Withering Tights by Louise Rennison

Georgia Nicolson's stories may be at an end, but fans need not fret: this summer will see the release of Withering Tights, the first in Louise Rennison's new series.
Tallulah Casey, fourteen and a half, never had a boyfriend, never been kissed, is away to Dother Hall in Yorkshire for part of her summer break. Tallulah wants to be in the arts and Dother Hall is a performing arts school. The summer term is a chance for new students to see if they have what it takes to be full time students at Dother Hall. Tallulah really wants to be a full time student and start the term in September, except she's got one tiny thing holding her back: she's got no talent. Or at least hasn't been able to display any talent during her term, except poor Irish dancing, bad improvising, terrible singing, and flying off her bicycle into the wings of the stage.
She tries, oh she tries, and she meets some wonderful (and talented friends): Vaisey, Jo, Flossie, and Honey, as well as young Ruby, whose father owns the pub across the way from the family Tallulah is staying with.
But not only does Tallulah intend for this to be her summer of stardom, she also wants it to be her summer of love. Enter the Woolfe Academy boys, the Hinchcliff brothers, and Ruby's older brother Alex. Because really, you didn't the story was going to be entirely about school, did you? Tallulah does have her first kiss (and her second-ish), and a few of her friends experience love. Almost. Kind of.
In the end, Tallulah finds a way to earn her keep at Dother Hall (after a few scares that she may not get to start the term in September with Jo, Vaisey, Flossie, and Honey), especially after their adaptation of Wuthering Heights.
Much like the Georgia Nicolson books (which I love), not a great deal happens in the book, but Rennison has such a great way of ending the stories that you want to find out what happens to the characters next (and I'm feeling a love-rectangle coming on, much like with Georgia, though I'm hoping Lullah picks who I think she should pick, but it can never be that easy). Withering Tights is a fun, easy, lighthearted read, and I admittedly am looking forward to the next one. Just like with Georgia, you just can't get enough of Tallulah. (Though I almost think I might like Tallulah more than Georgia ... is that possible??)

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

Micah fully admits she's a liar. She does it a lot. Sometimes it's small lies, sometimes it's big lies, sometimes there's a little truth mixed in, but does she ever tell the whole truth? She promises the readers she's going to try.
A classmate, Zach, has been missing and then found dead. Micah breaks her story into before this happened, after it happened, and various histories (history of me, history of the school, family history, etc). Each bit reveals more and more of Micah, her classmates, her family, and her history with Zach, which is more than anyone ever expected.
She becomes sort-of friends with Zach's girlfriend Sarah and his best friend Tayshawn, and ordinarily Micah is in the background of her school life, but with Zach's death (and a large portion of the school thinking it was Micah who did it) and her relationship with Zach, Micah is suddenly under the microscope, not where she would like to be. These three very different students are grieving for someone who meant a great deal to each one of them, and that's a great dynamic to see, how they are drawn together.
Periodically Micah will reveal a lie--a tiny one usually, but a lie nonetheless. It makes you rethink her entire story. When one of the biggest reveals come, it left me thinking it was just an excuse Micah had used, another lie, and that left me on uneven footing for the rest of the book, as a great deal of the story required the reader to believe Michah's reveal.
It's not made clear in the book why Micah is writing this: is it just for her sake (which is what she claims) or is there a darker reasoning behind it? The book is broken into three parts, all of which have Micah claiming to tell the truth.
I was definitely interested in this book, having read many reviews of it and hearing a lot about it, and really, it's an unusual idea, and then the werewolf part came in. I'm not against supernatural characters, I just wasn't expecting one. So perhaps it was my fault, but it threw me for a loop.
One thing I did love about the story is that I still don't know if Micah was being entirely truthful. I think that was pretty awesome to have this great story, and the reader still is not sure what is laid out before the reader is actually what happened. A well written, engaging story (if you can suspend your disbelief), Liar is recommended for readers interested in mysteries.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Rhine and her twin brother Rowan scramble to keep living, even though like all of their generation, they will be dead before they're old. Girls die at 20 and boys die at 25 due to a virus that is so far unexplainable. The First Generations are adults in their 60s, 70s, the first (and only) genetically perfect generation. No one is certain how long they will live, but a number of them, including Rhine & Rowan's parents, have lived long enough to watch their first children die and are now on their next set of children.
At 16, Rhine is taken by Gatherers, people who prowl the streets for girls who will become brood mares to the wealthy, and taken far from her home and imprisoned by Linden and his father Vaughn. Rhine, along with Jenna (18) and Cecily (13), become Linden's wives. His first wife, Rose, the girl he grew up with and loved naturally, has turned 20 and is in the process of dying. 21 year old Linden has married Jenna, Rhine, and Cecily, but pays them little attention while Rose is still alive. Once she dies, he begins to spend time with each of his wives, first at night (each girl has her own bedroom), then during dinner and afternoons. Rhine reminds Linden of Rose, and it is her similarity to Rose (and closeness, the two girls spent time together before Rose died) that draws Linden to her.
Rhine is determined to escape. She does not want to be trapped in the gilded cage of the mansion whose grounds she cannot escape. Her first attempt to run away (during a hurricane) goes badly, and it is her friend Gabriel (one of the house attendants, who is near her age or a couple years older) who saves her from blowing away. Vaughn knows Rhine was trying to run away and warns her of what can happen if she tries again. Part of Rhine's plan is to become Linden's first wife, the wife he brings to parties and out into the world, so she is nice to him without ever really letting him into her past life, she lets him sleep with her in her bed but never consummates their marriage. She finds there is more to Linden than she originally thought, and a friendship grows between them.
Being a sister wife is more fulfilling than she originally thought as well, as she becomes as close as sisters with quiet, withdrawn Jenna and demanding, slightly bratty Cecily. Linden is easily intimidated when his three wives are together and generally lets them have their own way when they are.
Vaughn is a sinister character who had a son live to age 25 then die. Linden's mother died during childbirth and so Vaughn is desperately seeking a cure to the virus to keep his son alive. Rhine thinks Vaughn's desperation leads him to keep Rose's body in the basement laboratory to try different cures.
Wither is the first book in the Chemical Garden trilogy and I am curious to see where the story will go from this book. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters (even Linden) and I don't know what Rhine will do next. She is so intent on getting to her brother Rowan (who may or may not still be at their home in Manhattan) that you want her to find him, but you know even if she escapes from Vaughn, she will still die when she's 20. But you still want her to escape. Wither is definitely a worthwhile read for high school students and older. I look forward to the next book and hope I won't have to wait too long.

