Review: Wanderlove

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

YA Contemporary Fiction, Published March 2012

Read May 2012, 352 pp.

3.5/5 Stars

Book Blurb:

It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America–the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria’s a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan’s a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they’ve got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can’t run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry into this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story.

Thoughts:

Everyone daydreaming of summer will enjoy a trip into Wanderlove.  Bria has just graduated from high school and is looking for an adventure before deciding what to do about college.  She put all her hopes and dreams of attending art school with her boyfriend, but he is now her ex-boyfriend.  She feels let down by him, her friends who were supposed to join her on this trip, and her parents.  So not willing to give into their doubts about her, Bria decides to take off with the Global Vagabonds and heads to Central America by herself.  But she soon finds that she’s much younger than the average Global Vagabond and decides to strike out on her own adventure. 

I really loved the artwork that is incorporated into the book as Bria starts to open up to her new friends as well as herself about her love of art.  I liked that Bria’s character does stay true to her age and I liked that she took the trip on her own and the reader really gets to go on this coming of age journey with her.  I would’ve really liked to have seen Bria get out of her own head a bit more and actually visit more places as she was backpacking with Rowan as well as see more of Rowan’s character.  With such travel experience, I knew Rowan had more to offer, but his character often fell a little flat for me.  Ultimately though, I loved this story and the backpacking travel experience that the author brings to the book.  I think it does stay true to a YA audience and they will love traveling alongside Bria, Starling, and Rowan.

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte BFYR/Random House Children’s Books for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Read Full Post »

Review: Pilgrims Don’t Wear Pink

Pilgrims Don’t Wear Pink by Stephanie Kate Strohm

YA Fiction, Published May 8, 2012

Read September 2011, 204 pp

5/5 STARS!

Book Blurb:

Libby Kelting had always felt herself born out of time. No wonder the historical romance-reading, Jane Austen-adaptation-watching, all-around history nerd jumped at the chance to intern at Camden Harbor, Maine’s Oldest Living History Museum.

But at Camden Harbor Libby’s just plain out of place, no matter how cute she looks in a corset. Her cat-loving coworker hates her, the geeky local reporter keeps pushing her buttons, the sailor she’s dating is more shipwreck than dreamboat, and Camden Harbor might be haunted.

Over the course of one unforgettable summer, Libby learns that boys, like ghosts, aren’t always what they seem.

Thoughts:

This book was one of my favorite reads for 2011 and I have already pre-ordered myself a final copy for my bookshelves!  I absolutely adored Libby’s sarcastic sense of humor.  As a history buff, Libby cannot wait to start her summer job at a living museum.  When she finally gets there though, she is immediately thrust into a quirky group of teenagers – from the “suffragette” who’s barely sufferable, the marine biologists, the journalism intern, to the hottie squaddies.  Libby doesn’t immediately take to her corseted pilgrim outfit, but soon loves meeting with the children teaching the cooking and needlework that women pilgrims did.  She also soon finds herself in a love triangle with one of the hottest hottie squaddies and the insufferable journalist student (who she has to share a room with).

This will be the perfect summer “beach” read.  It’s a feel good, unputdownable read – be prepared to laugh!

Quotes (taken from ARC):

“I’ll be like an eighteenth-century Disney princess! Colonial Cinderella!”

“NO CELL PHONES?!” I exploded. “They shatter the illusion of the eighteenth-century village,” Maddie explained calmly.  “But what if we hide them from the tourists?  And only check them when no one’s around?” I wheedled.  What if Dev needed me?  What if Meryl Streep needed him to get an unpublished Harry Potter manuscript and I was the only one who could help?  Not that I’d know how to do that anyway, but that was beside the point.

