Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
Published by Speak; June 16, 2009
Paperback, 383 pages
Borrowed from library

Up all night.

Nights have always been Auden's time, her chance to escape everything that's going on around her.

Then she meets Eli, a fellow insomniac, and he becomes her nocturnal tour guide.

Now, with an endless supply of summer nights between them, almost anything can happen...

- Description from Goodreads.com

Sarah Dessen seems to have stumbled upon the magic formula. Because here is yet another story about a girl and a boy, family issues, and friendships. Same old, same old right? Wrong. Ms. Dessen knows her audience and whips up a new story different enough to mask the underlying similarities. 

It's Auden's summer before college and her father and his new wife have invited her over to their home in Colby. Tired of her life with her mother, Auden agrees. 

The story itself is pretty unspectacular. Just another tale of the budding romance between a boy and a girl. So what sets Along for the Ride apart is not the romance, but the interesting family dynamic. Auden's family is certainly complicated and I enjoyed reading about Auden's interactions with her family. 

On the subject of family, my favourite character in this book by far was Heidi, Auden's stepmother. She was nurturing and hard-working and geez, if there's any female character in a Dessen you should idolize, it's Heidi. I absolutely loved her.

The rest of the characters did not shine for me as much. It almost felt like they were one and the same. And Eli especially. He came off a bit one-dimensional unfortunately. As for Auden, I think it's fair to say she isn't my favourite Dessen protagonist.

The story moved along rather slowly as well and a lot of bits and pieces didn't seem to be at all significant to the overall plot. In the end, it got very confusing and muddled. I'm not sure whether I'm supposed to zoom in on Eli and Auden or her family or Auden's character development.

Along for the Ride is nowhere near my favourite Dessen but the familiar writing makes me feel warm and cozy in a way that makes me want to keep on reading. As usual.

Swede Dreams by Eva Apelqvist

Swede Dreams by Eva Apelqvist
Students Across the Seven Seas
Published by Speak; February 15, 2007
Paperback, 224 pages
Borrowed from library

Swede escape! Calista Swanson has begun her study abroad semester in Stockholm, Sweden, and she couldn’t be happier! There’s finally some distance between her and the constant piano-playing of her annoying sister Suzanne. Calista and Suzanne are twins, but the only thing they have in common is their birth date. Suzanne is a focused and gifted pianist, but a social dud. Calista isn’t at all focused, but she always has her friends, and a boyfriend, by her side. And that goes for her time in Sweden, as well. Jonas, who’d been an exchange student at her high school in Wisconsin, lives in Stockholm. He’s the main reason Calista is studying in Sweden, and she knows he’ll be in tow as she explores everything Sweden has to offer, from visiting Swedish castles to learning more about the Viking era, to sampling treats from a smörgåsbord, to strolling the cobblestone streets of Stockholm’s Gamla Stan. Calista loves Sweden from the moment she arrives, but . . . why hasn’t Jonas called?

- Description from Goodreads.com

Ever since stumbling upon a S.A.S.S. novel in my school library, I've been hooked. I love travelling and I love books so you can imagine how awesome the two of them combined would be for me. And after reading five or six, I can confidently say that Swede Dreams is the most culture-centric. None of the other S.A.S.S. novels I've read have put such a large emphasis on the country where the girl was visiting and that's fantastic! I mean, the entire series is about studying abroad so why don't you show us more of the 'abroad' and less of the 'boy'. So I really appreciated the change in this book.

The only thing is that we didn't get to know much about Jonas. And from the blurb, it seems like Jonas is a very integral character to the story. If it weren't for him, Calista wouldn't be in Sweden! So even though he may not be a part of Calista's Sweden trip, I would have still liked to have had some more information on him. 

Other than that though, this book was great! I loved the characters and the boy and the setting was especially amazing. 

Truly, Madly, Deadly by Hannah Jayne

Truly, Madly, Deadly by Hannah Jayne

Published by Sourcebooks Fire; July 2, 2013

Paperback, 262 pages

Received from publisher through NetGalley -- thanks!

They Said It Was An Accident...

Sawyer Dodd is a star athlete, a straight-A student, and the envy of every other girl who wants to date Kevin Anderson. When Kevin dies in a tragic car crash, Sawyer is stunned. Then she opens her locker to find a note:

You're welcome.

Someone saw what he did to her. Someone knows that Sawyer and Kevin weren't the perfect couple they seemed to be. And that someone—a killer—is now shadowing Sawyer's every move...

-Description from Goodreads.com

I'm always looking for great thrillers to scare myself with at night and after reading the synopsis for Truly, Madly, Deadly, my hands were already shaking. Unfortunately, Truly, Madly, Deadly did not live up to its first impression. The book had a lot of potential but in the end, it fell flat.

Sawyer was a likeable character and you felt bad for the poor girl. She's adjusting to a new mom, a new house, a possible new sibling all while coping with the death of her boyfriend, Kevin. But at the same time, I felt like Sawyer lacked depth which made it hard for me to feel any emotion for her while reading. Of course, that most likely is a result of the third-person narrative which I don't think worked in the author's favour. 