The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder

April Bowers is a not very well known sophomore at her high school. Her best friend Haley moved over the summer and April is not looking forward to her sophomore year totally friendless.
She is completely surprised when she is paired with super-popular Britney Taylor in gym class and even more surprised when Britney asks if April is new to the school. So what does April do? April lies: Yes, this is her first year at Penford High. For some inexplicable reason (to April), Britney takes a shine to April and decides that she will be a new project to work on. April is brought into the spotlight as a friend of Britney and followers Erin, Jessica, and Brianna. After a month or so of being Britney's "friend-in-training", Britney decides it's time for April to take the Lipstick Oath. This means following Britney's 7 Lipstick Laws (including not gaining more than 3 pounds, choosing fashion over comfort, revealing all your secrets upon initiation, and doing what's best for the popularity of the group, despite individual wants) and April has grown so addicted to having friends and being popular that she agrees.
Oh, April. April tries to follow the Lipstick Laws and though she's uncomfortable with certain aspects of her "friendships" with Britney & the gang, she does what she's told because she knows Britney can make her life a living hell. Finally, at a party that April doesn't want to be at, with people she doesn't want to be with, April escapes the cops and ruins clothes borrowed from Britney. A misunderstanding (and total bitchiness on Britney's part) results in April being kicked out of Britney's circle of friends and back to loserhood.
She calls Haley (whom she has been in touch with and who has told her to stay away from Britney) and hears the Britney Taylor saga from Haley, including revealing a chubby childhood, a messy parental divorce, and Haley's own booting from Britney's friendship. April & Haley determine there MUST be other girls at Penford High who were once involved in the Lipstick Oath and now resigned to social outcasts, and April finds a way to get in touch with them. She meets three other girls this way and they share their Britney horror stories. They decide they have to get even with Britney for making their lives hell. The plot goes well for the Lipstick Lawbreakers then Britney turns her evil powers on April and it goes back and forth like this.
Now, I know high school is no picnic, it's an awkward time for everybody, and that some people are downright mean, but I wonder just how realistic this is. Why would a sophomore rule the school's social hierarchy? Are students really that mean? I got really worried when one of the pranks involved someone's peanut allergy. Even if it's not a bad allergy (that you know of) it's definitely not something to encourage messing with. I was glad that that aspect didn't come to pass. I was also a little disappointed that when one of the characters took the high road, her antagonist did not follow suit or end up looking ridiculous herself but had to give April one last embarrassing moment. I really appreciated that April did end up taking the high road, and that she realized she was also doing the same thing as Britney had once done (that was painfully obvious to everyone but April; she came around though).
While I found some of the treatment of the girls a little cringe-inducing, The Lipstick Laws (published in April) is still a good story. I was really concerned April was not going to let all this meanness go, and I'm really happy she did. I know it's difficult to, and it can't always be done gracefully, but I think it sets a good example. I'd recommend The Lipstick Laws to readers as young as middle school as I'm not sure some of the language ("boobicle cubicle") and actions would translate to older high school students. It comes out with a positive result, lessons learned, and comfort with being one's self.