Now, here is the dirty little secret of almost every girl who loves history: somewhere along the line, she fell for a fictional historical hottie.  Maybe it was Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy in that dripping wet shirt.  Or Clark Gable imagining Vivien Leigh without her shimmy.  Or a rascally Hugh Grant charming a girl Senseless.  Even Leonard DiCaprio clinging to the Titanic as he slowly turned blue.  Believe you me.  If a girl loves history, this probably happened.

Easy, breezy, beautiful, ColonialGirl.

I like a little something on under my petticoats, thank you very much.

I don’t want to spend my summer in a Nancy Drew – Hardy Boys Crossover Mystery Super Spectacular,” Garrett shouted.  “I want this to be a piece of serious journalism.”

“Why do you keep saying my name like it’s in air quotes?” he interrupted.  “What are you talking about?” I snapped.  “You keep saying ‘Garret’ like it’s allegedly my name.”

“You don’t need to call her you-know-who, Suze.  We’re not in Harry Potter, and she’s not Voldemort.  Fear of a name creates fear of a thing.  Or whatever it was that Dumbledore said.”

“Why, thank you, my dear.  Might as well just stick a feather in my hat and call it macaroni.”

Suddenly everything was clear.  Maybe Prince Charming just looked charming and wasn’t charming at all.  Maybe he was just a cocky asshole with a crown and a boat.

Thanks to NetGalley and Graphia/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Read Full Post »

Review: Shooting Stars

Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby

YA Fiction, Published February 28, 2012

Read: March 2012, 272 pp.

Challenges: Debut Author Challenge 2012, NetGalley Challenge 2012

3/5 STARS

Book Blurb:

Behind the flashing lights, the camera reveals all . . . even love.

Meet Josephine Foster, or Zo Jo as she’s called in the biz. The best pint-sized photographer of them all, Jo doesn’t mind doing what it takes to get that perfect shot, until she’s sent on an undercover assignment to shoot Ned Hartnett—teen superstar and the only celebrity who’s ever been kind to her—at an exclusive rehabilitation retreat in Boston. The money will be enough to pay for Jo’s dream: real photography classes, and maybe even quitting her paparazzi gig for good. Everyone wants to know what Ned’s in for. But Jo certainly doesn’t know what she’s in for: falling in love with Ned was never supposed to be part of her assignment.

Thoughts:

Shooting Stars is a cute twist on today’s public obsession with celebrities and their latest photo op – especially the bad pics.  Hey, you know it’s true!  We all want to know the truth behind the glitz and when the paparazzi snap the most unattractive photo, we’re often glad to see they’re more like us – the regular folk – than they often like to admit.

Jo is the daughter of a known paparazzo and he wants her to follow in his footsteps.  Since she is so young and small for her age, she can often slip by security unseen and get some good shots.  When she is offered $50,000 to follow a known teen pop star, Ned Hartnett, into a rehab facility, she takes the chance for the money to further her education.  (With the celebrity name Ned Hartnett, I was constantly thinking of the movie Win a Date with Ted Hamilton!)  What Jo wasn’t expecting was to fall for the guy and let her emotions get in the way of her job.  Then when her time with Ned is almost up, a secret that would get her a mega bonus check is revealed.  Will Jo follow her heart or take the money and run?

I enjoyed the concept and think younger readers would really enjoy this read.  I liked Jo’s sense of humor and all her “rehab” friends.

Quotes:

Surprisingly enough, I sleep okay for someone who’s being paid thousands of dollars per day and is not doing her job. 

Thanks to NetGalley and  Walker Children’s Books/Bloomsbury Children’s Books for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Read Full Post »

Review: The Espressologist – Get a little ♥ with your latte

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer

YA Fiction/Romance, Published 2009

Read December 2011, 185 pp.

3/5 STARS – Good/Recommended!

Book Blurb:

What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie.

Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right?

With overtones of Jane Austen’s Emma and brimming with humor and heart, this sweet, frothy debut will be savored by readers.

