Island Summer

Island Summer
Jeanine Le Ny
June 2007
Reading Level: YA

Summary:

Just in time for summer comes the perfect beach read! Humor and romance abound in this fresh, fun take on summer love.

Nikki may spend the school year on the New England mainland at the ritzy Richfield Academy (on scholarship), but during the summer, she returns home to the decidedly less-posh Pelican Island. Despite an invite from her rich friend Blair, Nikki has to spend the summer working at her parents' sandwich shop. During one of her deliveries to the mainland, she meets Daniel Babcock, and they begin a whirlwind summer romance. But when Blair invites Nikki to spend the weekend, Nikki sees her walking hand in hand...with Daniel!
Can summer love survive?

Review:

It's impossible to write a truly insightful and meaningful critique of a book like this, so I'm not even going to try.

This book is exactly what you expect it to be. It's summer-y, fun, cliche, cheesy, easy to read, and cute all in one tiny little paperback. This isn't the book that you take to school and impress your friends with, it's the one you throw in your beach bag at the last minute because you want to take something to the beach that will be quick and easy and you won't care if it gets water damaged, sandy, or greasy from your suntan lotion.

I honestly don't think there's anything to say about it other than that. It's fun and easy and sometimes fun and easy is just what you're looking for!

How to Hook a Hottie

How to Hook a Hottie
Tina Ferraro
January 2008
Reading Level: YA

Summary:

At 17, Kate Delvecchio has one goal in life: to become a millionaire before the age of 20. And as far as she’s concerned, college will only slow her down. Unfortunately for Kate, the one thing her parents do agree on is that they totally disagree with her strategy. And so the deal is born. If Kate can raise five thousand big ones by graduation day, her parents will hand over the balance of her college account to invest as she pleases. No college, no degree, and no way she’ll ever be able to pull it off. But when Kate accidentally agrees to go to the sports banquet with the hottest guy at school, she stumbles upon a possible cash cow. The rest of the junior class is amazed that no-nonsense Kate could hook such a hottie, and one by one they approach her for help hooking their own. She doesn’t know anything about getting guys, but for $100 a pop, she’s more than willing to invent a six-step plan for How to Hook a Hottie. And how could that possibly backfire?

Review:

One thing that I love about this book is the main character. Kate is such a goal oriented and motivated person, and I admire her for that completely. She reminds me so much of myself, except for the fact that I am in college and she's dead set against college. However, she knows what she wants out of life, and she's willing to do anything to get it.

Including getting wrapped up in a plot to hook hotties for others in exchange for $100. Sounds smart, huh? Well, any reader can see how this would backfire. And any reader could predict the ending. But the ride is all the fun, and I immensely enjoyed watching Kate get herself into trouble time and time again. The book was short and cute, which makes it a great beach read, but at the same time you still feel connected to the characters in a way that you won't forget instantly. A very cute story, one I would definitely recommend. 

Waiting for You

Waiting for You
Susane Colasanti
May 2009
Reading Level: YA

Summary:

At the beginning of her sophomore year, Marisa is ready for a fresh start and, more importantly, a boyfriend. So when the handsome and popular Derek asks her out, Marisa thinks her long wait for happiness is over. But several bumps in the road—including her parents’ unexpected separation, a fight with her best friend, and a shocking disappointment in her relationship with Derek—test Marisa’s ability to maintain her new outlook. Only the anonymous DJ, whose underground podcasts have the school’s ear, seems to understand what Marisa is going through. But she has no idea who he is—or does she? In Waiting For You, this third romantic novel from Susane Colasanti, Marisa learns how to “be in the Now” and realizes that the love she’s been waiting for has been right in front of her all along.

Review:

One of the things that gets old with young adult romance is the use of stock characters. It seems like every female narrator sounds the same all the time, with little variance from book to book.

That's why I love this book: Marisa is totally different from all the young adult heroines I read about. First of all, she suffers from depression and she struggles throughout the book to put it behind her and move on. Second, the way she talks and interacts with others is entirely different. She's simply not that stock character; she has layers and that makes me like her that much more.

That being said, this book is perfect for a lazy summer day because it takes you through her transformation. In the beginning, she just wants a boyfriend, any boyfriend. Throughout the novel, she realizes that she has to be careful what she wishes for. She also goes through some family trouble, and this forces her to see things in a new light. Marisa's transformation is incredible, and best of all, it's totally relate-able. I also suffered from depression, and I have mood swings like Marisa, and I also can see her perspective on most of the decisions she makes.

