The Replacement By Brenna Yovanoff

Author: Brenna Yovanoff
Pages: 343
Date Published: September 21 2013
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin Group

Introduction
       In Gentry, one day you will have a perfectly normal baby and things will seem great. Then the next day your baby will be gone, replaced with a strange creature that is in no way the baby you had yesterday. Many replacements don't make it in the human world very long and die shortly after being left. Only a few make it  past a few months. Malcom (Mackie) one of the few replacements has made it to the age of 16. Unfortunately he is getting weaker and weaker in the human world do to the fact that he gets extreme reactions to even being near blood or iron. Recently a girl that Mackie knows from school, Tate, had her sister Natalie pass away. Before she died Tate noticed some changes in her sister. Mackie comes to a conclusion that Natalie was replaced. After while he finds out that she could still be alive. As Mackie struggles to just to stay alive, he must find a way to get Natalie back before all saints day when she will be sacrificed. So thus begins this dark story of ugly things


Cover
       The cover of this book is absolutely stunning. I could hardly tear my eyes from it. It is unlike any cover I have ever seen. The whole cover just gives me this eerie feeling that suits this book perfectly.

Characters/Relationships
       I loved every character that was in this book. Everyone of them seemed so thought out, real and believable. They all had very realistic relationships with each other. I loved the friendship between Roswell and Mackie. Roswell is always calm and collected. Never asking to many questions. Plus he still likes Mackie even though many other people truly believe that he is a freak. Another friendship that I loved was between Emma and Mackie. Emma and Mackie are not really related but Emma loves him and protects him like they really are related.

       I wasn't completely convinced with Tate and Mackie dating it didn't really interest me very much. I was much more interested in how they were going to get Natalie back, than what was going on between Tate and Mackie.

Conclusion
       I loved this book and would easily pick this up for a second read. It drew me in from the very first page. I recommend this book for anybody that has grown tired with the same old story about a girl who falls in love with a supernatural boy.

The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

Author: Kim Harrington
Originally titled: Glimmer
Pages: 295
Date Published: January 1 2013
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Introduction

     Jade's family is average. They used to live in a small house in a small town. That changes when they can suddenly afford a beautiful big house in a great town. Of course she has to start at a new high school. She doesn't mind all that much. That is until people start whispering about the beautiful house she is currently living in. After snooping around in her dad's office she finds why her family was able to buy the house. Kayla, the former queen bee of the high school died in the house. Her death was caused by falling down the stairs, although some say that she was pushed. Of course the only person that would know the answer to that is Kayla. In the beginning of the book, Jade's brother Colby confides in Jade saying that he sees a glimmering girl. She talks but no words come out. Plus she's angry. Jade is worried about Colby, who never lies. She tries to tell her step-mother Marie but she completely denies the idea. Telling her dad would be completely useless seeing that he would probably agree with Marie anyway. Despite everything Jade leads an okay social life. Even that has it's flaws though. She has a crush on a boy named Donovan. Who happens to be Kayla's ex-boyfriend, and when she gets forced into throwing a party, someone brings a Ouija board to contact the ghost of Kayla. They get responses, saying that she didn't fall down the stairs, she was in fact pushed. But she didn't see who did it. Jade soon realizes that using the Ouija board was a big mistake. It opened a door, allowing Kayla to posses Colby whenever she wanted to. The first time she did, she commanded that Jade find who was responsible for her death. If she didn't, Colby would be the next one to "fall" down the stairs. Willing to do anything to protect her brother, Jade starts to investigate. She soon finds out that the people in her new town have more secrets than it seems.

Cover
       The Dead and Buried has two covers. The one that I have has, what I presume is Kayla lying dead. The other cover was a girl (probably Kayla) walking down the stairs you can't see her face it's more like a silhouette. I like this cover because it looks mysterious. I think both are gorgeous.

Characters/Relationships
       I really liked all the characters in this book. Everyone of them were fantastic. They all had different personalties. Donovan was a gamer and an artist. Alexa is an overachiever. Colby is the sweet little boy. Kane is everybody is quick to judge, the list goes on. I have to say, my favorite character on the book is Donovan. He has been through a lot, and is so much more than what people see him as.
       Jade likes Donovan, The quiet, shy guy that still seems to be hung up on Kayla. She doesn't know what to do about him. Plus she doesn't have that much time to really get into a relationship, her brothers life at stake and all. Despite everything, they still become an item but need to keep it secret due to the fact that if Jade is going to find out who pushed Kayla, it might require a little bit of flirting. Also Jade is sure that dating her old boyfriend would not make her the happy.

Conclusion
       This book left me amazingly happy. The characters were great, and the mystery of who killed Kayla kept me guessing. I think this is more recommend girls, due to the fact that a large amount of the book has to do with Kayla's relationships with her old friends and boyfriends.