Thoughts:

If you’re a coffee lover and looking for love, you’re sure to fall in love with The Espressologist.  When word gets around to the coffee shop regulars that Jane can make you a love match based on your favorite coffee order, her boss takes it up as a marketing scheme to drum up business.  Soon customers are lined up down the block to see their favorite barista Jane.

I love the idea behind this book!  I thought the couples Jane matched up were so cute together.  If you’re looking for a quick, fun, cute read this Valentine’s Day, be sure to check this one out!  Make sure you have your favorite hot beverage on hand!

Other Recommendations:

Sarah Addison Allen’s The Peach Keeper also has an “espressologist.”

Book Trailer:

FTC Disclosure:

I purchased this book with my own money.

Read Full Post »

Review: Ashfall

Ashfall by Mike Mullen

#1 in Trilogy

YA dystopian fiction, Published Oct 2011

Read September 2011, 476 pp.

Challenges: RIP VI

Verdict: 5/5 – LOVE!

Book Blurb:

Many visitors to Yellowstone National Park don’t realize that the boiling hot springs and spraying geysers are caused by an underlying supervolcano. It has erupted three times in the last 2.1 million years, and it will erupt again, changing the earth forever.

Fifteen-year-old Alex is home alone when Yellowstone erupts. His town collapses into a nightmare of darkness, ash, and violence, forcing him to flee. He begins a harrowing trek in search of his parents and sister, who were visiting relatives 140 miles away.

Along the way, Alex struggles through a landscape transformed by more than a foot of ash. The disaster brings out the best and worst in people desperate for food, clean water, and shelter.  When an escaped convict injures Alex, he searches for a sheltered place where he can wait—to heal or to die. Instead, he finds Darla. Together, they fight to achieve a nearly impossible goal: surviving the supervolcano.

First Impressions (Out of all the books I have to read, why this one?):

I have visited Yellowstone National Park twice and am dying to go back (preferably before it explodes again).

My Thoughts:

I loved this book! As a geologist and one who has studied and visited the Yellowstone area, I was very interested to see how this book would play out.  I was afraid it would be hokey and unrealistic, but it is obvious that the author really studied the facts and stuck to a scenario that could really happen.  I loved the non-stop action and Alex’s determination to not just sit around and let things happen to him, but to constantly be on the lookout for a better situation.  It is amazing the feats Alex overcomes during his travels.  It would have been a very dangerous journey – people become very desperate and dangerous when they feel threatened and living through the ashfall and not being prepared for it would have definitely taken a toll on everyone.

But is it realistic? Geologically, could it actually happen?  We’ve all seen the shows about natural disasters ending the world we know and love, but it always seems to be some far off place and time.  It wouldn’t or couldn’t happen here at home, could it?  Yellowstone National Park is a beautiful place to visit – the geysers and hot pots draws millions of visitors each year.  But what is fueling these high temperatures and pressures?  Yellowstone sits on top of a hot spot; the continental crust moves over the stationary hot spot over time – we’re talking geological time here – million-billions of years.

The Yellowstone supervolcano has erupted several times in geologic history – the latest being 640,000 years ago.  Previous to that, it is estimated that it has erupted 2.1, 4.5, and 6.6 million years ago.  All of these eruptions have been at very massive events – 8 on the Volcanic Erupticity Index (the highest ever calculated).  It is the regularity of these numbers with the supervolcano erupting about every half a million years, that have lead some scientists to believe we are not that far off from another explosion.  Obviously, one of the biggest differences now than millions of years ago is that the human population is much greater than ever before and would devastate the country for hundreds and hundreds of miles from the center.

From the very beginning, I felt like I was trudging through the ashfall right alongside Alex! He couldn’t have found a better companion than Darla!  I loved the male perspective and I think Mike Mullen really took a lot of effort in learning the science behind a supervolcanic eruption and he actually drove the highways and routes that Alex and Darla took to make their story as realistic as possible.  It is these extra touches that truly elevate this book for me.  I loved it and cannot wait for Alex’s next venture.  Definitely one of my favorite this year!

