Pretty Crooked, by Elisa Ludwig

Series: Pretty Crooked, #1
Publisher: Katherine Tegen
Release Date: March 23, 2012
Hardcover: 368 pages
Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary
Read it in: 13 days
Source: Library
Challenge: Debut Author, YA Contemporary
Rating: ★★★★

Willa’s secret plan seems all too simple: take from the rich kids at Valley Prep and give to the poor ones.
Yet Willa’s turn as Robin Hood at her ultra-exclusive high school is anything but. Bilking her “friends”-known to everyone as the Glitterati-without them suspecting a thing, is far from easy. Learning how to pick pockets and break into lockers is as difficult as she’d thought it’d be. Delivering care packages to the scholarship girls, who are ostracized just for being from the “wrong” side of town, is way more fun than she’d expected.
The complication Willa didn’t expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, Valley Prep’s most notorious (and gorgeous) ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distracting Willa from what matters most to her-evening the social playing field between the have and have-nots. There’s no time for crushes and flirting with boys, especially conceited and obnoxious trust-funders like Aidan.
But when the cops start investigating the string of burglaries at Valley Prep and the Glitterati begin to seek revenge, could he wind up being the person that Willa trusts most?

When I first read the summary for this 2012 debut, I knew it was going to be an enjoyable read. It's just one of those books you know right of the bat is going to be fun. And it was. It took me a while to read it, nearly two weeks, but that was because I was in a rut. I just didn't want to read at all, but once I did I'd get through some pages pretty fast because it was funny at times and pretty snarky.

Willa was a great character, she lost her way a little bit toward the middle, but fixed it by helping those who didn't have much money. There is your classic mean girls in this book, the "Glitterati", they make it hell for those who are on scholarships and don't have the means to dress up to their standards. Willa thought there was something that needed to be done about that. So she turns into a modern day Robin Hood.

With the help of a new friend, she learns how to pick pocket and break into lockers and cars and eventually houses and steal things from those who have enough money to buy a million more of the things she stole. When she was on a "job" it really made my heart beat. My heart was pounding so hard thinking she was about to get caught. And then I'd exhale my held breath in relief.

Other than Willa, my other favorite characters were Cherise, Tre, and Aidan. Especially Aidan, he was so funny and all of his scenes made me smile. He's pretty different than the other rich kids. I can't decide who I want Willa to be with, though. I really like Aidan and she does too, but theres parts of me that see Tre and I'm like, "Noo Willa!". Maybe we'll see in the next book what will happen.

Overall, this is just an overall enjoyable book. The writing flowed well and I'd fly through pages when I was reading. This is definitely a debut to read this year! And a new author to add to my watch list. If you like Robin Hood and fashion, you should definitely give this book a try!
                                                                                                                                    
Author Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository
Add it: Goodreads | Shelfari

The sequel, Pretty Sly, will be released on March 12th, 2013. 

Past, Present, & Future, #31

Past, Present & Future Reading Pile is a feature I do on my blog every Sunday to keep track of the books I read the week before, the book I'm currently reading, and the books I'm hoping to read in the upcoming week. 
                                                                                                                                        

My Soul to Take, by Rachel Vincent
(Soul Screamers, #3)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: June 1, 2010

Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them.Until something does.Demon breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that reallycan kill you. Somehow the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked.And so is someone else…

I love this series and I love Rachel Vincent's books. It took me a bit to get into this book, but after a while I was sucked in and couldn't stop!
You can find my review here.   

                                             Total: 1

                                                                                                                                

Passion, by Lauren Kate

(Fallen, #3)

Publisher: Delecorte Press

Release Date: June 14, 2011

Luce would die for Daniel.
And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel left broken and alone. But perhaps it doesn't need to be that way....
Luce is certain that something - or someone - in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of thislifetime...going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel...and finally unlock the key to making their love last.
Cam and the legions of angels and Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are as frantic as Daniel. He chases Luce through their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history. Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames...forever.
Sweeping across centuries, PASSION is the third novel in the unforgettably epic FALLEN series.

I only have about 100 pages of this left, so I'll probably finish it tonight or tomorrow morning. It's really good! I love this series. My review should be up tomorrow sometime, so watch out for that! =)
                                                                                                                                  

Pretty Crooked, by Elisa Ludwig
(Pretty Crooked, #1)
Publisher: Katherine Tegen
Release Date: March 23, 2012

Willa’s secret plan seems all too simple: take from the rich kids at Valley Prep and give to the poor ones.
Yet Willa’s turn as Robin Hood at her ultra-exclusive high school is anything but. Bilking her “friends”-known to everyone as the Glitterati-without them suspecting a thing, is far from easy. Learning how to pick pockets and break into lockers is as difficult as she’d thought it’d be. Delivering care packages to the scholarship girls, who are ostracized just for being from the “wrong” side of town, is way more fun than she’d expected.
The complication Willa didn’t expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, Valley Prep’s most notorious (and gorgeous) ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distracting Willa from what matters most to her-evening the social playing field between the have and have-nots. There’s no time for crushes and flirting with boys, especially conceited and obnoxious trust-funders like Aidan.
But when the cops start investigating the string of burglaries at Valley Prep and the Glitterati begin to seek revenge, could he wind up being the person that Willa trusts most?

After I finish Passion, I'm going to be starting on this one. I'm really excited because it sounds really good.

Fever, by Lauren DeStefano
(The Chemical Garden, #2)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: February 21, 2012

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.
The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.
In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

I started this a couple of weeks ago, but got into a rut and didn't want to read anything. So now I want to start it again because I know it'll be amazing.
                                                                                                                     
What did you read this week? Was it great? What are you currently reading? What's up next on your reading list? I'd love to know, so let me know in the comments so I can add more books to my TBR list. =)