A show of hands, how many of you like Chick Lit books? Uh-huh, I see. How about mysteries? Very good. And now, how many of you love delicious food? Great! Then this book is perfect for you!

Although, to me, the book started off slow (most books do for me anyways... could be because I have a hard time focusing...) it started to pick up, fast! And it was a great easy feel-good read, that I really enjoyed. I say, it’s perfect for the girly-girl type who want a rainy day read, as I read it on a rainy day.

The book follows none other than Gourmet Girl, Chloe Carter and her boyfriend, Josh Driscoll. Josh is preparing to open his soon-to-be hot restaurant, Simmer, and at fund-raiser that samples some of Josh’s tasty dishes, a trendy club owner Oliver, gets murdered. Weapon of choice? Josh’s state-of-the-art, professional-grade food processor named Robocoupe (Yes, it has a name!).

Everyone's a suspect, but only one person did the crime. Can Chloe use her brains to figure out who did it?
Read the book today to find out!

Overall, like I said the book was a good, feel-good read. And I enjoyed it.

-Jory
Gourmet Girl Chloe Carter’s boyfriend, Josh Driscoll, is prepping for the grand opening of Simmer, soon-to-be Boston’s hottest new restaurant. But at a fund-raiser featuring samples of Josh’s cuisine, a trendy club owner is found bludgeoned to death-by Josh’s state-of-the-art, professional-grade food processor. By opening night at Simmer, the list of suspects is almost longer than the line to get in and Chloe is struggling to solve the crime before someone else gets hurt.

To start things off, I have to admit that I am not a fan of chick lit books. With that being said, I am proud to say that this book did not make me want to gag and toss it aside at first read (as I tend to do). Mother-daughter duo Conant and Conant-Park create humorous characters that make for an entertaining read. They do so while also spicing up the book with a little mystery and even a few recipes thrown in along the way.

Although the book was fun to read, I found that the way Chloe, the narrator, goes about solving the mystery was a little confusing and frustrating. Couldn’t she have taken a more logical approach and not let silly fantasies blur her vision of what really happened? Although that may in fact have been the authors’ intention, I think that having a more rational character working through the gears of the mystery would have made for a more interesting read and offered a better perspective into the case.

From what I can tell, chick lit, mystery, and cooking enthusiasts will adore this book. I do feel though, that this book had so much more potential, but overall, a good read.
- Jane.
"Why would anyone choose to live on the streets? There is Eeyore, just twelve years old when she runs away from her privileged home, harboring a secret she’s too ashamed to tell anyone. Rusty is a sensitive gay teen who winds up alone when his older boyfriend ditches him in Hollywood. Squid has gone through too many foster homes to count. There’s Scabius, a delusional punk from Utah who takes the "me against the world" motto to dangerous extremes. And Critter is a heroin dealer with movie star looks and a vulnerable heart. Laura should be home studying, but she can’t face another one of her mom’s boyfriends. And then there’s Tracy, the damaged thread that ties them all together, irrevocably changing each person’s life she touches. This unlikely band of characters form their own dysfunctional family, complete with love and belonging, abuse and betrayal. Each will make their way home, wherever it may be." - The book description.

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A lot of times after I finish reading a good book, a book I adore, it gets stuck in my head. The whole deal, and it gets me thinking. Thinking what it would be like to be a character in that book. Thinking "what happens next?" as soon as I finish the book. Almost Home by Jessica Blank, is one of those books that will stick with me forever.

I could easily see myself as Eeyore, Tracy and Laura. Even the guys. That’s how real the characters are.
The characters--the stories they tell- are fiction. But, they could easily be any teenager on the streets. Anybody.

Nobody knows what happens in your home life, why you chose to be the way you are. You can’t pass one person and say things like "oh her father raped her" or "oh his father beats him." These children--teens are no different.

Jessica paints a picture, you can see clearly, throughout the book. Giving each character their own voice. She brought them to live beautifully and you can see she clearly thought this book out. I would recommend this to any teenager, it will open their eyes.

-Jory
All that glitters is not gold in Hollywood. For seven teens, the street is their home. There's Eeyore, just twelve-years-old when she runs away from home, harboring a secret she's too ashamed to tell anyone; Rusty, who winds up alone and broke when his older boyfriend ditches him in Hollywood; and Squid, who has survived a meth-addict mom and too many foster homes to count and now determined to create his own "sidewalk family" out on the streets. Then there's Scabius, a rough, delusional punk from Utah; Critter, a heroin dealer with movie-star looks and a vulnerable heart; and Laura, a smart and restless girl who's run to L.A. in search of something bigger than the tiny town she comes from. And then there's Tracy -- the charismatic, damaged thread that ties them all together and irrevocably changes each of their lives.