Quotes:

Civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice. -Will Durant

“Burnt chicken on a stick, you’ve been in a fire.” (spoken from the Cedar Falls Fire Department) -Chapter 2

The ash looked almost white in the dim light, giving us a ghostly aspect.  Maybe we were ghosts of a sort, spirits from the world that had died when the volcano erupted.  Now we haunted a changed land.  Would there be any place for us in this new, post-volcanic world? -Chapter 6

Lately I’d been so consumed with fighting with Mom that it never occurred to me what my life might be without her.  Without Dad’s benevolent disinterest.  Without the brat, my sister.  Who would I be, if they were all gone? -Chapter 8

Everything I normally saw in the Iowa countryside was missing: There were no people, no cars, no cows -not even a solitary turkey vulture circling in the sky. -Chapter 12

Vocabulary:

The girl stood above me.  A strange angel, my addlepated brain thought.

addlepated – stupid and confused

Thanks to netGalley and Tanglewood for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I have already purchased my own copy of this book because I loved it so much!

Read Full Post »

100 Best YA Books!

from Lu’s Bloody Big Book Blog by Lu

Shelag from Word Fiend and Chrizette from All they days of posted this list with the 100 top YA books and I thought I would join in. How many have you read?

My total: 22/100 and 35 Books

► Read
► On my TBR pile/list

1. Alex Finn – Beastly
2. Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones
3. Ally Carter – Gallagher Girls (1, 2, 3, 4)
4. Ally Condie – Matched
5. Alyson Noel – The Immortals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
6. Anastasia Hopcus – Shadow Hills
7. Angie Sage – Septimus Heap (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
8. Ann Brashares – The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (1, 2, 3, 4)
9. Anna Godbersen – Luxe (1, 2, 3, 4)
10. Anthony Horowitz – Alex Rider (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
11. Aprilynne Pike – Wings (1, 2, 3)
12. Becca Fitzpatrick – Hush, Hush (1, 2)
13. Brandon Mull – Fablehaven (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
14. Brian Selznick – The Invention of Hugo Cabret
15. Cassandra Clare – The Mortal Instruments (1, 2, 3, 4)
16. Carrie Jones – Need (1, 2, 3)
17. Carrie Ryan – The Forest of Hands and Teeth (1, 2, 3, 4)
18. Christopher Paolini – Inheritance (1, 2, 3, 4)
19. Cinda Williams Chima – The Heir Chronicles (1, 2, 3)
20. Colleen Houck – Tigers Saga (1, 2, 3)
21. Cornelia Funke – Inkheart (1, 2, 3)
22. Ellen Hopkins – Impulse
23. Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
24. Faraaz Kazi – Truly, Madly, Deeply
25. Frank Beddor – The Looking Glass Wars (1, 2, 3)
26. Gabrielle Zevin – Elsewhere
27. Gail Carson Levine – Fairest
28. Holly Black – Tithe (1, 2, 3)
29. J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
30. James Dashner – The Maze Runner (1, 2, 3)
31. James Patterson – Maximum Ride (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
32. Jay Asher – Thirteen Reasons Why
33. Jeanne DuPrau – Books of Ember (1, 2, 3, 4)
34. Jeff Kinney – Diary of a Wimpy Kid (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
35. John Boyne – The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
36. John Green – An Abundance of Katherines
37. John Green – Looking for Alaska
38. John Green – Paper Towns
39. Jonathan Stroud – Bartimaeus (1, 2, 3, 4)
40. Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl – Caster Chronicles (1, 2)
41. Kelley Armstrong – Darkest Powers (1, 2, 3)
42. Kristin Cashore – The Seven Kingdoms (1, 2)
43. Lauren Kate – Fallen (1, 2, 3)
44. Lemony Snicket – Series of Unfortunate Events (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
45. Libba Bray – Gemma Doyle (1, 2, 3)
46. Lisa McMann – Dream Catcher (1, 2, 3)