As a reader, I'm never really ecstatic about reading a third-person narrative. I think this must be the third time I've said this this week but I"ll say it again: in order for a book to be good for me, I have to love the characters and be able to relate to them. Third-person creates a distance between me and the MC and obviously, it's harder for me to build a connection (though when it's used well, I'm a fan of third-person too!). For this book, I think the author chose to use third-person so that the reader is more like a spectator, watching the mystery unfold from the sidelines. Almost as if you were watching another episode of 48 Hours. It worked for me at the beginning - I thought that the emotionless writing added an eerie ambience to the book. As the story progressed, I needed more than just the mystery to propel the book. I needed emotion. If I'm not attached to Sawyer, why do I care if someone is ruining her life? And because this is a fictional character, I do not feel guilty or ashamed I said that. 

But I think it all comes down to one major aspect of the book: the mystery. I would have been fine with the detached narration and the ish characters if the mystery had been better done. The idea that someone is watching Sawyer and committing crimes that seemingly help her is incredibly intriguing. It has a lot of promise but unfortunately, execution wasn't strong. It didn't take me very long to figure out who could be committing these crimes - especially not after the You're Welcome note and a certain character's shifty behaviour in every single scene. 

Furthermore, the ending wasn't very strong either and left a lot of questions. In my opinion, the ending is one of the most important parts of a mystery. You really have to explain and wrap all the loose ends created during the middle. And that was another thing Truly, Madly, Deadly was lacking. I wanted to know how the crimes were committed in more detail than simply explaining what was used to kill the person. How did the killer manage to slip unseen and put these crimes into action? With the last crime, we weren't provided any information at all and that was the crime that was probably the hardest for the killer to execute. I would have at least liked to have known how the heck the killer was able to sneak in there unseen. Does he/she possess an Invisibility Cloak? Secondly, how did the killer manage to stalk Sawyer's every move without her knowing? Especially in the vast and empty neighbourhood Sawyer lives in. And really, I just don't understand why the killer did this. The end was just so out of character and it seemed like it came out of nowhere.

But despite all this, the book was pretty good. Even though the mystery wasn't too strong, I had a blast reading about all the crazy antics the killer was up to. The idea behind the story was interesting and I liked the character dynamics with each other. I wouldn't suggest this to a mystery fan but if you're interested for something to pass the time, this one is a great choice!

A Really Awesome Mess by Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin

A Really Awesome Mess by Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin
Published by EgmontUSA; July 23, 2013
eBook, 233 pages
Received from publisher through NetGalley -- thanks!

A hint of Recovery Road, a sample of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, and a cut of Juno. A Really Awesome Mess is a laugh-out-loud, gut-wrenching/heart-warming story of two teenagers struggling to find love and themselves.

Two teenagers. Two very bumpy roads taken that lead to Heartland Academy.
Justin was just having fun, but when his dad walked in on him with a girl in a very compromising position, Justin's summer took a quick turn for the worse. His parents' divorce put Justin on rocky mental ground, and after a handful of Tylenol lands him in the hospital, he has really hit rock bottom.

Emmy never felt like part of her family. She was adopted from China. Her parents and sister tower over her and look like they came out of a Ralph Lauren catalog-- and Emmy definitely doesn't. After a scandalous photo of Emmy leads to vicious rumors around school, she threatens the boy who started it all on Facebook.

Justin and Emmy arrive at Heartland Academy, a reform school that will force them to deal with their issues, damaged souls with little patience for authority. But along the way they will find a ragtag group of teens who are just as broken, stubborn, and full of sarcasm as themselves. In the end, they might even call each other friends.

A funny, sad, and remarkable story, A Really Awesome Mess is a journey of friendship and self-discovery that teen readers will surely sign up for.

-Description from Goodreads.com

Dear A Really Awesome Mess,

Usually when I read a book, I like to have a pretty good idea what my fellow reviewers have thought about it. This time around, I didn't have a clue! So I was a bit hesitant when I first started. Would I like you?  And the answer to that question was a pretty yes. It just goes to show how good it can be going into a book without bringing along all those set expectations.

The first thing I noticed about you was the writing. It was HILARIOUS and gee, did I have a blast while reading! I loved how Emmy and Justin's voices were easily distinguishable yet were still very similar in regards with the humour. I think the dual point-of-views were used very effectively and the story came together smoothly.

If there's one thing in a book that strikes my fancy, it's unlikely friendships. And that was my favourite thing about you. I loved how the friendships between Emmy, Justin, Tracy, Chip and Jenny grew so organically. They really were a 'ragtag group of teens' and while at first I wasn't too into it, by the end of the book, I wanted to see more of that friendship.

But while I loved the friendship between the teens, I wasn't so crazy about the individual characters. I found them all rather underdeveloped and that might be because of the sheer number of characters there were in this book. As a result, there were many details that were omitted that might have been crucial to the development of each character. For starters, I would have liked more background on Justin's relationship with his mother. He constantly talks about not being wanted and we see clearly where that stems from with his father but what about with his mother? Does she contribute to his feeling of neglect in any way? If so, how?

Furthermore, the reasons why Chip, Diana, Jenny, and Tracy were at Heartland didn't feel as if they were resolved by the time they got out of there. I have a feeling that that was a hint at how flawed Heartland's system was but nevertheless, it didn't leave a good taste in my mouth knowing that they would most likely revert to their old practices.

