All We Know of Heaven

by Jacquelyn Mitchard

Summary: Bridget and Maureen are alike in so many ways. Petite, blonde, cheerleaders, best friends forever. A horrible accident--one lives, one dies. But the doctors get it wrong. They tell Maureen's family to plan a funeral, and Bridget's family sits at the bedside of a comatose girl they think is theirs. After realizing the devastating truth, the doctors must give miraculous news to one family, and destroy the lives of another. Maureen must overcome not only her physical issues, but come to grips with the grief and resentment of Bridget's family. Bridget's boyfriend stays by Maureen's side, however, and even though it seems wrong to both of them, they seem to be falling in love. Is he simply replacing Bridget, or can this love possibly last through all of the difficult times ahead?

My thoughts: I was fascinated with this story when it came on the news a few years ago. Something very similar actually happened, and while this is a fictional tale, the real event was pretty close to what Mitchard has written here. Even though the story veers off to be mostly a romance (which I normally don't enjoy reading as much) the story unfolds so dramatically that I couldn't help but be drawn in. Maureen's painful recovery, both physically and emotionally, is a strong testament to the power of love and family bonds.

The Replacement

by Brenna Yovanoff

Summary: The town of Gentry has a dirty little secret. The children here have a pretty high mortality rate--they're dropping like flies. Mackie Doyle knows why. He knows that the children in the town's cemetaries aren't the same children the parents raised and loved. Those children ended up somewhere else. Underground. And he knows this because he's one of them, only he survived. He's slowly dying, though, and when a friend of his sister's gives him a serum that makes him better, he learns there is a price to pay. What he finds in the world of the underground will gross you out, fascinate you, and haunt you for quite some time.

My thoughts: The Replacement is the first novel by this author, and I'm impressed! With a pretty horrific cast of characters, both dead and alive, this is a very original story that plays on one of humanity's greatest fears. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. Check out a cool book trailer here http://got.im/q5d.