47. Louise Rennison – Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
48. M.T. Anderson – Feed
49. Maggie Stiefvater – The Wolves of Mercy Falls (1, 2, 3)
50. Margaret Peterson Haddix – Shadow Children (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
51. Maria V. Snyder – Study (1, 2, 3)
52. Markus Zusak – The Book Thief
53. Markus Zusak – I am the Messenger
54. Mark Haddon – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
55. Mary Ting – Crossroads
56. Maureen Johnson – Little Blue Envelope (1, 2)
57. Meg Cabot – All-American Girl (1, 2)
58. Meg Cabot – The Mediator (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
59. Meg Cabot – The Princess Diaries (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
60. Meg Rosoff – How I Live Now
61. Megan McCafferty – Jessica Darling (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
62. Megan Whalen Turner – The Queen’s Thief (1, 2, 3, 4)
63. Melina Marchetta – On the Jellicoe Road
64. Melissa de la Cruz – Blue Bloods (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
65. Melissa Marr – Wicked Lovely (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
66. Michael Grant – Gone (1, 2, 3, 4)
67. Nancy Farmer – The House of the Scorpion
68. Neal Shusterman – Unwind
69. Neil Gaiman – Coraline
70. Neil Gaiman – Stardust
71. Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book
72. P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast – House of Night (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
73. Philip Pullman – His Dark Materials (1, 2, 3)
74. Rachel Caine – The Morganville Vampires (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
75. Rachel Cohn & David Levithan – Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
76. Richelle Mead – Vampire Academy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
77. Rick Riordan – Percy Jackson and the Olympians (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
78. Rom LcO’Feer – Somewhere Carnal Over 40 Winks
79. S.L. Naeole – Grace (1, 2, 3, 4)
80. Sabrina Bryan & Julia DeVillers – Princess of Gossip
81. Sarah Dessen – Along for the Ride
82. Sarah Dessen – Lock and Key
83. Sarah Dessen – The Truth about Forever
84. Sara Shepard – Pretty Little Liars (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
85. Scott Westerfeld – Leviathan (1, 2, 3)
86. Scott Westerfeld – Uglies (1, 2, 3, 4)
87. Shannon Hale – Books of a Thousand Days
88. Shannon Hale – Princess Academy
89. Shannon Hale – The Books of Bayern (1, 2, 3, 4)
90. Sherman Alexie & Ellen Forney – The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
91. Simone Elkeles – Perfect Chemistry (1, 2, 3)
92. Stephenie Meyer – The Host
93. Stephenie Meyer – Twilight Saga (1, 2, 3, 4)
94. Sue Monk Kidd – The Secret Life of Bees
95. Susan Beth Pfeffer – Last Survivors (1, 2, 3)
96. Suzanne Collins – Hunger Games (1, 2, 3)
97. Suzanne Collins – Underland Chronicles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
98. Terry Pratchett – Tiffany Aching (1, 2, 3, 4)
99. Tonya Hurley – Ghost Girl (1, 2, 3)
100. Wendelin Van Draanen – Flipped

Read Full Post »

Review: The Juliet Spell

The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees

YA Fiction/Romance, Published Sept. 27, 2011

Read September 25, 2011

Verdict? 2/5

Book Blurb:

I’m Juliet.

At least, I wanted to be.

So I did something stupid to make it happen.

Well, stupid and wonderful.

I wanted the role of Juliet more than anything. I studied hard. I gave a great reading for it—even with Bobby checking me out the whole time. I deserved the part.

I didn’t get it. So I decided to level the playing field, though I actually might have leveled the whole play. You see, since there aren’t any Success in Getting to Be Juliet in Your High School Play spells, I thought I’d cast the next best—a Fame spell. Good idea, right?