And now for the romance. The whole Emmy/Justin thing was way too 'love at first sight' and sadly, that was something I have long grown out of. It was obvious right from the start they were going to fall in love and when they did, it came out flat. *Spoiler alert! Highlight to view!* But the fling I did like was the Jenny/Chip one. It was so cute and I loved all the little signs Cook and Halpin gave us at the beginning. I would love to see how that would play out!

But frankly, in the grand scheme of things, these were all minor issues. The major issue I had with the book was this: none of the very serious, very common problems the teens were at Heartland for were given much attention. And that is upsetting. I was really expecting the authors to explore these problems and I was left disappointed.

While I did want more from you, I thought that in the end, you made for a fun and light read. So that wasn't really what I was looking for after I had read the blurb but at least you weren't a boring and very heavy read! There were great laugh-out-loud moments and the experience of reading you was definitely enjoyable from all the witty cracks Justin and the rest of the gang!

Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality by Elizabeth Eulberg

Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality by Elizabeth Eulberg

Published by Point; March 1, 2013

Hardcover, 272 pages

Borrowed from library

A hilarious new novel from Elizabeth Eulberg about taking the wall out of the wallflower so she can bloom.

Don't mess with a girl with a great personality!

Everybody loves Lexi. She's popular, smart, funny...but she's never been one of those girls, the pretty ones who get all the attention from guys. And on top of that, her seven-year-old sister, Mackenzie, is a terror in a tiara, and part of a pageant scene where she gets praised for her beauty (with the help of fake hair and tons of makeup).

Lexi's sick of it. She's sick of being the girl who hears about kisses instead of getting them. She's sick of being ignored by her longtime crush, Logan. She's sick of being taken for granted by her pageant-obsessed mom. And she's sick of having all her family's money wasted on a phony pursuit of perfection.

The time has come for Lexi to step out from the sidelines. Girls without great personalities aren't going to know what hit them. Because Lexi's going to play the beauty game - and she's in it to win it.

- Description from Goodreads.com

I have always been fascinated by the world of beauty pageants. In my household, I'm known for plopping down in front of the telly for hour-long marathons of Toddler & Tiaras. The drama. The humiliation. Honestly, what more could you ask for in reality television? So I suppose you could say I was excited to jump into beauty pageants on page. 

Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality tells the story of Lexi, a teenage girl over with being just average. So starts her superficial mission to completely reinvent herself as a girl with more than just a 'great personality'. To be frank with you, I'm a bit tired of all this superficial makeover nonsense. Because in all the books I've read with this, the characters are mostly all whiney and annoying. No exception here. However, with Lexi, you can't help but feel bad for her. She comes from a neglectful family and her mum fails to understand and respect her needs, instead focusing her attention on younger sister, Mackenzie, a beauty queen. No wonder Lexi feels she needs to give herself a makeover to gain attention. 

+ Pluses

• Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality is a fast and funny read, sticking true to Elizabeth's bubbly and hilarious character.
• The beauty pageant theme is unique - you don't see it in Young Adult often.
• I really enjoyed the secondary characters: Benny, Cam and Taylor. They really shined through.
• It's easy to relate to Lexi's feeling of neglect and her want of being a gorgeous, noticeable girl.

-Minuses

• Lexi is whiney and annoying. No extra points for this even if I can understand where she's coming from.
• The references to fatness and beauty made me very uncomfortable. Not sure what the message is here.
• Is there a mental love triangle here? Because there certainly seems to be the same indecisiveness. Make up your mind, girl! Logan or Taylor? You can only pick one. Geez!
• The ending fell flat for me. It did not feel complete and some loose ends were left. 

Still, this book was pretty

Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle

Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle

Published by Dutton Juvenile; May 14, 2009

Paperback, 289 pages

Borrowed from library
Wealth, privilege, and way too many pastel-tinted opinions...that's Carly's life. And guess what? It's. Getting. On. Her. Nerves.

Carly wants to be real, and she's always counted on her little sister, Anna, to lover her and support her—and tell her how right she is. But when Anna turns "hot" over the course of a single summer, everything goes weird. Suddenly Anna's swimming in the deep end with the big girls—while Carly watches, hurt, from the kiddie pool. And of course there are boys involved, complicating things as boys always do.

With warmth, insight, and an unparalleled gift for finding humor even in stormy situations, beloved author Lauren Myracle dives into the tumultuous waters of sisterhood and shows that even very different sisters can learn to help each other stay afloat.

- Description from Goodreads.com

Peace, Love and Baby Ducks is the first book I've picked up by Lauren Myracle and without a doubt, I will be checking out her other books. I was overwhelmed by how good this book was and while I had some troubles with it, it was still a very enjoyable experience.

I really liked reading about the sister dynamic between Carly and Anna. Their relationship felt real and I liked that. One of my favourite things in novels is families and I'm super happy I got to see that play out realistically in this book. 

Another thing that was a big PRO for me were Vonzelle and Roger. They were the absolute bomb and outshined everybody else. I loved reading about them and if I had a wish, it would be to have Rozelle as my real life friends. 

