, finds herself at the center of the controversy. When it is revealed that the winner of the design contest is a man named Mohammad, an American born citizen, the jury quickly changes their mind. What follows is an outpouring of not only disgust but support as well. The jury finds itself trying to decide if they keep the design or choose another one. The story follows several view points to include Mohammad, Claire, one of the jury leaders, and a Muslim woman who lost her husband during the attack.

This was a good, thought provoking book. I enjoyed the different view points throughout the story.

Unsouled by Neal Shusterman

Picking up where the 2nd book left off, Connor and Lev are AWOLs that are on the run from those who want to Unwind them. But this time they are searching for the woman who started it all and the one person that can help them bring down those who are in favor of unwinding. Cam, the rewound boy, is also out to destroy those who created him. On the run from parts pirates and the government, Connor and Lev cross paths with unexpected people and wonder if they will ever bring down Proactive Citizenry.

I rounded this one up to 4 stars, although there were a few spots where I struggled with wanting to finish. The ending did leave you hanging, though, so I will probably pick up the next in the series.

Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich

In the 10th installment of the Stephanie Plum series, Stephanie is getting herself in to predicaments once again. After having her car blown up by a criminal who is robbing local delis, Stephanie finds herself on a hit list of one of the local gangsters. She must now hide out until the coast is clear and it is safe for her to be out in public again. But does Stephanie stay hidden? Of course not! So now she is dodging the hit man while trying to round up her bounties.

I really enjoyed this installment of the series. There's more tension between Stephanie and Ranger in this one and it makes for an interesting story line. Looking forward to number 11.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

The book starts off letting you know right away that someone has died. But who and how is left until the end. The story follows 3 kindergarten moms in Australia. Madeline the feisty but passionate friend. Celeste is the beauty with the perfect marriage. Jane is the new to town mom just trying to fit in. While Madeline and Celeste are already friends, they welcome Jane as if she has been a lifelong friend. The three stick together through the plot of the book.

I thought this was a fun read. The author did a good job of making you want to read "just one more chapter". The good thing was that the chapters were short. LOL!

You Are Not Alone by Jermaine Jackson

This is Michael Jackson's life as told by his brother, Jermaine. The book spans from Michael's birth through his death. Jermaine tells the story of life in the tiny Jackson home growing up, the time as the Jackson 5 and of his brother's rise to fame. While I did enjoy the book I often found that Jermaine was telling more of his story than that of Michael's. There were things that could have been left out that didn't really pertain to Michael. I also found it a bit discouraging that the editor didn't do a better job. I ran across a few misspelled words as well as several misplaced commas. It was still an interesting read and I may one day pick up Michael's autobiography.

The A-List: Hollywood Royalty #1 by Zoey Dean

The story follows the lives of 5 young starlets in Hollywood. Jojo, the outsider who moves to Hollywood to finally meet her birth parents; Amelie, the young star who is not as innocent as she seems; Jacob, the geek turned hottie; and Myla and Ash, the hottest couple around.
Jojo, adopted by a gay couple finds out that her birth parents are 2 of the hottest stars around and is invited to go stay with them and meet the rest of the family.
Myla, one of the most popular girls in school happens to be Jojo's adopted sister, and Myla is not to happy to have to share the lime light.
Ash is the hot boyfriend of Myla.
Amelie has been a star since her younger years. She's portrayed at the good girl in Hollywood. But not for long.
And Jacob, who has buffed up over the summer and is now attracting the attention of girls.

The story was your typical teen in Hollywood chick lit type but it was still a fun, fluffy read.