I definitely enjoyed this book's depth. Even though it's not the most insightful YA romance, it's definitely got a lot going for it that takes it a step above the rest.

The Book of Luke

The Book of Luke
Jenny O'Connell
April 2007
Reading Level: YA

Summary:

Emily Abbott has always been considered the Girl Most Likely to Be Nice -- but lately being nice hasn't done her any good. Her parents have decided to move the family from Chicago back to their hometown of Boston in the middle of Emily's senior year. Only Emily's first real boyfriend, Sean, is in Chicago, and so is her shot at class valedictorian and early admission to the Ivy League. What's a nice girl to do?

Then Sean dumps Emily on moving day and her father announces he's staying behind in Chicago "to tie up loose ends," and Emily decides that what a nice girl needs to do is to stop being nice.

She reconnects with her best friends in Boston, Josie and Lucy, only to discover that they too have been on the receiving end of some glaring Guy Don'ts. So when the girls have to come up with something to put in the senior class time capsule, they know exactly what to do. They'll create a not-so-nice reference guide for future generations of guys -- an instruction book that teaches them the right way to treat girls.

But when her friends draft Emily to test out their tips on Luke Preston -- the hottest, most popular guy in school, who just broke up with Josie by email -- Emily soon finds that Luke is the trickiest of test subjects . . . and that even a nice girl like Emily has a few things to learn about love.

Review: 

This book can be described using two words: fun and flirty!

You can tell by looking at the cover that this is a quick and fun read. Emily's plan is completely idiotic. Making a reference guide for guys? Obviously this is gonna blow up in her face. This book is completely predictable from beginning to end, from the creation of the book to the huge blow up, finally leading up to the fairytale ending.

So why bother reading? Well, it's the fun and flirty aspect I mentioned earlier. This is the perfect beach read, and the characters really make the book. Emily is a snob who thinks she knows everything, so you hope and hope that the wonderful and sexy Luke will teach her a lesson and that she'll stop being so self-centered.

Really, if it weren't for the characters, this book wouldn't be half as fun. But in the end you start to like Emily, and Luke is sexy throughout so it's a win-win situation for everybody.

The Replacement

The Replacement
Brenna Yovanoff
September 2010
Reading Level: YA

Summary:

Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.

Review:

I've gotta admit: I didn't like this book very much.

The problem is that it's hard to articulate what I feel about it. The whole thing just doesn't sit right with me. I didn't particularly like Mackie, and I didn't particularly like Tate, so the characters didn't quite do it for me. I also wasn't particularly intrigued by the story. Which odd, considering I've been dying to read this since it came out.

Overall, this book just left no impression on me. The characters fell flat, the story was dull, and it was just overall an unmemorable book. I tried so hard to like it; I really did. And it was kind of interesting, and definitely unique, but it will rest next to books like The Forest of Hands and Teeth (which I also found to be dull and uninteresting) in my heart. Was it inherently bad? Not at all. Just not my cup of tea.

The Lost Summer

The Lost Summer
Kathryn Williams
July 2009
Reading Level: YA







Summary:

"I died one summer, or I almost did. Part of me did. I don't say that to be dramatic, only because it's true."

For the past nine years, Helena Waite has been returning to summer camp at Southpoint. Every year the camp and its familiar routines, landmarks, and people have welcomed her back like a long-lost family member. But this year she is returning not as a camper, but as a counselor, while her best friend, Katie Bell remains behind. All too quickly, Helena discovers that the innocent world of campfires, singalongs, and field days have been pushed aside for late night pranks on the boys' camp, skinny dipping in the lake, and stolen kisses in the hayloft. As she struggles to define herself in this new world, Helena begins to lose sight of what made camp special and the friendships that have sustained her for so many years. And when Ransome, her longtime crush, becomes a romantic reality, life gets even more confusing.

Told with honesty and heart, Kathryn Williams' second novel tackles the timeless theme of growing up, set at a camp where innocence is created and lost.

Review:

In order to review this book, I have to give you an idea about what I was expecting. First of all, the title: The Lost Summer. Okay, a summer book. Secondly, the publisher: Disney. Yes, this book is published by Disney. And Disney is the King of the Happy Ending. So I knew it was going to have a cheesy ending. Third, the cover and the genre. A girl standing on a dock? Okay, that goes with the summer theme. YA? Obviously this is going to be some cheesy book about a girl getting her fairytale ending.

The one redeeming quality that I found at first was the summary. I love tales of camp, and the story seemed interesting, at least.

As you've probably already guessed, I was completely wrong and learned my lesson about judging books based on little evidence.