The writing was also incredibly funny and quirky. It felt in place with Carly's character and it was so nice to be able to get who Carly was right away. But although I liked how straightforward Carly's character was, I absolutely detested her for a good amount of the book. She was selfish and super thick. And while I'm happy she wasn't perfect, there was too little character development for me to appreciate her. I felt let down by the ending because it didn't seem to me that Carly had learned from her mistakes.

There were also some things in the book that seemed irrelevant to the story. Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks is a bit of a self-discovery story and honestly, I didn't see how the baby ducks contributed anything to that. Perhaps it was symbolic to the unification of Vonzelle, Anna, and Carly but while reading, I just thought it was superfluous and unnecessary (just like my redundancy right there).

All in all, Peace, Love and Baby Ducks was a fun and fast read. I'm certainly happy I picked it up. There were some great attributes to this book, including the way Lauren subtly weaselled in some interesting observations of our current Western society. I thought it was very well done and although I was left wanting more at the end, it was a great read.

Anatomy of a Single Girl by Daria Snadowsky

Anatomy of a Single Girl by Daria Snadowsky

Anatomy #2

Published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers; January 8, 2013

Hardcover, 227 pages

Received from the author - thanks!
With Judy Blume-like honesty and insight, this sequel toAnatomy of a Boyfriend is about life after first love--romance, sex, friendship, family, and the ups and downs of life as a single girl.

After everything that happened—my first boyfriend, my first time, my first breakup—jumping back into the dating game seemed like the least healthy thing I could do. It’s not that I didn’t want to fall in love again, since that’s about the best feeling ever. But as a busy college premed still raw from heartbreak, which is the worst feeling ever, I figured I’d lie low for a while. Of course, as soon as I stopped looking for someone, an impossibly amazing—and devastatingly cute—guy came along, and I learned that having a new boyfriend is the quickest way to recover from losing your old one.

The moment we got together, all my preconceptions about romance and sex were turned upside down. I discovered physical and emotional firsts I never knew existed. I learned to let go of my past by living in the present. It was thrilling. It was hot. It was just what the doctor ordered.

But I couldn’t avoid my future forever.

In Daria Snadowsky’s daring follow-up to Anatomy of a Boyfriend, eighteen-year-old Dominique explores the relationship between love and lust, and the friendships that see us through.

- Description from Goodreads.com

Anatomy of a Single Girl continues the story of Dominique, except this time she's single and ready to mingle. She's back at home for summer break and as fate would have it, she meets another boy. Ooooh. And yes, of course things happen. 

After reading Anatomy of a Boyfriend which is so incredibly explicit, Anatomy of a Girlfriend feels like a mouthwash. It's much less graphic (though I wouldn't necessarily say they have less sex) and I like that. I think it's also very representative of how Dominique has grown sexually. In the first book, she described play by play what went on in her, er, sexual life. However, in this book, there was less of "and then he started kissing blah blah blah" and more of "it felt exhilirating" and so on. I take this to mean that she's obviously much more experienced now and she's doing it really for her own enjoyment. She's not thinking about, you know, making sure her boyfriend is please, she's more focused on herself which I think is amazing. It shows that even though the breakup was bad and had a negative affect on her, Dominique has actually benefited from it in the way she's carrying herself. She's so much more independent and strong. You go, girl!  

Dominique has never been an outstanding character but now, real people aren't ever outstanding, are they? So you know, while I don't particularly like Dominique, I can admire her for being an authentic teen voice. I know that must have been said like ten thousand times by my fellow reviewers but it's worth reiterating. Daria understands teenagers and she knows how to write them. At times, Dominique is so real that she seems to be so much more than just a character in a book. 

I think that's what this book has going for it. It's not the storyline (which in all honesty, I found a bit dull), it's not the barrier-breaking sex talk, it's the fact that teens can relate to this book. It's the fact that it's authentic. Every single page in this book hits being a teenager spot on. I loved how Dominique had her flaws and the author wasn't afraid to show that. But she also displayed the good of Dominique which made her a very well-rounded character. 

There are also some great issues discussed in this book and some great lessons to learn from Dominique. This book is perfect for all teenage girls. You'll get so much out of this book from reading about Dominique's adventure with boys. And trust me, if you're not into all that graphic sex but still want to give Dom a shot, go ahead and skip right to this book. 

Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski

Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski
Published by HarperTeen; June 7, 2011
Hardcover, 368 pages
Borrowed from library 

2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house - parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn't have.

If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn't jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe "opportunity" isn't the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1: "Lied to Our Parents"). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up "Skipping School" (#3), "Throwing a Crazy Party" (#8), "Buying a Hot Tub" (#4), and, um, "Harboring a Fugitive" (#7) at all is kind of a mystery to them.

In this hilarious and bittersweet tale, Sarah Mlynowski mines the heart and mind of a girl on her own for the first time. To get through the year, April will have to juggle a love triangle, learn to do her own laundry, and accept that her carefully constructed world just might be falling apart . . . one thing-she-shouldn't-have-done at a time.