Evangeline by Gwen Williams

Gwen Williams based her erotic story Evangeline on the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale, Snow White & Rose Red. Williams imagines the story of Snow White (Evangeline) and the love she finds.
The book opens on Evangeline messing around with one of the young men from the village, John Woliver, a young man whom she is very fond of and would very much like to marry. John however is under strict instructions from his father NOT to marry Evangeline. He can dally with her, but he cannot marry her. Evangeline knows this and refuses to have sex with John. John finally tells Evangeline it's because of the bear that his father refuses to let them marry. I thought this was a pretty good ploy to explain the Grimm Brothers story, a flashback of John's father telling John that Evangeline, her sister Rose, and their mother sheltered a black bear for a winter and performed sexual acts with the bear. Evangeline is upset by this tale of gossip going around the village and stomps off, leaving John unsatisfied yet again.
Evangeline discovers that John is to marry another girl and so she is a little more bold when she entertains the glances of a stranger, Paul Rumsfeld. Evangeline finds the man desirable; he is well off and lives far from her village and that is enough for Evangeline to agree to marry him (after a proper courting of course).
On the first day she meets Paul Rumsfeld, the village gossip explains that he is on the search for his fourth wife--the previous three young wives dying unexpectedly. Evangeline pays this little mind until her wedding night when she is finally truly alone with her husband, and her fear and uncertainty overcome her. Paul is upset and visits her rarely in her lush set of rooms.
Spending little time with Paul, Evangeline is left in the company of her maid, Mathilda. Mathilda has also been maid to Paul's previous three wives and there's something in her attitude and demeanor that's a little creepy. She lurks in corners, always seems to be right outside Evangeline's door, and watches Evangeline when she sleeps.
Evangeline and Paul finally have a relationship breakthrough and they grow closer and more involved with each other and begin to genuinely love each other. Evangeline is very happy, very pregnant, and dotes on her husband. She begs him not to leave her alone and Paul begins to put her needs first.
Paul reveals the story of his previous three wives while talking to his steward, and we find that all three wives have died while Paul was absent. Each death breaks his heart and so he determined to stay as far from Evangeline as possible (but still needs to produce an heir to inherit his properties), refusing to fall in love with her. Ah, but Evangeline is too much for him to resist and they do fall in love.
The climax comes when Evangeline is in labor with her child and Paul is called away--so much happens at once that if feels the story was a little rushed to end it (plus some odd ways of tying up loose strings with Rose, Black Bear, and the King, who is mentioned maybe four times in the story). I could see who the "bad guy" was in the story pretty much from the beginning, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the building tension in the story.
Despite the ending, it was a cute heartwarming story. The sex was not overly detailed and there was not a great deal of it, so if you're reading for the steamy scenes, this book won't suit you. I am a sucker for fairy tale retellings, so there really was no chance that I was not going to enjoy the book. Evangeline by Gwen Williams is a good lighthearted story with a little bit of darkness (reminded me a bit of Rebecca, actually, but that might have just been creepy Mathilda). Recommended for fluff reading.

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Nora and Patch are back, though not together for very long. Patch reveals (rather reluctantly) that the archangels are watching him and Nora and if he makes it known he's fallen for Nora, the archangels will banish him to hell. Not a very happy prospect for either of them.
So, when Nora discovers this she pushes Patch away. She doesn't want him to go, obviously, so she thinks if she keep pushing him away he won't leave her. But this frustrates Patch. Nora becomes frustrated when Patch spends more and more time with Marcie Millar, Nora's high school nemesis. Torn between her love for Patch and her insecurity, Nora keeps botching their relationship up. (Yes, I totally blame Nora.)
An old family friend is back in the picture, and just like Nora was drawn to Patch's badassness, so she is drawn to trouble maker Scott. Scott is another Nephilim involved in some dark happenings, a blood society of Nephilim who want to stop the fallen angels from taking over the Nephilim's bodies every year. I hope this part of the story comes back in the last few books, I think it's a very interesting storyline and provides more depth (to make it more than just a love story).
Marcie and Nora are partners in summer school, and Marcie strangely attempts to be nice (or at least as nice as Marcie can be) to get information about Patch. But then she just tortures Nora with stories of what Marcie and Patch are doing. Surprisingly Marcie invites Nora to a summer party and Nora gets into a little bit of trouble (which doesn't come out until later).
Vee and Patch's friend Rixon start dating and since Nora broke up with Patch she feels like the third wheel with Vee and Rixon. Vee is not as present in this book as she was in Hush, Hush, being wrapped up with Rixon. Nora's happy for her but wishes she had her friend to herself more often.
And of course, Nora gets in trouble. She steals something from Scott and Scott becomes desperate to get the item back which leads to an intense showdown at the Delphic amusement park where the bad guy is not who you expect.
Nora also learns a little bit about her family history, which ends the book on a cliffhanger and I can't believe I have to wait until October 2011 to find out what happens next. I admit, though I was reluctant to start the books, I've been sucked in. I really like how Fitzpatrick writes, and though I get a little frustrated with Nora because she's stubborn, insecure, and doesn't talk to Patch when that would help a lot, she's overall a likable character. I really like Vee too and hope she plays more of a role in future books. Patch is not my type of guy but I can see the appeal.
So, Crescendo the second book in Becca Fitzpatrick's series is recommended for high school students and older. I enjoyed it and I look forward to the rest of the books!