Fourteen-year-old Dancia Lewis has spent so much time keeping herself inconspicuous (average grades, forgettable looks, dingy wardrobe, no real friends) that she's shocked to learn she's being recruited for prestigious Delcroix Academy. Although she's never actually been inside the gates of the exclusive boarding school, she knows it's reserved for the super rich and super smart. So, why does the principal want her? It's definitely not for her grades, her involvement in extracurriculars, her bold crusades to save the world, her family's glittering fortune - in fact, she can't think of one reason anyone would want her at Delcroix. Well, there is one reason, but no one knows about her ... power. She's made sure of that by remaining absolutely, completely ordinary. So, what is it the recruiters see in her? A potential for greatness? A token charity student? Someone with a multitude of talents just waiting to be discovered and nurtured? Who cares? Between the stellar education, the full scholarship, the diverse student population, and Cam, the very hot, apparently interested recruiter, Dancia really can't say no.

Her first steps on campus convince Dancia that Delcroix truly is different from other schools. The student body runs the gamut from drama geeks to computer nerds to musical prodigies, all of whom are accepted and respected for their unique abilities. Cliques are replaced by "teams," the members of which help, support and hang out with each other. For the first time, Dancia feels accepted. Even though she's yet to find her special talent, she's hopeful that she will. It doesn't hurt that she's got two guys vying for her attention - Cam, the golden boy senior, and paranoid bad boy, Jack.

As tranquil as Delcroix seems, Dancia can't shake the feeling that there's something more to the school than meets the eye. Jack, who's concealing his own dark secrets, sees conspiracies around every corner. Is he just mad that he can't seem to assimilate in a place that accepts even the most eccentric kids? Or is there something to his crazy theories? She can't deny the strange electric shock she got from shaking Cam's hand the first time she met him, but he's the most normal boy in the world. Can he be hiding a power of his own? Or is Jack's paranoia making Dancia as distrustful as he is?

When Jack finds what appears to be incriminating evidence in Cam's dorm room, Dancia's forced to accept the truth - something very, very strange is going on at Delcroix Academy, something big, something so dangerous it has Jack running for his life. Torn between helping Jack and believing Cam, Dancia has to figure out the truth about what she is, what she can do, and how far she's willing to go to protect the people she loves.

Delcroix Academy: The Candidates is the first book in a new series by debut author Inara Scott. A tiny bit Harry Potter, a little bit X-Men, and a lot bit Heroes, the novel leans so heavily on cliche that this series will never be able to stand on its own without a serious originality intervention. The plot's been done countless times, making freshness an absolute necessity. Unfortunately, Scott introduces nothing unique - no daring new angles, no captivating new characters, no surprising plot developments. Nothing. Nothing to make The Candidates memorable, nothing to keep it from fading into dull, lifeless predictability. Worse, there are no sparks between any of the characters, the story inches along at a snail's pace, and it takes Dancia the entire length of the novel to see what's perfectly obvious to the rest of us. All of these things contributed to me putting this book down twice before deciding to soldier on. I'm sure the series will get better as it goes along, but I won't be sticking around long enough to find out. My super reading powers are telling me to move on.

(Readalikes: Weirdly, it's movies and tv shows that come to mind - the book's kind of a cross between Heroes and Sky High.)

Grade: C-

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (no F-bombs) and mild sexual innuendo

To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Delcroix Academy: The Candidates from the generous folks at Disney/Hyperion. Thank you!

Okay, I'm going to be totally honest with you, even if it makes me look like a terrible mother: These days (with three of my four kids in school all day) I actually look forward to weekdays more than the weekends. Horrible, right? I'm going to go ahead and blame it on my health issues (since it's just so dang convenient) and the resulting exhaustion, but the nice, all-day quiet is awfully appealing these days. Still, I'm looking forward to this weekend, which promises to be both fun-filled and uplifting. If you're LDS, you know that General Conference starts tomorrow (that's the uplifting part) - it always gives me a much-needed boost, even if my restless children make it a tad difficult to concentrate on what the speakers are sayng. Conference weekend also means lots of family together time. We're going to be decorating for Halloween, celebrating a cousin's birthday, eating homemade grilled pizza and lots more.