- Description from Goodreads.com

If there's one series I wish I could own a boxed set of, it's the Magic In Manhattan series. It's wickedly funny and quite realistic once you push aside the magic. It was one of the first young adult books I've ever read and so of course, it holds a special place in my heart, along with its author Sarah Mlynowski. When I had heard that Sarah had another book, well, why wouldn't I be excited? The author of my childhood writing another awesome, fun sounding book? Yes yes yes. And let me tell you, this book did not disappoint.

I loved the cast of characters Ten Things featured. They were so different from each other in so many ways but came together as a whole and really made the book shine for me. I loved how I could totally see all the characters in a fun, teen targeted movie opening in the summer. Fun is what the book, and the characters are all about and I LOVE that. Sometimes, there just has to be some spice in your life you know? And April and Vi are the best spice-makers on earth. Yes, I think anyone living with their best friend alone will be able to "live it up" but I think they did a rather excellent job of not caring about the consequences. 

I agree, there were some UGH moments where I just wanted to slap some sense into EVERYONE but it was soon forgotten with the flow of the rest of the story. I loved the layout of the book and the transitions from past to present were very smooth which is good. The only thing that bugged me was Vi's signature catch phrase, Hells yeah. No, as a teenager I will tell you right now we don't say this. Honestly, I don't think I've ever heard this said ever ever. 

To sum things up, I think this is the perfect book to read if you're looking for something funny and light, a book that doesn't require too much brain power. It's not amazing, but it's not bad and if you overlook some of the aspects of the book, you might enjoy it. The book has a great cast of characters you'll want to party with, although April is really annoying at times. The issues the book addresses (ie. sex, a lot of sex) isn't dealt with very well - I found the sex thing to be treated very casually but hey, as long as you remember a condom, everything'll be all right, right? All in all, Ten Things was a mediocre, enjoyable read that you'll like if you can get over certain aspects of the book (ie. annoying April, unrealistic, and HELLS YEAH.)

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
The African Trilogy #1
Published by Anchor Canada; April 21, 2009
Paperback, 209 pages
Bought

Things Fall Apart tells two overlapping, intertwining stories, both of which center around Okonkwo, a “strong man” of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first of these stories traces Okonkwo's fall from grace with the tribal world in which he lives, and in its classical purity of line and economical beauty it provides us with a powerful fable about the immemorial conflict between the individual and society.

The second story, which is as modern as the first is ancient, and which elevates the book to a tragic plane, concerns the clash of cultures and the destruction of Okonkwo's world through the arrival of aggressive, proselytizing European missionaries. These twin dramas are perfectly harmonized, and they are modulated by an awareness capable of encompassing at once the life of nature, human history, and the mysterious compulsions of the soul.

Things Fall Apart is the most illuminating and permanent monument we have to the modern African experience as seen from within.

- Description from Goodreads.com

Remember when I reviewed Brave New World a few months ago? If you remember THAT, maybe you'll recall me saying that Brave New World was a book I read for school. After finishing that a while back, my class started reading Things Fall Apart (ex. Part 2 of our novel study). It took me a long time to finish this, let me tell you. Here's why:

This book tells the story of Okonkwo, who is a very respected man in the village, Umuofia in Nigeria. He's very strong and has anger issues so when the White Christian missionaries come and contaminate the people of his village, he gets angry. And he does certain things that leads to his falling apart, which is essentially the theme of this book. Long story short, it's a book about someone's falling apart.

There's really no way to review this book since it's really a timeline of what goes on in Okonkwo's life. There's nothing particularly spectacular about this book and so if you're a reader that likes FAST, or action-paced, you probably won't like this book much. The plot isn't very solid, and the story tends to fast forward through moments which may lead to confusion. That being said, I don't think the book is written to be fast or action-paced. It's not really a book for your enjoyment, it's one more for your knowledge and understanding, told through the eyes of very well-respected man of the village.

The biggest problem I had with this book is that I did not feel, being raised in a Western society, that I had the means to understand it. That has nothing to do with the differences in the cultures, it's just simply that I have no background or knowledge about Nigerians and this book didn't do much to help that fact. There are still so many things that confuse me. The Nigerian words were quite confusing to. I respect the author's decision to include them (and thank God for the glossary!) but as a reader, it was a hassle. With some of the more religious and cultural terms, the definitions did not help me to understand the book much.

Now that I have gotten that out, I'll tell you what I did like. I loved the detail and description in this book and I think Part 1 was amazing for that. It was direct and straightforward, and it provided a great foundation of understanding for the rest of the novel (which was lacklustre). I think, had it not been for Part 1, I honestly don't think I would have continued. It's only a shame that I didn't find the rest as enjoyable as Part 1.

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Gemma Doyle #1
Published by Simon and Schuster; December 9, 2003
Hardcover, 403 pages
 Borrowed from library

A Victorian boarding school story, a Gothic mansion mystery, a gossipy romp about a clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy--jumble them all together and you have this complicated and unusual first novel.

