Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Publishing House: Little Brown
Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling
Rating: PG
Summary: The forest invites you in . . . but will never let you go.

As a child, Gretchen's twin sister was taken by a witch in the woods. Ever since, Gretchen and her brother, Ansel, have felt the long branches of the witch's forest threatening to make them disappear too.

Years later, when their stepmother casts Gretchen and Ansel out, they find themselves in sleepy Live Oak, South Carolina. They're invited to stay with Sophia Kelly, a beautiful candy maker who molds sugary magic: coveted treats that create confidence, bravery, and passion.

Life seems idyllic, and Gretchen and Ansel gradually forget their haunted past — until Gretchen meets handsome local outcast Samuel. He tells her the witch isn't gone — it's lurking in the forest, preying on girls after Live Oak's infamous chocolate festival each year, and looking to make Gretchen its next victim. Gretchen is determined to stop running and start fighting back. Yet, the further she investigates the mystery of what the witch is and how it chooses its victims, the more she wonders who the real monster is.

Gretchen is certain of only one thing: a monster is coming, and it will never go away hungry.

Reason:
Sweetly by Jackson Pearce is a good and funny book. Throughout the story there is a lot of talk about killing werewolves and witches (who are werewolves). So that is a little off. It is a good story because of the fact that you never see the ending coming.

I rated the story PG because of the slightly more mature theme of the book. Which does involve killing and if I remember correctly a small amount of language. But it really is a good book.

Now it is up to you (Sorry about the short post. Haven’t read this in a long time.)

Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver

Publishing House: HarperCollins
Genre: Romantic/Drama/Thriller
Rating: PG-13
Summary: I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and ?ame.
Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

Reason:

This book is very similar to the first in terms of reasons for why it is rated. I did love this book more than I can say. It made me want to know what was going to happen and practically lived for the next page. Which is so much like what the first book did for me as well.

This book gets it rating because there is some cussing but like Delirium it is not a lot at all.

Throughout the book Lena is trying to a just to her new life in the ‘wilds’. This includes her getting used to the people around her not being ashamed of their nudity. (she sometimes will walk in on guys changing or someone bathing in the river.)

This book also has a lot of violence but that comes with the territory of the theme and genre.

All in all this book is very good. So now it is up to you to choose to read it. But I would recommend reading Delirium first.

The Healer’s Apprentice By, Melanie Dickerson

Publishing House: Zondervan
Genre: Historic/Romance/Mystry
Rating: G
Summary: Two Hearts. One Hope.
Rose has been appointed as a healer's apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity for a woodcutter's daughter like her. While she often feels uneasy at the sight of blood, Rose is determined to prove herself capable. Failure will mean returning home to marry the aging bachelor her mother has chosen for her---a bloated, disgusting merchant who makes Rose feel ill.
When Lord Hamlin, the future duke, is injured, it is Rose who must tend to him. As she works to heal his wound, she begins to understand emotions she's never felt before and wonders if he feels the same. But falling in love is forbidden, as Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Rose's life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny.

Reason for Rating:
This is my first G rated book! Now when I say it’s G rated it just means that it is family friendly. There is one part where she says she is seeing demons but she was poisoned right before that so it was an affect of the poison.

I really loved this story and all the twists and turns it took. Granted I did see the big one coming but that is because I read books like this a lot. You can also find this book in several Christian book stores, which I didn’t know until after I had read the book.

I would highly recommend this book.

Across The Universe (Across The Universe #1) By Beth Revis

Publishing House: razor bill
Genre: Science fiction/Mystery
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Amy is a cryogenically frozen passenger aboard the spaceship Godspeed. She has left her boyfriend, friends, and planet behind to join her parents as a member of Project Ark Ship.

--

Amy and her parents believe they will wake on a new planet, Centauri-Earth, three hundred years in the future. But fifty years before Godspeed’s scheduled landing, cryo chamber 42 is mysteriously unplugged, and Amy is violently woken from her frozen slumber.
Someone tried to murder her
Now, Amy is caught inside a tiny world where nothing makes sense. Godspeed’s 2,312 passengers have forfeited all control to Eldest, a tyrannical and frightening leader. And Elder, Eldest’s rebellious teenage heir, is both fascinated with Amy and eager to discover whether he has what it takes to lead.
Amy desperately want s to trust Elder. But should she put her faith in a boy who has never seen life outside the ship’s cold metal walls? All Amy knows is that she and Elder must race to unlock Godspeed’s hidden secrets before whoever woke her tried to kill again.

Reason for Rating:
Across the Universe has been sitting on my bookshelf for a long time now and I did read it as soon as I got it but I haven’t gotten around to writing a review for it.

