Remember Me by Christopher Pike

This book counts toward the following challenge:



-------------------------------------------

Remember Me (series omnibus)
By Christopher Pike
Publisher: Simon Pulse, 2010
789 pages, paperback
Date Finished: 10/1/2011
Genres: Young Adult, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Romance, Action, Paranormal, Mystery

Shari Cooper wakes up dead. The last thing she can remember is falling from a balcony during her friend's party. Her death has been ruled a suicide, but Shari knows she was murdered -- and her closest friends are now suspects. As she tries to find her killer from the other side, she discovers her friends may not have been so loyal to her after all. Now Shari is not just out for justice, she's out for revenge. . . .
~from back of book~

First Line: "Most people would probably call me a ghost."
Last Line: "They would meet in a place of light and splendor and both would remember today and yesterday and days so long ago their history could only be found in forgotten ancient myths, such as 'The Starlight Crystal.' "

Review: This series omnibus took me 4 months to finish. I was really disappointd about that,but my slow reading had nothing to do with the rating of the book. Actually, this eries drew me in very rapidly, and by the time I finished the first story, which is also titled Remember Me, I was hooked on it.

There was action (lots of it), but we stayed in California the whole time, so you don't get conofused with the setting. My favorite character for this series was definitely Shari. She went through so much, and I believe that she handled it way better than most people would. Her life -- well, afterlife -- was super-interesting; anyone who loves paranormal reads should take some time out to indulge in the omnibus. I think all of you would really enjoy it.

My favorite story from the series? Hmm... I'm thinking it would be The Last Story, which is just what it infers -- the last story. LOL :). I think the characters in that novel were really developed; Shari was having serious relationship problems in that one, but thankfully she gets them all solved by the last page.

I highly recommend this omnibus to y'all!



Quotes from the book:

" 'Nothing happens by accident. We are born with so many breaths. Wehen they're used up, we die. Nothing can stop it.'
'Nothing?'
'Nothing.'
'Are you sure about that?' I asked.
My doubt made him smile. 'The girl falls off a balcony and she turns into a philosopher.' " ~Remember Me

" 'I'm not saying a college degree guarantees happiness. But not having one guarantees that you'll be working grunge jobs the rest of your life.' " ~The Return

" 'The breath is the most intimate aspect of our lives. The first act of lise inhalation. The last act is exhalation. All of life occurs between those two acts. Yet we seldom think of our breath. Only if we choke on something -- then we quickly realize how important it is.' " ~The Last Story

" 'What is grace?' someone asked.
'That is the same as asking what is the meaning of life. That is a great secret. If you ask someone that and they answer you, it means they do not know the answer. No one who knows the answer ever answers that question.' " ~The Last Story

Evermore by Alyson Noel

This book counts toward the following challenges:


__________________________________________________

Evermore (Immortals, #1)
By Alyson Noel
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin, 2009
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Date Finished: 1/1/2011
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Coming of Age, Romance, Action

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste…

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.
~from goodreads.com~

~First Line: " 'Guess who?' "
~Last Line: " 'Always have. Always will.' "

Review: The Immortals series debut was fantastic! After reading Radiance I knew I would love this one.

Ever, the heroine, was so closed off from the world. I mean, I understand that she was still grieving over her recently lost family, but still. She should have been trying to make new friends and get back to real life.

Not that she doesn't have friends. Her two best -- and only -- friends are Haven and Miles. Haven's obsessed with vampires, and Miles is gay and loves acting.

Add Ever's eventually-boyfriend Damen to the mix and you've got a strange group. Of course, Damen isn't anywhere near outcast-ism like the others are. He's gorgeous, the perfect guy, and all the girls want him.

There was so much action in the book. Now, just so we're on the same page, let me say that "action" in this book and my perspective means "boyfriends that end up being a mystery without a bestselling author, friends that don't unerstand everything about you, a guardian that's doing her best to raise her niece, and, overall, a girl who doesn't believe she can trust anyone, that she's the only one with her abilities." Now wouldn't you say that's action? Or maybe drama's the word. A little of both in this work.

Mix all that in a bucket, add in a female antagonist that wants to destroy Ever and a totally unexpected visit to Disneyland, and you've got the marvelous novel entitled Evermore.

Truly, this novel was ah-mazing. I am so excited to begin reading Blue Moon, but I should probably finish some of the books I'm reading first. :)



Quotes from the book:

"Before I can answer, Miles looks up from his Sidekick and shoots her the look -- the one with the direct translatioin of: Caution all ye who enter."

" 'Disneyland?' I climb out of my car and gaze at him in shock. Out of all the places I thought we'd end up, this never cracked the list."

"I try to clear my mind of all incriminating thought, knowing she'll only use it against me. But the thing is, trying to clear your mind is about as effective as telling someone to not think about elephants -- from that moment on that's all they'll think about."