The casting of characters that Blank created for the story was strong and authentic, but even though the characters may be fictional, their situation wasn't. She offers a glimpse into each character's life -- weaving each of their own struggles and stories together with the central character, Tracy. However, she is careful not to let the story revolve or end with her.

Words cannot even begin to describe how much this book has made me think and opened my eyes. The circumstances are real and so is the danger. Homelessness is not as disbanded as we think. There are still teens out there calling the streets their home, living off of our garbage, and doing just about anything to survive. Blank is allowing us to see this through her story and narrates with a blunt, honest, unwavering tone.

Overall, an absolute must-read and a good choice for reluctant readers. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to end and I'm sure you will too.
- Jane.

In medieval Cambridge, England, Christian children are being brutally murdered and the Christians are blaming their Jewish neighbors. So, to save them from the rioting mob, the Cambridge Jews are placed under the protection of King Henry II. Henry II is no friend of the Jews, but he does believe in law and order and desperately needs the tax revenue he receives from the Jews. In hopes that a scientific approach to the matter will result in the capture of the true killer, Henry turns to his cousin, the King of Sicily -- whose subjects include the finest medical experts in Europe -- for help. He asks for his finest "master of the art of death": the earliest form of medical examiners. The doctor chosen for the task is a young prodigy from the University of Salerno and an expert in the science of anatomy and the art of detection. But Henry is shocked when he meets the prodigy: Dr. Vesuvia Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar; not a master of the art of death, but, a mistress of the art of death.

When I first learned the story line, I was immediately intrigued by the idea of a medieval forensics scientist -- and a female one at that! Protagonist Adelia proves herself as the right woman for the job as she takes the reader along an unforgettable journey, expertly deducing suspects and bravely throwing herself into dangerous situations for the sake of the children. She knows that she cannot let another murder happen.
The book is saturated with mystery, science, suspense, horror, and has even a touch of romance. Once I started reading this book, I could not put it down. And even when I wasn't reading it, I found myself anxious for the next time I could. I was enthralled with the characters and the adventure.

History buffs may find themselves nit-picking at some anachronisms (cholera in 12th century Europe anyone?), but Franklin does have an Author's note at the end addressing any changes she has made, such as the usage of modern terms and names. The romance also seemed like an afterthought Franklin added in to open her book to a broader audience.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Science and mystery novels are usually not my niche, but I found that the book was written in such a way that both the plot and science was simple enough to understand and didn't end up retracting from the overall mood of the book.
- Jane

Stray had me from the moment I saw the cover. And, I would like to point out, if you LOVE teen dramas, and are a dog lover, chances are you’re going to adore this book. Like I do. The book has this feel good vibe to it, and it captures you in the first paragraph. It follows the main character Natalie (she knows exactly what kind of dog you are), who is having trouble gaining her mother's trust at age sixteen (but everyone knows, it’s hard for parents to let their children grown up...) as the story develops you will find Natalie falling in love, fast with one of the least likely people. Let's just say she’s not on good terms with him for a while, after he, well, almost killed her dog, Troy, by feeding him chocolate chips. (Bad move, buddy!) But he was younger and didn’t really have much of a clue. Not to mention her best friend, Kirby, seems to have a problem with him. But, will things end well? What happens when Natalie’s mom finds her in a awkward position with a boy that’s staying as a guest in their house? You’ll just have to read this fabulous book to find out, now, won’t you?
-Jory

Lurlene McDaniel does it again! She has truly proven with her last two books, that have been different from her other books, that the girl can write! But, we knew that already with her tear-jerking novels... but this one and Hit and Run proves that even if Lurlene wrote about a pair of boring socks, or watching paint dry, she’ll make it interesting and won’t let her readers down.

The story follows a few different people, Ryan Piccoli, and his close friends Joel and Honey... along with Ryan’s history teacher Lori Settles, who Ryan soon finds himself falling in love with. For months they keep their love a secret, but soon someone finds out, and the outcome... let’s just say the outcome isn’t what either of them wanted.

Now there’s a lot I could say about this book, but I don’t want to give too much away, but all I can say is that this book is fabulous! And that I cannot wait to see what Lurlene comes up with next!