Yeah. Instead of bringing me a little fame, it brought me someone a little famous. Shakespeare. Well, Edmund Shakespeare. William’s younger brother.

Good thing he’s sweet and enthusiastic about helping me with the play…and—ahem—maybe a little bit hot. But he’s from the past. Way past. Cars amaze him—cars! And cell phones? Ugh.

Still, there’s something about him that’s making my eyes go star-crossed….

Will Romeo steal her heart before time steals him away?

Thoughts:

First off, I love this cover! It’s so cute and makes me want to be the girl running away with the cute pink shoes.  Too bad this isn’t in the story AT ALL…

Now on to the writing - contains spoilers -

I read this book in one afternoon and I did enjoy it.  If you’re looking for a quick, cute read with a lot of Shakespeare (and Shakeshaft), The Juliet Spell delivers.  I think theater fans as well as Romeo and Juliet fans will especially like this one. The pacing was good and I continually wanted to know what was going to happen, especially at the beginning, but ultimately, for me, it contained too many character and plot flaws to rate highly.

Miri wants to play the part of Juliet so bad that after her tryouts for the part, she decides to conjure up a spell to “please please please please” make her Juliet.

Powers that be, harken to me.  Send me success in the thing I confess.  To the universe proffering, I make this offering.  I want to be Juliet.

And at the same time, back in 1597, John Dee and Edmund Shakeshaft, the famous Will’s brother, are playing with the idea of traveling through time.  It just so happens that Edmund is thrust into the time continuum and placed smack dab into Miri’s living room.   After Miri realizes who and what he is, she cleans him up, feeds him, and begins to show him the ways of the 21st century.  Maybe this is supposed to be amusing – seeing Edmund fumble through trying to figure out what these “magic” devices are, but it all fell totally flat for me.

And then when Miri’s mother comes home and the story really started to get out of control for me.  So she comes home to find her daughter home alone with some strange boy – and she was immediately accepting of Edmund (not to mention that her daughter is casting spells…successfully! Am I the only one that thinks this is odd??) . Oh, it’s ok to have a strange boy in the house while I’m away…sure, since he’s time traveled and all, I understand!  I found it way too unbelievable that so many people were immediately accepting of the explanation of Edmund’s appearance.  “Dude, that’s awesome!”

I had a few problems with Miri’s mother.  I didn’t like her nonchalance about Miri’s father, her absent husband.  “Yes, I’ll be just patiently waiting while he goes off and finds himself and I don’t care where he went or what/who he’s doing.”
And when she finds out that Miri likes Edmund – what does she tell Miri she should do about him not having the same feelings toward her??  Pretty much just wait around while he’s “busy” with Vivian and maybe some day he’ll find your sarcastic remarks amusing and decide you’re ok too! UGH! Edmund spends over half of the story with another girl, sneaking out of the house no less going and doing who knows what, sleeping until noon and then spending his evenings at the theater rehearsals. Oh, but he’s so charming with his strange British accent so that makes it ok…

My favorite character was Miri’s friend Drew, but she treats him so badly! It’s so obvious that Drew has a crush on her, and she just uses him all the time – for rides, to talk about Edmund, to complain about Edmund and Vivian.

I did enjoy the historical tidbits about theater during Edmund’s time.  There is a lot of quoting from Shakespeare and while it does go with the whole theater theme, I found it to be really a crutch used to further the story along.  At the end of the book, the author states that everything Shakeshaft quotes from his brother was intentionally quoted from after 1597 – suggesting that perhaps Shakespeare’s works are not of his own imagination, but that of others.

We’ve been quoting Shakespeare for four hundred years.  Who was he quoting?

I don’t mean to be harsh and I think the idea behind the book and alot of the writing had potential, but ultimately there were too many character flaws for me to recommend this one – even for a younger audience.  And the ending! Ridiculousness – I guess it’s supposed to end tragically like in Romeo and Juliet.

Be advised that this book contains cursing, underage drinking, adultery, violence.