As if that wasn't enough, it's also time for my two favorite weekly bloggy activities:
This week's question from our hostess, Jen, over at Crazy for Books, is about using social network sites to promote our book blogs. Even though I don't think I really "get" Twitter, I do use it for occasional giveaway announcements and such. As for Facebook, I just recently set up a fan page. You can use the link on the left sidebar to become a fan. All in all, though, I think the resource that has most help me advertise my blog is the Book Hop and Follow Friday, as well as visiting and commenting on all the blogs on my feed reader (there are hundreds). I really love finding new book blogs and keeping tabs on all my favorites.

Your turn - head on over to Crazy for Books and get Hoppin'!

I've only been doing Follow Friday, hosted by Parajunkee, for a couple of weeks, but I'm really enjoying it. Click on over there to join in the fun!

If you're here because of either of these events, leave me a comment and let me know. Welcome, everybody - enjoy your stay :)

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper knows she's not the prettiest girl in her clique. Or the skinniest. Or the most well-liked. But she's shocked when playboy Wesley Rush informs her that she is, in fact, The Duff (Designated Ugly Fat Friend). "It's not like you're an ogre or anything," he explains, "but in comparison ...(6)" His cruelty wounds Bianca more than she wants to admit, hence the Cherry Coke she throws in his face. Still, the insult lingers. As does the anger, which she feels boiling through her at the mere sight of Wesley.

When Bianca's assigned to work with her arch enemy on a school project, she's not exactly thrilled. Especially since Wesley insists on calling her "Duffy." Trouble is, when she's alone with him, he's not all that bad. The jerk may even have a sensitive side. Considering the fact that Bianca's family is falling apart at the seams, she could use a sympathetic ear. And arms. And lips. Okay, she's hopelessly attracted to him. Only she can't tell a soul. Her friends wouldn't understand. Heck, she doesn't even understand. All she knows is that hanging out with Wesley makes her feel better. Maybe he's toying with her, playing with her emotions as carelessly as he does with all the other girls' - so what? She's using him, too, right? It's all fair.

It's only when she realizes how much she's come to rely on Wesley that she faces the truth: not only does she like the uber flirt, she might actually love him. Of course he doesn't feel the same way - a guy like Wesley would never fall for The Duff. Their little enemies-with-benefits arrangement was supposed to be an emotionless fling. So, why is Bianca hurting so badly? Cutting herself off is the only solution. Good thing sweet, Harvard-bound Toby's waiting in the wings. He's not a user, but her heart doesn't throw a tizzy when he's around either. If Bianca's The Duff, then why is her love life suddenly so complicated?

The DUFF, a debut YA novel by 19-year-old Kody Keplinger, has been getting so much buzz lately that I couldn't wait to tear open its cover and start reading. Then, the F-bombs started exploding, the sex talk got going, and Bianca's abrasive personality reared its ugly head. I would have quit with Chapter One, but by then, I had to know how things turned out. Still, the more I read, the less I cared for our foul-mouthed heroine. I didn't like her enough to feel sorry for her when things got rough at home, or when her situation with Wesley got confusing. My opinion? They're both self-centered users - they deserve each other. None of the other characters were developed enough to become truly interesting. All of this, combined with the profusive profanity, graphic sex scenes, and the way all the teens in the book talked about intercourse like it was the most casual thing in the world, left me hunting for redemptive value. Guess what? I found very little. Keplinger can write, the story she tells is compelling (though in a "Why am I still reading this?" kind of way) and the novel does carry a "Just be yourself" message. However, if being yourself means living the kind of coarse, depressing, shallow life Keplinger describes, then no thank you.

Unlike a lot of YA authors, Keplinger's actually attended high school in the 21st Century, so maybe The DUFF reflects a realistic teenage experience. Maybe I'm just too old or too big a prude to get it. It's totally possible. Because I didn't. At all.

(Readalikes: Hm, I don't know. Suggestions?)

Grade: C-

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for strong language, graphic sexual content, and one instance of physical abuse toward a child.

To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find