I was actually surprised to find a book published by Disney that doesn't fit nicely into the mold of What to Expect from Disney.

Obviously, it is a summer book. I was right about that aspect. However, I wasn't really accurate in thinking that everything was going to be happy-go-lucky and turn out happily ever after. The ending was bittersweet and totally unexpected, which is a definite plus.

I was also pleasantly surprised to find that the relationship between Helena and Katie took precedence over the relationship between Helena and her camp sweetheart. While both were important, I'm glad that each got their fair share of attention and both were shown in a realistic way.

Overall, this is still a tale of summer. But it's also something much more than that. It's a coming of age tale, first and foremost. Helena goes through milestones this summer, and you can see the change in her as she grows as a person. It's also a tale of how relationships between people change as you age. Her relationship with her camp sweetheart and her relationship with Katie both define her for awhile, and in the end she realizes what's important in life.

This is still a short and sweet summer book, but it's got an extra layer of depth that isn't found in a lot of the books classified as "beach reads." I'd definitely recommend this as a book to read for any season.

Across the Universe + A Million Suns

Across the Universe && A Million Suns
Beth Revis
January 2011; January 2012
Reading Level: YA

Summary:

Summary is for Across the Universe:

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Review: 

The first two books in the Across the Universe trilogy are perfect examples of what I love to see in a young adult book. I will demonstrate this by making a list of the aspects of the novels that make them so wonderful and unique:

1. There is love and romance. I include this first because it is one of the things that I find the least important in a novel. However, the relationship between Amy and Elder is one that is incredibly difficult and complex, and that's what I love about it. As in real life, love and attraction is not clear cut or simple. In these novels it's clear that there is a mixture of love, obsession, fascination, and also confusion in their relationship. Despite what these characters may hope for, this is not a fairytale story, and whether there will be a fairytale ending remains to be seen.

2. The situation is hopeless. I LOVE when characters find themselves in situations that are completely out of their comfort zones. I hate when authors provide quick and easy solutions to truly difficult and impossible situations just for the sake of a happy ending. The problems of Amy and Elder are both impossible, and there are no easy solutions. Therefore, the ending is entirely unpredictable. So even though this is a dystopian story, the situations are as realistic as they can possibly be.

3. The story itself is unique. I'm sure there are plenty of books out there that are Star Wars or Star Trek related that regale the stories of Han Solo or Captain Kirk or whoever, but this is the first time I've seen a story set on a spaceship that is intended for a general young adult audience, as opposed to the audience for a Star Wars or Star Trek type story. I wasn't sure what to expect from this, which left me pleasantly surprised when I found something completely enjoyable and unique.


4. Both books were addicting. When I can't put down a book, I know it's good. This is a combination of all the above factors as well as the intrigue and suspense provided by the author.

Based on the above factors, these were both excellent books. I would definitely recommend them to young adult readers, and if you're still feeling skeptical, then let me just say that I was too when I started, but your concerns will quickly be eased once you get started and become wrapped up in the story.

Note: Look for the third and final installment to this incredible trilogy, Shades of Earth, available January 15, 2013!

Going Bovine

Going Bovine
Libba Bray
September 2009
Reading Level: YA

Summary:

Can Cameron find what he’s looking for?
All 16-year-old Cameron wants is to get through high school—and life in general—with a minimum of effort. It’s not a lot to ask. But that’s before he’s given some bad news: he’s sick and he’s going to die. Which totally sucks. Hope arrives in the winged form of Dulcie, a loopy punk angel/possible hallucination with a bad sugar habit. She tells Cam there is a cure—if he’s willing to go in search of it. With the help of a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf and a yard gnome, Cam sets off on the mother of all road trips through a twisted America into the heart of what matters most.

Review:

Libba Bray is an amazing author, as she proved with The Gemma Doyle Trilogy. However, I think that the events in Going Bovine were just a little too different for me.

This book is filled with crazy circumstances. The whole book focuses on Cameron, who has mad cow disease, and his adventures trying to find a cure for his disease. The adventures he has are totally wacky, for lack of a better word, but something kept me turning the pages. The question that kept me going is whether or not Cameron was hallucinating or not, and it became clearer and clearer as the book went on. 

I will say this, the writing itself is impeccable. I wouldn't have read a book this wacky if the writing was bad, but Libba Bray knows how to draw a reader in.


Lastly, the message of the book was definitely a good one, even if the story itself was weird. It was a tale of love, friendship, and most of all finding yourself. While the content of the book wasn't my cup of tea, the message was great, and the writing was great, and so I'd say there's definitely a reason that this book won the Printz Award, even if I didn't love it the way I wanted it to.