-Jory
One of the most talked about books today, Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight follows the life of Isabella Swan. After her relocation from sunny Phoenix, Arizona to rainy Forks, Washington, she doesn’t expect much. Until she meets Edward Cullen. She finds herself oddly attracted to him, even though she knows that there is some part of him, a part that she didn’t know how strongly it controlled him, that thirsted for her blood. But it doesn’t matter that she knows. She’s already gotten herself into much deeper trouble than she thinks.

There is much hype surrounding this book. But is it justified? Some say it is, some say it isn’t. I personally believe that this particular book is good only if you’re into vampire novels and/or girl books. I must admit, I myself, am a big partaker of vampire novels, so I found it hard to put this book down. However, some things that might make you otherwise overlook this book are Isabella’s Mary-Suelike qualities, Edward’s Gary-Stulike qualities, and the lack of a good moral theme.

Isabella’s name literally translates into "Beautiful Swan," so as you can guess, she is obviously going to be given special treatment from the other characters of the book, and she is. Edward is your stereotypical vampire: gorgeous, stunning, and mysterious. Nothing much else to say. And this book literally screams, "Ladies, your life is nothing without a man. Nothing!" There doesn’t seem to be any other purpose for this book nor does it look like Stephenie is trying to get some sort of message across to her readers.

All in all, this book is best read as a guilty pleasure, not one to really make you think or say, "Wow!"
- Jane

Melody Carlson is known for her "TrueColors" series, which shows teens and how they handle problems differently, and then welcome God into their lives. It’s a very fresh series, and even if you’re not religious, you will probably like these books. Though, Burnt Orange: Color Me Wasted, isn’t the first book in the series, it’s my personal favorite.
Amber Conrad is the daughter of a preacher, who soon befriends popular girl, Claire. Things begin to become out of control when Claire gets Amber into the party scene, i.e: drinking. Amber’s best friend, Simi, begins to see the change in her friend and worries about her, and tries reaching out to her, but can never seem to. The story takes a sad turn towards the end of the book and Amber ends up losing someone close to her. The reason? Someone's carelessness.
Will Amber find her way back to God? Will things ever be the same? Read this wonderful book to find out. You won’t be disappointed! Pinky Promise!
-Jory

Let’s be honest here, we all enjoy a good book even if it involves shedding a few tears and Lurlene McDaniel is the best bet. Lurlene has been one of my favorite authors for years--and this is my favorite book by her.
The story picks up where "Too Young To Die" stops, and it follows Melissa and Jory--ha ha, same name--through their senior year of high school, and just when they think things are going so well, Melissa’s cancer returns--and this time it’s refusing to let go. Does Jory have the strength to help her best friend? Throughout the story you’ll find yourself laughing and crying. I highly recommend this book! It’ll show readers that--in the end things will be alright and that saying goodbye isn’t easy, but remember it isn’t forever.
-Jory

Pop Princess is the first book I ever read by Rachel Cohn, but definitely wasn’t the last. I’m not sure what made me check out this book at the library, but I’m extremely please that I did!
One thing I have to say first is, DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK IF YOU ARE NOT INTO TEENAGE FLUFF. No, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad book. Because it totally isn’t--it is actually one of my favorite books. A book that I have read so many times and still haven’t gotten sick of it.
The book follows main character Wonder Blake, who just recently moved into her family’s old summer house, and is still dealing with her sister, Lucky’s, death. Soon Wonder finds herself getting a record contract and on the fast lane to being the next pop princess! With the help of her sisters two best friends, Wonder learns the ropes of being a star... now I don’t want to give away to much so I’ll stop now!
If you’re looking for a quick feel good read, then this is the book for you!
-Jory

This book was brought to me by a friend, and my first reaction was... "What the heck?" Due to its title "Creepy Susie: and 13 other tragic tales for troubled children." But, I read it anyways, because with me, I like to give books a chance. And let me tell you this, if you are under sixteen I would NOT recommend reading this book, or if you are easily offended.
Maybe it’s my sick sense of humor that makes me like this book, but, Angus Oblong really knew how to make me laugh! With short stories such as "Creepy Susie" "Emily Amputee" and "The Debbies" you’ll be finding yourself laughing and saying "Now, what was HE on?"
The book is short, and includes pictures, so the short stories really come to life... and with a catch phrase like this:
"Your mother never told you these stories.

She didn’t want to scare you.

