The Lost Saint - Bree Despain

Book number 8! I can't wait to hit the double digits!

Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She gave her soul to the wolf to save him and lost her beloved mother. When Grace receives a haunting phone call from Jude, she knows what she must do. She must become a Hound of Heaven. Desparate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot - a newcomer to town who promises her that he can help her be a hero. But as the two grow closer, the wolf grows in Grace, and her relationship with Daniel begins to crumble. Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace becomes prideful in her new abilities - not realizing that an old enemy has returned and deadly trap is about to be sprung. stolen from Barnes and Noble

I thought this book was good... maybe a bit slow in the beginning. I was worried that Daniel and Grace were going to follow that road of "we aren't communicating so its going to destroy our relationship but don't worry we will work it out by the end of the book but only for a devastating twist to happen." Well, it did. Except I loved the TWIST AT THE END! VERY GOOD!

Grace really struggled with the wolf in this book. It took me a few times see it in the book but the italics is the wolf trying to lure Grace to the dark side and once I caught on, I saw how manipulative the wolf was being. Mini-spoiler I did think for a moment that Daniel and Grace were going to have a love scene because of the wolf, but it doesn't happen...

I generally feel bad for the Divine family. The mother goes from outrageously, overbearing mother to the catatonic mother and changes each day. A father searching for a son, leaving his other family members behind along with his parish. A baby brother who is scared of his big brother. I do wish Despain would develop James some more. They were perfect. Family dinners. Concerns. Love. Joy. Community service. A real sense of family. And it is ripped away. AND POOR JUDE. I love Jude. He was a lost soul by the end of the first book and he has become more lost since then. He's confused and I just want to make it better for him. Which makes me feel for Grace as she tries to save her brother.

I now have to wait until the next one comes out.

Sister Red by Jackson Pearce

Book 2 of the 100 book challenge....

I had seen this book several times over the last few weeks on some of the blogs that I follow. Everyone gave it awesome reviews. Several even said it was one of their favorite books of 2010... I downloaded the story on my NOOK as soon as I got a gift card for Christmas.

Here is the synopsis of this book courtesy of B&N.

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris—the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until

every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend—but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

I thought Pearce did an awesome job re-inventing the classic Little Red Riding Hood. Starting with page one I was riveted! I was intrigued by the "stranger" who is a wolf who attacks the two sisters and their grandmother, Oma. It was brutal and my heart broke for little Scarlett when she protected her little sister.

The story did slow down after the first twenty pages, but I imagine it would be extremely hard to keep the book that intense throughout. The sisters and their adorable friend Silas are hunters and realize that a potential werewolf (Fenris) is going to be joining the already huge mass of werewolves. They move to Atlanta desperately seeking this new "Potential." But while they are there Rosie discovers and interest in all things normal and Silas... saw it coming a mile away but ... who doesn't like a little love mixed with their werewolves?

I felt that Rosie and Silas were very predictable, normal teenage fiction characters. However, Scarlett was not. Normal heroines are startlingly beautiful and adored by everyone, not Scarlett. She has to be an 18 year old who is horribly disfigured, ultimately driving her to be a hunter and taking her little sister down the path, but still wishes that she were beautiful or not disfigured. I felt for this character, especially when she would notice anyone who didn't have a disfigurement (yep, everyone around her).

I will say that the first twist was predictable, (won't ruin it) but the second one I did not see coming, though I love a tragic ending and Pearce had a great opportunity for one but didn't do it... but it's like romance... you always appreciate the happy ending...

From the English teacher's standpoint, I would say its a great mentor text to show how to modernize a fairy tale. I also think that I have several students who would really enjoy this.

Solid 4 out 5