Sixteen-year-old Gemma has had an unconventional upbringing in India, until the day she foresees her mother's death in a black, swirling vision that turns out to be true. Sent back to England, she is enrolled at Spence, a girls' academy with a mysterious burned-out East Wing. There Gemma is snubbed by powerful Felicity, beautiful Pippa, and even her own dumpy roommate Ann, until she blackmails herself and Ann into the treacherous clique. Gemma is distressed to find that she has been followed from India by Kartik, a beautiful young man who warns her to fight off the visions. Nevertheless, they continue, and one night she is led by a child-spirit to find a diary that reveals the secrets of a mystical Order. The clique soon finds a way to accompany Gemma to the other-world realms of her visions "for a bit of fun" and to taste the power they will never have as Victorian wives, but they discover that the delights of the realms are overwhelmed by a menace they cannot control. Gemma is left with the knowledge that her role as the link between worlds leaves her with a mission to seek out the "others" and rebuild the Order. A Great and Terrible Beauty is an impressive first book in what should prove to be a fascinating trilogy.

- Description from Goodreads.com

I still have not been able to form thoughts on this book properly. My head right now is such a mess because, oh!, how this book confused me so! 

Here is a list of questions I have that SHOULD have been answered:

1. What is the significance of the Order?

2. What is the Rakshana's purpose exactly? 

3. Why does Kartik follow around Gemma? Aren't there other Rakshana to do this job?

4. Do the Rakshana have magic?

5. What are the Realms? I don't get them.

6. Why are the Realms important?

7. What are the Runes?

8. Why are there illusions?

9. Why is bringing magic out dangerous?

10. What is the significance of the amulet?

11. Why does Gemma get visions? (Also I think she really only got one vision...I don't think the blurb can say "that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true"...)

See? Do you get why I'm confused? I mean, at least half of these questions should have been answered! It's the same feeling I get when I'm in class, and I just feel like I learned nothing. And then I find out I have a quiz on something I didn't learn. Exactly that feeling. How can I write a review on a book that I got nothing out of? The story had tons of potential: the setting was vibrant, the scenes were intense, there was a bit of jealousy, some kissing, some magic, awesome boarding school-ness, some creepiness, and some really frightening scenes. The pacing was odd, though and there didn't seem to be an actual plot/problem. It was more a book of discovery - of Gemma, that is. I don't have any problem with books of discovery, but I expected more. I expected ACTION and though I got it, it didn't match my expectations. 

In the blurb at the back of the book, it mentions that Gemma "discovers her mother's connection to a shadowy group called the Order". I didn't actually think we discovered much. All that we found out really, is what was stated in that sentence. That her mother was connected to the Order. Or a part of? I have no clue. 

I'm sorry, my head hurts from all this deciphering. I am so confused. I had to go onto the Wikipedia page to figure out stuff (along with some spoilers...) and I'm still confused. What I can say, besides the stuff I have already said, is that Ms. Bray addresses some real issues on women equality here. And it really opens eyes because even though this was set in the 1800's, we still face the same issues! Really! I find that a bit embarrassing. I respect Ms. Bray as an author and as a person after reading her interview at the back of the book. I would definitely like to chat with her.

Overall, this wasn't a bad book. It was very good and I liked that it was mostly action and mystery. I really do need a break from romance. Gemma was a strong character, as was Felicity, Pippa, and Ann. There are many modern issues addressed here and I appreciated that. However, the book was very open-ended. It was good, but I think a lot more could have been explained. Do I really want to read the next two books to establish exactly what the whole idea of this trilogy is about? No. Will I? Probably not, seeing as I've already checked Wikipedia for spoilers. Still an enjoyable read, and I know some people really loved this book. You're better off borrowing it though, unless you know for sure you'll like it.

Withering Tights by Louise Rennison

Withering Tights by Louise Rennison
Misadventures of Tallulah Casey #1
Published by HarperTeen; June 28, 2011
Hardcover, 288 pages
Borrowed from library

Wow. This is it. This is me growing up. On my own, going to Performing Arts College. This is good-bye, Tallulah, you long, gangly thing, and hellooooo, Lullah, star of stage.

Tallulah Casey is ready to find her inner artist. And some new mates. And maybe a boy or two or three.

The ticket to achieving these lofty goals? Enrolling in a summer performing arts program, of course. She's bound for the wilds of Yorkshire Dales--eerily similar to the windswept moors of Wuthering Heights. Tallulah expects new friends, less parental interference, and lots of drama. Acting? Tights? Moors? Check, check, check.

What she doesn't expect is feeling like a tiny bat's barging around in her mouth when she has her first snog.

Bestselling author Louise Rennison returns with her trademark wit, a hilarious new cast, and a brand-new cheeky heroine who is poised to discover plenty of opportunities for (mis)adventure!

- Description from Goodreads.com

Yes, Louise is BBBAAACCCCKKK!!!!!! And with a brand-new series!!! Starring...Tallulah, Georgia's cousin! 

This (the whole family thing) was a bit iffy for me. I mean, YES, I luuurrve Georgia and I really can't get enough of her but...everything was so Georgia!!! Like, am I reading a story about Tallulah or Georgia??? This only happened about four times, but it's still a big question mark for me when I can't differentiate between two characters again and again.

What I'm going to say next might seem contradicting but it TOTALLY is not, so bear with me for a bit. I MISS GEORGIA. Because she was just so hilarious!!! I read her confessions during sixth grade and yes, she was quite...immature (?), but I loved her and I admit, I did wish that this book had a more Georgia vibe. Only for a second though. THEN, I was like, NOOOOO, I want Tallulah to be unique and original. And I think she was...a bit. 