Every Other Day

Every Other Day
Jennifer Lynn Barnes
December 2011
Reading Level: YA

Summary:

Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.

And then every day in between . . .She's something else entirely.

Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.

When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive. . .and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.

Review:

I've heard nothing but good things about Jennifer Lynn Barnes' books, and so when I picked up Every Other Day I was beyond excited to read it.

I was a little put off by the idea behind it, to tell you the truth. The book is targeted toward Buffy fans, and since I'm kind of indifferent to Buffy I wasn't sure what to expect. I also wasn't totally drawn in by the description on the back cover.

Nevertheless, I took the leap and gave it a try. Fortunately, I found the book to be very enjoyable. My only minor problem is that it seemed really, really far-fetched. I understand that that's the point with supernatural books like this, but with this book it just seemed a little bit contrived. This alternate world that Barnes was creating just didn't feel effortless to me.

Other than that, I was completely drawn into the story. I loved Kali's character. She's strong, independent, and yet she feels completely alone. Up until this point in her life, she's been happy with being alone, but now that she's been given a good dose of friendship she realizes just how lonely she really is. Her emotional and physical journeys throughout the book are both believable and give the reader a true sense of understanding and compassion for her.

I also loved the eccentricity of Skylar, one of Kali's new friends. Bethany showed some, but not a lot, of the same sort of depth of character that Kali showed, and I think without their depth the story would have lost a lot of its power and meaning. As it is, the characters and their struggles really brought the story together.

The conclusion of the story was satisfying and unsatisfying all at once. I can see where the story could end here, because Kali's life has sort of fallen into place, but I can also see where the story could easily be built upon into a series. That being said, Every Other Day is meant to be a standalone, and so readers may have to use their imagination for some aspects that may not have been tied up as neatly as they could have been.

Girlfriend Material

Girlfriend Material
Melissa Kantor
May 2009
Reading Level: YA

Summary:

If Kate were Lady Brett Ashley, the devastating heroine of Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, she'd spend her summers careering around the Riviera in her coupe, breaking hearts by the dozen—because why not? In reality, Kate's never even had a boyfriend, and she'll be spending the summer abetting her mom's lame ploy to make her dad jealous: running off to Cape Cod and crashing at the seaside home of her wealthy friends, the Cooper-Melnicks. To add to the shame, the Cooper-Melnicks' gorgeous daughter Sarah is a bit like Lady Brett, and she seems less than thrilled to hang out with her new houseguest. Any dreams Kate once had of a perfect summer are ruined.

That is, until Sarah's cute, witty friend Adam starts drawing Kate into the fold—and seems intrigued. With Adam around, Kate feels like she just might have a bit of heartbreaker potential after all. But when a breezy summer romance quickly grows more complicated can Kate keep pretending her relationship with Adam is just a carefree fling? Or will she take the risk and tell him her real feelings? Suddenly Kate is asking herself a question she never thought she'd stoop to: Is she girlfriend material?

Review:

There are a few simple words to describe this book: cute, fun, quick, enjoyable, and summer-y. All of these apply, and so if you're looking for something that qualifies for any or all of these adjectives, then I would definitely recommend Girlfriend Material.

The book is incredibly short and easy to get through, and there's not a whole lot going on as far as intense reading. That's why it's so hard to write this review, because there's nothing to really analyze. It was just a lot of fun to read. I liked Kate, I liked Adam, I liked the story and the way that Kate's relationships with those around her got solved and worked through, and I thought it was really cute and romantic. If you've read any of Melissa Kantor's books and liked them, I'd definitely recommend this book. And even if you haven't, it's the perfect beach read.

Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls #3)

Forever
Maggie Stiefvater
July 2011
Reading Level: YA

Summary:

In Stiefvater's "Shiver," Grace and Sam found each other. In "Linger," they fought to be together. Now, in "Forever," the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

Review:

The Wolves of Mercy Falls books are some that just get better and better. The first one was good, the second one left me dying for more, and this final installment is an incredibly satisfying conclusion.

Forever contained everything you would hope for to conclude this wonderful trilogy. The romance that readers have come to love is back full force, and it's wonderful to see Sam and Grace transcend even more boundaries that threaten to keep them apart. The individual character building of Cole and Isabel is once again prioritized with them as narrators, and it was fulfilling to see how their lives unfold and intertwine with each others.