Quotes:

There’s something about an English accent that makes anything sound reasonable to an American.

I cast a spell to make me Juliet.  It worked.  But I forgot that Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy.  I got what I asked for.

Thanks to netGalley and Harlequin Teen for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Read Full Post »

Review: Sophie & Carter

Sophie & Carter by Chelsea Fine

YA Fiction/Romance, Published 2011

Read: August 2011, 128 pp.

5/5

Book Blurb:

While other high school seniors are dreaming about their futures, Sophie and Carter are just trying to make it through each day. Carter is overwhelmed by issues at home as he struggles to support his mother. Meanwhile, next door neighbor Sophie is left to care for her three younger siblings in place of their absent and troubled mother. All that holds these two best friends together is each other, and knowing that each night they’ll sit together on Sophie’s front porch swing and escape from reality, if just for awhile. But as their relationship reaches a turning point and high school graduation nears, will their friendship become something more?

First Impressions (Out of all the books I have to read, why this one?):

I found this gem on the Amazon kindle ebooks listing, on sale for 0.99, so I checked out the preview and really enjoyed it. I wanted to find out more of Sophie and Carter’s stories…so I bought it! Not a fan of the paperback cover. For the kindle, the cover is just their names, which I like better than the ugly jeans and feet.

Thoughts:

This was a pretty quick read and I finished it in one sitting (on a work night, no less).  I was hooked from the very beginning! Sophie and Carter have been next door neighbors since the third grade.  Their houses are really close together so they know what really happens behind closed doors.  The chapters switch back and forth between Sophie and Carter’s point of views.  At school, they are aloof, flirty and act like normal teens, but at home, they are completely different people.  That is when reality sets in. The depth and hardships for both characters was truly heartbreaking and I just wanted to HAD TO! find out how they were going to cope. 

This is a debut novel for Chelsea and according to her blog, she is already at work on a second book, unrelated to S&C, a paranormal romance and then she says there WILL BE a S&C sequel! I can’t wait to see what happens.

I’m in love with Sophie and Carter and this new author! I love their guts!

Read-a-likes:

Perfect Chemistry trilogy by Simone Elkeles (Check out my review for Book #1)

UPDATES:

via her twitter -

ChelseaFine

@emmegail Thanks for the review! I’m so happy you enjoyed Sophie & Carter.

Read Full Post »

Review: Wither

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Chemical Garden Trilogy #1

YA Dystopian Fiction, Published March 22, 2011

ARC received from Simon & Schuster Teen

Read March 2011

Verdict: 4.5/5

Book Blurb:

In the not-too-distant future, because of genetic engineering, EVERY HUMAN is a ticking TIME BOMB.

Males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty.  To keep the population from dying out, girls are kidnapped and sold into polygamous marriages.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine is taken, she enters a world of wealth and privilege that both entices and terrifies her.  She has everything she ever wanted – except freedom.  With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to escape BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.

My Thoughts:

My first YA dystopian!

Well, the current population of teens in this book are screwed have a lot of living to do in a mere 20 years.  So here’s the deal – a 3rd world war has demolished all but the North American continent (it only survives because we have the most advanced technologies – so there’s us and lots and lots of ocean with tiny islands) and humans cured all incurable diseases and only the most healthy children survived.  It was a perfect generation; humans that would live longer, healthier, disease-free lives.  But something in this biotechnology went tragically wrong.  The “new, perfect” generation’s children, while born even healthier than them, were dying at alarmingly young ages.  For the last few generations of humans, all the girls are dying off at 20 and the boys at 25.  The perfect generation get to age gracefully and live longer lives, but at the expense of watching their children and grandchildren parish at very young ages.

Some of the more wealthier families are trying to remedy the young deaths, but they need to practice their new medical techniques on someone…  These someones are dying anyway, aren’t they?  So young girls are stolen from the streets, sold to the highest bidder, and joined into polygamous marriages – because the more wives you have, the more children you have, and the more likely some child will beat the ticking of this genetic time bomb.