But Angus Oblong is not your mother."
You know you are in for a real treat!
What are you still doing on the computer? Go out and buy this book.. if you dare!
-Jory

I’ll be honest here, even though everyone says "never judge a book by it’s cover" I did here... but I am extremely happy that I did! The amazing thing about this book is, it’s true! Samantha Schutz lived this! The beginning was a little slow, but the book was just great! I’d recommend this book to anyone, especially if you have an anxiety disorder! The book follows Samantha through her college years, and touches different topics, like sex, drugs, etc. I could go on and on about how good this book is, but why would I waste your time when you should be out buying this book? Go on now!
-Jory

Kate Brian’s "The Virginity Club" brings four best friends in their senior year in high school who all are going out for a very generous scholarship. The catch? These teens have to reach one requirement: "Purity of soul and body." But how does one prove that they are "pure"? These girls start a "Virginity Club" at their school to proclaim their pureness. And to their surprise, the club is a big success! Even a guy joins. Yes, a guy! But, how long does it take before someone finds out one of the girls isn’t actually, you know, a virgin? Or that one of them hasn’t even been kissed before? Follow these four best friends and you’ll find yourself thinking you are actually one of them!
-Jory

Easy, a debut novel written by Kerry Cohen Hoffman, brushes a very touchy topic: Teenagers and sex. It follows fourteen-year-old Jessica after her parents get a divorce. Things are falling apart for her at home, her mother just can’t seem to to stop falling apart after divorcing with her husband. Soon she meets a 20 year old, who introduces her to sex... and, well, you get the point. I liked it in some ways--but in other ways I didn’t. The beginning seemed slow and confused me, but, give it a shot! You may like it!
-Jory
First things first, Ellen Hopkins is absolutely BRILLIANT! She is probably one of the best authors out there right now, and Crank proves it! Written in free-verse it tells the story of Kristina Georgia Snow, who goes to see her father (who she hasn’t seen in years) were she meets "the monster". Through the story you can almost feel what she’s going through, and I could not put the book down. It felt as though you were actually there with Kristina, or Bree as she likes to be called. Like the old book Go Ask Alice, it tells a tale of a girl fighting a drug addiction. Follow Kristina through her wild ride being addicted to Crystal Meth... you won’t be disappointed!
-Jory

Go Ask Alice is "based on a diary of an actual teenage girl." Personally, I do not believe it is, but you never know. The thing that bothers me most about the book is that the girl's name is never actually mentioned, and the title "Go Ask Alice" comes from one of my favorite songs: White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane. But fiction or non-fiction, this book was wonderful. It really does send out a strong message - drugs are bad. This is not one of my favorite books, but I do enjoy reading it often. Do I recommend it to you readers? Only if you like reading diary-format books and/or books about drug addiction.
-Jory

This is the first book I ever read by Lurlene McDaniel, I read it when I was about... I want to say twelve-years-old, and rediscovered it again when I was fifteen. It has since become one of my favorite books, and the book that got me into reading. The story follows fourteen-year-old Beth, whose family was tragically taken away from her due to a car accident. She then has to leave the home she grew up in to move in with her bratty cousin. This story is truly heart tugging, and I will tell you this: It will make you cry. I recommend this book to anyone who doesn’t mind having a few tears fall.
-Jory

Our names are Jory & Jane and, well, to sum it up: We're book worms & will read anything we can get our hands on (almost anything!). This is not just a Young Adult review site; we will always be willing to review Adult books too. For real. Keep in touch with us if you want us to review your book[s] or send us a review copy. Go ahead and comment us! =]

Or if you'd like to send us a review copy but would prefer to email us, email Jory at: discotechjory@hotmail.com or Jane at: jamalasig@gmail.com *Note*: Look at the bottom for newest additions*

Jory's Reviews 1) The Girl Death Left Behind by Lurlene McDaniel
2) Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
3) Crank by Ellen Hopkins
4) Easy by Kerry Cohen Hoffmann
5) The Virginity Club by Kate Brian
6) I Don't Want To Be Crazy by Samantha Schutz
7) Creepy Susie: And 13 Other Tragic Tales for Troubled Children by Angus Oblong
8) Pop Princess by Rachel Cohn
9) Goodbye Doesn't Mean Forever by Lurlene McDaniel
10) Burnt Orange: Color Me Wasted(TrueColors Series #5) by Melody Carlson
11) Prey by Lurlene McDaniel
12) Stray by Stacey Goldblatt
13) Almost Home by Jessica Blank
14) Simmer Down by Jessica Conant-Park & Susan Conant

Jane's Reviews 1) Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
2) Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
3) Almost Home by Jessica Blank
4) Simmer Down by Jessica Conant-Park & Susan Conant 4/13/08 - 4/20/08

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