Basically, this book has everything. Romance, teen angst (and I mean that in the best way possible; not the Twilight-y kind of angst), hopeless situations that have to be overcome somehow, and a whole lot of action. The writing was also incredible. Maggie Stiefvater has such a poetic way of writing, and I feel like it has grown and developed a lot since Shiver, and so this book was truly a pleasure to read and I definitely look forward to reading more from her.

You definitely will not want to miss this finale to the Shiver trilogy. You will not be disappointed.

Also in the Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy...

How to Save a Life

How to Save a Life
Sara Zarr
October 2011
Reading Level: YA

Summary:

Jill MacSweeny just wishes everything could go back to normal. But ever since her dad died, she's been isolating herself from her boyfriend, her best friends--everyone who wants to support her. And when her mom decides to adopt a baby, it feels like she's somehow trying to replace a lost family member with a new one.

Mandy Kalinowski understands what it's like to grow up unwanted--to be raised by a mother who never intended to have a child. So when Mandy becomes pregnant, one thing she's sure of is that she wants a better life for her baby. It's harder to be sure of herself. Will she ever find someone to care for her, too?

As their worlds change around them, Jill and Mandy must learn to both let go and hold on, and that nothing is as easy--or as difficult--as it seems.

Critically acclaimed author and National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr delivers a heart-wrenching story, told from dual perspectives, about the many roads that can lead us home.

Review: 

Sara Zarr has always had the ability to "Wow" me with her writing, her characters, and her stories. How to Save a Life is no exception- once again I have been sucked into the story, falling in love with the characters and never wanting the book to end.

Jill and Mandy are two entirely different characters. Jill's life has always been "easy," until the death of her father, which turns her world upside-down. Mandy's life has always been hard, but when she becomes pregnant she sees it as an opportunity to escape the life that has been set for her by her mother and her unfortunate circumstances.

When these girls get thrown together, crazy things are destined to happen.

I absolutely adored the way that Sara Zarr executed this novel. It's not just another story about the death of a parent, and not just another story about a teen pregnancy. It's a little of both, combined into one, but with characters who are unique and refreshing. I can understand why someone reading this book may not "like" the characters, but the way I see it is that they are bitter and different as a result of their circumstances, and there is significant development by the end of the book. Sure, they are both extremely flawed, and probably not the nicest or easiest characters to relate to, but they are realistic and that is one of the reasons why I enjoy reading about them so much.

I'd say that the best part of the book is the self-discovery. These girls have set out on a journey that everyone goes through at some point or another- a search for themselves. Mandy has spent her life listening to her mother, who has a ridiculous idea of the world, while Jill has spent her life listening to her father. Neither of them have found an identity of their own, and this book shows that. I felt like I was part of the girls' journey, and it was absolutely beautiful to read. Sara Zarr has done it yet again...

 Also by Sara Zarr...

The Berlin Boxing Club

The Berlin Boxing Club
Robert Sharenow
April 2011
Age Level: YA

Summary:

Fourteen-year-old Karl Stern has never thought of himself as a Jew. But to the bullies at his school in Naziera Berlin, it doesn't matter that Karl has never set foot in a synagogue or that his family doesn't practice religion. Demoralized by relentless attacks on a heritage he doesn't accept as his own, Karl longs to prove his worth to everyone around him.

So when Max Schmeling, champion boxer and German national hero, makes a deal with Karl's father to give Karl boxing lessons, Karl sees it as the perfect chance to reinvent himself. A skilled cartoonist, Karl has never had an interest in boxing, but as Max becomes the mentor Karl never had, Karl soon finds both his boxing skills and his art flourishing.

But when Nazi violence against Jews escalates, Karl must take on a new role: protector of his family. Karl longs to ask his new mentor for help, but with Max's fame growing, he is forced to associate with Hitler and other Nazi elites, leaving Karl to wonder where his hero's sympathies truly lie. Can Karl balance his dream of boxing greatness with his obligation to keep his family out of harm's way? 

Review:

The Berlin Boxing Club is a book that I was a little skeptical about reading. I wasn't entirely sure if I was going to enjoy a book about boxing, but I know that I always enjoy a book set during World War II. Because of this, I decided to give it a shot.

I am so incredibly glad that I gave this book a chance. If I hadn't, I would have missed out on a fascinating novel. Karl is a wonderfully complex character, who wants to stand out as a champion. At the same time, he wants to blend in, in order to be accepted by society in an unforgiving world. Watching Karl grow from the young boy he is at the beginning of the novel, to the man he becomes, is an incredible journey.