Rhine and her twin brother, Rowan, were lucky enough to actually have parents of the older “new” generation.  They had a semi-normal childhood, one where the parents tucked you in at night and read you bedtime stories.  But when their parents pass away, it is up to Rowan to protect his sister from the terrors that they hear outside their locked windows and doors each night.  When Rhine is stolen and becomes a child bride at 16, she must learn to live in a world of wealth, servants,  fashion, beauty, as well as servitude to her husband and 3 sister wives.  They truly are withering beauties.  Things are not as they first seem in a beautiful mansion of locked doors and hushed secrets.

First off, I love love the cover (A Caged Beauty), which is why I decided to get it, because I was really wary of the description blurb at first.  I also like the page formatting (at least in the ARC) – easy to read font and I like the decorative edging on all the pages.  I really liked that this ’1st in a series’ could be read as a stand-alone novel.  It did take me awhile to get into and believe in this new dystopian world. While there are plenty of twists and turns and other characters’ stories I want to learn about, I felt that this book really wrapped things up nicely in the end.   I loved that everyone living surviving in the “compound” has a unique back-story and that no one is as they appear at face value.  Some of them truly creeped me out!  I can’t wait to see what happens next – I’m hoping we get to hear Rowan’s story in the next installment – you know he’s searching for Rhine!

Definitely recommend this to the older YA crowd.

Book Quotes:

“This is the way the world ends; not with a bang, but a whimper.” -T.S. Eliot “The Hollow Men”

Keeping in theme with all the other things in this place, the room fills with shimmering butterflies.  They all quiver, and then burst like the strange bath bubbles.  Blood everywhere in their wake.  Then blackness. ~p. 30 (ARC)

It’s distressing how many hallways make up this mansion.  Even if the front door were left wide open for my escape, I’m certain I’d never be able to find it. p. 54 (ARC)

Love is natural.  Even the human race can’t claim to be natural anymore.  We are fake, dying things.  How fitting that I would end up in this sham of a marriage. p. 119 (ARC)

 

Check out the book trailer here!

Read Full Post »

Review: Two Way Street

Two-Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt

YA fiction/romance, Published 2007

Challenges: YA

Read Dec 2010, 288 pp.

Verdict: 3/5

Book Blurb:

There are two sides to every breakup.

This is Jordan and Courtney, totally in love.  Sure, they were an unlikely high school couple.  But they clicked; it worked.  They’re even going to the same college, and driving cross-country together for orientation.

Then Jordan dumps Courtney – for a girl he met on the Internet.

It’s too late to change plans, so the road trip is still on.  Courtney’s heartbroken, but figures she can tough it out for a few days.   La la la – this is Courtney pretending not to care.

But in a strange twist, Jordan cares.  A lot.

Turns out, he’s got a secret or two that he’s not telling Courtney.  And it has everything to do with why they broke up, why they can’t get back together, and how, in spite of it all, this couple is destined for each other.

My Thoughts:

Although I rated this book a 3, it was a very quick and enjoyable read.  I liked the overall premise of this book – having to go on a road trip with an ex.  You know some drama is bound to occur.  However, some of the characters and writing left a little to be desired.  The story switches back and forth from Courtney and Jordan’s point of views, and goes back in time to slowly reveal what really happened for Jordan to breakup with her.  I didn’t like how the book ended though, it was too abrupt and cliche.  There was a great buildup throughout the book, although I think the entire “twist” of the story was a little ridiculous.  I did not think it was fair for an adult to ask a kid to keep his secrets.  I felt the tension between Courtney and her best guy friend/past crush Lloyd was pretty realistic, but I didn’t like how the author left some of these secondary characters’ story lines hanging in the end, especially Jordan’s relationship with his brother. 

Read Full Post »