DESPITE all this, I still really liked this book and the hilariousities kept me coming for more. Yes, it was a bit dull at some points, but it was quickly livened up again! If you want funny, LOL, ridiculous moments, YOU HAVE FOUND YOUR BOOK!

:)

The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger

The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger
Published by Little Brown/Poppy; September 7, 2010
Hardcover, 280 pages
Borrowed from library

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "the Duff", she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

- Description from Goodreads.com

Warning: This book is not for younger audiences!!! Like, really. It's not graphic but there is a lot of sex. Actually, I was telling my friend the other day how much sex there was in here and she told me that she went and read the blurb and it made sound a lot cleaner. Which it is not. Just to let you know...

I actually read A Midsummer's Nightmare, also by Kody, but since this is the first book she wrote and there's some itty bitty spoiler in A Midsummer's, I'm going to review The DUFF first!

Yes, it is about a girl who has sex with her so-called enemy and even though, the two main characters sounded terrible, I really loved and cared for them both. Kody is REALLY good at doing this and this is probably one of the reasons I liked this book. The book was pretty realistic and portrayed the troubles of being a teen well, which makes sense since Kody was only 17 when she started writing this book! (Awesome!!!)

One thing, and I might be nit picking, how DID Bianca and Wesley fall in love??? I mean, I love them together but they spent all their time having sex (three to four times a week, to be exact), how did they manage to even get to talk, let alone get to know each other and FALL IN LOVE??

And also, how did she NOT get pregnant? Doesn't Wesley sleep around with other girls??? How did he not get an STD and later transferred it to her???

And how did Wesley change THAT fast? It really was like zoom zoom zoom. 

I think these questions are really important ones that need to be answered ASAP. They kind of confused me while reading but other than that, great book!

Sugar and Spice by Lauren Conrad

Sugar and Spice by Lauren Conrad
L.A. Candy #3
Published by HarperCollins; April 5, 2011
Paperback, 288 pages
Borrowed from library

In the final book of the hit series L.A. Candy, Jane Roberts is a bona fide celebrity - she's got the VIP treatment, couture clothes, and starlet looks. She also has the tabloid scandals, fake friends, and relentless paparazzi. Having learned a few things from her first season on the air, Jane is trying to surround herself with the people who  she knows love her for her...and take a break from boys - since they've been nothing but trouble. But when her high school sweetheart Caleb and her unrequited L.A. crush Braden show up, both looking cuter and acting sweeter than ever, Jane has a hard time remembering her no-boys rule...

Just when everything feels out of control, Jane makes a shocking discovery. And what she finds changes everyone's definition of "reality" forever.

In her deliciously entertaining novel, television star Lauren Conrad pulls the curtain back on young Hollywood and shows that sometimes the real drama is behind the scenes.

- Description from Goodreads.com

This was the last instalment of the L.A. Candy series and I am very proud of myself for finishing it! Really, I'd never thought I would! 

Sugar and Spice was just as fun and quick to read as the other books but one thing that set it apart and really made it SHINE was the reality of reality shows told smartly with a whole entire sub-plot dedicated to Trevor! I mean, the whole story focuses on a reality show so it's only fair that we get to know some of the dirty, little secrets we probably already assumed were true but now get to make sure were correct. This part was very interesting and I'm pretty sure I enjoyed it the most!

I also liked the fact that Caleb, Jane's ex came back and the evil Sophia/Sophie who I can't tell you is who since that would ruin the whole story, was also introduced. It provided much more drama and though at times, the book felt very, very busy due to the new characters and the new drama they stirred up, it kept me hooked. 

One thing, though, I hated the bad Jesse!!!! No no no no no no!!!! That's not the way its supposed to work. Grrrrrrrrrr...

Overall, though, not bad! The series may not be the most well-written or the most anything else but I highly recommend it if you want to learn a bit about the reality of reality shows. After all, it is written by Lauren Conrad whom I assume would be an expert on such things.

:)

Check out my reviews for the other books:

L.A. Candy 
Sweet Little Lies

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
Heroes of Olympus #1
Published by Hyperion Books for Children; October 12, 2010
Hardcover, 557 pages
Borrowed from library

Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper and a best friend named Leo. They’re all students at a boarding school for “bad kids.” What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly?

Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out.

Leo has a way with tools. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god.

- Description from Goodreads.com

I actually read this a looong time ago but I slacked on my reviews. Yikes. Another thing I noticed, this is the first fantasy book I have reviewed so far...and probably have read in about a year. Double yikes.

Now, onto my review. Like I said, I've read this book a long time ago so I may be fuzzy about some details. However, I do remember that my overall reaction to this book was not Yay, this was such a good book! Dance, dance, dance! or Argh! This was so bad! Yuck, I just wasted my entire life!. It was more like meh. It wasn't terrible which I suppose isn't a bad thing but it wasn't great either. It was in between, lacklustre.

Don't get me wrong, I love Rick Riordan and his writing style is funny as ever! The humor and the descriptions were awesome and they really made me want to be with Piper, Leo, and Jason as they went along on their adventure. I loved the way Rick tied in Greek and Roman mythology (like, seriously, I have been waiting on that, for, like, ever!) and the extra exposure to all the other monsters and minor gods was awesome! This book even made me want to make a Prezi on Greek Mythology. Can you say W-o-w???