I also really enjoyed the illustrations. They provided something like comedic relief when placed next to the dark content of the novel, and it also gave readers an in-depth view of what Karl was drawing and thinking as his life went on.

The only problem I had with this book is the ending, and the reason that is the case is because it ended up somewhere entirely different than I was expecting. In the beginning, you get the sense of where you think the book will go. While I'm glad the book is not predictable in that sense, I still wish there could have been some closure when it comes to Karl's encounters with the people in his life. Although I suppose, considering that Karl not only becomes stronger physically, but mentally as well, the message of the book is that it's better to take the high road out and avoid confrontation. However, I suppose the action-lover in me was hoping for a huge showdown, which didn't happen as I expected.

Overall: even if you are skeptical, pick this book up and give it a chance. It surprised me, so it might surprise others as well. It's a great book about adolescence and growing up, and it's also set in a time where growing up might not be quite as simple as it is today.

Jane

PS. As a side note, I lent this book to a friend and he read it in two days or so. That just goes to show that it's good for girls and guys :)

13 Little Blue Envelopes

13 Little Blue Envelopes
Maureen Johnson
Original Publication Date: August 2005

Summary:

When Ginny receives thirteen little blue envelopes and instructions to buy a plane ticket to London, she knows something exciting is going to happen. What Ginny doesn't know is that she will have the adventure of her life and it will change her in more ways than one. Life and love are waiting for her across the Atlantic, and the thirteen little blue envelopes are the key to finding them in this funny, romantic, heartbreaking novel.

Review: 

I read this book for the first time when I was in high school, and I did not enjoy it as much as I wanted to. However, when I got the chance to read it again, I decided to give it a go. After all, everyone loves Maureen Johnson, and she's hilarious on Twitter, so I knew there was obviously something wrong with me for not enjoying it.

Plus, I was about to embark on my own overseas adventure. Granted, I knew exactly where I was going and what I was doing, but it seemed to be the perfect book to read while traveling.

I must say, I did enjoy the book more the second time. I think part of the appeal of this book is simply the magical idea of having the chance to go to Europe on an unplanned, unknown adventure. As I was reading this book in the airport, all I wanted to do was to purchase a ticket for some random destination and see if I could make it.

This book is simply magical, while at the same time being entirely realistic. Because Ginny just didn't hop on a plane and go on a glorified adventure through Europe. She had problems throughout the book.

This book is more than just a trip through Europe, though. It's about growing up, and I can understand and relate to it much better now than I did when I was just a couple years younger. Throughout the book Ginny became a different person, and her entire view of things changed. I loved joining Ginny on a physical and spiritual journey, and I think a lot of girls could relate to her.

After reading this for the second time, I can honestly say that I am extremely excited to read The Last Little Blue Envelope. I want to see the end of Ginny's journey. 

Jane

What Happened to Goodbye

What Happened to Goodbye
Sarah Dessen
May 2011
Age Level: YA

Summary:

Since her parents' bitter divorce, McLean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move-four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, McLean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out.

Combing Sarah Dessen's trademark graceful writing, great characters, and compelling storytelling, What Happened to Goodbye is irresistible reading.

Review:

As a long-time fan of Sarah Dessen's, I am always more than willing to buy her latest masterpiece. However, lately I've been finding myself more disappointed than not.

Going back in time, I can still remember being a young teenager reading Sarah Dessen for the first time. I devoured her books like crazy, reading and re-reading and going completely nuts for her work. Then, when her next book came out (at this time, it was Just Listen), I fell completely in love. I felt like there was always something new or different to be found with each novel.

Next came Lock and Key. And when I read this, I was sadly disappointed. While all of Sarah Dessen's previous books were memorable, with interesting and wonderful characters and unique and realistic plot lines, Lock and Key had none of that. It was cute, sure, but not anything I'd want to read again and again.

Following Lock and Key was Along for the Ride. After speed-reading this one, I felt like Sarah Dessen came back. Lock and Key was just a bump in the road, so to speak.

However, after reading What Happened to Goodbye, I'm not so sure what to think. While reading it, I thought that it was a very nice and refreshing book. Very cute and sweet; AKA, very Sarah Dessen. I enjoyed reading about MacLean's life, simply because she lives a life so different from my own. I also found myself hoping that everything would work out in her impossible situation.

While I enjoyed the book, I still had one problem: it was entirely too predictable. It's all girl meets boy, girl falls in love, girl has a problem, boy gets sad, girl finds herself, boy and girl get together, girl overcomes impossible situation, whatever. In previous books, I've always marveled at how Sarah Dessen could write about real situations that girls go through, and how the girls cope with their problems and find their own way. But this book just didn't seem real to me. It seemed like just any old love story. While it was sweet and fun to read in the moment, there is nothing about it that draws me back for seconds or thirds.