First off with this book, I really did love it. It is the type of Science fiction book that I enjoy. It has the mystery, the science, and a little romance too. I rated this book as PG-13 because of 3 simple facts.

1. It is your typical murder mystery
2. The people who are being frozen are described as being completely naked and
3. There is an attempted rape scene

The first count is not exactly a bad thing, but it does up the rating from G to PG just on the account of violence. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good mystery but they are not something I would read to an elementary kid.

The second count is pretty self explanatory. The worst of this it happens when Elder first fines the frozen and sees Amy slid out of her chamber. And he sort of describes her and says something about her private areas only being covered by a fogged glass.

And as for the 3rd part. You see there comes a point on the ship that everyone starts acting like dogs in heat and can’t seem to keep themselves under control. At this point Amy tells someone no and when they keep trying she runs. He and a few others chase her and pin her down and try to rip her cloths but Elder ends up saving her before anything happens.

This book was very good but really does need the PG-13 rating I have given it. This book is full of suspense and mystery. The plot is good and I really do love the story. But the final choice is of course up to you.

Toys by James Patterson

Publishing House: Little Brown
Genre: Thriller
Rating: R
Summary: Hays Baker and his wife Lizbeth possess super-human strength, extraordinary intelligence, stunning looks, a sex life to die for, and two beautiful children. Of course they do—they're Elites, endowed at birth with the very best that the world can offer. The only problem in their perfect world: humans and their toys!

The one with the most toys—dies

The top operative for the Agency of Change, Hays has just won the fiercest battle of his career. He has been praised by the President, and is a national hero. But before he can savor his triumph, he receives an unbelievable shock that overturns everything he thought was true. Suddenly Hays is on the other side of the gun, forced to leave his perfect family and fight for his life.

Now a hunted fugitive, Hays is thrown into a life he never dreamed possible—fighting to save humans everywhere from extinction. He enlists all of his training to uncover the truth that will save millions of lives—maybe even his own. James Patterson's Toys is a thriller on a hyper plane—with a hero who rivals both James Bond and Jason Bourne.

Reason:
This book in itself is a really good book but it is rated R for a reason. Those reasons are as follows.

Murder, strong language, and sex.

At the very beginning there is a party that Hays and Lizabeth go to where there are toys set up for people to look at and test. Two dolls are picture in bed together. As well as close to the end of the book Hays and Lizabeth have a very intimate moment.

There are several murders and explosions. The murders and dead bodies are described in a detail.

In terms of language they use about every word there is to use.

I rated this story are for those reasons but the story is really good. Like all James Patterson books. However this book is clearly meant for an older audience.

Reckless by Cornelia Funke

Publishing House: Little, Brown Young Readers

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Beyond the mirror, the darkest fairy tales come alive. . . .

For years, Jacob Reckless has enjoyed the Mirrorworld's secrets and treasures.

Not anymore.

His younger brother has followed him.

Now dark magic will turn the boy to beast, break the heart of the girl he loves, and destroy everything Jacob holds most dear. . . .

Unless he can find a way to stop it.

If you're looking for happily ever after, you've come to the wrong place.

Reason:

Being a fan of the creepier fantasy novel, I really enjoyed this book. And although it could probably fit into a few other genres, I decided just to go with ‘Dark Fantasy’, since that sums it up well.

Now, as for the rating, I chose PG-13 mainly for violence. There’s one especially gruesome character, and you get to spend a chapter with him. I usually don’t get too scared by books, but I was completely freaked after reading about said character.

There are also some sexual innuendos but nothing incredibly heavy. The main character “spends the night” with another character, but that’s as detailed as it gets. Two characters (one being the main character) accidentally drink some magic ‘love water’ and kiss passionately. There’s only a few swear words, so nothing too bad.

Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver

Publishing House: HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
Genre: Romantic/Drama/Thriller
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Reason:
All in all Delirium is a great book and I fell in love with it from the start. Lena’s heartbreaking story about her family drew me in and the way the story progressed and her relationship with Alex (her love interest) was amazing. However Delirium, no matter how great a book, gets a PG-13 rating.

There is cussing. Not allot but personally any is too much for me.

There is also Violence. Allot of violence actually. There is a scene were Lena is bitten by a dog, a dog is kicked against a wall, and even officials beating teens with batons. All of this is not good but detrimental to the story.

Then there are “intimate” moments. In which I guess you could say there are two. The first during evaluations (test they have to take for the procedure). This is more along the lines of Lena having to wear a practically see through hospital gown. The second is a little more…. Not great. In this one Lena lets Alex take off her shirt and look at her.

For these reasons I am rating Delirium by Lauren Oliver PG-13 even if it is an amazing book. Now it is up to you to decide if you want to read it.