But I found that 300 plus pages was kind of long and it was super hard to remember that the story was set in three days. Like, what? Did I just miss something? And I found myself tres bored toward the end which is never, ever a good thing. 

I might be a bit unfair, though. Because, really, it wasn't bad. Maybe a bit boring but do I have anything else to say besides that? Not really. And anyway, if you are a Percy fan, you'd totally want to stick in for this series! I mean, you can't really let it hang there...'cuz well, Percy!!!!!!!

So definitely, if you love Percy, read this book! It's similar yet different and you'll love the new badass trio!!!

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg
Published by Point; January 1, 2010
Hardcover, 290 pages
Borrowed from library

Love is all you need...or is it? Penny's about to find out in this wonderful debut.

Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice...and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways...which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like...

- Description from Goodreads.com

I've been waiting forever to read Elizabeth's debut novel and I should say that it definitely did not disappoint me!

Firstly, I really like the idea of having a Beatles themed book and I liked how Elizabeth incorporated the song lyrics of various Beatles songs. I never felt overwhelmed by the Beatle-ness of the book which is great because I would've definitely been put off if EVERYTHING was about the Beatles. I did like to laugh at how obsessed Penny's parents were but I understood that there really are some die-hard fans that will do anything for their idols!

Of course, when you swear off dating, you somehow always come across this really cute guy you really like and that's what happened to Penny! Ryan is awesome and awesome and awesome! I really don't know how else to describe him! Elizabeth sure does know how to make a girl swoon over a fictional character!

However, even with all the awesomeness of the Beatles and Ryan put together, the book did not wow me. It was quite normal and I liked it. I definitely would not suggest you go out and buy it immediately but the book is worth a shot. It's cute and funny and cute and it's sure to make you smile!

Great debut, Elizabeth!

BTW, can I just say how much I love the cover???????
And also, this book reminded me soooo much of Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian which is a book you should totally read.

L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad

L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad
L.A. Candy #1
Published by HarperCollins; June 16, 2009
Hardcover, 326 pages
Borrowed from library

Los Angeles is all about the sweet life:

Hot clubs, cute guys, designer...everything. Nineteen-year-old Jane Roberts can't wait to start living it up. She may be in L.A. for an internship, but Jane plans to play as hard as she works, and has enlisted her BFF Scarlett to join in the fun.

When Jane and Scarlett are approached by a producer who wants them to be on his new series, a "reality version of Sex and the City," they can hardly believe their luck. Their own show? Yes, please!

Soon Jane is TV's hottest star. Fame brings more than she ever imagined possible for a girl from Santa Barbara-free designer clothes, the choicest tables at the most exclusive clubs, invites to Hollywood premieres-and she's lapping up the VIP treatment with her eclectic entourage of new pals. But those same friends who are always up for a wild night are also out for a piece of Jane's spotlight.

In a city filled with people chasing after their dreams, it's not long before Jane wakes up to the reality that everyone wants something from her, and nothing is what it seems to be.

- Description from Goodreads.com

This book was a nice surprise for me! Like so many other readers, I was a little hesitant to read something by Lauren Conrad and I apologize for being so judging 'cuz DAMN, did I enjoy this book!!!!!!

But before you decide to read this book, let me give you a heads-up. It was poorly written and even though that should've bugged me, it didn't. I liked the premise so much that I stuck with it. Another thing, it starts off very slow so if that's another thing that you don't like in books, STAY AWAY. 

What I'm trying to say is this, if you're not interested in the premise, skip it. For me, that was the only thing that kept me flipping the pages. I enjoyed all the reality TV drama and though the writing was a bit more stilted than I'm used to and the beginning was slow, I still enjoyed it!

Hugs Hugs Hugs, Annie

Naomi & Ely's No-Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Naomi & Ely's No-Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers; August 28, 2007
Hardcover, 230 pages
Borrowed from library

Naomi and Ely are best friends. Naomi loves and is in love with Ely, and Ely loves Naomi, but prefers to be in love with boys. So they create their "No Kiss List" of people neither of them is allowed to kiss. And this works fine - until Bruce.

Bruce is Naomi's boyfriend, so there's no reason to put him on the List. But Ely kissed Bruce even though he is boring. The result: a rift of universal proportions and the potential end of "Naomi and Ely: the institution." Can these best friends come back together again?

- Description from Goodreads.com

Well, there's one book on my Fall TBR list! Nine more to go!

I liked this book. It had a very interesting premise and I enjoyed following Naomi and Ely as they explored their friendship.

The set-up was very unique. I loved how it featured so many different characters, each telling a little bit of the story. It was a great idea but there were some points I just felt it wasn't necessary to introduce a new character and some points where I felt there were just too many. My head started swimming with different names and it became hard to keep track of who's who.

I did feel a bit bored at times but it was always short-lived for there was always, ALWAYS another laugh-out-loud line waiting for me.

I loved this book so much and I do recommend it. You might feel it has too much going on at some points or at times, you might feel a bit bored but in the end, I'm sure you'd love this book as much as I did. Maybe even more.

Love, Annie