I'm sure if you enjoy Sarah Dessen's previous books, you will not be completely disappointed. However, if you're hoping for some of her earlier magic, you might have to wait for the next one, or revisit some of the classics.

Jane

Life On Hold

Life On Hold
Karen McQuestion
April 2011
Age Level: YA

Summary:

Fifteen-year-old Rae Maddox’s mom, Gina, is a big fan of fresh starts. Gina thinks of them as an adventure, but for Rae, each move is just one more friend lost, one more chance to feel like an outsider. But when they arrive in Wisconsin, Gina promises to stay put until Rae graduates. Cautiously optimistic, she wades into the social whirl at Whitman High School, making a few friends and even earning a chance at love. But when the vice principal pairs her with fellow newbie Allison Daly, Rae’s tentative happiness is jeopardized. It seems Allison was orphaned after her parents died in a suspicious house fire, leaving their daughter to bounce between relatives’ homes. When a sleepover at Rae’s house goes terribly wrong, Rae sees a troubling side of Allison—and learns a few secrets about her own mother in the process. Suddenly Rae is at risk of losing everything and everyone she cares about—unless she steps up and takes charge of her life once and for all.

Review:

After reading Favorite by McQuestion, I was somewhat less excited to read Life On Hold. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome.

Life On Hold is a book that will appeal to many young readers. It's a book about a girl who wants nothing more than to be just a normal teenager. She wants to make friends and have a boyfriend and not move around just because her mother had a whim. In that way, Rae is a sympathetic character. I rooted for her throughout the whole book, waiting for her to find her voice to tell her mother how she felt.

Life On Hold was a really quick and fun read. The romance was cute, and the side story of Allison's life was fascinating- she was someone that I really wanted to know. I would say that Karen McQuestion definitely has a talent for writing a good story that keeps a reader entertained. However, the one downside is that this book isn't horribly memorable. There are bits and pieces that stick in my mind, but overall it was a good book to lose myself in for awhile, and then set it down and move on. I know some people might enjoy a book like that, but personally I'm looking for something a little bit deeper.

That's not to say that I didn't like this book. I really did enjoy it, and if you're even slightly interested in Karen McQuestion's books, I'd recommend them because they are unique and quick, and sometimes that's just perfect.

Jane

Cloaked

Cloaked
Alex Flinn
February 2011
Age Level: MG/YA

Summary:

I'm not your average hero. I actually wasn't your average anything. Just a poor guy working an after-school job at a South Beach shoe repair shop to help his mom make ends meet. But a little magic changed it all.
It all started with a curse. And a frognapping. And one hot-looking princess, who asked me to lead a rescue mission.
There wasn't a fairy godmother or any of that. And even though I fell in love along the way, what happened to me is unlike any fairy tale I've ever heard. Before I knew it, I was spying with a flock of enchanted swans, talking (yes, talking!) to a fox named Todd, and nearly trampled by giants in the Everglades.
Don't believe me? I didn't believe it either. But you'll see. Because I knew it all was true, the second I got cloaked.

Review:

There is one word that could very accurately describe my feelings for this book: cute. That is the one wonderful thing about the retellings that Alex Flinn is so wonderful at. She takes a story that everyone knows (or, in this case, maybe one or two that are lesser known) and makes them modern and interesting and maybe adds a twist or two here and there.

This book did just that, and I found myself falling in love with the main character: I LOVED the fact that it was a teenage guy who had a passion for shoes. It made him someone different that I've never seen before, and I really like meeting new people in the books I read. The romance was fairly typical, and so there's nothing much to say on that front, but the story is one that I couldn't tear myself from until the very last page.

Jane

How I Live Now

How I Live Now
by Meg Rosoff
2004
Age Level: YA/Adult

Summary:

“Every war has turning points and every person too.”

Fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she’s never met: three boys near her age, and their little sister. Her aunt goes away on business soon after Daisy arrives. The next day bombs go off as London is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy.

As power fails, and systems fail, the farm becomes more isolated. Despite the war, it’s a kind of Eden, with no adults in charge and no rules, a place where Daisy’s uncanny bond with her cousins grows into something rare and extraordinary. But the war is everywhere, and Daisy and her cousins must lead each other into a world that is unknown in the scariest, most elemental way.

A riveting and astonishing story.

Review:

Wow. You know those books where you start reading it expecting one thing, and then you finish it an it's completely different than what you thought? This is totally one of those books.

Absolutely incredible. I have nothing but good things to say about this book. The story? Riveting. The characters? Well-developed and very real. The writing style? There was clearly a lot of thought put into this unique writing, and while the unsuspecting reader may think it's sloppy and confusing, there is a reason for every choice the author made while writing this book. If you're not expecting it, the writing can take a little bit of getting used to, but it truly is the most artistic form of writing I've seen in awhile.

While some might find issues in this book, I personally thought that the romance, while not as "acceptable" as it should be, was very true and very well thought out. I also found the imagery in this book to be spectacular and incredibly cinematic.

I'd HIGHLY recommend this book to all young adults and adults looking for a well-written imaginative read.

Jane

Favorite

Favorite
by Karen McQuestion
April 2011

Summary:

Five years have passed since Angie Favorite’s mother, Laura, disappeared without a trace, and Angie still hasn’t recovered. Sure, things look normal on the surface—she goes to school, works her summer job, and argues with her older brother Jason—but she can’t shake the feeling that Laura didn’t leave by choice. Angie’s dad does the best he can, but his work as a musician keeps him on the road and away from home, where it’s up to Angie’s grandmother to keep an eye on the kids. She can’t be with them all the time, though, and she can’t help Angie when she is snatched from a mall parking lot by Scott Bittner. The girl narrowly escapes, and Bittner is arrested, but he takes his life in jail before he can offer an explanation for his crime. When his mother contacts Angie, begging forgiveness on her son’s behalf, the girl agrees to meet with her in hopes of finding answers to the seemingly random attack. But when she arrives at the massive Bittner estate, she is overcome by an unshakeable sense of foreboding…

Part thriller, part coming-of-age tale, Favorite is an engrossing young adult novel in which nothing—and no one—is as it seems.

Review:

This book was an extremely quick read, and on top of that I was also extremely anxious to finish and figure out everything that was happening.

While Favorite was a suspenseful read, I can't say that there is anything entirely wonderful about it. The story itself was interesting, but it also seemed a little bit out there and so it was hard to think of it as a realistic event. The one thing that I can say is that it stuck in my mind: the night after finishing this book I had a dream that was very clearly influenced by the events, and it was actually kind of freaky and so I can definitely say the book had a chill factor.

Overall, I can see that Karen McQuestion has talent as a writer. In case you're unfamiliar with her, she self-published for Kindle, and now she's got a contract with AmazonEncore and so her books are being published in print. I'm very glad that she has this amazing opportunity, and I also believe she deserves it. However, I didn't enjoy Favorite as much as I thought I would, but I am looking forward to reading Life On Hold. It seems to be a book that I would really enjoy.

But don't let my review of Favorite turn you off... it really is a good book, just not exactly my cup of tea.

Jane

The Angel

The Angel
Nastasha LaBrake
May 2010

Summary:

Seth Salvadore-Knight knew that his family wasn't exactly "normal," but he didn't think his life was really all that different from other seventeen-year-olds'. There were no unusual difficulties in his life, just the average problems all teenagers experienced. That was, until he and his family moved to the town of Madison. Almost instantly the hatred began to show, through violent attacks against him, his family, and his friends. It is this violence, this hatred, that will forever change his life and the lives of those closest to him.

Review:

This book was much better than I was expecting! The summary, being very vague, didn't give me much to go on, but I took a leap of faith and decided to give it a try. And I'm really glad I did.

The Angel had me hooked from the beginning: I have read LGBT books, but this book takes it to a whole new level. Seth's parents are a gay married couple who adopted him when he was a baby. Seth, being straight, still has to deal with the harassment and prejudice that comes with having gay dads. When he comes to a new school, in a new town, he learns just how prejudiced people can be.

This book (or, more specifically, the main character) was so sweet, almost to the point of being painful. Seth has so much love for his parents, his sister, his friends... I found myself completely rooting for him through his struggles. It's upsetting to know that people like Brian Archer (the antagonist of this story) exist. In fact, the crazy things that Brian does seem almost unbelievable. However, I know that hate crimes happen more often than people would like to admit. This book is exploring the very dark side of prejudice, and it's definitely something that should be taken seriously.

While there were a few minor spelling and grammar mistakes, I was able to overlook them because the story had me so intrigued. There are a few self-published novels that I almost regret accepting for review, but The Angel stands above those. Nastasha LaBrake is clearly passionate about the subject, passionate about writing, and I know that she has the potential to go far with her writing.

Jane